Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus’ multi-million dollar mentoring program is launching its first Social Business Accelerator Program in Sub-Saharan African in Uganda.
Carried out under the flagship of Yunus Social Business (YSB), the Accelerator Program that commences today will feature 15 participants, who will be involved in ten-week activities that include training, testing, refining and ending with an Investor Demo day.
The ‘acceleratees’ are drawn from the health, education, renewable energy and the agribusiness and value-addition sectors, and during the course conducted by YSB experts, participants will cover a wide range of topics.
Yunus Social Business (YSB) is a global organization founded by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus with three other colleagues and focuses on sustainable investment in the new Social Business Enterprise (SBE) sector.
“Yunus Social Business’s aim is to support sustainable economic development in the markets in which we operate with the conviction that SBEs are a crucial catalyst for social development and poverty alleviation,” a release by the organization states in part.
Born in 1940, Professor Muhammad Yunus is a highly regarded Bangladeshi economist and social entrepreneur who won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside the Grameen Bank in 2006.
He is the founder of the Grameen Bank and together with Saskia Bruysten, Sophie Eisenmann and Hans Reitz, co-founded the YSB in Febraury 2011.
In 2008 the Foreign Policy magazine listed Prof Yunus as number 2 on the list of ‘the Top 100 Global Thinkers’.
Makerere University Main Building, the seat of authority at Uganda's oldest institution of learning.
Makerere University Main Building
Kampala-Makerere University is to kick start the search process for a new Chancellor as Prof. George Mondo Kagonyera’s term of office expires in January next year.
The communication was made by the University Council Chairman Dr. Wana Etyem during the 135th University Council meeting that took place last month.
”This is to inform the Council that the Chancellor’s term expires early January 2016, before the next graduation. I shall be drawing the attention of the appointing authority to this effect so that a search process may begin,” he said.
The Chancellor is the titular head of the University and presides over all ceremonial assemblies of the University, confers degrees and other academic titles and distinctions.
The Chancellor is appointed by the President, who is also referred to as a Visitor, on recommendations of the University Council for a four-year renewable term.
Prof Kagonyera replaced Prof Apollo Nsibambi, who was the first non-president to become university Chancellor. Before that, it was the norm for the reigning President of Uganda to hold that office. Meanwhile, at the time of his appointment Kagonyera, then Deputy Managing Director of National Social Security Fund (NSSF) vied for the post with the then Vice-President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya,.
In 2008 Museveni zeroed in on Kagonyera, making him the seventh Chancellor in the history of the university, to serve his first four-year term. Then in 2011 he was re-appointed for a second term, which ends January next year.
Section 30 (2) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, states that the Chancellor shall hold office for a period of four years, but shall be eligible for re-appointment for one more term.
How one becomes a Makerere University Chancellor
The interviewing committee/search committee considers factors like integrity, knowledge of local and international education issues, commitment to serve the university, the financial status, level of education as well as the personality of the candidate. The President is guided by the Council’s recommendations, which clearly show the performance of candidates.
Other Chancellors
The other Chancellors of Makerere University include Milton Obote, Iddi Amin, Professor Yusuf Kironde Lule, Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa, Tito Okello Lutwa and Yoweri Museveni and Prof Appollo Nsibambi.
Of these however, Yusuf Lule and Tito Okello didn’t preside over any graduation ceremony at Makerere as their regimes collapsed just after two and six months, respectively.
Kampala-“The Boda Boda Thieves” a film written and directed by Ugandan script-writer Donald Mugisha is making it big internationally. Inspired by Vittorio De Sica’s 1948 drama ‘The Bicycle Thief’, the film gives a vivid look into the life of a Ugandan teen on a mission to save his family’s livelihood.
The film Director Mugisha treads new territory by telling his story squarely from the perspective of Goodman’s 15-year-old son Abel.
