31 January 2016

Ssebuguzi starts season with Mbarara Rally win


In Summary



Motorsport. Desh Kananura disqualified for going off the course as national champion Arthur Blick Junior, Duncan ‘Kikankane’ Mubiru, Jas Mangat and Musa Kabega fail to complete two-day competition, which opened the NRC season.







Ronald Ssebuguzi underlined his intentions for the 2016 National Rally Championship (NRC) title by winning the Lato Milk Mbarara Rally yesterday. The three-time national champion led a 1-3 finish for Mitsubishi car drivers.






The Vivo Energy driver, navigated by Leon Sasenyange in an Evo X ‘Ekisodde’, clocked one hour, 36 minutes and 19 seconds (01:36:19), beating second-placed Kuku Ranjit by over seven minutes. Christakis Fitidi in an Evo X came third (01:44:51). Ponsiano Lwakataka, who has been out of the sport for nearly three years while battling court battles, came fourth but there was disappointment for Desh Kananura, who was disqualified for diverting from the course.






Ssebuguzi’s victory is the third straight stretching from last year when he clinched the Umospoc Independence Rally and the Mt. Elgon Rally. In 2006, Ssebuguzi won in Mbarara and went on to claim the NRC title. He wants to repeat that feat. “I promised last year that I would regain the title. It is too early to celebrate but I am happy to win the event with all the top drivers competing,” he said. He added: “My goal this year is to equal Charlie Lubega’s record (four NRC titles).”






Big name drivers like Arthur Blick Junior, the current national champion, Duncan ‘Kikankane’ Mubiru, Jas Mangat, Musa Kabega, Wilbert Pole Pole and Godfrey Nsamba could not last the distance. They dropped out as only 20 cars out of 38 finished after two days of gruelling action. The next NRC event will be held on Easter weekend in Kabale.






Mbarara Rally result (top 10)
1. Ronald Ssebuguzi (Evo X) 01:36:19
2. Kuku Ranjit (Evo IX) 01:44:10
3. Christakis Fitidis ( Evo X) 01:44:51
4. Ponsiano Lwakataka (Subaru N8) 01:47:35
5. Godfrrey Lubega (Subaru N12) 01:48:08
6. Hassan Alwi (Subaru N14) 01:51:32
7. Adam Rauf (Evo 10) 01:51:42
9. Wycliffe Bukenya (Evo 9) 01:59:24
10. Fred Busulwa (Subaru N10) 02:94:25






fmusisi@ug.nationmedia.com






I am coming home soon - Col Mande


In Summary



Confirmation. In a telephone conversation during his father’s funeral last week, Col Samson Mande said he is coming back home to join in the development of the country.






Kanungu. President Museveni said last week the government is working out a plan to have exiled Col Samson Mande return home.
His message was delivered by Minister of Animal Husbandry and fisheries Bright Rwamirama during the funeral service of the late Cyprian Kabyesiza Warucuncu, the father of Col Mande, in Kigarama village, Kambuga Sub-county in Kanungu District, on Thursday.






The late Warucuncu, 89, died on January 24 at St Karoli Lwanga Hospital Nyakibale, Rukungiri.
“Preparations are underway to have your son return home. We have finished talks with him, you stay calm,” Mr Museveni said in the message read for him by the minister.
His revelation was reinforced by Col Mande’s own message in a telephone communication from exile during the burial of his father.
“I know you are in a political time now, don’t be violent, be peaceful. I am coming back home soon to join in the development of my country,” Col Mande said by telephone.






Background
Col Mande, a UPDF officer and former commander during the 1981-86 bush war, fled into exile in 2001 after falling out with the government he fought to bring to power. He fled with Lt Col Anthony Kyakabale who returned to the country last year.






The two were accused of starting People’s Redemption Army, a rebel group with bases in eastern DR Congo, a claim they denied.
President Museveni praised the late Warucuncu for his contribution in founding the Uganda Patriotic Movement, the predecessor of the current NRM, in the 1980s.
Col Mande, through the telephone message, asked the mourners to avoid conflict and violence.
“I hate conflicts, violence, I love peace, avoid those people trying to divert you from peace to wars,” Col Mande said.






He asked those vying for political positions to be peaceful and avoid violence.
Maj Rwamirama asked the people of Kanungu District to work with the NRM government and remember the great things the party has done for the country.
He gave condolences of Shs10 million.
The deceased produced 12 children and has left behind a widow and several grandchildren.






editorial@ug.nationmedia.com






Bwanika to scrap agricultural taxes


In Summary



Dr Bwanika is currently campaigning in Bugisu sub-region and has promised to eliminate fake agricultural inputs from the market







The People’s Development Party presidential candidate, Dr Abed Bwanika, excited people of Sironko District last week when he promised to scrap tax on agricultural inputs.






While addressing different rallies in Sironko, Dr Bwanika (below) said government’s failure to scrap tax on agricultural inputs has left millions of Ugandans stuck in poverty.






“Scrapping taxes on agricultural inputs, is my first priority in order fight poverty,” the three-time presidential candidate told a rally in Budadiri Town Council.


Dr Bwanika is currently campaigning in Bugisu sub-region and has promised to eliminate fake agricultural inputs from the market.
“Sub-standard inputs and equipment must not be allowed but the current government is just watching,” he added.






Dr Bwanika pledged to allocate 15 per cent of the national budget to agriculture and provide a cow to each household to boost food security and fight poverty.






“My government will solve the electricity problem by constructing solar power panel plants which will generate power,” he said.
He said hydro-power is too expensive for majority of Ugandans and solar energy would be the most affordable by the poor in the villages.






Technical schools offer quick fix for Ordinary Level leavers




Katabazi Valley Lane is a dusty, bumpy feeder road in Kisaasi, a Kampala suburb. This valley is a residential site and home to some of Kampala’s middle-income earners.






But the recent abrupt and uncoordinated changes in the weather mean residents either have to cope with dusty roads or mud flowing into their homes on rainy days. The El Nino rain, in particular, have forced the neighbourhood to work on the path and their drainage systems.






It is in this setting that Mr Israel Mbuga Kamwaka, a former student of Namulanda Technical Institute (NATI), is working to make ends meet.






“It was easy for me to get this job because of my qualifications and the fact that I live within this neighbourhood,” Mr Kamwaka, in his mid-thirties, who studied Block Laying and Concrete Practice (BCP) at NATI from 2010-2012 shared.






He joined the technical school after failing to complete an Information Technology degree course at Kyambogo University. The BCP certificate, though, offers him an opportunity to enrol for a diploma in civil engineering.






“From my school days, I learnt a lot about building and also acquired some knowledge on plumbing. All this has helped me survive and get temporary jobs here and there,” he adds.


But one does not have to wait for things to go wrong. Mr Kamwaka believes he would be in an even better financial status if he had joined vocational training earlier in his life.






His thoughts are echoed by Mr Patrick Kaboyo, an educationist and chief executive officer of Coalition of Uganda Private School Teachers Association. In the past, most technical and vocational schools were privately owned but with increased donor funding, there is an influx of government-aided ones.






There are 56 BTVET technical schools and community polytechnics implementing free secondary education with 40 being government-aided while 16 are private. Government pays 220,000 per student under free secondary education in the institutions per term.






“We have a steady increase in the number of students enrolling in technical institutes but we can’t say it’s an improvement. We are far from the required levels, especially because most of them (O Level graduates) prefer to go to senior five,” Mr Kaboyo explains.






He believes there is need to overhaul the selection criteria to allow even the best students a chance to join these hands-on institutions rather than the more theoretical route that takes one through A-Level and university, only for one to later fall victim to the unemployment crisis.






“Our economy needs production and not consumption. Students can only be productive if they utilise skills through gainful employment,” he notes. But how does one convince a student that passed his/her UCE to join technical institutes, which are ironically, considered an option for the academically weak? “Changing mindset is down to legal and policy frameworks. Government therefore needs to decide at what point (in the stages of education) they need a student to be resourceful,” Mr Kaboyo adds.






mmuziransa@ugnationmedia.com






Mak to scrap courses with few students

Makerere University graduates leave the university after the 65th graduation ceremony last year.

PHOTO BY ERIC DOMINIC BUKENYA 



In Summary



Monetary. The university vice chancellor says it is not feasible for the institution to run such courses.







