That Kendrick Lamar Song"b**tch don't kill my vibe” may be old now but it still resonates heavily in my world.

It is a song that speaks huge volumes about the male psyche in many ways. In it, Kendrick who is rumoured to be releasing a new album under the title "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers"  expresses his desire to be left alone; on occasion that is. He tells his hypothetical beau to eschew killing his vibe [ruining his mood].

Now I can not claim to speak for every male, but that song is mood music, because guys often have those off days, when we are just indisposed to having a conversation.



Today’s world bears down quite hard on a male mind and it sure does put a heavy damper on it in my part of the world. As a consequence, Mood disorders have been on the rise.

The world has of late also been bearing down hard on many young women but their harsh realities and mood disorders pale in comparison to those of today's young man.

At times its just the need for self introspection or just the usual collection of thoughts that explains why he is not his usual cheerful self. But you also to appreciate that the less men think, they more they talk. Not a good thing.

Because the female mind is wired differently, some women make wrong readings of what is playing out when a male mind is having its off days. At worst, is when the female mind put false constructs on things; thinking if a male they are attached to seeks time alone, he is up to no good. Credulous thinking like that often leads nowhere but up a blind alley.



Desiring time alone-without being disturbed is an occasional male mood that happens when one least expects.Well, sometimes it is expected especially, when days do not go as you anticipate. Not by any long shot, does it mean however that a man is doing stuff behind your back or that he is deliberately acting out of character to make you angry. 

At times, those lonely as a cloud moments are all men need to get their mojos back, with the worldly pressures they face.

Author John Gray couldn’t have brought it out better in his book “Men are from mars and women are from Venus” In it, Gray mostly talks about male and female relationships and how we defer. He describes men as sly; saying little and having a tendency to get away if they feel too closed in some space.

Women on the other hand are described as outgoing, good humored and social. Now that is the distinction.

The desire by some men to have time off alone has nothing to do with emotionally immaturity or introversion.It has everything to do with laying to heart one’s deepest fears, inner battles, frustrations, insecurities, struggles, challenges and failures.

Because men have been taught to show-fortitude in the face of adversity, and misery, they won’t, in most cases, just lay bare their feelings or poignant thoughts.  No man wants to be looked at a wussy or a wimp.

Here is the take-home-the “unspoken word does no harm”. So if he has not spoken daggers at you, take a chill pill and put all your hunches on the back burner.

  

 

American Historian, Henry Adams put it aptly, when he said teachers affect eternity and can never tell where their influence stops. That maxim in many ways speaks to the legacy and influence of 60 year old veteran teacher, Mary Khalayi Mayatsa.
Mayatsa, a mother of 9 has been teaching for 40 years and is on the face of it, not about to slow down. She recently decided to come back in harness and teach, though she had formally retired. “I retired honorably as a secondary school head teacher. I still teach because I want to serve as an example and to help others achieve,” the Mbale based mayatsa says.

Mayatsa’s erstwhile students speak of her in high terms especially as regards the influence she had on them. 28 year old Rogers Wekesa, a construction worker says Mayatsa molded her into the disciplined and hard working person he is today.
“She was an outstanding teacher and a strict disciplinarian who emphasized hard work and diligence to all her students. In many respects, the precepts she stressed to me at school have laid a strong path for me in life. That path has seen me bring a value to my life and to other people’s lives,” Wekesa says.

Mayatsa came out retirement in 2012. She is currently head teacher at Nyanga Integrated Primary school in Bumboi, Mbale. The school is family owned and a brain child of her late husband, George William Mayatsa, who himself was an Educationist.
At present, the school only has only a Primary section, though it had a Vocational section in its early fledgling days. In Mukhuwa and Bumarobole village, Bumboi, where the school is located, Mayatsa has struck quite a chord with the locals.
“Most people living in the villages surrounding the school are thankful that the school is operating again and that Mayatsa is in charge. She is a lady with a big heart and down to earth as a person and as a teacher. She like her late husband has helped a lot of people in this area and not only in terms of education. In many ways, the teaching service she is offering now at the school is a welcome development as most of our children are now going back to school,” Idi Makhafu, an elder in Mukhuwa village notes.

ACADEMIC FORTUNES CHANGE
There was a favourable change in Nyanga’s academic performance trajectory when Mayatsa took over the reins in 2013 after her retirement. 12 out of 14 school pupils got second grades in the PLE exams that year. That was quite a feat considering that the school was just getting back on track and is located in a remote place, devoid of power and short on teachers. Last year 15 pupils sat for PLE exams. 12 got second grades. The rest got third grades. Mayatsa expects even better results this year and even more pupils to enroll at the school.
She teaches Mathematics. Erick Sakwa, deputy RDC Jinja, one of Mayatsa’s erstwhile students says the good performance of the school’s pupils in the years after Mayatsa took over speaks volumes about her dedicated efforts towards teaching.

ON MAKING THE TRANSITION TO TEACH IN PRIMARY
Mayatsa is a secondary school teacher by training but she says making the transition to teach in Primary was not a tall order. “I had to break the mould and bring my wealth of experience to bear at the school. We had few teachers and I owed to myself to myself, my family and the school to teach and pass on knowledge. The area where the school is situated has many children but few go to school. I wanted to be part and parcel of the change in that status quo in the area,” Mayatsa says.

LOOKING BACK AT HER BEGINNINGS
Mayatsa begun teaching and tutoring in the late 70’s. “After completion of my studies at Kyambogo and Makerere, I taught at Shimoni teacher training College. That was from 1976-1981. From 1982-1991, I tutored at Nyondo Primary teachers College in Mbale. From 1992-2002, I taught and also shouldered responsibilities as a deputy head teacher at Mbale high school.  From 2003-2009, I was head teacher at Wabwala Secondary school,” she says.

