KITUUKA AND DR. KKOLOKOLO COMMUNICATION TO SMACK OBs IN OCTOBER 2008

EDITORIAL

For quite sometime now, may be about 2 months, we have been treated to what has since come to be known as the “Temangalo Land Saga.”  This in essence shows how a regime which over stays in power can degenerate, with “the feeling of shame gone!” This is unfortunate.  For a group who ventured into the Luwero bushes, walked over a number of innocently murdered, now known as the “Luwero skulls,” for a cause which they disguised as national liberation and is now clearly seen as personal financial liberation!

 

In one instance, I listened to “Hon. Amama Mbabazi” explain from KFM Radio that procurement for investment did not require the approval by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA)!  This was news more so against the background that NSSF bought the structure which previously housed the Ministry of Gender, and Audit reports clearly showed that the purchase price had been inflated!

 

An investigation report by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority into the NSSF’s land deal with businessman Amos Nzeyi and Security Minister Amama Mbabazi has indicted the fund’s top management and recommended “severe disciplinary” action against them.

PPDA Executive Director Edgar Agaba told Daily Monitor that in recommending severe disciplinary action, the Authority is seeking a “suspension” of the fund’s top managers, or a punishment “commensurate to the kind of mistakes they committed.” (The Monitor Friday 24, 2008)

 

The change of the composition of the NSSF Board to have 4 workers added makes sense in theory, but practically the four will not close the door for politicians who at all cost will keep encroaching on this ‘Golden manna’ given to them by virtue of the historical roles they played in the “Liberation of their pockets.”  It has been proposed that liberalization of the Social Security Fund is the way to go.  The practicability of this is the problem.  Assuming Parliament okayed the liberalization of Social Security, it is likely that given the reputation of NSSF, many workers would wish to opt out.  If this happened, it would be very difficult to divide the workers’ savings into the various social fund investors, more so, where NSSF decisions have been interfered with by politically motivated investments which are not value for money.

 

The way forward is that NSSF should remain the sole social security fund in the country given that when the fund mobilizations are sensibly utilized, a lot of achievements can be accomplished which would not  probably call for borrowing from big financial establishments.  What can be done is to make public all decisions of investment nature prior to implementation in the press so that the public can debate and okay them if found to make economic sense.

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                                      Page

1. Don’t Cry                                                                                  3
2. Possible Clues to the Budo Fire                                                   3
3. President Museveni does not need poverty visits                          3
4. The use and Discard Policy of the NRM                                      5
5. Good Luck to all our Candidates                                                  5
6. Go forward, Dr. Lwanga                                                             5
7. Govt. Sponsorship promotes Exam Cheating                                  6
8. The day when SMACK Re-discovered Hon. Kajura & Dr. Lubega    7
9. The Min. of Education & International Languages                         8
10. LC’s and Legality                                                                       8
11. Reflexology Practitioners & Conventional Medicine                      8
12. Go to the Search Engine …                                                          8
13. Oh God! “How many more need to die on our roads?”           8
14. Brother Kyemwa more than a father!                                           9
15. Mr. J. C. Kiwanuka made 89 years                                              11
16. SMACK’s other Key Constituencies                                             12
17. Prof. Otiti’, Uganda ’s Only Nobel prize Winner                           13
18. Let us not build a Katayimbwa Economy                             14
19. When the petrodollar cannot save Nigerians                                14
20. UAC call for proposals amazed me                                              14
21. Dear Doctors, “Is AIDS; Cancer?”                                             15     
22. Oh! My blocked email (wkituuka@yahoo.com)                               15
23. De-congesting Kampala                                                               15
24. Cleaning the Highway leaves Kajjansi in darkness                         16
25. Moringa  - Marketing is the problem                                           16
26. Kiwanuka’s First House prefect Bereaved                                    17
27. Football in Germany                                                                   17
28. Bibiana Steinhaus – first female referee                                     18
29. Major New Airport under construction                             19
30. Did you know that?                                                                    19
31. Growing trade Highlights Food Safety                                        20
32. Biotechnology and Food Security                                                20
33. What is Biotechnology?                                                              21
34. How can biotechnology help the hungry                              21
35. Genetically Engineered Products: Many unknowns                         22

 

 

1.       DON’T CRY!

It amazes me to find a parent/teacher telling a child not to cry when being canned.  I thought the idea of canning was to inflict pain, and because it is normal that such pain inflicted is balanced with crying/tears as the expression of pain, it disturbs to see the one who wants to see the other party in pain demanding that the beaten victim does not cry!  Does it make sense?

 

2.       Possible Clues to Budo Fire

If Uganda Government is concerned about the 20 children who died in the Budo fire and the pain inflicted parents/relatives, the way to go is to get the parents who withdrew children prior to the fire, as chances are that they may have had prior knowledge about the fire, hence wanted to save the lives of their children.  Secondly, parents who arrived while the dorm was still on fire and immediately testify that two bodies of mature men were recovered from the dorm.  These bodies MUST have been there but someone must be killing the evidence.  Just get the police who were on duty and the parents who testify to have seen them put the bodies on the truck.  If these two cannot yield to the clues to how the fire came about, then it may make a lot of sense to abandon the case.

 

3.       President Museveni does not need poverty visits

I am always amazed whenever I hear that President Museveni is on a visit to some district and is really touched by the poverty prevailing in the countryside.  He ought to be concerned about the poverty because much of its intensity is directly due to the harsh economic policies of the day, more so given
the global financial crisis. 

Finance Minister Dr Ezra Suruma told Parliament on Thursday, 23 2008 that while Uganda is not directly exposed to the risk, the crisis could lead to a reduction in money remitted by Ugandans in the Diaspora, aid flows from donor countries, and foreign direct investment into the country.

The minister’s statement came a few hours after Central Bank Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime - Mutebile told a press conference, called in the wake of the shilling’s slide against the US dollar, that the global economic woes would slow Uganda’s growth.