The debuting main actor Hassan Insingoma, who acts as Abel, is a young thrill-seeker itching for mischief. His parents want him to go into town to find a job; instead he’d rather hang out gambling with friends.
Abel’s father Goodman runs a boda boda (motorbike) business while his wife breaks and sells rocks for a living.
After being so irresponsible and not heeding his father’s advice, Abel is finally forced to pick up his old man’s (Goodman) boda boda so as to provide for the family. In a city (Kampala) that’s full of corruption and high crime, Abel realizes he needs more than courage to survive, something that makes him run into more trouble. He loses something very important and he has to find it.
The story is fast paced and offers moments of comedy to punctuate the overall dramatic tone and camerawork used is solid; Mugisha uses handheld shots with complex shots to tell the tension in Abel’s life.
“The Boba Boda Thieves” was produced through the Pan-African film making collective ‘Yes! That’s Us Films,’ and it has featured at many International Festivals, the latest being the Seattle International Film Festival. It was filmed in Kampala.
Although “The Boda Boda Thieves” is not yet on distribution, be sure to get one when it is released. It’s a must watch.
KAMPALA, (Xinhua) — Kenya’s national cricket team is pitch camping in Uganda ahead of their International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League (WCL) match against the Netherlands.
Head coach Steve Tikolo told Xinhua on Monday that the heavy rains in Kenya could not give them chance to train well and therefore they decided to come and prepare in Uganda and also have a series of matches.
Tikolo, a former international said they expect the Ugandan teams to give them good practice.
“We are determined to perform well in the World Cricket League and this training in Uganda
means a lot to the team,” he said.
For the Ugandan side, Justine Ligyalingi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Cricket
Association told Xinhua that playing with Kenya provides a good test to the Ugandan players.
Besides Kenya, the other teams taking part in the WCL include Scotland, the United Arab
Emirates, Hong Kong, Papau New Guinea, the Netherlands, Namibia and Nepal.
The Kenyan team has the following players Rakep Patel (captain), Shem Ngoche, Morris Ouma,
Collins Obuya, James Ngoche, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Elijah Otieno, Nelson Odhiambo, Patel
Coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic says he will pick positives from Tuesday’s (yesterday) friendly encounter against Gambia at Namboole stadium.
Micho saw a wasteful Cranes side draw 1-1 ahead of Uganda Cranes first 2015AFCON qualifier game against Botswana on Saturday; however the Serbian tactician remains hopeful.
“I saw good things; we created enough chances and that’s a positive am carrying into Saturday’s game,” Micho told the media at Namboole.
Cranes took the lead in the 62nd minute thanks to some brave play from substitute Brian Umony who rose higher to beat Gambian custodian Modou Jode to the ball, nodding down for striker Robert Ssentongo (also substitute) to score.
Subsitute striker Sentongo was on target for the Cranes (courtesy photo)
While Gambia got the equalizer from substitute Omar Jagne in the 84th minute after Cranes defender Shaffik Bakaki lost possession failing to control the ball.
Cranes missed numerous chances in either half of the game, striker Farouk Miya missed a sitter from a Alex kakuba cross, the Portugal based defender also set-up skipper Geoffrey Massa who was denied by Gambian’s goalkeeper Jode.
A minute later Miya shot wide before Kakuba sent in another inviting cross, only for striker Yunus Ssentamu to head the ball on the woodwork.
Ssentamu had another opportunity to make it 1-0 but it was Jobe who denied him, the resulting corner from Brian Majwega met Kahlid Aucho whose short cross was connected by Ssentamu’s head but still Jode was in the right place.
Before the interval, there was a scary moment when Cranes first choice goalkeeper Dennis Onyango collided Gambian defender Barry Hamza, both required treatment for over 10 minutes.
