AikoGraphics

GODisgreat...

2011-04-11T04:06:00.001-07:00

Salaam/ Shalom (Peace be with you!) If you walk through a vast uninhabited Desert Valley en find an odd Gallery smack in the middle, will you reason that it came into existence by a sudden Cosmic Explosion? Is that how our Planet en the Galaxy came into existence or was it created by GOD? Sometimes you want to scream to GOD, but (it's like) HE can't hear you. I have never seen GOD nor felt HIM hug me, speak to me in an audible voice, nor have I memorized the exact trademark Smell of HIS Presence but despite my Sins, Imperfections, Shortcomings, Problems en Mistakes, I believe HE is the Paramount Reason I remain Irie.

Happiness is a State of Mind - it's discovering that GOD's Will is Superior to our Plans en Freedom is believing that only HE can shelter us from Satan. Lucifer MUST Die!

A certain woman kept blaspheming GOD until one dark night when she almost fell on abandoned razor-sharp barbed wires in a pit but cried to GOD for help en angels held her.

One suicidal atheist went to a Club en sat at the bar counter smoking Marijuana to ease his depression while cussing, "GOD, if You really exist, come en get me out of here!" After a short while, a macho guy wearing a black T-Shirt emblazoned with the word "SECURITY" approached him en said, "Get out of here, GOD was too busy, so HE sent me to bounce you!"

Another Non-Believer was lost in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean (where all the four hemispheres meet) during a storm that destroyed his Panama Expedition raft en for the first time, he begged GOD for help. After two minutes, a man rowing a small boat made from banana stems came by but he refused to board saying GOD would help, "He's supposed to come in a Big Boat since he claims to be BIG." Later, a Pesticide spraying helicopter lowered a rope and the atheist again told the pilot that he had alerted GOD to come en save him. Then a great white shark came and swallowed him. After death, he asked GOD why He didn't help him but GOD replied, "I sent the boat en air rescue, but you still didn't believe in me."

Cheers!

The Beginning of 3D-CG in UG

2011-04-11T04:04:00.000-07:00

One of the Most Complex en Painstaking Visual Arts is 3D Animation, a sister to CGI used in Movies. Before the turn of the Millenium (2000), many Ugandans, namely US based Solomon Jagwe (Soreel Graphix), UK taught Yunus Sebyala (X-Toons Animations) en Wales graduate David Masanso (Crossroads Digital Media) had started experimenting seriously with 3D Animation Graphics. Nevertheless, by 2011, the Animation Industry in the Pearl of Africa was still regarded as "Young but growing fast" and it will never die despite the challenges. I remember in the 1990s, there was a Privatisation Campaign brilliantly animated for TV. I wonder where it was done. One of the major challenges in UG though is Production Capital, not only monetary but also technological skills. If upcoming animators and enthusiastic 3D artists keep trying new tricks, more improved work can be produced. Learn from the best! Tra-Digital Animation is also recommended by experts. It blends both the old en new, traditional hand-drawn en digital. TDA takes the Best of Both Worlds en explores new possibilities in storytelling. We should never think that the medium alone, in this case 3D Animation produced using 3ds max, Maya, Mental Ray, Blender, Vue 7, Poser, ZBrush or LightWave (used to make Titanic, Avatar, 300, Iron Man en Finding Nemo), tells the story. TDA is also a great supplement, en so is Google SketchUp Pro used to design Google Earth Maps.

In 2010, Makerere University Kampala and Digimation UK entered a partnership to conduct Digital Animation Courses in the well facilitated Faculty of Computing en I.T. Meanwhile, Artfield Institute in Naguru near Kembabazi en Rescue was also founded to offer courses in 3D Animation en Graphic Design.

Some notable animations from UG include the MTN "Yori Yori" Caller Tunez TV Commercial (by Phantom in Nsambya) though some think it's from RSA; Animated Snippets mixed with realtime Video Footage of Youth in "Lwaki (Why?)" by EYEZEE OMUWANDUZI ft. SANDSOUL; the Animated Video for "You Want Another Rap" by the Most Excellent Rapper SEVO (Uganda's President) produced by Yunus en his crew that included (NTV) Mini Buzz Cartoonist Jimelux Tashobya; Galiwango: Obulamu Bwe'Kisodde/ The Life of a Gorilla (Luganda Animated Film), female Hiphop sensation KEKO's Animated Video, another Music Video combining human footage with animations entitled "Uganda Yange" by Swedish-based GEROCK and more...

Jesus is Superior ...

2009-12-29T07:12:00.000-08:00

Below are some of the life transforming teachings I managed to grasp during Andrew Wommack's Ministers' Conference at Serena Hotel Kampala's Victoria Hall on Saturday 18th July 2009. Before he came, his TV shows, books and internet articles had emphasized to me a truth I have been exploring for about a dozen years now, "Hypocrites (Religious Pharisees) can also be mistaken to be Saints." I actually wrote a short story entitled "The Wrong Train to Heaven" exploring this topic inspired by my own new life and a storyline from a nightmare I had seen close to the end of the previous millenium while studying at St. Mary's College Kisubi (1997 to 2000). Believe me, Hypocrites rot in the Lowest Part of Hell; we preach one thing and then live another. Why? It's because we are still human. Our bodies still have sin in them, but the decay varies in different people depending on whether you listen more to GOD's Holy Spirit or the Devil's agents and demons. Sometimes I feel our righteousness (even if not pretended) is like torn very ancient rags compared to GOD's exquisite and flawless designer fashion." Never put faith in your own works; only Jesus can save us. Galatians 2: 20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of GOD, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
"Jesus is like the epitome of worth. His value is as great as the whole universe, so when GOD sends him to die for all of us, we should be proud that we are worth all of that. This joy and pride can even make a statue shout. (Talk of stones praising His name if we human beings don't). It's good to fear GOD but even better to love HIM. Love makes you live a holy life as if by accident. You become prone to holiness. When you accept Christ, your spirit becomes like His - You are righteous even though your mind and body are different. The flesh will repeatedly wrestle against the spirit but that's a No Contest as long as you never commit the one sin that will take people to hell which is rejecting John 16: 9 (Of sin, because they do not believe in Me;). Jesus bought salvation for our souls, so live free. Tithe in order to get more money to tithe. When you tithe, everything is provided to you supernaturally. (What you need to do is get rid of the worry that if you tithe even the last Shilling banknote you have, you will have nothing left! GOD provides in mysterious ways.) We are all on the same level, there is no need for cloaks and collars to differentiate the clergy from the laity. We are all ministers, equal at the foot of the cross. There is nothing like there are some who know GOD more. Before Christianity went to Mexico, they had a big temple built for a GOD who appeared in three different forms, the same happened in Vietnam. We are supposed to pray the LORD's Prayer, not recite it like religious fanatics do. Every culture has an in built sense of GOD and the conscience to differentiate between what is right and what is ungodly or (un-GODlike). The latter is punishable, so must always be avoided. I cannot commit adultery at the moment however much you tempt me because I love GOD and my wife. Thieves do not have love for their victims, prostitutes do not love their clients nor themselves."

Before a two hour lunch break, Andrew thanked a number of people who helped in the operations in his ministry. One of them, Leland Shores who manages Andrew Wommack's Bookshop at Shop 39 Cham Towers (Former UCB Main Building) on Kampala Road revealed that after the previous evening's conference, while returning to his rest place, Andrew commented that among all the nations in the world he had been to, the people of Uganda understood his message fastest even though it took Andrew about two decades to figure out what he preached to Ugandans during his conference. I used to watch Andrew's TV show almost regularly ever since I learnt, close to the end of 2008, that it shows on LTV. Why did it take this long for me to notice? GOD forgive me!

Andrew preaches about exactly the same thing I have been trying to figure out ever since I accepted Jesus into my rotten heart (1997) and then had a demon of 'Pretended Holiness (Hypocrisy)' cast out of me (2000). I learnt a lot from Andrew during 2009 and even bought a book entitled "A Better Way to Pray". The conference was also very eye opening, the thoughts were clear and liberating. He confessed, "I am a plain preacher, I do not shout and show theatrics because I am promoting Jesus not myself. I have kept myself holy and avoided sin so that I can set other people free. Sin is not just breaking a commandment but also failing to do what you know is the right thing to do. Religion has made people compromise with so many Bible truths, but it does not mean we follow the rules to the nail and become robots (like the ones in Will Smith's film entitled 'iRobot'). I used to preach against skirts above the knee but stopped. We need to free up our souls and know that GOD is love not an angry being who is ready to kill us anytime we sin even in our minds. (I believe dressing is not the matter, what matters is self control. In Australia, women dress scantily but it is not a shameful issue, the issue is men's minds. If you do not dress your mind, even a well dressed woman - well covered like an Afghan woman in a Muslim 'Burka' - can become an object of your lust. Besides, ancient Africans used to walk naked while others only covered themselves with leaves but committing adultery, fornication, defilement or rape was punished by death.)

Here is a summary of Andrew Wommack's message, "GOD has given us mercy through Jesus Christ but we should not take that as a license to continue sinning. You can even self destruct if the Devil implants his religious doctrines into your mind and goes on vacation. What you need to know is that the righteous things you do cannot save you, only Jesus can save you. So when you sin, GOD forbid, He is the Holy Grace to save you."

Andrew gave away some of his books and recommended that people read the one about "Self Centredness". Joyce Meyer actually ordered for 100 copies and gave to her ministry team. When you sow the word in people, it germinates eventually.

No War in Kampala

2009-11-14T23:50:00.001-08:00

To pessimists, it seemed like the beginning of another Government versus Kabaka saga similar to the one in 1966 that ousted Kabaka Sir Edward Muteesa II, the father of the current king, but even after the first day of riots, you could see where everything was going to end: Victory for peace loving Baganda and Museveni who is, in the first place, actually the reason why there is a Kabaka today plus other cultural leaders including that of the Banyala who were the antagonists in question. They would not accept the Kabaka in their territory hence the cancelling of the trip by Government. There was no reason why Buganda administrators overlooked intelligence warnings that they may not be safe visiting Bugerere. It was for their good but they took it as an invasion of their autonomy. I respect the Kabaka and Buganda cultural values (even if I am not a Muganda, maybe am from Burooli, I'm not sure!) but this time I think they took their freedom and passion a mile further by rejecting helpful information. Government is in the business of preventing chaos and so they have their eyes wide open, they can speculate where insurgencies can occur. I trust them on that and that is exactly the reason why I went to town on Friday 11th September 2009 (8th Anniversary of the World Trade Centre Bombings in New York) to book my Gaagaa ticket from Kampala to the northwest. I wasn't "running from a war" like my first nephew kept insisting humorously when I finally reached my destination safely the following day. A constructor near the Gaagaa booking office on Wilson Road actually remarked that he was born in Kampala and the ongoing rioting was one of "the weakest he had ever seen in his entire downtown experience". I actually spent about two hours at an Arua Park Restaurant with my old boy Grace who was going to disembark in Nebbi later that day. He had missed his 7 O'Clock bus because of fearful radio reports warning of more chaos erupting. (Now that is where the media goes wrong sometimes, no wonder three radio stations were closed by that afternoon) There was no need to panic, the city wasn't on fire nor at war. Grace's friends kept calling him to ask where they had reached. He was still in Kampala, hahaha, safe and sound not because the route was unsafe but because he had changed his departure time. Only one coach was left and it was going up to Koboko that day (like our 7.30 AM bus on Saturday) and so it took all the remaining few travellers.
There were very few taxis, most were on some sort of strike. Those on the streets were ferrying people into the suburbs away from the City Centre. It's good they did not operate because I can tell you that the number of people on Kampala streets that Friday was worse than on public holidays. Almost all shops were closed because of fear of looters and people stayed home except for brave souls like me (Am not bragging that I do not fear gun battles, they were actually going on in the background as I approached the city centre. I was just cocksure civilians would not risk confronting army men and I had a Sunday deadline to beat upcountry, so I had to be very brave). Tyres were burnt Thursday and Friday in Bwaise and other surburbs outside the city sparking off Police gunshots that killed a few people. Rioters did so many crazy things including assaulting Policemen but when M7's army from as far as the Gaddafi Barracks in Jinja was brought in, you could see that there was NO CONTEST. I couldn't even imagine a war between civilian hoodlums and Uganda's army. That would be total whitewash hence the raised arms when army guys started whipping stubborn pedestrians in the city. No wonder a number of days later at a UN Conference, M7 en Gaddafi both warned that cultural institutions should never be involved in politics. As a ray of sunshine, M7 finally met the Kabaka in the first week of October 2009 after two years of trying to reach 'Magulunyondo' (Iron Feet) and both commented that the meeting went well. Please smile, there was No War! Long live President Museveni and the Kabaka!

Graffiti Skills taught to Me by Imran Azad

2009-09-08T02:04:00.000-07:00

"Innovation Katogo" was the theme for the last Wapi Event in 2008 (organised by the British Council plus Silk Events) and I managed to spray paint my very first amateur Graffiti before making my annual Christmas pilgrimage to Arua Town the next weekend (Didn't even attend my Old Fellow Jona's Wedding).

Trivia: My very first professional painting was around August 2007 but it wasn't graffiti, just an interior decoration for an old boy. The second followed immediately just before CHOGM.

Imran Azad, the uniquely colourful artist taught me some valuable techniques I applied to produce my 'INOV8RZ' Graffiti piece. Someone said he liked the way I did the Z, I liked it too. Not bad overall but I felt I needed to do much better than I did, paint dripped in some areas even after I started fantastically. I lost my nerve somehow close to the climax and even held my spray-can with two hands. Some stranger who came late and couldn't get a board wanted to help me finish my name smoothly. I let him do it; he advised me to spray once (that is continuously) while creating a letter. Another guy asked me to spray on his trousers, wow! Was that fan courtesy? Naah, I think I was just available. Roland who did a live painting during Kirk Franklin's previous Serena Concert was on my right side. The girl on my left side was also doing it for her first time and told her friends I was quite 'good' despite everything else but the highlight guy whom my second cousin Edwin (holding a videocam) told me to check out was a white painter whose meticulous touch was so smooth that it attracted several watchers. Owl (real name Derrick Muhiirwa) had remarkable stuff near the fence. Imran , my mentor was also loud with about two pieces. The master (who bravely appeared in Desire Luzinda’s song “Bingi” while other men shunned the bare-chested role in the video) painted great stuff too. He later confessed that I did better than he thought I would on my first attempt. I know that everybody has a certain talent but we need practice to perfect our disciplines.

Here are a few guidelines he shared with me before and during the December drill. I have chosen to summarise them into seven entries:

1. Spray from a distance, it may be faint but it prevents the dripping of paint. (Remember to always wear a mask covering your nose to avoid poisoning!)
2. Learn to use the index finger, weaker than the thumb but allows flexibility. The thumb may not give you very good results compared to the index finger (aka second or forefinger)
3. Do not try to rub away paint when there is another colour around, will cause a mixture and result in a new colour
4. Be free (and not uneasy). Don't be nervous, relax, YOU CAN DO IT! (He said that just about the time Obama became the First Black President of America)
5. To create a line that is smooth, depress the aerosol and spray once while making lines
6. To keep the paint mixed, you can turn the can upside down in addition to shaking
7. Start by spraying light colours like yellow first, then add dark ones (Personally, I don't mind the reverse as long as you know your vision)

Launching a Website documenting Uganda’s Built Heritage

2009-07-13T02:51:00.002-07:00

On Tuesday 30th June 2009 at the Uganda National Museum opposite Seascallop Restaurant on Kira Road, the Makerere University Faculty of Technology Department of Architecture launched the website (www.tech.mak.ac.ug/heritage) documenting and illuminating the surviving historic built heritage of Uganda. The Mission of the Website is: To create awareness about surviving built heritage resources of Uganda so as to impact the local preservation arena with a research, publishing and archiving culture as a powerful tool for conservation action. The website features religious bodies, primary plus tertiary institutions, culture functions, health services, residences and public art. As referred to in the 1972 UNESCO Convention for Conservation and Protection of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage, it includes works of monumental sculpture, painting and other monuments, elements or structures of archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of features, groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape are outstanding historically, artistically or scientifically. Also included are residential precincts, business premises, sites, parks and gardens and or mixed use facilities.

Many interesting ideas were shared during the workshop. I came in very late and couldn’t place names to the various contributors but here are a few of the ideas:
“Without architectural acumen, you may create a lame building, or a deaf one. Create things like you for the future generations! Beautiful buildings attract tourists. Souvenirs of buildings for example T-Shirts of Namirembe Cathedral when sold can be bought and earn money.”

“There is a problem in Uganda as a result of the education system; people do not appreciate culture. Some politicians speak bad about other regions. There is no spirit of cooperation. We have our own innovations but do not believe in ourselves. Some MUK professors reject bibliographies that include work by professors like Justice George Wilson Kanyeihamba (Chancellor of KIU – Kampala International University) from our own country. In our Primary Schools, if you speak vernacular, you are canned. The issue of culture should be brought up at the primary level. When rebels wage wars, they shouldn’t destroy the existing landmarks.

“(In some European countries, they pray for maximum destruction during war so that they can start the first development program.) For architecture, whenever you look at a building, there is a signal in your brain. Someone once asked: ‘Why zone floors, here don’t go beyond three floors?’ Let us appreciate the dwarf, the tall, the Karimojong.”

“Forces of globalization (colonialism) have destroyed indigenous values where people would sit down and listen to their grandparents. These were negative trends brought before we were born, it’s now up to us to change that. Nevertheless, English helps us understand further, higher, deeper and larger. We do not have to abandon vernacular.”

“Students fail simple exams set at the Faculty of Technology because they never understand the fundamentals or abstracts which can be taught best using vernacular. Uganda teaches sciences in English but if you draw a line from Nimule, in Southern Sudan or New Sudan, to the North Pole you will find that all teach in their local languages.”

“If you want to know the future, you must glorify the present. This project has come to fill the vacuum. The grant from the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation will surely ignite Ugandans.”

Nelson Abiti aka Nelly, one of the Uganda Museum facilitators at the workshop emphasized to me after the proceedings that, “Colonial evangelists taught us how our traditional cultures were of the Devil, yet when someone takes very good care of a certain tree in his homestead, he is actually honouring GOD who made the tree.”

Koyi Koyi (by GNL Zamba) Lyrics

2009-07-13T02:51:00.000-07:00

The groundbreaking video for this upbeat song (Title song for his Album) was shot in Entebbe, Uganda’s Flyest Town. Their neighbourhood was the kind with its own president (forget the one in the renovated State House). The people there are so unique they do not speak Luganda but understand the language in music. GNL’s crew arrived late at the venue because it had rained. Getting extras was hard. The crew looked like Police so the locals played it safe but when GNL took his hood off, they knew it was the “Soda Ginjale” guy and relaxed. The bandages on GNL’s body are meant to symbolize hiphop, picture a Ugandan mummy. Hiphop is like a dead pharaoh and GNL is supposed to reawaken the genre that’s why he takes off the bandages at The End. The camera was shaky because he held it in his hand while running in one scene. This filming technique is like one used by Xzibit in one of his videos, the only difference is that the American had the camera strapped by metal rods to his body. GNL tripped over a stone and people laughed but “it was enjoyable…”

[CHORUS:] [Koyi koyi, (Ndya) X2, Ono akilya, Oli akilya. Wulira wenkilya ] X2

[VERSE ONE:]
Banzalira mu ghetto, awatali mu?to
GNL Zamba ndinga omwana Yesu Kristo
GNL nze jena va, abana teba mbala ngato
Enkuba wetonya, oku vayo obera wetaga lyato
Okubera wano namwe nze kyali kiloto
Nawandika nga rhymes zange mwana ku tadoba
Charlie wange P-Tek nangamba nti, "Man, toloba! Luliba lumu wolifuna nekiriba."
Kati laba ye nze ali ku MTV ne Jam Agenda
Byenkola ku kazindalo ba Charlie babitenda
Ndemede ku nsonga kati ninga Andrew Mwenda
Manyi jenva ate manyi jengenda
Njukira webangambanga nti, “GNL tomalako!”
Naye kati malako ba Charlie nzanya 90 [kyenda]
Miziki jenkuba kati mujiwulira mubyenda
Manyi jenva ate era manyi jengenda

[CHORUS:]

[VERSE TWO:]
Eno ensi tulinga aba nyiga olwazi okulujamu amazi
Mpita mu Kampala ndaba banji ba tunula angazi
Abavubuka enaku zino ebizibu biba goba nga abasezi
Wembera nkuba rhyme nange ndaba abachwezi
Naye nenfuna hope nga face yange nji laba ku mwezi
Muvubuka lemerako nga oba Sylvester ne Abrams,
Lemerako nga onyonya answer to the riddle of koyi koyi
Wade nga obulamu bwocha nga fumbiro ya Sitani
Wade nga olinga ayetise enjovu tano ku minzani
Nga ne obulamu bukusala nga ebiso bya ba sultan
Koyi koyi oteka kubare ne plan, nze njukira gwali 2005 [Nkumi biri mu tano]
Big Brother weyachakira wano ne Gaetano
Nali ku East Africa TV mwana Channel 5 [Tano], wenasoka okukuba rap mululimi olwawano
Shadrak nampita, Mother Africa ne ba All-Star
Tulidewo award, twalina squad
Nga mukuwandula ebigambo tubera nga abasilikale mu Baghdad
GNL kati nkomyewo
Album bajiyita ‘Koyi Koyi’, njije ku writing pad

[CHORUS:]

[VERSE TWO:]
Wali olabye omusajja omukulu nga akaba amaziga
Nagezako okuseka nga naye Enaku emunyiga
Wali olabyeko bano eno ba R ‘n’ B singer, bafanana nga entebbe nkalu kulunaku lwa launchinga
Oyo sexy golaba bamuyita nankinga
Womulaba mubala, gwe olowoza achillinga, kumbe mwana muwala nga omubiri gwe gwa dealinga
Okulaba ntino afunira abanabe obulamu obusinga
Mu buno obulamu obulinga obwe nyanya
Sente mwana watu tezilabika gwe newo ozinonya
Nze jensula landlord ambanja nkumi nya, buli lwe mulaba musala ebikuubo nga omunya
Nga ate wensula watonya
Obulamu nga oli mwavu obera nga ekyenyanja mu kamwa ka gonya
Chova olaba nonya answer ya koyi koyi, nonya
Ndiku stage, nonya answer ya koyi koyi, nonya
Abali ku boda boda, aba taxi, abali ku byenyanja, aba fuba
Bona banonya answer ya koyi koyi (Koyi koyi X3) What?
[OUTRO:] Platinum Entertainment baby, Baboon Forest Entertainment baby, It’s your boy GNL, your boy Sam, right? Hiphop we taking over men. Ey yo, ey yo! This song goes out to everybody that knew me when I was broke, right? My father, my mother, my sister Sef?, Emron, Shadrak, what up, hahaha! (We) taking over men, (Koyi koyi ndya X3)

Church-itecture

2009-07-13T02:49:00.000-07:00

I don’t claim to know all the corners of Ug* but if you collected photos of all or most of the churches plus other religious buildings in Uganda, I bet on my bottom shilling that you will find very many distinct designs. Is it GOD-inspiration or the result of worship. The few I have seen are like giant works of public art, from the exterior colours and shapes to the interior skeleton and deco. No wonder some of the Greatest Artists we admire in the world for instance Michelangelo had murals on the ceilings of cathedrals. Remember the “Hand of GOD”, fantastic stuff.

Treating the Common Cold

2009-07-13T02:42:00.000-07:00

One of the worst health experiences is having a cold, the mucus and sneezing can drive you mad. But don’t worry, on Thursday 12th February 2009, DW-TV featured an interview on the Health Programme ‘in good shape’ to get you in good shape when you have a cold… “Drink lemon in hot water, add honey; Drink Carmamile in hot water, eucalyptus base; Get some rest, put your feet in hot water to make your temperature rise; Drink a hot cup of herbal tea (3 Cups a day); Take it easy; Tie a scarf around your neck to keep yourself warm…[If you are using garlic to soathe a sore throat, you might find that it tastes better with Ground-nuts, that’s what my uncle told me]

Michael Jackson is still alive...

2009-06-30T01:00:00.001-07:00

Despite his cardiac arrest on Thursday 25th June 2009, I believe Michael Jackson is still alive (at least in my heart and the hearts of many other music lovers). Uganda is many hours ahead of the US and around the afternoon of the same day here, someone played ‘Heal the World’ in the office and I sang along not knowing that by the following morning I would be reading on a friend’s Facebook update that MJ had gone to meet his MAKER, Glory to HIM. The friend didn’t even have kind words for him but MJ will forever be an icon in my Hall of Fame. I became a fan of MJ’s music around 1991 when the psychedelically marketed ‘Dangerous’ Album came to Jinja, my birthplace. I was just over 7 years old but love (or lust) for the opposite sex was becoming a real thing for me so I understood what he was saying. ‘Black or White’ featuring the Coolest Kid at that time (McClurkin from the addictive ‘Home Alone’ film franchise) was overplayed on TV in the 90s cementing the Black Elvis’s status in my mind as the World’s Favourite Entertainer. Little did I know that in 1982 two years before I was born, he had achieved a music marketing record that has never been broken. He literally died an invincible Record Holder with the Best Selling Album of All – Time, that is, “Thriller”. It is not my favourite but regardless of my preferences, his record still stands. Nevertheless, I must confess that most, if not all, of his songs are really good and he had a knack of featuring well known personalities in his videos.

My favourite Michael Jackson song is ‘Stranger in Moscow’. It is so heart-warming that you feel even rain falling on your skin or anything refreshing (instead of tears) can actually wash away the pain in your heart. Just bask in the sun of a beach, rain of a street or lose yourself in anything good and feel it wash away the troubles in your life: “Your Madness is Your Gladness” is usually my Pain Therapy. Amazingly, Wacko Jacko – nickname due to his changing face – wrote this song while on tour in Moscow, Russia. He was being accused in law courts back home of molesting kids and he felt lonely, isolated, abandoned and on the verge of madness. After everything he had done for people, he couldn’t believe they had turned against him, talk of Ba Yuda (Traitors, Impostors, Masqueraders, Liars, Back Stabbers, Haters, Opportunists, Viper Snakes, Hypocrites, Slimy Mud Slingers, Kigeugeu (Double Standards), Bloodsuckers or in Biblical terms Judases, Balaams, Jezebels, Delilahs and Absaloms. They smile in the light and hate in the dark like Two faced Vultures, Hypocrites, and Sons of the Devil). He actually acquired his Neverland Ranch to get away from this celebrity life. Judie Brisse, his caretaker at the ranch, confessed that Michael ‘could not trust anyone.’ ‘Stranger in Moscow’ is the 5th and final single in “HIStory” (his 1996 album), “When you are alone and you’re cold inside. Like Stranger in Moscow, LORD have mercy. (We are talkin' danger. We are talkin' danger, baby! Like Stranger in Moscow X2) I'm livin' lonely, I'm livin' lonely, baby. Like Stranger in Moscow”

Quincy Jones, his long time production partner was shocked by the sad news. I guess he will miss the hugest gem he had ever handled by my standards. Before playing the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Final (the precursor of the 2010 Soccer World Cup – the first in Africa) against defending champions Brazil, American striker Landon Donovan told a press conference that when they win, he would dedicate the championship to Michael Jackson and not Barack Obama. Blacks have always been doing great things. Personally, I was not too excited when Obama became the first Black President, there had already been Blacks in high governmental and judicial positions. This was just the final frontier that was definitely going to be conquered. I knew it wasn’t about race, we are all brothers and sisters and can do what others do. That’s what MJ preached. I do not even care what religion he was, what I know is that he taught unity and equality. If that is evil, then I would rather spend my time listening to artists like him than pretend to be holier than him like some people. In the game, American goalie Tim Howard (Golden Glove Recipient) kept Brazil chasing shadows in the first half. Then Donovan consumating a thrilling fast break scored USA’s second, what to me was the Goal of the Match dedicated to Michael Jackson, even though the World Champions inevitably returned in the Second Half with three Cup-Winning strikes: Two from Luis Fabiano (Silver Ball and Golden Shoe) and the winner headed in late from Elano’s corner by Samba Boys Captain Lucio (Fair Play Award Recipient). Golden Ball winner Kaka’s legitimate goal was even disallowed, the linesman was blind that moment. I knew Brazil could come back but felt for Dempsey (Bronze Ball Award Winner) who scored the first US goal. The pain of losing the final made him shed tears; that’s how painful it must have also felt losing MJ: Fans cried profusely outside the Ronald Reagan Hospital where he had been taken from his home. No hard feelings Uncle Sam, but MJ featured Brazil (who also belong to Jesus) in his song ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ so they probably deserved to win too. His moves have been copied in small time studios around the world and even parodied by contemporary artists like Eminem and Keri Hilson. In my Mad Thoughts, if Usher, Justin Timberlake, Ginuwine, Chris Brown and Omario stage a concert in Memory of the King, it could be the best alternative gift to the world that was anticipating the real thing MJ died preparing for.

My favourite Videos by MJ were "Black or White" (Of course) and “Bad”, for the 1987 Album’s title track, directed by Martin Scorsese and featuring Wesley Snipes. The quality is so classy that it beats some modern ones. His high pitched voice and thrilling dance strokes can also be viewed in ‘Earth Song’, ‘Cry’, ‘You Are Not Alone’, ‘Beat It’, ‘Billie Jean’, ‘Do U Remember the Time?’ featuring Magic Johnson and Eddie Murphy. Wow, USA has really produced many legends with the MJ initials from Michael Jordan to Magic Johnson, Michael Johnson to Marion Jones to Mick Jagger (of the Rolling Stones) and Montell Jordan. The videos ‘USA for Africa’ and ‘Liberian Girl’ have a star-studded cast showing you just how far MJ reached. The latter (Dedicated to Elizabeth Taylor - the Most Beautiful Woman in the World) actually features the greatest actors during their generation namely Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, John Travolta plus others. My Favourite American Director Steven Spielberg also made an appearance when someone asked,, ‘Who’s directing this? Where is Michael?” Another wonder is that the girl at the start of the video speaks in Swahili, East Africa’s Official Language. By the way, a maid who once worked for MJ has a home in Bushenyi, Western Uganda so his loss is felt here too. If you watch ‘Moonwalker’, a musical movie by the ‘King of Pop’, you will notice how movie-like most of his music videos were, fantastic stuff. In my life, I do not think I will ever see another performer as thrilling as Michael Jackson, he was simply the World’s Greatest. May his soul Rest in Peace!

Whose Role is it in Supporting Arts?

2009-05-07T01:44:00.008-07:00

The third series of the Bayimba Cultural Discussions (sponsored by Hivos) were held on Friday 24th April 2009 at Club Rouge.

("It became clear during the first discussions that culture and arts are important in shaping and transforming society. The arts were defined as expressions and visible parts of culture.

In any developing economy, the creative arts industry is a key sector that contributes to both economic and social development. It is widely recognized that arts can reach corners no one can reach. It can pass on powerful messages: for the good (e.g. Jose Chameleone sang about domestic violence, Bobi Wine pleads to his ghetto families for community work and self realisation, Pamela of Shalom Rapperz (Holy Rhapsody) - a Hiphop Gospel group comprising three hunks and a Mukiga belle - sings about integrity in the promiscuous world (Catch their videos on TOP TV or at JP Plaza Nkrumah Road), Lady J from West Nile sings about having fun while we are still alive, Chandiru Leila sings about Prostitutes fleecing promiscuous men, Desire Luzinda featuring Ngoni sings about Faithfulness in Marriage while Silver Kyagulanyi writes songs about Love) but also for bad (e.g. a Rwandan artist that was recently convicted for having contributed to the genocide).

However, the creative arts industry needs to be supported to reach this level – a vision for a sustainable creative arts industry needs to be in place. And, for the creative arts industry to contribute successfully to shaping and transforming society arts and creative minds need to be supported – their quality and professionalism needs to be enhanced.

The question is who should support the arts sector?

