23rd OCTOBER WILL MAKE 9 MONTHS WITH NO GOVERNOR AT BANK OF UGANDA: DOES THE BANK CONTINUE PRINTING NEW NOTES WITH A DEAD MAN’S SIGNATURE?

By William Kituuka Kiwanuka

We are all aware that paper money easily gets mutilated. 9 months since Prof. Tumusiime Mutebire died, a number of paper notes must have been removed from circulation. The question is: Does Bank of Uganda continue printing new currency notes with an authority who is no longer in this life?

I think President Museveni needs to take this matter seriously and give it the priority it requires.

Assuming any currency notes have forged signatures, there is no way the courts of law can summon a dead man to court.

The problem of Bank of Uganda is not that the Bank is unable to manage the monetary policies given that it has the technical personnel, the biggest problem is issuing new notes which in law don’t make sense.

UK PRIME MINISTER LIZ TRUSS RESIGNS AFTER FAILED BUDGET AND MARKET TURMOIL.

KEY POINTS

Truss was in office for just 44 days, making her the shortest-serving prime minister in British history.

For 10 days of her premiership government business was paused following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

On Sept. 23, Truss' finance minister, Kwasi Kwarteng, announced a so-called "mini-budget" which began a turbulent period for U.K. bond markets which balked at the debt-funded tax cuts he put forward.

Most of the policies were reversed three weeks later by the second finance minister, Jeremy Hunt.

Prime Minister Liz Truss announced her resignation at 10 Downing Street on October 20, 2022 in London, England.

BELOW IS WHAT PRIME MINISTER LIZ TRUSS SAID AS SHE RESIGNED.

We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance.    

We have continued to stand with Ukraine and to protect our own security.  

And we set out a vision for a low tax, high growth economy – that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit.

I recognise however that, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.  

I have therefore spoken to His Majesty The King to notify him that I am resigning as Leader of the Conservative Party.

There will be a leadership election to be completed in the next week.  

This will ensure we remain on a path to deliver our fiscal plans and maintain our country’s economic stability and national security. 

I will remain as Prime Minister until a successor has been chosen.

UGANDA MPs PLANNING TO INTRODUCE A BILL PROHIBITING GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMOs) NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL

Caution is by William Kituuka Kiwanuka

It is not clear whether the MPs fronting a bill to prohibit GMOs need to be very careful. They need to understand that GMOs are not limited to food, but also that GMOs feature in medicine and pharmaceuticals.

Led by Bufumbira County East MP, Hon. James Nsaba Buturo, the lawmakers announced the plan during a press conference in Parliament on Friday, 14 October 2022.

The move comes against the backdrop of the recent enactment of the GMO law in neighbouring Kenya, legalising introduction of GMOs in the country.

Nsaba Buturo said that Ugandans need to reject any plans to introduce GMOs in the country, saying that GMOs pose health risks as well as a danger to the environment.  

“We will be making a very strong case in Parliament when the time comes. We know it is going to be a big fight. Those people will use a lot of money but we believe that with God on our side, we shall defeat them, “he said.

Nsaba Buturo added that the Bill will further provide for the phasing out of the already existing GMOs in the country.

“GMOs are a disaster. Eminent scientists have said there are no benefits of GMOs. 50 African countries out of 54 have said no to GMOs. So, those who are rushing us to accept them have their agenda,” Buturo said.

He accused the proponents of GMOs of using GMOs to control food production in Uganda.

“The threat faced by Uganda is worse than colonisation. Ugandans must wake up. The enemy is determined to completely encircle us, make us dependent, make us foolish before human race and we are saying no,” he said.

In 2017 and 2021, President Yoweri Museveni declined to sign into law the National Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill, 2012.

The bill seeks to provide a regulatory framework that facilitates the safe development and application of biotechnology, research, development and release of genetically modified organisms.

“The President also said that we need to be cautious, act wisely and not foolishly. Introducing GMO seeds in the country have devastating consequences that very few know about. Scientists have bought the lie that GMOs are good,” Nsaba Buturo said.

Dr Emmanuel Otaala (NRM, West Budama County South) called for more research on GMOs, before they are introduced in the country.

GMOs IN MEDICINE AND PHARMACEUTICALS.

When most people hear the phrase “GMOs” (genetically modified organisms), they immediately think of food. Online search results support that assumption, leading many people to conjure up images of enlarged fruit, vegetables, and other dietary staples. 

But GMOs go far beyond just plants and food. One area where GMOs make a big impact in the world is medicine and pharmaceuticals. In fact, GMOs were initially developed in the early 1970s, and their first application was in genetically modified pharmaceutical products in the early 1980s. 