Cranes will kick off the 2017AFCON qualifiers against Botswana this Saturday at Namboole Stadium
Uganda Starting XI: Denis Onyango, Denis Iguma, Alex Kakuba, Isaac Isinde, Richard Kassaga, Derrick Tekkwo, Yunus Sentamu, Khalid Aucho, Geoffrey Massa, Farouk Miya, Brian Majwega
Mr Sudhir Ruparelia (Right) exchanges the signed MoU with Dr James Nkatta (2nd Left), the Chairman Board of Governors Kololo SSS. Looking on is Ms Margaret Watuwa (2nd Right), Head teacher Kololo SSS, Alex Rezida (Center), Lawyer Kampala Parents & David Nkojjo (Left), the Kololo SSS, Chairman Parents Teachers Association (PTA)
Mr Sudhir Ruparelia (Right) exchanges the signed MoU with Dr James Nkatta (2nd Left), the Chairman Board of Governors Kololo SSS. Looking on is Ms Margaret Watuwa (2nd Right), Head teacher Kololo SSS, Alex Rezida (Center), Lawyer Kampala Parents & David Nkojjo (Left), the Kololo SSS, Chairman Parents Teachers Association (PTA)
Kampala-City property mogul, Sudhir Rupaleria under his companyPremier Academy Ltd, the proprietors of Kampala Parents School 2004 and Kololo Senior Secondary School have signed an “access and usage” Memorandum of Understanding that among others details how the two schools will share a modern sports complex, to be built by the latter in land, previously owned by Kololo S.S.
Premier Academy Limited was issued a 99-year lease (Leasehold Register Volume 4456, Folio 4) by the Uganda Land Commission on September 6, 2013 on condition that they re-develop part of Kololo S.S.S land located on Plot 8-12 Saddler Way into a modern sports complex to be shared by both schools. This followed a no-objection from the Education Ministry.
Although the two schools had a mutual understanding and have always shared the undeveloped 6-acresports grounds, the MoU now paves way for the re-development of the land into a state-of-the-art sports complex.
Dr James Nkatta, the Chairman Board of Governors, Ms Margaret Watuwa, Head teacher Kololo SS & David Nkojjo, Chairman Parents Teachers Association signed on behalf of the school, while Mr Sudhir Ruparelia, the Proprietor, Kampala Parents signed on behalf of his school.
The Solicitor General, represented by Mr Ben Turyasingura in a June 2, 2015 letter to the Chairman, Board of Governors, did not object to the MoU.
Facilities
The proposed Lugogo sports centre comprises of multi-game facilities such as a standard size football pitch, a 25 meter swimming pool and 2 running/athletics tracks (200 meters and 400 meters). It will also have modern basketball, volleyball, lawn tennis and badminton courts.
According to the MoU, these facilities will be shared by both schools on an agreed time-table, to be periodically drawn and agreed upon by a management committee that consists of persons seconded by both parties.
The committee shall have a chairperson and vice chairperson who shall be elected from and by the management team on a yearly basis and on a rotation basis “such that at no time will the chairperson and vice chairperson be from the same party”.
The facility will also have a fitness centre, sports cafe and restaurant, a martial arts, boxing, dance and gymnastics studios, 50 meters and 25 meters shooting ranges, climbing walls and multi-purpose rooms for meetings.Both parties agreed that these will be available to the public on a commercial basis, so as to allow the developers raise revenues to support maintenance of the facility.
Kololo SSS will also be allowed a 10 percent finder’s commission for all business brought in for the commercial facilities.
Kampala Parents will entirely finance the development of the center at a cost of US$5 million approximately (Shs15.5 billion). According to Mr Sudhir, construction works will start in the second half of this year and will be complete by December 2016.
Dr. Nkatta hailed the initiative as significant for not only the two schools, but also for the communities around and the sports industry in Uganda.
“Kololo SS has been known as a sports giant for especially football and cricket. This world-class facility will improve our sports talent and make us even shine more. Such a facility will raise the profile of the school and make us a sports hub not only in Uganda but in the region as well,” he said.