The role of the community:
In the absence of funding, communities often pitch in to ensure that initiatives go forward. One should not underestimate the community spirit and spirit of volunteers in sustaining the arts. However, to reach a certain level of professionalism and quality that is called for, these communities and individuals need to be supported in their efforts.

The role of the government:
There are several reasons why a government could/should support arts and art institutions. First, because arts can be seen as a collective good: everyone should be able to enjoy. The government assist in making sure that everyone can actually enjoy. Second, because arts is considered a merit good: art as a means to educate people and the population. Third, because it is necessary to conserve some forms of arts (heritage). Finally, because of the potential positive external effects of arts: arts centres and events have an effect on (local) economy while arts can contribute to national tourism and boost a country’s image.

Role of the private sector:
Private businesses, foundations and wealthy individuals have been an important factor in support of arts. What motivates businesses, foundations and individuals to give to the arts – what reason or benefit do they see to support the arts sector? Whereas foundations and individuals are inclined to have more altruistic reasons to provide support (linked to individual interest in arts and belief in role of arts in society), private businesses provide support because they see a mileage in a certain arts initiative or see it as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR).

It is mind-boggling how private businesses perceive sponsorship to arts activities: support to the arts sector is rather ad hoc and at an individual level – there is no advert that is made without the involvement of arts (radio spots use music, television spots use graphics, artists are appearing in adverts or used for posters). There are also disciplines of arts that are more attracting to businesses. Whereas private businesses are testifying that music and arts form the thesis of all things we do in life, there is no ground support to the arts sector. It would be preferred if businesses would not only use arts to make money but also return to the very sector they are relying on for their publicity and marketing. A mutual relationship between arts and private businesses would eventually be beneficial to both sectors.

The following questions are raised:
1. Do arts need to be supported?

2. Who should support the arts? What blending of public and private support is needed?

3. How do government and private sector relate to arts? What are the reason(s) for supporting arts?

4. What is the government responsibility in the creation of a cultural vibrant society?

5. What is the role of private businesses? Who are other supporters of arts?

6. How do we support arts? In what way can government, private businesses assist? Direct funding, indirect support?

7. Is there a way we can build an arts sector that is sustainably and not only depending on external (public or private) support?

Arts play a beneficial role in society – the benefits can be both social and economic. We will need to agree that art is good for people as well as for the economy – it provides jobs, it educates, it keeps kids off the street. We also need to agree that our talented artists can be excellent ambassadors of Uganda – they can change the image of Uganda that remains to be known for its violent history and politics.

Our wish is to see Uganda as a community where arts are vibrant and alive, balancing between the more traditional forms of arts (Kiganda dance, entoogoro etc.) and the emerging creative industries. To become recognised as a creative nation and to develop the full potential of arts as a contributing factor to positive change requires a certain level of support to our creative arts industry.") Most of this information was courtesy of the Bayimba Team.

Panellists included:

Steven Rwangyezi – Ndere Cultural Centre

Emily Drani – Cross Cultural Foundation

Mark Kaheru – UTL

Ms. Kuruhiira – Commissioner for Culture and Family Affairs

Memoirs of a Cartoonist

2009-04-16T10:29:00.002-07:00

On Thursday 7th May 2009, I will be marking exactly two years since my editorial cartoons (with the copyright 'Aiko' label) started being published on page 4 of 'The Standard', Uganda Christian University's community newspaper. It was an honour to be part of a dream come true even though it came with its ups and downs, glories and humiliations. Many readers either abhorred or loved my cartoons. I do not know much about the half way house but I will start with criticisms before I come to the good parts later.

Some lady once shouted that I was dry - I do not know if she was referring to my humour, pockets or something else but after that shell I tried to make my pieces more colourful and easy on the eye. Then a campus girl doubted, 'Taja kumalako' meaning 'He will not finish' in Luganda. I wish she could eat her words and tell me how they taste...It's all about GOD's grace now, I literally made it through two years - contract term for UCU staff - even if some pieces were below my personal benchmark and only two issues lacked my toons during this period. It's not how hard you push along the way but having something in you to finish. Other criticisms included, 'plastic...unoriginal...rigid...wordy...too detailed' and so on.

When the 4th issue of Volume One came out 18th June 2007, Edmund K.(the management accountant) commented that the toons were 'still not yet funny' but when he saw a Chogm toon published later in Issue 15 on 19th November 2007, he was happy. It featured M7 and Queen Elizabeth touring UCU in a limo. My 3rd and 4th sisters wanted to show it to their workmates; maybe it was that good. The toon I hate most is in Volume One, Issue 6 featuring two boys reading a notice banning 'buveera' - polythene bags - on campus. I believe there is always room for improvement so I never let failure, criticism or correction make me walk with a limp. People encouraged me (which was very positive). New Vision editorial cartoonist Mr. Ras taught me that combo pens are more professional even if I still find my preferred BIC pens produce darker shades without smudges. What I need to learn is how to use combos which I never liked during school, that's how it is. He also introduced me to ivory paper which stores your work for ages. Danny Barongo commonly known as B.Danny or BD, my favourite Ugandan illustrator told me not to let another artist criticise my style because it is "not bad". Wow, imagine someone you admire telling you that! Kisangala Onghwens suggested my name as an Illustrator for the Human Rights series to his employers at The Independent Weekly Newspaper (Published in Magazine form like The Economist of UK) but it ended before my style was approved but I took it as a lesson. I also got the chance to meet the revolutionary and fearless journalist Andrew Mwenda and his fellow chief Charles O. Bichacho. I cannot exhaust the names of all my motivators. Most Importantly though, Wanyama Wangah - The Standard's very experienced production manager, the man who can walk on water as the proprietor of Bob FM said, told me he chased away another guy who brought his pieces for evaluation. It is Wanyama who also recommended me to The New Vision and if I ever make it there or elsewhere, I dedicate my career to him. He was my lecturer during my UCU career (2003 - 6) and taught (Advanced) Editing in my final two years. I enjoyed his lectures because he was very laid back and usually brought us England’s best newspapers to study during his lessons. That was when everybody in our Mass Communication class had to study editing but I guess the rest remember him for dummys and editing tricks. Then when a few of us specialised in print journalism (while others did either public relations or radio and tv production) in our final year, I will never forget him for two special things. He introduced me to QuarkExpress, the fantastic newspaper editing software used at New Vision plus international media houses that makes editing fun and secondly we studied in an air conditioned classroom - the Linux room at Technology Park using the latest Acer computers while other scholars were using old makes. Even some of the I.T. Students never got to use this room which was amazingly in their department. How posh, I had never studied in an air conditioned classroom all my life yet nursery schools in Nigeria have air conditioning. Wow, there must be a huge development gap between us. Special thanks also go to my workmates - the unflinching editors - all of whom I have drawn - from the four pioneers to the two replacements. I used to keep inspirational articles written by Emma Wafula, the Lifestyle Editor (daughter of the Uganda Clays mogul) without knowing that one day I would work with her in the same newspaper. I did not even know her. Wow, she was a year behind us but topped her Class of 2004-7, another lady on top just like Adeline Kamwasir in our year.

When our 2nd issue came out - 21 May 2007, a Mass Comm 3 beauty in a red blouse and khaki jeans blubbered on how she wanted us to focus on the current national issues like the Mabira saga. She told John that she couldn't waste money on buying the campus paper despite the crisp printing done at New Vision. In fact the only thing that amused her was my cartoon, 'I wonder what the scholar (in the toon) was downloading.' Another added that it also made her laugh. So John introduced me to them which was kinda sweet, you know; didn't blush though. Another girl told me that GOD had revealed to her that she would marry me, ooops! Maybe she was just stepping on my toe, but the irony is: I admired her too!

By the way, Thomas Froese the Canadian coordinator of The Standard chose me because my pieces were 'more modern' than those of two other applicants evaluated in April 2007. I had shown him a collection I started making around October 2006, two months after graduation. He advised, "A good cartoon must tell the whole story with as few writings as possible. It's even better if it makes a point without a caption. To be a good cartoonist, you must know how to marry skilful illustration with news analysis..." Also, if it hadn't been for Frank Obonyo, the first sports editor who informed me, I might not have known much about this opportunity to live a dream early on.

Brian "Windman" Semujju, the Managing Editor and John Mary Semakula, Campus Life Editor were also motivating old classmates. The former actually told me that "We should thank GOD for this pain because other people may wish to be in our place..." Now that's a lifeline. John was always a natural leader to me, I can follow him anywhere.

Why the Birds Sing to Me...

2009-03-14T01:55:00.000-07:00

“Do you know why the birds sing to me? It’s because they are comforting me. It’s because they are telling me that I should never forget what love is or who I am.” When birds sing to me, they sound like Blu*3 (3 Black Ladies of Uganda - the only surviving group among the three East African countries ever since the Coca Cola Popstars 2003) in their song "Where U Are" featuring song maestros Mozey Radio and Weasel, Jose Chameleone's brother.

This mid March, the Community Musical Theatre Project for Northern Uganda presents a musical drama production. Set during wartime northern Uganda, 'Why the Birds Sing to Me' depicts the story of the children who were abducted and returned to their communities in northern Uganda during the 20 years of the LRA Guerilla War.

The drama features the story of a young girl who was abducted and a young boy who, in friendship, follows her deep into the world of the LRA. Their story weaves tragedy, love, hatred, betrayal, hope and redemption. The story brings broader messages, expressing the community’s great need for holistic reconstruction and reconciliation, for the prevention of violence against children, and the promotion of human rights. The story is for all Ugandans (and the world), to impart a sense of accomplishment while inspiring a wellspring of hope for the future. Let's Clap with Gulu!

Tickets are available at the National Theatre Box Office; For the opening day on Wednesday 18th March 2009 at 7.30 PM, they will cost 8,000 UgShs each (about 4 US Dollars) but 12,000 UgShs (about 6 US Dollars) on the other three nights up to Saturday 21st March 2009. For more information, contact Arfaan Ahmed (+256) 752624251, Flora Aduk (+256) 712874023 or Jeffrey W. Harrison (Project Coordinator/Musical Director/Composer) (+256) 774423274

These performances are proudly sponsored and supported by KADS - Kampala Amateur Dramatics Society, the Embassy of Ireland and the United Nations OHCHR. Traditional instrumentalist Joseph Odongkara from Gulu will join Jeffrey to round out this truly inspirational performance. Enjoy the performance.

More music by JWH can be heard here: http://web.mac.com/jeffreywharrison/iWeb/Site%202/Welcome.html

What has America (and the world) done for Bush?

2009-01-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

I'm proud to be black but even if Barack Hussein Obama (a fellow Black with Luo links that probably reach as far as the Alurs, my tribe's neighbours to the South of Arua) was sworn in as the first African American President, I was not too excited about the moment. What I was asking in my mind was: what has America and the world done for George W. Bush after doing more for Africa than Clinton and ridding Iraq of the tyrant Saddam? Were they giving him a sympathetic send off or just happy he was leaving? I still cannot understand how an unpopular leader can rule for two terms through fair elections. Okay, he asked for the second term to end the Iraqi and Afghan Wars but why do some people hate him to bits calling him a mental retard and the Worst American President ever? Personally, I don't. I actually love his Bushisms - ridiculous quotes - which I consider words of unrehearsed genius. It wasn't just a grammar weakness. Even though I preferred Al Gore who contested against Bush in the 2000 Electoral Race, after September 11th I kind of sympathised with the Texas Walker because he had to make very difficult decisions that saw local and overseas families lose their loved ones. It was tough but that is what Commanders-in-Chief are meant to do. In fact, the only thing that made me happy during the 2009 Inauguration was the authoritative prayer by Rick Warren. GOD help America and the whole world. No nation on this earth can do without the Most High. Leaders are the Guardians of their nation's Liberty, Equality and Prosperity. Bush tried to do that the hard way and he was crucified...May Allah, the Most Gracious help Obama 'n' Biden!

Kudos Cristiano

2009-01-13T01:16:00.000-08:00

I used to support Manchester United during the reign of the easy go but lethal Eric Cantona. Then from 1998, it was strictly Arsenal because of their traditional 'Retreating Defence' technique. I must say after 1999 I envied the Red Devils to the extent that I wished they never won more trophies while the Gunners languished behind. I'm not a Cristiano Ronaldo fan but despite fancying Lionel Messi more, I believe the Portuguese somehow deserves his award simply because his challengers did not work hard like he did.

When the young Cristiano Ronaldo took over the sacred Number 7 Shirt from David Beckham, many probably looked at him as a wanna be and pretender while stars like Thierry Henry, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Ruud Van Nistelrooy were firing on all cylinders. Who knew that he would one day achieve something that no English Premier League player had ever done? Maybe only Pele who made a prophecy while giving the 2007 trophy to fellow Brazilian Kaka.

Dreams do come true and Cristiano is a good icon for that. Many probably looked down on him and thought he couldn't reach the highest individual level in football but the gods proved them wrong. I could see it in the efficient way he played last season (Even if I'm not much of a fan) that he wanted the accolade. It was his time and as a Gooner, I look forward to the day when one of our own will conquer the world. Why Not? Afterall, Arsene Wenger made George Weah the Greatest in 1995 (That is what the first and only African to win the award confessed. This is not Aiko-ncoction)

From Dust to Dust

2008-12-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

Even if he is not smoked out from Garamba by the combined forces, Joseph Kony - the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) rebel leader - will go down one day. He is not a cyborg to remain invincible. Every man must one day come face to face with the Angel of Death, Mephistopheles himself [In Buganda, don't they call him something like "Kwejumbira"?] Okay, that doesn't scare him but the ICC (International Criminal Court) wants his head and so do some Ugandans who suffered in the hands of his murderous tormentors. Forget that hullabaloo of reconciliation, if he keeps abducting and killing innocent civilians (in the name of fighting UPDF yet actually he is sacrificing blood to his demonic gods), then the only way for him and his cronies is to go down by the gun.

About four years ago, I saw a dream in which four planes flew from West Nile and bombed his base somewhere in a forest area. It might not happen soon but even Adam who lived for over 900 years went back to dust where he came from. After Noah's Flood, GOD would not allow humans to live for more than 120 years (even if some people have done so like Enoch, Elijah and the guy who pierced Jesus's side on the cross. I hear he is still alive. Even Noah who was 600 during the Flood season lived on to 950 years). All the soldiers, wives and concubines Kony has won't protect him from the dust. I would recommend that the rebel leader watches the movie "City of GOD" and its 2008 sequel (sort of since the director is the same) entitled "Elite Squad". You live by the gun, you die by the gun...but I know he might want to stop (as told by one of the rescued slave-wives). Can we end the war please before someone gets knocked out?

CHOGM hurt but also Organised Me…

2008-11-25T04:26:00.000-08:00

CHOGM to me is a word in motion and it represents the way in which the Commonwealth Meeting Came, Hurt, Organized, Globalised and Marketed the City of Impalas. Personally, lack of access to the millions of publicity money did not mean that I didn’t experience what the hype was all about.

I could not shake the Queen’s hand (failed to reach my uncle’s wish for me) nor publish a brochure for the Commonwealth Delegates (because dealing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was shifty) nor have one of my Artworks printed in a booklet for the Commonwealth Women’s Conference (I was informed too late) but in consolation painted a 5.5 by 7.5 metre backdrop of the “Kampala Skyline” as seen from Kololo Airstrip [Photo taken by myself even after a Policeman advised me to get a letter first but I didn’t] for KADS (Kampala Amateur Dramatists Society). They were going to use it for a Christmas pantomime about CHOGM beginning Wednesday 5th December 2007, about 10 days after CHOGM. I started working on it a few weeks before the historical event but two days before the meeting when I had gone to add more on the art piece at the Uganda National Cultural Centre, a Security Guard stopped me at the gate simply because I lacked the special CHOGM Identification Card. Can you imagine I got this assignment after the deadline for applying for IDs had passed but the watchman at the gate couldn’t allow me to enter even if an insider (employee) from National Theatre who had entered without a card could speak for me? Earlier I had tried to sneak in but was spotted and told to use the main gate. After this humiliation, I was so ANNOYED for being mistrusted and treated like a criminal in my own capital just because of a group of 54 earthlings who breathe the same air I breathe, eat the same food I eat (maybe just cooked differently plus priced highly) and can fall sick like I do that I switched off. I walked away furiously to board a taxi adjacent to the Social Securities Building on Jinja Road and went to Mukono in order to forget about uncool Kampala and the animalistic treatment I had just got. I could have designed those IDs myself and walked in like a sniper if I wanted but chose not to because I respect Her Royal Highness. Instead, going out of the city in anger was far better because I got a sharper and more expressive image of Kampala at the Mukono Media Bureau for the backdrop I was working on.

After CHOGM, it was back to painting and I did not want to hear anything about the queen from any security personnel since she had left. I do not hate Princess Diana’s Mother-in-Law; actually I treat myself as her loyal subordinate (even if I don’t pay ceremonious homage to her, afterall West Nile where my ancestors come from was originally Belgian Territory though I was born in British Territory) but I hate the way locals felt big and more equal unnecessarily. What security threat did a mere worker like me minding his own business pose to someone he honoured? If I believe that Hellen Mirren’s immaculate performance depicting Elizabeth in the movie “Queen” deserved its Oscar and my lovely mother is also called Elizabeth (I actually nicknamed her “Queen Mother”), then Aiko meets the equal. I had my own excuses to HATE on these Ugandans with a Passion…

My Top 10 Cartoons of All-Time

2008-11-25T04:22:00.001-08:00

Here are ten of the Best Cartoons (by 2008) I have ever marveled at, but in no particular hierarchy:

1. Galaxy Rangers: I guess the team was something like the Fantastic Four, the main guy had an arm that could turn into a gun, another was probably massive like the beast in X-Men, and the third man could turn on flames and fly or was he invisible at times? Meanwhile the woman probably had similar qualities like Mr. Reed’s wife in F4 but she wasn’t called Invisible woman…I cannot remember the details properly because I was below 10 years of age…

2. The Adventures of X-Men (Probably Japanese Anime): I loved this creatively produced show because of the flowing adult dialogue and interesting characters…My favourite X-Mutants included the Beast because he seemed untouchable, invincible and could walk on the wall as well as ceiling. Wolverine’s fury inspired me to remain angry whenever I wanted to feel macho. Gangbit was a fantastic rogue like the red masked guy in Wild Cats. I admired Cyclopes’s laser emitting eye power…Someone, probably the creator of the story, once commented that there is a GOD-made X-Man in each one of us, great stuff!

3. Adventures of Zelda: It usually came after the Kids’ Kamp Show (My motivating factor for story-telling), a collection of very interesting cultural folk stories and legends from Europe and it featured a macho young man who was out to fight evil plus save the beautiful woman of his life in each episode she faced trouble in. It was more like a romantic action cartoon…

4. Batman Animated Series: The previous three were watched mainly on KTV (Kids Television) in Jinja but when I came to Kampala, Zoom Club - STV (Sanyu Television)’s Children’s Extravaganza during the weekend had a feature of the caped crusader that sizzled. I love Batman because he does not kill, does not mind losing out on love because he is dedicated to his service, hides his real identity from even the best spies and does not claim to have super powers. He is just a normal human being with very unusual gadgets when on duty, things that would make bats and policemen jealous…

5. Wild Cats: I loved reading about them in Comics (like The Price) and they are a wonderful covert team fighting the wicked Demonites, no wonder “(Wild) Cats” stands for “(Wild) Covert Action Teams”. I also like the TV series because of the mature dialogue and well designed costumes…

6. Galactik Football: A football fanatic (especially one appreciative of Arsenal’s entertaining offensive play, also called “Kawoowo” meaning ‘delicious flavour’ by Kampalans) who cannot feel this French animated series has a conflict of interests for sure. This is simply fantasy football brought to life on screen…

7. 2 Stupid Dogs: I have never met any individuals as stupid, funny and ridiculously brainless as these two homedogs. They are truly man’s best friend. If all dogs were like these two, the world would be a laughing village…

8. Kissyfur: A nice Woodland adventure about a young cute bear that had to be very watchful or else he would be trapped by the two evil crocodiles in the forest marshes. This toon alongside two others marketed well the profile of CTV (Cablesat Television). Its appearance was also more polished than the 3 bears in the Goldilocks story I always read earlier on in life…

9. Duck Tales: This was the other of CTV’s first three gem-toons featuring the Richest Duck in the whole world. His name was neither Bill Gates, Warren Buffet nor Slim but Donald, and I mean Donald Duck, not Donald Trump ... Duck Tales, oohwooh ooh!

10. Animation Films: It would be unreasonable not to mention feature length animation films as one of my favourite toons. So I have decided to make that the final entry on my list and they are quite many including The Incredibles, Antz, Finding Nemo, Prince of Egypt, et cetera…

Do the Dew!

2008-11-21T07:16:00.001-08:00

Saturday 15th November may have been a black day for Arsenal fans (stoned 0-2 at home by Aston Villa for the first time since 1993) but it was a great day for refreshment as “Mountain Dew” the new soda in town was launched. Afterall, I was also born on the same day Arsenal was humbled by Middlesbrough but that doesn’t change my affection for either the club or me. I used to think that only greenmen come from Mars but that day I was thinking like System of a Down. I had to break my own hoodoos and managed to get a taste of the drink advertised by ladies in green T-shirts, pick ups and coaches.

I was mainly impressed by its lemonade - green colour plus Sprite©-like fizzle. It was already in some supermarkets but the Pavilion at Corner View Ntinda didn’t have it. Maybe since they couldn’t get it for me during the game (I drunk Sprite instead while Philo was on his beer), we had to lose but hard luck Gooners, we will still do it in 2009...Obey your destiny and do the dew!

... An Indian in State House Entebbe?

2008-11-15T05:41:00.000-08:00

“Blimey, Yes We Can…” could also become a slogan for Indian Ugandans. Now that Obama is the first Black American in the White House, I think it might just be the opening of a door for the Patels in the Pearl of Africa to dream about taking over State House. Who said an Indian should not become Ugandan President or join Parliament? How about this Indian parliamentarian from the East of Ug? More are coming up.

Sometimes I wish Amin had not chased them away (despite the economic threat they posed), they would have had better chances probably. Every human must have equal rights, first were the women, then blacks and next foreigners in Africa will have their chance. I have no problem seeing Indians prosper in my home country Uganda. As long as I can enjoy their success without being patronized, I’m okay with that. The only thing I object to are their multiple gods, that’s all. Otherwise East Africans should also beware ‘coz if the EAC federation comes through, then ‘Why Not?’. Imagine an Indian ruling Obama’s ancestral region ...

November is Grasshopper Month

2008-11-15T05:34:00.000-08:00

While growing up in Jinja (Busogaland), one of the best moments of my childhood was chasing the seasonal delicacies called nsenene (Luganda for Grasshoppers). When the season came, I would spend days and nights chasing the insects from around my neighbourhood to unknown territories. When I came to Kampala permanently around 1995, I continued with the nsenenexcitement.

At St. Mary’s College Kisubi (1997 - 2000), grasshoppers usually migrated while we were at school. That was when I noticed the trend that it usually happens in November. The month always found me in boarding school so one time, the SMACK secretary told me and a classmate named Mukasa to catch for him as many as possible since he had a big family. We obliged and he fried some for us in appreciation. But since Mukasa had suddenly gone (away from school to try and link up with his parents in UK), I received his perishable share which I savoured during evening tea.

Tribute to my 4 Grandparents

2008-11-05T05:43:00.000-08:00

Within the same fortnight Barack Obama lost his white grandmother, I also lost my last grandparent, the mother of my mother. Something great should also happen in my life now that the Blackman is in the white house. I got an SMS from my third sister on Wednesday morning (22nd October 2008) that Wupa had passed away but tried not to cry because I was attending a COMESA Forum in Kasese and did not want to look all too sorrowful among the delegates. However when my father called me during the tea break, tears just flowed naturally though I did not cry. Big boys must not cry, but can shade tears. Joachim Buwembo was also talking to someone on his phone talking about how some lady stole info from his computer after allowing her to use it. I told my dad that there was nothing I could do about the tragedy and he replied that it was okay. I could not even call to console my mum up to the time I got back to my room in the night. There was just too much intellectual work to be done and I shouldn’t have let sorrow ruin my composure. Mum also told me not to mind; I would just go to pay my respects later on in Aliba, Ayivu County where she was buried near her home. Otherwise, she had been sick for some time.

Four years before that (on 3rd December 2004), my father’s mother named ‘Ita’ (Lugbara for Esther) passed away. I was still at UCU Mukono University then but got the information only by reading my big brother’s email five days later. No one informed me because they thought I could not handle the pain but I took it well. Actually, I only shaded tears and didn’t wail while trekking towards town on Bishop Tucker Drive after reading the email at Technology Park in the night. It was the examination week and I dedicated my very last papers to her.

As for my grandfathers, they both died before I was born. The only memories I have of my maternal grandpa Onesimus are stories narrated by my relatives and also the books he left behind with his signatures. He had been a reverend.

The 2008 Pammys

2008-11-04T09:21:00.000-08:00

I wasn’t among the gathering at Shimoni on Saturday 1st November 2008 but got a glimpse of the rhythmic action live on WBS TV where quality matters. It was my first time to watch the PAM - Pearl of Africa Music - Awards live on telly and Gordon Wavamunno, the godfather of Ugandan entrepreneurship was on screen to bless the telecast before it started. The colour and contrast quality might have been less sharp but I have to admit that the ceremony was well organized. My favourite artiste Bebe Cool (Actually Wavah also confessed that he was his favourite) scooped three awards (Best Reggae, Ragga and Male Artiste of the Year) after 9 nominations (The next artiste had only 5).

The soulful song “Zuena” (which won Best New Act) is personally My Song of the Year (simply because that is the name of Bebe’s beautiful wife. People talked en talked saying the singer Mozey had beef against my main man in composing it). Radio’s other track entitled “Nakudata” with Chameleone’s kid bro Weasel won the Best Song Pammy and used to be my favourite when still fresh but on this night I wanted “Kuss Kuss” to take it since they were thrown in the same category. I first heard Bebe’s hit while working on a Maisha short film in August 2008 and was totally blown away by the exciting spirit in it. For sure, “Bebe Cool munene munene (Big is big)...” Daniel Arap Moi’s reading of the news headlines from Shimoni seemed out of place but was good for the humour it provided as the sleek talking Mitch and pompous J. Kazoora emceed.

The inaugural Best West Nile Artiste Award went to Dogman, not bad since he has been around hustling for quite some time (even in the Best Northern Artiste Category now reserved for only Acholi, Langi, Karimojong plus Teso Regions). Airplay for his music in the capital (mainly on UBC TV) seems to outweigh J.M. Kennedy’s (played on KFM) but I hoped the latter could win it because he is my preference and sings in high Lugbara. Despite all that though, I was very pleased to see Black Harmony chosen to perform on the 2008 Bell Lager PAM Award stage ushering in a new dawn for West Nile music. They came along with funky queen dancers wearing shorts and a lady singing a Luganda hook. The duo from Arua had verses in Lugbara (and a little English I guess).

Overall, the show sizzled … Isaac Mulindwa (the Brains behind the Awards) sat next to the Chief Guest Queen Sylvia Naginda (of Buganda) and so was the King for the Night. New comer Toniks who had a really compelling duet ‘Beera Nange’ (Probably took some anointing oil from Judith Babirye’s Gospel track with the same name) won a well deserved award. Pastor Wilson Bugembe meanwhile performed that night and received his accolade for ‘Best Gospel’ which Judith had rejected the previous year for his song ‘Komawo Eka’ whose video features local entertainers such as Bobi Wine and the Amarula Family. Best Artistes from all the other East African countries were also awarded making PAM a really big thing.

Juliana Kanyomozi (who looked beautiful like Halle Berry in a leopard-print dress) was the highlight of the Year and won the Most Important Nod to become the first woman in six years to clinch the “Artiste of the Year” Pammy beating ‘Mazzi Mawaanvu’ that is His Excellency the Ghetto President and ‘Mr. Munene’. I’m not a big fan of hers but she did wonders in the duet entitled “Sirinayo Omulala” (“I Don’t Have Another Lover”) with Sweet Kid.

Do you agree with the controversial reggae hit below also performed on the night: “Njagala kugenda ko Juba…mpulira Uganda entamiye, ejude nugu.” (“I want to go to Juba…I feel I’m tired of Uganda, it’s full of jealousy.”)? Well, personally, jealousy or less of it, Uganda’s music (plus maybe movie) industry, as Straka (WBS Late Show) said, could now be rated second only to Nigeria on the African continent. Don’t care what jealous haters say, play your role whether in music, film, business, agriculture, construction, politics, art, trade, tourism and so on! What I have discerned is that jealous people are just “the devil in disguise” trying to derail you from reaching your heaven-sent visions. Entertainment is now a well-designed business in Uganda and those who work hard at it will reap from it …

TitanVic (2008 Film)

2008-10-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

TITAN-VIC, a film envisioned by mentor Don McKellor and brought to life by the 9 screenwriters during the 2008 Maisha Film Makers' Lab...Savour the quotes below during the refreshing cruise on Lake Victoria:

PATRICIA: “So this is the ship they say is unsinkable?”
DAVID: “We are going to America.”
PITHON: “I’m the King of the World…”
VINCHO: “Pithon, this is where we first met.”
JUDITH: “Iceberg, right ahead!”
EDWARD: “GOD Almighty, half the people on this ship are gonna die.”
ANGELA: “And GOD shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death.”

The film will go on and on ... MARK and RACHEAL were the production assistants.

The Journey to Kasese

2008-10-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

My pioneer voyage to Kasese ignited around 16:44 PM and ended midnight…I had travelled to Mukono during the morning of Monday 20th October 2008 to scan my Arua Boys Comic and send it to two individuals besides picking up the two copies of ‘The Standard’ newspaper I had missed but didn’t know what the day was going to bring. I managed to post the 5 pages to Talleah (an American working on a documentary in Kenya about educating girls) but while sending to Kristof (in Belgium), Martha Chemutai (my UCU Old Girl) phoned me around 10:30 AM to replace some dude called Jackson Gray Makkeni (who had a test paper on Tuesday at MUK) in covering a certain function. He had also replaced Martha in documenting a ‘Trading for Peace’ Forum for ‘International Alert’ in Kasese, Western Uganda between Monday 20th and Friday 24th October 2008.

I had talked quite freely that morning in the Standard Newsroom with Prever Mukasa (Lifestyle Editor) and Enoch Kassenyi (Sports Editor). John Semakula (Campus Life Editor) hadn’t come but my Managing Editor Brian Semujju was around to make me feel more comfortable. I honestly felt the spirit of that morning, it was calm and I wasn’t worried. Production Manager Wanyama Wangah had gone to teach and when he returned, Samuel Apedel came around looking for him. On seeing me, he asked Wanyama if I did not have the potential to become a good illustrator, “Wanyama is always a hard man to please; that’s why you should find out what he thinks.” Wanyama responded by saying that he had recommended me to David Mukholi, Sunday Vision Editor but the girl who was told to call me played science. Apedel added, “Today or yesterday, we had a meeting about this cartooning issue and concluded that it is like the work of a goalkeeper. However good you may be, you can still be benched. When Ras was given the job, he used to draw his own things…”

I waited till 11 AM for my comic art files to load the second time but they didn’t. So I just set off for Jumbo Plaza which I reached at exactly noon. Martha briefed me about the work and terms and by half past noon, I was setting off for home in Kyebando. The taxi delayed in the park but 1:04 PM found me opening the door. I packed clothes in Tina’s ‘Timberland’ bag and my own ‘Adventure’ Business bag before rushing to the Kyebando Taxi stage but there was only one woman waiting with me. It was now 2 PM, the time I had planned to set off to Kasese since Martha told me that it would take 5 hours to get there. I jumped on a boda and rode till Bukoto Market on the newly tarmacked link road (thanks to Government or Sudhir). Then I boarded a taxi to Kampala Road. While asking if it was going to the Old or New Park, the beautiful chick sitted on my right side suggested that I could hop on a different one from St. Andrews Stage. Unfortunately, I had no time to do that. Instead we jazzed until she dismounted around KPC. She told me she was doing Procurement at MUBS Nakawa after being sold by MUK. I also filled her in on the fact that I was usually at MTAC Campus Nakawa which they wanted to take over. She was visibly amused and I liked it ‘coz it’s a good feeling to see a beautiful woman chuckle under the weight of your cracks, talk of hilarious pick up lines though these weren’t pick up lines. I was too late for my voyage to a destination I had never visited before and had no time for womanizing concentratedly. She was heading to her workplace at UTODA Martin Road (Deadline was 2.30 PM but she felt she couldn’t make it). I dismounted from Half London and walked till Kalita Buses. The 3 O’clock coach was leaving and the booking officer shifted to selling only Fort Portal tickets. I heard some guy also asking for a Kasese ticket and when all hope seemed lost, I asked him what we could do. He said we could catch one of the Link Buses.

