From: "Edward Mulindwa" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
CC: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: ugnet_: AGOA girls sleep at Parliament
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2003 04:41:42 -0400
Netters
There are issues that we must never forget, but I happened to be Brussels in
the early years of Museveni, and I mate this "very educated" Ugandan who had
a PHD from a recognised University in London. This same fellow was very out
standing on Ugandanet at the time. Barely 5 minutes I introduced my self as
a Ugandan, He started on me, Eh Munange omanyi Uganda kati eteredde, and I
wanted to know where he based that conclusion, for at that time I had the
Luwero atrocities, committed by NRM still very vivid in my head. I still
knew some prominent faces of Moslems who were killed in Fort Portal, Kasese
Lake Katwe by Museveni during the 1979 war, I knew very clearly how Museveni
was a killer for the man authorized publicly to put the Baganda boys who had
stolen "Amenvu" for they were hungry and in the Bush, on firing squad . So I
had a good and vivid knowledge of brutal action/s done by the people coming
to power. So I had to ask this Ugandan why Uganda has got the best
leadership at that time.
He responded " Haven't you heard? Museveni is a very brilliant man, who has
even started a new foreign trade, I mean look here Obote was silly, if we
need medicine and Cuba needs beans why do we have to send our dollars to
Cuba? We are going to exchange these beans for the medicine and we both will
end up happy, and that will cut Uganda's foreign debt in half, in six
months"
Wow!! I looked at this man who failed to use his education to know that
putting Uganda on barter trade was sinking the nation to 100 years in
reverse. How did a man like Mulindwa who has no PHD "Thank God" know that
this was a disaster and our fellow's PHD did not show this to him? But come
to think about it, Uganda has the most degree ministers, so why wonder?
The danger we have as Ugandans is that we do not have the ability to ask
these Ugandas how the system works today, for they just disappear. This
fellow today has not posted a dam word on Ugandanet for more than 10 years.
But he praised Batter trade and fought for it and publicly. Come on in and
fight for it today, that is all I am asking for. And not only him, but who
knew in the wildest dream that Dr. Muniini Mulera will stand up on his two
feet and criticize the NRM government? Did you ever think about that? How
many Ugandans did he call names in this very forum for they are not focused?
How many Ugandans tried their best to tell him that we have the worst
government in our country? But we are not supposed to ask Mulera why he
supported this killer regime, we must just accept what he stands for today
and support The reform Agenda!!
Ugandans there are those of us who take stands not for we oppose a sitting
government, not for we support a fallen government, but we do so knowing
that a government has done wrong, and we have no self interest in fighting
for that wrong government policy. A policy we know so well that it will bite
our nation in the ass. That is why I was among the very first Ugandan to
refuse a job with the NRM government. Again it is a stand I will live with.
Let us be very careful with Ugandans like Emanuel Musaazi. The Ugandans who
pop up today and praise Uganda Government, untill when the actions of this
government attacks their own families and then they pop back in their holes.
What happened to Dr Muniini Mulera? Think about him as you are thinking
about Ugandans like Chris Opoka-Okumu, a Ugandan who said the same thing in
late 80's to today. For that is a sign of character. Be very careful with
Ugandans like Emanuel Musaazi for we have seen a whole bunch. Haven't we?
Be well Em The Mulindwas Communication Group "With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie"
----- Original Message ----- From: "emmanuel musaazi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 8:09 PM Subject: Re: ugnet_: Re: AGOA girls sleep at Parliament
> Opoka Okumu, throws the word slavery around, stupidly, as if it is a
> complement. You should also know that Uganda and Ugandans are benefiting
and
> have benefited from similar investment programs (and they are numerous),
> specifically targated for developing countries, such as India, Kenya,
South
> Korea, China, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe etc.
So
> Mr. Opoka as you can see "SLAVERY" exists in the WHOLE THIRD WORLD
(WELCOME
> TO THE REAL WORLD).
>
> For your information the use of cheap labour by developing countries to
> produce goods and services is not just starting in Uganda infact this same
> philosophy has been the foundation and/or spring board for emerging
economic
> powers such as China, Taiwan, Korea, Brazil, India, Pakistan etc. If you
are
> suggesting that Uganda should reject all such opportunities because it is
> "slavery" then you are stupidier than the message in your postings. I just
> pray that it is only us Ugandans that are exposed to the foolishness you
are
> posting (at least we are family and can bare the shame) otherwise you are
> disgracing all Ugandans....I MEAN.., YOU ARE COMPLETELY IGNORANT OF WORLD
> ECONOMIC TRENDS, A COUNTRY LIKE UGANDA DOES NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF
> ARROGANTLY DICTATING TO INVESTORS, THAT ALL HER WORKERS SHOULD BE PAID
> US$100PERDAY, WHEN COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA ARE LINING UP(AND LOBBYING HARD)
TO
> DO THE SAME JOBS THESE "AGOA GIRLS" HAD FOR MUCH LESS. REMEMBER THAT THESE
> JOBS WERE ALREADY TAKEN UP BY OTHER COUNTRIES AND IT WAS AS A RESULT OF
> DIPLOMACY AND PRESSURE FROM THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES (IN WHICH PRESIDENT
> MUSEVENI PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE) THAT CONCESSIONS WERE MADE TO ALLOW SOME
OF
> THESE JOBS TO COME TO AFRICA, THROUGH AGOA. SO IT IS NOT AS IF THE JOBS
CAME
> TO UGANDA BECAUSE UGANDA IS SO SPECIAL AND THE JOBS CAN'T BE DONE ANYWHERE
> ELSE.