He also reassured all stakeholders of the school that the school’s interests had been well catered for in the MoU.
For his part, Sudhir hailed the initiative as a milestone for the two schools and children.
“Other than Lugogo indoor stadium, the whole of Kampala does not have anyother multi-discipline sports facility. I see this as a win-win for our schools, the surrounding communities and the people of Kampala who will be able to have access to these world class facilities.”
L-R David Nkojjo, Kololo SSS, Chairman Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Ms Margaret Watuwa Head teacher Kololo SSS, Dr James Nkatta, the Chairman Board of Governors Kololo SSS and Mr Sudhir Ruparelia sign the “access and usage” MoU.
Edwin Ekiring Africa and Uganda’s number one seed will participate in the 2015 Yonex US Open Championship which takes place June 16-21 in New York.
Simon Mugabi, the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Badminton Association (UBA) confirmed the development to eagle.co.ug
“We have entered Ekiring in a bid to secure early qualification for the 2016Olympic Games in Brazil” Mugabi stressed.
Mugabi explained that after the Yonex US Open, Ekiring will partake in the Sri Lanka Open and Mauritius event which the Ugandan has won behalf.
“We think entering Ekiring for all these tournaments will brighten his Olympic Games qualification chances and prepare him to international standards ahead of the 2015 All Africa Games in and August.
According to the Badminton World Federation and the International Olympic Committee qualification guidelines, only the top ranked African players gain automatic qualification for the Olympics.
Meanwhile, Mugabi has also revealed that he has been forced to withdraw five players from the Yonex and Mauritius International Championship slated for June 11-14 after government said there was no money to support the team.
The UBA was hoping to use the tournament to prepare the team for the 2015 All Africa Games slated for Congo Brazzaville.
The players withdrawn from the event include Jacob Kasirye, Bridget Shamim Bangi, Daisy Nakalyango and Aisha Nakiyemb.
Dr John Sentamu is the headline speaker at The Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards
and will speak about responsibility in business in his address at the ceremony.
He said: “I am delighted to have been asked to speak at and present the Excellence in Business
Awards.
“The role that businesses have in achieving fairness in our society is significant and their
integrity must provide the compass for actions serving the common good.
“These are exciting and challenging times for businesses, industrialists and entrepreneurs across
the Yorkshire region and these awards recognise their efforts and achievements in their chosen
fields.”
Dr Sentamu has spoken out before on the issue of inequality in society and has warned that the
concepts of fairness and income equality are struggling to survive.
He has been a vocal supporter for the introduction of a living wage, arguing that society needs to
value each and every person.
He said: “We need to rediscover the true meaning of the word economy – it means a household,
a community whose members share responsibility for each other. The giant that must be slayed is
income inequality – where some few have far too much and the many have too little.”
Dr Sentamu was appointed Bishop for Stepney in 1996, Bishop for Birmingham in 2002 and
Archbishop of York in 2005. He is Primate of England and Metropolitan, a member of the House
of Lords and a Privy Councillor.
The categories cover community engagement, entrepreneuralism, innovation and international
success, but judges will be looking for strong examples of excellence in business throughout.
DLA Piper, PwC and Yorkshire Bank continue as main sponsors; Bradford University School of
Management, Drax Group, QBE Insurance and thebigword carry on as associate sponsors.
The Excellence in Business Awards is an annual accolade that seeks to commend various
business people. Past individual winners include Sir Ken Morrison, Sir Stuart Rose, James
Colourful Straka Mwezi has released a song bashing the landlord that evicted her for non payment of rent dues.
During her show, “Late Show” that airs daily on Wavah Broadcasting Television (WBS), Straka boosted about how she had finally made it onto the music scene. “This is for my fans,” she said.
The 3 minute song has Straka singing in auto-tune cautioning the landlord about not hating her( Straka) for refusing to be in a relationship with him. “Musajja mukulu, olina nabazukulu, sili Malaya tonkaka,”
she sings in the song, adding, ‘olimukulu sagala bantu bakulu.” Which literally means ‘old man you even have grand children, I am not a wh**e, don’t force me,” she adds, ‘you are old I don’t love oldmen.”