So we walked to the Link Park yet that was the exact place where I had just ignored guys asking me if I was looking for a bus. We met a lady who took us to the Kasese-bound bus. She told the ticket master that the man beside me was a doctor she knew. On Saturday, I actually returned to Kampala with the same ticket master. The doctor gave me his ticket and I paid the 15,000 UgX. A fat woman sat next to me buying things like she was in a supermarket. She kept speaking to me in her language yet she could articulate English. Maybe she thought I also drink too much Ankole milk. So I pretended that I do since I got the gist of most of her utterances but didn’t utter many words in reply. There was traffic jam on Namirembe Road as we left the park and when Makkeni called, I told him that we hadn’t left the City of Impalas. We went up to Kampala Road traffic lights and he called again to assure me that he was going to leave some things (Documents) for me at the reception and had booked for me a room. We headed to Masaka Road and stopped to refuel at a petrol station where I noticed one of the managers I used to see at Shell Muyenga while painting Arshad’s Posh Pets Murals. Setting off from Gapco in the 5 O’Clock hour, we crossed the equator at exactly 6:20 PM. Guys behind me who had been talking about the richest musician in Uganda and other things turned to making fun of a place in Masaka where the main crime is sodomy and rape. We stopped somewhere to pee before driving full speed.

There were no problems on the way except maybe in Lyantonde when a trailer ahead of us failed to move forward in the muddy slope. We were blocked for several minutes but finally found a way. That’s the time I started communicating with Robinah Kajwenge (a Documentation Officer for ‘International Alert’ I was told to talk to). Passengers kept disembarking and by the time we reached Kasese, we were a handful. Martha had called me when we stopped in Mbarara, a wonderful place with picturesque architecture even if I viewed them in the dark. Rain started falling again when we reached Bushenyi and I told her I was close to my destination Kasese. I saw two hippos walking on the left side of the road, probably at a national park in Bushenyi. Julius called to confirm if I had finally arrived and I disappointed him again by saying ‘No’ but I finally smelt copper in the air and was glad to read KCCL on a gate. That stands for Kasese Cobalt Company Limited which meant that we had finally arrived. Thank GOD Kasese is well lighted and a bodaman helped me find Kasese Executive Inn Limited (Restaurant, Accommodation and Conference Hall) where a woman named Beatrice in her night gown gave me the key to Room 7, self contained with a TV in the corner. Unfortunately, I could mainly watch Sky News and occasionally G Prime, G Africa or G Sports. DStv could not be activated and the free channels like EATV and UBC had no signal. Kasese is actually hotter than I had imagined. Some nights I would throw away the heavy bed cover.

COMESA Simplified Trade Regime

2008-10-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

[More coming Soon]

Can the Financial Services Industry Eradicate poverty?

2008-10-19T23:38:00.001-07:00

In Uganda today, almost everybody - no matter how rich they may already be - laments about the failure to attain the riches they truly desire. But how can those living below the poverty line get to a higher level of wealth? Robert Kiyosaki, the author of best selling wealth creation book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” once advised that “If you want to be rich, listen to a rich person. “Cash Flow Quadrant”, “The Millionaire Mind” plus “Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing” are also valuable books that can help you get more from this life. But you might say that you have read all of them yet you are still unhappy. Don’t you think the financial services industry is the answer? Can’t they really eradicate poverty since they have finances? Well, if you give a man a fish, he will eat to his fill in one day but if you teach him how to fish, he will enjoy for the rest of his life span. It is better to teach the public how to raise fish (or capital or any other critically key resource for that matter). Today, Financial Service Providers will not only give you loans but also teach you how to eradicate poverty.
Dubbed “the Largest Financial Exhibition of the Year”, the three-day 9AM to 1 PM Standard Chartered Financial Literacy Week (Wednesday 24 to Friday 26 September 2008) at Imperial Royale Hotel was a well attended Workshop. I’m still wondering why about three fellows were bounced on the first day simply because they were considered non members yet the workshop was open to the public. Early on Thursday – Day 2, I went to Level 4 of Karim’s new hotel while Sudhir Ruparelia, one of Uganda’s Richest was getting ready to open KISU, his grand Kabira International School Uganda somewhere in Bukoto (I wish I was there to listen to him) and only enjoyed the grandeur of the Royale interior decos plus refreshing lights. The receptionists are great but some of the conference room keepers need to be a little less uptight. Participating Corporates included - in no particular order - Standard Chartered Bank (of course), Diamond Trust Bank, Business Week Newspaper, National Housing and Construction Company Ltd (We build for progress), Capital Markets Authority, Housing Finance (We make it easy), NSSF (They weren’t selling the Temangalo Land by the way), Tirupati Development (U) Ltd, Mama Tendo Foundation (Making early years count), Enterprise Uganda, Mortgage Association of Uganda, African Alliance (for Advisory Services, Asset Management, Corporate Finance, Private Equity, Securities Trading, Structured Finance, Unit Trusts, NTV and New Vision)
Scheduled talks on Wednesday were by Mr. Japheth Katto, CMA on “How the Capital Markets can Eradicate Poverty and increase Domestic Savings”. Mr Lawrence Mukiibi of St. Lawrence talked about the topic “Education: A Tool for Financial Empowerment”. His students and alumni are truly empowered.
Thursday had Mr. Gary A. Fitchett CA, Financial Specialist talking about where you go when the bank says “NO” while Mr. Charles Ocici, Enterprise Uganda put “How to Craft Lasting Business Partnerships” on the table and Mr. James Semakade, an Entrepreneur finished with how to “Transform your Business ideas into Market Realisation.
Friday, the third and last day had Pastor Michael Kyazze of Omega Healing Center preaching about “Business Principles to Prosperity; Prof. Peter Kasenene, a Leadership guru talking about the topic “If you can define it, you can have it” and the Presentation Guru, that is if you ask me, Mr. Peter Kimbowa (PK), IFE Consult talking about “Financial Reliance: Discover newer heights” Other renown local speakers included Mr. Patrick Bitature, Simba Telecom (Business: A Life Skill for financial freedom); Mr. Jaamwa Chandi, NSSF (Savings: A Must for all to achieve Financial Independence) and Mr. Harshad Barot, Tirupati Group (Doing Business in Uganda with Indian Business Principles). You need to attend such financial workshops with a clear vision of what you want to gain from them. Otherwise you may come out as illiterate as you walked in. Besides, you could in addition ask Sudhir during your free time how to get money for a Range Rover like his sleek grey one. DVDs of all the three sessions are available on sale (Probably at only 60,000 UgX). For more information, please call 256(312)277888, 256(772)212384 or 256(772)625757…

7 Wonders of the Premiership (2009 Season)

2008-10-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

1. Delap’s long throw is so unique and lethal that five of Stoke City’s first six goals this season came from his assistance
2. Chelsea’s Unbeaten Home Run that had not been stopped since 2004 until an Alonso (Liverpool) goal. The last team to beat them at Stamford Bridge was Arsenal which brings me to my next wonder
3. Arsenal’s ‘Kawoowo’ (Luganda for ‘Nice Flavour’). Watching the Gunners play is like eating in the 7-star Emirates Hotel in Dubai
4. Liverpool’s “You Will Never Win Alone” attitude…It’s like the Kop came to win the Premiership this season to join the exclusive Club of 4 previous winners – Man Utd, Blackburn, Arsenal and Chelsea. After five European championships, they can afford to loosen their grip on the competition and focus fully on winning the one English crown that has eluded them for 18 seasons yet they have 18 English League titles already
5. Hull City’s ‘No Respect for Big Boys’…Every season brings upon us a stunning side from England’s Second Flight Football league. First there was Wigan which stayed up to today, then Reading and no doubt, this year it is Hull. They have hulled victories over Arsenal and Tottenham in remarkable fashion, both away. Can Man Utd also do that? Not in the same fortnight. But how will Hull’s second season be like if they stay?
6. Manchester United always starts badly but as the season progresses, it’s like they were always at the top. Sometimes, I believe that is the perfect way to please fans but it is only when you ‘believe’ you can rise up to the occasion.
7. Tottenham’s worst start since the Titanic sunk in 1912 is not only a tragedy but also a wonder. I wonder how they could sack admirable coach Martin Jol who now sits comfortably at the top of the Bundesliga in Germany and after celebrating 100 years sell off the cream that would have started their new century in style namely Keane, Defoe, Malbranque, Kaboul plus Berbatov (though he wanted to go)…That’s like all the goals for Tottenham gone. Even mercurial coach Martin Jol was sold but he is now leading the Bundesliga table with his new club. Newcastle is trying hard to avoid the drop and I’m sure, they will come out of it. As for Tottenham, though my worst enemies in the league, I feel sorry for them and hope they don’t get relegated…Striker Darren Bent is like a curse in his own way. Every team he plays somehow gets relegated. Do your research, Tottenham didn’t go down last season but I hope they sell Darren...Get the picture? Okay am really sorry, Darren may not be the reason simply because there is another Englishman named Marcus Bent who might have been the one relegated several times.

Homosexuality is an Evil Spirit

2008-10-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

The first week of October 2008 was awash with fresh news that homosexuality is contaminating a few born again churches in Uganda. Whether this is fabrication or gospel truth, all I know is that it is possible. Ask me why! I believe it’s all Supernatural, demons are involved. I was in a single sex Catholic school for four years and even the altar boys were accused of forming a homosexual group commonly known among peers as STC. Twenty students one year ahead of us were expelled due to this perversion. One notorious classmate though in Stream C was finally expelled during our Senior 4 simply because he was reported to have peeped at a Senior 1 in the latrine. During our Senior 2, he had tried to grab my ‘willy’ one Saturday morning but I woke up fast and chased him away. My earliest homosexual encounter came when some kid from the neighbourhood wanted me to play ‘bitch’ and he tried to snog me but when time came for our ‘willys’ to touch, I said ‘No’ and chased him out of my room. He even tried to steal my toy helicopter bought for me by my eldest sister during Christmas but my assassin-type observation instincts were way ahead of his perversion. Tell Angela that “I don’t’ love Ben; Aiko can only love Mary, Esther, Ruth or Delilah, hahaha!” I may have been lustful throughout my childhood but I fought my battles well, I never gave in to homosexual thoughts even if people practiced the vice.

Flashback 24th June 2000: In the night from Friday evening to Saturday morning, I got up from my bed and went outside the dorm to urinate. While outside, I saw a student walking slowly. He was coming from either the Kakoozan or Mugwanyan Senior 3 and 4 wing. I ignored him for a moment but when I looked at him again, I saw him walking towards the door of our Lourdelian Senior 3 and 4 wing. I couldn’t figure out the appearance of his face because it was dark. However, I noticed that he was wearing a black trouser and jacket and he wasn’t short but rather of a medium height. After this, I went to class where I met Jonathan Nkosa and Richard Muliika (We nicknamed him the ‘First Black Pope’). At about 20 minutes to 4 AM, Nkosa left the class after telling me to wake him up and Ronald Kazibwe as well (at 5 AM like I used to wake up guys as Timekeeper the previous year). Muliika followed him at around 4 AM. Because I was the only guy reading in 4A and also because I was fearful that I couldn’t protect myself if foreigners invaded the school, I decided to go to Senior 2B which is at the safer end of the Administration Block. (Nonetheless we were robbed while in Senior 1 adjacent to Senior 2B - My beloved Longman Dictionary was taken from Muliika’s unlocked desk - and also during our Senior 4 despite the presence of Group 4 Security but this time nothing of mine was snatched). I read for only 50 minutes and at a few minutes to 5 AM, I switched off the lights in 2B. While going down the steps outside 2B, I met Lugemwa and Mutex who were proceeding to our stream. I only bypassed them without a greeting. At the quadrangle gate, I met Ssekitto who was also proceeding to class and I talked to him for a short while. When I stepped onto the verandah of our Lourdelian Wing, I heard people’s voices. Because I was curious to know what was going on (Curiosity killed the cat – I had the Eye of a Leopard by the way), I stopped, turned to face the Kiwanukan showers and saw a number of people moving towards the verandah on which I was standing. They seemed rare persons in the dark but I never wanted to believe that they were non-SMACKists. So I tried to recognize their voices but failed. They drew closer to me at a constant and slightly quick speed. What would you do if you saw the cursed pirates who had turned into ghosts in the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean” drawing closer to you like they are about to attack anything in their way? When the mob reached a certain murram path in front of the dorm, I became afraid and thought that they were coming to attack me so I ran towards my bed and just sat while gently placing my books on it. I didn’t even try to pretend that I had been sleeping. Immediately, the dorm which I had found quiet milliseconds ago became alive. The mob wielding sticks shouted for the lights to be put on because I hear someone had been trying to rape a Senior 3 Mugwanyan and ran into the Lourdel wing. Can you imagine a rape in a single sex Catholic school (with boys only)? Which girl might have wanted to rape the guy? None whatsoever, she might have been the one to be gang raped instead maybe if she took herself there bravely. We lived in a quadrangle. The only way out was either the main gate or the forbidden “Air France” (through the glass windows) and over the fence. Now where had the guy passed? He must still be inside.
Someone bravely came up and said the guy must have passed near my bed, stepped on my case which was on the floor and gone through the window because he heard footsteps towards my bed. Wondering what would happen if the guys believed that it was me and suddenly lynched me, I walked out courageously as if I had just woken up to pee. When I came back I told guys what had happened and why I had run in. “I was scared” was all I said and the dorm quietened. These guys knew that I had always tried to portray a “saintly” disposition and such a thing would be unheard of in my profile scrapbook. In fact, exactly 17 days before that night, an ancestral dragon of pretended holiness had been cast out of me by a brotherhood of born again Pentecostals led by Ray', a Senior 4 classmate in the B Stream and PL, the outsider who owned some businesses at our school.]

Homosexuality is simply an evil spirit. There were evil spirits roaming around our college; I’m not saying I did it before the exorcism but even then I still got feelings, these were not necessarily to sleep with boys but just immense affection. Some guys looked like babes facewise and you would be forgiven to love them deeply but I had no intention to sleep with them the way a man sleeps with a woman (Leviticus 20:13 forbids that). But who exactly was the culprit? The scandal took one week to evaporate and all along this time I was very worried what my family would think if I was innocently charged with attempted rape of a boy, of all humans, a boy and then expelled or imprisoned. Close to the end of the critical week while returning from the showers, I heard a classmate tell his buddies that he had no doubt that it was me…Whether this was a joke to make them smile or not, I took it as one. You will never catch Aiko trying to rape a boy; maybe accuse him if you find him with a girl he loves but a boy…NEVER NEVER NEVER! Thank GOD none of the seniors at SMACK ever approached me to appease their lusts. Maybe I was too ugly, thank GOD for that or it’s just Grace.

Tobacco can be very useful

2008-10-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

On Thursday 2nd October 2008, I got amused by a story from India that “People caught smoking tobacco will be fined 200 Indian Rupees.” Banning smoking, tobacco selling and cigarette manufacture can reduce health risks but that means lesser profits for farmers and lesser taxes for world governments. I have seen people earn millions just by selling those demonized leaves. West Nile alone produces over 50 percent of Uganda’s tobacco. Banning the cash crop in Uganda may not be the solution. Switching the use of tobacco could just be the answer since the plant has enormous potential for medicine, cosmetics and energy. Some researchers believe tobacco can replace petroleum in cosmetics and has quality human food proteins for pharmaceutical therapy like the superior kind you find in milk and soybeans. The only problem is that tobacco is inedible but as the world finds healthier uses of the plant, smoking as a habit may one day become history.
In India, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica and Australia, it is illegal to sell tobacco. Hong Kong banned smoking on 1st January 2007 in the workplace and public spaces. New rules for smoking in India were passed on 2nd October 2008. The website www.india.com estimated that 40 % of India’s health problems stemmed from tobacco use. In 2007, Chandigarh became the first city in India to become ‘smoke-free’. The only country to have banned the sale and smoking of tobacco is Bhutan. The hospitality industry and restaurants that ban cigarette smoking haven’t suffered according to a report published in the online issue of Contemporary Economic Policy. The report, “Smoke-Free Laws and Employee Turnover,” is an indication of the link between advertising and increased tobacco use among India’s youth. India is the third largest tobacco producer (550 million kg annually) as well as the consumer in the world and earns several Rupees annually. Kanchipuram District already has a total ban on tobacco use. The use of tobacco among young girls in India has risen against 3.1 percent of adult women, a WHO report warns. Seventy four countries still allow smoking in health care institutions.

Crazy Things We Do for Love: Sudhir, Yes Sudhir…

2008-10-06T09:52:00.002-07:00

Sudhir (then in his late teens) and his cousin named Atul were riding on a red bus in London, number 83 from Golder’s Green when they spotted a pretty babe. Atul revealed that he knew her: they worked together at the Macfisheries store in London. She was a cashier at the till. Sudhir kept his cool long enough to act out the part of an innocent-customer-who-happened-to find a pretty-cashier-at-counter. Looking the pretty woman in the eye, the lovestruck youth whipped out a twenty pound note and paid for a Milky Way chocolate bar. Looking Sudhir in the eye, Jyotsna Nagrecha called the manager in to make the decision. Sudhir was too happy to stand by her till making eye contact and throwing a few calculated words at her because he had bought himself extra time waiting for his 19 pound 90 pence change. On 5th February 1977, at 21 years of age Sudhir Ruparelia got hitched to the younger and very good looking Jyotsna Nagrecha. By 2002, they had kids such as Sheena (of the Mercedes Benz S-Class birthday-gift-fame), Rajiv and Meera. (Excerpts borrowed from Sunday Vision around 2001)

Alex Lindsay's 'Digital Film Revolution' Workshop

2008-10-06T09:52:00.001-07:00

On 24th May 2007, Alex Lindsay held a workshop organized by Maisha Filmlab from 9 AM to 5 PM at the National Theatre. His work involves designing Databases, editing Films, Graphics, Burning Movies, Website Design, Home Videos, Storyboards, Screenplays…
Creative Comments (Some Rights Reserved)…You can copy it and give to your friends but you can’t change it…Adverts in the film remain. (Mindset of the market: How do you grab their attention: Move like you are going to catch a horse, walk slowly and it will not see you…It always looks ahead)
“There is strength in numbers…” Mac vs. PC
Alex started programming at age 10 on a TRS AB computer, got into CAD work and worked in radio as a show host and music director, Prime Fox Network now Sky Sports…Studied Philosophy “Let’s get everybody making films…” 1992 Real Time Games Art Director, was at Lucas Film working for pre visualization of the first ‘Star Wars’ movie, made after 5 years. Industrial Light Magic did some shots for ‘Star Wars’ (It is a Rebel Mac Unit) “It takes a lot of people to get a piece done. In Zimbabwe, we have about 30 people on one piece.”
35,000 US Dollars for 7 seconds, Spent first 15 years of his career working for somebody else (Another person’s fingers) Apple has the most advantage because of the content they add to the media…Sony’s Playstation 3 is capable of High Definition TV. Microsoft has the X-Box [There is Joost, before that was Kazar, created Skype, GooTube, Podtech, Pod-dengo (Platform for posting videos), Dig, video on Demand (Subscribe for an extra charge)]…Airlines such as Virgin Atlantic allow you to select videos you wanna watch, 3 to 8 minute shows…
‘Pixel Corp’ is a guild for content creators. As craftsmen, we call ourselves artists. It is easer to build objects than paint on a canvas. We are on the way to 2,000 members. 150 hours of free video training, fantastic shooting of green screen videos and reduced purchase prices for very powerful software. “I’m kind of a frontpage of a bigger workshop.” Equipment, Resources from all over the world, Members trade work back and forth, Google Earth (Building 3D models of different cities. It doesn’t matter who gets it done. Create a big culture in which everybody gets the idea that it doesn’t matter where stuff gets done…” Quick Time, Flash, H264 has a better image in a smaller file, (HT60) recommended. Didex is popular among the pirates. iTunes is the biggest name when it comes to distributing music….Blue Ray Drive is 40 GB “We are not a news organization…” Online Distribution, Promotion, Put in time and work together, Motion sits on XML, Final Cut Pro Automator, Final Cut Smooth (removes bumpy shots) and Server (meant for news agencies), Invigorator Pro, Animator Pro, Motion 3 (80% of my work is done in motion”)
In games, you can use two cards for example trees instead of having a lot of data by shooting all the sides. You still have to go to AfterEffects for more edits. Conduit Editor takes a green screen, edits and puts it on a card, a frame. “Allow yourself to think about what’s possible…”
The Best Part of the New Final Cut
Weird Frame Blending can be edited with Optical Flow (watches how frames move, adds frames that make sense)… It does instant analysation, Sleek little tool, DI Screen (Digital Inter-Media fine tunes all the colour [Colour grading is done for all films/ Final Touch bought by Apple Full blown system: Basic Colour Correction, you can grab onto specific parts of the image…Every major feature film is colour graded. A DI pass costs around 600,000 US Dollars…Enormous amount of control, Adjust hues.
Manipulate the viewer to watch the story you want to tell/ Speed Grade (or Grad) 5 or 10,000 Dollars is another option/ Soundtrack Pro allows you to do multi-take work much better…
Resolution: Standard Definition, 720p (Most Panasonic Cameras, Minimum size on internet), 1080p (Big Screen)
“If you are shooting for the web, there is no reason to use Interlace, maybe just for TV…” 444 (For every pixel of black and white info, there is a colour pixel, DV Camera takes colour info, shoves it in one side, simply stretches it over the whole image); 411 (Jagged edges usually occur during green screens when you use it against the colour…)
Colour Difference Key takes different colour channels and separates them…
Infamous Green Spill (a little bit of the green screen comes around the image sometimes through parts of the image in context. Use Unspill to adjust it. Videoscopes help you do the colour maths. DG Mac Pro developed by themselves. With the HDV, you get more resolution in your images. Use the grey card to lock the white and blacks of two images…One in the front and the other clip at the back. Why use green? Is it a more easily manipulated photographic colour?
[IMDb: “Where does Superman pee?”
Rachel: “In the air, actually before he changes, sometimes he does before he leaves his office.”]
Alex speaks for Apple at their Worldwide Development Conference MacBreak
LCD Screens allow more creativity than placing viewfinders on the eye…
Watch Maria (A Speech from Zimbabwe) on YouTube. [Alex showed it during the workshop and personally, I felt this was a masterful performance by the guy reciting the poem.] Alex encouraged the audience, “All this stuff is doable, it’s just a matter of starting to play with it…”
Cinema 4D, Number One piece of software for broadcast work…
‘Scratch’ is a free programming tool that allows anyone to create their own animated stories, interactive artworks and video games…

“…Unless you are Born Again.”

2008-10-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 2nd December 1997: I did not think that this day would be one of the Most Important Days in my life. Although I was not surprised by what happened on this day, my heart was changed and I gave it to Jesus. Literally I was born again. From this day, I started throwing away my old self. But I once professed that I was a Christian. Now why should I depart from my old ways? Well, while watching LTV, Carman’s song “Serve the Lord” (1993 Absolute Best album) touched my soul greatly. I felt the presence of GOD’s spirit probably for my first time while I sat on the floor with the lights in the sitting room off. At that time, I was living in my father’s bungalow in Kyebando Kisalosalo. I realized that I had become filthy and rotten because of my sins and needed to seek forgiveness from GOD. The next day I prayed with Pat Robertson, one of the presenters on ‘The 700 Club’ and decided to live a renewed life. Actually, I had become sin-sick. I saw myself as the cheeky spark ignition for many disagreements. The quarelling made me irritable and I harbored a spirit that made my stomach burn with anger. People could see the emotion on my face and sometimes I got murderous thoughts.
After the rebirth, I learnt that by keeping silent when somebody disagrees with you about something you truly know is correct helps, so most of the time I avoided arguments. Changing from bad to good is very difficult. In fact it is impossible when somebody tries on one’s own but with GOD it is possible. His grace is abundant and helpful. It can change the most evil man into a holy son of GOD. I won’t deny the fact that I commit sin everyday because if I did I would be lying to myself. Some people think they are okay because they go to Church regularly but they might not know that the Devil is deceiving them. That is what I was going through and I tried to run way from my devilish existence. The year 1996 alone was a crazy time; As Kalinabiri Head-boy I made enemies by default not knowing what my actions and words were sparking off. A reliable friend from a different stream once informed me that his classmates hated me because I was proud. Maybe they were jealous of my academic prowess; I came from Jinja in the middle of the previous year and took over the school. Trying to befriend one of these guys I was warned about proved to me how much hate can destroy souls. I saw it in his eyes and I hated him back so when his father died, I wasn’t sorry for him. I felt he deserved it. That is the kind of evil I’m talking about that made me invite Christ to my heart. My Lugbara tribe calls it “Ole” or witchcraft. It starts in the heart. A verse in 1 John 10 asks how you can call yourself a son of GOD yet you hate your brother. Hate was staining my soul and I could feel it eating me up. It isn’t enough to be good in order to be put right with GOD. You must confess your past evil deeds and believe that Christ died for your sins.
At SMACK (1997-2000), I spent my first year jumping up and down doing and thinking whatever I wanted. Then on 25th August 1997, the final week after Second Term examinations, I started experiencing the Most Painful and Continuous headache ever. My relief was only when I closed my eyes and slept. I imagined that this was a punishment for my evil deeds. I really suffered and my relatives - I think - became tired of taking me to different doctors (about 5). Always they said it was a malaria problem just as my chest pains were viewed even after several x-rays the following year. Luckily for my headaches, one doctor diagnosed the problem as an eye defect and tinted spectacles were bought for me (A frame cost 62,000 UgX in 1997). My eye defect changed from one extreme to the other extreme. It’s like I was going through a serious battle. The chest pains meanwhile made me worry that I had angina (a heart disease) that can cause heart failure. Somehow I believe that was the formative time for my spiritual renewal. I needed it because my teenage years would have been a waste with all these thoughts and hormones going through me. So I basically made myself docile to avoid trouble though my dad later said that he couldn’t buy that but I know it kept me in people’s good books.

The 2009 Arsenal is Impeccable

2008-10-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

I’ve been a staunch Gooner (name given to an Arsenal hooligan) since Saturday 16th May 1998 (F.A. Cup Final 2-0 win against Newcastle) and I must confess that the 2009 squad is the Best I have ever seen. Forget the Double Champions of 1998 plus 2002, the Invincibles/ Untouchables of 2003 - 5 or the crop that bowed out of Highbury with a Champions League silver medal, this 2009 squad is blessed with quality to the last player. Even if they do not win anything this season, they are so good that they can even ‘carelessly’ allow Hull City to beat them at home and then demolish recent European champions FC Porto 4-0. In previous campaigns, I had my skepticism about certain players; I just felt they weren’t Gunners enough. Their play was half-hearted and skill was mediocre though the rest who stood out made them look like they belonged. Of course everyone played a great part in the victories but somehow you felt, their heart wasn’t Arsenal. Players I believed deserved to be at Highbury and it showed in their play included Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira, Ian Wright, Denis Bergkamp, Ray Parlour, Fredrik Ljungberg, David Seaman and Tony Adams. Others had tremendous skill including Reyes, Kanu, Cole and so on but their passion might not have been like the others. The 2009 squad meanwhile wants to prove critics wrong and is a perfect Arsenal except maybe for Gallas (a Chelsea reject who shouldn’t have been captain last season) and Adebayor (whose arrogance probably makes fans hate him even if he does a lot of good work for the team) but the two are getting on well this season. Eboue doing step overs like Robinho, man where is the world heading? His strength has always been off-target volleys (fun intended here) but we love his smooth forward play. If Sagna collides with an advertising board, it’s most likely that the board will get injured. Those braids make females jealous; Clichy, Traore and Gibbs are like triplets with different mothers; Fabregas is simply put ‘Fabre-ulous’; Van Persie can kill a Python with his ferocious shots; Nasri is the New Zidane, if you forget that, you will remember when he is picking up a trophy; Eduardo is the Best Fox in the Box on English soil; add on Vela – the smiling striker with an assassin’s heart and we are better than ever; Toure is the only mountain that faith can’t move; Silvestre will cast out our devils; Rosicky is no doubt coming back to maraud through defences; Diaby keeps his cool on the ball; Walcott is the bullet that knocks teams out, referees might start giving him yellow cards for having a hand, not a foot, in some goals (laugh if you read the joke); Bendtner meanwhile knows how to score late goals; Djourou is an Intelligent Defender I wouldn’t hesitate to put in the league of Chelsea’s Carvalho (Last season’s Best); Song is a rock in the midfield or let’s say a Rock Song even if his dribbling isn’t all that, Denilson, Simpson, Ramsey, Wilshere and the rest might be young but they’ve got very good feet…Sometimes I wonder why the youngsters are praised whenever Arsenal wins but when they draw or lose, critics say they are too young to win anything. But are they all really young? Some of them are growing up to become the best footballers of their generation, thanks to Le Professeur’s mentoring. The world should stop calling them mere kids…

September 11th

2008-09-11T23:48:00.000-07:00

Where were you when the twin towers came crashing down? It was like Terror had dropped. I was oblivious of the event because at the exact time the tragedy happened, I was working in my parents' retail shop in Kyebando Kisalosalo while listening to Sanyu FM, 88.2 Today's Best Music. At the top of 4 O'Clock, the time when the diligently listened to Sanyu Sports Update was supposed to come on, the sportscaster started by conveying the breaking news: America had been attacked. Having grown up with the naive impression that America can never be defeated, I rushed to the main house to prove it for myself. My second cousin Edwin was watching CNN and I walked in just to get a glimpse of the second impact live. It was replayed over and over until I accepted that this wasn't a movie. How could someone normal do this if it wasn't just an accident?

Only GOD knew what would happen next and I left it at that, went on with my business. Afterall according to Nostradamus, an ancient French prophet, this event was meant to happen and he described it in his book entitled 'Centuries' like this: "Two winged silver fish will collide with tall twin towers..." [Not the exact wording though but how prophetic!] Now I'm waiting to see how that devilish event started off World War III which is supposed to last 27 years...

By the way some sources claim that Osama Bin Laden is the third Anti-Christ after Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler. Watch out!

August, the Month of Death

2008-08-27T10:24:00.001-07:00

It is almost over ... Every August I get weary because that is the period I noticed when popular people shockingly die though some also celebrate birthdays. It is not a guarantee that they die in August. At least if you ask me, my theory is that death that occurs to famous celebrities around August disturbs hearts like mine more than in other months. For example, there was Princess Diana and Mother Theresa in 1997.

Many others occurred in the subsequent Augusts though I do not have the data at my fingertips but I would recommend that you do your research for confirmation. This August alone, I was terribly shocked by the death of Hollywood actor Bernie Mac (‘Ocean’s Thirteen’, ‘Mr.3000’ – His role in this movie reminds me of my good campus friend Ian Katerega, aka Galactico) and when Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa passed away, I just had to revisit this scary topic.

Amin died on 31st July, religiously if it was already evening then he died in August. Aaliyah died in August, and with that I think I will end my mourning. It’s getting too emotional for me now, she shouldn’t have died. When I heard the news before 8 AM on Sunday morning (East African Time), I was preparing for Makerere College’s ‘Best Performances’ Event during the annual MAPA (Music and Performing Arts) Festival where parents are entertained at the Makerere University Kampala Main Hall. I gave it my best shot in memory of Aaliyah’s talent and fortunately, my house Simba also scooped the overall Music, Dance and Drama Shield for the Year 2001 … The Busoga Kyabazinga (or king) Wako Muloki died one day after August, how sad ...