Mayatsa says she cherished the experience of teaching at the threshold of her career, because of the consistent acknowledgement and respect, teachers got.  “Notwithstanding challenges like low pay and the turmoil the country was experiencing, teaching in the years of old was in many respects a worthwhile endeavour. There was a certain fulfillment that deeply endeared us to the teaching profession. Most people formed the decision to join the teaching trade because of the acknowledgements and laurels teachers often got. It was hard to find people who joined the profession as a last resort, like the way it is these days. The government needs to rethink the issue of teacher supervision and evaluation to improve the quality of teachers being churned out,” she says.

In part one of this Podcast, I shine a spotlight on three Fallen African music Legends (Aurlus Mabele, Manu Dibango, and Joseph Shabalala) who have passed on during these apprehensive COVID-19 times.

Since the likes of GNL Zamba, St Nellysade, Burney M.C, Cyno, etc, quietly took a hiatus, as it so often happens in the checkered Ugandan Hip Hop landscape, the genre has, for the most part, lacked that fresh and exciting spark.

In many ways, the bloom has been off the genre's rose.

The bloom has steadily been falling off the rose of Uganda's oldest musical genre-Is Kadongo Kamu dying a slow death?

Have a listen here to the last edition of my Kadongo Kamu Podcast

Can GNL, Lyrical G new albums revive Ugandan Hip Hop?

@rwetaya
For a sector that scored the most increment (66%) in the recently passed 2018/19 budget, Uganda’s Water and Environment ministry still has to limp through most of the financial year, as the allocation still falls short of responding to the budgetary targets of the different agencies.

A boost from last year’s sh632b, the sector’s allocation of sh1.27 trillion is meant to support and manage Uganda’s water resources, diverse ecosystems and biodiversity in the next financial year.

Earmarked as one of the key drivers for the attainment of the National Development Plan II and Vision 2040, the increment in funding to the water and environment sector implies that players, such as the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and the National Meteorological Authority will have an enhanced resource envelope to execute their mandate.

NEMA has, for instance, been allocated a total of sh13.095b, up from sh9.2b, this financial year. However, this still leaves the environment watchdog with a sh22.73b funding gap.

NEMA needs sh14.5b to support its decentralized management function at the district and municipal level; sh3.5b to support the restoration of ecosystems and sh1b to execute its public education, environmental literacy, capacity building and sensitization programmes.

By Richard Wetaya

The African Cup of Nations soccer competition is set to kick off in Gabon on Saturday and as you would expect, there is a real palpable sense of anticipation, not only amongst Uganda Cranes fans but multitudes of soccer fans across the African continent.
For the next one month or so, soccer enthusiasts across the continent are going to put everything else on the back burner; to stand a treat of Africa’s greatest soccer showpiece.
With the Cranes playing at the tournament for the first time in three decades, the excitement in this pearly part of Africa is beginning to catch on.
Every Ugandan (soccer loving or not) should be excited. Why? Well, because we do not often get to see the Cranes play at that stage.
The Cranes made history by qualifying and by playing at the tournament; they will also be making history.

Behind the excitement however, there is a real cautious or ambivalent optimism amongst some fans about the Cranes chances of advancing beyond the group stage.
The Cranes are in group D and are set to lock horns with formidable opponents in Ghana, Egypt and Mali.
Only a naive person will demur the fact that the aforementioned are not soccer juggernauts. Mali you could argue is the exception herein.

Ugandan football acolytes are of course wary of the impressive pedigrees of the above opponents.
You may argue that the Cranes have impressively competed against the Black Stars of Ghana in recent games and that should be reason enough to be upbeat. Granted! But let’s not forget though that the Black Stars have that experience mill up their sleeve and by now, I figure they should have a trick up their sleeve on how to overcome Uganda and the other opponents.

At issue, too for most fans is the less than impressive Cranes striking force.
Making that worse is the fact that some Cranes players have not been getting adequate play time with their teams, denoting they will turn out for games with their fitness in question.
Mawejje and Isinde have been without clubs but remarkably they made the final team. The fact that they made the team does speak volumes about their readiness and fitness, so a benefit of doubt to them is due.
Just hoping our opponents do not read this though. Regardless who are they not to be petrified of the Cranes. They put on shorts one leg at a time just like the rest of the other teams at the competition, so much as they are special, the Cranes are special too.
The Cranes are the best team in East Africa; the tale tattles spying for the Ghanaians, Egyptians and Malians should be brought to terms with that fact.
The Cranes will compete, you can bet your last dollar.

To compete favorably however, the often maligned Cranes striking force led by Geoffrey Massa needs to step and show some real mettle; as there will be no second bites at the cherry in the group stages if we draw or lose.
It is going to be a battle of wills and the team needs to take its chances or else they will rue.

In recent Cranes games, Massa has looked more of a niddle noddle spent force than a real striking threat.

 
I stand corrected but it will be foolhardy to expect goals from a guy who hardly gets play time at his club down in South Africa.
Massa obviously has a chip on his shoulders, given the flake fans and the media have thrown at him over his recent below par Cranes performances.
Many figure, Massa may use the criticism to his advantage; cognizant of what is at stake.
This Nation’s cup may just be his swan song, so it must be in his interest to prove that he is still up to the mark.
He will want to prove something to his critics.

With Massa’s proficiency in question; the Cranes may hypothetically struggle upfront, except when Geoffrey Sserunkuma, Yusuf Ssentamu and the inexperienced Muhammed Shaban firmly pick up the striking gauntlet.
If for some reason, they do not pick it up, then our chances of getting out of that group will be as hard as nailing jelly to the wall.
It will be a herculean task for the Cranes if we do not score goals. Goals win games.
Football is football as the mantra indeed goes but without a potent striking force, any team will struggle. Nobody wants the Cranes to struggle like that proverbial lame duck over a stile after turning the pages of history.