Makerere University will scrap courses that have over the years failed to attract many students, the vice chancellor Professor John Ddumba-Ssentamu has said.






Though he did not name all the courses of study with fewer students, he said science disciplines would not be affected.
“It is not feasible to invest in some of these courses because each has more than one unit and need a lecturer, something that strains the university finances. We are going to look at the courses seriously. We have to phase out some of these programmes,” Prof Ddumba told Daily Monitor.






In 2013, Prof Ddumba said Makerere University was offering 150 academic programmes.






Two years later, the university’s director for quality assurance, Mr Vincent Ssembatya, said the university would phase out diploma programmes.






He said Makerere had been investing a lot of resources on diploma courses yet the students enrolling for them were few.
Prof Ddumba’s concerns, which he expressed to Daily Monitor in an interview, come just as the university begins it four–day graduation ceremony on Tuesday.






An analysis of the institution’s 66th graduation list shows that out of the 248 programmes which will be presented in the course of the four-day activity, 118 have less than 10 graduands.






The ceremony starts on January 19 and will be officiated upon by Dr Ezra Suruma who was appointed to replace the former chancellor, Prof Mondo Kagonyera. He will be installed today.Of these, 107 are postgraduate programmes while 11 are undergraduate courses. For instance, Bachelor of Urban Planning, Bachelor of secretarial studies, Health tutors diploma and Postgraduate Diploma in Meteorology each have one student going to graduate while Bachelor of Arts will present two students.






Prof Ddumba said some of these courses were affected when the institution restructured its programmes. As a result, the university stopped admitting students to some programmes and has been in the process of seeing through students who were enrolled on the programmes at the time.






A total of 14,296 students will graduate at the country’s oldest university this week. Of these, 12,631will be conferred upon undergraduate degrees, 64 students will get their degree of doctor of philosophy, 1,196 will walk away with masters degrees, 190 with postgraduate diplomas and 215 will be awarded diplomas from different disciplines.






pahimbisibwe@ug.nationmedia.com






Sironko cholera death toll rises, 70 admitted



Sironko. Authorities in Sironko District have expressed concern over the alarming rate of spread cholera in the district.
According to information from the district health department, so far seven people have died due to the disease in a period of two weeks while 70 people are admitted to health facilities.
The most affected sub-countries include Bukiise, Bugitimwa, Budadiri Town Council, Mutufu and Sironko Town Council.
The district leadership has launched a campaign dubbed, “Kick cholera out of Sironko” in a bid to educate residents on the dangers of poor hygiene.






“We are encouraging the communities to practice good hygiene and to make sure they have toilets and other sanitary facilities,” Dr Agnes Bukirwa, the Sironko District health officer, said.
Dr Bikirwa said since the epidemic broke out in the district two weeks ago, cases have increased to 70 up from 4 while seven people have died.
“The increasing cases of cholera in our district are now worrying. But this is because most of the homes don’t have pit-latrines and other sanitary facilities,” she explained. The officer also blamed lack of bathrooms and contaminated water sources.






She said they have set up two isolated centres in Budadiri Health Centre IV and Sironko Health Centre to handle suspected cholera cases. The Elgon Regional prison commander, Mr James Aissu, said they have temporarily suspended inmates of Mutufu government prison from attending court trial for fear of spreading cholera that was first reported in the government prison.
“We are trying to see how we can overcome the issue of cholera in the district,” said Mr Aissu.






editorial@ug.nationmedia.com






Avoid water from unsafe sources




By Simon J. Mone
Posted 


Sunday, January 31  

2016 at 

23:00




Ugandans are currently facing water shortage. We are also going through some sporadic weather conditions, hot and dry periods, occasionally punctuated by some rainfall. Therefore, we cannot rely on water harvesting since the rain is not reliable. That is why people are going to gather with containers around any source from where water flows, with no attention paid to its quality. When this happens, we should begin to worry as we are at risk of water-borne diseases.
Unprotected springs, dams and swamps provide us with cheap water sources. How collected water is handled is also a matter of concern. Whether or not the water is properly boiled or disinfected before use is not easy to tell. But a lot of effort has been put to ensure people continuously consume clean and safe water.






Almost every household knows the basic step of boiling water before drinking. And attempting to visit every household to assess if this basic health practice is implemented is not possible.
This leads me to the reasons why people still use water from unsafe sources. First, people still fetch unsafe water because their attitude and hygiene practice is poor. And second, because of laxity. That is why with all the interventions in water and sanitation, including education programmes, it has not been easy to prevent diseases. Thus, we see recurrence of cholera and other water-borne diseases because we are neglecting simple responsibilities.






One elderly person once told me that he grew up drinking water collected from a well. That he never boiled it at any one time. And he has never fallen sick. This is the attitude shared by many. It means the knowledge and practice of basic health science is not being taken seriously. The fact that one never falls sick doesn’t mean they are healthy. A number of hospitals are treating cholera, typhoid and other water-related illnesses. In 2015, health centres in Makindye Division in Kampala were overwhelmed by typhoid. It was later confirmed that communities were using contaminated waters.






Despite wide media campaigns requiring people to treat water before drinking, or wash hands with soap after using toilets, public attitude has not changed much. Therefore, it is no longer about the message but rather attitude and practice of basic health knowledge. This requires a review of current water and sanitation practices. Also, we need to evaluate why people continue to fetch unsafe water.






The most important thing is attitude change to ensure people embrace simple but significant practices such as boiling water before drinking. Unless a deliberate attempt is made at altering attitude and practice, the cost of utilising contaminated water will be too costly. And our health centres will always be overcrowded with preventable diseases.
Simon J. Mone,
smone@mail.com






Student-mother opts for vocational studies


In Summary



Determined. She failed all the examination papers but is determined to pursue vocational studies.






Kamuli. Ms Brenda Kampi, the 18-year old student of Kabukye Secondary School in Kamuli District who delivered a baby girl just four hours to her Uganda Certificate of Education English paper, has opted for vocational studies.
Ms Kampi failed all examinable papers (F-9). In an interview soon after the Uganda National Examination Board released the results last Friday, Ms Kampi said she was not surprised by the outcome of her efforts at school.
“When I became pregnant, I developed a phobia for teachers. I used to hate them. I hated the English teacher most and it’s not surprising that I gave birth before sitting the English paper,” Ms Kampi said.






“I could vomit, have nausea and shunned school to hide the pregnancy,” Ms Kampi narrated.
She also attributed her poor performance to harsh parents who banished her from their home after realising she was pregnant. She took shelter at the neighbour’s home who counselled her. With the support of a neighbour, she rejected proposals to abort as she was told she could lose both the baby and her life.
An unnamed man, said to be a businessman, who impregnated the student, has since fled for fear of arrest since she conceived when she was just 17 years old.






She had thought of not sitting for the examinations but the school authorities asked her to do them since she had registered.
On her future plans, Ms Kampi said her focus is on how to raise her child she named, Ingrid Namboira, as a single parent after her would be husband abandoned responsibility.
She disclosed that she is saving every penny she gets to buy some animals from which she can earn money for upkeep. From the money she got from sympathisers when she delivered during exams, and became centre of attraction, she bought a goat and named it Gubamwoyo.






“I am now looking for money and a good Samaritan to enable me join a vocational school,” Ms Kampi said, adding that she hopes to get practical skills in tailoring and hairdressing.
“I will be able to fend for my baby and secure her future. The short courses will do for me because I cannot now again find fees,” she pointed out.
Ms Kampi advises girls to stay away from randy men who entice them by painting a rosy picture about a future when they are together in love, but abandon them on getting pregnant, hence ruining their future.






editorial@ug.nationmedia.com






Apprenticeship is a credible solution to youth unemployment


In Summary



It will widen opportunities for rewarding careers, enhance economic mobility, and increase engagement of young people who drift aimlessly through the formal education system. It will also give more young people pride in what they do, both in mastering an occupation and in their confidence that they have learned how to learn.






Despite some government interventions in tackling youth unemployment, the level of unemployment and underemployment is still prevalent. Year after year, training institutions continue to churn out graduates who have nowhere to find work.
Youth unemployment remains a serious policy challenge demanding a much more strategic and sustainable solution that works and pays for itself. A solution which will offer balanced returns to the job seekers and employers. Observably, one major problem contributing to this unemployment dilemma is that majority of graduates’ skills don’t match what the market wants thus, making it difficult to fight youth unemployment in the country.