May the dearly Departed rest in eternal peace! Amen.

Silence on Set; Lights, Camera, MICROPHONE and Action:

2008-08-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

Savour this Lyrical Poem which is like a Personal Soundtrack of what I enjoyed at the 4th Annual Lab, it isn’t the official Maisha Rap Anthem yet, but I would fancy producing it if Vincho Nchogu, Maureen Nankya, Maurice Kirya or anyone else comes up with their version. These are my own feelings but can be remixed:

“I’m in the air like MIRA NAIR
I get it right like MUSARAIT
I’m amiable like AMI,
Second to none like STEVE and SABRINA
I’m the Don of Film like McKELLOR
(Lionel Richie once sang,) ‘Say You, SEMI, Say CHELLAS together, naturally’
I shine like SHENNY
I’m animated like ANNIE,
Guile like GILES,
Wise like CRAIG and brave like BARRY
I’m merry like MARIA ‘coz I can walk miles in your shoes like MYLES and his camera
When I go to the Pearly Gates, I carry my own key like KIZZA
I’m on a quest like KWEZI and it’s so easy ‘coz I gat LIZZY by my side, for Shizzy
I’m always ‘On Time’ like PATRICIA because Time is Money and more money somehow means more time
Life is hard but MARK told me even ‘The Casual’ get paid so I wont give up the hussle
JUDITH consoled me by saying that the hussle isn’t my fault but the ‘Sins of the Parents’,
So when I drink V&A, I think of VINCHO & ANGELA
I don’t love Ben but I love V&A. Botswana couldn’t exchange his hat with Britain, it had to be with China
‘After Luanda’ came another Luo hero named DAVID
PITHON brightened our ‘Dark Days’ while RACHAEL ironed out the ‘Flaws of our Time’
I wonder what really happened to EDWARD ‘Last Night’ ‘coz I hear he went out and his life changed
I’m a smooth camera-operator like RICHARD, HOCLAY and ABUBAKER, filming riots and not workshops
Maisha Filmlab is more than just music to my ears; ask GEORGE, GODFREY or SHANTOS – they listened to enough sounds
EMMANUEL, ANTHONY and THUO made it look so easy that I feel I’m now a Final Cut Professional
Shania Twain fans always sing that ‘The First Cut is the Deepest’ but I think the FINAL CUT is the Sweetest, in places like Royal Impala, Fressy Hotel Munyonyo, Godfrey Nyakaana’s Site, Seyani Brothers Kabalagala and the Kabaka’s Landing Site, et cetera.

JOHN MARY was the foremost and ‘mbest mason’; MAUREEN was so beautiful that everyone wanted a photo with her; SAMUEL is major, you feel me? ROGER must have eaten all the Team B snacks, where do you think Bruno got his tummy? KELOY, I need milk and bread please ‘coz I finally got the money; EVA didn’t speak in the movie but was very conversational behind the scenes; TIMOTHY is running for President fellas; CHARLES and SAM were the extra icing on ‘The Casual’ Cake …

JOEL served the food meant for the GIRL’s sick mother to ghost people I imagine, moreover ‘On Time’; Wasn’t SERAH the Team A runner the swimmer too, we need to get this clear because they filmed near the lake; DAPHNE looked like the romantic sunset itself at the end …

‘MAURICE rocks’, don’t forget what I just said; ‘ESTHER, your sister-in-law REHEMA is watching you like a Big Sister in your Big Brother’s House; Hey PAUL, is it true that because of ‘The Sins of the Parents’, the BOY Junior will still make it to Heaven? …
FRED, JOSEPH, BONY and HENRY please drive us home! It’s a Wrap!

[Lyrical Poem by Edward Aikobua]

WaPi (Words and Pictures)

2008-08-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

(Roland's ArtWork, a few of the good paintings showcased during WaPi Kampala August 2008 ... Photo by Aiko)

It used to be and still is a big attraction in Kenya as KTN's Angela Wamai told me but WaPi (the British Council's Programme for revealing raw talent in Africa [Nigeria, Ghana, etc] through Words and Pictures) is still in its infancy within the Pearl of Africa. I missed the first in July 2008 because I was very busy trying to finish some work at my uncle's office. For the Second Edition, I got an SMS invitation, guess everyone did, telling me to identify myself ie 'Define my Identity'. There would also be free stalls with the theme "GWE' ANI?", a Luganda phrase meaning "Who Are You?"

I had to first get home after the Maisha experience and watch the first game of the new Premiership season at Ntinda's Corner View's Pavillion (Nasri's Efficiency and not Flamboyancy won Arsenal's game) before heading to the People's Space at Hotel Africana after 5PM. It was not so packed but I must confess that the youths present were innumerable. Before I could take my first photo, Paul Mugisha was tapping my shoulder to ask for his photos. I had to give him hope that I would email them because I try not to disappoint people who have placed their faith in my efficiency. Don't know if he believed me but anyway I was pleased to see Godwin at WaPi. He was going to shoot a video for his music. His brother Marsha wasn't feeling well so he couldn't come. I also spotted a very outgoing Macos Old Girl one class ahead of me for whom I had the hearts but I just let her pass. I was also pleased to find GNL again after he wasn't chosen as an actor during Maisha auditions. I hadn't promised him the world but reassured him that I would try to influence my Kenyan director to select him, which he didn't. Vincho Nchogu though was my biggest surprise at WaPi. I had just emailed her that we would never meet again but she replied that she wasn't flying back to Kenya yet and we would meet under unexplained circumstances. And so we did...Zippy was alongside her.

The WaPi music was hot and relevant, I wonder what this talent is doing in the Underground. It should be way up there. The fashions were also meticulous; the presentations before I left were done by Fenote, a well known Ethiopian fashion designer based in Muyenga. She ended with a bridal design for both the groom and bride and came along to accept the crowd's salutation.

Who am I, are you asking me? Okay, I'm not Angela Wamai, I'm just 'Ai' (meaning 'Love') like when you haven't added the letters K and O to create the echo in "Aiko" ... I'm a True Ugandan (Psycho) trying to paint the world with my dreams and madness ... come to think of it, I am who I am, the Image of GOD in Words and Pictures ...

The Casual (A Short Film by Mark Mutahi)

2008-08-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

My director, Kenyan Mark Mutahi did not want a website for his short film (An Outrageous Personal Dream that vividly represented the 'Incredibly Insane' description that the Kenyan editor Anthony chose to be the attitude for our group thinking out of the box) but I decided to dedicate a blog post on my webbie as a feature for his comedic story selected among the Best 3 out of 9 during the 2008 Maisha Filmlab; it was also my choice because of its comedy alongside mine and another I won't disclose for selfish reasons. The mentors selected me to be his Production Manager and so was in the thick of the action right from the start...

"The Casual" is a story about infidelity in a low class society. Kim a construction worker is so poor that his beautiful wife Kanini starts having an affair with his boss Bruno. Interesting Trivia about the making of this movie include the fact that Buziga Country Resort, the location for Bruno's office has a conference room that the President's daughter Patience Rwabwogo started using as her church space sometime in June this year. The location for the construction site is actually Godfrey Nyakaana's house. He used to be a boxer before becoming a politician. His wife is also a very successful woman and she owns Centenary Park where Efendy's Turkish Restaurant is located adjacent to Hotel Africana in Kampala. John Mary Mukiza the actor chosen for Meja at first then Kim after audition day, is my SMACK old boy and very talented artist; his brother Jude Karuhanga - my peer - is actually a very great inspiration though I used to think John was better than him. Maureen Nankya, the actress for Kanini featured in Mariam Ndagire's "Down This Road I Walk" and has some music videos you could view on WBS TV or other stations... Eva Tumwesigye, the actress for Janet, the cashier/ receptionist (who also featured in 'Centre 4', a local medical drama) is a sister to Kwezi, assisting in location scouting plus overall management of props and costume distribution. Leroy who acts as Mama Mike is a make-up artist who also did the make up during Donald Mugisha's film "Divisionz"...Samuel Lutaaya first cast as Kim and then Meja is flexible and lively...Our first Shoot for the final movie happened a day before the scheduled day and we were driven to the location for Mama Mike's kiosk by Musarait Kashmiri in her white Mahindra truck (Made in India) simply because we hadn't planned for this change early on.

The first scheduled day of shooting (Friday 8th August 2008) was not so bad for me though what we shot for Bruno's office at Buziga Country Resort was kind of annoying to the editor...We had to do a re-shoot during the following week. However the Cashier scene at Fressy Hotel was not bad though for a moment I thought we would also have to do it again. There was a lot of soda - drinking, yapping with Kanini and trying to max with "da Vincho"

Shoot Day Two at Godfrey Nyakaana's Construction site was better than what we feared though it took us a long time to finish than we had under-estimated. The sun's heat was high but we managed to come through without fainting. Mira Nair came to our set around lunch time before two Al Jazeera guys (a man and woman) also surfaced.

The final Shoot Day started badly. We took long to set up and even after the setup around 10 AM, the camera's pictures were out of focus. I had to run to the editor to confirm. However after that, we managed to sail through though we changed location for the final scene at 5 PM. I had started setting up the room alongside Timothy Tabaaro, our runner from around 3 PM. So by the time the others came, the maize also came though a tin lamp was hard to set up. Luckily, one of the guys at the shop suggested that we use candles which was a million dollar suggestion. I bought that. The mishap in this final scene is that the drunk landlord's son who had allowed us to use his house for filming at 10,000 UgX two days before was now asking for 100,000 UgX probably because he had heard that there were whites in our group. What he didn't know was that this was just a training project. He later apologised thanks to the intervention of a Royal Impala Hotel employee called Hellen who was present the day we struck the deal ... She literally castigated the man since everytime there is work to do, the hotel calls him. Why was he letting them down now? Despite all the drama, I enjoyed listening to George's pink iPod.

The director called for an extra Shoot Day 4 which we executed at Mulongo Zone (Nyakaana's house) from 5 PM on Wednesday 13th August, Craig's Birthday and Farewell for Shenny - the Production Mentor attached to Team B ...

Rough Cuts of all the three movies were shown on the penultimate day - Thursday 14th August. Mira Nair, founder of Maisha Filmlab commented that this movie gave the audience a 20 degree doze of laughter higher than the other two. Barry Braverman thought it was flawless and so did Craig Weisemann

[More Coming Up]

Does Love exist?

2008-08-06T05:35:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I wonder how true love is? Those who have had their hearts broken can agree with me that love is only a fantasy until you experience its reality without fatality. People change, one day she adores you, the next she abhors you. It's like a cycle ... that's what the Psycho says. She calls you the moon because she knows that she is your sun and goes ahead to have a baby by another man, what stuff is that? It's not that she has no choice but is love for real?

Anyway, love is not all about babies or marriage. There is friend to friend love, parent to child, brother to sister and so much more ... just list them, owner to pet, fan to soccer club, the list is endless. Love exists but not everybody can believe in it. Do you? Well, I'm a little unbalanced on this one.

[Article Still under Construction]

The 2008 Maisha Filmlab

2008-08-01T20:33:00.001-07:00

By May 2008, I had somehow given up on the year's Maisha Filmlab till probably the next year - after applying around January - simply because selections had already been made and I wasn't on the list published on the Maisha Website, but was divinely satisfied when my dreams mysteriously came true on short-notice 2 days before the start of the 2008 Filmlab (Probably a tithe to KPC [Kampala Pentecostal Church] opened a door for me to replace Kenyan Gad Wesonga. I was the only male Ugandan screenwriter). I had to complete most of the things I was obliged to urgently do before going to the Royal Impala Hotel in Munyonyo, a few hundred metres away from the fantastic Commonwealth Speke Resort. Maisha is a Ugandan NGO that trains new filmmakers. I enjoyed so much during the 22 (actually 25) day workshop including Sudhir Ruparelia's Speke Resort Munyonyo (with Mark and David), Efendy's Turkish Restaurant; Ndere Centre where I danced to a Lugbara tune "Ama Woro Anji Mungu ni" meaning "We are all GOD's Children" with Vincho; Rides to town for National Theatre public workshops; The tea, buffet, and drinks at Royal Impala, Eating chicken daily at RIHM; The evening film screenings and discussions ... Vincho Nchogu (the Girl whom I got interested about most, I called her Leonardo da Vincho during the first days, you know, that Mona Lisa stuff, right? She was lively, social, incredibly knowledgeable about Kampala City's best spots, carefree and most of all very intelligent [Her screenplay was about how China wined Zimbabwe instead of his housemates Britain, Roafrica (Rest of Africa) and Usamerica] ... Don McKellor (the Don Guan or Don Corleone of Canadian Cinema, I actually want to become the Don McKellor of Ugandan Movies), Musarait (She is a very gifted manager, we should acknowledge her skills), Myles (Stalking us with his camera), Sabrina (Lovely Indian lady from Delhi married to Steve; Her baby son Kabir [Hebrew for 'Big'] was really fun to be with), Ami (Musarait's assistant on the management team without whom film screenings and editing work would be very hard, "You are so good to me, Edward!" just being kind), Steve Cohen, Semi Chellas (She made me believe in myself), Patricia (a Kenyan born Ugandan who writes for 'African Woman' magazine), David, Angela (like an angel), Pithon, Mark (very comedic and witty), Judith (the second female Ugandan representative), Rachael plus Craig (Editing) and Maria (Directing) - mentors who came later, plus the technical crew (participants Emmanuel, versatile riot - loving NTV cameraman Abubaker, Henry the Kenyan Artist, the Sound maestro on 'Team B' named George, Afro-styled Anthony and Tanzanian Richard also on 'Team B', Shantos who was involved in the production of Irene Kulabako's "All Our Children" movie shot in January 2008, Godfrey and Hoclay); actors: the artistically gifted John Mary Mukiza, lively Samuel Lutaaya, beautiful and upfront Maureen Nankya, Roger, Leroy and Eva plus technical mentors: the guile Giles Khan, authoritative Shenny, Annie, the wise Barry Braverman and hotel staff including Nabira, Hellen, Isaac, Alex and Kyeyune in addition to the receptionists Henry, Isaac & Joyce ... plus the actors who came last - Maurice, the soulful phenomenon, Prynce Joel Okuyo, John Mary Mukiza, Maureen Nankya, Eva Tumwesigye, Esther, Keloy, Roger and others, Runners Timothy Tabaaro, Paul Mugisha and elder Zippy's beautiful sister. Although my script wasn't among the shootable 3 out of 9, Life was still Beautiful. I had a wonderful boat cruise on Lake Victoria from the Kabaka's Landing Site with 6 of my fellow screenwriters after the 9 of us all decided to abandon our Speke Resort Munyonyo sojourn because of what we heard about cruise prices from the guards at the gate. Rachael stayed on shore while Mark had a storyboard to make with Richard and Barry at Nyakaana's site. I joined them after the ride where we got close to Bulingugwe Island - a 'suitable zone for romance' according to the boat captain (Actually paid the total 14,000 UgShs required from all of the Maisha passengers as a token of my appreciation for the family they had created though Angela gave me half of her fee); Wednesday evening on the 13th of August after the actors had left was Craig, the Editing mentor's birthday. We had a bash with delicious cake, drinks and photos. I won't forget the group snap with the Birthday Man. Shenny from Delhi, India was also saying farewell ...

Ask Don, he went back to Canada with the idea I gave him that "We were in a heavenly prison ... (Royal Impala is like a Garden of Paradise)"

Why Wyclef?

2008-08-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

"I heard a man say 'Jesus walks', me myself I heard Jesus talk." He told Aiko, "If you have a problem, just look up to Heaven!" Do you ever ask yourself 'why 'Clef and not any other singer? Of all the musicians that have come to Uganda in the last few months (Cece Winans, Akon came up too fast - "Lonely" was like his first big track in the mid 2000s, Kirk Franklin, UB40, Brick & Lace, Collee Buddz, Elephant Man and next Shaggy on 9th August), Wyclef stands out for me as the Most Enjoyed Artiste. I started hearing his songs in the 90s when he was with the Fugees ... "Ready or Not" around 1997 was dream-like, fantastic stuff. During my Senior 4 vacation (December 2000 - May 2001), I did not spend more than one day without hearing "Tell my mama, I'm in love with a stripper, yo!" on 91.3 Capital FM. It was a spiritually philosophical jam. I like the part where he castigated guys who lie that they won't go to the strip joints, "He without sin cast the first stone."
"You don't have to be a millionaire, to get a ticket up to the moon. We all know somebody up there. If you need a helping hand, look I'm right here." Well for Ugandans, 'the Preacher's Son' will be at the Lugogo Cricket Oval on Friday night 1st August to take them over the moon with songs like "Fast Car" for only 35,000 UgShs, that is way less than a million. Also, Celtel Uganda will unveil its new pink and black 'Zain' image.
'Clef fuses an element of reggae with hiphop soul and churns out mentally stimulating hits. Recently, I think he did a collaboration with a rock group, continuing the mash-up trend where rock meets other genres."Sweetest Girl", a collaboration with Lil' Wayne, Akon (Remix with Raekwon) is a deeply moving track, actually inspired my 2008 Maisha Filmlab Screenplay. I had already given up but because I overheard this song, it kind of gave me new ideas and amazingly, I made it to the Filmlab on short notice with my piece. So honestly, Wyclef is like a modern day prophet to me...
When I passed by Lugogo 4 hours before the show, there wasn't much excitment near the Oval ... There was only Zain's new branding advertised but by the time fans started going in, you could see a remarkably humongous queue. Where had all these guys been enjoying 'Clef's music?

Unfortunately, the star did not appear till about midnight leaving many fans wishing they hadn't paid, the delay pierced their hearts. Someone please call 9 - 1 - 1! Can they pick up the phone? Why not try 999, the line for Uganda Police?

[More Coming Soon]

Screenwriting ain't easy

2008-07-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

Some people might imagine that writing movies is a walk-over but I must confess that it is a painstaking and tiring process that can take over 7 years. Even people who have been involved in movie making for years find it hard to write movie-scripts. Prose writing should never blind you to think that you can write scripts easily...You need to know the technical bits in order to present the comical beats professionally...

'Talking about ... ' a Good Book

2008-07-31T21:01:00.000-07:00

[First Printed in 1983 by Semu Printers, Second Edition by Design Centre in 2010] Here is a sneek Preview of what to expect in the book "Talking about Talking" by James E.O. Dramani. Go out into bookstores near you and buy the book (Call 0772-662415 in Arua or 0772-624952 in Kampala for a copy) to get more revelation about one man's hilarious experiences and observations from the 1960s to the 2000s ... Good Reading

"Talking can take various forms. You may talk orally, or in writing, or in signs. Whatever the form used, it aims at communicating something to somebody.

When one talks, one may talk dangerously or randomly as I am going to talk. Whatever I am going to say will be said without order. One may also talk seriously or jokingly or foolishly or shamefully. Others talk big, in contrast to small talkers. You may talk blasphemy or gossip or secrets. Whatever you talk, your talk can be described by one of the numerous adjectives of the ‘European mouth’ or other languages of the world. There’s always a reason that makes one to talk. Be it anger, drunkenness, happiness or what have you. One’s state of mind at any given moment will dictate the tone to use when one talks. Soft voice for love and amusement; Harsh one for rebukes; and authoritative voice for bigness. Drunkards talk anything whether embarrassing or not. Quiet people become noisy under influence of drinks and go to the extent of revealing secrets, even their affairs with their wives. Happiness also makes one say a lot of things.

The subject matter of talking does not take one form. It may be political, academic, professional, or a layman’s talk. The interest of listening is roused by who talks on what and the language used for language joins people more easily than other ways. The ability to perceive what is talked about is dependant on the listener’s knowledge of the subject talked about, or his state of mind at that very moment. It may depend on his status in life or educational background.

In works of a title like this one, there can be no list of contents or chapters as everything just comes randomly and in a confused manner. I am going to talk and talk, almost without stopping but there will have to be a stop to all that I want to talk about. My talk may appear as if it points a finger at you. But No! I am talking at random on anything without mentioning names. My talk may amuse you, it may annoy others or it may leave others unaffected. Whatever it does to you, you can re-read the title and see if it rhymes with the contents for ‘talking’ can mean ay kind of talking.

Now going to talking, it is oral talk which the majority of people practice, for some do not write and the dumb and deaf ones use sign talking only. All the three forms are used by lucky ones who have ability and opportunity to use them all.

One’s oral talk has to be audible or else one may be considered talking to oneself. I for one, I do not talk audibly. Those who know me may wonder what I save my voice for, or whether GOD did not expect me to use my vocal cord fully. It is not me alone who is a victim of talking to oneself. There are others far worse than me I guess. Like our sweet talkers of the fair sex who fear to be taken as noisy creatures – for reasons best known to themselves. And so they talk as if they are just two in a bed where whispers are not supposed to be heard beyond the walls of the paradise room. The ‘bazungu’ say that you swallow your words as if the words are something to be eaten. Talking inaudibly will make the listeners beg so many of your pardons very much to your annoyance as you might wonder, without realizing that the fault is yours whether you are talking to deaf people or not. It may even cause loss of interest in what you talk. You are eventually labeled a bore. On the other hand there are those who talk audibly, but too loudly. Although they achieve the aim of talking that is communicating something to somebody, their talk is almost noise making rather than pleasurable sound to the ear. Even if people are in a small place, close to each other, such loud talkers never change the volume of their voices. They are only fit to address rallies in open air or big halls. They keep awake those addicted to sleeping during gatherings. Such are the right people for the Alleluyah Group or the Gospel Church where shouting is the order of the day. Or else they ought to shout in mosques every morning to awaken people for early morning prayers. Talking of Gospel Church, one may remember the group near Makerere in the late sixties which gave a picture of a mental home. There was no order of talking. Each person shouted at the highest voice. The group was banned in this country but is coming up again with the liberation of Uganda."

Trading for Peace (Draft Documentary Transcript)

2008-07-29T21:37:00.001-07:00

Draft Transcript for the Documentary Film produced by INTERNATIONAL ALERT about the ‘Trading for Peace’ plus COMESA STR (Simplified Trade Regime) Meetings in Kasese 20th to 23rd October 2008 and Bwera Trade Fair on 24th October 2008 all organized by COMESA, DFID and USAID in partnership with the Government of Uganda. The theme was “Capacity Building and Cross Border Trade Facilitation”.

ALISON THOMPSON, ROBINAH KAJWENGE and FRIDAH MUSIIME worked on the documentation. The Journalist was EDWARD AIKOBUA and TOM ISINGOMA was the Cameraman.

DAY ONE (Monday 20th October 2008): TAPE 1 & 2
(Timber Trade and Livelihoods in Great Lakes Region)

We interviewed two Congolese Timber Traders plus Ms. FELICITE KALUME NDOOLE, Ministère Provinciale DRC – North Kivu; Ministère de l’Environement Nord – Kivu. Also interviewed was WINNIE KIZZA, MP Kasese (Uganda)… Details and correct spellings of all the names of interviewees can be double checked with the list of participants since we asked them to introduce themselves.

DAY TWO (Tuesday 21st October 2008): TAPE 3 & 4
(COMESA Strategy for Sustainable Timber Trade in the Great Lakes Region)

1. NICK BATES, Political Analyst (DFID – UK)
An Excellent Take; he spoke extensively about this timely initiative to have a forum that brings together different nationals in the COMESA Region and allow them to discuss their disagreements. He elaborated on the themes from the past meetings and also the future. I actually squeezed out of him what was in store for 2009 and he said ‘Energy’ since Congo has many rivers from which hydro-electric power can be tapped. The cameraman commented that this was a big interview for him since the subject in the frame revealed so much and spoke resourcefully. This clip alone contained a lot of important data and has a symbolic view of the Rwenzori Mountains in the background…

2. DAVIES M. BAMULESEYO, Principal Commercial Officer/ Trade at the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry (Uganda)
A Good Take; it was actually very good in terms of content. We got the main man who is Uganda’s National Focal Point in implementing the COMESA STR. Davies spoke about the importance of having such meetings to facilitate trade across borders. As a civil servant, he did not want to be so political, so I avoided asking him the question of government interference in trading. Instead, I asked him what he thought about having information points at the many border posts like Busia-Malaba, Katuna, Vurra (Arua) in addition to the Mpondwe/ Kasindi Border Post. Information most especially about trade across borders as a resource can help build peace.
Trivia: Mr. Bamuleseyo chaired the COMESA STR meetings the following days Wednesday and Thursday alongside Helen Kenani, the COMESA Senior Trade Expert who turned down my request to interview her simply because her secretariat was among the facilitators of the forum…

DAY THREE (Wednesday 22nd October 2008): TAPE 5
(Opening of the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime [STR] workshop)

1. STANLEY PANDASI, General Chairperson of Traders and Representative at Mpondwe Border Post (Customs Market)
A Good Take; he spoke in English mixed with his local language Rukhonzo explaining the problems he is facing and what the people he represents go through. He gave suggestions of what government needs to do. He was a good authority to interview on issues concerning Mpondwe Cross-Border trading…

2. BISWEDE KALIHODI, Market Tenderer (Bwera, Kasese) and Member of the Women Choir Singers’ Group (Uganda)
Excellent Take; she talked in Swahili about taxes being paid in different places for the same good for example when trading fish, you may find yourself paying several people instead of just one officer. Arrests are actually made and this disjointed taxation kills their would-be profits. Her disposition was quite volatile which makes for a good screen presence. She brings out her grievances well and was very smart (on the fashion side). We ‘held for traffic’ (that is stopped recording) twice to allow a loud Bread Van pass at Hotel Margerita…

3. AGNES PASKA, Market Tenderer (Fish Trader) and Chairperson of the Women Choir Singers’ Group (Uganda)
Not a Bad Take; she felt more comfortable speaking her mother tongue Rukhonzi and
revealed that she sells fish at Kasitamu Market (at the border). We asked her to talk about
what she thought of Cross Border Trade and the challenges that constrain her…

4. JEAN - MARCEL MUYA TUMBA, DRC Gouv, Directeur de Promotion Commerciale ; Ministère de Economie Nationale et Commerce Extérieur ; Secrétariat General au Commerce Extérieur ; et Point Focal Principal pour le RECOS/ RDC
A Good Take with the Rwenzori Mountains in the background. Since he is the focal point for DR Congo in implementation of the STR, we allowed him to speak about Cross Border Trade, Conflicts and other setbacks without interruption. He talked about the Trading for Peace Forum; Differences between Congo and Uganda; Problems and appropriate ideas

DAY FOUR (Thursday 23rd October 2008): TAPE 5
(Review of the COMESA STR with the handbook “Making Cross Border Trade Simplified”)

1. KISITU ASADU KIGOZI, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Customs Officer Mpondwe (Western Uganda)
Early morning capture…Very Important Take because the previous day, participants asked for the presence of at least one Customs Official to contribute to their forum and let his employers know the achievements of the ‘Trading for Peace’ and COMESA STR Forum…

DAY FIVE (Friday 24th October 2008): TAPE 6
(Trade Fair at Bwera Primary Teachers College)

Besides the interviews on the final day of filming, also captured on Tape 6 were the Bwera College students singing the Uganda National Anthem and another song to make the guests “feel at home”. The Trade Fair was like a cross border trade market with various items on display including bitenge, padlocks, juice, whisky, clothes, cosmetics, fruits, sugar, packaged products, stoves, agricultural foodstuffs, sandals, charcoal, glycerine, cooking oil, air time cards (most notably from Warid Telecom that had a conspicuous umbrella), shampoo and much more. Rather peculiar were logs of timber on display. The chief guest Chairman LC (Local Council) 5 Canon Julius Kithaghenda led the inspection of stalls. His speech came after the Principal of Bwera Teachers College; the LC 3; M. Damien Kamashi - President de la F.E.C/ Beni and another delegate were asked to say a word. Below are the people interviewed…

1. SOSTENE BWAMBALE, Bitenge Trader (Uganda)
Fair Take though shot while the Guest of Honour was giving his speech in the background. Sostene talked about revenue officials not giving them fixed prices and advised government to stabilize pricing…

2. ANGELUS MUHINDO, Bwera Solar and General Electricals, Power Equipment Supplier (Uganda)
A Good Take; one of his challenges was that people do not buy solar equipment because of prices. He advised government to reduce on (importation) taxes so that prices also fall. His eloquence in English smoothened our interchange. Basing on the fact that the Principal of Bwera Teachers College revealed (during his speech) that the school had an inadequate solar system installed as far back as 1995, Muhindo’s presence at the fair should have been of great interest to the administrators plus students besides other consumers…

3. (Hajjati) MASIKA TAUSI MWANAIDI, Bitenge Trader (Congo)
A Good Take; though the music was still loud. She spoke Swahili and complained about revenue authorities who put them in trouble. She begged that they also hear what the traders have to say…

4. MARGRET KINENE, Foodstuffs Trader (Uganda)
A Fairly Good Take; the entertainment deejay could not play his music at low decibels but we managed to find out that Kinene sells foodstuffs like bananas, cassava, pineapples, irish and sweet potatoes (a local favourite). Margret spoke her local tongue Rukhonzo and told us a very important point that as a handicapped Ugandan (lame person), she is not charged anything while trading in Congo. She was dressed in a yellow NRM (National Resistance Movement) T-shirt with the 2006 election campaign face of the ruling Ugandan President His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. This was a great political statement because M7’s regime has really worked hard to empower women including rural agriculturalists. Unfortunately, we did not capture another piece of information about how she has educated her daughter up to Senior Four (That is the age when Ugandan girls are ready for marriage) but does not have money to sponsor her further. She added that the father died when the girl finished Primary Seven, about four classes behind. This human interest information can be used in a voice over or caption talking about Margret…

5. MASEREKA YONA HAYI, Timber Importer (Uganda)
His problems include among others Untrustworthy Congolese: Some Congolese run with their money; Secondly, when you load timber, Congolese officials beg for money with no reciept yet Congolese traders have no problem in Uganda; In the third place, even a Ugandan with a VISA faces problems - he gets phone calls looking for him or is chased; Finally, sometimes when you check timber bought, you find that it is the worst…

6. MOSES BALUKU, Timber Importer (Uganda)
Very Brief Take; Baluku had a similar grievance as Yona’s last, mentioned to me off camera how Congolese sell them rejects of timber...

Nyakuni is One of Uganda's Richest

2008-07-16T23:58:00.000-07:00

James Nyakuni, one of the richest people in Uganda, is known for the fleet of white GaaGaa buses that ply the Kampala - West Nile route. He started in a humble way. After dropping out of school in P7 he went into brickmaking and building before starting a stall in Arua dealing in metal fabrications. Later, he tried a bicycle spares shop. It is trading in fuel and cigarettes that saw him travel to Nairobi occasionally on business trips out of which his business acumen was nourished. He established a business branch in northeastern DR Congo before venturing into transportation. Nyakuni is also a real estate mogul with expensive houses in Arua and Kampala. (Copyright www.encyclopedia.com)

Spanish Painter to Remember

2008-07-14T05:11:00.000-07:00

EL MALQ (Born 1926, Died 2007) was one of Spain’s Best Painters of his generation. Also known as ‘lapiz’ (Spanish for ‘pencil’), he admired his contemporary Pablo Picasso and believed his country-mate - born 45 years before him - became recognized because of the neo-expressionism (which stands for ‘ahead of abstract expressionism’ of that time) and academic realism in his Art. El Malq struck out of Art School in Paris, France (because he felt his expression was being suffocated by low academic grades) and developed his own style of Art by studying works by other artists who impressed him most. ‘Lapiz’ died peacefully in his room only one month before his 80th Birthday. His first master-piece (which was relevant to both tourists [sightseers] & industrialists) ‘The Bypass to Prosperity” (1948 – 9) hangs in the French Tourism Board headquarters.

