Jessica Simpson in Uganda

                              

                                                          Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson, an American singer/actress, is in town filming more of her upcoming reality show, The Price of Beauty. Usmagazine.com reported on Thursday that Simpson, 29, who is in Uganda with pals Ken Paves and Cacee Cobb, is “focusing on work” after the loss of her five-year-old dog, Daisy, which was snatched by a coyote last week. Simpson best known to Ugandans for the hit I Wanna Love you Forever, apparently twittered Wednesday posting a photo of herself surrounded by protective fly nets (read mosquito nets): “Do I really have to sleep like this?” she asked. 

The Digital World

This is a masterpiece.  

If you have not read it take the time to read it now.  

If you have read it take time to read it again!  
                      


By GEORGE CARLIN (His wife recently died...) 

Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate. 

   

A Message by George Carlin: give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. 



The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. 



We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. 



We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. 



We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We've added years to life not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space.

We've done larger things, but not better things. 

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. 



These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...!



Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. 



Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. 



Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent. 



Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. An embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. 



Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. 



Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. 

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. 



GEORGE CARLIN

 

 

Drivers of change

             Ali Balunywa, recognised in the Netherlands 

                as an inspirational African Diaspora

The NCDO, HIRDA, MWPN and Africa Diaspora Policy centre organisations came up with the idea of recognising te most imspirational African Diaspora.  10 African Diasporans were identified. The decision was arrived at after considering their different efforts like building schools, empoering women, stimulatinmg entreprenuership, teaching and other such tasks. 

What sets apart these Africans from the rest is not only their steadfast commitment to peace and development, but also the fact that they are experts by experience. The list includes: Ali Balunywa from Uganda, Bioli Ikele from Congo, Debritu Lusteau from Ethiopia, Juliano Da Silva Rodrigues from Angola, Mekka Abdelgabar from Sudan, Sulaiman Bangurra from Sierra Leone, Rachael Tocklu from Eritrea, Stella Ismail from Somalia, Stephanie Mbazondere from Burundi and kon kelei from sudan.

On Wednesday 23 September 2009, the organising organisations organised the Africa Diaspora night in the Dutch capital of The Hague at the Nuthuis centre in the city centre.The programme was divided into 3 parts. The introduction was given by the hostess of the evening; Amma Baddoo-Asante followed by recital of a poem by Ali Balunywa.

Part one included powerpoint presentations by Rachel, Sulaiman and Stella. This was followed by a shortbreak before the second part. This included presentations by Stephanie, joseph and Bioley. And the third part; Debritu, Mekka and Ismail Awil of Oxfam Novib. In between the parts 2 interviews were conducted by the hostess and her guests were Kon Kel;ei of Sudan and Julie Ndaya of Congo.

The presentation methopd used was the Japanese Takahashi method were a presenter is given only 5 minutes to make his presentation. The methgod is easy to do  and it helps the presenter get organised and keep him/her on track. It provides a clear visual support for the audience and helps to make the content more memorable.

The media was well presented at the function. Already some newspapers and magazines like the Amsterdam bulletin and IS magazine had run these stories. Many websites have also picked the story. Roughly 150 people attended the function. After the presentations, as is the custom drinks and informal networking closed the function.

African Diaspora for African Development

 A poem by Ali Balunywa

Chairman Pearl of Africa (www.pearlofafrica.nl)

 Recited at the Africa Diaspora Night in The Hague in honour of the Africans who an inspiration to others. 

The theme of the night is security and development

The consequence of that is stability and improvement

No security means conflict and disagreement

No development means instability and discontent

 

The members in the audience tonight

Are Africaners whose significance is their might

Their supporters full of radiance are in sight

And the organizers whose importance is great

 

A glance at the countries presenting tonight

Is a look at the continent’s fighting might

The peoples in these nations bleed from the conflicts

For the finances in these states fled with the politics

 

Billions are wasted as Ethiopia fights Eritrea           

Millions are executed as Sudan and Congo fight for Utopia

Clans exterminate each other in stateless Somalia

As Uganda and Burundi douse the tasteless hysteria

 

The average African lives in abject poverty

As the community’s lack of opportunity creates insecurity

And the population’s illiteracy leads to unawareness

Yet the citizen’s ill health is a sign of sickness

 

Europe and America enjoy peace, tranquility and security

Followed by development, growth and prosperity

Africa and some Asian countries wallow in conflict and obscurity

Followed by ignorance, disease and poverty

 

What makes the African Diaspora the solution to the glitch?