Skilling the youth through a more practical oriented system is absolutely the right model that should quickly be adopted. Apprenticeships are a tried and tested alley into the world of employment. This is an approach that has demonstrably proved beyond doubt that it’s a great player in fighting unemployment especially among the youth.
Unlike internships, apprenticeships train young adults with specific skills for jobs in sectors/industries that need more workers. The job seekers are trained by combining work-based learning with classroom instruction, in a unified programme that leads to a recognised and valued occupational credential. This initiative is feasible to implement as it addresses what is the most pressing labour market issue at the moment.






Young people, especially those, with less interest in sitting through classes all day, are able to spend part of their time learning skills as well as practicing them. The trainees contribute to production and growth while they learn. Additionally, they are paid a salary, which further motivates them to be fully focused on the training. Through such trainings, skills that may necessitate improvement are also identified, cultivated along side personal development needed for success in the workplace. During these mentorship projects, job seekers are able to study the craft while at the same time learning the trade before competently competing in the job market. At the end of the training, apprentices graduate with a sense of pride and identity because they are a valued member of a skilled community.






Furthermore, the apprenticeship programme is also a sure channel of addressing structural constraints of the large, poorly educated population lacking the social capital that would help get them incorporated in gainful employment, to access workplace skills, amass experience and eventually job placement.
Nonetheless, it’s only the government that has the scale to reach the young and unemployed. It’s got the full potential to prioritise and make long-term commitment needed to educate our children. Although the importance of building partnerships between the business community and government are critical. Partnerships, that will recognise required skills and design training programmes tailored to meet demand.






Embracing apprenticeship as a common method of recruitment and training by employers will lessen the burden on government of financing human capital.
One reason for pushing for apprenticeship training is that youth unemployment rates are lowest in countries where apprenticeships are highest, namely Germany, Switzerland and Austria. These countries are known for their success at smoothing the transition from school to careers.






The stimulus to apprenticeship training by firms will pay large dividends.
It will widen opportunities for rewarding careers, enhance economic mobility, and increase engagement of young people who drift aimlessly through the formal education system. It will also give more young people pride in what they do, both in mastering an occupation and in their confidence that they have learned how to learn.






It’s about time we realised that an education centered on an academic-only strategy is ill-suited for a diverse population and for the varied needs in the labour market. Building a robust apprenticeship system will play a far more constructive role in expanding the middle class than maintaining a pure school-based strategy focused on mass production of graduates. Building of skills is crucial to jobs creation, although there is need for an effective strategy on prioritising industrial development, promoting talent development, revamping agricultural institutions, supporting productivity and marketing of produced goods.








Online money remittance services ease transactions

A subscriber sends money through the mobile money platform. FILE photo 



In Summary



Simplified. New platforms do not require agents as in the past.






Kampala. Ms Joy Kyakwi, a lawyer working in the UK has been able to send money back to Uganda easily using WorldRemit.
This instant way of sending and receiving money saves her relatives the burden of going to agents. Ms Kyakwi says the money remittance service also saves them time and resources because the money is sent from her account directly to the recipients’ phones in form of mobile money.






For Simon Aogon, a student at Uganda Management Institute, his brother sends him money from New York directly to his phone using remit.ug, a local money transfer service that has been operating since 2014.
Mobile money has become a game changer in the financial market and has revolutionised the way people send and receive money today.
WorldRemit partnered with MTN Uganda to help Ugandans outside the country remit money through mobile money.
The service will also be available to MTN customers in Rwanda and Zambia. The partnership allows MTN customers receive money directly on to their mobile phones.






According to Ms Alix Murphy, a senior mobile analyst at WorldRemit, the partnership with MTN is going to allow customers around the globe to send money instantly from their Worldremit app or website to MTN mobile money users in Uganda, Rwanda and Zambia.
Ms Murphy, while speaking to Daily Monitor earlier last week, also explained that the new solution will cut back on the cases of fraud as well as reduce costs involved in sending remittances to these countries.






She says before using the service, one has to open an account and provide information about themselves that will identify them to the service.
This security measure guards against fraud.
The partnership with MTN mobile money is to create convenience and also tap into the unbanked majority population. They are also expanding the services to Kenya and Rwanda this year.
According to Worldremit, this service, compared to the traditional money remittance service like Western Union and MoneyGram eliminates the need for an agent.






Transactions eased
With the online platforms, all one requires is internet and the costs are minimised. For example industry player, Remit.ug charges 4.9 per cent on the amount of money sent while worldRemit charges $5.99 (Shs2,0797) to send $100 (Shs347,200). This translates into 5.99 per cent charge to send $100 (Shs347,200).
According to Ms Murphy, WorldRemit registers an average of 400,000 money transfers every month to more than 125 destinations. Of this 16,000 money transfers were sent to Uganda alone in the month of December.






jadengo@ug.nationmedia.com






Opinion polls are crucial sources of information




By Cato N. Lund
Posted 


Monday, February 1  

2016 at 

02:00



In Summary



In countries where political opinion polls in the shape of monthly “barometers” have been around for decades, people accept them as a more or less scientific assessment of the public mood.






After following the 2001 election at a distance, I had a close-up of the 2006 and 2011 elections. Now I am experiencing the 2016 version. There has not been much difference, voters have been consistently bribed.
About three quarters of the Ugandan population are below 30 years of age. This means a substantial part of the voters who are actually going to vote, never has known any other president than the incumbent and perceive him as the Father of the Nation. You cannot vote out your father.
About four out of five Ugandans live in the villages where going against leaders and elders is disrespectful and against the norms. This obviously plays into the hands of any incumbent, no vote rigging is necessary to secure a majority vote for him or her.






Nevertheless, rigging has happened before and is going to happen again. To reduce the need for crude methods, soap, sugar and coins will be distributed as in previous elections. Observers will marvel at the modest price of a Ugandan vote. Even then, overzealous cadres will want to save the incumbent from an embarrassing re-run; he needs to win with at least 50 per cent plus one. It would probably happen in any case, but some nervous supporters of the incumbent will try “to make sure”.






In previous elections, I have been happy not to be a Ugandan voter because I would be at a loss when I should decide whom to vote for. This time however, after the TV-performances of candidates Benon Biraaro and Abed Bwanika, I would have two viable alternatives. Both have a coherent programme for development of Uganda, not merely an economic growth that benefits few and does not initiate a true development. Unfortunately, the female candidate appeared too shallow, the former prime minister is co-responsible for everything that has gone wrong and the retired colonel would be more of the same.






The empty seat hopes that his non-appearance will show that he represents an elevated level compared to the insignificant “high school students” who were participating. Alas, the interpretation that he is a coward, shunning a situation where he would not be in complete control, is closer at hand.
It might not be very important, however; the number of TV-viewers is limited and readers of newspaper comments do hardly represent a larger audience. The important media are the FM radios and their owners and editors know very well where the power to revoke their licences resides. No external censorship is required; they take well care of it themselves.






The run-up to any modern election is incomplete without opinion polls. They were not very prominent five and 10 years ago. This time tends to be different. In countries where political opinion polls in the shape of monthly “barometers” have been around for decades, people accept them as a more or less scientific assessment of the public mood. Not so in Uganda. Whoever does not like the numbers coming out of the polling normally dismisses them as doctored by opponents; he has his own figures, which he refuses to disclose, showing that the picture is quite different, rather the opposite of what the pollsters publish.






So instead of taking poll results as the important sources of information they are, conflicting figures are used to hit each other with. It’s quite immature, fruitless and counterproductive. The figures, especially the unpleasant ones, should rather be used as correctives and inspire a positive campaign, that is actually what opinion polls are for.






Mr Lund is a visiting senior lecturer, Department of Architecture and Physical Planning- Makerere University.
catonlund@gmail.comu






Global oil prices forecast reduces to $37 a barrel



KAMPALA. The World Bank Group is lowering its 2016 forecast for crude oil prices to $37 (Shs128,400) per barrel from $51 (Shs177,000) in its October 2015 projections.
The projected low prices have two implications for Uganda: saving the country from high oil import bills, or slowing down investment in Uganda’s oil industry which is yet to reach the production stage.