Company Development

2008-07-14T05:06:00.000-07:00

Phases of Organisational Development: (from a Uganda Arts and Media Academy organised (Norwegian) Tina Davis ‘Documentary’ workshop in April 2008)

Leadership: Founder has Strong Vision, Charismatic, Is the Unifying Force, Identity of the Entity

Organisation: Informal, Improvisational, No or Little Structure: Operates like a Family, Closeness/ Warmth, Motivated Staff, Trust is High
Growth: Chaotic, Rapid, Dependency, Need for Specialisation

Crisis: DECISION MAKING – Ineffective, Ad Hoc, Informal, Not Consistent, Little Accountability; LEADERSHIP – No Structure, One Person or Small Informal Group, Loss of Faith in Leader, Management Clashes/ Conflicts, Frustration

Rational Phase Management:
Structures, Departments, Organograms, Formal
Formal Rules and Procedures: Memos for Communication … Identity is an Organisation known by Logo

FUNCTIONS: Differentiated, Technical, Standardized, Rational
Rigid Process: Bureaucracy, Low Motivation, Poor Communication, Management & Worries, Conflict, Vision not shared, Low Productivity, Number and not Person is important

INTEGRATED PHASE” Facilitative, Respectful, Interactive, Federal Integration of Units, Self-determination, Independence
LEADERSHIP: All encompassing, Accommodation, Need for Focus
ORGANISATION: Competitiveness, Open Organisation, Boundaries, Need for a focused and dynamic Way

ASSOCIATION PHASE: Association of Organisations, Focus on Value Creation, Macro Social Science; Open Boundaries to other Organisations a Formation of Networking Organisations, Interdependence; Usually works at first but may be eaten from the Inside, Conflicts; Individual Identity fades, If the Borders are not opened then the Central Organisation becomes the Leader, May be created to control others, May not be beneficial to Member Organisations

Pitchou’s Angle

2008-07-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday 9 July 2008, the Executive Producer of the WeitWinkel (German for ‘Wide Angle’) Film Production Company - Rwandese-Congolese Pitchou Kamara K. - gave me a few tips for professional video, film and TV production during the first ever (though poorly attended on Day 3) Video-Art Exhibition at the new UGCS on Mackinnon Road. Discussions were supposed to be done by Ugandan Art icon Xenson (Stephen Ssenkaaba) borrowing a leaf from 40YEARSVIDEOART.DE – PART 1, a 2006 Digital Heritage: Exhibition of Video Art in Germany from 1963 to the Present, but he cancelled them. The first six videos were close up shorts of one sitted woman’s pants and inner thighs, then breasts moving, legs and socks, black-sleeved arm bending, eyes shutting & closing and finally the mouth. The three ladies who attended [UGCS Director Wagner was travelling somewhere, a stunningly beautiful OG of mine from Macos and an unnamed artist] walked out early probably because of the theme. The funniest video or us was a guy shouting “Hallo!” non stop on top of a hill for several minutes while coughing and calling out in a progressively hoarse voice.

Advertising is always great if actions are involved. I’m not trying to brag but during the 2001 Annual Inter-House Quiz at Macos while I was just new in Senior Five, a Senior Six hostel-mate who had read my journals and notebooks forced me to be one of the three representatives besides another classmate of his and a black, beautiful Middle-School chick. WEM, a Kenyan American for real (whom I failed to convince that I wanted to bring about an Art Revolution) reasoned that when it came to sports and music, I would bail out Simba House. The girl was back up for novels and feminine stuff while the other boy was mathematically & politically sound. So we were basically covered. I must confess that in the barrage of questions, the two I regret most were failing a Pythagoras Theorem number where after calculating without consulting my team-mates, I mentioned a number that was wrong by only one zero I did not add at the end of the digit. The more shameful though was saying Charlie Lubega [instead of Toni ? Mackinnon] had won the World Rally Championship. Nevertheless, when I was told to advertise a new insecticide called ‘Bon Bon’ in one minute, I think I made WEM proud of himself for choosing me. When I got the mic, the first reference that came to my mind was the TV adverts I used to watch. Many of them had songs. So I composed a ‘well-rhymed’ (as WEM told his classmates including Michael Ross of the ‘Signorita’ fame) rap song on the spot, “Bon Bon is the insecticide, Bon Bon is the insecticide. If you use it, you will kill all the insects in your house.” I heard a hissing sound from the audience and followed up my hit with a spraying hiss and movement from front, back, side to side, up to down low. I got the maximum 5 points from my SMACK Old Boy called from Makerere University to chair the Quiz…the Next Contestant Karen Hashya (Funny name some pronounced as ‘Hasasha’) whom the school knew as a talented songstress also tried to sing her advertisement but I beat her by 1 point. Other guys who were below 4 points had different ideas I cannot remember. It was a plus for me which I followed up by perfectly describing the word ‘pan’ (written on a chit) with only actions and ‘No Words’ for my two teammates to decipher. (I also took part in the Best Play later on during that Inter-House Competition season which my house Simba clinched overall) After the quiz where we were runners-up out of six houses, hostelmates in other houses wanted me to re-sing the tune for them. Unfortunately the following year, I never took part in any Music Production nor sung during Sunday Service except during our Farewell Mass because I felt contented with what I had done in Senior Five. But anyway, I knew that I was still a ‘shirt’ as Victor Semugooma called me for giving up on repeating these feats in ‘02; we try hard to be what we ain’t, you know. Life is just ‘kiwani’, even the stars ain’t all that. We just compromise because they do one offs maybe many times. Advertising is all about sugar-coats, covering up the truth through marvellous actions.

PKK’s Tips on Videos & Art:
“Put some books on a table. Shine 111 Watts of light on them through a transparent filter and take a photo. It will be the Most Beautiful you have ever seen…”
“A (music) video should have three major colours. Most American videos have blue, red and black. If you watch CNN, you will discover that the main colour is red…”
“Ugandan TV is boring because cameramen do not write before they shoot.”
“You can edit a video in Adobe Photoshop by first creating an alpha channel…”
“What are the three things to consider while making a TV commercial? First, know the product you are advertising; secondly, ascertain its competition in the market and finally; understand the qualities of your product that make it more desirable than the others.”
“If you can make a product attractive in a TV commercial without adding sound, then you have done a good job…”
According to IAA (International Advertising Association), “Advertising only makes people buy things they do not need, but besides, they want.” What makes them want these things? Find below examples of the Best TV Commercials I’ve marveled at personally:
1. “If you want to make it to the NBA,” [A guy runs from the free throw line, tries to slam dunk but misses the hoop, hits the rim hard with his basketball and comes down tumbling. TV view shows his behind landing on the camera lens while yelling in distress, ‘Urrrrhhhh!’ Very funny, indeed!] “Practice! If you want a refreshing drink, ‘Obey your Thirst! Sprite® Image is nothing, Thirst is everything’.”

2. A photocopier jerks out papers and even jumps away when a human approaches with other brands of paper that are not Rotatrim ®

3. The voice-over of a man narrates what everyone (His father, mother & teacher) wanted him to become. On the screen, we see a car driving by on a dusty road and the man ends by saying, “…so here I am, Mitsubishi & Pajero™, enjoy yourself!”

4. A Mercedes Benz clip in which a (soulful) father and (funky) son fight to play the music they fancy. The father finally decides to drive at a speed that couldn’t allow his son to touch the player. From another Mercedes advertisement, “Nothing can make a driver more faithful to his car than a car that is faithful to its driver.”

5. A Telecom Advertisement from Tanzania about a father who phones his son and gets mesmerized by the musical feedback instead of the usual boring ring-ring. The boy who was going to the opposite side of his room picks the call and greets “Hello!” before hanging up since no one responded. The elderly father redials and shakes with the phone held high in his left hand while his brother dances on the floor like a gymnast …“Tigo, Express Yourself!”

6. In the 90s, Kenya was known for producing the finest adverts in East Africa…You had the Kiwi, Ribena, Hedex, Dettol, Omo, Geisha and Unilever franchises but the Blue Band experience of a Primary School pupil spreading margarine on bread under his class-desk does it for me in the new Millennium. “Who can tell me what condensation is? Jeremy!” He got up pretending to be innocent and answered correctly after clearing his throat. The teacher smiled and his classmates looked on with approving glances.

7. “You’re the Most Beautiful Girl I’ve ever seen…” One dude made his girlfriend jealous when he admired another lady who was passing behind her until she used Fair & Lovely™ skin lotion and he just couldn’t deny the same compliment for her. This time though, he said it humorously alluding to the previous disheartening experience. There was a mirror behind her so when she looked to see if it was that other girl again, she saw herself instead. Wow!

8. “Mummy, he’s done it again.” A young girl shouted on the beach after her brother had literally re-sucked himself into a soda bottle through a straw. It’s impossible but vividly illustrates the irresistible sweetness of the PEPSI® drink that makes kids suck beyond the last drop until the sound from sucking an empty bottom is heard.

9. A Clay Animation in which fast-paced Thierry Henry wearing Reebok™ or Nike™ sneakers runs around a boxer in a fighting ring and makes him collapse (through a whirlwind knockout).

10. A fierce bull runs away from a Toyota™ automobile. The car maker’s logo actually has an arc like the horns of a bull extending from a vertical oval within the outline.

11. “In 1994, I missed a penalty.” (Pony-tailed Roberto Baggio holds his head while kneeling after chipping Italy’s final penalty over goalkeeper Tafferel’s crossbar in the World Cup Final shootout to decide the 0-0 draw with Brazil who won 3-2). “Four years later, I had a chance to redeem myself.” (This time it was a penalty in a European qualifier to decide whether Italy would go through to the 1998 World Cup competition in France. Some fans covered their eyes but the talented Italian legend did not disappoint. My 4th Sister-Tina-actually loves this guy (He lighted up USA ’94 for her) and personally, I think he is the Most Idolized Azzuri I have ever watched besides maybe Dino Zoff, Zola, Del Piero & Totti). Baggio walked away majestically with the whole nation following him. Johnie Walker™: “Success is not a journey; it’s a destination…” The World Cup ’94 Commercials of players kicking the ball from continent to continent and 2002 Galaxy of Stars fantasy (Henry, Ronaldinho, Figo, Zidane, Edgar Davids, Ronaldo, Beckham, Roberto Carlos) were also creative.

12. The Smirnoff Ice ‘Welcome to my Home’ advertisement won my 2005 AikoGraphics Commercial of the Year laureate…A carefree and fur-coated male (probably an Eskimo) takes viewers on a tour of his organized crib and ends in his icy backyard after pulling out a bottle of Smirnoff from a refrigerator. Why would you need one in these already icy conditions? Reinforced Ice, I guess! In 2003, I had fallen in love with everything icy so this was juicy stuff…Aiko in Wonderland, you know!

13. The 2001-2 “It’s My Life” Sports Highlights Feature (Background song by Bon Jovi) on SuperSport plus the “What’s in a Name? Fabregas ... Wenger” Premiership Advertisement ... Another good English League Commercial is, “Every civilization has found a way to record the passage of time. Today, we discover another ...”

Here are good Radio Ads I’ve also enjoyed:
1. The humorous Coca-Cola ® “Let Me See You ‘Brrrr!’ (Remix)” of the “Burrn”
song by Blu*3 and Navio, “It’s an honor to introduce to you, the Brrrr!
on the Coke side of life”
2. The uganda telecom “Boyfi” advert
3. The utl ‘Mango™’ rap, “My cellular phone is all brand new…”
4. CLUB ® Beer for people who think different: “What was the Best Thing before
sliced bread?”
5. “I’m going to call my brother.” a voice actor fades away as if at a distance
from the friend with whom he had just had a dialogue about MTN or utl,
sorry
I can’t remember which company.

Relativity

2008-07-09T04:01:00.000-07:00

Some people make history before they become famous…The Great German-born US Physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955) taught us that the Theory of Relativity is E=mc2. As a Self Taught Designer, I’ve discovered that Energy equals to Madness (multiplied by) Courage and Creativity. Do the Physics!

With this energy, you can be and do everything you dream. Ask (21 year old Ugandan born) Esther, the 2008 winner of Tusker Project Fame 2 who is about to produce a music album in stead of completing her Telecommunications Engineering course from Makerere University Kampala! She may even change her mind and do Sound Engineering in line with her vocal talent. Isn’t that relative?

But anyway, our greatest fear is not that we are bogus; our Greatest Fear is that we can achieve Wonders beyond measure…GODisgreat!

Build Giant Solar Stations

2008-07-09T03:30:00.000-07:00

INSTEAD of building dams yet water levels are decreasing and in the end destroying our beautiful waterfalls, the Government should experiment with giant solar panels. Uganda lies astride the equator so the sun’s energy is abundant for exploitation.

Edward Aikobua, Mukono

(Published in Sunday Vision, 22 January 2006)

Isn’t Kel’s a true musical Genius?

2008-07-09T03:29:00.000-07:00

I’m not the Hugest Fan of his but (among all the international musical artistes I know), only Robert Kelly stands out as the one entertainer with an unbelievable midas touch. Maybe it’s because he did the soundtrack for my Childhood Icon Michael Jordan’s 1995 ‘Space Jam’ movie but every song, duet or remix he works on is a hit.
[My cousin Edwin Paratra probably influenced me to write this because of the TP2.com album he had, but the only song by Kel’s I did not like for a moment while growing up (though seemingly Gospel) was “Storm is Over”, because of the Video. The angelic choirs made my spirit tingle a bit since I couldn’t get over some of my hurdles in life with or without their help.]
Kel’s actually seems to me a naturalized Man of the World with a doze of Godly reverence in him.

Money Can Buy Anything

2008-07-09T03:27:00.000-07:00

Whoever said ‘money can’t buy love’ must have been a false prophet with minimal tact in romantic logistics. It’s not about how much but how. Are you pursuing someone? Use your tact and best wit backed by money and see whether they won’t fall for you under the weight of your investment versatility. Jesus said that we should use our money to win friends. From love to success, life to freedom, GOD’s salvation (hmm!) to immortality/ eternal bliss, there’s nothing money can’t buy. I’m not being blasphemous but Jesus, the LORD of All told a young rich man that if he wanted to inherit the kingdom of Heaven, he should go and sell all he has, give the money to the poor and then follow Christ. Paying tithe (10% of your income) to the church bank will make you richer. I have evidence; an extra 0 figure or more on the amount you offered.
Chelsea Football Club’s winning combination started with Benjamins or let me quip and say ‘Romans’ from Russia. No Americans here. A rich oil tycoon named Roman bought the club which had last won the English League once and in 1955, paid off all their debts, bought high profile players (like Didier Drogba), increased their salaries, hired the services of an accomplished coach (Mourinho) and three years or two seasons later, he had literally bought success. Abramovic rebuilt the Roman Empire in two seasons and one day. During the 2005 Barclaycard Premiership, Chelsea defeated Manchester United home (1-0) and away (1-3, the unforgettable score that clinched the trophy). On their way to the Carling Cup championship, Chelsea also out-muscled the Red Devils, drawing 1-1 at the Bridge and winning 1-2 in the return leg.
Do you still disagree? Okay, then Eminem has ‘got the money to have you killed by somebody who has nothing.” Think about it: A price can be put on your life. Ask Jesus (No fun intended). Why are beautiful women bought? I mean, they may not love the man but become the wife. Was he looking for their love or just the position?
If you want me to give you an ‘encore’ of this topic, there might be a ‘Parental Advisory’ warning for explicit content.
Farewell Jose
[This letter was written immediately after his cruel departure but published no where]
“I am a die-hard Arsenal fan but will always cherish Jose Mourinho. When Thierry left, I froze momentarily but also looked at the bright side; Henry will be able to compete favourably for the FIFA Player of the Year Award and the remaining Gunners can distribute goals among themselves. When Mourinho left though, I felt the Premiership lost a different treasure. The Special One brought effective competition to the Premiership, a perfect ‘Blue Revolution’ (2005-7). Why couldn’t other teams also win the Premiership after Man Utd, Blackburn, United again and then us? Everton is always sexy but gets optimum seasonal blues, the Almighty Kops are somehow jinxed, Newcastle pretended in 2001-2 and West Ham do not hammer hard enough. Chelsea certainly struggled in the fantastic Zola-Poyet-Guillit-Wise-Hasselbaink eras but Abramovic’s arrival blinded us to believe that ‘more money means more triumph’. [Romanian striker Gustavo Poyet once exclaimed that with only one free kick, Italian teammate Gianfranco Zola could score two goals.] I’m not downgrading the great talent of Terry and Company or Abramovic’s riches but Mour’ was the charismatic genius who attracted more big name success to Chelsea: 5 trophies in 3 years and no home loss at Stamford Bridge is just awesome (Mourinho-some). As they say in Portuguese (or Spanish, I don’t know), ‘Adious, Signori!’.”

Government’s Gift to Exporters

2008-07-07T10:05:00.000-07:00

Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) has since June 2005 been implementing the Second Private Sector Competitiveness Project (PSCP II). This is a 5 year World Bank – Government of Uganda project aimed at creating sustainable conditions for enterprise creation and growth. Under its three components – Developing infrastructure and financial services; Enhancing enterprise competitiveness; and Improving the business environment – the project’s various innovative activities are intended to increase value addition, support linkages between enterprises and improve skills for MSMEs. To make this happen, PSFU is working together with Uganda Investment Authority, Uganda Law Reform, Uganda Registration Services Bureau, Uganda National Bureau of Standards, and Ministry of Lands and Urban Development.
“A powerful, distinctive, and appealing national brand in case of the country or company brand, is one of the most valuable gift a government can give to its exporters. Today, branded exports are one of the most potent ways of building and sustaining company and subsequently national image.” The Business Branding Linkages (BBL) Programme is aimed at capturing more value from profit margins associated with branding and marketing.
The expected outcome is that our products will be differentiated from those of our competitors thus making it more difficult for them to compete for our customers. We expect to attract a higher price for our products. This will enable us to communicate with our products using consistent messages and build a positive image for our businesses and our nation.
How is the PSFU going to support this initiative? The program will identify sectors/ firms in the country suitable for branding or with potential to attract incremental benefits as a result of branding and assist them on a cost share basis by: (i) Hiring branding consultants to assist the firm/ sector undertake market analysis in international and regional markets and identify products, market segments where Ugandan producers could successfully penetrate. (ii) Developing branding strategies or campaign. (iii) Working with identified firms/ sectors to the creation of new brands/ sub brands and improve the quality and efficiency along the value chain in order for them to meet the required quality and quantity requirements. (iv) Providing support in respect of the brand related costs arising out of the recommended branding strategy i.e. advertising, marketing campaigns, design of materials/ packaging and creation of branding stories.
Eligibility is based on whether the applicant is privately-owned and is not fully or partially owned by Government; The applicant is carrying out business in the MSME sector with a potential for export to regional or international markets in any category apart from production of weapons, alcoholic beverages, tobacco and gambling; Companies are in compliance with tax and requirements; Cost share basis grants are up to a maximum of USD 100,000

© PSFU Exporters & Importers Directory 2008

The PSFU (Private Sector Foundation Uganda) & MTN Trade Facilitation Exhibition on Friday 27 June 2008 was, I must confess, an illustrious success though I came in late from Kampala Town around noon. With stalls on almost one half plus on the long ends of the North Western Exhibition Hall at Lugogo Show Grounds, a large area was set aside for listeners to sit and you could see that the exhibition was well attended. A minister from Rwanda was speaking when I made my entrance. An apology was made by the MC about the absence of one of the panelists who had to go to the airport earlier than scheduled for checking before a voyage out of the country that evening. I expected PSFU chairman James Mulwana to be there, but didn’t see him. Could he have been the one mentioned?

Anyway, after the minister, Richard Kamajugo a URA Commissioner [AC – Trade] on behalf of Allen Kagina started by conveying the Commissioner General’s remarks; personally I think she’s always brilliant and considerate to tax payers, you know, the aura of motherly love makes her great. I do not know much about her white predecessor but call Kagina the “Customs Mama”. Please don’t tell her daughter Mitchel that Aiko said so…Her words conveyed by Commissioner Kamajugo were worth writing home about, “Today, because of the technology, reengineering and a common East African customs understanding, consignments can be cleared within 24 hours unlike in the past which took many days... Customs is the branch of URA that handles exports and imports.”

Lunch (a package of chicken, salt, sausage, sumbi, tomato sauce, and irish) plus a drink were served to the tired listeners to woo them back from the stalls to hear more because the commissioner was not done yet. What else would you expect other than feeding all those present when these guys had made a lot of money from the sponsors and exhibitors? Richard’s subsequent presentation was about URA’s role in the export business. (For more details about his presentation, I would suggest that you check out URA’s website @ www.ugrevenue.com) All I could gather because of food in my mouth (I wasn’t prepared to write) was that some taxes had been waivered. The Most Interesting was the waiver of income tax on new agro-processing businesses 30 Kilometres outside Kampala in the new financial year which was just four days away on Tuesday. There was also a waiver on trucks that carry loads above 3.5 MT (Metric Tonnes) so buying such a truck in the new FY would be cheaper. The commissioner Richard Kamajugo even advised businessmen to replace their family saloon cars with an export truck if they so wished… Richard also mentioned the usual waivers of tax on exports such as hides and skins [yet in the past, no body was allowed to export them]. “Uganda gets her foreign exchange from exports. So without large amounts of foreign exchange, we cannot trade for imports with the foreigners. URA has come in to facilitate and promote exports…”

This was more of an export promotion exhibition. UCIFA Chairman Omar Kassim was also one of the speakers and said “UCIFA is always open (for exporters and importers)”. Sponsors (who were honored after the Rwandese minister’s speech) plus Advertisers included (in no distinguished order) PSFU, Barclays, SkyNet, uganda telecom; MTN, UIA (Uganda Investment Authority) alongside UEPB (Uganda Export Promotion Board); Stanbic Bank; Nine international embassies like Holland, UK, et cetera; South African Airways, UCIFA (Sitting at the stall was board member Lino Cries Icila and the Secretary to UCIFA’s Chairman)…Secretary General Jad Johnsons Tabule who is also the director of Freight Kargo Masters was in the crowd and so was Assistant Chairman Lawrence Ayebare who listened to the presenters; CMA (Capital Markets Authority); dfcu Bank (offering Land Loans between 5 and 75 Million UgX and other services); UPS & Daks Couriers; UFFA (Uganda Freight Forwarders Association) the second Clearing and Forwarding Association in Uganda; Tourism Uganda, UAP Insurance Company and other exhibitors not mentioned; Citi Bank Group put up their banner but were not present…

Below is the spirit of UCIFA’s role in the import and export business. As the foremost umbrella body of clearing and forwarding firms in Uganda, UCIFA is an intermediary between customs and importers or exporters. They carry out the necessary customs documentation and lodgments of entries. The body advises clients on customs requirements, laws, regulations and procedures. UCIFA updates clients on changes that occur from time to time. It facilitates import and export operations in the most efficient and cost effective manner. Also, it advises on the mode of transport & the facilities in transportation; liaises with Uganda Revenue Authority and other stakeholders in the facilitation of import and export business thus facilitating trade and tax collection.

Onion Boy

2008-07-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

People will hear the systems thump when you roll in life. The O.B. is not just your Old Boy but freakingly your Onion Boy (the O-Boy), a Ladies Man, Family Man and Best Friend. He’s back in the flesh feeling so blessed. He loves thick, cute, fleshy and swollen monocotyledons that can cause a crush and titillate his eyes. He wants to touch, hold and feel them. “I love these bulbs and their onion juice. But never let onions make you visually impaired!” warns your friendly neighbourhood Onion Boy…

Are you a Pimp?
How many women does a man really need? Lidz in the “Southside” video tells Lloyd to “allow only three great women in his life.” (Did he mean mum, sister and girlfriend or just three lovers?) What will he do with all the three? How much time will he need to dedicate to satisfy each one of them? Okay, forget the time. The issue is how you get the three! Do you use Shakespeare’s lines or read volumes of poetry books? I hear poetry turns women on. Hahaha! Hogwash…How many women did the great poets have? Talk about money and almost any daughter of Eve can shake her ‘glorious maximus’ for you. Ask Akon after he performs “Bonanza [Belly Dancer]” in a concert near your town [how they shake it]! Don’t be shy. (Maybe he will come back to Kampala for you, let’s wait and keep on calling.)
Another idea is the wisdom of men. Can fools really face up to the challenge? King Solomon of Israel was truly the Wisest Pimp in human history: 700 wives and 700 concubines must be a Guinness Book of Records Milestone somewhere. Ignore guys who claim to have slept with 432 bitches or more. I am talking about real wives, not bitches. So does that mean, we bachelors looking for only one partner are silly and unwise? Maybe Poetry doesn’t work.
The Quran allows men to marry up to four wives and when you get to heaven (Jana), you will have more female companions (houri) with big beautiful eyes. The Bahai Holy Writings prescribe not more than two.” If you are contented with only one among the maidservants of GOD, both you and she will live in tranquility”. That is also the Christian teaching spread by Saint Paul (in the epistles to Christ’s early church). If you didn’t know, GOD was not happy with Solomon’s 1400 companions; too much lust (according to the Mormon Bible). “I don’t know what you heard about me”. I’m broke…

[Original article written in 2005 (Bracketed words added in 2008)]

Mission Impossible UG…

2008-07-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

“WHEN we go to court, I’ll be winning the case…” raps Navio in (KK) Klear Kut’s rhythmic breakthrough collaboration with songstress Juliana Kanyomozi of the IJ Fame (in the hit-song “All I Wanna Know”). Although produced in 2000, this bouncy party song actually won a deserved PAM Award (Pearl of Africa Music Awards started in 2003, you can call them Ugandan ‘Pammys’ like the US ‘Grammys’). It seems that even in the studio Klear Kut will be winning the battle.
No other Ugandan rap group I know tops their quality. The Obsessions are creative but KK has a clear cutting edge. The only real challengers I have seen, though solo artists, ever since Ugandan Hiphop started growing fast in the first decade of this millennium are the free-rhyming Lyrical G, plus the very talented, knowledgeable, patriotic and socially conscious GNL (He'll kick it beyond Hot 100 FM to TV; GNL’s got what it takes to be the Greatest. He is the first signed Ugandan rapper. Platinum Entertainment signed up his record label Baboon Forest Entertainment Limited. Klear Kut works with him; Myth actually confessed that “GNL is the illest (Most Awesome) Ugandan rapper today”. He dresses hiphop, always walks with a swagger and never lacks poetry in his mind. GNL even won the Impala Award for Poetry in the whole of Africa. But what does GNL mean? Well, according to Aztec Wisdom, “At the highest level of self expression, you achieve [GNL] Greatness of No Limit”).
Ragga Dee is originally a ragga artist but he’s got some very hot crowd-moving rhyming skills you can categorise as hiphop. Rhythm and Blues guitarist Maurice Kirya should not be left out of this family of HiphopStars (“…like Akii Bua making history. Sherlock Holmes solving the mystery…”) despite playing what the Mugwere - Munyoro lad describes as Fusion Music. I have loved his beats ever since I first heard him play and think his talent is truly phenomenal. There is also a free flowing Rapper who makes Lusogo sound beautiful... For more, you can catch Hip-hop Nights every Super Tuesday at Sabrina’s Pub on Bombo Road, opposite KPC Church’s Parking Lot (Entrance 2000 UgX, about US $ 1 and a few cents from 7 pm till Midnight)
Klear Kut’s Navio, Mith (the Fattest - He’s “not a category but a catalogue…”) and the short guys Aba & Missing Link sound so American you would be excused to think that they are gang-bangers. Of course the gang is dangerous in a lyrical sense but not thugs in a criminal sense. Meanwhile, the Fifth element Papito has something for the European audience or Franco-phone speakers around the world with his French vibes. He can also spit Swahili and so he is Microsoft Certified for Windows 2005. Their albums are pieces of magic. No wonder MTV Base came to East Africa (It was like a dream come true for me and Sidney Bwire Okumu - my 2003 Kenyan Roommate - at campus). Next achievement for the franchise: Immortality, I guess.

(Sir) Samuel Apedel

2008-07-06T04:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Sunday Vision readers, do you know who used to be the co-editor of this fantastic weekend magazine from Uganda's leading daily? Well, now he moved to the internet department. I do not care if Queen Elizabeth knighted him or not while he was in Scotland but I still call him Sir because he paved one-way for me by leading through example besides being my lecturer at UCU. His name is Sir Samuel Baker, ahem excuse me, did I just mention the ancient explorer from Britain? I'm sorry I meant Sir Samuel Apedel, now you know.

Every one has a hero, no wonder some friend in Zambia phoned and told Apedel that he had named his son after him. By 2005, Samuel had a BA (Lit, ESL) MUK; Dip (BMA) Cambridge and M.A (C.S) Leeds. If there is one person I need to thank for giving me the grind to publish my ideas for widespread public consumption, it has to be ‘Uncle Sam’. What’s up with me and Itesots; why do my best associates mainly come from Teso Kere? Anyway, every time I publish an article in the newspapers or magazines, people call or beep me to acknowledge my modest wit. I’m an ordinary Ugandan who did not know which way to go until Apedel showed me one-way.
My Campus faculty dean - Ben Bella Illakut -thankfully addressed my 2005 internship Application Letter to the New Vision (one among the lucky few Mass Commers; the rest had ‘To whom it may concern’) but the Editor in Charge I was sent to for an interview said there was not enough money to hire many from UCU (though Mwiza, ‘Doryn’, Esther and Brens had practice there). Most interns were MUK students. I did not weep about the failed attempt but met Mr. Apedel and told him about my situation. What he advised me at the entrance of the NV block in April 2005 will always remain a landmark in my writing career. Personally, I did not fancy reporting breaking or daily news in newspapers and TV. My heart went out to cartooning or writing features, like the investigative infotainment style you read in Encyclopedias or watch on ‘CNN Presents’. Features do not call for tight deadlines like current news; so when Mr. Apedel told me to just ‘write letters or 600 word columns on any topical issues’, I knew I would gain my space.
I got down in an unused store (Formerly a retail shop for my parents) and brainstormed ideas from 7am to 4pm on certain days. For one month, I had no breakthrough until one Sunday when I called ‘the Man’ to ask if I should send my letters to the weekday editors too, instead of addressing them to only Sunday Vision which had limited letter space. Coincidentally, that was the day (Sunday 19 June 2005) probably my first letter was published. When he informed me that he had put one of my letters “Kudos to Saggy and Bad Idea”, I was overjoyed and gleefully went to purchase my Sunday Vision. That was the start of many letters including “Give Aid to the Hungry”; “Build Giant Solar Stations” [There’s a lot of barren land in game parks upcountry that can be used for development]; “I Simply Love my Sunday Paper”; “The West Owes Us”; “Mwenda Should Emulate VOA’s Ssali”; “Kudos to Gaagaa Coach”; “Congratulations SMACK OBs”; “Pray for Somalia”; “Leave Inzikuru Alone” [One Kenyan classmate called her my Girlfriend because I knew an intimate secret Dorcas had told someone else who also told me] and one whose title ‘Respect Mothers’ I dreamt was published before even writing the content matter. I also published in Daily Monitor (Wenger - the Miracle Economist; Survival Football), African Woman plus Premiership Magazine besides actually receiving a 2008 World Bank Certificate for yapping too much. To-date though, I have reduced on the yapping in newspapers. But thanks to New Vision’s impeccable editing, I managed to see that people should be able to grasp the gist of your opinions in a few words or else you will fail to communicate ideas professionally. My Wordiness is probably ‘my Weakness’ (A 2002 confession that made my Economics classmates laugh hard) but thanks to GOD and the Google geeks, Blogger.com has no Word Limits for my weakness, Hee hee!
Apedel’s compellingly relevant course (Media Issues and Society) at UCU 2005 included Freedom of speech and Censorship/ The Media and the Individual vs. Public/ Media and Culture (What is popular culture?)/ Media Effects (Audience Study & Analysis): What actually happens when somebody reads a newspaper? / Advertising/ Globalisation and the Media/ Media Ownership and Editorial Independence/ Media and Democracy/ Going Digital/ plus the New vs. Old Media. He taught us that “A blog is short for web log. It liberates ordinary people to become journalists.” I love sharing knowledge because I have seen it set people free and propel them forward. Even if I’m not acclaimed as a successful journalist, I think blogging is the way to go as a knowledge worker though I took 3 years (4 years after Douglas Bowman designed the ‘Rounders 4’ Blogger template style) to get going after a motivational spark from another student of Apedel named Sharpe Cole Nimusiima (His blog is www.sharpeseye.blogspot.com). The reason why I did journalism was NOT because I wanted CNN to vote me the Best “Journalist” in the World but because I admired TV, radio, books, newspapers, etc … The content in the Media industry can lift up your downtrodden spirit plus show you how the world works. What is life without intelligence? Through my Journalism course, I wanted to learn how to make knowledge work for me in order to help others in whichever way I was built to do. Imagine one day, I walk into the Media Centre upstairs and find Mr. Apedel sitted at his desk with a computer, I wouldn’t mind sharing any good ideas if he asks me…
Here is a collection of some of Apedel’s wise quotable quotes while I was his student, though he did not tell us to write these as notes [My comments are in brackets]:
“When your friend dies, you should achieve what he hasn’t achieved…”
“The Most Successful People are not necessarily the cleverest …” [Some of them are very sharp in deed]
“If you give a dog a bad name, it will live up to it.” [The same might apply to sheep plus he-goats like me]
“Northerners are known for dressing in shouting colours like Green Jeans, Yellow Trousers and Orange Shirts. [This was actually very funny to many classmates]
“You blame everybody and at the end of the day, you have no one to blame…but yourself.” [Here he was humorously philosophizing like a well adjusted human being]
“Hidden knowledge is no knowledge; you’ve got to test it…” [The gap between potential and achievement is putting your skills into action and letting the market polish them…]
“Show me someone who doesn’t like sex and I’ll show you a psychological dysfunction…If you are stupid enough to have sex, don’t be foolish not to use a condom.” [Only eunuchs - castrated men and maybe circumcised women can be celibate; the rest of us are just living and dying to ‘get laid’]
“Uganda is a poor country. According to IMF research, even the billionaires we talk about in Uganda aren’t ranked among the Richest. But in the whole of Africa, Uganda has been marked as the Most Resourceful country on the continent – because many people are entrepreneurial and desire to make money.”
“You just have time to go back to your room to sleep and gas only.” [Mr. Apedel was condemning our campus behaviour of wasting time instead of using it for meaningful things. Although shameful, I guess I had a similar lifestyle though mine also included listening to music while sleeping in the afternoon, and watching DStv through the night. A classmate to my sister two years behind who was also my hostel-mate once told me, “If you were reading your books, Uganda would be developed.” Even if he did not target that at me, GOD bless him if he did, there was a grain of salt in what he said. We need to put our brains to maximum use.]
“You should be sharp like (Uganda Cranes midfielder David) Obua, pass the ball (in) to the net.”
“I do not want to see that corridor that leads to the shit house.” [Here, he was expressing his displeasure at females who expose their behind (ass) by wearing G-Strings, a provocative fashion craze around 2005]
“I heard that someone in this class keeps thinking, ‘Emily makes the hair behind my head stand’…” [My first impression of this seemingly sarcastic statement was that he was mocking all of us boys who thought we could marry our classmates who were probably already booked by outside men. We had not yet achieved anything big with our lives and could not even take good care of ourselves yet we were eyeing our female classmates. The second impression, though paranoid, was that it was indirectly meant for me. In November 2003, I fell in love accidentally with some beauty in our class but jumped out around February 2005. To ease my heart in the remaining one year at UCU, I willingly tried to have an affair with another sexy & lovely classmate named Em’ since she boldly called me ‘boyfriend’. The brave get what they want, you know…I might have been naïve in steering relationships with females but one thing was certain: I always stay real. If the girl gets tired of me, my heart is wide open…she can walk away freely. Eve did not conceive only one beautiful daughter. So if Em’ was another pillar for me to lean on, even for just those moments, I did not care what classmates gossiped. I simply breathed on and Emily surely made the hair behind my head stand…]
“Newspapers are the prime movers in setting news agenda … TV is for idiots, radio is for semi-intelligent people while real intellectuals read newspapers. [The Internet somehow brought back the newspaper’s ability to break news. I’m glad to be a part of Google’s Online Newspaper franchise where every writer edits his work and can set the agenda for his readers]
“By living, you are actually dying…” [Another very philosophical idea]

Creativity is a Spirit...