Luckily however we have a one Farouk Miya; Cranes best kept secret.
The young lad star’s has been on the ascendancy and his growing legendary status was buoyed and propped up with that crucial goal he scored against the Comoros to earn the Cranes a berth at AFCON after 3 decades.
Miya is one guy who can run an opposing team’s defense ragged and he is a good ball distributor to boot.
Miya and Moses Oloya-the other attacking Cranes midfielder are like two peas in a pod; they make haste and are very pacey and skilful on the ball when given space.
The two will come in handy for the Cranes.

Uganda has been bidding time. The nation has waited long to see the Cranes compete at Africa’s biggest soccer event.
Its time everybody gets behind the team-Tulumbe.

8th July started off as any other normal day for Nosiata Andera’s close knit family. In Dwaliro zone, Mayuge town, where the family resides, there was an eerie peace and quiet as 43 year old Nosiata and her two daughters went about their early morning tidy up routine.
For some strange reason everyone in the home seemed downcast. It is just one of those days, Nosiata rationalized. There was not the slightest inkling in her mind that something tragic was about to befall her family. As night fell, the family gathered in the living room for Dinner.
Nosiata’s two sons, 20 year old student Yasin Daka and 32 year old security guard Stephen Owori had just joined in after returning home. After Dinner, Owori bade his sibling’s farewell. He straight away left for his night guarding duties at a nearby Maize mill.
Half an hour later around 9 pm, Nosiata was called out by concerned neighbors. The neighbors were troubled by the presence of an unknown man in the bathroom.  When she came out, she was baffled to find Emma, a close male associate to the treasurer of the Village savings scheme, standing in the bathroom.
A quick flash of intuition after, left Nosiata uneasy. The Kyowola Omwavu village savings and loan association group treasurer, Hajati Wotali Namutamba had on several occasions issued threats to Nosiata in particular on account of her firebrand nature in demanding for proper accountability of the group’s savings.  Namutamba had used Emma in particular to deliver the warnings. Namutamba had on several occasions refused to hand over the wooden boxes containing the group’s consolidated savings to members. This aroused suspicion and as time passed, the members realized she was using their money to her benefit.

Nosiata was keen to know what Emma was doing in her bathroom at night. Emma slyly managed to convince Nosiata that he had been sent by Owori to call Daka, his brother. Emma was on a sinister mission conjured up by Namutamba however. A reluctant Nosiata did not want Daka to go out at such a late hour, even if it was to see his brother.  It was 10 pm, pitch black and almost everybody else in the village had slept off.  Daka nevertheless managed to convince his mother that he won’t take long at Owori’s work station, so he accompanied Emma.

Along the way, Emma excused himself, as Daka and Owori got into a conversation seated on a bench, just outside Owori’s work station. Minute’s later gunshots aimed at both Owori, who was armed and his brother Daka rang out.  Caught unaware, Owori could hardly fire back.
As the shooting subsided, Owori lay dead, killed in cold blood. Daka, his brother however escaped by a hair breadth’s into the darkness, with serious gunshot wounds. Daka rushed to the nearby Mayuge Police station crying out for help but nobody at the police station came to their rescue. Even his screams during the shooting went unanswered. Mayuge Police Station is just opposite the Maize mill where Owori was on night duty.

After a short while, news of the shooting spread through the neighborhood. Inevitably the news reached Nosiata’s home. It was late in the night but she rushed to her son’s work station, only to find him dead and her other son missing. A sobbing Nosiata had cries from the nearby Mayuge Police station.
A bleeding Daka was at the Police station crying out for help but his pleas for help were met with cold shoulders.  Eventually Daka was rushed to Jinja Hospital in an ambulance. All the while, Daka kept mumbling to his mother that he knows the shooter and his 2 accomplices.
Daka said Emma who had lied to him that his brother had wanted to see him, just stood by in the dark and watched as the gun man, a Police officer by the name of Mugoya sprayed Bullets at them. The other accomplices, Namutamba and Godfrey Musobya just stood sentry as the shooting took place.

SUSCIPION FALLS ON NAMUTAMBA

Nosiata unmistakably points an accusing finger at Namutamba.  “Namutamba had gotten unscrupulous and shady with our group savings.  Whenever I and the other cooperating members took her to task about the status of our savings and other requisite group requirements, she would feed us on excuses, false promises and lies. She had unconvincingly told us earlier that burglars had ransacked her home and made off with the two boxes containing our savings. Seeing that we were unrelenting, she started issuing threats. I had no idea she was planning something horrendous. She would often send her emissaries to warn me. Every time, she threatened me, i would report to the Mayuge resident district commissioner’s office. I had saved money to the tune of UGX 1, 640,000. I lost all that. The group consolidated savings were to the tune of UGX, 15,000,000. Namutamba is complicit in the murder of my child because Daka clearly recognized her and her associates Godfrey Musobya and Mugoya, the Police officer who had fired the bullets, moments before the shooting begun,” Nosiata says.

With pressure unremitting, Namutamba was arrested and detained at Iganga Police station. She admitted to having swindled the money and promised to refund members money lastest, 1st July 2014, with the assistance of her husband. 
Namutamba was however released after the husband paid a paltry 3 million shillings to the saving group members, with promises to pay more in the subsequent months.
Prior to that, Namutamba had sought the services of a law firm claiming the saving member’s demands for her to account for 15 million shillings were unfounded. Ultimately however, her means to an end was to scare off those hot on her heels.
Nosiata took the lawyer’s letter to the Resident district commissioner. The commissioner referred her to the District Police Commander. Eventually she was referred to the District Police criminal investigations department. Nosiata was told the letter from Namutamba’s lawyers was only meant to scare off the saving group member’s.