Bank of Uganda (BoU), in its monetary policy report in December last year, said decline in oil prices, reduction of imports by both the government and the private sector saw the value of imported goods declining by $153.7m (Shs533.6b) in the first quarter of the financial year 2015/16, which covers July to October. This means that the country spent less on imports in the first quarter of the 2015/16 financial year.






As per the report, Uganda’s Balance of Payment position, the value of imported goods fell by 9.2 per cent in the same period, from $1.680b (Shs5.8 trillion) to $1.527b (Shs5.3 trillion), due to the decline in the value of oil imports, which declined by 34 per cent, reflecting the decline in international oil prices. In the report, BoU executive director research Adam Mugme said non-oil private sector imports declined by 8.2 per cent, from $1.245b (Shs4.3 trillion) to $1.144b (Shs3.97 trillion), which could be reflective of the declining private sector demand as well as the impact of global disinflation.
The World Bank explains in its latest Commodity Markets Outlook report that the lower forecast reflects a number of supply and demand factors. These include sooner than anticipated resumption of exports by Iran, greater resilience in US production due to cost cuts and efficiency gains, a mild winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and weak growth prospects in major emerging market economies.






The trends
Oil prices fell by 47per cent in 2015 and are expected to decline, on an annual average, by another 27 per cent in 2016. However, from their current lows, a gradual recovery in oil prices is expected over the course of the year, for several reasons.






First, the sharp oil price drop in early 2016 does not appear fully warranted by fundamental drivers of oil demand and supply, and is likely to partly reverse. Second, high-cost oil producers are expected to sustain persistent losses and increasingly make production cuts that are likely to outweigh any additional capacity coming to the market. Third, demand is expected to strengthen somewhat with a modest pickup in global growth.
However, the bank stresses that the anticipated oil price recovery is forecast to be smaller than the rebounds that followed sharp drops in 2008, 1998, and 1986.






“The price outlook remains subject to considerable downside risks. Low prices for oil and commodities are likely to be with us for some time .While we see some prospect for commodity prices to rise slightly over the next two years, significant downside risks remain,” said Mr John Baffes, a senior economist and lead author of the Commodities Markets Outlook.
Beyond oil markets, the report said all main commodity price indices are expected to fall in 2016 due to persistently large supplies, and in the case of industrial commodities, slowing demand in emerging market economies. This, for Uganda will lead to low earnings from commodity exports.






moketch@ug.nationmedia.com






Teenager in agony due to rare cancer

Catherine Kyomugisha (in bed) is attended by her mother Rovinse Turyomuruwe. The teen is suffering from a rare cancer in which a tumour forms at the base of the skull or in the spine. Photo by Racheal Ajwang. 



In Summary



For nearly two years, 16-year-old Catherine Kyomugisha has been unable to attend school due to severe illlness as a result of a rare type of cancer, whose treatment her family cannot afford. Gillian Nantume visited the teenager in the recovery centre where her pain is only temporarily dulled with rations of morphine.






Catherine Kyomugisha looks extremely frail lying on the lower decker of a bed inside the Akiba House at Bless a Child Foundation (BCF). Her mother, Rovinse Turyomuruwe looks on as her daughter speaks with the Home administrator.
BCF is an organisation that offers psychosocial support services to children living with cancer. It has two Homes; in Kampala and Gulu.
What strikes you about Kyomugisha are her large eyes – made more prominent by the thinness of her face – and her beautifully black, curly, hair. Next, you will notice that her left buttock is awfully swollen and hard, like a football.






The bedsheet covering half of her body almost obscures a urinary catheter running to a plastic collection bag on the floor.
The swelling is a chordoma, a malignant cancerous tumour growing at the base of her spine. Chordomas are part of a family of cancers that affect the bones, cartilage, and muscles.
It is two hours since morphine was last administered to the 16-year-old girl and there is a lull in the pain. Next to her, on the bed, is bottle of juice, a mobile phone and The Great Hope, a religious book by Ellen G. White.






The morphine is administered in 10ml doses on a 4-hourly basis; however, there is only one dose left. According to Rachael Nsimbe Navuga, the Home administrator, Mulago hospital has run out of morphine.
“We were given only 20ml today (Wednesday) and we have already used 10ml. The remaining dose will have to be rationed in two doses of 5ml over the next four hours. After 8pm, she will start screaming in pain. But I am trying to secure some morphine from Hospice Uganda, though I am not sure if I will get any.”






How it started
In 2014, Kyomugisha, at 14, was studying at Bishop Robert Rwamagaya Voc. SS in Nyakitubire, Ruhinda, in Rukungiri District.
“One morning, in April, I woke up feeling pain in my right leg,” she says feebly, continuing, “During the course of three weeks a teacher gave me painkillers but they did not work. Then, my back started hurting and I could not bend.”
Shortly afterwards, a small, painless, swelling appeared below her left buttock. For the next two months, she did not receive any form of treatment. Kyomugisha’s mother was living in Mubende District, mining gold.






“While I was away, my four children lived alone,” says the widowed Turyomuruwe, adding that when she heard her daughter was sick, she returned in August 2014 and took her to Nyakibale hospital in Rukungiri Town.
“The doctors said there was nothing wrong with her, so I took her to a traditional healer.”
The healer diagnosed the disease as witchcraft administered by Kyomugisha’s schoolmates. His treatments, however, were ineffective as the swelling grew and the pain in the leg worsened.
In September 2014, Turyomuruwe brought her daughter to a Kampala church, though the pastor’s prayers were also in vain. One church member advised her to try Mulago hospital.
“The doctors wanted to cut a piece off the swelling (biopsy) and they asked for Shs 260,000, of which, Shs 200,000 was for a CT scan. I only had Shs 20,000 so the nurse told us to return home.”
A biopsy is a sample of tissue taken off the body for close examination. A CT scan combines many X-ray images to define abnormal structures in the body.






Turning to the spiritual
Turyomuruwe sent her daughter to her sister in Fort Portal District and returned to the goldmines.
Kyomugisha says her aunt prayed over her. “In December, 2014, after prayers, my right leg became paralysed. I could not walk. Sometimes, it felt very hot and other times, it felt cold.”
She developed severe constipation and could not urinate. Her aunt began visiting traditional healers.






“They gave her herbs and instructed her to make cuts on the swelling and smear the herbs in the wounds. Only the herbal medicine for the bladder worked because I started urinating, but I lost control of my bladder.”
Her mother also fell ill with allergies that caused her body to swell and was hospitalised at Mityana hospital.






“I stopped working and returned to Rukungiri to sell my house and land,” says Turyomuruwe, adding, “I came to Kampala with my other children and we rented a room in Nansana.”
In April 2015, she brought her daughter to Kampala to another pastor. Kyomugisha had spent four months on her stomach, so a car had to be hired to transport her.
“I was shocked at my daughter’s condition, but when my money ran out, we spent five months without treatment, only using painkillers for the pain, which at the time, was manageable.”






Getting proper diagnosis
In November, Turyomuruwe finally received financial help from her brother. When he saw the size of the tumour, he drove them to CoRSU Rehabilitation hospital.
“My uncle told a nurse that I needed an operation but she told us to go to Kisubi hospital because they (CoRSU) dealt with bone conditions only,” says the frail girl, adding, “In Kisubi I was taken to the scan. I had spent 11 months lying on my stomach but when they turned me, I thought I would die from the pain.”
The doctors thought her nerves were the problem, but the results were inconclusive. They instead referred her to Nsambya hospital for a CT scan.






“The CT scan showed that a blood vessel had twisted around one of the spinal bones. They said it was a tumour full of blood. Since a bone was involved, in December 2015 I was referred to CoRSU.”
According to the mother, at CoRSU, they were told that since it was Christmas time, the hospital was slowing down its operations. They referred them to Mulago hospital for a biopsy and told them to return in January with the results.






At Mulago, chordoma was diagnosed after a biopsy but the doctor told Turyomuruwe that the disease was too far gone. “He said Mulago did not have the capacity to treat it but he would recommend us to other doctors. We have never seen him since.”
Kyomugisha spent a month in the hospital, receiving some palliative care from Hospice Uganda.
Towards the end of January 2016, Brian Walusimbi, executive director, Bless a Child Foundation, invited them to live at Akiba House.






