Let’s Stay in the Farm Until Christmas

TRAVELLING upcountry is always such a delightful experience because it offers chance to interact with and appreciate change of environment in different ways. It offers apparent occasions to interface with diverse creatures. Remarkably are people we chat with during stoppages to answer calls of nature; thirst and inexorable seepages. Sometimes we simply stop to fill up car boots with goodies from roadside venders or to do mechanical checks on our automobiles.

Travelling the Eastern Uganda route all the way to Karamoja is no exception to these elations and immersions.  There are normally plentiful of things to enjoy while on this beautiful route.  Fresh and affordable foodstuff are usually flooded at the roadsides, from Iganga to Katakwi before one enters Napak district in Karamoja.

Surely, one needs no entry into a supermarket for fresh foods while going or coming from home via this route. Things we enjoy along this road are quite many. They range from reasonably priced local chicken to clean and glittery rice and beans. Others are; fresh water melons, sparkling and spotless mangoes, oranges and passion fruits. The thick-weighty and fresh tubers mainly; sweet potatoes, Irish, yams and cassava.

My own experience as a frequent East-wards traveler, has enabled me befriend several members of the roadside vending communities. One of them is Elizabeth Akiror (I use Eliza) from whom I always buy sweet potatoes and tasty cassava. Eliza is an Itesot woman in her late 60s if not early 70s, at least looking at her facial mien.

While travelling home a fortnight ago, I found Eliza selling mangoes instead of potatoes. This was strange. Strange, because this elderly woman has been dealing strictly in fresh tubers or sliced and dried sweet potatoes and cassava. Under normal circumstance, this is the season for fresh harvest of sweet potatoes, groundnuts, maize and beans. So, I stopped at Eliza’s spot with expectations of picking up some fresh tubers to take away for my girls.

Reader, I noticed that no roadside vender had most of these goodies by the roadside. At first, I thought it was the effect of the 42 days’ lockdown that the president had imposed in a bid to flatten the COVID-19 infection and death rates in our beautiful Country. No, not really, I realised quickly that the president actually gave exceptions to dealers of foods or produce generally.

The only challenge that the small scale food dealers could grapple with is transportation to the market. Wait, but again, the motorcyclists were given heads ups to do transportation of foodstuff. The last condition was that market vendors should spend nights within market premises, yet also, this wouldn’t affect my good friend Eliza and her colleagues who simply walked some five to 10 meters to get to the roadside with their merchandise.  So, what is the real issue? I had a short interaction with Eliza who shared with me what I now believe is the real problem.

With her blood flecked eyes beaming miraculously from a craggy skull, this woman of chocolate and rugged complexion, predicts a desolate future full of hunger and death. “We need to pray to God my son, if not, I see we shall all die of hunger this year”, she said while shrugging to the sky. “Eheehee, this year, there is no life, even the mangoes have not done well, don’t you see?” Eliza continued, “how do I sell what is not there my son. I tell you, next time we shall come here to beg instead of selling”.

Eliza told me that the first rains deceived farmers by making them plant and then it disappeared suddenly resulting to drying up of crops. “Maybe if this current rains continues up to November, then we may get some sweet potatoes, but I have lost hope”.

Indeed, this year, most farmers who planted early and are expected by now to be controlling space in the markets, have really bungled. The promising drizzles in the early month of March stirred farmers into early planting, but vanished off suddenly. The months, April -May were under full sunshine that burnt off most of our crops.  

According to the Uganda National Metrological Authority (UNMA), the period from June, July and August is normally characterized with a dry spell over most parts of; South-Western, Central, Lake Victoria basin and Eastern regions.  This period usually marks the end of the first season and is as well a time for harvest of most crops in the Country.

UNMA postulates that some physical conditions are likely influencers of the current unpredictable pattern. These includes; the neutral state of EL Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) over tropical Pacific Ocean and the current neutral and weak Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) expected to develop between the months of July to August. The other factor is the influence of regional circulation patterns, topographical features and large inland water bodies.

We need to keep trying in the last half of the year. Our farmers need to be told to remain in the farm until Christmas. The current rains in most parts of Eastern and North Eastern region might be sustained for the next three months. The message should thus, go to our farmers not to lose hope, but take advantage of the drizzles to plant first growing crops that might end up rescuing the situation.