“We expect the recession in Europe and the US to reduce demand on our exports. This will lead to less earnings from exports, earnings from tourism are also going to be affected,” Mr Mutebile said. “Tentatively, I can say that instead of the 8 per cent growth rate, it will be in the range of 5 or 6 per cent.”
The global financial crisis, triggered by risky loans given to US borrowers and sold on across the world, has been raging for several months mainly in the developed world. Mr Mutebile told a press conference on September 24 that while there was need to be concerned, the effects on the Ugandan economy would be minimal.
The two economic chiefs, however, were forced to raise the red flag Thursday after the shilling fell steeply against the US dollar in this week’s trading. The shilling traded at Shs2,200 to the dollar by close of Wednesday before cooling down marginally yesterday to Shs2,000 after the Central Bank injected $300,000 (Shs600 million) into the market.
“There are already signs of depreciation of the shilling in the foreign exchange market,” Dr Suruma told MPs. “We are watching it very closely and will take the action necessary to encourage exports and stem inflation.”

 

Given the above new development, knowing that things have not been better either for the poor prior to this development, it should be is easier on a macro – level for the president to help the poor people by remaining in his office and dealing with among other things the following:

Creation of new districts/administrative units – not only should there be a ban on this, but actually some created districts should cease to be.  This culture of politicking is funny, and also annoying.  You get to Kajjansi trading centre where one Town Board would be created, but because people want to reap from politics, here are two town boards to be created in same district one bordering the other and the dividing line is a water passage which crosses Entebbe Highway from the side of Uganda Clays!  These would under normal circumstances be in one Town, but trust political schemers, we are to have two towns in what would be one town! Secondly, again under Local Governance, time is now to trim the number of counselors on various councils because supporting them is already to heavy a duty in financial terms to the poor.

Oversized Parliament – we don’t need the oversized Parliament, and the games going on now as regards the Temangalo land saga show you how the institution is gradually losing repute!  Less than half the size of Parliament we have can deliver better and even be better facilitated.  It is in the mandate of the President to see this a reality if he is really concerned about the poverty.

He should do away with Presidential advisers – much of the work these do if at all they do anyway is supposed to be done by the technical personnel in the Ministries.

Check corruption – if the President does not get the corrupt investigated to the end, he may have to stomach more of what for example Bishop Luzinda said at the burial of Dr. Sebunya.  Corruption has reached stinking levels and people can now react in ways which may even embarrass the Head of State.  Prosecution should be done to the conclusive end and not just make news that some prosecution is on and shortly after abandoned. 

The President need to identify cadres capable of manning critical aspects of the economy which are productive in nature instead of sycophants we always hear about who are useless yet milk the economy.

There is need for cutting all tax rates across the board – this will positively boost disposable income hence the purchasing power for goods and services and chances are that more taxes will be realized, as well as productivity, as high costs of virtually everything are constraining increased economic activity.

Much has to be done to boost agro-based industrialization.  It is not clear why this is failing, as this is one basis for export income.

 

4.       The use and discard policy of the NRM

The recent refusal of the Kabaka of Buganda to visit one of his counties under the cover of ‘insecurity’ is not news.  The NRM has the practice of using and throwing to the dust bin once it has successfully exploited a Good Samaritan.

 

More than two decades now, NRM leaders seem to have forgotten that the ‘man’ they barred from visiting his country was very useful at some moment when the liberation war was still on, as they needed his presence to convince the people to give the liberators support. 

 

5.       Good luck to all our candidates

SMACKOBA Paris-France, on the approach of the National UCE and UACE exams, wishes to show herewith its solidarity with all members of the College community:  the Headmaster, his Deputies, the Chaplain, the teaching staff, the administrative staff, members of the regular school personnel, and all students, in particular our beloved candidates of S IV and S VI.

This is indeed to assure you all of our fully committed spiritual and moral support at this very important our. And we know very well that, our great motto DUC IN ALTUM, already playing its part, our very prestigious college will naturally come out triumphant just as it has always traditionally done.

Beloved candidates, we count on you to steer to enviable success and glory Uganda ’s most celebrated senior secondary school and one of Africa ’s top best colleges. Please, rest assured that the Almighty Good God and Lord of all virtues and victories will assure your success!

Warmest regards to you all!

 

Dr G. H. Kkolokolo

(SMACKOBA – Paris/France)

10.10.2008

                                                         

                           6.        Go forward, Dr Lwanga!

Dr G.H. Kkolokolo ( Paris – France )

Much as I personally respect  others’ views  on topical issues, I strongly however  disagree  with  anyone of those manipulatable  cheap  minds, the scorn of any serious-minded person, who  have shown disapproval of  Archbishop Lwanga’s attitude and style of approach to political issues during his sermons at Lubaga Cathedral.

Indeed, the Archbishop as both a moral and spiritual guide is doing the right thing and he is on the very same wavelength with his three illustrious predecessors : Kiwanuka, Nsubuga and Wamala who too stood boldly firm  whenever questions involving  rights and duties   arose and, just like Dr Lwanga now, would  pose as fearless spiritual  leaders  to avert the faithful  from treading on any dangerous path.

One must also understand that  Dr Lwanga, as Metropolitan Bishop in a  region where both  tradition and politics are strongly  the  interplay of  events,  wouldn’t be  wrong  in putting a finger on those questions that are solidly at heart in  the minds of his faithful however much this  may  derange  and  disturb others  if approached and treated in a manner  contrary to  their  way of thinking.

Likewise Dr Lwanga, in line with his brave predecessors, has already been equally praised for calling a spade a spade. See how he has always cautioned against insulting the President and in addition, before a million-strong congregation at  Namugongo,  he  warmly expressed his gratitude to the authorities  for creating  an environment  conducive to freedom of worship,  a liberty which enables the church to rightly guide and counsel on any serious matters where morality and spirituality  have to play  centre stage.

And in this context the question of ever seeing Uganda succumb to a Rwanda-like situation, as some naïve persons  wrongly observe, is just an eye-wash, for, in spite of the turmoil the nation has often gone through  due to political greed, any vengeful  scenario, like  a  planned  systematic mass-scale genocide, has never  appealed  to people’s sentiments and will never do so, thanks to the role played by religion as a guiding politico-moral factor, a thing the Archbishop’s well-received sermons wisely aim at and strongly adhere to.

                                                    

7.       Govt. Sponsorship promotes Exam Cheating!

If Government removes the Government sponsorship at higher levels of learning, you can be sure that cheating to pass exams will greatly have been fought!

 

The driving force to cheat exams is that even with what traditionally were good grades to take one to the University for a good course and at the same time be Government sponsored is all now history to the extent that one needs to have an average of say B’s not to be sure of Government sponsorship, a situation which is not easy given the 4 principle subjects students offer.