At the recovery centre
Kyomugisha is currently staying at Akiba House, a transitional home which offers accommodation, meals, transport, end of life care, play therapy, counselling, and subsidised medical support for sick children. Children with cancer stay at the home as they receive chemotherapy cycles. There is also a classroom where children can keep up with their studies.
“Getting her inside this room was difficult because she is tall and can only liek on her stomach,” says Rachel Navuga, staff of Bless a Child Foundation, adding, “We had to hire an ambulance.”






Kyomugisha is supposed to return to CoRSU on January 29, but lacks the funds needed.
“I do not feel pain in the tumour unless someone presses it. Sometimes it feels heavy. I have shooting pains in my right leg, at the top of the thigh and the foot. Although it is paralysed, it still has feeling in some places. When the pain comes, the morphine cannot stop it.”
What is strange is that the pain is in the paralysed right leg, yet the tumour is on the left buttock.






Navuga says the doctors at Mulago informed BCF that they could not operate on the tumour because they fear the bone in the tumour will be left sticking out.
“She cannot get chemotherapy because she is too weak, and yet, they cannot operate until she has had chemotherapy.”
Kyomugisha’s menstrual periods disappeared in November 2014, shortly before she became bedridden. Now, she is given drugs to soften her stool to make her bowel movements easier.






“We are just managing the pain,” Navuga says, adding that they are looking to upgrade to a pain medication stronger than morphine.
Kyomugisha has hopes of recovering. “I will be healed. Something tells me God is going to heal me. He is able to do that which has defeated man.”
She passes the long hours of the day reading The Great Hope, “But I also wish I had a Bible to read,” she says quietly.






Vehicles, synthetic hair top smuggled goods list - URA

Vehicles in a bond in Kampala. Vehicles, motor cycle spare parts and synthetic hair, among others, are top on the list of the most smuggled goods according to URA. FILE PHOTO 



In Summary



Penalty. Smuggling attracts a prison sentence and or a fine.






Kampala. Motorcycle spare parts, DVD players and roofing nails are among the most smuggled goods into the country, according to Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) data. Also on the list are; motor vehicles, synthetic hair, garments and foot wear.






Online legal dictionary defines smuggling as a criminal offence of bringing into, or removing from a country those items that are prohibited or upon which customs or excise duties (taxes) have not been paid.
“Smuggling brings harm to the economy since it aims at evading supervision, duties and obtaining illegal profits which affect customs collections,” URA Commissioner General Doris Akol said last week while releasing revenue half year performance.






Attempts to reach Kampala City Traders Association chairman Everist Kayondo to comment on the matter were in vain because he could not pick our calls.
However, according to Ms Akol, enforcement interventions are being implemented by the authority to curb this practice. Various items have been intercepted and the arrested smugglers charged. This is to discourage the public from such acts.
She said: “Enforcement interventions yielded Shs18 billion out of 3,192 seizure notices issued during the period between July and December.






She continued: “The top risky items according to revenue recovered include motor cycle spare parts, DVD players, roofing nails, motor vehicles, synthetic hair, garments and foot wear, among others.”
Worth noting is that during the period July to December of Financial Year 2015/16, the offence of mis-declaration contributed the highest percentage of seizure, followed by undervaluation.
Outright smuggling where people physically move goods across the borders also contributed significantly and so is concealment followed by other offences.






“The main focus, therefore, is to simplify URA services and make them easily accessible; educate and sensitise taxpayers on their rights and obligations; and conduct enforcement initiatives that further improve taxpayer compliance and revenue yield,” URA commissioner for customs Dickson Kateshumbwa said in an interview last week.
And if that is done, the URA is confident that it will achieve the FY 2015/16 target.
Other measures include strengthening anti-smuggling, having stronger controls in warehousing, monitoring at the borders and increased Intelligence.






Despite smuggling, taxes on international trade performed beyond target. The good performance is attributed to administrative initiatives implemented during the period July to December FY 2015/16. According to URA, during the period July to December FY 2015/16, mis-declaration contributed highest at 38 per cent (Shs6.8b) to the total revenue recoveries, followed by undervaluation that contributed 31 per cent (Shs5.6b).
Outright smuggling contributed 15 per cent (Shs2.71b) towards the total recovery collection. The Other offences 14 per cent (Shs2.5b) and concealment contributed 2 per cent (Shs 0.35b) towards the total revenue recovery.






Revenue outlook
The targeted collections for the period January to June Financial Year 2015/16 is Shs6.1 trillion. Already, for the first half year, URA has surpassed its target by Shs47 billion. It is expected to collect Shs11.6 trillion this financial year.








Luzira inmates perform well in UCE

Luzira Prisons inmates celebrate after receiving their results. PHOTO BY Ephraim Kasozi 



In Summary



Success. All the inmates who sat for Uganda Certificate of Education examinations have qualified for Advanced Level education







Luzira Prisons inmates who sat for last year’s Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations have all qualified for Advanced Level education.






According to the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb), which released the results last Friday, all the 38 candidates who sat for the examinations at Upper Prison Inmates Secondary School obtained Division One to Division Four.






Four candidates passed in Division One; nine in Division Two; 12 in Division Three while 13 passed in Division Four. All the candidates were male.






Mr Joram Hannington Lusonzi who is on remand since 2012 over aggravated defilement emerged best with Aggregate 20.
The jubilant Lusonzi, 25, who had dropped out of school in 2008 at Primary Seven, said he wants to join Advanced Level and pursue his dream of becoming a lawyer in future.


Others who got first grade are convicts Daniel Ziraba and Warren Butaragaza as well as Philips Ocaigui who is still undergoing trial before court.






According to the records, four of the candidates Vincent Monday, Ronald Odongo, Robert Ojara and Omar Ozelle are condemned prisoners while Martin Chemonges, who scored Aggregate 40, died soon after sitting for the exams.






Mr Dennis Mujuni, the headteacher of the school, described the performance as excellent despite the challenges of lack of facilitation and adequate study materials.






“This is an excellent performance because candidates of last year were very bright compared to the previous year. They were much focused and exhibited teamwork. It was a well-organised class,” narrated Mr Mujuni, a pioneer teacher at the school.






He attributed the successful performance to the conducive environment by the prison authorities; “In this place you have a lot of time to think about three things (past, present and future) and we encourage each other to transform.”






The officer in charge of Upper Prison, Mr Wilson Magomu, said: “This is exciting and it encourages others to join because we take education as a crucial matter in our rehabilitation process. With this, we provide the little and also work with organisations that support us.”






“We believe that when people come to prison, they should use their time because they have all it takes to study and transform their lives,” said Mr Magomu, adding that that studying while in prison is challenged by lack of facilitation, security measures in place, no reading at night and stress on the side of learners.






ekasozi@ug.nationmedia.com






Treating a little known prostate condition

Urination problems due to BPH are often managed with Dustasteride.  




Benign prostatic hypertrophy also known as BPH is a condition that may not be commonly talked about, at least not as loud as prostate cancer.
This is partly because it is not as life-threatening as cancer. BPH is characterised by an enlarged prostate, hence the name. It is also non–cancerous.






The prostate gland surrounds the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. This means that as the prostate gets bigger, it may squeeze or partly block the urethra. This then causes problems with urination.
In a smaller population of men, BPH, may cause the bladder to be blocked which makes it impossible or extremely hard to urinate. This then might result in urine retention in the bladder which might then lead to bladder infections or stones or perhaps kidney damage.
The older a man grows, the higher the chances of suffering from BPH.






The disease is symptomised by trouble getting a urine stream started and completely stopped; a term called dribbling. There is the urge to urinate, with one often feeling like the bladder has not been completely emptied.
To manage this, the doctor often recommends drugs that inhibit the production of hormone testosterone. Dustasteride and finasteride are examples of such drugs. The inhibition of formation of testosterone eventually leads to the reduction of the prostate size which then improves urinary flow rate and symptoms as a result of obstruction.






The drugs above are given in combination with another class of drugs called alpha blockers. Examples of these are terazosin, prazosin, doxazosin and tamsulosin among others. These drugs act by relaxing the muscle in the urethra which makes urination easier. Finasteride is given in combination with doxazosin. Dustasteride above is given in combination with Tamsulosin.