Although people commonly associate GMOs with food, it wasn’t until the early to mid1990s that GMOs were used in the agriculture industry. In other words, GMOs have been around for a long time. It’s a time-tested technology that has resulted in numerous improvements in many industries and applications. 

How Are GMOs Used in Medicine and What are the Benefits? 

The benefits of GMOs in medicine are widespread and extremely important, especially as the demand for new treatments and vaccines increases globally. Currently, most pharmaceutical medications are manufactured using natural (non-synthetic) ingredients. 

GMOs assist in this process via the process of genetic engineering (GE). Organisms with therapeutic potential used in the genetic engineering process include bacteria, which are the easiest to grow at a large scale of production. Yeasts and mammalian cells are also used to produce certain GMO medicines.

Medicines and Drugs Currently Produced Using GMOs.

Insulin, one of the most widely used medications and an essential lifeline for diabetics, was the first-ever GE drug approve for use. Since its release, GE drugs have continued to be researched, developed, and released, improving symptoms and quality of life for countless people worldwide. 

By the year 2000, there were already more than 100 GE drugs available in hospitals and on pharmacy shelves thanks to the usage of GMOs in medicine. In addition to insulin, popular GE drugs include Remicade, Epo, Avastin, and Neulasta, just to name a few examples of GMO drugs in medicine. 

Put simply, the medical benefits of GMOs are almost endless, and there are many more pharmaceutical products with GMOs either already on pharmacy shelves or in development. 

GMOs’ Role in Vaccinations and Medical Research.

GMOs have played a major role in the development of several vaccines that are either in use or in development, including:

Zika virus

Ebola virus

Flu virus

Hepatitis B

Many GMO vaccines contain specific proteins as their main ingredients. Using GE and other GMO techniques, researchers can coax living cells into producing specific proteins that can be utilized to manufacture vaccines. 

How Does GE Differ in Agricultural and Medicinal Use?

Farmers benefit from GE crops because they’re designed to be resistant to herbicides and insects, protecting their profits and livelihoods while not damaging the crops themselves. GE organisms targeted for medicinal use and GMO medical research, on the other hand, are intended to exhibit changes in their actual biochemistry to make them more suitable for usage in medications. 

Researchers tasked with changing crops and organisms via GE, whether it’s for agricultural or medicinal purposes, use extensive and careful screening processes to find specific molecules and proteins. 

For potential drugs, those proteins and molecules must show promise in treating specific diseases or conditions. For crops, those proteins and molecules must provide useful traits to plants without harming consumers or the environment. Once selected, the desired genes are inserted into host organisms and plants, eventually creating ideal conditions for real-world usage.

GE Crops and Organisms Require Extensive Approval Processes.

Drugs that utilize GE organisms must undergo an in-depth approval process to ensure that they’re safe for consumers. They must also be proven to have a valid therapeutic effect on the conditions they’re supposed to treat. 

Crops that utilize GE processes must be tested for safety and substantive equivalence. In other words, they must be proven to be as safe or safer than their non-GE counterparts, while also not putting the environment at risk. This process is made simpler because there are only a few genetic changes made to crops, resulting in less risk of new allergens and digestibility issues compared to their non-GE counterparts. 

The testing process for both GE drugs and crops has been highly successful since it was first implemented. According to scientific consensus, all currently approved GE crops pose no greater risk to human health or the environment than non-GE crops, while GE drugs currently available for use have passed regulatory (such the U.S. FDA or European Medicines Agency) stringent safety trials.

OCTOBER 17 IS INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ERADICATION OF POVERTY.

By William Kituuka Kiwanuka

The theme for 2022: “DIGNITY FOR ALL IN PRACTICE”.

The major reasons why many people remain in poverty are in a majority of cases a creation by those in political power, the way the scarce resources are divided among the people, and the disparities slowly but steadily grow the class of the poor who are impoverished the more with time, hence growing the poverty group.

Today in Uganda, many people live in persistent poverty which reflects in denial of dignity.

Inequalities in opportunity and income are sharply on the rise year after year, and the gap between the rich and poor grows wider with time.

It is true that poverty is greatly a result of politically generated decisions that disempower the poor and marginalized and eventually violate their fundamental rights.

In Uganda, it is true that political instability in the past from 1966 to 1987 had a great role in recruiting many people into poverty as many lacked gainful employment, others lost the investments they had made to war, and many lost the bread winners as a result of death during the wars. These factors played a big role not forgetting the poor economic performance during the time which generated merger resources available for  development and enhancement of better living.