2008-06-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

(Aiko's Drawing of the Armour of Light)

“Every example of genius has a tincture of our neglected madness,” read one quote in a millennial encyclopedia. We always fall in love with movies, stories or songs when they relate with ideas or events that have happened in our lives. It’s the natural way our spirits get lifted. Ask yourself why you enjoy action movies? Maybe it’s because you were born to be a stuntman or you are just energetic.

Wednesday 7th May 2008 was not only exactly one year since the first issue of The Standard – UCU’s bi-monthly Community Newspaper (where I am Editorial Cartoonist) came out but also the day ‘Ironman’ was released in the United States. I had been stalking this movie for half a year while it was still in production (watching trailers and a few clips) but up to today when I posted this blog, I must confess that even if it is already in Uganda, I have not yet watched the whole of it. [Anyway, I finally got Iron-Man, on Tuesday 15 July 2008, from my friend Bashir Kalyango (0752960410) who trades Music and Video Disks somewhere on Wilson Road] What I like most about this character is that he reminds me a lot about the whole Armour of GOD described in Ephesians 6: 10-20 [Truth (Belt tight around the waist); Righteousness (Breastplate); Readiness to announce the good news of peace (Shoes); Faith (Shield); Salvation (Helmet); and the Word of GOD (Sword which the Holy Spirit gives)]. In Ironman’s case, the sword would be force fields from the palm, missiles or bullets from his arm.

In September 2001, I had an idea to produce a comic about GOD’s armour entitled “Armour of Light: Ironclad” (though I made the first drawing copying a Batman image without the sharp ends above the head but a modified helmet on 7 November 2001. I re-drew it on Saturday 19th April 2003)…My comic would feature a man called Michael, actually the arch-angel in human form just like Jesus came to earth in human form, wrestling for humans against Lucifer’s snares. He would announce (as the Trumpeter) the return of Jesus on the Last Day of this Age...My first seven episodes would be: The Devil Must Die, Introducing the Armour of Light, Runaway Devil, Soul of an Angel, The Good Fight, Lucifer and Judgement Day.

Unfortunately somehow I never developed my project fast enough, and wrote the plot only on Valentines’ Day 2007. But there is a saying that “dreams come true”, (if we keep dreaming). Macos Old Boy Simon Wamahe once told me that you may have an idea but if you do not work on it, the spirit of the idea will depart from you and influence another creative mind. UCU Alumni Jude Muyanja also told me, “You dream and other people bring your dreams to life.” That’s very true because I did not know about this Ironman character but thanks to Jon Favreau and the artists at Industrial Light & Magic, the film’s vision is almost like mine (No wonder I also love Vin Diesel’s 1995 ‘Iron Giant’). Even though I noticed the similarities between AL:I and Ironman as late as 2007, I was very happy and YouTubed a soundtrack by Apologetix for the animated version of Ironman. This song was just another rendition of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” Oscar-winning Song. It highlighted the spiritual theme of this super-hero epic. I love heroes whose transition powers are believable and seem GOD-sent possibilities like Ironman, Batman, Fantastic Four and maybe Spiderman to some extent.

“Life sucks but the only way we can come out on top is to get our robes (like Wonder Woman), go out into the world and be heroes, using the extra-ordinary talents GOD gave each one of us…” The Psycho said so (though he borrowed the idea from a Nelly Furtado song). Despite tampering with the plot a little (The cartoon had villains from the Far East while the movie has villains from Afghanistan), I guess the whole film is a masterpiece. I was very excited when only after one month, MTV voted ‘Ironman’ as the Best Movie of the Summer 2008 So Far…Wow, check it out tonight!

Sinlessly Sweet History

2008-06-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

This ain’t Kinyara Sugar from neighbours Masindi; this is 100 % organic Bee Natural Honey: sinlessly sweet and authentic Ugandan honey from around Arua. I read something very interesting on a Bee Natural Honey can in 2004 and felt it had to feature on my Website. Honey is a delicious sweetener that can be used to replace sugar in a variety of drinks. It is used as a spread or as a remedy for colds and loss of appetite. Also suitable for diabetics and contains 0 % fat.

Bee Natural Honey is harvested in West Nile and represents the Happy People called Lugbara who are a Sudanic-speaking people. They were originally known as the Madi and the term Lugbara is thought to have come from Khartoum Arab slavers in the 19th century. In their tradition, the first two human beings “Gboro-Gboro” (Male) and Meme (Female) were super human.

Some traditions only speak of Meme, whose womb GOD (Mungu or Adrou) filled with the living things of the world. Then a gazelle (not the Arua Gazelle Dorcas Inzikuru but probably her ancestor) made an opening in Meme’s womb by rupturing it with its hoof and all the worldly creatures came out; man was the last to come out.

The Lugbara have a clientage system called ‘Amadingo’ whereby the poor would be looked after by the rich. Such clients were treated as members of the family and could be given land if they wished to stay. Bride-wealth would even be paid for them when they wanted to marry.

Email: sales@bee-natural products.biz
(Packed in Ug by Bee Natural Products Limited)

Jesus X-st, the Assassin

2008-06-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

GODisgreat! Jesus Christ (aka JX-st in gangsta lingual) once said,“Whoever believes in me believes in the father.” So that makes Muslims the brothers to Christians, right? Right! Okay, the Quran says that “All those who believe in Jesus will be superior to the non believers.” So that makes Hajjatis Christian sisters also, right? Come on!

Not all the ideas below are mine, some I captured from a BBC World Service Radio program on Religion around the middle of this decade but anyway, read on. According to Islam, Jesus was an important prophet. There is a diverging picture of details but the fact is: he was one of the prophets. A Muslim is incomplete without believing in the Jesus of the Anunciation (at the trunk of a palm tree) and Virgin Birth. [There is a “brook that runs at your feet. Shake the tree; it will drop fresh ripe dates in your lap, Mariam!”]

Other Arabic writings speak of forgiveness. Many Muslims know Jesus as the prophet of the Heart (Peace & Mercy); the Letter and Spirit of the Law. Isa is the Prophet before Muhammad, the Last Prophet. [Charity means do good to that person who does harm. He who is not born twice shall not enter heaven]

According to the Apocryphal Gospels considered legendary by the European churches, Jesus brought the dead to life, healed the sick, and made clay birds. Muslims believe he never died and resurrected but ascended directly to Heaven. Isn’t this a clash of civilizations with Christianity? Muslims also believe that he was a man born without a father (very refreshing) and he is coming back…Did I pause somewhere…Okay, I just said that, He is coming back to KILL the AntiChrist who will be a Ruler in the Revived Roman Empire. Whoa, a compassionate Healer turned Killer or Thriller? I cannot wait for the return of the Assassin named X-st. For sure, the Christian Church has emphasized different aspects of the Christ Story. Christianity has played with the resurrection and crucifixion (Cruci-Fiction). Muslims are more orthodox about their traditional beliefs than X-tians. Islam is making us look again at our beliefs. We need to look to the future for our complete deliverance. Some one once asked me what I was saved from and I realized that the mortal combat continues…Not all who call X-st “Lord, Lord” will enter the Garden but those who do what they are supposed to do should, though it’s not a guarantee, you know.

Anyway, others believe that JX-st survived the crucifixion and fled to India where he ministered. He was laid to rest in Kashmir. He said, “Blimey, I have found a worthy shrine…” and decorated it. He was a revered prophet though not as the Son of GOD. Jesus influenced religions of the East. In Japan, they believe he used to plant rice and was buried there alongside his wife and kids. (Origato) Thank you for the news! The idea that Jesus was ‘Life after death and death after life’ terrified the Chinese, literally drove the living daylights out of them. JX-st married and had children. He bid his disciple Ababid to level the place, turned his head to the north and face to the East. Jesus went to Puri Anarisa and studied in the temple. He influenced Hinduism but not fundamentally. In Bengal, Hindus believed that Jesus was a good Hindu, a person who had specially come for a special mission. Teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism are mingled which automatically makes Bahai’s partakers in my Jesus tribute.

Some argue that Jesus could also be a creation of man rather than GOD, “You cannot create a perfect account of history. Subtly many different images of him have been brought up. Many faiths acknowledge his existence.” Mormons claim that after the Resurrection, he went to America. (In one New Age believer’s dream), Jesus wore a red and purple robe and threw flowers to a crowd. The messages of Jesus come directly first hand as New Age believers claim. They see him in visions and dreams.

“Now that this event is over, let’s celebrate!” Jesus said to the crowd while throwing flowers and riding in a carriage [Probably of Lambourginis and Mustangs, you know. Just kidding!], in one New Age believer’s dream. Christianity cannot claim that Jesus is its own. He embodies the fundamental truth of human suffering and eventful relief. Christ can save anyone from one’s struggles. In Arua, we say, “Life is a beautiful struggle.” Ask 88.2 Sanyu FM’s sweet voiced Malawian-Ugandan presenter Crystal Newmann about that statement – she likes it and Christians, Muslims, Buddhists & Rastafarians should always remember it.

For us Africans, he was exiled in Egypt during his younger years and probably had relatives from Ethiopia (Forget the Rastafarian Selassie, I’m talking about Queen Sheba and Wise King Solomon: Jesus’ ancestor knew that the Best Women all reside in Africa). While I welcomed the delay of Doom’s Day at the start of Y2K, my favourite movie about the X-st was ‘The King of Kings’ by director Cecil B. DeMille who also worked on another masterpiece ‘The Ten Commandments’. Actor H.B. Warner portrayed the best picture of Jesus in the 20th Century at least by my standards. This X-st was neither pretentious nor sanctimonious; he was the real deal. Warner used to fast during filming and I guess that’s where he got this Christ-like feel. Other good movies include ‘Jesus’ which was shown in many churches during Christmas in the 1990s (In the 2000 Millenium Anniversary Edition, Brazilian ace Ronaldo da Lima called X-st ‘The Number One…Didn’t he mean Number One Assassin); ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’; ‘The Boy Jesus’; ‘The Judas Project’ shows what would have happened to Jesus if he had been born during the time of SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) and Automatic Rifles; Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ’ is the Most Grotesque Description of X-st’s final week alive. I even silently shedded tears of conviction in my room while watching the part where the condemned prostitute was touching our Lord’s foot in appreciation for saving her from being stoned by Pharisees. After watching ‘Passion’, one man confessed to having murdered someone. Consciences were rekindled. There have also been musicals such as the Rock ‘N’ Roll ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’.

JX-st, our new super-hero from Nazareth is the Assassin who will save us at the Battle of Armageddon (Megiddo, Israel) …Van Helsing, what happened to Calvary, man? Why do people back-slide? We live like Pharisees, demon-influenced hypocrites [Runaway devils, and Hell-boys] who claim to know the Word like real Men of GOD but have no Power to shake the Devil. We need to become Spiritual Snipers bringing down evil powers and principalities in the invisible realm. Will we be forgiven completely for failing to terminate them…I ain’t blaspheming but just trying to find answers before we reach the new Zion. Peace and Love, church!

Say No to Racism Madiba-style

2008-06-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

[This photocopy image of Nelson Mandela (Madiba) was penciled and inked by Aiko… Jude Karuhanga my Fine Art classmate (1997-2000) and also one of my biggest Ugandan inspirations said this is ‘very good technique’. What do you say?]

On Wednesday 25 June 2008, the world started celebrating the birthday (which funnily falls in the next month on 18th July)of the World’s Most Popular 90 Year Old , former South African President Nelson Mandela though the London Party, where stars like Master of Ceremony Will Smith, his wife Jada and other stars such as Jamelia, Amy Winehouse, the talented 9ice plus others was staged 2 days later on Friday evening. Bebe Cool dressed in an orange prison cloth with the number 46664 and a chain around his shoulder, alongside three other performers dressed in orange, rocked the crowd with the song “Born in Africa”. Now I see why me and my friend Lhynnq-x thought this Ugandan reggae superstar deserved an award in the inaugural PAM Awards 2003, “I was born in Africa…my wife is from Africa…” With the message “It’s in our hands” (referring to the fight for freedom especially against AIDS and racism), the ailing Mandela walked on stage holding a walking stick while his wife G. Machel supported his steps and gave a speech to his adoring audience. The party continued with a concert by various artists.

Nelson is not only a hero in RSA but also the whole of Africa and the rest of the world. After spending 27 years in a Robben Island Prison (In-mate Number 466 in the year ‘64), Mandela got out to fight on and become one of the annihilators of the perilous white-dominated Apartheid Rule.

I do not know much about Sam Biko or any other freedom fighters but while growing up in Jinja (1984 – 1995), most of the South African themed movies like one blockbuster about 2 big boys - a black guy and his loyal white friend who fought the white Police; or news stories depicting South Africa showed Blacks being oppressed by whites and the former’s struggle to end this difference. One township that never desserts my memories is Soweto and the Police beatings or killings during riots. But for me, the one Black who stood out firmly against this madness was ‘Madiba’. My mum really loved him, personally I liked his designer shirts later on in life of course (The New Millennium when he became a Pop Icon), and not only because they were artistic fashion masterpieces but also he never tucked them in. Talk of Madiba being an inspiration for us students who did not fancy school rules; boarding school is like a prison, Robben Island to be exact. (No hate intended school headmasters, it is all good: It brings out the best in us) Just imagine Madiba had never been imprisoned, he probably would be dead and gone by now but thanks to the renewing experience behind bars, RSA gained independence in 1994 from white rule.

Shaka Zulu died when the whites were coming and now that they have relinquished their hold on power, I hope Nelson does not die before they leave. Anyway, I hope they do not leave despite the recent upsurge of violence by black South Africans against foreigners. For me (that is me, myself - Aiko), Madiba will become immortal if he lives on beyond his 92nd birthday…I guess it will be during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first installment in Africa. Wow, that will be a legacy to remember; afterall he was among the people who seconded or added weight to the bid for the 4 year rotational championship to come to Africa. Next call 2030 somewhere in East Africa. They say dreams come true. Wait and see as we kick racism out of football and the world! Happy B-Day Madiba!

Why Africans die from Malaria

2008-06-23T01:03:00.001-07:00

According to research from John Hopkins Hospital. No, I think this was research from Kazo, Mbarara (in Western Uganda - better known as Ug' where treated mosquito nets are distributed free): it has been discovered that "the muscular male anophelese mosquito lifts up the net so that the female can enter" and inject her victims with malaria parasites. (Don't laugh, these things happen in Uganda) Man, this is a scary discovery...We might need to put askari flies to guard our nets, talk of security companies providing help by gathering and training 'dem soldier bees, wasps or house flies. Why should flies spread cholera or sting us and yet they can be employed elsewhere? This message was inspired, sponsored and motivated by Theatre Factory Hospital Kampala...Man, those dudes and babes are really funny. Catch them every Thursday at National Theatre for the Comedy Night or on NTV (Nation TV) every Sunday at 7.30 PM. Pablo is a stand up genius; Tindi is too funny you would think there is humour locked up in her booty. I do not mean humour like in your eyes but fats of laughter (I enjoyed the skit where three new comers in Senior One were being teased by her and a friend); Richard knows how to act drunk; Frobisher is Gaddafi incarnate; Zizinga is lost in translation; Hannington Bugingo acts confidently confused (unlike in the Kiwani Movie where he was so sharp though merciless)and the rest also sizzle though I won't mention them here. The best cure for your malaria problems is to watch the doctors of Theatre Factory perform their operations on your funny bone...

The World is full of Crack People

2008-06-23T00:35:00.001-07:00

While on Campus, two friends really bothered me and made me spend lots of my airtime trying to hook them up with a certain chick called Blessing. She was beautiful and a true fighter even in tight situations. So when she finally came to UCU alongside probably her brother to check on the two boys, they were not in sight for a moment. But when they reappeared around the Bishop Tucker Administration Tower, the main dude walked through the arc as though he did not know me. He was holding a business card in his left hand (given to him by another man he was following). I did not know what to do but asked him why he did not want to talk to Blessing. He retorted that he never had any feelings for her before and would maybe think of seeing her in future. For now, he had an urgent deal to chase with this man who was beautifully clad in elegant men's clothes. I asked his friend who was behind them but the lad seemed indifferent.

I left them to go their way and walked down to the old gate while consolingly holding Blessing's left arm with my left arm stretching behind her back as she wept. I told her I was sorry for what I had put her through and the airtime she had wasted calling these guys. The shorty had broken down completely but she told me that she had already forgiven me for everything...How love relieves us, my mind was now free. I knew she would have a brighter day some day but not with these boys who had played with her heart and emotions.

Is Uganda Developed?

2008-06-23T00:09:00.000-07:00

Someone asked me on Wednesday 11th June 2008 if Uganda is developed and I half heartedly replied 'No', there are two sides to this issue. "We ain't that developed but are heading there at a rate of 9 per cent...

Okay, the first reason why we aren't developed is that when it rains heavily, murram roads are muddy and almost impassable.

Secondly, we still use bicycles and haven't learnt how to travel on skateboards. [Nevertheless, there is a skateboard rink somewhere in Kitintale, Kampala (‘The first’ of its kind in Uganda according to Sunday Vision in June 2008)]

Leaders or MPs (Members of Parliament) take long to implement infrastructural development policies in their constituencies despite displeasure and expressed annoyance from their people.

In the forth place, lovers are not expected to go far and know the relatives of their partners before a formal "Kwanjula". What if your mother calls me by name before you tell her or I get your brother's contacts from him before you have introduced me, am I going too far?

Pastors have different powers, it seems. Some go underground, others use electric shock gadgets or undisclosed powers. Robert Kayanja will bless you, then when you go to another pastor, you start having (wet or) bad dreams, nightmares to be precise. Does that mean we have to remain loyal to one church, but I thought the church was bigger than just one pastor...Okay, if you follow what you see in the dreams, you might realise your developmental progress hampered somehow in real life.

Lastly, people still borrow phones from their friends. "Why don't you get your own?" An MTN kabiriti costs only 40k, that's almost the Poverty Line that stood at earning about 24,000 UgX per month a few years ago...I hear some autographs by Ugandan stars cost 10 to 20k or more, sign here please!

The 2nd Annual Kampala Street Art Festival

2008-06-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

I missed the first Kampala Street Art Festival simply because I thought potholes were going to be painted (at least that's what the theme expressed). However when my brother phoned me on Saturday night to ask me if I knew about it [The Pre Party was going on], I made up my mind to check it out on Sunday afternoon. Left home at around 2 PM, three hours late but got into the colourful vibe. In the First Year, I attended the Pre-party (though I walked out early with my soda coupon to catch a Real Madrid match at Shiners’ Pub near home) and missed the festival. The game was just enough to make my weekend though I got a terrible headache due to the high-pitched music blasting in the pub. This year, I missed the party but enjoyed the Festival. The first stall I sighted on the Southern side of Bukoto Street had shoes (bought from Owino) with soil and plants in them. They were sold between 1000 and 3000 UgX as a fundraising drive by UGCS (Uganda German Cultural Society)for the next Street Art Festival within the year. The first guy I could recognise was seated under the tent on the opposite side of the shoe gallery. Denis Kato is a guy I had met just a few days before at Bahai painting. Man, his neighbour Allan in shades on the left had a wonderful piece of a gorilla on cloth. Another artist sat on his other side, my right. I walked to the middle of the street to watch musicians perform, couldn't buy anything, neither sofa covers nor designer shirts but they looked okay though. After music by the 2008 Bell PAM (Pearl of Africa Music) Awards PRO singing to a clown in the middle of the road (This guy actually drew the kids around most), I headed to the other end of the street (It had what I wanted to see) near Record TV and the old UGCS offices before returning for more musical entertainment.

Present on the street were the usual suspects: Tina Wamala, one of the MCs (If you don't know her face, you must be from Mars or Venus) alongside her workmate, a very knowledgeable lady in matters of Sports (Record TV's 'Half Time Show' co-host, that is); Roberta (UGCS Director); Xenson; Ras Jjingo (holding a camera and clad in the First Bayimba Festival's promotional T-Shirt; Peter Otim; plus two of my musical old boys form Macos. Other beautiful people included models showing off comfy Stella Atal, outrageous Xenson and artistic Latif's designs plus another guy who had only one design, tie and die with a big ganja desin on the back.

The musicians stage was mounted on the pavement in front of purple QC Saatchi & Saatchi block. Sarah Ndagire clad in black pants and a pink Indian style dress ( with dark pink and black block designs at the front like those by Peter Otim) stole the show with 3 or more songs from Bunyoro with background Afro beat music performed by 'Soul Beat Africa?' that included my two OBs. Other performances were the crazy "Aka hee? Aka Hee ho!" band of musicians. One 'Kanyama-man' dressed in a devilish mask and trousers with the word 'Jaguar' repeated all over first danced before jumping through a bicycle wheel with a friend and then showing off his tough body by lying on nails while his colleague stood on him. The Fattest Lady in the crowd who was called to do the standing gave up because she thought he would die. Maybe she had accepted the call thinking that she was only going to be carried.

Teenagers who had traveled in many towns of Uganda to spread the message of peace through Break Dance lightened up the faces of 'bazungu' with their street hugging club house dances. Background music included American hit songs like "Promiscuous Boy" by Nelly Furtado; A song by Lil' Kim, Method Man and "Touch my Body" by Mariah...Every body seemed to be moved.

Sponsors of the 2008 'La Ba' Street Art Festival included Goethe Institut, UGCS, iguana Bar & Lounge, Freedum, Sadolin Paints, Alliance Francaise plus the German and Dutch Embassies.

There were public art mounts of mechanical wheels pivoted together to make a majestic tower. Another blocked the road. One of Xenson's crazy fashion designs had Coca Cola cans on a wobbly dress and another had a wierd mixture of cloth from different attires for a lady's trousers. My best revelation for the day though was the new Casalina Art Gallery and Casalina K. Fashion. When I asked the beautiful lady at the tent how long it had been around, I was shocked to learn that it was only "three months old". If that was not newsy enough, then how about the location: somewhere in Kisementi where I pass every month...Plot 3, Cooper Road behind Aisha Salon. They showcase pieces from various artists including Jjuko, my best for the event.

An Alur singer called Suzan? spiced up the evening with two or three songs in her mother tongue mixed with English perhaps for translation. One rhymed, "I'm just a child, without a dime...". The other had, "My wealth is in my soul...". These were fantastic jams though I couldn'yt decipher the Alur but I think it is a good idea when West Nilers combine their lingual with ESL (English as a Second Language).

Mukiza and his troupe also performed skits. Two white babes and a black one danced ballet before the latter joined Mukiza and another black man to produce a tri-logue about 'Committment'. The woman defined it as a man-friend listening to her while the men considerd committment to be the fact that I can have my woman's body, that way you will be committing to her and her great sex antics. Mukiza reasoned that, "GOD intentionally made men few so that they could have more than one woman." I wonder why some chick suddenly came from no where and caressed my left arm from behind. I looked behind and we were both shocked to see that we did not know each other. I was tight lipped and she apologised immediately. You see what committment can do...I'm committed to Art.

Virgin Mary

2008-06-13T05:06:00.000-07:00

I must confess that I do not understand why people still call Mary, the mother of Jesus a virgin yet she gave birth to our Lord and his brothers. Of course she had not slept with any man before she conceived Christ (The thought of GOD being the man is like blasphemy), however she slept with Joseph afterwards. Staunch Christians do not want to hear that Jesus had kids by his girlfriend (Mary Magdalene, according to the Da Vinci Code...They are probably the ancestors of the Merovingian Kings in France) but they should accept that Mary is no longer a virgin ... So when you pray, pray through Christ. He has the power to grant what you wish. On Judgement Day, I want to find out the meaning of all these confusing mysteries...Mary a Virgin gave birth, and Jesus the Bridegroom of the church had no kids. If Jesus is GOD and GOD is the Father, why does the Bible say that Jesus had no kids? He is just a servant of GOD, you know, as the Muslims say but raised to the HIGHEST STATION among the whole of creation. That's why we call on his powerful name and not Mary...

GODisgreat...

2008-06-13T04:41:00.002-07:00

HE is the LORD of the Universe. No devilish enemy can claim to be greater than GOD so we worship only HIM. Some call HIM JEHOVAH, others call HIM MUNGU, KATONDA, YAHWEH, ALLAH, RUHANGA en so forth. The names don't really matter 'coz they are so many. What matters is that we give HIM the honour HE deserves...GODisgreat!

Woman-handling MPS

2008-06-13T01:48:00.000-07:00

No, No, No! (Yesterday, someone said, "When two or three adults come together, they behave like kids.") Hey,why is the opposition walking out of Parliament? I hear, the Speaker did not allow them to move a motion after three of their colleagues were unprofessionally man-handled by the Police. This was prior to the reading of the national budget for 2008-9 by our beloved Finance Minister Ezra Suruma on Thursday 12th June 2008. But where were they when one man's member was being pressed hard by a riot policeman's boot while he sat in the Police pick up? Probably none of them dared to condemn the issue. Of course, they have the power to make laws, but they shouldn't forget that the police also has the mandate to enforce the MPs' laws.The Police was just letting them know that they are entitled to equal treatment.Even us innocent government supporters are treated likewise. Why should one Aiko be undressed and not Sempala? But you will say, Sempala is an MP, a dignified state-woman and who is Aiko? Aiko is also an MP (MENTAL PROBLEM), check this out: "We are all humans, some become rich, others politically powerful but at the end of it all, we die...and become MPs (Members of Purgatory)...GOD bless Uganda

All prayers are answered

2008-06-13T00:28:00.000-07:00

“When you pray for something; watch out for the opportunities that come your way. They may be reversed in such a way that all you do is think of a move to claim the blessing in real life…GOD always answers prayer by putting us in a situation where you simply use your brain to get what you want."

–AIKO (17th Feb 2005)

(About the Author of:) "Talking about Talking"

2008-06-13T00:25:00.000-07:00

The author of this book (First printed in 1983, Second Edition by Design Centre in 2010) Mr. James E.O. Dramani comes from Ojapi Village of Maracha County in Arua District. He started his Primary Education at Ojapi Village School in 1954 and went to various schools including Tara, Ibia and Paranga Primary Schools. He completed Junior Two at Nyangilia J.S.S. in 1961 and joined Sir Samuel Baker School in Gulu for Secondary Education (1962 - 7).

He joined Makerere University in the 1968 Academic Year and studied Economics, Maths and Statistics. He was one of the pioneers of the Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics Department of the University. After graduation in March 1971 with a Second Class Honours [BSc.] Degree, he worked with Ministry of Planning as a statistician, then with Bank of Uganda and later joined Nile Breweries Limited where he was an accountant as well as Assistant Managing Director. He rose from Treasurer to Chairman of Nile Breweries FC which won the 1980 League Cup during his administration. In 1984, he went to Glasgow, Scotland for further studies.

He also studied Banking and Accountancy by correspondence and holds certificates in parts of the Professional Exams. By the time of this re-print, he had obtained a Diploma in Business Management and Administration. He is computer literate and has worked as a manager at Nile Bank (Spear House), an indigenous bank bought by Barclays, before retiring to his Home District where he worked as the Arua Municipal Council's Principal Treasurer for four years. He also worked as a Financial and Operations Advisor with a local NGO - YODEO Arua Limited for a short period and as a Retail Shop Owner.

