Cross Roads

I recently received a brochure from the U.S Embassy in Uganda. Some information about their Information Resource Center. I was captured by the image on the brochure. A young conservative muslim young lady dressed in characteristic garb and browsing the library. Having paid for membership at the British council Library about five years ago and making full use of the service, i made on-line inquiry about their sight (which moved office from the historic Rwenzori Courts). Strangely though, their on-line sight (British Council) is also made up of a young muslim lady, writing or reading from the text of a book.     Maybe students of international law might appreciate a strategic move of information centers to Embassies which are technically international territory. But the other possibility is that the a move is taking place which seems to place conservatism at odds with liberalism. This is strange given the nature that the coalition in the U.K has taken with David...

There is an interesting story in scripture that needs to be understood in light of our present day challenges. It is interesting to note...as i have recently learned that the Book of Esther is the only book in the bible that does not have a reference to the word God. But there are some useful insights in Persian life that need to be noted. Broadly speaking the book is about Jewish-Persian relations. There are undertones about Marriage, Leadership, Kingdoms, Record Keeping, Feasts and many more themes. The book records a tumultuous time in Jewish history in which the people of God were in captivity. This book matches some of what was written in Nehemiah as well as Ezra which deal with the subject of reconstruction (of wall and of temple foundations). The wall was a symbol of protection and no city that claimed a right to exist ever did so without a good perimeter wall. The temple on the other hand was another symbol a little different from ancient the ancient Jewish practice that prefer...

This week the debate regarding some legislation on Pornography  dragged in a few interesting parties. And while in some circles, there were questions about means of regulating such laws and some negative attempts to put this law into effect, we are in my view experiencing a leveling of the playing field. You tend to feel like there are some conservatives (especially muslim women) that are glad that the competition can finally take on a different twist. Maybe the Hijab and Niquab are making a comeback. Perhaps the traditional Gomez (Ganda Traditional Dress that was imported from the East) will also find its way back on the cat walks. If this is the case, there is a possibility that even the cats will be uncomfortable in their traditional role which tends to favor less in instead of more! That the dynamic is changing is clear, if this law and its uncompromising interpretations are taken to effect, many will find themselves having to contend for mates in a slightly different manner. M...

When the Americans and their Second Amendment rights feel violated, they invariably begin to stock up on arms. Great news for the NRA...not the National Resistance Army a la Uganda but the National Rifle Association. And while some may argue that this particular piece of legislation is rather outdated, i think that it has gained relevance as government has continued to exert its influence in American life. On our national front, i predict a similar effect after the Anti_Porn bill begins to be enforced. In our case though, i think there will be a corresponding rise of use and possibly the creation of a counter-cultures. Kind of what happened with the prohibition. Historically, we have shown a distaste for certain aspects of the opposition and responded in kind to parts of their strategy that were proving a little too effective. For example, when the Walk To Work campaigns and other street demonstrations began to disrupt the work of government, we came up with the Pu...

Its been over three months since i read a rather famous book written at about a time of testing for the church in Uganda. I suspect that history will try the current regime with the same challenge. How do you deal with a Spying Church? It is clear that at some point, the Last King of Scotland had a turning point in his life at which a critical decision was made from a historical leaning towards Israel and onto the Arab World. This affected everything in our foreign policy and was responsible for major changes in governance in this country. Big hat seems to have adopted a different strategy. He has courted the church and showered her with gifts (mainly 4 by 4s) and also created alliances with pentecostal movements rendering them virtually powerless. The latter now enjoy use and access to Stadia and other massive end of year events at historic strongholds like Kololo. This has been quite an achievement granted his so called Marxist leanings and his aversion to post-co...

Have developed a pattern of catching on a little too late in the game. But that aside, noticed a memorable scene in the aforementioned movie where the character of played by Woody Harleson helps put Jennifer Lawrence (another gorgeous installment in the Jennifer line-Garner, Lopez, Aniston) 'back in line'. He reminds her, that she is tasked with "distracting the masses". Maybe this what the stars have to deal with. Here, we have grown accustomed to ignoring the drama and finding the contentious issue or piece of legislation that often slips past our eyes and becomes a law. We suggest that you do the same. That you give yourselves a chance to remember that as stars your main task is to light up our darkened sky. So that in our misery we may believe again and wish upon you...and maybe just maybe see our dreams fulfilled. This movie though, is another creation by Hollywood which brings together the fighter and the hidden camera and forces the protagoni...