 

Government sponsorship is political, in that Government has political capital in sponsoring some students, however, it makes no sense if the system is wholly abused and Government is not able to bail the country out.  We know many of the rich are the beneficiary and many poor students who are bright have to look around for funding, yet if all paid for tuition the discrimination would be more, yet tuition could even be lowered compared to current levels.  There is fear that if corruptly based decisions are maintained by Government, the future of the country is a real doom.  Strong decisions have to be made to get the country back on the road, short of that, Uganda is simply finished. 

 

Money saved would go to infrastructure development and better learning facilities as well as employment creation which graduates target.

 

 

 

8.       THE DAY WHEN SMACK RE-DISCOVERED HON. KAJURA AND DR LUBEGA

Dr G.H.Kkolokolo (Paris/France)

Yes, as usual in similar circumstances, the two occasions were a historical milestone that reached us to the personality of these two very prominent Kisubi gurus, namely Hon.  Henry Kajura, a long serving Minister and former top civil servant with the East African Community, and late Dr Lubega, East Africa ’s first Ph D Architect.

We were still young boys at SMACK. We had already heard of Mr H. Kajura but not to the fully, until one day when we were listening to the 8 pm English radio news bulletin in front of the main building, as the custom used to be at our time, and we heard of one Mr Henry Kajura having been appointed Secretary-General of the then powerful East African Community in Arusha. The bulletin gave us a complete background of the distinguished individual and concluded by saying: “Mr Henry Kajura was educated at St Mary’s College, Kisubi.”

At this juncture there was a very solid clap of hands mingled with deafening applauses of: “Hear! Hear! Hear!” At supper the entire conversation on every table was on Kajura! The following day we rushed to the notice-board to read the English daily, Uganda Argus, and the Luganda paper, Munno, and discovered a lot on our celebrated alumnus whose picture was figuring prominently on the two dailies. Then Kajura became a legend on his campus!

Equally promoted to legendary celebrity was Dr Lubega whom we got to know for the very first time thanks to this famous 8 pm news bulletin which qualified him as East Africa ’s first Doctor of Architecture! Then the broadcaster rose the amazed  students to absolute frenzy when, after having  given at length Dr Lubega’s academic background, he concluded by saying that Dr Lubega did his secondary  school studies at St Mary’s College Kisubi. There was another uproar of those “Hear!  Hear!  Hear! ” and, at table, supper was dominated not by the delicious menu but by conversation about our celebrated alumnus who, the following day figured also very prominently on the two dailies. And, just like for Hon Henry Kajura, the Brothers helped us to get to know more and more about him and what he was at SMACK. Then one day, some two months later as we were preparing to go to class for preps after sports, we saw Rev Bro Peter Katanga taking around  in the famous quadrangle a notable top-personality individual. We greeted him as we moved on and the Brother presented him saying,: “ This is Dr Lubega the first PhD architect in the whole of East Africa and, as you all know, he is an OB of this college!”

Seized with surprise and emotion, the students clapped very cheerfully and many returned to the dormitories to inform their housemates of the presence of a notable East African guru on the campus. And, as we eventually looked around, we saw many heads peeping out of the windows to admire the legend whom many others in the famous quadrangle were greeting with a slight inclination humbled with a polite smile in respect : “Good evening, sir!” / “Good evening, Doctor!” / “We are very glad to see you, dear sir”/ “Thank you very much, dear sir, for honouring us with this visit!”  ETC…

Then Lubega became a legend on his campus!

 

 

 

9.       The Ministry of Education and International Languages

If International Languages ever get to be not officially authorized in secondary schools, one would wonder the intention of this.  It is clear that Government aided schools have teachers who are not on the payroll, these are paid for by the PTA funds, so, I don’t think it is a big wage bill that would make Government interfere with the teaching of International languages knowing very well that these are a pre-requisite to acquiring some jobs.  One gets tempted to think that such a policy when implemented would leave a few private operators to teach these languages and hence would be able to make some bit of cash. 

 

10.     LC’s and Legality

We are all aware that Lower LC’s are operating illegally.  We are told that Government has no money to fund elections.  There have been instances where some people have made a lot of noise about Constitutional crises; however, as far as they are concerned, there seems to be no Constitutional crisis in this case!  It is not clear for how long we are to keep on this way, however, meanwhile LC courts are undertaking judgments; they are involved in contracts, name it. In 1986 or thereabout, it was possible to undertake elections very cheaply.  For the sake of legality, given that there are no funds as alleged, why doesn’t Government borrow from how these elections were conducted in 1986 and at least have properly mandated people in office?

 

11.     Reflexology Practitioners and Conventional Medicine

Practitioners of Reflexology are convincing as many people as possible to change from conventional medicine to Reflexology treatment.  There is need for proper guidance here.  Already there is a gentleman who was told that with reflexology treatment he would not need the daily injections for diabetes, and this patient nearly died.  Can Government (Ministry of Health) come out clearly on how reflexology can co-exist with conventional medicine, and how patients on conventional treatment can be started on reflexology treatment without worsening their health problems.

 

12.     Go to the Search engine ….

If you go to the Internet search engine, be it Yahoo, Google, or any other, and you fill your name, and there are no results in your favour, then it means you may need to do some homework.  Worldwide, someone should be able to feed your name into the search engine and get at least one result; say your particulars or your works, name it.  You can even use free facility like on Tagged.  You can take a look at my page – Just click the link:

http://www.tagged.com/kiwanuka

 

13.     Oh God! “How many more need to die on our roads?”

Not long ago, I went for an Introduction Ceremony of a long time friend.  On our way back, I wondered whether it was worth risking life to go for some of these functions given our drivers.  To the function we had an institution driver who was driving a new vehicle and it is until traffic police warned him about his speed that he realized he was speeding.  On the way back, I thought changing vehicles was a better option.  It wasn’t!  We came while it rained and at times I had to tell the driver to mind our security, and by grace of God we arrived in one piece.