They’ve gained the skills and resources for combating the hitch

The experiences of the filth in the south and the best in the west

Qualifies them to engage the south in the development quest

 

Challenges of Development Cooperation organizations are applauded

Changing and reforming governance, socio-economic expansions

Through trade, not aid. Partnership, not handouts or contributions

And consolidation of achievements in security and development

 

The Africa Diaspora has now mastered the development lingo:

Mobilization, organization, migration, collaboration and communication,

Alliance building, capacity building, networking and monitoring

Subsidies, resources, remittances, estimates and results

 

Engagement, assessment, empowerment and involvement

And finally conferences, workshops, seminars and forums

All for the sake of looking for change in mother Africa

The change that we all believe in and God help Africa

 

Almere, September 20, 2009

 

 

University of Amsterdam Graduation

On Tuesday 22 September 2009, I joined 15 other men and women receiving their masters degree certificates from the University of Amsterdam. We were 28 students in our class, but only 12 were able to finish in time and get their diplomas. 4 other graduands were of previous years.

The ceremony was held at the University theatre in central Amsterdam. It started on time with a few speeches from the University administrators and head of the New Media. The procedure was for a graduand to go to the table, his professor reads out a statement, he/she signs the certificate which is later offered to him and a gift from the university. The gift was an executive laptop bag.

My thesis supervisor Dr Geert Lovink was away, but the second reader Dr Jan Simons read out his remarks, which are as follows:

Dear Ali,

Congratulations on your graduation. We all know it has been a difficult challenge for you, this year, but you did remarkably well, in time. You came from a long career in journalism in Uganda, then moved to Holland, and then at some point decided to go for a new media masters degree to seriously upgrade your knowledge about ICT from a broad cultural perspective. I remember well you weren't that familiar with computers to start with, a year ago. However, you worked hard and saw possibilities to further build on your experience. When I mentioned in class the previous work done within our program on ICT for Development, for instance by Rikus Wegman and the Incommunicado project, back in 2005, you played a crucial role, with Ben White, in the formation of the ICT 4 Uganda research group. The first students research initiative within our MA, if I am right. You were four, and then soon after, five students who started working together on a plan to travel and work together for 2-3 months in Uganda to study diverse issues within the quickly emerging new media sector in your home country Uganda. You assisted the group in finding the link with Makerere University in Kampala and housing. Your own research focused on the new media uptake within the Ugandan print media, a sector that itself is only 20 or so years thriving and now in such an amazing transformation due to the digitalization, networks and globalization of the news industry. We agreed that you're probably the first to map out this terrain. Ali, you may not yet be a Continental philosopher; theory is something for later, a next life! So, good luck in your career 2.0 and the staff is proud to see you becoming an important player in the amazing growth that new media in Africa is currently going through--with so much more to come.

 

 

Hollywood stars in Uganda to promote Gorillas.

Muyambi, a young gorilla, puts his hand around 

Mark Penning, the president of the World Association 

of Zoos while in Bwindi – Uganda. New Vision Photo

 The stars included Jason Matthew Biggs, best known for his role in the American Pie, a high school three-parts comedy; Kristyn Wu known for her role as Chao-Ahn in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and co-starring as Melissa Wu in Flight 29 Down; Simon Curtis; Rachel McDonald; Matthew Kurte and Tertius Bune. 