On Saturday the 15th of February 2014, i attended a meeting created under the banner of a group called Indigitous. It is a blend between two words. Indigenous and Digital. I was interested because, for the first time, at least in these parts, there was an attempts to link technology and religion. If the reports in the news are anything to go by, then we in Africa are on a Cross Roads having to decide if what we believe is worth killing for. The Central African Republic to a grater extent , Sudan to a lesser extent are some examples of countries that have born the brunt of religious wars with ethnic connotations. Maybe we have come full circle and the slave trader finally has to face the slave what is clear though is that a confrontation of some kind is finally taking place. It is said that the method isn't sacred but the message is. With this in mind i am curious as to what form the message is going to take. We are awash with methods and if the cash can be raised, ...

The idea of doing a show based entirely on a tabloid magazine is great. It capitalizes on the complex lives of the personalities that bring the magazine to life and allows the viewer a glimpse into process. Given the controversy that surrounds the idea of news and investigative journalism, it is refreshing to see their characters with personal glimpses into struggles they go through as they shine an intrusive light into the lives of others. The writer is concentrates a little more on women...in an age of emancipation, equal rights and affirmative action. Strong female characters whose lives punctuate the show bring to the fore issues such as competition in the work place, family, inheritance, youth, crime, religion and culture. The women are strong, vengeful, determined and naturally for a tabloid magazine very chatty. There are alliances which emerge out of necessity and broad coalitions based on strong mother-son relationships, there are complex battles taking adva...

A nuclear bomb is destructive on two fronts. First, by the sheer amounts of heat that it generates, and then by what is commonly referred to as fallout (particles that it releases into the air). About two months ago, we were confronted by a story about some individuals, said to be from a local Christian University who were video taped engaging in Intercourse. As can be expected a spokesperson from the University quickly distanced himself and the school from the controversial material placing the blame squarely on the individuals. This was a major blow for the University-a stalwart of morality as well as to the individuals that were involved (assuming that the release was unintended). A few weeks later but from a slightly different angle, a popular radio station is currently focusing on the topic of Sexual Intercourse with a no nonsense and frank presentation of material and questions. While there are merits and demerits to this method of operation, we should be glad ...

This week i was treated to the other side of the complex ancient and often recurring battle. This time though, the director was a little different, and so was the cast. I was hoping that the Screen Actors Guild and the rest of the fraternity has not connived to revive and maybe even pour salt over some festering wounds. This time there were no tears, just shame and a reminder just how much can go wrong when divine books are misused to justify the acts of one group over another. For a moment i was driven to think of a change in a key portion of scripture and perhaps even devote it to an unseen group of men and women who have succumbed to the strength of others and bowed to the pressure forced upon them. The Portion of Scripture often attributed to the messiah makes reference to the stripes and wounds a conquering king who instead of rising by way of the sword chooses to take the beatings in exchange for the freedom of his progenitors. Fast forward a few centuries,...

If you are like me, you have taken to radio for a unique and ancient experience. This tool has an amazing ability to activate your imagination with its humor and stories. But there is always something unique about the presenters. They are often not chosen for their looks...because you are not supposed to see them. You will never know if the head hunter was biased in choosing them or if the HR department colluded with a former employee to get them hired. You listen because something about the voice on the other side of the radio set has an appeal. The dawn of new technology coupled with the arrival of leaner times means that certain media companies are being forced to down-size and in some cases increase the work load of the few employees whom they retain. The unfortunate result is that those who we would rather hear and not see have now been thrust on us. We are having to decide if there is a match in what we have heard and embraced with what we now see. The victim...

About two months ago, i heard a song that hit me right at the heart. Maybe this whole cycle was started by the fresh new face of Entertainment-Gravity Omutujju. His remake of the song by Paul Kafeero was amazing. Maybe it is the rebirth of Ganda Rap or UgaFlow or perhaps it is his unique use of the language that makes him stand out. Maybe it is the passion with which he expresses his message. This new song (that touched my heart) was done by Aga Naga (I hope i have the right spelling). While it is as lyrical and poetic as some of Uganda's latest rap music, it stand out in its message and its relevance. While in Bible School in Mission, Texas, we were trained in what is referred to as Spiritual Mapping. It is a bit like market research for the dark side. In this study, the student uses a combination of history, common sense and everyday sight, to discern the nature of the city and its strongholds. Strongholds are nothing more than ways of thinking multiplied acros...

While some seem to have forgotten the relevance of Syndicated Feeds, i think that they are here to stay and that in some regards are expressed in twitter. The RSS feeds were created to give users glimpses into larger more complex web pages and their content. Users could subscribe to content which would then be delivered in little bits and pieces for consumption at a later stage. The Feeds were not the content per se even if they could be designed that way but they gave users quick access to information. Maybe twitter is faltering because few are using it to link to more content. Writers know that their ultimate aim is to get others to comment on their posts and possibly purchase some of their work and maybe even amass a following (which can be converted into a currency through ads). In addition this, it is still not really possible to establish whether your post has been see a la facebook. Currency for many still rests on those elusive clicks. Given the mass of co...