Go out into bookstores near you like Canaan (in Arua) and buy the book (Call 0772-662415 in Arua or 0772-624952 in Kampala for a copy) to get more revelation about one man's hilarious experiences and observations from the 1960s to the 2000s ... Good Reading

SMACKOBA Alumni Re-Union [Sunday 8 June 2008]

2008-06-13T00:20:00.000-07:00

Started with mass which I attended about 50 minutes late; actually entered during offertory time, what an entrance! I sat next to some guy I usually meet on Nakasero Hill Road. The students looked just like us; I did not feel any older than them. The Choir was still as angelic as during our years. After mass, me, Kiyinji and another lad one class ahead of us toured the former German Room (now Senior 1D), saw Yellow Man (the Agriculture teacher), Sexie (The French teacher), the Junior Library, walked behind 1C and checked out the Senior 4 classes (Empty at that time because of breakfast, you know) before heading to the Main Hall. I almost registered before D’Arbela, one of the 4 SMACK Old Boys to be honored that day but allowed him to write his name before me in respect. He actually wanted me to do it first but it was his GOD-given day, so he had to come first. Doesn’t that mean that the honourable can also honour the noble like me? I have always had such wishes. If the most beautiful woman (at least acclaimed by respected establishments) tells you that you are beautiful, do you feel ugly? Actually during the reading of his citation by a true admirer, I was satisfied that he had written his name before me. As a medical genius, he had inspired so many and worked both in Uganda and overseas countries even residing in Saudi Arabia for quarter a century. He would say mass at his house on Sundays.
Before the function, I had picked a leaflet about Naalya flats and signed in the visitors book at the National Housing and Construction Company Limited stall (One of the sponsors of the meeting alongside Nile Breweries, can you imagine? And Ethiopian Airlines Wow!) The Chairman of NH&CCL said that since he was also a SMACK product, he became selfish and decided to sponsor the re-union, “It takes an entire village to make a man.” He further praised J.C. Kiwanuka for his dedication to teaching Mathematics, “We do not honour this man enough; He has sacrificed doing other things in order to make us the men that we are today.”
While serving breakfast (A banana, juice and cake; I couldn’t drink tea and the sumbis were finished; Okatch got me the Mineral Water), I saw Emily Mwebaze, the beautiful solo-singer plus WBS TV news reader and reporter just one person ahead of me. I wanted to greet her and tell her how I marveled at her beauty but also did not want to be overcome by this syndrome of being struck by a star. “If the stars can’t recognize you, why should you worship them?” The same applies to crushes: Why cant life be so easy? Of course, the babe looks more beautiful in reality than the beauty we see on the silver screen but as a boy, I did not want to tamper with the peace of another man’s woman. So I let her remain in tact.
The award ceremony was very inspirational simply because the recipients of these accolades, given to them by the Katikiiro of Buganda (Engineer J.B. Walusimbi) also a SMACK OB, had achieved so much over a course of 50 years. I told Nicholas Mwanja, an OB and Lourdel dorm mate for 4 years, sitted next to me that we had about 50 years to get there. The 4 guys honoured were at SMACK in the 1950s and 60s. Paul George D’Arbela, the one who wrote his name before I (Remember?) was introduced by an OB who literally worshipped him. Everything D’Arbela did, this guy followed. When he went out to work in Saudi Arabia, this guy followed. The awards he got, this guy worked to get. It was just totally unbelievable how some one could honour another one’s legacy to such an extent. During his acceptance speech, D’Arbela said, “Lourdel House back then was not good at Sports but via the brain, they were on top,” No one objected.
The Second Awardee was Francis Xavier Kitaaka who came with many members of his family, actually the Most Escorted Guy that day I can say. He narrated how he survived death twice by GOD’s grace during the turbulent times. The scientist turned businessman said, “Any one can be rich; Capital is the head, Caput. Use your head. Only three principles made me successful: GOD, Trustworthiness and Business.” His revelations emphasized some of the rules I had read in a 2007 Richard Templar book entitled “The Rules of Wealth” carried to the re-union by an OB sitted ahead of me.
The Third recipient was Henry Ssentongo, also from the green-flaged Lourdel House, my house. This was the guy I was waiting to hear from simply because he designed the fantastic blue and white Workers House, renovated State House Entebbe and the new Centenary Bank Main Building (Still in the pipeline, will be known as Mapera and one of the Most Fantastic Bank Offices in Uganda). He is also the Patron of the SMACK Chapel Choir and was the guy who donated a 2 Million Shilling keyboard from UK during our time (Late 1990s), masterfully played then by Mwanja sitted next to me. After leaving Uganda to study Architecture in Kenya as the only Black in his class (Afterall blacks were only taught hospitality courses to work as hoteliers or kitchen servants), Henry was given an aptitude test in which three half naked women entered a room and he was told to draw what he saw. Unfortunately, he did not know how to draw. After the test, he cried in his room because he felt he had let down his parents. When one Indian saw him weeping and offered to help, they made a deal that he would teach the Indian mathematics, pay him a third of his allowances while the Indian taught him how to draw. In the long run, he became the President of the Association of African Architects and a member of other bodies.
The Last OB on the Honours list was Prof. Charles O., Vice Chancellor at Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi whose son is also a faculty dean there (I think they were following age). He advised that, “There is an Asante saying: ‘If you follow your father’s footsteps, you will learn to walk like your father’…” As the guest speaker, he had earlier said that we need “Quality Time on Task…A vision with a task can change the world…We become persons by relating.” Being an author of tens of books and an acclaimed orator, the professor had basically given an earth moving presentation before the awards though I missed it briefly. Nevertheless, his acceptance speech was brief and concise. He graduated from SMACK in 1960…
“I look forward to seeing the first person plunged into the swimming pool…,” said Headmaster Edward Bukenya. The Speaker of Parliament Edward Sekandi, also an OB came in late and was honoured by being called to the high table next to the awardees.
Andrew Opolot, the SMACKOBA President Elect and Swimming Pool Coordinator said, “The pool had been an incomplete 40 year project but would be finished by the end of the year.” Some of the speakers wondered why the attendance was low and J.B. Walusimbi advised that we should get some tips from the former President, Architect Sentongo whose regime had fuller meetings.
“During the next SMACKOBA meeting, we should all plunge into the swimming pool,” J.B. Walusimbi humorously concluded the Re-Union and Award Ceremony.
Theatre Factory provided the entertainment after 4pm and it lived up to people’s expectations. Though their first two skits were already presented on NTV’s Sunday Barbed Wire Show, the one about SMACK seemed new and kind of rocked. It must have been produced after the invitation to perform at the function; it simply employed a joke creation technique that sizzled: In the scene, a librarian was required to fill a job vacancy so the first applicant (a sharp actor who impresses me a lot while acting drunk) came in and answered the interview questions correctly. When asked who SMACK’s headmaster was, he replied, “It used to be Father … but is now Brother Edward Bukenya.” OBs were amazed. The second question wanted to find out when the school began. He replied, “1906 and super-modified in 2006” (because of the 100 years celebration I guess). The last question was: Can SMACKists build a class on Planet Mars? “Some people think so but it has not been scientifically proven. Absolutely! ...,” The applicant was so confident that he had passed. So when the interviewer went to ease himself, he tried to give the next applicant (role played by Hannigton Bugingo) the ‘marking guide’ as he called it. He probably did not know that the questions would be changed for his friend. So the second guy walked in with a spring step and was asked what his name was. He stupidly replied, “It used to be Father … but is now Brother Edward Bukenya.”/ “When were you born?” Without thinking, “1906 and super-modified in 2006”/ “Are you mad?” “Some people think so but it has not been scientifically proven.”/ “Are you insane?” “Absolutely ...,” This applicant was simply chased away but he had a joyful smile on his face thinking that he had passed. This was half of the crew performing but after the lunch, they promised to give another dose of their humorous entertainment. Unfortunately, I had already made up my mind to catch the Benin vs. Uganda and missed the fun ... Former classmates present included Ogwal (Usual suspect told me Tinyiro didn't come because he had downed too many), Ocuku, Gerald Okol,Kon Paul (Wow, nice name for a Sudanese!),Walugega, Kasolo, and a few others.

(The information below was copied and pasted from Vickie Kayaga's Email to the OBs)

Hullo OBs, i know you will be interested in reading this educative, informative and inspirational speech by Prof. Charles Olweny presented on the SMACKOBA REUNION DAY.

RE-UNION DAY SMACKOBA 8 TH JUNE, 2008
The Guest of Honour and Chairman of the Board of Governors of St. Mary's College Kisubi, Owekitibwa, Engineer Walusimbi, The Headmaster of St. Mary's College Kisubi, Brother Edward Bukenya,President of SMACKOBA, Mr. Henry Kibirige, Fellow Honourees or Awardees, Fellow members of SMACKOBA, Ladies and Gentlemen

To day is a great day for me as it represents an official home coming after 48 years of absence. I graduated from St. Mary's College in 1960 having been among the first batch to start A-level course here. The warm welcome so far accorded to us makes me feel I might be the prodigal son. The fattest calf has been slaughtered and there will be dancing and jubilation as the celebration continues.

Our human identity is first and foremost relational. We become who we are through relationship with other people. It is not that we become a person first and then relate; rather we become persons by relating, reflecting, knowing and making meaning of our God given gifts. I therefore congratulate you all for keeping the fire of St. Mary's College Old Boys Association burning over the years.

Mr. Henry Kibirige in his letter inviting me to this occasion requested me to be the Guest Speaker and to talk on the theme: “Quality Education and Professionalism”. In preparing for this presentation I asked myself what is QUALITY? What is EDUCATION? And what is PROFESSIONALISM? I will try to share my perceived or shall I say my preferred definitions of what these words mean to me. Quality is the degree to which services to an individual or population are (a) likely to achieve desired outcome and (b)consistent with current professional knowledge. Quality has nothing to do with how shiny or bright a product is or how much it costs. A customer who buys your product or experiences your service has certain needs and expectations in mind. If the product or service meets or exceeds those expectations time and time again, then in the mind of the customer it is a quality product or quality service. Quality therefore relates to the customers perception and in that regard quality may be defined as ”meeting the customers needs and expectations”. Most customers are reasonable. They expect a Mercedes to have leather seats. They do no expect the same of Toyota Corolla! Customers may switch from one supplier to another not just to get a better price( although a good bargain would come in handy) but rather to secure better service, reliability, accessibility and courtesy. Customers are the most important assets of any company although they do not show up on our balance sheet, they are an asset to be nurtured. Let me then ask who are our customers at St. Mary's Kisubi? It is the students, their parents, their sponsors, the Church and the people of Uganda. Has St. Mary's lived up to or exceeded their expectations? If the answer is yes then St. Mary's is a quality institution.

What about education? There are many different definitions of education. Some tell you what education is NOT as for example ,”Education is NOT just filling a bucket with knowledge”. My late parents taught me three things viz. Fear God, work hard and respect authority as all authority comes from God. They instilled in me the notion that you can never have authority until you respect authority. You need to find some authority worthy of your respect. I have added a forth dimension or value to my children, namely, “be disciplined”. Discipline is doing the right thing when no one is watching. It is , when you are alone , instead of eating in the kitchen, laying the table, carrying food to the table, sitting down, saying prayer before meals and eating the food; and when it is all done, taking the plates and washing them before retiring. Discipline is not just demanding people to take action; it is to do with getting them to first engage in disciplined thought and then take disciplined action. In this regard my parents were my first educators. My own preferred definition of education is, “what is left when all that you learnt at school, college or university is long forgotten.” What is left is “education” When you can no longer define the principle of Archimedes, when you can no longer deduce Pythagoras' theorem, when you cannot impute E=MC2, when all the neuroanatomy, or biochemistry is gone, when all the calculus you learnt no longer makes sense then what is left in you is education. A good education empowers us; provides us with the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake important tasks in our lives, exploits all our potentials, prepares us to become global citizens and above all teach us to think critically. Text books teach people subject matter but they do not teach people to think let alone to think critically. I believe St. Mary's gave me a good education. St. Mary's instilled in me the notion of discipline. I recall the early morning wake up call from Brother Louis or Bother Paul Major, rain or no rain, would roar at the door, “May Jesus live in our hearts” and the chorus, “Forever”still ring loudly in my ears. We were taught the appreciation of classical music. I developed then a passion for classical music to this day. We were given dancing lessons. I wonder how many of you can dance foxtrot or waltz or calypso? We were given courses in etiquette. We were encouraged to ask questions and to ask the right questions when faced with complex decisions. We were trained not to cone by rote, but or cram but to try to understand issues and express them in our own words. Now that I can no longer remember the academic issues, what I have left in me is education and I can proudly announce it was a good education.

Lastly, what is professionalism? The definition I found is , 'being engaged in one or other of the learned professions i.e. Legal, medicine, engineering etc. A better definition is exhibiting a courteous conscientious and generally business like manner at the work place. Another definition of professionalism is the conduct , aim and qualities that characterize or make a profession or a professional person. The majority of us here are professionals or belong to one or other of the professions. Do we exhibit courtesy? Are we conscientious ? Are we business-like in our work place? Do we exhibit qualities that should characterise our profession? Are we reliable, accessible and courteous to those we serve? I leave it up to each of you to answer those questions

Our mission in this world, according to the late Pope John Paul II, is to seek God, study the world and serve humanity. All of us have a mission to fulfil. If we are still alive then that mission is not fulfilled and definitely not completed. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, “God's grace works through nature”. Encountering God in the bits and pieces of every day life is what we should strive for. Remember the people you encounter in the streets, in the class room, in the market, in the taxi park are your gods. This earth is crammed with heaven. The people who come to your consultancy rooms whether you are an Architect, an Engineer or a Medical Doctor are all your gods. Please treat them as if they are God. Take your heart to work and ask everybody else to do the same. Don't let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth, don't let them get swallowed up by the great chewing i.e. Complacency. The ancient Buddhist expression states, “ If we are facing the right direction all we have to do is walk” I was amazed to learn that a SMACK old boy designed the Chogm logo, not me brothers.

I suspect Mr. Henry Kibirige wanted me to talk about quality university education. I have intentionally avoided doing so because quality education begins in the home. The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people. Quality education begins in the primary and secondary schools. Unfortunately, by the time the students get to university, the dye is cast and it is almost impossible to mould them into quality products. I thank you for listening to me.

Breaking the Curse of Poverty

2008-06-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

Many times I see people who have the assets to get out of tight financial situations, but because of laziness or fear, they never use the leverage of their assets to make the corrections that are needed to continue their prosperity. Then
poverty and want come upon them like an armed man, and in the process of
time they end up with nothing. (Excerpt from “Breaking the Curse of Poverty” by Dr. Wayne C. Gwilliam)

The 2008 State of the Nation Address

2008-06-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

I have not heard or seen my president speak with such composed gusto mingled with wisdom like on Thursday 5 June 2008, for a long time. His 3 hour State of the Nation address coincided with the World Environment Day; Barack Obama’s first general campaign after nomination; my dad’s journey from Arua to Kampala for Rachel’s Graduation in Mukono the following day and Rachel’s Consecration Service. His Kisanjaness Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Iguru the VII, he deserves life presidency for sure) started his fantastic speech by asking MPS, diplomats, traditional leaders and all present in the Parliament building to stand up for one minute in honour of fallen MPS and the 20 Budo girls…
He took off his spectacles and heartily talked about how while in Arua, the Ayivu MP told him that some people were worried about Arua Municipality’s modernization and expansionist encroachment into her rural constituency. How backward her people desire their land to remain will be severely challenged by the powerful wave of development marauding through West Nile’s capital and other Ugandan towns namely Mbale, Lira plus Mbarara, etc. Nevertheless, M7 assured her that there would not only be development in Ayivu but also autonomy sparking a rapture of claps and giggly murmurs. He probably said it well…It was amazing to hear that Uganda’s GDP has grown from a few billions in 1997 (The Base Year for Uganda’s economy) to hundreds of trillions today. The 2008 to 9 national budget would be read the following week… M7 also gave an anecdote about how he was called for a fund-raising drive in some district. He donated 10 Million while the people brought ‘bogoya’ (The House laughed and he went silent for a moment), chicken and other things that totaled to only 2 Million.
Museveni attacked media houses such as Daily Monitor for spreading false stories about him. For example, when he told a foreign businessman to choose any figure to show the rent value he was pestering M7 to quote and the investor selected 1 Dollar for the time being, Monitor blew the story out of proportion by claiming that M7 had sold Dairy Corporation for 1 Dollar. This was not true. “Today, I can proudly say that I sold, No!, actually gave away Dairy Corporation…If such groups cannot restrain themselves, then the law must restrain them…Monitor are saboteurs…Their stories easily go all over the world via internet.” [By Thursday, as he gave the speech, DC had then become a very enviable company with a new multi-storeyed block at their industrial area premises and an increase in the litres of milk processed per day. Today, Uganda exports finished milk products like tasty yoghurt, cheese, creamed milk, high quality pasteurized milk and so on] “Leaders and actors have no right to damage the future of our country…Why do you associate yourself with radios and newspapers that spread sectarianism?”
The president talked touchingly about energy and how a poor country (He actually said “our poor country” with a pause and sarcastic laughter from the august house) will go ahead to support its own GOD-sent hydro-power dam constructions. “The 6th Parliament made a mistake in postponing the construction of Bujagali Dam…Now that they (the donors) have paid us back, we will begin the Karuma project.”
The president, who confessed that he had a family company (in form of a Farm) and wanted every family to have at least one in order to reach the ‘Bonna Bagaggawale’ Household Income target of 20 Million per annum, ended with two Bible verses from the Gospel of Matthew: “Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and all good things will be added unto you…” He humorously alluded to Uganda’s situation by saying that without focusing on a particular sector of importance, we wouldn’t be able to progress. The reason why agriculture is not very pronounced these days is because the other sectors have grown fast. “Let your light shine before all men that they may see your works and praise your father in heaven…”
(Some ideas were paraphrased from my memory one day later)

URA’s inaugural Open Minds’ Forum

2008-06-04T09:58:00.000-07:00

The Motion for URA’s inaugural Open Minds’ Forum at Hotel Africana’s Nile Conference Hall in January 2008 was: “It is the Sole Responsibility of Government to provide an enabling Business Environment”. The Chairman was New Vision Chief Robert Kabushenga (who went to China for studies on 1 June 2008)

1. Elly Karuhanga defended the motion of the debate: “A poor man cannot sleep. Neither can the rich man because the poor man is awake. At the age of five years, every Japanese child is told (by the government) that if you do not work hard, the world will consume you and you disappear on this island.”

2. George Egadu, had a contrary view, “Does government know the challenges of discharging this responsibility and does it have the money, time, expertise and commitment to deliver? Does government realize that it needs help? [‘Sole’ means one and only, single, not shared] Conditions and facilities in a changing world: “Umeme is the Most Irritating Factor (in our economy) .Government has no vested interest to continuously build quality infrastructure. During Chogm, the government needed to involve the private sector mutually. Business friendly laws…Government can only facilitate. I submit that there are other relevant players…URA has only managed to collect 15 % of the GDP; Uganda Police helped by armed security guards; Banks and micro-finance institutions help government policies concerning ‘Bonna Bagaggawale’ schemes. Perception of corruption reduces government’s capacity to facilitate an enabling environment.

[The guests or August House was asked to join the debate for 20 minutes if adequately provoked: Someone remarked, “The government is like a stomach (A combining factor). Legs move to look for food and the hands put the food in the mouth…”
Another asked, “Can the private sector really be successful without government facilitation?”
Norah, an old girl to the Debate Chairman (Kabushenga confessed that she was academically bright at school) educated the audience, “There are three major players; the President mentioned four days ago in this auditorium that the two most important are the consumer and investor. I would like to add a third: the taxpayer. We need to have accountability for how government uses the taxpayers’ money…”
A different guest complained, “Government supports scientists more than businessmen in the university. (Ineffective government distribution of resources)”
Omar Kassim, National Chairman of UCIFA (Uganda Clearing Industry & Forwarders Association) said,“The government can be equated to a tree top. Charity begins at home. Government comes from within ourselves. So where are the roots? Within ourselves, and the taxpayers make up the roots.”
Eric Ouma said, “The government provides the lead and the private sector provides the backbone. The percentage of taxes collected is not optimum and government cannot provide facilities entirely. We are in the same boat and need to hold the oars to row the boat.
There was time for a powerful note of wisdom from a senior citizen. He commented, “Many good ideas off topic; Government needs partners but it is their sole responsibility: provide donors, makes sure investors come, roads are present…How the responsibility comes out is another matter.”

3. Hon. Nandala Mafabi (Shadow Finance Minister) proposed, “When they tell you that you should lead, then it’s a responsibility. Government must create policies to facilitate the private sector…Government can borrow from the public through treasury bills and bonds…In Uganda, the biggest problem we have is corruption. URA is collecting but wastage is high. Government has the role to ensure that the environment is enterprise-friendly…Research and Development, Policy implementation, Democracy is important, Insecurity must be dealt with…”

4. Patrick Bitature, owner of businesses in Nigeria and Uganda including the Protea Hotel and famous for bringing the MTN franchise to the Pearl of Africa is the son of the late Paul Bitature enjoying government solidarity. However, he opposed the motion basing his articulate opinions on truism. It’s a simple fact (that government has a responsibility) but “let off the hook by the word ‘sole’, an ugly word. It’s very obvious that government does not do business. It is the private sector that is good at business. It is not their main responsibility.” He elaborated on PPP (Private Public Partnership): “Top – Down Thinking is rubbish (A Successful private sector brings lasting peace and productivity). This is private sector led growth. Where has government fallen short of our expectations? As our country matures, that can be done by our private sector. There were days when garbage collection was the role of government…Snail paced education system… pyramidal structure where few are adequately trained for the business environment. We are not aggressive and competitive, Poor work ethic…We have to nurture this private sector and build PPPs. SMEs (Small Medium Enterprises) do not last 5 years, do not document their mistakes and accounts. People are relocating to Dubai and Canada, why? Failure means loss of jobs. How many jobs does government provide compared to the private sector. Jobs allow people to feel useful and makes a country an important player in the market…Mindest change…Need for creativity and innovation to survive in the modern world but without productivity, we are at a great loss…First, opportunity is the proliferation of ICT, Energy and Electricity (Makes failure become success), Harness Oil industry, Tourism and Conference hub, Food basket, High Value exports e.g. flowers…Awaken from your slumber. Aren’t you tired of hearing the word potential, potentially Uganda?”

Hon. Baguma Isoke, the first speaker in the Second Part of Responses from Guests said, “To the list of makers and breakers of the economy, I add the Press. Traditional cultural leaders can attract or scare away investors (Making land available); Religious leaders (Ugandans are backward and superstitious); Professionals (Academia, thinkers, philosophers, economists). What holds the economy stagnant? Propose a way forward. We need new thinkers. This is not the responsibility of government alone. Political parties have a role to play, think out Plan B instead of only A.
Flavia who spent over 20 years living and working in the UK advised Government to create policies that entice the Diaspora, “Diaspora should be the first to be considered as investors. China has turned its economy around by involving their Diaspora…”
Mr. Kamjira, Chairman LC V Mbarara said, “I need to emphasize that it is not the responsibility of government alone. The government is not going to do the thinking for us, it can only facilitate.”
Patrick, who described himself as a growing mind commented, “This is what we have always lacked as Ugandans. I would like to liken Uganda to a father with a big family and a teacher. You might do everything you can but not as much as required. Ask not what Uganda has done for you, but ask what you have done for your country!”
A Macos old student said that Ugandan youth with creative minds need the help of a parent and teacher.
Harriet Wandira, SDV Logistics in Nakawa added, “The motion would be practical in developed countries. We lack faith, trust and commitment. To trust the government, we cannot do that now; we have to work in partnership.”
Evon Corretta said, “I would like to be told, how do I break into the business? I do not fancy 9 to 5 desk jobs. We need to take advantage of the youths in as far as the economic battleground (is concerned).” The Forum’s Chairman Robert Kabushenga chipped in and joked that ball possession was now 73 % but he was not going to mention which side had it. I bet it was the Opposers, though it might have fallen to 56 % later. “Prior to 1986, there was no business environment. Being found with foreign currency was an offense. It is the sole responsibility of the mother to bring you into the world and everybody else takes over. If you are 40 and an MD of something but haven’t done anything for yourself, you need to leave the job for the young…Two way…”
KACITA spokesperson Issa Sekitto remarked, “…Very sensitive subject. Some stakeholders may have a role to play but the capacities of companies are limited. You create opportunities, government destroys. You create opportunities, government unfairly distributes them…”

Final remarks from the four panelists beginning with the last presenter:
Patrick Bitature concluded, “If you abdicate your responsibility, you will have failed us. The youth should rise up and be counted…”

The politician Nandala ended, “Rules to be applied should be put up by government. Government provides a level playing ground. Like in a football game, there has to be a referee…”

Mr. Egadu finished with these words of power, “The word ‘sole’ makes the motion impractical.” He went ahead to give an anecdote about a young boy who failed to pronounce a certain word at school and the mother punished him by not giving him food until he learnt how to say it correctly. When he finally got it right that same night, the boy went to the master bedroom to prove his linguistic improvement and found his parents consummating their marriage. He said to himself, ‘The father screws the mother and the children go hungry.’ Mr. Egadu boldly related this to Uganda, “The government screws the country and the people go hungry. The motto of URA says ‘Developing Uganda Together’ and together, we shall do it…”

Hon. Karuhanga concluded from where he started: talking about being blunt like a Mukiga, “George Egadu is more blunt than I am … Government brought back kingdoms. Shops were returned to Asians, Government provides environment for free trade, Military respects the gun…Mr. Bitature would have no money if government had not liberalized the telecommunications industry…”

URA boss Allen Kagina was also at the high table and gave her speech before Mr. Kabushenga dismissed the gathering. Basing on the show of hands, the Opposers won the (debate) ‘Cup’, “the Private Sector also has a responsibility in supporting government…”

Representing the Male Species

2008-06-04T09:56:00.001-07:00

WEDNESDAY NIGHT, 28 September 2005 at Spirit FM
UCU hour from 8.05 PM to 9PM

Kenyan hip-hop enthusiast DJ Kim’ (John Muchina Kimani) was in the thick of an on-air battle with his co-host Esther. The agenda included four questions about relationships (written by Aiko) and Kim’ did not disappoint. He let the chick cluck before he spat out his own vibe which showed his authority on the topic. The first question asked if money can buy love and Kim’ was straight to the point. “If GOD is love, why trade love for money?”
The second question wanted to find out if boyfriends and girlfriends are necessary on campus and Esther mis-thought that “boys never grow up until their fathers die.” She added that girls mature faster than boys and can make informed choices at campus. That’s when the real man in Kim’ started standing out for the rest of us players. It was 8.30 PM, halfway the show.
“Campus is one of the busiest moments in a guy’s life,” Kim’ reasoned, “And you wouldn’t expect him to spend his pocket money on a girl.”
“Love is not about money,” Esther blew out leading to a climax in the show whereby whatever anyone said after that would determine whose side was the strongest during the night. Of course there were two more questions to review but Kim’ spoke some wisdom that wonderfully provided the winning solutions.
“To maintain a relationship, you definitely need money because it is the ‘oil of the heart’ but in order to escape break ups at university, don’t get a girlfriend from your peers or age-mates.” Kim’ won’t fall for any and that’s the bottom-line. The music was rocking and the groovy tunes made the show seem like a dancehall session…
(The Economist Newspaper)

The Best Dancer

2008-06-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

oneway Channel 39 presents a tall story entitled “The Best Dancer at the MTN Media Bash” (Monday 11th December 2006):
[Some guy took us to the Most Organised and Busiest Street in the city. Then we entered a building that looked great. At the top floor, we reached an auditorium. Then we walked down steps and reached a field. Dancers were already present. James Nkuubi (who graduated from LDC - Law Development Centre around April 2008) was there, Joel Okuyo (Actor who featured in Battle of the Souls) was there. In fact, he tied his black shirt around his waist and danced bare – chested to a ladies tune, probably to impress the fairer sex. The dances began and everyone was expected to find a partner to dance with. The field filled up in an incredible format. Before I knew it, the modest but skillfully conversational Brenda touched my shoulder and I turned around starting to dance with her. I even fell on top of her and felt the warmth of intimacy, flesh to flesh. We got up and danced like possessed bodies. Then we moved aside and conversed. Yata told me she had a guy in her life; I jumped in the air because I was happy for her. I told her that one time I saw her on the road from State House to KPC but did not say a word because she was with someone. I did not want to interrupt their conversation. It might have been her boyfriend and he would not quickly understand our history as simply old students at Makerere College School 2001 – 2, four years ago. The award ceremony arrived and probably five dancers were rewarded. The first winners (a Couple) got 50 pounds. The second got around 30; then 20 pounds. There was one winner from Brazil. The announcer said since England had been in the past dealings, they chose another nation. So the Spiderman fanatic was taken. When it came to the part of the best dancer, I saw a computer file with the words ‘utl’ and ‘Vantage Communications’ which I recognized immediately. I sensed that this could be me because I always tried to apply to places like that for a job after university (My final exam was on 22 April 2006). So I got my green shorts and prepared to go forward. When the reader mis-spelt my name as ‘AIOUKOUBOUR’, people were undecided about who it was until he wrote the first one ‘Edward’ and most people looked at me. I was given a small white receipt as a gift…]

J.M. Kennedy Lyrics

2008-05-31T09:42:00.000-07:00

My dream is to post a plethora of Lugbara lyrics and this is the very first project I have indulged myself in for the moment. J.M. Kennedy is a very enchanting Arua musician and I felt his works should be my priority ... From Mukono, Kampala & Mbarara to Arua, Pakwach & Koboko, we are all West Nilers. Literally blogging, we are all west of the River Nile unlike Soroti, Mbale and Jinja, not so? If so, then believe the Psycho and savour these sounds from J.M. Kennedy, the American Lugbara in West Nile … “For GOD and my Country-side, West Nile”

In “AYIKORU”, Kennedy depicts a desperate (though broke) young man begging a beautiful, honorable girl to marry him. Unfortunately, she is not interested. I love this song not only because of the girl’s name but also the boy’s struggle; every man goes through something similar – She might say ‘No’ when she actually means ‘Wait, I have a boyfriend but have to dump him first. You make me blush a little but better get the money or forget it, ha ha ha! Now I gatcha’ … (4:07 mins)
[HOOK in Luganda:]
Watch me now everybody (Body), sample them Mr. Deejay (Deejay). Mr. Deej’ yongeza muliro, Mr. Deej’ yongeza muliro (Wulira), Mr. Deej’ yongeza muliro. Muliro, muliro, muliro.
[CHORUS in Lugbara:]
“Ayikoru la, mi ari dri ma! (A’dhu?)
Malemi ma okuru (Aaah!)
Ma ‘ba ma asi mi ‘dri’a (Ale ma ku.)
‘Dini ku, ‘dini ku (Iku ma!)”
“Ayikoru la, mi ari dri ma! (A’dhu?)
Malemi ma okuru (Aaah!)
Ma ‘ba ma asi mi ‘dri’a (Ale ma ku.)
‘Dini ku, ‘dini ku (Iku ma!)”
[VERSE ONE:]
Ayikoru ma le mi ‘i ‘do,
‘Ba azi nduni mani leleni yo.
Alete asiki ama aku mibe‘do.
Ama nenga matamba mibe ra.
Mani cera mavu mali tu yo,
Te twalu ama nga mali isu ra yo.
‘Badi leta mani miniri fudrici tu,
Adusikuni mi onyiru tu, alatararu, inzitaru,
Ani alete mi ma okuru
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE TWO:]
Ayikoru, you are my heart, you can be sure that I’m truly yours.
When you’re around, I feel so good.
Together, me and you can make a good good couple.
Ayikoru, you are my heart, you can be sure that I’m truly yours.
When you’re around, nothing goes wrong.
Together, me and you can make a good good couple.
[HOOK:]
Watch me now everybody (Body), sample them Mr. Deejay (Deejay). Mr. Deej’ yongeza muliro, Mr. Deej’ yongeza muliro (Wulira), Mr. Deej’ yongeza muliro. Muliro, muliro, muliro.
[INSTRUMENTAL:]
(A’dhu?)
[CHORUS:]
[Repeat VERSE ONE, CHORUS, VERSE TWO, and HOOK:]
[Repeat CHORUS thrice:]

“BA AKOSI” is a soulful master-piece [I would vote it as the Best West Nile Song (Category yet to be introduced) at the PAM Awards] about a homeless man lamenting that he has no relatives and wonders where the good Lugbara are. In Lugbara Culture, it was the duty of families to take care of destitutes through a unique cultural system called “Amadingo”, where the rich look after the poor and therefore everyone in the tribe is given attention. You will probably find such a culture in Arab communities where for instance in Dubai, no beggars are allowed on the street … (4:33 mins)
[INTRO:]
Lugbara ala emi ngwa ya, Lugbara ala emi ngwa ya?
[CHORUS:]
Ma’do mani drici ‘ba akosi ‘do yo, wowo (Aa aa ah!)
Ma’do mani drici ‘ba akosi ‘do yo, ma ‘anvi la (Mamu ri ngwa ya?)
Ma’do mani drici ‘ba akosi ‘do yo, wowo (Aa aa ah!)
Ma’do mani drici ‘ba akosi ‘do yo, ma ‘ati la (Mamu ri ngwa ya?)
[VERSE ONE:]
Ma ‘aga ndra muke muzo Senior’a
Te ‘ba azi ma fees ofepi yo ya.
Ako ‘dri Arua, amu Kampala ‘dale, te ‘bazi mani o’azu yo ya.
Mo ‘do la njila ma dri’a ‘ba azaza le, adusikuni aku mani lazu yo ya.
Polisi ‘biki ma, jiki ma aru jua, te ‘ba‘azi ‘imupi ma nepi yo ya.
Meca azoru, ‘ba jima aro jua, te ‘ba‘azi ma agapi tepi yo ya.
Ojo piri deki ma ‘do yo (Ba madri ‘imi ngwa ya?)
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE TWO:
Nyakudi ma ‘dri’a, o’azu bakokoru ‘bala ‘doni’a.
Malu mani drici a’dusi ojo azini, iki ijoru.
Mungu la, mi’ ari dri ma, kiri kiri, iko ama ‘aza!
Mungu la ‘do, mi’ ari dri ma fo, kiri kiri, ma owu mivu ya.
Nyakudi ma ‘dri’a ojo fila ojo misi.
Yehova la, kiri kiri, idri ma nga lira.
Iko ama ‘aza ya, ah ah mama!
[CHORUS:]
[INSTRUMENTAL:]
[VERSE ONE:]
[HOOK:]
Lugbara ala ‘imi ngwa ya (Aa aa ah!)?
Lugbara ala ‘imi ngwa yo (Ma mu ri ngwa ya?)
Lugbara ala emi ngwa ya? Kiri kiri (Aa aa ah!) Iku ma ku!
Lugbara ala emi ngwa ya, wululu (Ma mu ri ngwa ya?) Iku ma ku!
Nyakudi ma ‘dri’a, o’azu bakokoru (Aa aa ah!), ‘bala ‘doni’a.
Lugbara ala emi ngwa ya (Ma mu ri ngwa ya?)
Lugbara ala emi ngwa yo? Oh! (Aa aa ah!)
Lugbara ala emi ngwa ya, (Ma mu ri ngwa ya?) Iku ma ku!
Lugbara ala emi ngwa ya, wululu (Aa aa ah!) Eku ma ku!