The film stars tracked the largest group of 36 gorillas, called Nshongi, at Rushaga in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

The campaign, it is believed will help promote Uganda as a top tourism destination as the world celebrates the UN International Year of the gorilla. (Culled from Gerald Tenywa’s story NV 22 September 2009)

Another View

Why Karundi Serumaga was arrested

According to the Lango Association of UK

 

 Netters, word trickling out of Kampala has it that a print journalist/radio broadcaster (One Serumaga) was last night arrested as soon as he stepped out of the studios of WBS TV station where they had conducted a live telecast debate on current saga in central uganda. 

I watched the WBS programme and was impressed by Serumaga's courage. He went a notch higher in livening debate on the impasse between Buganda and Central government. If he has been arrested, then this could be why:

 

-he gave a genesis of the NRMO, and said the first rebel core committee was composed of about 8 members: 4 Baganda and 4 westerners, but by the time of coming out of the bush, all Baganda, apart from Lule were six feet under, giving example of one Seguya who was alledgedly poisoned! He posed the question why is it that one side came out alive and the other side were all finished? he argued that instead of Museveni saying he assisted Baganda, it was instead Buganda that assisted NRA war-effort, so the proverb of removing thorns from one's leg could only mean sense if Buganda removed thorns from Museveni's NRA feet, not the other way round.

 

-then he said the fracas seen on the streets was a reflection of the leadership style, remarking that he could only explain it as Museveni was a badly-brought up person, for even the ordinary Mukopi were of two types: one who was polished in mannerisms and could be accepted in community of well-behaved, and the other of a badly behaved person who will be around to spoil things for people, which he thought Museveni belongs to. 

 

-Kalungi dropped the bombshell saying he saw it like Uganda was under colonial occupation, and UPDF and army of occupation, asking why the Bunyoro oil fields were guarded by Presidential Guard soldiers and Saracen security Guards of Salim Saleh? He allerted Banyoro that while they were venting their anger over Bafuruki, the oil-sale agreement was being concluded with British firms with total disregard of the Banyoro who have not asked what would belong to them when mining proper begins. 

 

-He went full blast and listed occasions when the Uganda constitution was intentionally violated by the NRMo Government, and this one of preventing Kabaka to go wherever he deemed necessary was one such occasion of NRM violating the constitution.

 

When asked to summarise the good things of the week according to him, Serumaga said he was amused by the involvement of Kabakumba Matsiko, Matia Kasaija, Kale Kaihura, sarcastically portraying that it was leaders from Western Uganda tormenting Kabaka and Buganda...

 

Could it be some of these....that  has caused him some trouble. In current Uganda, one has to be real couragious to utter these issues in a live Television broadcast... and Serumaga did it last evening.

Uganda Riots, a Postmortem

     Police and army practicing their training on a civilian

                      The Monitor photo by Muziransa

It was rumoured that the King of Buganda, his highness, Kabaka Ronald Mutebi, was under house arrest, but this was denied by the Inspector General of Police Major general Kale Kaihura at a press conference he held at the Media centre in Kampala at the weekend.

However, during the fracas, a total of 550 people were arrested over rioting and on Monday 14 September 2009, 122 were arraigned in court and later incarcerated in Luzira prison until 23 September when their case will be heard again. There reports of 103 deaths, though it is thought that the figure might be higher. The Monitor newspaper has set up an investigation desk to come up with a near accurate figure. According to the police spokeswoman, Judith Nabakoba, a Democratic Party MP arrested while in the middle of the church mass. Mr. Issa Kikungwe was arrested in connection with the riots that started in Kampala. “According to information available so far, he (Mr. Kikungwe) is one of the ring leaders who incited violence in Kampala,” Ms Nabakooba told Daily Monitor by telephone.

There are conflicting reports over the number of wounded. However, reports compiled by the Monitor from hospitals around Kampala put the wounded number at over 100. But many more injured people did not seek medical attention. The exact figure though might never be known but could be in the range of 500.