I see it almost everyday. A message on twitter directed to an attractive host or presenter, stating the obvious,"You looked great today"..."i love your hair" and then finally..."great show". Then you get that sick feeling that he beat you to the exit and has managed to deliver his half-concealed line with ease. Others are not that subtle. They go on to give out their phone numbers.... This kind of attention would be unimaginable for the male hosts unless they were dealing with a particular species of women-with a knack of breaking the rules and an extra helping of testosterone. The point is, her looks are supposed to have nothing to do with the presentation or the show (even if we have decided that they do). Her skills have been given the back seat and it appears, nothing she says matters anymore. So she has become fidgety when she appears and in place of her fine mind she is forced to skirt around the field to fulfill her role. As ...

A few weeks ago, the current President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, caused a bit of a stir, when he questioned the role of the United Nations in his Country. At a time of heightened tensions, he wondered why it seemed that the United Nations had taken on the role of a parallel government. This came at a time when his hands were busied with some troubles in his government and when he was trying to clean house. Fresh thoughts have emerged questioning the role of the United Nations in countries like Congo, where concerns regarding the presence of the mission there and its effectiveness. Maybe our chief political commissar-Lt. Col. Felix Kulaigye (in an interview on UBC TV) was right when he brought this up-noting the length of and apparent ineffectiveness of these U.N missions. When i was in High School we had the privilege of participating in the Model United Nations where i served as a representative of Green Peace and was elected as chair (a role which in my youth, i t...

The trouble with men like Jonah, is that their careers rest on their predictions. Should the weight of their words fail to fall on the masses and the truth of their predictions stop short, then their careers are essentially over. A few weeks ago, we started a course on conflict resolution and management. The tasks of gathering material for this course seems to have fallen on my shoulders as has the task of placing all the material on the internet on an on-line learning platform. The result is that about eight months down the road, i am still at work and have yet to touch some of the content for the rest of the courses some of which include leadership, Interpersonal communication and group dynamics. In creating material for this course, I have included a section on curriculum development in which i gave some summaries describing some of the rationale behind the preparation for this course. In addition to this i have included a section on on-line learning as a means of ...

It has become increasingly clear to me that we are involved in a race for prominence in greater Africa. Top contenders are Egypt, Libya, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Ethiopia (given the location of the Africa Union HQ). While some are on top of the list for Africa, others are more content establishing themselves as regional blocks. The force of finance and the power of capitalism are possible influences given the size of some of our markets. And therefore the long march to States Hood seems to be on. Like America of old, growth is fueled in some parts by a gold rush in some countries, iron ore in others and the push for infrastructure like roads and railways in others. Contenders are judged using a variety of criterion from security to access to waterways. While the Americans seemed to have less to fight against (the crown and George for that Matter), we have in our midst several crowns (An English one, A French one, A Portuguese one, A Spanish one...

This week a local government leader received his results for the Primary Level Curriculum. There was a lot of excitement from some circles and the usual dose of laughter from the vultures as they gathered in search from some carrion. This story is linked to another in which a group of counselors emerged from their constituents as victors but stumbled through their respective ceremonies as they attempted to navigate their way through the English language. The latter group represents an activity that is going to continue to permeate our electorate as many citizens begin to lean towards their own, in acts of defiance against an educated but non-performing group. It is understandable why the local government leader made the choice to return to school, but my guess is that the ripple effects of his actions will be felt where it matters-among the young. It should be noted that one of the reasons he has given for his return to school was the difficulty he faces leading men...

John Townsend in his book Hiding from love, has helped influence some of my thinking on the subject of Human Tragedy and Healing. Him and the character of the Terminator (the guy who is built with some amazing alloy with self restoring capacity). So my theory goes like this. When we are hurt, certain parts of us stop growing and will remain stunted until a time when the right balm has been found to cleanse our wounds. This takes place on a personal level but also on a national level. What this means is that if there is a chapter in your life or a tragic event for which you are presented with no answers, that part of your life will remain broken. Think about all the major events in your nation's history (especially those for which you have no answers) and you will find scars and wounds. We do not know what would have been different had John Fitzgerald Kennedy rule continued. We do not know what the significance of his speech in Berlin was. What we know and what ...

Was rather thrilled when the New Vision presented to Rebecca De Mabior its 50 year commemoration book in which some of Uganda's most influential figures were featured. While some were a little weary of its color (the thought of a black book), i think that idea of preservation matters in our day as it did in Egypt of old. I am keen to see if the New Vision will partner with Community of Scribes in Southern Sudan to create a book which documents some of this new nations key figures. Maybe a mentoring program will take place in order to help transfer some useful skills to our neighbor in the north. In one of my previous posts, i argued that South Sudan must be seen in light of a much broader history. Even if this runs counter to the concept of states, i think it will create a much more useful picture. In addition to this, and in the same post i made the case for a grace period (shutting of borders) to come right after the creation of new states. The purpose was...