It should be noted that both Dustasteride and finasteride are excreted in semen and therefore condom use is advised especially if the lady is pregnant or likely to become pregnant. Women of child-bearing age are also advised to avoid handling crushed or broken tablets of finasteride and leaking capsules of Dustasteride.
Patients receiving medicine for raised blood pressure should inform their prescriber because some dose adjustments may be required.






The writer is a pharmacist






New case seeks to block pay of ex-coffee workers


In Summary



According to the judgement, government was ordered to pay the complainants more than Shs10.3 billion as total terminal benefits for the non-unionised former employees of CMB in accordance with the verification report of the Auditor General of November 2009







Former employees of the defunct Coffee Marketing Board (CMB) may not see their terminal benefits worth more than Shs29 billion soon after a new case has been filed challenging the award.
The benefits resulted from a consent judgement signed between the Attorney General and former workers through their lawyers.






According to the judgement, government was ordered to pay the complainants more than Shs10.3 billion as total terminal benefits for the non-unionised former employees of CMB in accordance with the verification report of the Auditor General of November 2009.
Court also ordered that each of the complainants shall be paid Shs10 million as general damages and interest be paid at court rate.






The complainants are some of the former employees of CMB who were retrenched between 1992 and 1998 after the parastatal was privatised.






But the official receiver of CMB petitioned court for orders to set aside the directive to pay the said money alleging that he was never a party to the suit and the proceedings.






In the case against the former CMB former workers and the Attorney General, the liquidator of Coffee Marketing Board alleges that it was committed to pay colossal sums of money without being accorded an opportunity to defend the claim.






“The Attorney General together with the respondents (Ex-CMB workers and AG) recorded a consent in the suit, indicating the applicant as a party thereto where (i) the applicant was not a party to the suit, (ii) No summons to file a defence was ever served on the applicant, (iii) No instructions had been issued by the applicant to have the said consent recorded on its behalf,” reads the complaint.






In October last year, the secretary to the Treasury, Mr Keith Muhakanizi, said the claims for terminal benefits are illegal and irregular arguing that court had earlier issued an order prohibiting its implementation.






“Verification of this claim by the Auditor General was highly irregular and appears to be the trigger of most of these challenges. The verification was deemed irregular,” wrote Mr Muhakanizi, adding that the AG was not requested by the Ministry of Finance or the official receiver to carry out the purported verification.






background
On January 11, High Court Judge Stephen Musota issued compelling orders against the government to pay Shs29.1 billion to 1,568 people in fulfillment of a consent judgement between the complainants and the Attorney General in July last year. However, a sworn statement by Mr Bemanya Twebaze alleges that the AG was not counsel for the liquidator; “As I never instructed him to conduct the suit on behalf of the applicant or to agree to the terms of the consent on the applicant’s behalf.”






ekasozi@ug.nationmedia.com






Alcohol can cause erectile problems

In addition to causing severe nerve damage, alcohol can lead to shrinkage of the testicles and lower levels of testosterone.  




Pacing around his office, Bob was engrossed in deep thought. Surprised that I had been standing at the door for what seemed like a long while, he slowly lowered himself onto the couch. On inquiring what the problem could be, he answered “you know what my worst fear has always been? The day I wake up and can’t get an erection! And it has finally happened.” These were the words of Bob, my good friend as he explained why he had requested to see me.






As I probed further, I discovered that Bob, who had changed from the handsome macho dude to some below average poorly kempt man had not had an erection for about two months. This had followed about a year’s struggle with irregular and unreliable erections that resulted in the loss of his beautiful girlfriend. Bob intimated that life had never been the same since he started having erection issues.
Bob was battling with erectile dysfunction (commonly referred to as ED); also known as impotence.






ED is the repeated inability to achieve and/or maintain an erection for satisfactory sexual performance for at least three months.
There is nothing as devastating to a man as failure to erect. A man who has failed to attain erections has his ego completely injured and trampled upon. By the way, ED should not be confused with premature ejaculation or loss of libido. ED varies in severity; some men have a total inability to achieve an erection, others have an inconsistent ability to achieve an erection, and others can achieve the erection but sustain it only briefly.
Cultural and social norms dictate that sex, let alone failure to erect is not an issue to discuss. This leads to an inability of men to seek medical assistance due to embarrassment






So, what causes erectile dysfunction?
ED shares similar risk factors with heart disease and in fact, it could just be a symptom of an underlying major illness. The risk factors include;
Cigarette smoking,
Alcoholism
Unhealthy eating and thus overweight
Lack of physical exercise
If you have a combination of two or more of the above risk factors, you desperately need a lifestyle change because your chances of getting ED are very high.






Gone are the days when weight gain was associated with status and wealth. Weight gain (overweight and obesity) increases the risk of erectile dysfunction. Drug use (marijuana heroin, cocaine, and alcohol) can also cause ED.
Every time you drink alcohol, think of ED. In addition to causing nerve damage, alcohol, can lead to shrinking of the testicles and lower testosterone (the hormone that makes you a man). Depletion of this hormone will quickly manifest and ED could be one of the symptoms.






Psychological factors may also be responsible for ED. Stress from work, anxiety over life issues, guilt for some mistakes made in life, depression over life disappointments, losing a wife, low self-esteem, post-traumatic stress disorder (a disorder that develops after a traumatic experience like death of a loved one or accident, ) and fear of sexual failure may all contribute to ED.
The risk of impotence increases with age. While ED can occur at any age, it is uncommon among young men and more common in the elderly. By age 45, most men have experienced ED at least some of the time in their life.






Chronic conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes are also major causes of ED.
Erectile dysfunction tends to develop 10 to 15 years earlier in diabetic men than non-diabetic men. Accidents or medical procedures for cancers in the pelvis such as prostate cancer can also cause ED.
Some medicines used to treat high blood pressure, allergies, depression and appetite suppressants cause ED as a side effect.






How to address erectile problems
Any man who wants to be sexually active can be, irrespective of cause. Unfortunately, the first reaction of many men is use of aphrodisiacs like Viagra.
True, Viagra helps but don’t start on viagra unless it has been prescribed by your doctor. It could kill you. One of the major issues I face, is weaning people off Viagra dependence.
The success of ED therapy is largely dependent on the co-operation of the sexual partner. Men without supportive or regular sexual partners tend not to do well on therapy.
Resolving the underlying cause, such as managing the heart disease, and diabetes on most occasions will reverse the dysfunction. If it is caused by one of the medicines you are taking, substitution with another can solve the problem.
Lifestyle adjustments that involve healthy living (exercise, healthy diets, giving up smoking and alcohol, weight loss) can do wonders for your erection problems.






In some instances, inserting medications into the urethra (intraurethral suppositories), injecting medications into muscles of the penis and use of manual maneuvers have been done.
If all fails, penis prostheses (think of an artificial one) are also available.
All hope for Bob and many like him is not lost. After a series of counseling sessions and working together on lifestyle, he now feels like a man again.






The writer is a sexologist
patuhebwe@yahoo.come






ditorial@ug.nationmedia.com






Practical exposure key in science subjects



Last year’s Uganda Certificate of Education examination results released last Friday indicated an overall decline in general performance. Beyond the general drop, the poor performance in science subjects, while not surprising, should concern us, more so because it greatly contributed to the general slump in overall performance.






Statistics from Uneb show that 60 per cent of the 306,507 candidates who sat the 2015 exams failed to obtain at least Pass 8 to qualify for a grade. Notwithstanding improvement in Physics and Chemistry, the percentage pass levels remain low with almost 60 per cent of the candidates unable to demonstrate the minimum competency required to be graded, according to Uneb’s executive secretary Mathew Bukenya.
The poor performance in science subjects has always been blamed on shortage of competent science teachers. Lack of science teachers and science labs affect the administration of practical exams and consequently students’ performance. According to Bukenya, many teachers move to more than two centre numbers to help prepare for the practical papers on the same day.
Uneb officials have also pointed out that in last year’s exams, there was evidence that candidates received assistance mainly in science practical papers, theory and mathematics, which they blamed on poor teaching of the subjects and lack of enough teachers. It is, therefore, not surprising that 90 per cent of the results confiscated on suspicion of examination malpractice were in sciences.