>
> President Museven has no blame whatsoever in this. The blame falls
squarely
> on the so called "Agoa girls", had they done what they did, in developed
> countries such as Britain, US, or Canada, many (if not all of them) would
be
> in prison today. The Ugandan authorities have been TOO LINIENT WITH THEM
AND
> YOU ON THIS MEDIUM WHO LIVE IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING
> ABOUT. PUBLIC DISORDER, THREATENING ARSON AND RESISTING ARREST ETC...COME
> ON.
>
> No body is saying that the "Agoa girls" had no right to ask for
improvements
> in their conditions of service the issue here is the way they did it.
There
> are procedures for negotiating with employers, Mr. Opoka for your
> information Uganda also has labour laws and the Agoa girls should have
gone
> about this the proper way. Even if they had finally decided to strike to
> show their dissatisfaction, they ought to still have gone about the right
> way.
>
> Finaly the reason why America and other industrialized countries
out-source
> labour, in the first place, is because it is CHEAP otherwise they wouldn't
> bother. SO THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING NICE AND KIND TO ANYBODY, IT
> HAS TO DO WITH ECONOMICS AND ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH MONEY....TRUST
ME
> IT IS ALWAYS CUT THROAT. BOTTOM LINE, THIRD WORLD NEEDS THE "JOBS AND THE
> LITTLE MONEY", AMERICA NEEDS THE "CHEAP LABOUR IN ORDER TO MAKE BIG MONEY"
> (DON'T FORGET THAT AMERICANS WANT THE JOBS TOO BUT THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE)
> SO ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BARGAINING TABLE, TRADEOFFS HAVE TO BE MADE, BUT
> THERE IS A SAYING THAT "HE WHO PAYS THE PIPER DICTATES THE TUNE" MR. OPOKA
> YOU FIGURE THAT OUT (I HOPE YOU CAN).
>
>
> >From: "Chris Opoka-Okumu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >To: "Clement Okurut" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >CC: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Subject: ugnet_: Re: AGOA girls sleep at Parliament
> >Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2003 08:44:32 -0400
> >
> >Jack & Okurut,
> >
> >The AGOA thing is proving as half baked and not well thought as the UPE,
> >as half baked and not well thought out as the bankrupt the barter trade
> >ideas . The so called "modernizing and transforming" President is
> >modernizing slavery and transforming the art of prostration before the
> >West. Notice how mere AGOA managers have dismissed the Ministers
concerned
> >and can only deal with the President. Notice how the police is being
abused
> > and used as attack dogs to intimidate Uganda citizens in purely civil
> >matters and to shelter private foreign investors from legal labour
action.
> >
> >COO .
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Clement Okurut
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ;
> >[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 12:52 AM
> > Subject: Re: AGOA girls sleep at Parliament
> >
> >
> > Jack:
> >
> > Under normal circmstances, the North American markets are sensitive to
> >abuse of labourers. The blue eyed (favorite son of the wazungu) might
> >escape the wrath of the consumers in the short-term, but their sins might
> >catch up with them in the long-run.
> >
> > Ok.
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
> >
> > >"Kananathan was unavailable for comment, as was Bitangaro. Ms Mary
> >Okurut, the presidential spokeswoman, said State House has been too busy
> >making preparations for the on-going Inter-Governmental Authority on
> >Development summit to think about the Agoa crisis.
> > >
> > >"I can't talk about that now, we are having visiting Presidents so it
> >is a bad time," she said.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Eh a little spin like 'It is a god time to bury bad news" could do!
> > >JSA
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Chris Opoka-Okumu
> > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 2:14 AM
> > > Subject: AGOA girls sleep at Parliament
> > >
> > >
> > > The Monitor
> > > October 24, 2003
> > > Agoa girls sleep at Parliament
> > > By Our Reporters
> > > Oct 24, 2003
> > >
> > >
> > > ** Tri-Star shuts out ministers
> > > ** High Court stops sackings
> > >
> > > KAMPALA - More than 200 female workers at a local textile firm who
> >were sacked on Wednesday spent the night at Parliament yesterday, and
vowed
> >not to leave until their problems are solved.
> > >
> > > The young women (popularly referred to as Agoa girls), who spoke to
> >The Monitor by phone, said they were going to sleep on chairs in the TV
> >room in Parliament buildings.
> > >
> > > MPs were by press time organising food for the girls and a place to
> >bathe.
> > > The girls went on strike on Monday, protesting low pay and poor
> >working conditions, before barricading themselves inside their
dormitories
> >the following day.