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UCE Results, 2020: The Good and Bad News in Abim District

THE Ministry of Education and Sports alongside Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) last week, released results for the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations for the year 2020 amidst a COVID-19 lockdown. This has since remained one of the key contents for most (both) traditional and social media platforms in Uganda.

According to UNEB, a total of 333,889 candidates sat for this examinations from 3,935 registered centers.  UNEB informed media outlets that there were more female students comprising 50.1 percent compared to their male counterparts who accounted for 49.8percent. There were also more candidates from non-Universal Secondary Education(USE) program than those under the USE, at 185,754 and 148,135 respectively.

Generally, apart from those candidates whose results were withheld; 39,968 candidates (12.1%) passed in division one, and 69,782 (21.2%) got division two, while 81,428 (24.7%) landed in grade three. Another whooping 120,055 candidates (36.4%) made it in the fourth division, while some 18,414 (5.6%) regrettably settled in the ninth grade.

Considering that the students sat for examinations in a COVID-19 tainted environment, I think the performance is fair, compared to the previous normal years.

Until now, there is continuous analysis of the results and specifically the performance of schools by different concerned people within the Country so as to try and share good lessons from schools that excelled, but also to sieve out critical challenges that could have affected the ones that plummeted.

New media (social media) has made it possible to have decentralized discussions where different regions or districts, Sub Counties, Parishes or even villages easily focus on their zones and dichotomize the issues.

Back home in Abim district, the performances of the few Secondary schools were received with mixed reactions characterized by amazements, agitations and vilifications.

A school like Abim S.S that had never been serious despite being the oldest secondary school in the district, surprised her critics by performing fairly better.  Abim S.S was able to have 11 candidates (11%) in grade one, 40 candidates (41%)in division two and 47 of their candidates (48%) fell in the third ranking.  Look here, for a school that has been having first grade drought for centuries, this is a great show and it clearly animated most people.

The other schools within the district simply tumbled. Above all, Morulem Girls’ Secondary that used to top the district in UCE has gradually waned. This school only afforded 02 candidates or (4%) in division one, 13 (25%)in the second division and a roaring 21 candidates (40%) in the third grade. There is also a contribution of 16 candidates (30%) in the ugly fourth grade and, 01 candidate (01%) settled in the abominable division nine.

 Formerly viewed as a symbol of hope for the girl child in the district as it remitted highly graded students than no other school, we can for now say that Morulem Girls’ has gone far down low.

According to local commentators, Morulem Girls’ has nosedived because of three critical reasons: The indifferent and languorous teaching staff, the category of students admitted and the droopy parents.

Decriers of Morulem Girls’ think that the teachers have lost focus in their work and redirected energies to other things including political activities that has partly divided them and equally provoked mistrust and disrespect from the learners and the community. I hope it’s not true.

The other notion is that the school has of late focused more on offering second chance education, where more of the school dropouts are the ones gathered and forced back to class as long as they are sponsored by a good Samaritan. This is a very good initiative but, where there is no will, there can’t be a way.  Cases of these ‘girls’ climbing over the school fence to escape back home or to meet with their better halves or to drink alcohol, look for dance parties etc. are said to be rampant in this school. With this, I may not blame the teachers.  Critics might need to understand this scenario and look for a better way of benchmarking Morulem Girls’ nowadays.

The third concern is the disinclined parents who do not spare resources (could be just time) to learn and support in solving the issues at the school.  Parents are important in all schools. They might need to be woken up and shown where they can come in. I hope something will be done.

Schools that have continued to perform well have built strong systems for teacher motivation, attracting students of better grades and strengthening coordination with parents and the Old Students’ Associations. Morulem Girls’ and all other schools in Abim district could do better by forging a way along the above lines too.

Home: www.owiny.blogspot.com 

South Western Uganda is Blessed Beyond Repair, Says My Travel Notes

WE started off on a day that usually belongs to my laundry, to my Kitchen, to my phone, to my Mom, to Daddy, to Norah and our flowers; Mercy and Fenella.

Saturday. It was late afternoon of it, when we pressed the start button. I was full of exhilaration because I was visiting for the first time despite the tasks involved. Poor me, I could not see them at all! I mean, I could not set eyes on the things that would excite me most during such moments as a little boy, back then in the 1990s.