DAKA’S ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED

On that ill fated day, Daka says Owori left for his work station after dinner. “I was exhausted so I could not see him off. Mom however was insisting I go the shops to buy milk. I was reluctant but eventually I rushed to the shops and got back as soon as possible because I could not find milk. On coming back I found mom with Emma. Emma told me Owori wanted to see me. I had no premonition whatsoever that there was a looming danger,” Daka says.
Daka says they passed by Namutamba’s house which is within sight of Owori’s work station. He says he saw 3 people following him behind. On reaching Owori’s work place, he sat down and asked Owori why he had called him. Owori denied sending anybody to call him.
“It was then that 3 people whom I could see clearly passed just nearby us. One whom I recognized as Mugoya suddenly walked towards us and started firing at us with an AK 47. He shot me first twice in the right leg, left forearm and thumb. Thinking he had finished me off, he started firing rapidly in my brother’s direction. It was about that time that I raised an alarm, whilst I ran into the thicket nearby for safety. Mayuge Police station was just opposite us but not a single Police man came to our rescue, even as they heard my screams for help and the gun shots,” Daka says.

Daka is currently bed ridden receiving treatment in Mulago Hospital orthopedic ward.

The early part of Saturday (last week) got me curiously wending my way through Boma Ward, the once famous and glistening Mbale suburb. Boma ward-commonly known as Senior quarters is found in Wanale Divison.
Many people, who grew up admiring the beauty and peace of this place, feel it has, in many ways, lost its sparkle.  To all appearances, they are right. For starters, Senior quarters, Mbale was and probably still is the hub of Mbale’s rich, more like what Kololo is to Kampala.
Therein, you will find residential homes for Mbale’s rich and famous. Stephen Wekomba, owner of Mt. Elgon Millers is on that A-list. He owns several rental houses and other buildings in the area.
Senior quarters is also home to several senior civil servants and many of Mbale’s upscale and affluent hotels, to wit Mbale Resort hotel, Crown Suites, Kayegi hotel and Mt Elgon hotel.

Senior quarters is also where you will find the famous Mbale Presidential lodge. It is a place almost every student wants to visit, especially when they know the President is around Mbale. Here you will also find Mbale’s most popular and classy night hangout spot, the Thatch gardens, owned by the famous Mbale Doctor, Dominic Martin Waburoko. Through the years, Thatch gardens has obtained a footing as Mbale’s number one happening place, hosting parties, concerts, weddings and conferences.

Whilst it is fair to state that Senior quarters has gotten more residents through the years, it is out of the question to state that it has improved infrastructure wise. Moving around, I bore witness to many of the quarter’s infamous poor roads. Many residents I had spoken to earlier had lamented about the poor state of the roads in the area, principally the road from the Presidential Lodge to town via the Resort Hotel. That evidently is not the only bad road here. The road from the Presidential Lodge to town via Mooni has also been in quite a sorry state for some time.
 “Good roads used to be this area’s claim to fame in the days of old. A little tarmac was laced on the road between Mooni to the area where Mount Elgon Hotel is located but it was substandard. The road was heavily pot holed, yet the President uses it whilst going to rest at the Lodge. Concerned residents speculated that the President’s vehicles have strong shock absorbers and he never felt the impact of the pot holes whenever his car rode through the road,” Fred Bwayo, a resident, says.


Sam Wamutu, Chairperson of the Boma ward development committee says a feasibility study has been done and the road, right from Mbale’s regional block is going to be worked on in due course.
All that awaits is the funds to be released, Wamutu adds.
 
The Senior quarters of today also has quite a number of old and dilapidated buildings.
“In the good old days, you would be hard pressed to find old and unpainted buildings in this area. There is increased apathy on the part of the owners of some of the old buildings” Bwayo says.

Lots of new buildings are being constructed but they are evidently juxtaposed with the old ones.
In the colonial days, Senior quarters housed the colonial administrators sent to Mbale to oversee the governance of the Eastern region. The area according to old Legend had state of the art recreational facilities wherein the colonial overseers invariably went to parlay.
“Senior quarters was unquestionably Mbale’s cleanest suburb, especially in the times when Mbale was the cleanest town in East Africa. It was serene and its lush greenery was second to none. Many people always wanted to come and visit on account of that. There were no old buildings and bad dusty roads as is the case today. The place lost its glory, just like Mbale town did,” states Wangota Khaukha, an elder in Mooni, an area neighboring the quarters.

Tales are told also of how Semei Kakungulu used to frequent the quarters, often coming to consort with and consult the colonial masters. Kakungulu it is said planted many of the area’s existing eucalyptus trees, just like he did in many other areas in the East.
“The trees Kakungulu planted added to the beauty of Senior quarters. The road leading up to the Presidential Lodge was a boulevard, with well manured trees on each side. Obote as well was fond of Senior quarters. During his Presidency, he always visited and hosted visitors at the lodge. The road was in a good state in the 80’s. Much as the area has lost its splendor, we are happy Hotels like Resort and Kayegi have been taken root. Resort particularly is a modern hang out,” Khaukha says.


SCHOOLS
Senior quarters is also the place where you will find the famous Fairway Primary school.
Almost everybody who grew up in the early 90’s in the East heard of this prominent school. It was always in the best of the bunch academic wise.
Though it has lost some of its sparkle, it still stands in a good stead with many people.
“Fairway is one of the few schools existing in Senior quarters. Understandable being that the area is mostly residential. There is also Boma primary school and 4 to 5 other private schools,” Wamuttu says.

SECURITY
Security wise, Boma ward is safe and sound, albeit there have been sporadic incidents of crime reported, especially in areas neighboring less affluent suburbs like Mukhubu, Mooni and Busamaga. 
Wamutu says whilst there have been security lapses; the general peace of the area has not been compromised a lot.
“That problem is being looked into. Most of the area’s security problems are caused by thugs emanating from neighboring suburbs,” Wamutu says.

SANITATION
In terms of sanitation, the area has not done badly though Wamutu says they are waiting for the area’s sanitary sewer system to be connected to the main Namatala carriage system.

LAND PRICES
Though land prices have been fluctuating through the years, an acre of land in Senior quarters goes for about 150-200 million.