Other casualties include 5 radio stations forcibly shut down by the government. The reason given was that they were inciting people to riot and destroy property. Eyewitnesses claim men dressed in military uniforms climbed the masts owned by CBS to remove the transmitters. It was only after that that the Broadcasting council came up with a statement suspending the operation licenses of both kingdom radios. Other radios whose broadcasting licenses were suspended are: Radio 2, the Catholic Church owned radio Sapienta and Ssuubi radio.  The government’s condition to reopen the radios is that they should promise to stop their negative campaign against the ruling NRM party and inciting the Baganda tribe against the police in conjunction with the opposition leader Dr Besigye.

Not only radios were closed, but also a popular radio presenter was among those arrested. Journalist Kalundi Serumaga, a presenter with Radio one was arrested after participating in a television talk show. It was reported by the Monitor newspaper that Serumaga is presently in hospital where he is nursing wounds allegedly inflicted by the police whom he claims tortured him. Serumaga was arrested over statements he allegedly made while appearing as a panelist on Kibazo programme on Friday on television. The Broadcasting Council on Saturday also halted the airing of a Radio Simba talk show ‘Gasimbagane ne Bannamawulire’ and WBS television programme ‘Kibaazo’. 
 

The coalition of Makerere’s department of mass communication, Eastern African Media Institute, Independent Media Council of Uganda, and Uganda Media Development Foundation and many others in a statement yesterday, said Government’s actions “undermine the independence of journalism, freedom of expression and free flow of information.” 

They called upon the Broadcasting Council and security agencies to desist from exercising their mandate arbitrarily, excessively and selectively. 

“They should stop acting outside the constitutional framework and broadcasting regulations,” the coalition’s interim boss, George Lugalambi, said. 

The coalition also called for the release of Serumaga (The new Vision 14 September 2009).

Out of the ashes of the riots are lessons for both the government and the opposition. Over the last 20 years the government has amassed equipment for both the army and police for quelling down any internal dissent. Mamba trucks, tear gas, water canons mounted on tankers, arms and ammunition are in full stock. However, the government did not envisage the riots coming. They were ready for any eventualities in Kayunga and didn’t expect any problems elsewhere. For the first time in the history of Uganda, riots simultaneously broke out in 6 different districts. Since the police had heavily deployed in only Kayunga district, riots were able to continue for 2 days elsewhere. Rumours are rife that there was no more tear gas and bullets for the police! This means that even after spending colossal amounts of money to equip the police and to militarize it, it has no capacity to put down a nationwide strike.

For the opposition who used to think that Ugandans are passive must have received a wake up call. They should now note that with proper organization and a proper cause, the Ugandans will not sit back and allow elections to be stolen again. It is therefore important to ally with traditional rulers and explain the outcomes of a stolen election properly to the masses. They will protect the ballots with their lives as they did for their Kabaka.

 

 

 

 

The 13-year-old Rural Uganda English Soccer fan

                                   Yusuf and his sisters in rural Iganga

 Somewhere in Buluza village in Iganga district in Uganda, I met Yusuf, a 13-year-old Ugandan. What attracted me to him was the shirt he was putting on. It had the image of Essien. Michael Essien has proved to be a commanding midfield presence for Chelsea since signing from Lyon for £24.4m in August 2005. Chelsea completed the protracted signing of Essien in August 2005 after a chase, which had lasted the whole summer. He made his debut as a second half substitute in a 1-0 victory over Arsenal and made an instant impact. Essien had tasted success early in his career as he picked up a gold medal with Ghana at the African Under-17 Championship and a bronze medal at World Under-17 Championships.

 He moved to France in 2001 when joining Bastia from Liberty Professionals, reaching the French Cup final in his debut season. That same year he had won another medal - silver at World Youth Championships. The midfielder made his full debut for Ghana at the 2002 African Cup of Nations. Lyon made their move for Essien in 2003, paying £5.2million, after he had made 66 appearances and scored 11 goals for Bastia. By the end of his first season he was already being linked with Liverpool and Everton. His success continued in 2007 as he was named Chelsea's Player of the Year, adding League Cup and FA Cup winners' medals to his Premiership title of 12 months earlier. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/profile?id=9799&cc=5739

Yusuf goes to school at Ibun Baz secondary school, a school near his home. He is in his first year at the secondary school. He has 2 sisters; Abiba Naigaga aged 10 and Aisa Babirye aged 8 years. Despite adorning a Chelsea T shirt, Yusuf is an ardent supporter of Arsenal football club. He knows everything about the club.