 

Recently a bus crushed into a trailer in Lugazi and the death toll has risen to 40!  I remember a time when Idi Amin banned the trucks on roads at night.  Given the death rate on our roads, it may be better to have trucks stop traveling at night.  40 people can not perish in accident and we take this normal.  Speed Governors are yet to be enforced, and it is a political decision that they are yet to be implemented.  There is simply a lot of junk vehicles including buses imported in the country as well as used/old spare parts.  After those deaths, what happens to the dependants?  Is it any body’s concern?  Can we get serious in this country and stop having politics leading in all decisions to be made.  If vehicle owners cry about the cost of fitting speed governors, should we scrap them and just let people die?  What ever possible ought to be done to have safer road transport.

 

14.     Brother Anthony Kyemwa more than a father!

I will never forget the parental care of Brother Anthony Kyemwa former Headmaster of St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMC).  Kyemwa saw the school through very difficult time in the 70’s. The school had no fence but trust the Brother, he was in control.  There was insecurity in Amin’s time, but the Brother made it to see us go for preps where teachers at times were scared.  He endured through the strikes mostly due to food.  I thank the Brother for the parental care.

 

For the students, reading was pleasure (unlike the situation now when cheating of examinations is the norm by a number of students who don’t want to read yet they fictitiously want to show they excel at books.  For us we could even compete in bathroom!  Those students who would go for Express (reading from midnight to 3.00am) would wake up their friends for Oriental (reading from 3.00am to breakfast time or thereabout).  Cooking water with bedsprings for heavy coffee was normal.  We were good at summarizing for exams.

 

Brother got respect from students; they could see him from a distance and would get moving very fast to wherever they were required.  The Brother gave us freedom to move around Kisubi hill but this never compromised academic standards/excellence.

 

Asked about what led St. Mary’s College Kisubi to be at the height of glory and fame it enjoys as far as academics is concerned, Brother Kyemwa said, “ In my opinion, the aspirations of the students and staff led to the rise of the school.  There was a strong spirit of competitiveness with other leading schools; that is Kings College Buddo, Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga, Namilyango to mention but a few.”

 

Brother Kyemwa’s message to the SMACK community if they are to maintain the established tradition of excellence is: “Discipline should be emphasized because it is with discipline that one can concentrate on one’s work.  There should also be a strong school spirit among the students because this unites them in all aspects.”  “When I meet former students of St. Mary’s College Kisubi, they always thank me for having emphasized discipline.”

 

Brother Kyemwa would like to be remembered as one who tried under the circumstances of the time.  He tried to keep the school standards up and never down.

 

The Eagle Magazine Team Interviewed Dr. Geofrey Onegi Obel (Old Boy of SMACK) and below is the Excerpt:

 

The Eagle: What do you remember most about SMACK?

Geofrey Onegi Obel: When I think about SMACK, the first thing that comes to my mind is Brother Anthony Kyemwa.

The Eagle: Why?

Geofrey Onegi Obel: He was kind of role model to us, a very strong figure, parental and also very nice as long as you did not cross his way.

 

The Eagle Magazine team of 2004 Interviewed Dr. Simon Kagugube and below is an Excerpt.

Dr Simon Kagugube was at St. Mary’s College from 1970 to 1975(He is Executive Director, Centenary Bank)

The Eagle: Any negative memories of SMACK?

Dr Simon Kagugube: No negative memories, none at all.  A few difficult times maybe.  For me it was very good.  I don’t have anything to regret.  I have been to America for 6 years, Yale…all over; Kisubi is the best place I have lived in period.  There are no serious worries when in SMACK.  No negative memories, tough moment’s maybe.  When I was House Prefect for Kiwanuka there was a near strike.  That was one of the most challenging moments in SMACK, not negative.  We were new prefects and there was a near strike in the school.  And remember these were Amin’s days they could bring Military Police!  As leaders we had to balance the pressure of the students and the administration.  So, we collected all the students, had them sit in the middle of the school buildings that is (Administration block, the Chapel, Chemistry Laboratory and HSc Block), we then asked them to write down all their grievances.  I was assigned the role of writing out these grievances because of my good English Language.  I sat in Cubicle A ( HSc Building ) and for the bigger part of the night I was writing.  And, remember Brother Anthony Kyemwa (the Headmaster) was the type whose No! was a NO!  Nonetheless, we had very good working relationship with him.  There was respect for each other.  I wrote out the students’ complaints and gave students to reproduce (I still have the original copy in my papers).  I read it out to the students; that is before the entire school.  We had to control the crowd… charisma, and I felt like a real politician.  Brother Kyemwa insisted on reading it to the members of staff himself.  The staff members came out asking why we were so hard.  However, I am very proud of that effort.

 

15.     Mr. J. C. Kiwanuka made 89 years

Mr. J. C. Kiwanuka, the longest serving teacher at St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) from 1951 – 2001 made 89 years in July.  We thank God for the gift of life he has given to our great Mathematics encyclopedia popularly known as Manoeuvre.  He began teaching at Mary’s on October 1^st 1951 making 57 years since he reported to teach at his former school.  He is a graduate of Nottingham University , got his degree in June 1951, and was sponsored by Buganda Government.

 

Mr. J. C. Kiwanuka in the DP Government

As a Minister of Education in the short lived Democratic Party Government (for about one year), J. C says that he had the advantage of having been President of Uganda Teachers’ Association (UTA) hence knew many problems that existed in the profession, and following the Lawrence Commission Report with some adjustments, their Government acted on:

1)     Improving Teachers’ Salaries and Conditions of Service;

2)     They enacted the Teachers’ Pension Schemes for all teachers;

3)     Equalised salaries of male and female teachers of the same grade, lay or religious;

4)     Awarded 300 scholarships to suitable candidates in all walks of life including tailors, shoe makers, etc;

5)     Started Higher School Certificate in Girls’ Schools for example Gayaza High School , Mt. St. Mary ’s Namagunga and Trinity College Nabingo;

6)     Some schools were given initial Government grants, for example Bishop S.S.S Mukono, Kibuli S.S.S, Christ the King Girls’ School (Kalisizo), Mary Hill Girls’ School, Lubiri S.S.S and Kiyira College (Busoga) built by the Kyabazinga.

7)     During the one year stay in Government, they J. Cs administration enacted the Board of Governor’s Rules for Senior Secondary schools and Teachers’ Colleges.

8)     The Teachers’ Conditions of Service were also enacted.