Clean and safe drinking water is a hard to comeby commodity in many hard to reach and distant villages in Bududa District, Eastern Uganda. In many of the villages, water shortage is a part of daily life, notwithstanding the fact that Bududa is richly endowed with rivers and other abundant water resources.
Fresh water sources in villages like Bushegi, Bunabuniu in Bushika subcounty and Bunakasala in Bulucheke subcounty are few and far between. As I moved around, I noticed there were many abandoned and non functional domestic water points.
Many of the hilly area’s potential for water supply is principally through rain water harvesting. Making do with harvested water is not bad in itself, but the containers I saw the villagers using to collect water were far from clean. In effect, this puts the lives of villages at a risk of e-coli and water borne microbes associated with diarrrhoea.

When the dry season sets in, usually at the threshold of each year; the few water sources in villages like Bunanyuma, Bushegi and Bunakasala are left half dry or completely dry.
Most of the water springs and wells as it seems, dry up due to the drought.

The little water the villagers struggle to fetch is itself far from clean but that does not seem to bother the children and people I saw queuing up to draw water. Unwittingly, they also expose themselves to water borne pathogens, which the World Bank says contribute to the high child mortality rates world over.
According to water aid.org, 12,000 Ugandan children die each year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water.

These unprotected water springs are our lifeline. It is the only water we have, rationalised Piyo Kuloba, a resident of Bunakasala village. “What do you expect people here to do? They have no choice but to use the little spring water at their accessibility however unsafe it may be. The springs are not protected and there are no boreholes or piped water systems in most of the villages around Bunakasala. During the dry seasons, the situation exacerbates as villagers are compelled to move long distances to get water. Moving from a hilly area to fetch water downhill is a tall order. When the rains come, the situation in a way improves because people can at least harvest water, though most do not have big containers that can store water for long,” notes Kuloba.

Water from river Manafwa is also in high favour with many people especially those living alongside its banks. I bore witness as children from Namasho village in Bulucheke subcounty drew water from River Manafwa using dirty containers for home usuage. All the while, other children swam in the very water. My attempts to dissuade those drawing water fell on deaf ears. Seemingly, Domestic animals also pollute the river’s waters going by the animal excrete I saw near the river’s banks.

In 2010, a ministerial statement presented to Parliament revealed that River Manafwa was contaminated. Most of the pollution the statement noted was from human feaces emanating from the pit latrines constructed near the river. In many respects, water from river Manafwa is still unsafe for usuage considering the continuous dependence on the river’s water’s for activities such as bathing and washing. That in essence means people living along the river’s banks are invariably at risk of water borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, skin diseases, eye infections and infestinal diseases like schistosomiasis.

In some parts of Bududa, ill advised traditional attitudes still govern the usage of water, especially water from river Manafwa Unboiled water from the river is traditionally thought of as tastier than treated water. As such some people would rather drink it, than treated or boiled water.
“Many people use river Manafwa as a primary source of water. It is used for household consumption because people have waited for the piped water and the gravity water systems in this area as promised by the government for long. The government needs to redeem its pledge to build a gravity water system from the nearby mt. Elgon area. That needs to be fast tracked. The ignorant belief that water from river Manafwa is more tastier has been there but that can be stemmed through concerted educative drives in the villages concerned,” notes Wilson Wangota, an elder in Kushu village, Bulucheke subcounty.

Families living in the hilly and distant areas are hard pressed in going downhill to fetch water. The problem is areas downhill are also grappling with problems of access to safe and clean water. There is almost no guarantee that one will find safe water when they head downhill.
The gap between Bududa’s population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and those with access has gotten wider through the years. Manifestly, Bududa is amongst the districts where safe water coverage is still hovering below the 64% national average and where access to safe water has stagnated.
Five years back the situation seemed better. 
A 2010 report by the Directorate of Water Development, Ministry of Water and Environment, showed that 66 % of Bududa’s population had access to safe and clean water.
Recent records from the Ministry of Water and Environment however paint a grim picture. Recent accounts show that access to safe water in Ugandan rural areas has stagnated at 65%, in the past two years, yet Uganda’s target is to increase access to safe water in rural areas to 77% in 2015 in line with its millennium development goals.

“The government’s investment in the water sector especially in the rural areas needs to be improved. Interventions also need to be fast tracked especially when people are facing a problem like it is in Bududa. The government as well needs to invest in water purification schemes for the rural areas. Communities should be helped to protect their wells. Access to safe water is a critical disease prevention investment and a recipe for good health. It can go a long way in helping communities in Bududa and other areas around the country to confront the health based poverty trap. With the construction of the first phase of the Bududa-Nabweya Gravity Water Flow Scheme, there will hopefully be a new lease of life in the above sectors,” says John Okumu, a water and sanitation engineer in Manafwa.

According to UN Water.org, Investments in water and sanitation services result in substantial economic gains. The return on investment of attaining universal access of improved drinking-water is estimated to be 2 to 1. To cover every person worldwide with safe water and sanitation is estimated to cost US$ 107 billion a year over a five-year period.

The Bududa district Community Development Officer in charge of Water and Sanitation, Anthony Wakholi says the district in unison with the Government is working on a gravity water flow system, which will pump and generate water from Mt Elgon.
“Water will be supplied to different areas using this system. It will cover 6 sub counties, namely Bukigai, Bududa, Nabweya, Bushiribo, Bushiyi and Bulucheke. The district has developed protected springs, groundwater wells and gravity flow systems before in some sub counties like Bukibokolo. There is also the Bukalasa gravity flow scheme, which covers 3 sub counties. Drilling boreholes in hilly areas is a hard task. That explains why there are few of them. Rain water harvesting as recommended by the government has however been gaining currency amongst the people. As regards the usuage of water from river Manafwa, people do not do it on purpose. It is largely because they have no choice and because they are averse to messages dissuading them from using that water,” Wakholi says.

