Hello Friends of West Nile, Thank you very much indeed for this great forum that affords us the opportunity for exchanging views about common issues affecting our region. I have recently been added to this mailing list, and from the archives, I think I have missed a lot on the previous discourses, although it is never too late to chip in. I have for today, one main comment to make on the topic of power and its relation to development. I have closely followed the discussions on power or lack thereof in (our homes) in West Nile - an issue succinctly captured by Mr Caleb Alaka's allegory on 'Africa as the Dark Continent'; Ms Margaret Angucia in her dilemmas of living the dual life of 'lightness' and 'darkness' in Kampala and Odupi respectively and a brilliant analysis by Mr John A. Jackson of the opportunity costs associated with lack of electricity. These views alongside others not included here highlight the fact that power is indispensable for our livelihoods and and also, holds the prospects for meaningful development. I suppose the $1 Million QUESTION is, how can we move from the frustrations and underdevelopment that comes with lack of power to actually doing something tangible to transform the situation to our advantage?. In the past,whenever I called my family in Arua and I got reminded that 'our conversation may be cut short because of phones running low on battery' I always asked family members if somebody was following the matter - through discussions between our leaders, representatives and WENRECO on the erratic power supply in the region, on the main FM stations for example or even in Parliament. The answers I received were not in the affirmative, forcing me to suggest (gut reaction perhaps?) that our 'sons' such as James Nyakuni of Gaaga fame should be encouraged to invest in the electricity sector. But with benefit of hindsight, I think WE 'sons, daughters, parents, uncles, aunties and friends of West Nile inter alia' can come together to do something about it. Previous suggestions (from Mr. Alaka and Mr. JA Jackson) that we hold the politicians accountable and perhaps adopt the strategy of sabotage (akin to our demand for tarmacking the Karuma-Pakwach-Arua road) are plausible to the extent that they tie closely with the idea that the government is responsible for major infrastructural developments in the country. However, the West Nile experience shows that all factors are not constant to allow us put all our faiths in this crucial role of the government. In its place, and most importantly, within the context of government policy that encourages/promotes private sector investments, I suggest those with a stake in West Nile, form a cooperative alliance through which we can begin to invest in some of these crucial sectors . Of course, if we agree to form such an alliance, we will need to do some form of SWOT (Stregths,Weakneses, Opportunities and Threats) and/or PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal) analysis among other things, to help us underpin our decisions. Morever, If we have good networking skills, we can also form partnerships (locally and internationally) to drive forward, the broader development agenda of West Nile. Closely related to the foregone suggestion is a 'food for thought' that emanates from a recent media interview given by our Mayor of Arua Municipality to the effect that Barifa forest reserve will in the near future, be degazetted (subject to final written permission from the National Forest Authority), to give room for new developments (such as shopping malls, hotels, restaurants etc). The Mayor also alluded to the role of private investors in these upcoming developments in Arua. My question-cum-food for thought is, 'how many of us in this forum are prepared to be counted as "the private investors" who will carry on the banner in the proposed developments in Barifa'?. Kind regards, Maureen Ayikoru
--- On Mon, 6/4/09, JohnAJackson <javud...@gmail.com> wrote: From: JohnAJackson <javud...@gmail.com> Subject: [WestNileNet] Re: WestNileNet Digest, Vol 8, Issue 21 To: westnilenet@kym.net Date: Monday, 6 April, 2009, 3:54 PM Strategic development Agenda hey Guys and Girls, We are now on a very good road to discuss real problems leading to our under development. a) Majority of politicians from this region have not delivered anything they promised they would do. WE HAVE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR LIES. Every election comes, they say the same things. No one stood up to challenge them. They disappear for 5 years, reappear when elections come. They tell the same lies over and over again. This is a moment we should hold our ploliticians accounatble for doing nothing about some of the problems. b) Formation of students associations is very good. This is grass roots foundation where we need to start adressing problems that have haunted us for too long. Students are the future leaders of this land. We should empoer them to voice their concerns over issues affecting their community. Taking into account we still have a high percentage of illiteracy in our region, THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE POLIITICIANS HAVE BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE COMMUNITY THEY PRETEND TO SERVE. NO ONE CHALLENGES THEM. c) What ever the name will be, let us look at creating an effective group. Let us learn lessons from what the other people are doing all over the country. If Tribal is the way to go, let us go for it. If the Global concept of West Nile is not palatable, Let us go local (Lugbara bla bla, bla......). After all, there is something similar in Koboko, Alur and Madi. So those regions are taken covered. I like the joke " Africa is meant to be a dark continent", therefore, we should not cry for electricity & too much water. May be the politician we elect have this mentality ingrained in their minds and blood. RECORD UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE REGION We have record high unemployment in this region. Majority of the people either work for the GOVERNMENT OR NGO's. The Private sector is very poorly developed. Around the world, govenments have very limited capacity to create new jobs. The only time govenment creates jobs is when a new department is created or people retire or die. The Percentage of these things occuring is miniscle. For us to promote PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT, We need " STABLE ELECTRICITY" a) Why do we keep sending our tobacco to be processed in Kampala? Is it not reasonable that tobacco should create employment opportunities in West Nile? Our parents and grand parents have been dieing on this tobacco farming for too long. What have they gained out of it? JUST PEANUTS??? Is not time to urge BAT and other tobacco companies to process tobacco in West Nile? b) Is not time to make Kajansi type of BRICKS & TILES in West Nile? Why should be importing bricks from Kamapala? We have the same soil everywhere. c) If anyone wanted to process FRUITS for Export, where do we get power from? Does anyone thing that junky Disiel Generator can produce enough power for a factory? What oabout the POLUTION you can see at "aci engine"? Young men and women we need to look at our future developent 10yrs, 15yrs, 20yrs or 50 years from now. It took almost 50 years to get Tarmac Road from Karuma to Arua. Are we going to wait for 50 or 100 years to get electricity from Nyagak to Koboko, Nebbi or Moyo or Yumbe? We need serious leaders from this region with serious agenda! As I said in the past, we need leaders who have VISION, not the selfish, egoist people who have been draining this place we call our home. John J Avudria On Sun, Apr 5, 2009 at 6:54 PM, <westnilenet-requ...@kym.net> wrote: Send WestNileNet mailing list submissions to westnile...@kym.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to westnilenet-requ...@kym.net You can reach the person managing the list at westnilenet-ow...@kym.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of WestNileNet digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Maracha Terego (Caleb Alaka) 2. Re: Power and more power (Margaret Angucia) 3. Re: MASU Finalist and Hand Over Party. (samuel andema) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 14:26:27 -0700 (PDT) From: Caleb Alaka <calebal...@yahoo.com> Subject: [WestNileNet] Maracha Terego To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net> Message-ID: <74026.7673...@web46410.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi, Richard, Thanks for the compliment. We own this Country and West Nile. so lets not be intimidated to implode and become trivial. Lets Always aspire to be above pettiness. Politics in our parlance figuratively is akin to robbery, triviality, division-ism mention it. We had an association called ACA (Arua Community Association) t is either buried or in a coma because of Politics. You know people began coalescing around which party eats more birds than the other and who was their enemy. Imagine a man from Terego is an enemy to one in Ayivu because one is in FDC and the other is NRM yet both FDC and NRM are headed by and are for Westerner's. But for us lets focus our energies to uplifting West Nile and eventually Uganda. Charity begins from Arua. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://orion.kym.net/pipermail/westnilenet/attachments/20090405/5ffe4d84/attachment-0001.html ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2009 00:26:21 +0200 From: Margaret Angucia <odukuj...@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] Power and more power To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net> Message-ID: <f10a72660904051526s19ef3ec0q6cae4e0e78852...@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Dear All, I know that Caleb's piece about obsession with power and more power is a satire perhaps to make us more imaginative about the problem but earlier on when I read the pieces by Gilbert and Jackson, I was reminded of how when I go home (some people say 'village' - which I think is being disrespectful to my roots), I have to send young boys on a bicycle to Imvepi refugee camp to go and recharge my phone. I am also reminded of the fact that my parents initially resisted a phone because recharging would be hectic. When the refugee camp which is in the process of closing down (some one correct me if that is not true) it means unless I buy my own solar charger or something, I could not go home if I am expecting important communication. May be I am 'addicted' to easy communication but why should electricity become such a luxury in Odupi and elsewhere in westnile? Does anyone of you feel that they have two lives - one in Kampala or wherever where you can cook your supper in less than an hour for instance and another life in your odupi, anyirivu, okollo or koboko where you have got to wait for a 20 litre water from whatever water source for more than two hours not only for your breakfast but for a bath for all the members of the family? I agree that we need a strategy whether it being votes or some other organisational alignment for development to sort out the power and water problems too. I also agree with the idea that MASU should have as its backbone the cultural identity than the political identity. But this brings me to the earlier submissions on the county based student organisations at Makerere. I suggest that LUMSA or whatever name it will take be strengthened more than the county based organisations which can inturn become chapters of the LUMSA. The chapters could then be among others instrumental for LUMSA or 'westnile net' activities- should that become necessary- in the particular counties. United and organised we can have a voice. A blessed week to all. Margaret On Sun, Apr 5, 2009 at 11:15 PM, Caleb Alaka <calebal...@yahoo.com> wrote: > Gilbert and Jackson. > > Why are you guys so obsessed with rural electrification, power, development > blah blah. Don't you know that Africa is a Dark Continent. Who hates > Darkness, is it not the time when thieves steal, and people do you know > what....Unless we come up with a proposal to float a company and build a dam > we shall sing power power and more power and we shall receive darkness and > more darkness. Alternatively we should set it as our agenda for denying > votes to people as we did for roads come 2011, otherwise expect to be in > Africa the Dark Continent in Arua. Cheers > > > _______________________________________________ > WestNileNet mailing list > WestNileNet@kym.net > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including > attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. > _______________________________________________ > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://orion.kym.net/pipermail/westnilenet/attachments/20090406/393d4925/attachment-0001.html ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 16:53:44 -0700 (PDT) From: samuel andema <andema...