 

Manoeuvre says that when he started teaching at SMACK, starting HSC at St. Mary’s had penetrated his mind.  He talked the matter over with the Late Brother Louis Chuonard and Brother Oscar Roger both former Headmasters of SMACK.  Fortunately, they were also very keen on the idea.  The Executive Committee of St. Mary’s Old Boys Association (SMOBA) made an appointment with the Late Governor Andrew Cohen to meet and discuss the matter.  The Governor accepted to meet them, they discussed the matter, and on the occasion of the School’s Celebration of the 50^th Anniversary, Sir Andrew Cohen broke the news that he had allowed the school to start Higher School Certificate (HSC).

 

Sir Andrew Cohen broke the news that St. Mary’s Old Boy’s Association (SMOBA) was the only body that contacted him on this matter.

Mr Kiwanuka says that he feels very grateful to God for the venture of the HSC, which ended up a success through the vehicle of the Old Boys.  The school now gets so many graduates from Makerere University and other Universities.

Asked why SMACK has always excelled, Mr Kiwanuka says, “Because of her excellent basic foundation; spiritually, morally, academically.”  He further says, “The first three Medical Doctors in Uganda are SMACK products (Dr Bamundaga, Dr Bamugye and Dr Baziwane).  He says, “The old colonial idea that there was hardly anybody in Uganda that was capable of reading successfully for a degree was first smacked by a SMACK product.  He smashed the theory on the colonialists’ own ground”. 

 

16.     SMACK’S Other Key Constituencies

 Dr G. H. Kkolokolo (Paris-France)

St Mary’s College Kisubi has always been a consistent pioneer in sending students not only to University but also to other very important centres of high learning specializing in key domains which are very relevant to the development of our country and of Africa in general.

Having sent numbers and numbers to Entebbe School of Surveyors (Katabi) during most of the British colonial period and produced for East Africa very many wonderful land surveyors and notable Cartographers some of whom were recruited by Universities to boost their Geography Departments, SMACK intellectually gave weight to recruitment into such celebrated institutions as Kyambogo Technical Institute, for diploma engineers and technicians, Bukalasa Agricultural Institute and Arapai  Agricultural Institute for our very important agricultural sector, Mulago Medical Institute for our very badly needed paramedical  personnel, Entebbe Veterinary Institute for our very necessary grass roots veterinarians, Kyambogo TTC for our senior secondary school teachers, and the security forces training schools where many of our alumni have performed so excellently well and eventually become very wise brilliant members of the  forces.

Serious-minded graduates from these institutions have proved their very great utility throughout our positive stage development. And SMACK is always there to share very good points! We must really commend and praise our alumni who have passed through these institutions for the very good name they have made for our great college. Remember the saying: whenever and wherever there is anything positive, constructive, progressive, educative and productive, SMACK is always present!

Yes, our people have always been there making a very excellent name for our very much prestigious institution, and I personally thank them for this special contribution. It’s SMACK’s contribution!

These alumni are an exemplary lot to us all. Very many of them have taken on advanced further studies and have become top graduates. I can cite a few examples: Dr D. Bafokuzara, Senior etymologist and Researcher at NARO (Kawanda), he went through Bukalasa Agricultural Institute. Idem Dr  J. Nsereko, Senior lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture at MUK; then two alumni, among others, from Mulago Medical  Institute, one Dr Lutaaya, a London University PhD in Pathology, and  one Mr  Lugomoka,  a  BSc and  MSc in Biochemistry. And those others who didn’t venture into further studies have remained very faithful servants of their country, always exemplary models to emulate and imitate! They are indeed the core calibre of hard workers and  humble patient achievers through those genuine means that their simple environment can offer, and this is one of the wonders of  our notable St  Mary’s College Kisubi, an institution that has produced achievers  in all layers of society!

Via the security forces SMACK has given to Uganda an admirable lot of competent personnel in very top key positions whether in the army or in the police or prisons services. We were the first to produce a number of Sandhurst -trained army officers; and think of the police and the prisons services where we have always had our people in command and at the helm and they have always been doing very well  to the point of being strongly appreciated by the whole Ugandan society!

In order to  express  our  fully-committed  appreciation  and  sincere gratitude to these nation- loving   alumni,  I would humbly request our very intelligent  and  very  highly inspired  far-sighted SMACK Awards Committee to look very carefully into  more of these names  and prize them  for  the good of our very great   nation, just as it has already been done to one of them, H. E. Ambassador J. Tomusange, a very  pragmatic diplomat who made it to  everything  via the celebrated Mulago Medical Institute. Some outstanding profiles from our forces and from our Bukalasa / Arapai / Entebbe / Kyambogo-trained civil personnel would deserve a secondment to our SMACK Awards Committee for a special recognition as alumni who have achieved a lot under extremely very difficult circumstances.

 

17.     Prof. Otiti , Uganda ’s Only Nobel Prize Winner

(The New Vision)

Born of peasant parents, Prof. Tom Otiti has risen to great heights as a Physicist and Researcher, and among other schools he has been at St. Mary’s College Kisubi. 

 

STRIKES and Makerere University are so intertwined that to have been at the institution, whether as a student, lecturer, support staff or an administrator, you are expected to have participated in one.  Not so for Prof. Tom Otiti. The 51-year-old don joined the university as a teaching assistant in 1985, with little to his name. But with a profound belief that university education is research-oriented, he got engrossed in research.

 

Read more by clicking on the link below:

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/9/35/653381

 

 

 

18.     Let us not build a Katayimbwa economy

(The Monitor)

By Joachim Buwembo ( OB SMACK)

Everyone is saddened, shocked and unhappy with the growing use of katayimbwa (iron bar) to kill innocent people in the early evening hours around our urban areas. It is a senseless new trend by urban thugs to extinguish useful lives in a manner that leaves everyone around in shock. It is also an unacceptable misuse of steel.

More about the story click on the link below:

http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/opinions/Let_us_not_build_a_katayimbwa_economy_73220.shtml

 

19.     When the petrodollar cannot save Nigerians from food insecurity

The British coloniser robbed villages of the men who would have produced food while, buoyed by petrodollars, the generals silenced everybody —
including farmers — into inactivity as the sector stagnated, writes Okello Oculi (An Old Boy of SMACK)

It has become a cliché to blame oil wealth for the food insecurity in Nigeria . This widely-held view ignores the destruction of the agricultural sector by the colonial and post-1966 military dictatorships.
To appreciate the destruction brought about by British military dictatorship, politicians and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture should read doctoral theses and other researches by historians at the Ahmadu Bello University in the 1970s and 1980s.

