Customers inside the banking hall of KCB in Kampala. Some commercial banks have reduced their PLR
A group of small and medium enterprise (SMEs) businesses under the KCB Business Club are set to benefit from a networking and learning trip to South Africa that will equip them with knowledge on how to commercialize agriculture.
FLAGGED OFF GROUP: KCB Uganda Managing Director Joram Kiarie
The seven – day trip is to allow the SMEs in the agricultural sector have an opportunity to benchmark with international best standards in agriculture, especially in the use of technology for farming, Joram Kiarie the Bank’s Managing Director, said, without putting a figure on the cost of the trip.
“This is an opportunity to visit various agro processing companies in Johannesburg as well as greenhouse technologies where you will learn and experience modern farming methods,” Kiarie said at the function held to see off the group.
He added: “Opportunities to invest in agriculture in this country are massive and through this trip to South Africa, we are hoping that through the various interactions that the SMEs will have with large scale farmers in South Africa, they will get more ideas and opportunities for investing here in Uganda.”
Uganda’s economy remains agriculture-based with 75% of the people depending largely on agriculture, while farming contributes 85% of export earnings, and also accounts for 29% of Uganda’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Though the overall poverty rate in Uganda has fallen in recent years, farmers – about 4 million households – who are practicing subsistence farming remain poor, reflecting the weak state of the agriculture sector, a report indicates.
E!’s Mariah’s Worldgives her fans, viewers and ‘lambs’ alike a peek into the life of the award-winning singer, songwriter and icon Mariah Carey. During the eight-part event, Mariah Carey is faced with the overwhelming demands of her time as she launches her world tour and is a loving doting mommy to her twins.
Mariah’s World premieres on E! on Sunday, December 11. The docu-series will air globally on E!’s 15 international channels across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Latin America.
When Mariah isn’t selling out world tours or taking diamond filled luxurious bubble baths, she is shaking things up in her professional life and has brought on Stella Bulochnikov, as her tough, new manager.
Stella is determined to steer the ship and tighten things up, which leaves some of Mariah’s large entourage consisting of a creative director, hair and makeup artists and dancers on edge.
Part of Stella’s quest to take Mariah’s career to new heights includes her first world tour in over a decade. In a group filled with strong personalities, conflicts arise and tensions build up leaving the diva herself on pins and needles.
Mariah’s personal life is filled with special moments with her babies, who always come first and have joined her for the tour. Between being a mommy and working hard to give her lambs her best on stage every night, she is also working hard to find a balance. Beyond the flashing lights and adoring fans, Mariah’s World is a fantasy many wish was their reality.
The best-selling female artiste of all time, with more than 220 million records sold and eighteen #1 singles – the most for any solo artiste in history – Mariah Carey is a luminous and enduring talent who has enthralled audiences for a quarter-century.
As a singer, songwriter and producer, Maria Carey has been recognized with five Grammy Awards, 21 American Music Awards, 14 Billboard Music Awards and BMI’s coveted Icon Award, among myriad others, and was named Billboard’s Artiste of the Decade and the World Music Awards’ World’s Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium.
A Congressional Award recipient, Mariah Carey has generously donated her time and energy to a range of philanthropic causes including Save the Music, World Hunger Relief, the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which bestowed its 2006 Wish Icon Award upon her and permanently rechristening it the Mariah Carey Wish Icon Award.
REMARKABLE ANTI-AIDS EFFORT: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaking
Eighteen million people are on HIV treatment across the world, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) has said.
Speaking on the eve of the World Aids Day, the UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe also paid tribute to the Secretary-General and the exceptional achievements made in the AIDS response during his tenure.
Following a moment’s silence to remember the 35 million people who have lost their lives to AIDS, Dr Sidibe presented Mr Ban with the UNAIDS Award for Leadership for speaking out on behalf of, and his commitment to, the people most affected by HIV.
“Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, you have been a true champion for people living with HIV. When you arrived only three million people were on HIV treatment. Our World Aids Day report shows that more than 18 million are now on treatment. This isn’t just about numbers, but the very lives of people. You have shown through these years that people’s dignity is central to your agenda,” Dr Sidibe said at a special event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, to commemorate World Aids Day.
The event, ‘Moving Forward Together: Leaving No One Behind’, was also held to honour the leadeship of the UN Secretary General and his remarkable contribution to the response to HIV in advance of his handover to the new Secretary-General, António Guterres, at the beginning of 2017.