We recently 'lost' one of the most valuable pieces in our intelligence game. I use quotes because, this game often has what we call Gambits. Valuable pieces that are often 'given out' to lure the unsuspecting foe. Because the game of chess is built on strategy and initial play is based entirely on controlling positions, the student must make sure that he develops the ability to see way beyond a few moves in order to see the whole picture. While the exit of a key piece on the board attracted a lot of attention, certain ideas that were presented also seemed to have ruffled a few feathers. The first was the idea of succession while the other less controversial one was the plot to eliminate generals. Other thoughts that seemed to reawaken certain circles in the opposition centered on the notion of electoral malfunction. It is very important to note that in the game of chess, we deal primarily with Kingdoms (Kings, Queen, Bishops, Knights, Castles and Paw...

Watching Uganda and its leadership i get the impression that the biggest struggle that the government is going through the challenge of governance in peace time. A time of war while being perilous at least provides clearer lines of demarcation between friend and foe. Its also has clearer objectives. If you are in the bush or waging a different kind of war, you tend to have only one objective. Winning or at least wearing your adversary down. The true test comes when the battle and the bigger war is won and you are faced with the task of ruling. Suddenly all sorts of men emerge from the woodwork and claim to have supported you. Those who are genuine emerge with a sense of entitlement and a feeling that they deserve and have earned what you are about to give them. You are also faced with the task to creating as large as possible a distinction between yourself and the those from whom you wrestled power. In addition to this historians rush to your side demanding so...

Kampala, Uganda pales in comparison to Mexico City,Mexico or Chicago, IL. But that does not mean that this city is any less significant. All three matter because, they each have had to deal with the complexities of a governance-and that by mayors. Let me therefore offer some suggestions based on some lessons from these two major cities. Learn from your mistakes. In 1871 October 8-10 a great fire killed at least 250 persons and left 90,000 other homeless. It also left in its path 10 Sq. miles of destruction. The chief consequence was to reorient the retail business district away from the Chicago River towards a new axis along state street (Microsoft Encyclopedia). Something has to change in Kampala. Either new fire proof material has to be found for construction in the park yard area, or a new location has to be identified. What is clear though, is that the area is a gold mine for business (given the pace at which reconstruction and refinancing takes place). In ...

A few days ago, i had a confrontation with a worker. I was upset that he had invaded my area of work and that he had made changes without my permission. Maybe i was a little petty but i was reminded really quickly that finances still matter. The difference between my orders and those of my wealthier colleague boiled down to the dollar. As long as i was not the one who was paying him, he had no business doing anything that i said no matter how wise or useful. Do you find yourself in this situation where you have to depend on something other than your money to get people to follow you? Most leaders have dealt with this too! Maybe it is a question about love or fear. Maybe it is a question about influence in leadership. Maybe it deals with respect. The choice is really yours. If we can manage to have other follow us even in a time of lack, then maybe we have made a breakthrough. But if on the other hand we are still dependent on handouts and gifts to pacify our cr...

Twice this week, i heard a comment that troubled me. It went something like this "I have not been to bible school". While being a rather ordinary sounding statement, it is more frightening when it comes from a person whose current position gives them a sense of superiority and autonomy over others based entirely of some notion of current progress and movement. The first time you hear this, it often comes from miracle workers or people who have amassed a good following in an age of limited religious numbers. A link with the supernatural, a touch of oratory skill, the possibility of a large population of very needy people makes for a healthy mix of trouble. The broader message is very simple. A lack of education is nothing to be proud about...regardless of which sphere ones speaks from. The line from which most of these justifications comes from seems to come from the book of Acts. Acts 17:6b "...These that have turned the world upside down are come hi...

Last week, i witnessed (via television) a rather vibrant ceremony in the South Western part of Uganda in which a new bishop of Kabale was elected. The excitement surrounding the selection was rather strong but it was troubling because it was reminiscent of a political rally and not the manner that is should accompany the call to serve in the church. A rather unrelated event had led me to this point in time....It had been ages since my visit to my local church (Calvary Chapel Kampala) and in my view i am sure i have missed a good measure of battles, but when i arrived, i witnessed the commissioning of a new pastor and his wife. The portion of scripture used came from the book of 1 and 2 Peter. I was struck by the weight of the responsibility that seemed to emerge from the commissioning and the portion of scripture that was used. But is the call to ministry a call to political office. Maybe it is...in so far as some definitions of politics go. But it is more than this...