The full story can be accessed when you click on the link:

http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/features/When_the_petrodollar_cannot_save_Nigerians_from_food_insecurity_72755.shtml

20.     UAC Call for Proposals amazed me

Not long ago, Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) had call for proposals from people who were in AIDS related activities for at least two years.  However, what is most amazing is the design for call of proposals.  It is such that one needed to be highly learned and or experienced in proposal writing to respond to the Call for proposals.  One wonders why UAC would be party to such an arrangement knowing that there are many simple players in AIDS activities who are on ground and unable to respond to such a technical proposal, hence technically ruling out the right candidates for funding!

 

 

21.     Dear Doctors, “Is AIDS; Cancer?”

We get information from the press that so and so is down with Cancer.  But as it is not unusual for some people to know what a patient is suffering from, you get to learn from some quarters that the patient is actually an AIDS case.  The question is, “Can Doctors who are professionals decide to call diseases by the wrong definition?”  If Doctors really do this, then they are part of the problem of promoting AIDS stigma!

22.     Oh! My blocked email (wkituuka@yahoo.com)

On the morning of September 29, 2008, I woke up normally went to a café with the hope of doing the final touches on the Morning Star Electronic – Magazine and have it sent.  I was shocked as what I thought was my email was now blocked and no longer accessible by me!  At the time I had over 460 email contacts there.  I would have collapsed, but the good Lord gave me courage and confidence to carry on.

Given the much information I had in my mail box, I imagine this was the worst happening to me since the year started.  To me, the architects of this act are equivalent to murderers; given opportunity they would have killed me!  I was shot, but by Grace of God, I am still alive.

23.     De-congesting Kampala

We are aware every year the NRM Government has even a higher affinity of being in power and holding on to it.  This being the case; Government MUST deliver.  The poor service delivery is completely unacceptable.  There have been calls to have buses out of Kampala , but trust politicking at the expense of service delivery, the buses are still at large and are now killing people.  There is a park in Natete where buses from the West should be parking, but poor decision making more so politically influenced is some evil we in Uganda have to live with sometime as long as NRM keeps in power. There was speed governor installation.  It is not news that this exercise was interfered with from the top and today, only God knows the fate.  One wonders for how long we have to keep with people who make poor decisions yet they don’t want to listen to advice no leave the stage.  There has been talk about having city service vehicles and upcountry just to de-congest the city.  It is only God who knows whether this will ever end.  Not When UTODA helps fund some of the campaigns as was witnessed when one of their bosses got an accident after delivering cash to the East to boast NRM campaigns.

 

 

24.     Cleaning the Highway leaves Kajjansi in darkness

THE October 18-23 First Tripartite Summit held at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala where it is reported that Government spent sh2.9b to host has been bad news for a number of business people at Kajjansi Trading Centre.  Trouble it is alleged started when which sweeping the highway around 2.00am or thereabout, one of the road equipment joined wires (4 phase) that cross the road and power was cut off.  Now, because joining the wires meant that traffic would have to be disturbed, it was decided to leave the people without power a condition that has prevailed up to Sunday 26!  If this is not backwardness, then somebody has to tell us what is is.

25.     Moringa - Marketing is the Problem

The way Tea Leaves are processed should be the same Moringa (oleifera) Leaf Powder should be processed, and at the end of the day, it should be a viable enterprise.  Unfortunately, the marketing of Moringa Leaf Powder and other Moringa products was started on a wrong premise, as the products were over-priced, and unfortunately, those still struggling with the business have maintained high prices hence keeping off potential buyers, yet the products are very useful.

It is true the Moringa plant is very useful more so in an environment where majority of the people are poor such that medical/nutritive supplements are an expensive option.  People talk of manpower (Viagra) and Moringa leaf powder has the ability to do the needful.  Talk about women without breast milk, leaf powder is a viable solution.  What about those without appetite, the malnourished – for all these, Moringa leaf powder is a cheap option.  The patients with heart problems have got relief by using Moringa leaf powder.

Regarding Vitamin A supplementation, if Uganda ever ventured to process Moringa Leaf powder on an Industrial scale, there would be saving on Forex currently used to import vitamin A supplementation and have surplus for export.  It is also true that Moringa seeds are source of very high quality cooking oil which we could market easily out of the country given its health qualities.  Secondly, the oil if mixed with say honey, it is medicinal and can help with wounds in the digestive system.

The Leaf concentrate from Moringa is very useful as it is medicinal.  Leaves can also used as pesticide, while the seeds are known to purify water however dirty it may be.  So, given the potential of Moringa oleifera, it makes a lot of sense for Government to get interested in harnessing this potential.

 

 

26.     KIWANUKA’s FIRST HOUSE PREFECT BEREAVED!

Dr G.H.Kkolokolo  (Paris-France)

The first House Prefect of Kiwanuka House, the very famous Mr Joseph S. K. Bemba Matovu (88), strongly associated with Uganda’s National St Jude’s League, is now a pitiful widower following the death of his very dear one Mrs Paulina Nnamirembe Matovu, who passed away after loyally being a very faithful wife for sixty years and was triumphantly buried at their home in Kawanda, just a kilometre away from the famous NARO Centre.

The deceased was a hardworking lady and was always very entertaining. The home used to receive many SMACK Alumni and they all got away impressed by Paulina’s very much welcoming warmth.

The couple had ten children, and the six sons, all successful, were educated by the Brothers of Christian Instruction at Lubaga, Kasasa and the Caltec Academy .  As Mr Matovu’s very close relative, I strongly console him and his children by pointing to them the very infinite testimonies of sympathy the family received from all kinds of people including especially from SMACK alumni who turned up in abundant numbers for the funeral. SMACK really means solidarity, brotherhood   and   fraternal co-operation whether in joy or in sorrow!

Mr Matovu, formerly a top senior civil servant and later a successful entrepreneur in Kampala, is a very well known figure everywhere and he was one of the most impressive OBs during our Centennial celebrations when he led the 1936 – 1945 Group in the parade. And he was very well received in the OBs’ Pavillion where he had a chance to embrace greetings from his contemporaries like Prof J.C. Kiwanuka, Mr Basil Kiwanuka, and from virtually all Kiwanuka House alumni.