Wakholi however says some of the water problems in Bududa are sometimes brought about by the residents themselves.
“There is generally a problem of poor water supply management in some of the villages. Counterproductive activities like the cutting of underground water pipes in some villages has adversely affected the sector. These pipes transport water down from the hilly areas but certain mischievous people have continuously tampered with them. In some areas, people have continuously cut the water pipes to irrigate their crops,” Wakholi says.
 
Many people’s livelihoods have also been affected as a result of the lack of water in many of Bududa’s villages.
In Bunakasala for example, crop diversification has become a problem. Villagers barely grow crops that depend on rain or water to flourish. The lack of water has in some ways also led to a reduction in the usuage of land in many of the villages, though families still subsist on staple crops that grow without much rain.

It is a piping hot Saturday morning and I find myself treading through the hilly Bunanyuma village in Bushika sub county, Bududa District. There is not much semblance of human activity but the vestiges of an ominous landslide are clearly discernible. The landslide which occurred in June last year, left in its wake huge land fissures. The land fissures cover a surface area of about 35-45 metres. Huge swathes of rocks were swept downwards when the landslide struck.  Homes, crops, water sources, eucalyptus trees and livestock were laid to waste. Many residents were however able to evacuate in time, partly in response to a distress call from a fellow resident at the pinnacle of the hill.

“There was a heavy downpour that night. The rain lasted over four hours. Rocks were coming down from the apex of the hill with a vicious force. That was a cue for us to flee and to evacuate. People’s homes, livestock, coffee trees and a family of 7 were swept away, never to be seen again. This area has a history of landslides and when it rains, it floods. That was the third time; landslides were ravaging the area. Geologists and a team from the office of the Prime Minister came here in 2014to access the situation. They advised us to relocate, noting that there was a contingency plan to deal with the situation. We told them we are ready to move but no course of action was taken. The landslide occurred in 2014 just a few days after they had left,” states 63 year old Wilson Manga, a resident of Bunanyuma.

Against that backdrop and with the rainy season now fast on the horizon, one would expect the residents to be making arrangements to leave. One would also expect the government to come to these people’s rescue. At the moment however, there is no sign that any of the above is happening.
The residents I managed to talk to are apathetic to say the least. Much as there is a mood of apprehension, many seem resigned to fate, reasoning that they rather stay than move to other areas, where their safety, freedom and health is not guaranteed.

“People are reluctant to move on account of the stories they have heard about the conditions in Kiryandongo and the nearby IDP camps in Bulucheke and Bukalasi. Acclimatizing to a new area far away from your home area is a tall order. We would move if the conditions in the camps are improved. Many people are also reluctant to move for cultural and ancestral reasons,” states Luwulendi Wakinya, an elder in Bunanyuma.

Similar sentiments are echoed by some residents of Bunakasala village, Bumwalukani parish Bulucheke subcounty Bunakasala bore the brunt of landslides on the 25th of June 2012. 12 people died and many remain unaccounted for. Unlike Bunanyuma, the landslide in Bunakasala occurred at day time.
Kuloba James, a resident of Bunakasala says his family escaped by a hair’s breadth.
“My house was grazed by huge stones as the landslide swept. Fortunately only one side of the house was destroyed. The kraal for my cattle and my banana and coffee plantations were completely destroyed however. I also lost chicken. It rained heavily but nobody ever imagined the damage the rain would cause. I and my family of 6 survived narrowly. A family of eight who were my immediate neighbors were all killed in the landslide and their bodies, like those of many other victims were never recovered even when the bull dozers and excavators were brought. The rains are imminent but I do not see myself moving to any other place. I would relocate again if conditions were favourable in the places where the government wants us to go and if there is compensation. I was in an internally displaced people’s camp only last year but the foods the government disbursed were few and far between. When the food rations ran short, many of us were compelled to leave. The pit latrines were inadequate; there was inadequate access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene. Water was hard to come by in the camps even with the gravity system,” Kuloba says. 

In the same breath, water seems to be a problem in Bunakasala and Bunanyuma villages. All the water sources seem to be drying up or have dried up. Around the villages, young children can be seen queuing to fetch little drop of water from makeshift wells and water ponds that look far from clean.
Fresh water sources seem to be a real problem and the hilly terrain does not help matters. Families are hard pressed in going downhill to fetch water. Kuloba regrets that the promise made to them by the government to avail a gravity water supply system has not been redeemed. As such locals have to make do with the little unclean water at their availability.

Geologist Sam Owach says landslide losses can be avoided if the problem is recognised early. “Landslide susceptibility assessments need to be done at various spatial scales in Bunakasala, Namakansa, Bunanyuma, Namitsi and in all landslide prone areas around Mount Elgon. With the rainy seasons imminent, that needs to be fast tracked. Most landslides in the Bududa area are triggered by heavy rains and to larger extent by counterproductive human activities like digging in the hilly areas. By now, there should be contingencies in place to gauge the likely intensity and duration of the forthcoming rains, so as to avert any calamity. There should be continued assessment of soil depression and the land fissures like those in Bunakasala and Bunanyuma. If they are deemed dangerous as indeed they are, early preparations should be made to relocate the communities in those areas to safer zones. The residents of Bunakasala and Bunanyuma need to stop cultivating in areas around the cracks and in areas far up on the hills,” Owach says.

By Richard Wetaya

22 year old Claire Lamunu has the

By Richard Wetaya
Often it is

23 year old Sharon Karungi has all the makings of a great Basketball player. Her agile dynamism, competitiveness, prance like walk and stellar physical play have endeared her to basketball fans, not only in Uganda but also in the United States, where she currently plays.