Arsenal also known by their nickname The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in Holloway, North London. They play in the Premier League and are one of the most successful clubs in English football, having won thirteen First Division and Premier League titles and ten FA Cups. They hold the record for the longest uninterrupted period in the English top flight and are the only Premier League side to have completed a season unbeaten.

Arsenal were founded in 1886 and were the first Southern club to join the Football League, in 1893. They won their first major trophies in the 1930s, with five League Championship titles and two FA Cups. After a lean period in the post-war years they became the second club of the 20th century to win the League and FA Cup Double in 1970–71, and during the past twenty years have recorded a series of successes – in this time Arsenal have won a Cup Double, two further League and FA Cup Doubles, and became the first London club to reach the UEFA Champions League Final. Arsenal is one of the richest clubs in English football (valued at over £600m as of 2008), and thanks to their stature, has regularly featured in portrayals of football in British culture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenal_F.C. 

Uganda's Miltary Might unleashed on Civilians!

                                                          Photo: The New Vision

In the last few days, Uganda saw riots breaking out in different parts of central Uganda. The riots were a result of the Buganda King's failure to travel to a part of his Kingdom that is beiong claimed by another ethnic entity. 14 people lost their lives, over 100 were injured and property worth millions destroyed.

The Impact of ICT on the Print Media Journalist in Uganda

On 22 September 2009, I shall graduate from the University of Amsterdam, having fulfilled all the requirements necessary to attain a Masters of Art in New Media and Digital culture which I have been pursuing in last one year.  Here below is the abstract of my research. If you wish to look at the whole research, please visit: Download AliBalunywaMA-Thesis-09.pdf

Abstract

I chose my topic of research because not much research has been done on how ICT has impacted on the print media journalist in Africa. My research will therefore enrich media theorists who lacked information on how the new media has heavily influenced African journalism. I established that Africa’s media density and Internet connectivity are quite low. These limitations however emphasize the strategic importance of African journalists have placed on ICT to enrich their information and reach.

During my research, I established that all journalists are aware of the relevance of ICT and its impact on the day-to-day activities of journalists. I also observed how the new media has reduced the technological gap between the West and South and how ICT has simplified the work of the journalist. Production time has been tremendously cut down by ICT use

To get my results, I used different research methods, which included observation; I worked at the New Vision newspaper in Uganda for one month. I observed how journalists use new media in their day-to-day work. I also participated in the day-to-day work of a journalist. I was deployed by the editor to gather news, write stories and generally attended the daily journalists’ meetings.  I also interviewed 35 journalists, writers, editors, subeditors and managers. Finally, I distributed 200 questionnaires of which 101 were returned filled in. I tried to establish how far ICT/New Media has advanced print media journalism in Uganda.

Journalism in Uganda matured only in the last 20 years. Before this it was basically one of those professions for school dropouts.  Government mostly owned the media industry and its main objective was propaganda. Today all this has radically changed. The private sector has embraced the media and the industry is blossoming.  The journalists have not missed out new advances in technology. African Media professionals to enhance their writing skills, design, layout, photography, presentation, sales and marketing have applied ICT.

From my findings, I established that the new media has been instrumental in narrowing the digital divide between the west and south. Journalists in both situations are using the same new media to facilitate their work. There might be an absence of broadband Internet in Africa, but that doesn’t hinder journalists from using the latest new media tools even as the speeds might be low.

Larger implications of my findings indicate that well as the less developed countries have struggled to economically grow without much success, new technologies seem to have succeeded where other resources have failed. The new media is part of these technologies. What is happening anywhere in the world is now syndicated the world over and can be reported at the same time in Washington, London, Amsterdam, Tokyo and Kampala.