From 1987, it is true that there have been areas in Uganda where there has been rebellion. Those within those areas were in most cases confined to poverty conditions from vert poor housing more so the grass thatched houses which could be touched anytime, poor medical services, poor nutrition just to mention some.

The overall picture since 1987 in Uganda has been how to allocate the scarce resources to enhance development and welfare of the masses. This area has had its own shortcomings with the leaders among other things challenged by corruption which some categorize as institutionalized, then the patronage scheme which has many recruited into positions which are not really necessary, but possibly as favors and, the same scheme is used to ensure that the NRM Government retains power, and of course that is at a great cost to the taxpayer.

It is not possible to seriously address poverty in Uganda under the NRM leadership given the major objective as retaining power which of course now is at a very big cost which among other things ensuring that there is security on alert to manage any uprisings as well as equipment which include teargas.

However good the plans one may have in Uganda to see people out of poverty, the resources needed to implement such plans call for budget provisions which more often than not have shortcomings say as a result of failure to realize budgeted resources among others.

It is also true that players at the grassroots who can greatly contribute to mobilization both financial resources and the people into better production and hence productivity are constrained when resources that would help them are cut off by powers that be or confiscated.

In Uganda, looks like the country has to have the big army of the poor for a longer time and of course as it keeps growing with time.

Indeed a sad story.

“Lived poverty remains high despite Uganda’s poverty-alleviation initiatives”.

Makanga Ronald Kakumba 28 Jun 2022 Uganda

“Uganda remains one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2019/2020, 12.3 million people (30.1% of the population) lived below the poverty line of U.S. $1.77 per person per day (Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2021).

The number of Ugandans who are not poor but vulnerable increased as well, as did the number of those who shift in and out of poverty. The proportions of people who are not poor but vulnerable to poverty increased by 10 percentage points, from 33% in 1992/1993 to 43% in 2016/2017 (World Bank Group, 2016). Between 2015 and 2019, 8.4% of households moved out of poverty, while 10.2% slipped into poverty (Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2020). And the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem, causing 300,000 more Ugandans to slide back into poverty (Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2020, 2021; Independent News, 2021)”.

Makanga Ronald Kakumba is a research associate for Hatchile Consult Ltd., Afrobarometer’s national partner in Uganda.

HOW I MISS ORGANIZING WORLD FOOD DAY IN NAMUTAMBA PARISH.

WORLD FOOD DAY

Sunday, October 16

For a number of years this year 2022, I wished to have World Food Day Celebrated in Namutamba Parish where I grew up to showcase the Food Varieties there and thereafter enhance effective marketing of the surplus Food grown in the area to enhance the welfare of the people. Unfortunately, I have not been given opportunity to access funds I have raised overtime.

https://www.fao.org/world-food-day/about/en

SOMEONE SO CLOSE TO ME ASKED ME VERY EARLY ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12 THE PLAN I HAD FOR MY BIRTHDAY.

My answer was: “I will be preparing where to plant some few Cassava stems and some two stems of Gowa Sugar canes for the memory of my Birthday”. 

His response: “Okay that sounds like a plan”.

My reaction: “Yes. That will be good enough for me. If anything, I will take my Tea but will not leave home at all. Being alive and having people who care is enough no other celebration”.

His reaction: “Okay”.

I seriously wanted to plant some Cassava stems, Gowa Sugar Cane Stems and lastly, some Irish Potatoes.

I had requested a gentleman to help me till where I was to plant Cassava and the Gowa Sugar Cane. Unfortunately, by 9.00am, the guy was nowhere to be seen. I later located him weeding someone else’s Beans. I could not question him.

I religiously embarked on the tilling. My strategy in all is to tap runoff rain water. By the time I had a break for lunch, I was sure that I would at least plant 7 stems of Cassava and I was determined to plough another piece where I would put the Sugar cane stems.

By the Grace of God, I had the courage to go back to my small garden. I however checked on the guy who had not turned up as requested. I wanted him to help me with a Spade and a Panga. He said, “sorry, I was unable to come”.

I needed the spade to help me manage the soil so as to leave a clean channel for runoff water which I want to tap.

I was able to plant 7 stems. Thereafter, I worked on a nearby piece to have the 2 Sugar Cane Stems I readily had.

I was able to plant the Sugar Cane Stems and also had a water channel that would direct runoff water to the canes.

I realized that I had a place which did not need a lot of effort for me to plant a few Irish Potatoes.

I thank God for He enabled me fulfill my wish for my Birthday. Whenever I will look

at those plants, I will remember that they were planted on my Birthday of 2022.