By Richard Wetaya

Dark ominous clouds had enshrouded the horizon, as me and

By Richard Wetaya

19 year old Tito Bululu is at a loose

Tadeo Masereka may be visually impaired but he never loses sight of his purpose in life. The buoyant 23 year old hopes to rise from his handicap one day and become an inspiration to both the blind and non blind in Uganda.
“People with disabilities are often looked down upon in Uganda. The blind, just like able bodied people should live and work with full responsibility. Being blind, I have experienced prejudice and discrimination on several occasions and I am hoping I can be the change. I envisage studying law at the university. I want to advocate for the rights of less privileged people especially the blind. At times, it seems as if we have no voice. With belief, courage and determination, I know I will make it,” Masereka says animatedly.
 
At present, Masereka is a senior three student at SAAD memorial secondary school in Kisinga, Kasese. From the look of things, he interacts freely with other students, though discrimination has stared him in the face, on occasion.  Masereka however tells me he has no qualms about being discriminated against.
“I consort with many people around school. I have had cases where people ask me impolite questions and treat me with impertinence but I have learnt to take things in my stride. If you were in my position, you would agree it is the best recourse. Anger is never an antidote if you are a person living with a disability,” Masereka says.

Just before the early morning school assembly on the day I visited his school, Masereka was joined by a posse of his friends around their classroom block.
They seemed to be exchanging pleasantries. There was poise about him as he moved around with his walking stick and as he spoke to his friends.
I noticed all of his friends were of 20/20 vision.  
The fact that almost all his classmates are of normal visual acuity, I thought to myself must be some kind of disadvantage to Masereka.

Franca Lucy Nacuge, Masereka’s teacher was however quick to dispel my thoughts.
“Masereka’s handicap has not in any way affected his performance in class. He has been giving a good account of himself. He is brilliant at reading Braille (Braille is a method ofreadingand feeling text through touch, rather than sight). He reads Braille books avidly. He is also excellent at communicating by means of the manual alphabet. Learning to spell words with manual language was not a tall order for him. He struggled a bit with his enunciation but he gradually got better. In class tests and exams, Masereka excels and is always amongst the top five. He has a great potential and I think if he does not get any distractions or financial challenges along the way, he will achieve his goal,” Nacunge says.

Masereka has created good rapport with his teachers, just like he has done with classmates. During class lessons, he is always attentive and active especially when questions are paused.
His teachers generally have a high opinion of him, saying he has been exceptional in his relations with others and in his class performance.
He comes to school early, well tucked in and always smart. He is also always open minded, inquisitive and eager to learn. It has helped him perform well in class. He has a bright future ahead of him. He is also deeply spiritual and reads the Braille Bible often. It is his valued possession. He has learnt great stretches of the Braille Bible by heart and has committed to heart verses that help him whenever he is feeling low. His spirituality has helped him a great deal especially in dealing with his visual limitations,” says Godfrey Abine, one of his teachers.

I watched as Masereka used his fingers to make sense of a document he had been writing as Nacunge taught. I sat transfixed, eager to see how he uses Braille reading.
I was amazed at how effortlessly he went about it and by all accounts, it has been a success for him.
“If Masereka was not using Braille reading, I figure he would not be performing as well as he has been performing. Unlike those with vision, he reads both at day and night time. We have taught him how to use Braille mathematical sets for subjects such as arithmetic and maths and also how to use invaluable materials such as Parkins Braille and geometrical sets. These have helped him a lot. The bottom-line however is that he learns and internalizes things fast,” Nacunge says.

After school, Masereka studies type writing. Nacunge has also chosen to take him under her stewardship.
Just like in his class sessions, Masereka is quick witted when it comes to type writing.  Nacunge says plans are in place to purchase him a desk top computer to get him in line with current trends.
“He should be learning how to operate and use a computer by now but we have been limited by funds. The sooner we get one the better, because he is very eager at learning new things,” Nacunge says.

Masereka is also passionate about music. He wants to study guitar, piano and drums in the future.
“Music is something I have a fascination for. I am inclined to singing and I want to develop my talent. Maybe one day I can make money out of singing. Singing is therapy for me. It sustains me in those quiet lonely hours when I retreat into that deep silence that only the blind know,” Masereka says.

Masereka has also been employing his entrepreneurial side in his free time. With a little financial support from friends and with training from the National Union of the disabled persons of Uganda, he managed to establish a small poultry business 3 years ago.
The business has grown by leaps and bounds albeit with challenges.
“The main challenge in the business has been finance and finding someone trustworthy to do the day to day running whilst Iam away at school. Financial and management challenges aside, the business has helped me a great deal. It has opened up my entrepreneurial side and with time, I plan to take root in another business, preferably a printing and photocopying business. This business has taught me how to make money on my own, rather than depend on others. I have always wanted to be independent,” Masereka says.

Besides the entrepreneurial skills, Masereka has also received trainings on human rights and HIV/AIDS prevention.
He has been returning the favour by sharing the knowledge he received with classmates and people in his community and other areas.
Masereka was born to John and Mary Ndyahikaho.


 





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Before he passed on, my late grandfather, had always offered me good counsel.
“Have the grace to forgive. Let not your mind be held captive by memories of having been wronged in your childhood,” he told me.
My grandfather knew about my broken childhood experiences. He knew I had grown up resentful, depressed and disillusioned on account of the abuse I suffered at the hands of my late Dad.
The rejection and constant physical abuse I was subjected too at a young age had left me wretched and unnerved.
As a result, I grew up devoid of self esteem, will power and strength of character.
The indelible negative upshot as a result was my poor performance in school. My human relationship skills were also at a low ebb.
To most people, I came across as an eccentric introvert, yet in actual sense, I was just a young boy beset and inundated by a mood disorder I had no idea to overcome.
It was hard for me to figure out why I was at the receiving end of my late Dad’s anger.
Theories as to why, he did whatever he did to me came up later but I was too young to fathom.
When I got older, I was brought to terms with the harsh reality but I was to laden with bitterness and last thing I wanted to hear was talk about Dad and what he did to me.
It was not like I was not his child or I was disrespecting him. Far from it.
As fate would have it, Dad eventually chased me out of his house.
As a result, I spent close to 9 months living with a bunch of other young boys on the cold streets of Mbale town.
We subsisted on left over meals from Mukwano restaurant on Naboa road. Often we were chased. All the while, I could not go to school, though I was supposed to be in school.
Majority of the time however, we slept hungry. A short and a t-shirt is all I had on me.