Accepting the award, Mr Ban said that he was proud to be an activist for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people and spoke of his motivation. “We are motivated to fight AIDS because we know that every child deserves care, every person deserves treatment and all vulnerable groups deserve protection from stigma and abuse. Tolerance and awareness help stop AIDS. Speaking out protects life,” he said.
According to UNAIDS, Since Mr Ban assumed office as United Nations Secretary-General in January 2007, the number of people living with HIV accessing life-saving antiretroviral therapy has increased from 2.9 million at the end of 2006, to 18.2 million [16.1 million–19.0 million] in June 2016. The number of people who died from AIDS-related illnesses has halved, from 2 million in 2006 to 1.1 million in 2015, and the number of new HIV infections among children has been reduced by two thirds, from 430 000 in 2006 to 150 000 in 2015.
Mr Ban was reacquainted with Rebecca Awiti, a woman living with HIV who met the Secretary-General in 2011 during an official visit to Kenya, where he launched ‘The Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive’.
During the event, Mr Ban was reacquainted with Rebecca Awiti, a woman living with HIV who met the Secretary-General in 2011 during an official visit to Kenya, where he launched ‘The Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive’.Ms Awiti is the mother of triplets, born free from HIV thanks to antiretroviral medicines. “You brought hope to me, my children and my children’s children that an AIDS-free generation is possible in our lifetime,” Ms Awiti said.
The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Peter Thomson, called on the world to do more and reach the clear time-bound targets set by Member States in the 2016 Political Declaration on Ending AIDS. “On this World AIDS Day, we honour those who have passed away by committing to end the AIDS epidemic, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a healthy, safe, peaceful and sustainable future for us all,” he said.
Model, actress and philanthropist Naomi Campbell spoke of the triple threat facing young women and girls of not knowing their HIV status, not accessing life-saving treatment and not being empowered to protect themselves from HIV. “Today, I stand in solidarity with the millions of young women and adolescent girls growing up in a world where they are at risk of HIV,” she said. “I want to make a difference—you can count on me to do what I can to help end AIDS.”
Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Laura London, underscored the importance of working as one to Fast-Track the response to HIV. “We can only reach the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 if we are serious about HIV prevention. We need to end the isolation and fear that key populations face every day,” she said.
The event culminated with an inspirational and uplifting performance by the United Nations Choir, which performed Mae, a Japanese song about moving forward.
Global summary of the AIDS epidemic in 2015/2016*
Number of people living with HIV
Total
36.7 million [34.0 million–39.8 million]
Adults
34.9 million [32.4 million–37.9 million]
Women
17.8 million [16.4 million–19.4 million]
Children (<15 years)
1.8 million [1.5 million–2.0 million]
Number of people newly infected with HIV
Total
2.1 million [1.8 million–2.4 million]
Adults
1.9 million [1.7 million–2.2 million]
Children (<15 years)
150 000 [110 000–190 000]
AIDS-related deaths
Total
1.1 million [940 000–1.3 million]
Adults
1.0 million [840 000–1.2 million]
Children (<15 years)
110 000 [84 000–130 000]
Number of people on HIV treatment
Total
*18.2 million [16.1 million–19.0 million], June 2016
NOT IMPRESSED WITH SOUTH SUDAN: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. is 'disappointed' with the situation in South Sudan.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed concerns over the deteriorating security situation in war-torn South Sudan, and warned the leaders would be held responsible.
“The African Union will continue to hold your leaders to account in implementing the peace process. And the leaders should be able to accommodate one another for the good of your people,’’ Buhari was quoted as saying by the Vanguard newspaper, while meeting with South Sudan’s envoy, Paul Malong Akaro in the capital, Abuja.
South Sudan’s peace process, Buhari said, will be more effective if implemented by the country’s leaders without external intervention. “I was a little disappointed with the subsequent developments in your country. I was hoping that we can move forward and develop the great potentials of your country after the peace accord,” said Buhari.
South Sudan experienced renewed violence in July this year when forces loyal to President Salva Kiir clashed with those allied to his main political rival and the former First Vice-President, Riek Machar.
Both Kiir and Machar were part of a Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) necessitated by the August 2015 peace agreement.
The two rival faction leaders have agreed on several peace deals, but failed to control their troops, hence affecting implementation of the peace deal.