While Uneb board chairperson Prof Mary Okwakol has rightly asked the Education ministry to find out why performance in sciences remains poor, we should note that this is not a new trend, and the contributing factors have been extensively discussed in the past.
In 2013, for instance, Education minister Jessica Alupo revealed that some schools performed poorly in sciences because they are not using laboratory equipment provided for teaching sciences. In 2012, it was reported that the country was short of 6,500 science teachers and some are ill-trained, which explains the poor performance in sciences.






While the Ministry of Education on Friday admitted that they need to recruit 4,000 more science teachers, minister Alupo said there is no wage bill to cater for them. This takes the country back to the vicious circle of lamenting about poor performance in science subjects without practical measures to reverse the trend.
Government efforts to promote sciences cannot be successfully implemented unless students are given a proper foundation. This will only work if government invests in equipping schools with science labs and hiring competent teachers. We cannot promote science subjects while ignoring the important aspect of continuous practical exposure.






Do I still need a root canal?

Root canal treatment could eliminate infection and save your tooth.  




Dear Dentist,I had a toothache two months ago, which also caused a swelling on my gum. The dentist advised me not to remove the tooth but instead to swallow drugs and go back for root canal treatment. I swallowed all the drugs given to me and no longer feel any pain. Is it still possible to have the procedure performed to save the tooth?






Abu
Dear Abu, your explanation shows that you had a dental abscess. This condition occurs when there is a collection of pus that is caused by a bacterial infection in the inner part of your tooth. It usually occurs as a result of an untreated dental cavity, or a crack or chip in your tooth that allows bacteria into the inner tooth. The inner part of the tooth is called a pulp; it contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissues.
The effective treatment for a tooth abscess involves draining the abscess or pus and ridding the area of the infection. This is followed by one taking antibiotics and analgesics of the dentist’s choice for not less than five days to fully get rid of the infection. This normally, depends on how severe the abscess is.






The tooth itself may be saved with that procedure (root canal treatment) but in some instances it may need to be extracted (removed).
This abscess usually causes;
Severe, persistent, throbbing toothache
Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
Sensitivity to the pressure of chewing or biting
Fever
Swelling in your face or cheek
Tender, swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or in your neck
Sudden rush of foul smelling and foul tasting fluid in your mouth and cessation of pain if the abscess ruptures






Treatment
Depending on what the dentist found out, you need one of the following;
Root canal treatment. This procedure can help eliminate further infection and save your tooth. To do this, your dentist drills down into your tooth, removes the diseased inner tissue called the pulp and drains any remaining pus, thus killing or removing the nerve of that particular tooth. It is a good procedure, and it can be performed on your dentist’s recommendation.






Extract the affected tooth. If the affected tooth can’t be saved, your dentist will pull it out (extract it), then drain any remaining pus, thus quickening the healing process.
Note: It is not good for anyone not to honour appointments with your doctor, relief from pain is always temporary. If you take long without seeking further treatment, infection will re-occur, thus making the treatment more costly.






The writer is a dentist
krdent@yahoo.com






Bidco has no court order against Uganda Revenue Authority




By Patience T. Rubagumya
Posted 


Monday, February 1 

2016 at 

02:00




Our attention has been drawn to a Daily Monitor story titled, “Bidco sues URA over high taxes” published on January 28.
It should be noted that any person aggrieved by a taxation decision by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), is free to challenge it in a competent judicial forum established by the Constitution of Uganda, and other enabling laws of the land. However, a person who submits to the jurisdiction of court should ordinarily be cognizant of the requirement to respect the rule that prohibits discussing merits of the dispute. Parties to a dispute are obliged to allow court to fairly hear and determine the dispute, without harboring any prejudices.






The story seemed to infer that URA is in contempt of a court order, which is not true. Bidco has not obtained a court order against URA, in any suit in which it is a party. It is true that some rice importers filed a similar case in court. The case awaits judgment. In that particular case, a conditional interim relief was granted by court, pending the final verdict. Bidco is not a party to that dispute, and cannot ostensibly claim benefit of a court order issued in a suit in which it is not a party.
URA strives to uphold the rule of law and is responsive to any court order competently issued against it.
Patience T. Rubagumya,
Commissioner legal services and board affairs, URA






Help, my baby has no teeth

If a baby has not erupted teeth by 18 months, parents should seek the advice of a dental practitioner.  



In Summary



Infants born with low weight and premature babies may have teeth erupting later than usual. Seek dental help in case of unusual delay.






Dear Doctor:At one year old, my child has no teeth. Is there a problem?








Dear Monique: The time at which babies begin to grow teeth (tooth eruption) differs from baby to baby with some normal babies being born with a tooth while others may even reach their first birthday without any teeth.
Around six months, a baby may have lower middle teeth (incisor) erupting. Low birth weight and premature babies, however, may have teeth erupting later than usual. That said, if a baby reaches 18 months without any tooth eruption, it should be referred to a dentist.






Dear Doctor: Each time I get into my periods, my navel gets swollen. I have witnessed this for six months now. I got pregnant last year and it got swollen for the first time.








Dear Annetta: Pregnancy stretches the abdominal wall so that some women with a small, unnoticeable swelling due to a hernia may have it swell noticeably.
A swelling during periods may be due to tissues that respond to period hormones (endometriosis).These tissues which may have accidentally been implanted around the umbilicus from the womb at the time of a caesarean section can bleed and cause a swelling around period time. You may have had a hernia due to pregnancy and endometriosis after a caesarean section though endometriosis can develop for unknown reasons even without a caesarean section.
You need to be checked by a medical worker to clearly establish the cause and, therefore, get appropriate remedy.
Dear Doctor: My anus itches a lot and yet I have used zepar for worms without success. Could it be cancer?








Dear Elias: Itching of the anus (pruritus ani) can be a source of embarrassment especially if one has to scratch in public.
The itching may have many causes which require investigating and addressing to stop, though this may be difficult if the problem is of psychological origin.






Though poor hygiene is mostly blamed, vigorous cleaning with soap may irritate the area causing further itching. A common cause of itching is excessive moisture in the anal area due to sweating or residual stool around the anal area. Excessive moisture may also soften anal skin risking skin infections which include bacteria and fungi which in turn also cause itching. People with big buttocks are especially prone to anal itches because they may retain moisture leading to softening the skin as well.






Many Ugandans will self-prescribe drugs for worms since worms are a common cause of such itching. Discharges from the anus related to drugs for constipation or infections like anal warts or discharges from the vaginal canal apart from spreading infection may make the anus wet leading to itching.
An allergy to applications including soaps or those used by homosexuals or a general allergy can cause pruritus ani. Skin conditions like psoriasis and anal piles might require people to wear gloves at night lest they unknowingly scratch and seriously injure the anus.






Proper treatment requires an anal examination and other investigations to address the cause. It is important, however, to avoid scratching and to keep the area dry by wearing dry cotton pants.
Applications including perfumed soaps, and unprescribed creams should be avoided. Strapping the buttocks apart may be considered for those whose big bottoms keep the anal area moist.






Dear Doctor: I am 42 years old with heavy periods. Am I getting menopause early because I started periods early at 10 years?






Amony


Dear Amony: Menopause is the permanent cessation of periods because the eggs in the ovaries are completely finished.
The release of ova results in the release of hormones that cause the creation of the inner lining of the womb that is subsequently shed as a period in case pregnancy does not take place.
Menopause though may occur earlier, usually takes place naturally in the late 40s or early 50s and may not be predicted from the age one may have started her periods because this largely depends on genetics. The age one’s mother or grandmother stopped her periods may have a relation with when she stops periods. Cutting out the womb and or ovaries, smoking and treatment using drugs for cancer may all bring on menopause earlier.






Though menopause comes when the ovary’s eggs are exhausted, starting a period earlier in life will not mathematically mean the eggs will get exhausted earlier. Likewise having many pregnancies or using contraception which all result in no ovulation taking place will not preserve eggs and cause menopause to come later than expected.
Missing periods naturally for at least one year in one’s midlife may mean menopause but heavy periods may indicate a serious problem like fibroids or cancer of the womb or its opening (cervix) requiring investigating and managing properly.