I have a challenge that I have taken a number of decades off the hoe. And, for the last 12 years, I have been actively writing Proposals for Funding: Fundraising, including twice to stand for President of Uganda in 2011 and 2016. In all instances where I fundraising for my own projects, the powers that be: Those who are entitled for whom we are slaves decided to share the proceeds to all my fundraising.

Surely, I cannot keep fundraising for the mafia. I this time decided to drop the pen and my blog making skills and resorted to simple life of handling a hoe to grow food for my consumption.

Life for some of us is just that. I cannot imagine that I have raised money through my efforts for 12 years, but people have never got the shame that someone struggles with putting down ideas and he looks for donors.

That is the country Uganda where some people resorted to reap where they did not sow.

Meanwhile, I have the assurance that all who have been unjust to me will be sorted by the Almighty Who created all of us.

HOW TO MAKE NATURAL LIQUID FERTILIZER

By Gideon Zaake

Let me introduce to you this product called "WONA STARTER MICROBES"

It is a whole diversity of indigenous microorganisms cultured from the leaf molds from our forests, hills, and mountains around Uganda 

This starter is used in 2 ways;

> In the process of propagating and multiplying indigenous microorganisms to restore diversity and population of soil microorganisms to balance soil nutrients, and reduce dominance of disease-causing pathogens and nematodes in the soil.

> In the process of making natural liquid fertilizer from grass, crop residues, and other available organic materials.

Today let's look at how to make natural liquid fertilizer from grass, crop residues (leaves,fruits and

branches) and other organic materials with WONA STARTER MICROBES.

Using grass (cover crop) in your field is the best base fertilizer, and use crop residues and grass liquid fertilizer as additional fertilizer. In your materials, you can add in Tithonia and waste from grass eating animals. This is an easy way to achieve the optimum balance of nutrients for your crops and minimize diseases in your field. 

There is complicated theory about pH which says that too strong an acid is bad for the crops so you need to adjust it in advance. You need to measure the amount of lime to adjust the pH; this is another cumbersome work. My farmers relax here, pH is not a big problem because we do not use sugar or molasses. Our methods produce inputs which are mostly around pH 7. Using water and WONA Starter Microbes solves this issue. Another confusing theory is that not -fully- fermented liquid fertilizer will do harm to crops. Farmers are not sure at which stage it is "fully fermented." WONA has a straight forward answer: you can use your liquid fertilizer at any stage. You need only to dilute it above x30. Also put it in mind that the longer it ages the better. More aged liquid fertilizer will be more easily absorbed. Standard is x100 dilution. Try x100 dilution first and see how it is; if too strong add less liquid fertilizer, if too weak add more.

How to make liquid fertilizer?

It takes few steps: 

Fill the container halfway with the ingredients; fill up with water; add a handful of WONA Starter Microbes; and close the lid - finished. You don't even need to stir (unless the ingredients sink to the bottom). After around 10 days, open the lid and check the liquid; if decomposition has progressed and it is quite dark, it is ready to use. Remember, the older the liquid fertilizer, the better. 

After you have used all the liquid, do not take out the solids. Just add crop residues and grass on top of the solids, fill up with water again, add WONA Starter Microbes and close the lid.

Put your liquid fertilizer containers in the same environment as the crops. That is how you propagate microbes adapted to that local environment. Put on lid securely so that evaporation is minimized. Larger containers can be used for larger farms. This simple method produces enough fertilizer for huge fields. Prepare many containers for liquid fertilizer and use them in sequence. Nutritional balance in the soil becomes optimized for the crops as you use this liquid fertilizer. 

You can use crop residues, fruits, and grass together in one liquid fertilizer or separately. If you have a Nitrogen-rich ingredient (e.g. food waste, fish), it is better to make it separately. If the ingredient floats on top (as in grass, fruits, food waste), you do not need to stir it, but if it sinks down (as in powders), then stir occasionally. 

When making liquid fertilizer out of dry powdery ingredients, add 10 times the weight in water, and put a handful of Wona starter microbes. You can add sea salt minerals to your batch up to 0.1% ( 100 grams in 100 L container) except for human feces, urine, and food waste. 

For the foliar application of liquid fertilizer, it is important that it be well- filtered and mixed with WONA Wetting Agent to coat well and not to leave marks on the plant.

Requirements;

•WONA Starter Microbes 

•Seas Salt Minerals 

•A heavy duty drum with tight lid

•Ingredients (grass, crop residues, waste from grass eating animals, and etc)

A handful of microbial starter is enough for 200L container. 

Gideon Zake

Wells Of Nature (WONA)

Supporting Natural Wellness 

For order call 0757705313, 0773248530