Akaro, however, said South Sudan government was committed to implementing a peace deal signed by warring sides in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Latest estimates from aid agencies say at least 4.6 million people across the country are facing hunger, amid fears food crisis might deepen as the conflict has now spilled into the Equatoria regions.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently accused South Sudan’s two warring sides of committing crimes against humanity including killings, rape, torture and the use of child soldiers.
THANK YOU: THe Speaker of EALA, R Hon Daniel F Kidega shakes hands with the Speaker of the Senate, Rt Hon Ekwee Ethuro shortly aster the Special Sitting. The Senate Speaker represented H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta at the Special Sitting
President Uhuru Kenyatta, a strong protagonist of regional integration, has said that intra-EAC trade has grown from US1.8 billion to US5.1 billion, representing a 190 per cent improvement since the Customs Union was established eleven years ago.
Mr Kenyatta made the observation in a brief to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) special sitting of the 3rd Meeting of the 5th Session held at the Parliament Chambers in Nairobi, Kenya.
THE PROCESSION: The Speaker of Senate, Rt Hon Ekwee Ethuro (centre), Speaker of EALA, Rt Hon Daniel F. Kidega led to the Chamber by the Sergeant-at-Arms, Ezekiel Migosi.
“I note with appreciation the progress that the Community has made to date. Eleven (11) years ago, we established the EAC Customs Union. It has generated positive results. This is clearly demonstrated by the trend in intra-EAC trade over the period. For instance, the value of the total intra-EAC trade rose from US Dollars 1.8 billion in 2004 to US Dollars 5.1 billion US Dollars in 2015 representing a significant growth of 190 percent,” Mr Kenyatta said in a speech read on his behalf by Kenya’s Speaker of the Senate, Ekwe Ethuro.
According to Mr Kenyatta, EALA should ensure the integration process is not only on course, but geared towards meeting the aspirations and high expectations of the people.
‘In this regard, the President is calling on the Assembly to up the stakes on the sensitisation process and on its consultations with legislative processes including engagement with the Partner States’National Assemblies as envisioned under Article 65 of the Treaty of the Establishment of the EAC,’ a release by the EAC states in part.
The Senate Speaker, Rt Hon Ekwee Ethuro shakes hands with EALA Member, Hon Taslima Twaha as other members look on.
The President also hailed the business community whom he termed keen partners and drivers of the integration process. “I laud and commend them for their efforts in boosting our investment profile and partnership in creating jobs for our people. We are therefore duty-bound to support them in addressing the challenges they face in conducting and expanding their businesses in the region”, he added.
The speech noted the various challenges the region continues to face.“There still exists a considerable number of trade restricting measures that are a hindrance to actualizing free trade in the EAC. Among the obstacles, include long clearing procedures; road blocks and changes in applicable regulations, which together, contribute to impact trade negatively”, it said in part.
The Head of State reiterated Kenya’s commitment to the integration process and cited the infrastructure projects as keen in the integration process.
“We have every reason to take pride in what we have achieved in here in Kenya. We have commenced work on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and we expect it to be operational by the middle of 2017. On-going development works on the Port of Mombasa and regional roads confirms Kenya’s commitment to building and achieving sound infrastructure for the greater benefit of the region”,he said.
The President noted that EAC needed a strong oversight body and hailed the EALA for rising up to the occasion.
“For example, among the notable achievements of this Assembly include the passage of over 20 Bills cutting across various areas of integration. The Assembly’s legislative priority and performance in the last four years has indeed exhibited clear appreciation and understanding of matters that are of great relevance and urgency in deepening and widening the EAC integration”,the President remarked.
In his remarks, the Speaker of EALA, Rt Hon Daniel Kidega, maintained that citizens of the region were keen to see the process of integration fortified.
“I can confirm the Assembly is often inundated by citizens’ concerns to see the Common Market agenda become a reality. Essentially, it is important that we open our East African markets to African people and beyond to create jobs and opportunities. Likewise, we must avoid situations where we export jobs and allow cheap goods from outside the EAC to permeate the local markets”,Speaker Kidega noted.
The Speaker noted the fight against Corruption needs to be taken a notch higher in the Partner States. “At the regional level, EALA is on the verge of enacting a Bill on Whistleblowers and on Anti-Corruption, thereby, putting in place a legal framework to report instances of corruption to authorities – given the fact that the vice knows no borders”, he added.
He termed the approximation of the national laws in order to create uniformity within the Partner States as necessary and called on the Partner States to move with haste in the matter.