                 

 The steep hills and valleys of Isingiro                    

With the weight of darkness taking its toll on this beautiful day, I had to painfully miss my childhood travel entertainment. I missed them all. The flying clouds, the racing trees, the houses, the people full of what to do. The millions of automobiles cruising to the opposite direction, and so many more. These were what enthused my journeys as a child. Just know, travels nowadays simply make me young.

Childhood reminiscences aside. What pre-occupied my mind all the way through the journey was the imagination of how the green guys might treat us. Our Country is under lockdown. Lockdown due to the oddest of visitors of our time. Due to Mr. deadly Corona Virus. Anyway, our journey hit finishing line at 8: 30 PM. The green guys were tired and paid less attention.

Mbarara. What a city! A city of compliance. Apart from dozens of roasted maize cobs we grabbed from Masaka, we had no options but to rush into our hotel rooms and snuffle peacefully until the next day. We were late for business. Did you see my tweet that night? It reads, “Mbarara, the City of strict adherence to COVID-19 SOPs. You can’t mess here…”.  We slept hungry.

A trip from Mbarara early morning to catch up with business in Isingiro district was another new experience. Isingiro is beautifully situated at the borderline of the Republic of Tanzania. Here, we are separated from Tanzanians by the dirty, but attractive and economically significant river Kagera. Lovely steep hills and deep valleys are key geographical features of this Ankole district. The people are welcoming. Did you know that Isingiro district hosts a number of refugees? Don’t forget that Nakivale Refugee settlement in Isingiro is also the oldest settlement in Africa.

            I was thrilled by both living & non-living things                  

My next destination was Kamwenge district, another sweet place to be proud of as a Country. The natural attractions of this district bring home an estimated 12,500 tourists annually. Kamwenge is blessed with numerous wetlands, grasslands and woodlands. Kamwenge shares the pride of Queen Elizabeth National Park with Kitagwenda district. Other attractions to this district includes; Lake George, River Mpanga, Rwenshama Falls and Katonga Nature Reserve.

There was more work to do, but I cannot forget the feeling of passing through Kyenjojo district to cross over to Kyegegwa another district with excess beauty of nature. Despite the shortage of infrastructural development here, I fell in love with the attitude of the people of Kyegegwa. Calm, friendly and generous Ugandans. The two nights I spent in Kyegegwa brought back memories of my life in Bunyoro Kingdom. Now I know why the Batooro and the Banyoro are identical twins. Let me reserve more for another day. Shooting back home was through Mubende and Mityana districts.

These Uncouth, Unregulated Taxi Folks

Transport by public means in Uganda is getting dirtier and uglier every day.  Apart from wrong elements conniving/hiding in the space of people engaged in this sector, even the true/real employees in the sector themselves have very poor work ethics and are not operating as if they are in for business. They do not respect their clients at all. They do not distinguish between human beings and satchels. They also behave like people with mental malady. This is why they pack twice the number licensed to be aboard their waggons. It is also, why they focus more on the money paid than the well-being of people paying the money.

Boy, have you ever seen this with our taxi drivers? Do they normally talk the truth before taking away your money?  They will pack their colleagues/fellow perjurers in the car just to hoodwink you that they are lacking only one traveller which is –you.  Later, when you board and pay, the brats will start coming out one by one, two by two, three by three, until you will realise that you were the only real traveller aboard. Your time is wasted, but most importantly - your money is gone.   

I think there should come into play a regulation on when to pay the money. The ideal is after the service has been delivered. Reader, don’t you remember days when you paid your hard earned cash to the bus that later got spoilt on the way and you boarded another means at extra cost because they never refund people’s money.

There is also this unnecessary squabble about money and travellers by taxi workers. Have you equally noticed this? I hate it. I wonder if the transport authority in this Country recognises the so called; stage masters, then the brokers, followed by the receipt men, conductors and the drivers. Most times, it is not easy to tell who actually the driver is because all these people also drive. They drive looking for people like wild things and they keep changing until when the taxi is fully packed, then a chapter of chaos commences.