Through mum’s efforts however, I was reinstated back home but I did not know who I was no more. The little self esteem, mum tried to bestow in me, at an early age was all gone.
I was disenchanted with Dad. What he had subjected me too had put a heavy damper on almost every aspect of my life.

I was young but my smile was always locked away. My friends frolicked but I was hesitant to join in because I felt worthless.
I bore a grudge; retaining bitterness in my heart at Dad for the wrongs he had done to me.
My anger did not draw forth any positives however and I was constantly depressed.

There was a silver lining however when I went and visited my ageing but deeply religious grandfather,(Bartholomew Wangasa) in Magale, Manafwa district.
Wangasa is the father to my mother.
He always had something positive to say to me.

First thing he talked to me about was Forgiveness.
“Forgiveness is a redeeming virtue, Richard. Your dad abused and mistreated you but remember the bitterness and anger you kindle for him will only burn you more. Look at it in perspective now and learn to forgive because when you forgive, your heavenly father will also forgive you,” Grandfather told me.

As if to emphasize his point he refered me to read Mark 11:25 and Matthew 6:14-15 which essentially talk about how God will forgive us our trespasses, if we learn to forgive others.

Grand father also laid emphasis on the fact that lingering unforgiveness was a sin.
“God will not bless you if your heart hangs on to unforgiveness. Unforgiveness only breeds bitterness, resentment and anger. If you read the parable of the unforgiving debtor in Math 18:21, you will get my drift,” he told me.

At length, I let go of the bitterness. It was hard but grandfather had prevailed upon. All gratitude to him. Reading helpful Biblical chapters he referenced like Ephesians 4:24, 31, 32 also came in handy.
Now whenever the opportunity presents itself and wherever there is need, I share with my friends my experience and how I have been able to cope.
I can not say I have completely forgotten and overcome all the hurt and ramifications of the abuse I suffered.
There are times when memories play back. There are times too when I inevitably predispose to depressive thoughts.
By and large, however, I have moved on.
I and my dad were on speaking terms before his demise.
The anger and bitterness was gone.

THE VIRTUES OF FORGIVENESS, A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Paul Wanetosi, a psychologist at Wanale community counseling initiative, Mbale says forgiveness as a precept helps people offset depression and other negative energies.
“The anger, resentment and bitterness fire you kindle in your heart only burns you more, not the person who wronged you. Forgiveness means you are letting go of the past, even if it is hard to forget. Mandela’s case is a classical example. Holding onto unforgiveness disrupts relationships. This eventually fans the fires of chronic stress, putting the body at risk of disease. When you forgive, you heal your emotional or physical wounds. Forgiveness allows you to redirect your emotions to more constructive activity. It may take a while but when you forgive people who have wronged you, your body lets go of all the feel bad chemicals responsible for mood disorders like depression and anxiety,” Wanetosi explains.

Letting go of anger and hurt by way of forgiveness is key in improving mental and emotional health.
“There is no greater nourishment to one’s emotional and mental growth than through forgiveness. Retaining bitterness in one’s heart adversely affects emotional growth in all areas of life. It robs one of the energy to stay healthy. Research shows that emotions such as anger and resentment often brought forth by unforgiveness, amongst other factors are risk factors for heart attacks. Letting go of negative emotions is therapeutic. It makes you feel better, happier and relate better. It also creates a sense of inner peace, hence less stress,” Wanetosi says.

The English poet, Alexander Pope put it well when he said to err is human; to forgive is divine.
“Forgiveness is a moral virtue that God himself exhorts us to practice. Learning to forgive is essential in moving along with God. It is an act of love as taught to us by Christ. It is a gift that we give to ourselves to live more peace filled and spiritual lives,”Pastor Fred Sseremba of the Living word ministries, Kyebando says.

Forgiveness sustains relationships and makes hope for reconciliation possible.
“When forgiveness is given a chance, damaged relationships can be repaired and rekindled. Relationships which are not necessarily shaky will benefit in a sense that there will be sustenance,” Sseremba says.

In many African societies, people living with albinism struggle to find social acceptance. In environments pervaded with albino phobia, stigma and negative stereotypes, it is a tall order.
There are people living with the condition however who are intent on shedding the negative stereotypes associated with albinos. One of those people is Gerald Byamukama; a 15 year old from Rubirizi district in western Uganda.
Many people ill advisedly regard albinism as a handicap, but I prefer to look at it differently, Byamukama says.

“Albinism is not a handicap in any kind of way. The only handicap I see is placing limits on myself because of people’s illusions about my condition. As long as my attitude is right, I know I can bring a value to my life. Albinism is not by choice and it should not be a basis for anyone to judge me or to hold me in a low regard. There are many great albino people out there making a difference in their societies and I intend to do the same,” a buoyant Byamukama says. “The difference in my skin appearance does not make me any less human as some people would want to make it seem. Albinos have rights just like normal skinned people and nobody should infringe on them. Nobody will make me hate myself. I will also not let people patronize me under the guise of trying to be friends,” he says. There have been moments however, when Byamukama has been inundated by some people’s indifference. “On several occasions, I have faced discrimination and disdain. People have called me ridiculing names. Some have even gone to the extent of calling my condition a punishment from the gods. It got to a point when I started hiding in the house, almost the whole day.  I can only wonder how life is for that beat down, often stigmatized and socially withdrawn albino child or adult who lives in an environment where traditional myths and superstitions about albinism abound. There is need to promote greater awareness of albinism throughout the country,” Byamukama says.