An EALA Report adopted at the Sitting shows that Rwanda and Uganda have each approximated ten pieces of laws each, Kenya (6 laws), Tanzania (6 laws) and Burundi (3 laws).
In attendance were EALA Members, former Members led by Speaker Emeritus, Rt Hon Abdirahim Abdi and representatives of the private sector.
The next plenary expected to be held in January in 2017.
The EAC Team being introduced to the equipment by the Project Manager, Mr. Robert Romeo from the Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology of Dublin, Ireland.
The East African Community Regional Forensic Referral Centre (RFRC) in Kampala, Uganda is set to receive a state-of-the-art Digital Ballistics Identification System (DBIS) compatible with the Interpol Integrated Ballistics Identification Network in December 2016.
The RFRC, which was designated through a proposal by the EAC Police Chiefs in 2011 as a Regional Centre of Excellence on Forensic Science, will receive the equipment from Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology of Dublin, Ireland at a cost of Euros 897,553, about UgShs3.475bn.
The EAC, COMESA, IGAD and Indian Ocean Commission have been implementing a joint cross regional project aimed at curbing maritime insecurity in the Indian Ocean. The project, whose implementation commenced in 2013, was a response to acts of maritime piracy that had bedevilled the Somali Coastline and by extension the Indian Ocean. It received EU support to the tune of Euros 37.5 million spread over a five year period.
The EAC component includes among others enhancement of investigative capabilities of the investigative authorities in the Eastern and Southern African-Indian Ocean (ESA-IO) region to effectively investigate maritime insecurity incidents. To this extent and acknowledging the use of firearms as a primary facilitator of criminal incidents, there was expressed need for establishment of modern ballistic examination and analysis capabilities. The acquisition of the DBIS has been funded by the Project.
The Secretariat team led by the EAC Peace and Security Expert, Leonard Onyonyi; the Head of the RFRC in Kampala, Assistant Inspector General of Police Samuel Ezati; and the Head of Ballistics at the RFRC, Ag. Commissioner of Police Umar Mutuya, were in Dublin, Ireland concluding the exercise yesterday after which the equipment will be shipped to Uganda. The Commissioning of the DBIS is expected to take place in February 2017.
The equipment, which comprises a Bulletrax Station, a Brassstrax Station, a Match Point plus Station, a Data and Correlation Station, and a Server was subjected to rigorous pre-shipment inspection and pre-testing by a team from the EAC Secretariat and RFRC on November 28, 2016, in compliance with the contractual terms.
This is the only second such equipment within the EAC, the other being operated by the Kenya Police Service.
PREVENT LOOMING GENOCIDE: UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan chairperson Yasmin Sooka
A UN commission on human rights in South Sudan has said a steady process of ethnic cleansing is under way in the country, involving massacres, starvation, gang rape and the destruction of villages.
The three commission members who had travelled around South Sudan for 10 days said they observed deepening divisions in a country with 64 ethnic groups.
“There is already a steady process of ethnic cleansing under way in several areas of South Sudan using starvation, gang rape and the burning of villages,” commission chairwoman Yasmin Sooka said, adding: “The stage is being set for a repeat of what happened in Rwanda and the international community is under an obligation to prevent it.”
The alleged ethnic cleansing comes after almost three years of fighting between government forces, rebel troops and allied militias. A political split between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar escalated into a military conflict in December 2013.
The conflict – which has killed tens of thousands, caused widespread hunger and forced three million people from their homes – has pitted Kiir’s Dinka ethnic group against Machar’s Nuer ethnic group and other groups suspected of supporting the rebels.
“Everywhere we went across this country, we heard villagers saying they are ready to shed blood to get their land back. Many told us it’s already reached a point of no return,” Sooka said.
Adama Dieng, UN special advisor on the prevention of genocide, has called on the Security Council to impose an arms embargo to prevent the ethnic violence from escalating into full-on genocide.
In the northern Upper Nile region, the commission ‘heard numerous accounts of corpses being found along the main roads’, the UN’s Godfrey Musila said.
The ethnic attacks have spread even to the southern Equatoria region, which had not experienced much violence until now, he said.
The statement said 91 such incidents had been recorded in November alone.Separately, the UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan said he was ‘deeply concerned’ about bureaucratic impediments and access constraints to humanitarian agencies trying to help people in need.
“Humanitarian organisations in South Sudan are striving every day to save lives and alleviate suffering across this country,” humanitarian coordinator Eugene Owusu said, adding: “yet, they continue to face obstacles and challenges which hamper their efforts.”