At SMACK Mr Matovu was a great athlete, debater, member of the cadet corps, class prefect, mass server, etc.. He was elected Prefect of Kiwanuka House in 1939 when the great legendary African churchman was appointed the first African Catholic Bishop in Modern Times and a House had to be named after him in order to permanently commemorate his memory at SMACK. And it is interesting to learn that it was this prelate, then known as Père Yozefu Kiwanuka, who strongly recommended Mr Matovu for admission into St Henry’s Kitovu for his Junior Secondary School education from where he joined SMACK for his Senior Secondary School studies. Among his teachers, Mr Matovu had Rev Brothers Eugene, Columbus, Maurice, and James Arsenault. He studied many things at SMACK including Swahili, a language which was very essential for him wherever he was posted after completing his course in public administration at Makerere.

One of his most memorable occasions while at SMACK was the handing of  the specially silver plated  key  to the Protectorate Governor to officially declare open the present Biology Laboratory which at that time had been confided to Kiwanuka House for cleaning and proper  tidying  up.

Among his contemporaries at SMACK one can count such luminaries as Rev Bro Aidan Mulabannaku, Prof J. C. Kiwanuka, Prof S. K. Kyalwazi, Prof F. Bulwa, Hon F.. Onama, Mr Basil Kiwanuka, Mr J. Mulindwa (ex-Director Uganda Posts and Telecommunications), Mr Tamale-Ssali (Geologist and ex-Director of Uganda Geological Survey), Mr Herman Kibuuka (coffee industry magnate), Mr Joseph Magoba, Mr Sebastian Nsubuga, and one notable Mr Isoke etc..

 May the Good Lord continue to console and comfort Mr Matovu and give eternal rest to his deceased spouse who loyally accompanied him in all trials, sorrows,  joys and successes!

27.     Football in Germany

Players, Clubs, Facts and Figures

The most successful personality in German football is Franz Beckenbauer. He is the only German ever to win the World cup both as a player (in 1974) and as a manager (in 1990).

Lothar Mathaus has played the most games for the national side. He played for Germany 150 times.

Top goal score both for the national side and in the Bundesliga is Gerd Muller. He scored 68 goals in 62 games for Germany . In the Bundesliga he set a record that will surely last for ever: 40 goals in one season (1971/72).

Karl-Heinz Korbel played the most Bundesliga matches-602 times for Eintracht Frankfurt – followed by Manfred Kaltz (581) and Oliver Kahn (557).

The most successful Bundesliga club is Bayern Munich with 20 leagues championships-followed by Borussia Monchegladbach (5) and Werder Bremen (4)

Bayern Munich also heads the eternal Bundesliga table is Tasmania Berlin in 49^th place. The team won only 10 points in 1965/66 season. Nuremberg has been relegated more often than any other side-this year was the seventh time. Arminia Bielefeld has been promoted most often-also seven times.

The biggest earners of sponsorship revenue are Bayern Munich (Deutsche Telekom) and Schalke 04 (Gazprom) with about 20 million euros a year each; they are followed by the factory clubs from Leverkusen (Bayer) and Wolfsburg (Volkewagen).

The proportion of foreigners playing on the first day of the first Bundesliga season was 2.2%. today the figure is are often over 40%. The first time a German side with only foreign players in their starting line-up took the field was on 6^th April 2001: it was Energie Cottbus in the match against Wolfsvburg.

The most expensive transfer in the Bundesliga were those of Franck Ribery (France), who moved to Bayern Munich in 2007 for 25 million euros, and Marcio Amoroso (Brazil), who went to Borussia Dortmund for the same amount in 2001.

First foreign player to be top score was the Norwegian Jorn Anderson with 18 goals in the 1989/90 season. Ailton ( Brazil ) was the first foreigner to be elected Footballer of the year in Germany in the 2003/04 season.

 

28.     Bibiana Steinhaus first female referee.

Bibiana Steinhaus is the first female referee in men’s professional football. The 29-year-old policewoman celebrated her debut in September 2007 at the second – division game between Paderborn and Hoffenheim. Her performance was confident, objective and vigorous when necessary. She defused critical situations with a smile. “Her gestures are so clear that she doesn’t let any discussions develop,” said Hans Dieter Hermann, after the game.

 

 

 

 

29.     Major New Airport under Construction.

Berlin Brandenburg International to begin operating in 2011

Berlin is a popular destination: 50% more passengers between 2002 and 2006, rising numbers of international flight connections and over 19 million passengers this year. The capital is attractive, but it is almost unable to cope with the flood of visitor. For historical reasons, Berlin only has two city-centre airport, which are small by international standards, and Schonefeld Airport to the southeast to capital. The latter is now being expanded into a large-scale airport, Berlin Brandenburg international ( BBI ). Construction work officially began in September 2006 and the new airport is planned to begin operating in 2011, replacing the two city-centre airports at Tempelhof (2008) and Tegel (2011). Berlin will then move much closer to Germany ’s largest airport in Frankurt and Munich . The plans for the 2-billion-euro project envisage two parallel takeoff and landing runways (photograph) that can be operated independently of one another.  The passenger terminal, the so-called BBI Airport City , is located in the middle and will offer an initial capacity of 22 million passengers. If necessary, it will be possible to expand capacity to 40 million passengers. The BBI Business Park has been located close to the airport to facilitate business settlement.

 

The most impressive project at the moment is the construction of the underground station. The excavated area is more than 400 metres long and 60 wide. Stability is provided by 236 concrete pillars that reach up to 20 metres into the ground. This is because the station will be the foundation for the passenger terminal, whose construction will begin in summer 2008. One of Europe ’s largest building sites can be viewed from the 32-metre BBI info-tower (photograph). A visitor pavilion provides information about the project.

 

30.     Did you know that …

Ø      Berlin which covers an area of 892 square kilometers, is nine times bigger than Paris ?

Ø      Berlin is at the same latitude as London and the same longitude as Naples in Italy ?

Ø      Berlin has about 1,700 bridges – in other words, even more than Venice ?

Ø      Berlin is the only European city with ‘more museums than rainy days?’

Ø      Berlin is the only city in the world with three active opera houses?

Ø      Berlin’s TV tower (368 metres) is the tallest building in Germany and one of the tallest structures in Europe ?