They struggle for the money. I wonder most times why up to about 10 people will want to be paid because travellers have boarded a given taxi. It is as if they create travel plans for individuals from their homes so that they start disagreeing and fighting over pay. It is as if the money paid is just for sharing on the spot and has no use in servicing the car, fuelling and savings for the owner. It is as if people who board are wild-creatures who must be tamed so that they can come and take a route in travel. Do you experience this? Do you like it?  What should our authorities do to change this psychosis?

In my view, our authorities need to seek lessons from European, Asian and American cities where great improvements have been attained in the Public transport sector. These locations have clean, safe, fast and efficient Public transport system. In China, the octopus option makes it quite easy for travellers to manage their transport payment. Here, you do not need to count cash in the hands of someone because it uses electronic smart cards that allows one to pay fares both online and offline.  Otherwise, in their poverty, more Ugandans continue to be exploited by uncouth and unregulated individuals in the transport industry. Our Country needs to do something. See you next week.

Let's Give Credit Where it's Due and Spare No Bad Leader

“Good leadership is like climbing a builder's ladder. If you balance your feet in the middle of it, then your weight will be uniformly distributed and transferred equally to the two supports and therefore enables you to climb higher and higher.

Should you lean to one side of the ladder while attempting to climb higher, a turning moment will be induced at the side where you have exerted much of your weight, and thus creating an uplift at the lighter side where your weight is less and therefore the ladder gives way together with you - Casualty only, a case with your crumbled opponent!”, Eliseo Oyoo commented on Abim Development Forum last night.

What a precise, concise, crisp, candid and forthright statement! Mr. Oyoo was applauding and guiding Hon. Michael Ayepa who was sworn in to serve second term as legislator for Labwor Constituency in Abim District on Monday 16^th May. To me, Oyoo has made the last statement after the cutting of the cake.

Do we have anything to say against this engineer’s graphical communication? Not even the rodents, cockroaches, termites have no speechlessness at this point in time I guess.

Whatever unpleasant future events that may come our way, I want to put it on record that Ethur have never had a bad member of parliament since the 1980s.  From Felix Obura(R.I.P) to Obonyo J’Abwor (R.I.P) to Yafes Otim Omara and to Omwony Ojwok (R.I.P) and to Ayepa. Under these men, we have documented evidence of fundamental achievements for thur development. The rot that we have today majorly emanated from the Local council administration in Abim that obviously were grossly mismanaged because we had a wrong captain from the start of that administrative unit in our land.  

Last weekend while in Kotido, I had a verbal spat with a young man whom I empathised when he said a good leader of Ethur is “the one that makes people laugh and that is full of ‘jazz’ to every location, and has his sharp boys everywhere”. The senseless young man added that “…we need a leader who can put on any cloth, or uniform for any people…” 

I didn’t understand this innocent kid, although in between the lines you could tell that Abim young people were beginning to rely on very wrong individuals for mentorship back home. You could sense that instead of maturity in governance, there probably were leaders who behaved like comedians yet they held responsible positions that required being gentle and cool headed so as to guide the new generation sensibly.

My greatest disappointment and annoyance came when the chap shamelessly said that Yafes Otim Omara while MP did zero to Ethur just like Ayepa and Obonyo J’Abowr. He said that Omwony Ojwok was the only performer so far. Thank God that in 2016 we have changed the face of this madness in our land and now hope for the better.

Aside, I thought all the key men who were our MPs before had done great jobs that needed to be recognised. Felix Obura offered himself at the time when the Ethur very badly needed a unifying leader, given that Ethur were almost unknown. Obonyo was ably our legislator at the foundational moment for the development of legal instruments in our Country. Yafes is on record for fighting for the independence of Ethur at a time when his colleague Owiny Dollo was pushing for thur people to be included under the Acholi administration from Pader. Omwony Ojwok worked for another independence from the Jie through pushing for the district status. Ayepa is currently fighting for; Community health strengthening, people’s land rights, women and child protection through several bottom-top approaches.

Finally I wish to congratulate our newly sworn in MPs; Janet Akech and Micahel Ayepa upon accepting to lead Ethur once again.   I know that after the swearing in, what seemed like a very long journey is now looking very near. It takes coordination with the electorates and sharing in their challenges if you want to lead them well. May God offer you better direction.