‘Potential for genocide’
The United States has also warned of escalating violence.
“We have credible information that the South Sudanese government is currently targeting civilians in Central Equatoria and preparing for large scale attacks in the coming days or weeks,” Keith Harper, the US representative at the UN Human Rights Council, said in Geneva.
“In the last two weeks, the government has mobilised at least 4,000 militia from other areas of South Sudan and is staging these fighters in Equatoria to begin conducting attacks,” Harper said.
Earlier this month the UN’s Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, told the Security Council there was a risk of ‘outright ethnic war’ and the ‘potential for genocide’.
The UN rights experts are expected to publish a report on their findings in March.
Soundcity Televison is one of the biggest music channels on the continent. The station’s music awards dubbed ‘Soundcity MVP Awards’ are scheduled for December 9.
The only Ugandan nominated in the awards is Eddy Kenzo. Kenzo is nominated for his ‘Mbilo Mbilo’ remix with Nigeria’s Niniola.
The duo will be battling the Best Collaboration award with DJ Maphorisa’s ‘Soweto baby’ and Emtee’s ‘Roll up’ among others.
Other East Africans nominated in the awards includes Tanzania’s Vanessa Mdee and Diamond Platnumz. Others are Sauti Sol from Kenya.
Though, as expected, the nominations are led by Nigerians. Wizkid leads with a record 8 nominations. His single ‘Baba nla’ has been nominated in Best Video, Best song, Viewer’s choice and Listener’s choice. He is closely followed by Olamide. Davido is up for Digital Artiste of the Year alongside Tekno, AKA, Psquare, Tiwa Savage.
Female MVP of the year will see Vanessa Mdee, and Ghana’s MzVee battle it out for the prize.
The Soundcity MVP award show is scheduled to hold on December 9, 2016 at Expo Center, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Voting is open for all categories at Soundcitymvp.com
See full list of nominees across various categories:
BEST MALE
Diamond Platinumz (TANZANIA)
Emtee (SOUTH AFRICA)
Wizkid (NIGERIA)
Falz (NIGERIA)
Olamide (NIGERIA)
Patoranking (NIGERIA)
Phyno (NIGERIA)
BEST FEMALE
Tiwa Savage (NIGERIA)
Victoria Kimani (KENYA)
Yemi Alade (NIGERIA)
Vanessa Mdee (TANZANIA)
Cynthia Morgan (NIGERIA)
Ms Vee (GHANA)
Simi (NIGERIA)
BEST HIP HOP
Cassper Nyovest (SOUTH AFRICA)
Olamide (NIGERIA)
CDQ (NIGERIA)
Emtee (SOUTH AFRICA)
El (GHANA)
Riky Rick (SOUTH AFRICA)
Stanley Enow (CAMEROON)
Phyno (NIGERIA)
BEST POP
Wizkid (NIGERIA)
Kiss Daniel (NIGERIA)
Tekno (NIGERIA)
Yemi Alade (NIGERIA)
Adekunle Gold (NIGERIA)
Timaya (NIGERIA)
Tiwa Savage (NIGERIA)
DIGITAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
PSquare (NIGERIA)
Wizkid (NIGERIA)
AKA (SOUTH AFRICA)
Tiwa Savage (NIGERIA)
Davido (NIGERIA)
Cassper Nyovest (SOUTH AFRICA)
Tekno (NIGERIA)
BEST COLLABORATION
Mr Eazi Ft Efya – Skintight (NIGERIA / GHANA)
Patoranking Ft Sarkodie – No Kissing (NIGERIA / GHANA)
Eddy Kenzo Ft Niniola – Mbilo Mbilo Remix (UGANDA / NIGERIA)
Emtee Ft Wizkid & AKA – Roll Up (SOUTH AFRICA / NIGERIA)
DJ Maphorisa Ft Wizkid & DJ Buckz – Soweto Baby (SOUTH AFRICA / NIGERIA)
Phyno Ft Olamide – Fada Fada (NIGERIA)
Olamide Ft Wande Coal – Who You Epp (NIGERIA)
Harrysong Ft Olamide, KCee – Raggae Blues (NIGERIA)
Masterkraft Ft Flavour & Sarkodie – Finally (NIGERIA / GHANA)
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Pana – Tekno Directed by Clarence Peters (NIGERIA)