> > >
> > > The strike was ended on Tuesday afternoon after anti-riot police led
> >by the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Katumba Wamala, broke into
> >the dormitories.
> > >
> > > However, a meeting between the management of the textile firm,
> >Apparels Tri-Star, and labour officials fell through before the textile
> >bosses announced that they were sacking all their production staff.
> > >
> > > The company employs more than 1,000 girls. A law firm working for
the
> >workers successfully applied for a court injunction yesterday stopping
the
> >dismissals.
> > > Justice Okumu Wengi of the High Court issued the injunction.
> > >
> > > It followed an application filed by one of the girls, Ms Zauja
> >Biryeri, as well as Uganda Textile, Garments, Leather & Allied Workers
> >Union together with the National Organisation of Trade Unions, Notu.
> > >
> > > The application was lodged through Barya, Byamugisha & Co.
Advocates.
> >The order restrains the company from sacking the girls without paying all
> >their dues, benefits and repatriation costs.
> > >
> > > It also stops the sackings until a separate civil suit filed
yesterday
> >by the girls against the company is disposed of.
> > >
> > > In the civil suit, the girls want to be paid, among others, overtime
> >allowances which they say accrues from working 13, instead of the legally
> >accepted 8-hour days.
> > >
> > > However, policemen deployed at the Tri-Star factory in Bugolobi,
> >Kampala, stopped Workers MP Bruno Pajobo from delivering the injunction
to
> >the Tri-Star boss, Mr V. Kananathan.
> > >
> > > Efforts by several senior government officials to speak to the
> >Tri-Star management were in vain.
> > >
> > > Mr Sam Bitangaro, the state minister for Gender, Labour and Social
> >Development, tried unsuccessfully to speak to Kananathan. Government
> >officials who declined to be named in this report said the matter was
> >passed on to Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi, but that he, too, had failed
to
> >resolve the impasse - with the textile managers reportedly claiming that
> >they would only speak to President Yoweri Museveni, who helped them set
up
> >shop.
> > >
> > > Kananathan was unavailable for comment, as was Bitangaro. Ms Mary
> >Okurut, the presidential spokeswoman, said State House has been too busy
> >making preparations for the on-going Inter-Governmental Authority on
> >Development summit to think about the Agoa crisis.
> > >
> > > "I can't talk about that now, we are having visiting Presidents so
it
> >is a bad time," she said.
> > >
> > > When the girls realised that they were not going to be let back into
> >the factory, they marched to Parliament in the afternoon and camped in
the
> >gardens.
> > >
> > > Matembe speaks
> > >
> > > They were met there by another Workers MP, Mr Martin Wandera - with
> >many of them either sobbing or wiping tears.
> > >
> > > Wandera told the girls to remain calm while they tried to solve the
> >matter with the Labour ministry.
> > >
> > > Shortly after, outspoken women rights activist and former minister
of
> >Ethics and Integrity, Ms Miria Matembe, arrived and advised the girls to
> >seek audience with either the President's Office or those who recruited
> >them.
> > >
> > > "There must be a better way of sending you away; do they expect you
to
> >go sell yourselves on the streets?" Matembe said. "Go back to the factory
> >and only leave on instructions of the President like you came."
> > >
> > > Mr Aggrey Awori, the MP for Samia Bugwe North, who also spoke to the
> >girls, told them where to vent their anger.
> > >
> > > "Do you know your President?" he asked. "Yes," they chorused.
> > >
> > > "Then where does he work?" he added, drawing murmurs from the girls.
> > >
> > > "Do you see that building?" he asked, pointing to one of the wings
of
> >Parliament, where Mr Museveni has an office. "Yes," they chorused again.
> > >
> > > "That's where he works; go there and ask him why he brought you."
> > > By press time last night, the girls were still camped at Parliament
> >and had vowed not to leave.
> > >
> > > MP Pajobo told The Monitor last evening that he, and his colleagues,
> >would camp with the girls throughout the night.
> > >
> > > Officials comment
> > >
> > > Two senior officials on Agoa were divided over the way forward in
the
> >matter.
> > > The Presidential Assistant on Agoa, Ms Susan Muhwezi, who revealed
> >that Tri-Star has been receiving about $200,000 (Shs 400 million) a week
> >from its exports, said the girls were free to go.
> > >
> > > "We gave them the skills and it's a free market; they can walk out
and
> >go elsewhere if they are not satisfied," she said.
> > >
> > > But the Senior Presidential Adviser on Agoa, Mr Onegi Obel, warned
> >that Tri-Star would be punished if investigations find the firm at fault.
> >"What I see today with the strikes is a case of poor management of human
> >resource," he said.
> > > He promised to do everything within his means to ensure that the
girls
> >are reinstated and their grievances settled.
> > >
> > > Reported by Simon Kasyate,
> > > Lominda Afedraru, Alex B. Atuhaire & Henry Ssali
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > © 2003 The Monitor Publications
> > >
> >
> >
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > East African | About Us | Feedback | Site Map | License | Monitor
> > >
> >
> >
>
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