Ø      Berlin is the greenest major city in Germany ?  More than 30% of the city’s territory is made up of parks, forests, rivers, lakes and waterways?

Ø      Berlin has many culinary specialities?  The main ones are the ever-popular curry sausages, cold Bouletten (meat balls) with mustard, green pea soup with ham, and fried liver.

Ø      Berlin has its own cake? Donuts filled with jam are known as ‘Berliner’ – but only outside Berlin !

Ø      Berlin has its own specialty beer?  ‘Berliner Weisse’ is a sparkling, dry-tasting beer – a refreshing drink in the summer with a shot of raspberry or woodruff syrup.

Ø      Berlin has its own vineyard?  The most famous is on the Kreuzberg hill.

 

31.     GROWING TRADE HIGHLIGHTS FOOD SAFETY

The growing volume of international trade in agricultural products makes the rapid transmission of food hazards more likely-and responses more urgent. Rejected food shipments cause considerable economic hardship and, if sold elsewhere, can harm human health. In 1991 in Peru , a cholera epidemic linked to the fisheries sector led to ost export orders for US$700 million in fish and fish products. Every year, African countries lose US$250 million in export earnings because groundnut products fail to meet international guidelines for the contaminant aflatoxin.

 

The agreement on the application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), negotiated during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, entered into force in 1995, SPS requires that Codex Alimentarius food safety standards be applied, if a World Trade Organization member country requires more stringent standards it must justify them.

 

The main problem for poorer countries is the cost of meeting the standards. The HACCP approach in particular, with its need for trained and literate operators, can be expensive to implement. FAO has proposed a food safety and quality fund to provide grants to the least-developed countries to strengthen their systems.

 

Under a new Codex –promoted approach called “equivalence”’ which is recognized by the SPS, countries recognize other nations inspection systems if they have broadly the same effect. This allows lower-intensive systems instead of capital-intensive ones.

 

Developed countries also benefits. The manufacture of raw-milk cheese in Europe is accepted internally, provided on farm safety measures are maintained. So is the New Zealand meat-inspection system, which is government supervised but operated by private contractors.

 

32.   Biotechnology and food security

 

Appropriate use of biotechnology offers considerable potential to improve food security.. A number of these technologies, such as tissue culture and molecular makers, are already being used safety to speed up conventional plant breeding. But given the potential risks of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for human health and the environment, caution is needed in introducing them. And with the development of biotechnology largely in the hands of commercial interests, efforts must be made to spread its benefits to small –scale farmers, the poor and the hungry.

 

33.     WHAT IS BIOTECHNOLOGY?

                                                                                                                  

According to the 1992 convention on Biological diversity, biotechnology is “Any technological application that uses biological systems living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products of processes for specific use.” This even covers traditional techniques to make wine and cheese. However, modern biotechnology generally means modification of living organisms (plants, animals and fish) through the manipulation of genes.

 

There are two main types of biotechnological processes. The first uses genetic information to speed up and improve conventional plant or animal breeding. The second (and more advanced) modifies the genetic pattern of plant or animal to create a new organism.

Research being conducted in the Syrian Arab Republic to improve cold tolerance of lentils is an example of the first, instead of crossing varieties of lentils, then slowly growing them and testing their performance until an improved type emerges, scientists are speeding up the process by using market-assisted selection to identify lentil genes that are cold –tolerant. They will then use the variety containing that gene in conventional breeding programmes.

 

The development of insects-resistant crops is an example of the second. Scientists have genetically modified (GM) crops such as cotton and maize by inserting a bacteria gene. The new verities produce an insect-killing toxin, thus reducing the need for pesticides.

 

34.     HOW CAN BIOTECHNOLOGY HELP THE HUNGRY?

Current biotechnology can increase crop yields and reduce production costs, even for small-scale farmers in developing countries, who make up a large part of the world’s poor and hungry population. Even more important for such farmers, many of whom struggle to make a living on marginal land, is ongoing research into drought-resistant and salt-tolerant crop.

 

Biotechnology can help even the landless poor by enriching staple foods, such as through the addition of essential vitamins.

 

Biotechnology developments are largely protected by patents or other forms of intellectual property rights. One key issue is the extent to which the right of small-scale farmers to reuse genetically engineered seeds from their harvest for the nest planting season will be respected.

 

Most biotechnology research and development is in the hands of commercial interests. If the technology is to serve all people, the public sector needs to play a part in its development and work to ensure fair access by the poor and hungry.

 

35.     GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PRODUCTS: MANY UNKNOWNS

 

 Potential benefits

• Increased nutritional value of staple food: Genes are being inserted into rice to make it produce beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. This experimental transgenic “golden rice” has the potential to reduce vitamin A deficiency, a leading cause of blindness and a significant factor in many child deaths.
• Reduces environment impact: Scientists are developing trees with modified cell lignin content. When used to make pulp and paper, the modified wood requires less processing with harsh chemicals.
• Increased fish yield: Researchers have modified the gene that governs growth hormones in tilapia, a farmed fish, offering the prospect of increased yield and greater availability of fish protein in local diets.
• Increased nutrient absorption by livestock: Animal feed under development will improve animals’ absorption of phosphorus. This reduces the phosphorus in animal waste, which pollutes groundwater.
• Tolerance of poor environmental conditions: Scientists are working to produce transgenic crops that are drought-resistant or salt-tolerant, allowing the crops to be grown on marginal land.

 

Potential risks

• Inadequate controls: Although safety regimes are being improved, control over GMO releases is not completely effective. in 2000, for example, a maize verity cleared only for animal consumption was found in food product cleared only for animal consumption was found in food products.
• Transfer of allergens. Allergens can be transferred inadvertently from an existing to a target organism and new allergens can be created. For example, when a Brazil nut gene was transferred to soybean, tests found that a known allergen had also been transferred. However, the danger was detected in testing and the soybean was not released.
• Unpredictability: GM crops may have unforeseen effects on farming systems for example, by taking more resources from the soil, or using more water than normal crops.
• Undesired gene movement: Genes brought into a species artificially may cross accidentally to an unintended species. For example, resistance to herbicide could spread from a GM crop into weeds, which could then become herbicide-resistant themselves,
• Environmental Hazards: GM fish might alter the composition of natural fish populations if they escape into the wild. For example, fish that have been genetically modified to eat more in order to grow faster might invade new territories and displace native fish populations.