Aje – Alikiba, Directed by Meji (NIGERIA)
Babanla – Wizkid, Directed by Sesan (NIGERIA)
One time – AKA, Directed by AKA & Alessio (SOUTH AFRICA)
Sin City – Kiss Daniel, Directed by H2G Films (NIGERIA)
Emergency – D’Banj, Directed by Unlimited L.A (NIGERIA)
Made for you – Banky W, Directed by Banky W (NIGERIA)
Gbagbe Oshi – Davido, Directed by Slash (NIGERIA)
Pray for me – Darey, Directed by MEX (NIGERIA)
BEST GROUP OR DUO
Sauti Sol (KENYA)
Mafikizolo (SOUTH AFRICA)
Micasa (SOUTH AFRICA)
Navy Kenzo (TANZANIA)
R2Bees (GHANA)
Toofan (TOGO)
PSquare (NIGERIA)
VVIP (GHANA)
SONG OF THE YEAR
Kwesta ft. Cassper Nyovest – Ngud (SOUTH AFRICA)
Mr Eazi – Hol Up (NIGERIA)
Patoranking ft Sakordie – No Kissing (NIGERIA)
Wizkid – Babanla (NIGERIA)
Tekno – Pana (NIGERIA)
Emtee ft Wizkid – Roll Up (SOUTH AFRICA / NIGERIA)
DJ Maphorisa ft Wizkid & DJ Buckz – Soweto Baby (SOUTH AFRICA / NIGERIA)
Olamide ft Wande Coal – Who You Epp (NIGERIA)
D’banj – Emergency (NIGERIA)
BEST NEW ARTISTE
Koker (NIGERIA)
YCee (NIGERIA)
Mr Eazi (NIGERIA)
Emtee (SOUTH AFRICA)
Simi (NIGERIA)
Niniola (NIGERIA)
Tekno (NIGERIA)
Nasty C (SOUTH AFRICA)
VIEWERS CHOICE
Mr Soldier – Falz ft. Simi (NIGERIA)
Babanla – Wizkid (NIGERIA)
Osinachi – Humblesmith ft. Davido (NIGERIA)
Pana – Tekno (NIGERIA)
Hollup – Mr Eazi (NIGERIA)
Pick Up – Adekunle Gold (NIGERIA)
Mama – Kiss Daniel
LISTENERS CHOICE
Lagos to Kampala – Runtown ft. Wizkid (NIGERIA)
Babanla – Wizkid (NIGERIA)
Omo Alhaji – YCee (NIGERIA)
Pana – Tekno (NIGERIA)
Who You Epp – Olamide ft Wande Coal (NIGERIA)
Oluwa ni – Reekado Banks (NIGERIA)
Pick Up – Adekunle Gold (NIGERIA)
Skintight – Mr Eazi ft Efya (NIGERIA/GHANA)
AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Wizkid (NIGERIA)
Vanessa Mdee (TANZANIA)
Diamond Platinumz (TANZANIA)
Sarkodie (GHANA)
Yemi Alade (NIGERIA)
Olamide (NIGERIA)
AFRICAN PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
DJ Maphorisa (SOUTH AFRICA)
Gospel on the Beat (NIGERIA)
Masterkraft (NIGERIA)
Young John (NIGERIA)
Legendury Beats (NIGERIA)
Sess the problem kid (NIGERIA)
LIVING GOODS: Officials of Living Goods with some of the beneficiaries of their services.
“Living Goods solves two of our biggest operational and financial challenges in the health sector: how to keep vital medicines in stock and how to compensate and retain community health workers,” the Prime Minister of Uganda, Ruhakana Rugunda remarked recently about Living Goods, an NGO providing health products to Ugandans.
According to a recent random study, Living Goods has reduced the under-five mortality rate by over 27% since its arrival in the country in 2008.
The organization has improved the health of Uganda’s pregnant women and new births by teaching families how to improve their health and wealth through selling life-changing products like simple treatments for malaria and diarrhea, safe delivery kits, fortified foods, clean cook stoves, and solar lights. It has also created employment for women.
Officials of Living Goods including Hamida Nakabugo (L) with a client Nakabuyi.
Over 5000 women have been hired by Living Goods to sell its health products door-to-door in the rural communities. Through an organised media field visit on Monday, journalists were able to visit the organisation’s offices, branches and even visited some of the women and children who are being taught and treated by Living Goods’ agents.
Speaking to journalists, all the agents were full of praise for the organization.