Does this mean Straka has now joined Uganda’s music scene after so many years of promoting artistes.
If she has then maybe, just maybe she will paints the music scene with some of those bright colors of hers.
Whether you are a Ugandan or foreign tourist these places are a must visit for every traveller;
Queen Elizabeth National Park
The Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most-visited National Park. The park is located in Western Uganda and is shared by districts of Kasese, Bundibugyo and Bushenyi. The park lies 5-6 hours on surface road via Mbarara. The park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. The park has diverse ecosystems which includes; a sprawling savanna, shady humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile lands. Around the park, one can visit, Mweya Peninsula especially for accommodation, Kazinga Channel which has a perfect view for most of wildlife ventures, Equator line and Queens Pavilion which is best for photo shooting and crafted materials and Ishasha Tree Climbing Lions for Ishasha River and Lake Edward where one get climbing lions and rare shoebill stork.
Gorilla’s in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Murchison Falls National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda. The park is part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and is situated along the Democratic Republic of Congo border next to the Virunga National Park and on the edge of the Albertine Rift.
The park is a sanctuary for colobus monkeys, chimpanzees and many birds (such as hornbills and turacos). It is perhaps most notable for the 340 Bwindi gorillas, half the world’s population of the critically endangeredmountain gorillas. There are four habituated mountain gorilla groups open to tourism: Mubare; Habinyanja; Rushegura near Buhoma; and the Nkuringo group at Nkuringo.
The park provides habitat for some 120 species of mammals, 348 species of birds, 220 species ofbutterflies, 27 species of frogs, chameleons, geckos and many endangered species. Floristically Bwindi is amongst the most diverse forests in East Africa, with more than 1,000 flowering plant species including 163 species of trees and 104 species of ferns. Gorilla’s in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Murchison Falls
The park lies in north western Uganda, spreading inland from the shore of Lake Albert around the Victoria Nile.Murchison Falls
In Murchison there are four of the “big five”, Cape buffalo, elephants, lions, leopard are best to be seen in the northern part (above the Nile). Due to excessive hunting and poaching, rhinos became extinct by 1983, but were re-introduced into Uganda in 2005 by Rhino Fund Uganda. The park contains 76 Species of mammals as well as Uganda’s largest population of Nile crocodile. 450 bird species are present ranging from easy variety of water birds, including the rare shoe-billed stork. The park is also home to the large African wild animals including: hippopotamus, giraffes, antelope, Uganda kob, hartebeest and oribi.
The Bujagali Falls
Bujagali Falls
Bujagali Falls (also spelled Budhagali) was a waterfall near Jinja in Uganda where the Nile River comes out of Lake Victoria and is considered the source of the Nile. Starting November 2011, the falls were submerged by the new Bujagali Dam.
The falls are said by local residents to be the site of a spirit, called the “Spirit of Bujabald,” who protects the community by performing rituals at the falls. The spirit is embodied in a man, Jaja Bujabald, who lives next to the falls; he is the thirty-ninth person to be the spirit. The spirit of Bujagali
Kasubi Tombs
The Kasubi Tombs in Kampala, Uganda, is the site of the burial grounds for four Kabakas, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The royal enclosure at Kasubi Hill, also known as the Ssekabaka’s Tombs, was first built in 1881. The circular site contained many structures, including the royal tombs of four Kabaka’s of Buganda. The tombs were held in straw thatched buildings. The site remains an important spiritual and political site for the Baganda people. In 2001, the Kasubi Tombs were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The four Kabaka’s buried at the tombs include; Muteesa I (1835–1884), Mwanga II (1867–1903), DaudiChwa II (1896–1939), Sir Edward Muteesa II (1924–1969).