@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] MASU Finalist and Hand Over Party. To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net> Message-ID: <205513.34357...@web24707.mail.ird.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi Caleb, Thank you for sharing with us what transpired at the MASU function. It is exciting to hear that you have kept close touch with our students' organisations at Makerere. The students definitely need that kind of role-modelling from MASU ancestors like you who made significant controbutions to make the organisation what it is today. I also appreciate the challenge Dr Ezati Alidria, the Patron of MASU gave the students to see our senior citizens like Mr Etima, Dr Adriko, Tom Buruku, Mr Obitre gama, Mr Nyakuni etc as source of inspiration. They have indeed inspired many of us in life. Am also happy to learn that the students are becoming focussed and addressing issues of concern to the wider community. Otherwise, the students had run MASU down to a point where people had began losing interest in them because of their unbecoming behaviour in parties. They had made MASU functions to become a stage for blood letting and epitom of hooliganism and foolishness which no one would like to associate with. For a number of years MASU functions contintinued to be characterized by severe fighting, destruction of property and students being arrested and taken to police for crime etc. It is encouraging that some positive changes are being reported of MASU students. However on your proposal to change the name of MASU to Mugbara Students Union or Lugbara Makerere Students' Association i beg to differ for three or so reasons. First of all in my view Arua is a cosmopoplitant district and not entirely a Lugbara community. The Majority of the population in Arua may be Lugbara but a significan proportion of the population in Arua has historically comprised other communities like Alur, Kakwa, Nubians/Aringa, Madi etc. Thus naming of the Association after Lugbara ... may not be appropriate as some sections of the population from Arua might feel alienated. Secondly i feel we should not change the name of MASU into something else because of historical and cultural reasons. Historically MASU was the first cultural students' organisation known to have existed in the history of Makerere if what the founders told us by word of mouth is any thing to go by. Changing the name may delink the organisation from its historical identity from which it should continue to draw inspiration and strength. Thirdly am of the opinion that changing the name of MASU because other people's organisations have tribal or ethnic names such as TESDA, AMSA may be counter productive as no two communities share exactly the same sociocultural identities. Our situation are not exactly the same as the situations in those communities. I would like to humbly propose that the name of MASU remains as it is but MASU should make a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of itself and realign its activities to take care of all the usbcommunities in Arua. This will necessitate a strong, vibrant, dynamic and committed leadership which MASU has not exhibited for a while. The students should stop electing leaders on the basis of ones capacity for offering "Malua" at Kikonyi or Makerere Kivuli. Forgive me those who love malua, i just wanted to make a point. I hope Mr .... will accept my apology. Thank you and let the conversation continue for it is through such open and frank discussuions that we might stumple on some thing useful. Sam Andema University of British Columbia Box 34 6335 Thunderbird Crescent Vancouver, BC V6T 2G9 Canada --- On Mon, 6/4/09, Caleb Alaka <calebal...@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Caleb Alaka <calebal...@yahoo.com> Subject: [WestNileNet] MASU Finalist and Hand Over Party. To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <westnilenet@kym.net> Date: Monday, 6 April, 2009, 12:26 AM Hi, Over the weekend, I and Eng. Okuni represented the rest of you at this years Makerere Arua Students Union Finalist and Hand Over party. The Chief Guest was non other than Uncle Tom Buruku. Before he took to the podium, Dr. Isaac Ezaati the Patron MASU unveiled uncle Tom in a manner that could make the Queen of England bow to the occasion. He told us to look at Tom Buruku, Obitre Gama, Joseph Etima, Dr. Eric Adriko, James Nyakuni as People who should inspire us and act as our role models.The Students seem to have gained actual focus. They addressed the issue of poor academic performance in West Nile, Land use and other factors. When I was given an opportunity to address them, I opined about the need to transform MASU to something similar to LUSU (Lugbara Students Union), LUMSA (Lubgara Makerere Students Association) or LUSDA (Lubgara Students Development Association. Why all this. MASU used to cover Arua which included Kobobo, Yumbe, Maracha, Terego, Ayivu, Madi Okollo, and Vura. Now we have Koboko District, Yumbe District, Maracha Terego District and Arua district which now has only Vura, Ayivu and Madi Okollo. So I thought we need to have a students association based on our cultural heritage. After all we have AMSA (Acholi Makerere Students Association), TESDA (Teso Students Development Association) Nkoba Zambogo (For Buganda) LASA (Lango Students Association) Basoga, and Banyakore etc students Association. This way we can salvage MASU since county based students Associations are being manipulated by selfish and egoistic Politicians who fear to meet a larger body of intellectuals and the students have almost bought the idea of being Vura, Ayivu, Terego, Madi Okollo, Maracha, Aringa e.t.c. Ya how do we conserve the Identity and Unity of our students? _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way.. _______________________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://orion.kym.net/pipermail/westnilenet/attachments/20090405/66f006c7/attachment.html ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet End of WestNileNet Digest, Vol 8, Issue 21 ****************************************** -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