“Before I joined Living Goods, I was merely just a farmer and charcoal seller. At the moment, I have improved lives of many women and children in my community…..before they used to call me ‘charcoal seller’ but at the moment everywhere I pass they tell me ‘bye bye’ musawo,” said Hamida Nakabugo, an agent of Living Goods.
Nakabugo is based in Nakwero village, Kira Subcounty, Wakiso District, and she says that unlike before, the organization has improved her livelihood because it pays her for the work done.
According to the organization’s director, the agents are neither volunteers nor salaried employees, though they earn some remuneration at the end of the month.
He said his agents are trained in detecting simple illness like Malaria and diarrhea. They are equipped with smart phones that help them administer the proper diagnosis for the ailments or refer them to qualified facilities for the case of serious health issues.
They are given Living Good products that go for a 20% discount in relation to market price. Agents work for only two hours a day and at the moment, the organization is in 15 Districts with a reach of 5 million people according to its records. Journalists visited some of the people that Living Goods is treating and selling drugs.
“I thank Living Good for treating and teaching me. Musawo (LG agent Hamida) often checks on me to see how I feel and teaches me how to feed and also to prepare for my delivery,” said Zakiya Nakabuyi, a resident of Nakwero and mother of two. She is 7 months pregnant at the moment and the nearest health center is 3Kms away.
Ms. Nakabuyi had a miscarriage for her second born and doctors never told her what could have caused the miscarriage.
“I was so worried over this pregnancy (current) because I was afraid I was going to lose it too. But I think because I have been getting the best guidance and care from the LG agents on how to take care of my pregnancy, it’s the reason I have still have my pregnancy.”
Hamida Nakabugo with a ‘Mama Kit’
Annet Baddet, who lives a stone’s throw away from Nakabuyi’s home, was also full of praises.
The 33-year old mother of one said with the teaching and guidance she had been getting from LG agents, she had prepared well for the delivery of my baby. To prove how ready she was, she entered her one roomed house and brought out a ‘Mama kit’ that she has already bought in preparation.
According to Ms Nakabugo, ‘Mama kits’ are some of the products required for pregnant women while delivering. “Buying them in advance reduces on the last minute stress and buying it expensively at hospital or clinics. We advise them on the nutrition, necessities needed while giving birth and to choose the best hospitals before their time for delivery. As for us, we don’t have the expertise of helping women deliver. We only treat simple health issues and advice on nutrition,” Ms Nakabugo says.
Rwanda and the Next Einstein Forum (NEF) have hosted the second NEF Ministerial Meeting to leverage research networks and funding mechanisms to drive Africa’s long term progress.
Held under the theme: ‘Collaborative Global Research Networks: Implementing Essential Actions’, the meeting reviewed three important themes arising from the first ministerial meeting held in Dakar, Senegal in March 2016.
Delegates to the NEF Ministerial Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.
“After a successful first meeting in Dakar earlier this year, this meeting sought to develop concrete proposals around three initiatives: Increasing the number of PhDs, creating and structuring the Africa Research Chair Initiative (ARCI) and developing mechanisms to harness research mobility within Africa. We want to thank the delegations from Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and hosts Rwanda for participating in these important discussions,” Mr. Thierry Zomahoun, NEF Chair and President and CEO of AIMS, said.
Mr. Zomahoun added: “The NEF will review recommendations arising from this meeting and propose a concrete road map. We believe innovation led transformation in Africa cannot be sustainable outside of research, and we’re working with African governments, learning institutions and the private sector to accelerate research collaboration and funding in critical scientific and technological fields.”
Rwanda’s Minister of Education Dr. Papias Musafiri said some of the initiatives proposed will increase research collaboration and improve funding mechanisms, “making it possible to improve the pipeline of researchers and globally competitive innovations coming from Africa.” He added: “Rwanda is happy to have hosted this important meeting that seeks to concretize Rwanda’s and Africa’s ambitions to leverage research and development to improve people’s lives. We look forward to seeing concrete outcomes implemented.”
According to a release by the Africa Press Organisation, while deliberating on increasing the number of Phds in Africa, participants agreed that: ‘each African country must roll out a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the number of PhDs in every field – identifying strengths and weaknesses of national PhD systems including design and mobility. Participants also called for the establishment of a pan-African pool of researchers’.
The delegates also reiterated that while increasing the number of STEM doctorates is critical for innovation, social sciences and humanities must not be overlooked.