Mbabazi reassures youth on jobs plan

Independent presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi campaigns in Ibanda District recently. PHOTO BY FELIX AINEBYOONA 



In Summary



Plan. The independent presidential candidate says the jobs will mainly come from his advanced sub-county model







Independent presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi has said during his time as president of Uganda, he will create more than 500,000 jobs for the youth in order to reduce unemployment.
Mr Mbabazi said this while addressing hundreds of his supporters at Kyenjojo playgrounds in Kyenjojo Town last Saturday.






Mr Mbabazi said: “I will create several projects at the sub-county level, introduce silos and granaries, create cooperative societies at a village level and establish banks at every sub-county that will give loans with no interest and collateral security.”






Currently, youth unemployment stands at more than 75 per cent, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics abstract.
In his manifesto, Mr Mbabazi says jobs for the youth will mainly come from the advanced sub-county model where he intends to create more than 320 jobs per sub-county through job creation initiatives like community banks, the Grid Tied solar power initiative where those who use solar power will have the chance to sell their excess power to the national grid.






More than 32,000 jobs lie vacant in public service because of a ban government put on the recruitment of public servants. Mr Mbabazi promises to lift the ban.






“We shall institute a review on the ban on recruitment by ministry of public service and commit to reorganise government prioritise in order to finance the full wage bill and to fill all vacant positions in public services,” his manifesto reads.






Meanwhile, at the rally, Mr Mbabazi also promised to pay all the bank loans for every Ugandan and the source of that money will be withdrawn from the Shs275 billion State House budget.
Mr Mbabazi also promised to increase teachers and police salaries. He also promised to construct the Kamwenge-Kyenjojo road.






The numbers
320
Number of jobs Mr Mbabazi hopes to create with the advanced sub-county model.






Child health body secures shs12.5b global fund for HIV prevention

Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, the Minister of Health was guest of honour at the launch of the regional programme for the prevention of HIV. Courtesy photo.  




The African Network for the Care of Children Affected by HIV/Aids (ANECCA) has secured a $3.6m (about Shs 12.5bn) funding from the Global Fund.
The funding will go towards implementation of a regional project that will tackle issues affecting the prevention of HIV spread among children.
With the funding received, the regional programme will follow up the three key areas of policy, human resource and knowledge that were identified as the reason behind the low paediatric and adolescent ART coverage in Africa.






Dr Denis Tindyebwa, the executive director and co-founder of the African Network for the Care of Children Affected by HIV/Aids, said the money from the fund is not going to be shared in the seven member countries identified.
“The money will be spent at regional level studying the policies implemented in those countries. The only expenditure that we shall incur will be through advocacy and stakeholder engagement,” he explained.






The programme launched will be implemented over a three-year period studying policies and synthesising them and going to the countries to talk to the stakeholders.
Hon Elioda Tumwesigye, the Minister of Health, who was guest of honour at the launch of the regional programme, hailed the need to increase awareness of the HIV scourge among children.
The minister said that Uganda today has 1.544 million people living with HIV. He also cited HIV/Aids as the number one cause of death among adolescents in Africa because measures have not been identified to prevent the spread among this group.






“In Uganda, we have 1.544 million people living with HIV, out of that, 1.4m are adults, and 137,356 are children,” he said.
“When you look at the statistics, out of every 10 adults, there is one child living with HIV…when you look at people who are on treatment by September 2015, we had 823,000 people. Out of these 761,000 were adults and 61,279 were children. This means that for every 12 adults, only one child is on ARTs,” he added.






The World Health Organisation guidelines of 2010 stipulate that all children should be put on ARTs irrespective of their CD4 status.
ANECCA will, therefore, look at policies and laws that could facilitate HIV treatment for the children.
The minister further said the programme if successfully executed, will go a long way in implementing the World Health Organisation guidelines among the member countries.






The organisation is a network of clinicians and social scientists committed to promoting ways of improving the quality of clinical and non-clinical care of children affected by HIV/Aids in the Africa region.
ANECCA started in 2001 as a pan African network committed to improving access to quality and comprehensive access to HIV preventive care.
However, a study conducted around the African continent has identified seven countries which are still struggling to scale back the HIV infection.






editorial@ug.nationmedia.com






With NRM, Uganda is making steady progress


In Summary



Yes, for now there may be no paying jobs especially for the educated, however, it is better to have the challenge of educated people without jobs than having completely illiterate people who can neither write nor read their names. NRM believes that with sustainable peace and stability, together we can build consensus and a better policy framework for nationally inclusive growth.






It is just a few weeks to presidential and parliamentary elections day, February 18. The NRM with its presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni has arguably fought a hard battle against an array of Opposition groups, including three presidential candidates who have been insiders.
The three, former prime minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, former National Political commissar Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye, and Maj Gen Benon Biraro who was seconded to represent Uganda to head the strategic planning management unity at the African Union. It is a unit responsible for AU peace and security support mission where there is a lot of money, perhaps the reason Biraaro grew wings. So far all the three haven’t heavily dented the NRM support base, and many assessments show they are unlikely to topple Museveni.






For long Museveni who lived as a fugitive guerrilla had trained and even admonished his followers against seeking publicity especially in the public media calling it cheap propaganda. According to Museveni, revolutionaries as the NRM has been should simply concentrate on work, and their achievements shall be seen by all of good will. But all that has changed because of technology, liberalisation, privatisation and democracy where one must constantly engage.






Consequently, Mbabazi and Besigye knew that the NRM information and media outreach machinery is wobbly and not appropriately facilitated, and would, therefore, be ill-prepared to effectively counter them especially if they based their campaign on deliberate false propaganda. So, it is not entirely surprising to analysts that these two have built their election campaign platform mainly on spreading half truths even where the facts are positive and glaring. Mbabazi knew he would face a disorganised NRM since as secretary general he didn’t build credible party structures.






For instance, Besigye has called women empowerment “tokenism,” yet Uganda has moved from only one woman MP and minister of state Theresa Odong Oduka under UPC II regime to the present 129 MPs including a Parliament Speaker, and 20 ministers, eight of them Cabinet ministers. Under Besigye as NPC, there were only 41 women MPs. Going by the common talk, all arguably hold key portfolios of Education, Internal Affairs, Security, Government Chief Whip, Trade and Industry, Energy and Mineral development, Water and Environment, and Karamoja affairs. It has been under NRM that women were appointed judges of High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. In addition currently, there are 13 women out of the 30 permanent secretaries.






For starters, Mbabazi and Besigye have both sought to downgrade Museveni’s achievements in the restoration of peace, security and stability portraying it as heavily reliant on militarism, and in their view unsustainable. Secondly, throughout this campaign they have given the impression that our democracy has stalled, isn’t working and in some instances has become anti-people, and therefore, should be replaced and drastically overhauled. This is the reason each of them is giving lip service to amend the Constitution to restore presidential term limit, allegedly trim the size of government and make it more ‘efficient’, and create a federal structure where local entities have autonomy over policy and resources.






I call it “lip service” because Mbabazi and Besigye having failed to field requisite number of candidates won’t have the capacity to marshal three quarters of all members of Parliament and in some instances district councils required for a constitutional overhaul particularly within the first 100 days as they claim in the most unlikely event that any of them gets elected.
Campaigning on the theme of “steady progress,” NRM believes that much has been achieved, although more remains to be done especially if all Ugandans collectively pull in the same direction of this progress. From just about 60,000 primary school teachers, there are today 181,346 in government schools receiving better pay and conditions of service.






School enrollment under Universal Primary Education is currently 8,459,720, and Universal Secondary Education is 757,867 from 161,396 in 2001 when it was introduced. University enrollment has risen from 5,390 in 1986 to 155,238 thanks to the establishment of more government universities, and liberalisation policy that allowed in private sector players. Education, health, transport and energy infrastructure have expanded exponentially allowing more access, affordability, creating employment, and revenue to government to fund other public needs.






Yes, for now there may be no paying jobs especially for the educated, however, it is better to have the challenge of educated people without jobs than having completely illiterate people who can neither write nor read their names. NRM believes that with sustainable peace and stability, together we can build consensus and a better policy framework for nationally inclusive growth.
With a secure environment, reliable and cost effective transport, water, energy, and information, communication and technology network Uganda should increasingly become a tourist and investment destination as these are critical in lowering the cost of doing business.
Mr Ofwono speaks for the NRM.






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