“MOVE YO’ BODY” virtually takes you to the dance hall club. Arua, the capital of the Lugbara has a very vibrant night life. If this song does not make you move, you seriously need to groove up to the Arua level. The beats are seductive and the lyrical rhythm is hotter than fire. I did not know that Kennedy could perform both rap and reggae-ton until I heard this gem … (4:39 mins)
[INTRO:]
Biri biri, biri biri biri by, J.M. Kennedy on the mic
Biri biri, biri biri biri by, bad man ragga-muffin on the mic
[HOOK:]
Move yo’ body, body
Move yo’ body, body, body
Move yo’ body, body
Move yo’ body, wen U hear me. Movin’ d’ body, body
Movin’ d’body, body, body
Movin’ d’body, body
Movin’ d’body, watcha!
If you like it, let me see yo’ hands up, and everybody say Whoa (Whoa!)
If you like it let me see yo’ body move and everybody say Yeh (Yeh!)
[CHORUS (Kennedy in brackets):]
When I hear this music (Give 2 dem, give 2 dem!),
My body feels like movin’ (Aha aha!)
When I hear this music, I feel like dancing then (Move yo’ body now!)
I feel like dancing
(Shake yo’ body now, move yo’ body now, shake yo’ body now) Baby.
When I hear this music (Give 2 dem, give 2 dem!),
My body feels like movin’ (Aha aha!)
When I hear this music, I feel like shaking (Move yo’ body now!) my body
(Shake yo’ body now) Like Shaking (Move yo’ body now, shake yo’ body now) Baby.
[VERSE ONE:]
Dangerous, serious, yu neva coulda dance.
Everybody in the club, let me see yo’ body move!
Ragga music so nice, ragga muzik so sweet, ahhh!
Jump and dance, listen 2 the ragga beats.
Any tym yu hear the muzik, everybody wanna move
So yu move it 2 the left and I move it 2 the rite, eh ehh!
Move yo’ body, body
Move yo’ body, body, body
Move yo’ body, body
Move yo’ body, wen U hear me. Movin’ d’ body, body
Movin’ d’body, body, body
Movin’ d’body, body
Movin’ d’body, watcha!
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE TWO:]
United we stand, and divided we fall.
People of the world, we have to put our hands together.
Together we are one, we are one family. Africans, Europeans, we are no enemies.
We gat to live together in a one harmony; support our music in a world unity
African connection is the way forward to go,
All that we need is support our own.
Global connection is the way forward to go,
Africans, Europeans, Americans, we are one, we are one.
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE ONE & CHORUS:]
[HOOK:]
If you like it, let me see yo’ hands up and everybody say Yeh (Yeh!)
If you like it, let me see yo’ body move and everybody say whoa (Whoa!)
If you like it let me see yo hands up and everybody say Whoa, whoa, whoa
(Whoa whoa whoa!)
[CHORUS:]

The song “LUGBARA” calls on all Lugbara to be proud of their traditional culture and shun behaving like urban tribes-mates who claim to know only Luganda; these drifters are referred to as ‘Lugbara Side Bs’ among Lugbara family circles… (4:23 mins)
[INSTRUMENTAL:]
[VERSE ONE:]
Mani aciri’a anve ‘dale,
Mosu ‘ba ki o’ma suru si afusi.
Buganda ki surusi afusi,
‘Badi Acholi ki ma suru si afusi.
Lugbara la, anziki ama mile!
Andreku ‘ba nga ama angu pa’de,
Akiri gbede, mali gbede,
Asizu, ama ‘du nga acoru.
O’azu ocoru amani muke ya? Suru Lugbara la ama omidri ama!
O’azu ocoru ena ‘amani muke ya? Suru Lugbara la ye ama omidri ama!
[CHORUS:]
(Lediyo) Lugbara ala ‘imi a’du te ya?
(Lediyo) Ayiko nde emi suru si ku a’dusi ya? (Suru ni avi lediyo)
Vurra ala ye emi a’du te ya? (Lediyo)
Afu nde emi suru si ku a’dusi ya? (Ti ni mu avi lediyo)
Ayivu la ye emi a’du te ya (Lediyo)
Ayiko nde emi suru si ku a’dusi ya? (Suru ni avi lediyo)
Maracha la ye emi a’du te ya (Lediyo)
Afu nde emi suru si ku a’dusi ya? (Ti ni mu avi lediyo)
Terego la ye emi a’du te ya? (Lediyo)
Ayiko nde emi surusi ku a’dusi ya? (Suru ni avi lediyo)
Aringa la ye emi a’du te ya?
[VERSE TWO:]
Ani cera emi azi eleki Luganda nje‘i.
‘Badi ‘iri zi ‘Ngoni?’, ‘iri ‘djo ‘Simanyi, Tewali, Ogamba Ki?’
Ma adripi, aazu Lugbararu eri izataru ya?
Suru Lugbara la, aledri ama zi: Aleki suru amadri ku a’dusi?
Suru Lugbara la, aledri ama zi: Aleki ti ‘ba azi dri ki a’dusi?
Suru Lugbara la, aledri ama zi: Aleki ama adripi ku a’dusi ya aaah?
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE THREE:]
Ani cera emi aziri ‘ileki Luganda nje’I, muke ‘ituki ‘imi’a nga.
Ma adripi, idri le Lugbara ongo tu ra, mi 'ise mi maru ‘dua, atuki ama nga!
Yakubu la, mi ajimani ndere, mi agbe mani cere! Yakubu la ‘do, mi aji mani ndere,
Amuki ani ama Lugbara ongo ‘do tu ani.
Yakubu la ‘do, mi agbe mani cere, eh! Mi aji mani ndere, eh!
Yakubu la ‘do, mi ‘agbe mani cere! [SOMEONE ULULATES]
[HALF CHORUS:]
Lediyo (Lediyo) Lugbara ala ‘imi a’du te ya? (Lugbara lediyo)
Ayiko nde emi suru si ku a’dusi ya? (Suru ni avi lediyo)
Vurra ala ye emi a’du te ya? (‘Badi Lugbara lediyo) (Lediyo)
Afu nde emi suru si ku a’dusi ya? (Ti ni mu avi lediyo)
Ayivu la ye emi a’du te ya (Lediyo)
Ayiko nde emi suru si ku a’dusi ya? (Lediyo) (Suru ni avi lediyo) (Oh!)
[INSTRUMENTAL:]
[VERSE THREE without Ululating:]
[CHORUS fades before end:]

“OH MAMA” calls on all parents to be there for their GOD-given children… (4:46 mins)
[Whistle blows then INSTRUMENTAL:]
[CHORUS in Swahili:]
Oh mama, please mama! Watoto wetu wana liya, wana kutaka nyumbani.
Oh baba, please baba! Watoto wetu wana liya, wana kutaka nyumbani.
[VERSE ONE:]
Ma adripi, ma adripi la. Mi ari dri ma! Anzi midri ‘iki aci drici kile ‘ima ati ni yo le.
Bongo yo, nyaka yo, school fees yo.
Okwa, okwa dale mi ‘yo sende yo. Te mi osu anve dale mivu sende ci.
Imi ra n(y)a kabisa.
Omu osi anve, ‘deri akwa ‘dale sabuni yo,
‘Deri akwa ‘dale a’ii yo
‘Deri akwa ‘dale sukariyo
‘Deri akwa ‘dale majani yo
Ma adripi, mi fi acisi, mi nga anzi midri ma ti ja ceni.
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE TWO:]
Aki ya Mungu, ma anvupi la. Kiri kiri mi ari dri ma!
Aki ya Mungu, ma anvupi la. Kiri kiri, mi ari dri ma!
Anzi midri ki aci drici kile ‘ima andri ni yo le.
Leta yo, alata yo, ayiko yo.
Oru andra, oru andra, mi aci a’du nda ya?
Anzi ma aza aga mini ku a’dusi ya?
Oku la, oru andra, oru andra, mi aci a’du nda ya?
‘Badi agu aza aga mini ku a’dusi ya?
Dale mi’i, dele mi’i. Azi midriri ja mini te a’dusi ya?
Oku azi midri anzi ma tambazo, aku tambazo, ago tambazo?
Temi aci dale, ago ojo jamini bo ya? Mi aci dele, aku ojo jamini bo ya, aah?
Anyway!
[CHORUS & INSTRUMENTAL:]
[VERSE THREE:]
Mungu dri midri drile ba fe anzi isuzu ra, kiri kiri, ‘imba emata muke fo.
Ani cera alio ci tandi, te were’a ri ife anzi ni ci.
Ada ada ‘badi alio ci tandi, te were’a risi ipe anzi ma ti sukulu’a.
Deejay Ronnie, I need a witness. All the deejays, I need a witness.
Spread the news, guys on the radio!
Let them know that I am a Northern guy, ah! Western guy, ah! A champion guy, ah!
J.M. Kennedy. A Northern guy, ah! Western guy, ah! A champion guy, ah!
J.M. Kennedy, I!
[Kennedy Speaking:]
To all the deejays, keep the fire burning!
[CHORUS:]
[Sing BACKGROUND VERSE with CHORUS thrice:]
Mungu dri midri drileba fe anzi isuzu ra, kiri kiri, ‘imba ema ta muke fo)
[ENDING:]
Anyway!

“MUNGU SI” highlights the time tested principle that “Anything is possible through GOD”, He is the oneway to true happiness, wealth and fulfillment. Kennedy recommends that instead of crying, ask GOD for help … (4:52 mins)
[INSTRUMENTAL then INTRO:]
Wololo,‘badi wolele! ‘Badi la, mi ayiko yo adusi ya?
[CHORUS:]
Mi owu a’dusi ya? Izi Mungu ni bo ya? Eh!
Katro adre ewaru ngoni ti, ojo lu Mungu si.
Mi owu a’dusi ya, ma adripi la? Izi Mungu ni bo ya? Eh!
Katro adre ewaru ngoni ti, ojo lu Mungu si.
Mi owu a’dusi ya? Izi Mungu ni bo ya? Eh!
Katro adre ewaru ngoni ti, ojo lu Mungu si.
Mi owu a’dusi ya? Izi Mungu ni bo ya?
Katro adre ewaru ngoni ti, ojo lu Mungu si.
[VERSE ONE:]
Katro alio ni ti, katro azoni ti, katro ‘ba akoni ti, izi Mungu ma ti’a!
Katro alio ni ti, katro azoni ti, katro ‘ba akoni ti, izi Mungu ma ti’a!
Ondwa akoni ya, fees akoni ya, azi akoni ya? Mungu ni fe ra.
Ondwa akoni ya, fees akoni ya, azi akoni ya? Mungu ni fe ra.
[CHORUS:]
[VERSE TWO:]\
Bongo akoni ya, nyaka akoni ya, djo akoni ya, izi Mungu ma ti’a.
Bongo akoni ya, nyaka akoni ya, djo akoni ya, izi Mungu ma ti’a.
Oku akoni ya, agu akoni ya, nva akoni ya, Mungu ni fe ra.
Oku akoni ya, agu akoni ya, nva akoni ya, Mungu ni fe ra.
[CHORUS:]
[J.M. Kennedy speaking:]
Ma adripi, azini ma anvupi. Imi ma asi ni ora a’du ‘yo si?
Buku Mungu ni Matayo Chapter 6 (azia),
versi 25 (kali ‘iri drini towi) chazu pere 33 (kali na drini na)
‘yo kini, “Mi ma a’i okoni suru Mungu dri, e’yo dria ni nga ovu eza ru midri…”
[CHORUS:]
[INSTRUMENTAL till fade]

“DON’T WORRY” is a hope-inspiring slow-jam. Its message is simply: “Don’t worry, be happy and have hope; GOD cares” … (3:58 mins)
[INTRO RAP:]
Now this one is dedicated to everyone, […Complicated patois-mumbling follows…]
Oh why, why, why, why, why, why? Oh why, oh why, O LORD have mercy!
[CHORUS in Lugbara:]
Don’t worry, have hope! Say a prayer, GOD will care.
Don’t worry, have hope! Say a prayer, GOD will care.
Mi ora ku, mi aa asi teza be. Izi Mungu, Mungu ni nga fe ra.
Mi ora ku, mi aa asi teza be. Izi Mungu, Mungu ni nga fe ra.
[VERSE ONE:]
Many times in your lives, you’ll be faced with some,
Difficult situations and you don’t know what to do.
It might be poverty, it might be adversity.
Even in your valley of death, never lose hope.
Humble yourself to Jehovah in prayer,
One day he will make you rise.
But keep on asking, keep on knocking, keep on seeking,
One day you will find, you will find.
[CHORUS in Swahili:]
Don’t worry, have hope! Say a prayer, GOD will care.
Don’t worry, have hope! Say a prayer, GOD will care.
Osi jali, kuwa na matu maini. Wamba Mungu, ata kuwokowa
Osi jali, kuwa na matu maini. Wamba Mungu, ata kuwokowa
[VERSE TWO:]
You really don’t know what will happen tomorrow.
Stop worrying about it, concentrate on today.
You better live your life, one day at a time.
Dry your tears, be honest, be happy with what you have.
‘Cause you’ll never worry away the problems that you have.
The best you can do - persevere patiently.
You’ll never worry away the problems that you have,
the best you can do is to persevere patiently!
[CHORUS in Lugbara:]
[INSTRUMENTAL:]
[VERSE THREE:]
Why do you worry when the Power of Prayer is yours?
To move the mountains and to open the doors
The struggle and strength, growing tired and old
The hand that’s offered, you refuse to hold.
You go on worrying your way through life,
Instead of learning how to trust and prosper
Keep on asking, keep on knocking.
Keep on seeking, one day you will find, you will find.
Oh why, why, why, why, why, why? Oh why, oh why, O LORD have mercy!
[HOOK:]
Show them style, show them style, show them style. Come on, come on!
Show them style, show them style, show them style. Mi ora ku yo!
Show them style, show them style, show them style. Come on, come on!
Show them style, show them style, show them style. Mi ora ku yo!
[Repeat Lugbara CHORUS twice:]

[Still under Construction, more coming soon]

Internalise the Achievements of the NRM

2008-05-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

(Notes from the Workshop given by Lieutenant Katabazi at Nkoyoyo Hall, UCU before the 2006 Presidential Elections)
The NRM is focusing on the future to provide security, stability, education, health, water, prospects for employment and income for all in Uganda.
Tactical freedom fighters, Children of the Movement
“Everyone has a great GOD-given right to choose whichever political party he wants…The vanquished should join us to rule the country…We are extending our winning numbers, extending the frontiers of freedom, focus on selling the manifesto”
NRM has a history nurtured and formed by the blood of Ugandan children, not a history of quarrelling or disagreement but commitment to the liberation of Africans (NRM Philosophy)
Pan-Africanism – Nationalism
Another level of advancement, polio eradicated, launching into industrialization with quality manpower. “The more cotton we grow, the more we put on second hand clothes…You are not biologically different from the peasants who are now smoking marijuana…The value addition in you makes you different from the peasants. Accumulated knowledge put into practice produces development.
“A young man sat on the road side and bought eggs from people in the market. Then he dreamt his profits from selling eggs would help him graduate to selling goats, cattle and getting married. If the woman becomes big headed, he would kick her. While he dreamt like this, he kicked the bucket of eggs and his eggs cracked. That’s how some manifestos are…When I vote on 23rd February (2006), I will not be voting against FDC or DP but the British and Americans. We need value; when we say Museveni should remain, they say Museveni wants to remain for life. Why don’t they chase away the King of Saudi Arabia? How many years did Nyerere rule? It’s not a question of changing leaders but what value do you add to the struggle…The war of bullets has been worn. Leave that job to us. These mushrooming NGOs, they have made themselves human beings.”
FDC through propaganda media cannot get candidates to field. NRM fields candidates in all constituencies. Do you want to wait to be told who is winning? Every fool, bird, goat was singing Article 269.
“The next Parliament will have 316 members including 10 from the army. How can you become a president when you do not have a parliament…?” Part-time thinkers deceived by their leaders. Organizational capacity levels we have reached not guess work
In Africa, there are two countries that matter in geo-politics: Uganda and Senegal. The Greatest hindrance to development is the Cadre Service. “FDC is the foam of the soap…All we have done in the last 20 years is to establish a foundation…”
Armed Struggle: 40 men, 27 rifles (Demystify knowledge)
Wrong Information enslaves “We can’t have a country with mixed confusion…Uganda will stop exporting coffee; we will export instant coffee. If there is hope for Africa, NRM is the vanguard…We want Museveni to be the last president of Uganda….Manhood is determined by the property you have…Avoid those thinking inhibitors.”
Complimentary Primary Education: Teachers look for pupils in Karamoja.
“The change that changed a soldier into a human being, adds value to raw materials, helps our children access jobs…That change has been delivered by Y.K.Museveni. The only way government can create opportunities for experience is to create avenues to offload students or university graduates. Also the Namanve Park is being transformed from Obote’s grave to an industrial area.
YES = Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme: government gave out money
Uganda’s involvement in DRC: Accused of coming back with women who were lovers. They didn’t fall in love with plunderers. Kichwamba incident led us to Congo in defence of the motherland. We have never attacked Tanzania nor Kenya. If any country attacks Kenya, we will fight for them, whether invited or not…Taban Amin surrendered…West Nile Bank Front were very terrible, caused havoc, so we hit them in Congo…Mogadishu pulled the Americans in the street…Kabila Jr. crying to the Ugandan army for help…How did we steal gold from Congo? “I arrested some guys who had stolen gold.” They raped our brains. All that the Congolese can think about as a developmental project is music…When Mobutu fell, we never even appointed a sweeper…yet our sons died.”
What are our interests in DRC? Market, we shall fight to protect…If we connected the railway from Pakwach, Aruu and Kisangani, it will reduce the cost of our exports to America. Let us build capacity…Combine, come together in political units that are viable. We are discussing for DRC to join the East African Community.
Mr.Abdu Mubiire leads a team from the Movement Secretariat. Separation of powers is the allocation of duty.”
Jurisprudence = Social bearing of the Law: where were the judges before NRM came to power? We were being sabotaged by the Law; the Law will be amended…” The ghosts of Luweero will never rest when the peasants are being evicted from their land…It’s the duty of the executive to appoint the judges…Determine what is the “we” of the country.” [1.25 Million NRM officials]
Signs of the End of FDC before it is born, “Strong judiciary cannot wake up to criticize government.”
“You want to be paid to go and vote…you are part of the corruption. Change your attitudes.”
(We set the pace, others follow. Uganda is the only country where you vote and results are signed at 5 pm. The country gets to know even before the candidates. There are constituencies in the 1980s whose boxes have never been counted. People would just organize four boxes with pictures on them. This army has an ideological direction that ensures that there are no coups over this government. How can you claim that this army is not partisan?)
Fast-tracking EAC “Those who thrive on dividing this country, their days are not only numbered but can also be counted…Every country has its unique qualities and attributes. Why don’t the Western people talk about the Emir of Kuwait? ...These liars are just enjoying the freedom brought about by the NRM. If you deny them that, they may commit suicide in anger…The greatest thing is not victory but how to manage the victory. We continue from where we have reached.”

The Aura of Arua (January 2006)

2008-05-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

(It's my pleasure to unveil to you the new BTN TV Logo designed by Aiko in July 2008)

VARIETY is the Spice of Life, the Fragrance of Health and the Fire of Taste. It is a reflection of the Beauty of Life. Do you know what’s cooking in Arua’s broadcast kitchen? There is talk of many more radio stations (and TVs) coming soon. Currently though, the Municipality prides itself in four jamming local FM stations on air 18 hours a day (from 6am to 12 midnight because of the WENRECO power schedule) though sometimes transmission continues for 24 hours.
100.9 FM Voice of Life (VOL) a family-oriented, entirely Gospel music and Christian programme-station pioneered local FM broadcasting in the second half of the 90s replacing addiction to BBC on Short Wave and a Sudanese station run by the SPLA rebels.
88.7 Arua One FM followed at the end of 2002 and added real flavour by playing beloved secular music (Hiphop, Utake, Reggae and Lingala) plus introducing the morning crew for fun and games (Operation Thunderbolt by Aaliyah and Uncle Nyaks); the Mid-morning Show by my favourite presenter Hellen Mayele and her sidekick Rose; the Afternoon Lounge that had 15 minutes before 4pm for Indian jams only, to acknowledge the presence of the Indian Diaspora in Arua; the Evening Good Time Show with the Most Hilarious and Entertaining deejay Tobi Tobias aka ‘Dingili ku Dingili, aka High Voltage’ (The whole of Arua misses his jokes and stories)/ General Yiki and Brigadier Braddock. Also Fat Chris featured sometimes. The night had talk shows on different topics throughout the week though the Saturday show was a heated debate (just like Capital Gang on Kampala’s 91.3 FM) in the morning. Tara united lovers so romantically towards midnight that so many male callers actually fell in love with her. Personally, I think she is the Most Comprehensive and intelligent late night show host in the whole of Africa. [Saturday Sports was hosted by an articulate and knowledgeable presenter who claimed to support Tottenham and usually sat in the studio with another knowledgeable sports reporter called Swalley, a son of the soil]. International news comes from Voice of America.
Arua One’s ‘ultimate choice’ programming was so top notch that it probably inspired the other radios which opened two years later. Although 90.9 FM Radio Pacis is part of the Catholic Church’s Arua Diocese Media Centre, it sounds fresh and more dynamically liberal than the Church of Uganda’s Protestant Voice of Life. [They actually won the BBC Award for Best New Radio in the whole of Africa 13 months later from when I wrote this article]. Their foreign news comes from RFI (Radio France International). With the slogan “Peace of Christ for all”, the Ediofe – based Radio Pacis wonderfully accommodates music by worldly musicians who don’t even mention Jesus in their songs. Another paradox is that the Catholic station does not play too many songs worshipping Mary, the Mother of Christ.
The other joint leader in variety, timely relevant news and fantastic flow in programming is 94.1 Nile FM. BBC World Service, the Best on radio, provides global reports at the top of selected hours. Nile FM’s local news team is also the Most Professional from my own observation because of the analysis and sound clips from interviews which brings me to another comparison. BBC may subconsciously or widely lead in news service because that is their first language but Deutsche Welle from Germany (broadcast on the all-Christian Voice of Life FM) challenges on analysis. It is more illustrative though a bit complex.
Also accommodated on the FM band in Arua are a few other stations from outside the ‘heart of darkness’ (What Arua used to be called due to violence). Radio Paidha from Nebbi used to be a favourite before Arua One miraculously obliterated their audience in the district. BBS (Bunyoro Broadcasting Service) from Masindi is enjoyed in a few counties due to wave interferences while Koboko FM (Spirit FM or Bushnet Christian Broadcasting) blends Gospel from England’s The Voice (Formerly Christian Voice) with local music programmes. Koboko [on the Sudan border] was curved out of Arua to form a new district but Arua remained a Model 3 member of the large geographical area and high revenue collecting districts in Uganda.
Satellite TV plays a big part in household entertainment as well as the cinema business but Nile FM’s sister network BTN TV (Bornfree Technologies Network) on UHF 23 is Arua’s own local TV channel. More are yet to come including UNtv and others, GOD-willing. The future looks bright for indigenous broadcasting in West Nile’s capital. Do you smell the future now? Okay the Spice is on the line.
[DISCOVERY TRIVIA: In 1978 during homeboy Idi Amin’s regime, the first Ugandan Satellite Earth Station came on air in Ombachi, Arua. It is still present though requires reviving for everybody to enjoy the full aura of Arua…]

The Best of 2003 – 6

2008-05-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

(This is my Top 10 Countdown of the Best of the Class of 2003 – 6 at Uganda Christian University)
10. PHAT FARM OR FAT FAMILY: No disrespect here but you must admit that the Most Obese Students in the Class of 2003 – 6 Mass Communication Department were Oketta, Kimani, Ian and Diana. I call them the Obestic 4, a fantastic family
9. THE 9 WONDERS OF THE CURRENT WORLD: Daphne, welcome to the 9 Wonders, girls you must meet before you graduate. ‘A’ is for Alice. She was the First Campus Girl I fell in love with even when I did not want such feelings. This list is not about crushes but classmates who are the frontrunners for the rest on campus. ‘B’ is for Brenda. All the Brendas I’ve met in the past tickled my fancy and this one is no exception. ‘C’ is for Rachel & Rachel, the Dolce & Gabbana of Mass Comm 3. If they were fashion designers like Owori, I would recommend their Collections to my girlfriend, sisters, aunties, mother and neighbours. ‘D’ is for Diana and Diane, the first is already a mother but adorable just like before the rings and cakes while the latter is well composed and trendy. ‘E’ is for Emily at the centre of the list. Actually she should have come first but forget the listing. Arguably a braveheart, she’s like a gangster with her own strong will. ‘F’ is for Four-eyed Maureen, very neat and struts a headstrong modern image I admire. ‘H’ is for Her Beautifulness Olive, Miss Arua; The Best Tomboy around. ‘I’ is for Information and Publicity minister Martha. Information is power so she makes it to the list of powerpuff girls. Did I forget the letter ‘G’? Last but also special is Juliet, my only O.G (Old Girl) in Mass Comm 3. The other is in LLB 3. We’ve been classmates since 2001 and the first (Literature) lesson in which she read from a storybook convinced me that she was a talent in public speaking. All the others are in these 9 categories
8. THE PLAYERS: Ladies, the way to a man’s heart is not food but sports. Trust me. Everybody had a sport they indulged in but here are the notable performers. 32, Tony and Wanza showed talent in Basketball. Sammy and Lawrence wanted to win the F.A. Cup and trained very well while Akankwatsa must have bruised his fingers on the volleyball pitch
7. MUSIC IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE: Shakespeare also did Mass Comm but he did not know Brian “Windman” Semujju, Sharpe Sounds from Nimusiima Sharpe Cole, Lois the Diva-voiced Ugandan (We need her voice), Edward Bindhe who is hooked to Sanyu FM (Today’s Best Music); Production houses like (Maloba Sammy’s) MS Records, (Kimani’s) Detailed Entertainment and Dynasty Records, plus Aiko’s oneway. Praise FM (broadcast on Spirit FM), Kiss 100, EATV & Radio plus MTV (Base) did it for me
6. THE BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE: Jesus turned water into wine, an alcohol. So alcohol is brewed for merry making. Cheer up if your course work results were heartbreaking! Even Aiko drinks but not many know. Brens realized he was taking in too many bottles and planned to quit. Lawrence was a master. Dreza probably had a diploma in the good stuff. Seg’y is a survivor; two of his friends died because of booze while the other got locked up to stop him from touching the coveted trophy. Oh Kim, that is Ugandan’ keroro’!
5. LEADERS: The Bible says that the prosperity of a town is determined by the intelligence of its leading men. Within three years, Vice Chancellor Steven Noll and his co-administrators have transformed UCU from a small university into the first chartered private university in Uganda and one of the Most Recognised all over Africa. UCU is still growing and Mass Comm 3 was privileged to have some of its members in the 2005 – 6 Guild Cabinet most notably Amoru, Paul - the First Guild President outside the Law faculty for quite some time [I drew a manilla poster for his campaign], Chemutai, (Pastor) Gerald, Akello Ruth, Juliana, Waigolo [“Why go low? when we can go high with Waigolo” was a slogan I created during the campaigns] and Isingoma
4. BEN BELLA: He was funny back then in first semester and he still is. It is a GOD-sent talent that even my own father acknowledges. You know, my father studied with Ben Bella Ilakut and told me some spooky stuff about UCU’s Most Humorous Lecturer. Isaiah Mbuga spent only one semester but was loved probably because he also used to be seen on TV. Mr. Apedel was debonair, wow, those suits you could think we are in for a business conference. OT, NT, Worldviews and Ethics tutorials sometimes kicked me because students shared funny ideas from their backgrounds. Health tutorials got better later
3. WISE CRACKS, PUNS AND JOKES: If lecturers could amuse us, then how about fellow students? Ian and Charlie formed a good partnership, Ochieng loved wacky statements, and John Mary Semakula may start his own universal joke club. Seg’y was a storyteller. Kim also fell in a similar category; probably the beers made him a folk artist, Sharpe was a clown. Obonyo, though he rarely sits with me has some rather mature rib-crackers. Tony as they say has flowery words. Kyazze, 32 and Brens also threw in their act. As for me, I just listened and laughed. Roger, Elly, Pauline and Dreza featured too. Sammy came in handy; if you ever buy a good car, make sure Collins rides in it at least once…Ha ha!
2. SCHOLARSHIP: I missed government sponsorship at Makerere University and took the application forms for scholarship at UCU very seriously. I was being lugubrious like a true Lugbara. Many nights I burnt the midnight oil, and broke my back drawing Tony’s comments that I was a ‘book worm’ and ‘silent burner’. Man, I was burning for a scholarship and I got it thanks to GOD. I could have settled for basketball and soccer but now I’m near the top and having a blast. Still struggling for First Class though…
1. 3D ENTERTAINMENT: The Best Things in Life are not (just) free but pimped. 3D Graphics, Telecommunication, DVD Movies, CDs, Magazines, Internet Surfing, Computer games, DStv, Parties, Night Outs, Town Tours, Google, Intravenas and Travels. It’s the end of a long road…

[Article by Aiko at the start of my Final Semester at UCU (January 2006) before Graduation]

There's been an Accident like Aiko

2008-05-26T01:17:00.000-07:00

Art Is Karma Overflowing [AIKO in full]. There is an energy that never dies. If uncontrolled lust en anger are sinful, you can transform them into a fuel for something more worthwhile. You may gain more interest in your work or finish something more aggressively en efficiently due to frustration. There’s been an accident like Aiko. Unbreakable, what do you think? I was labelled a Psycho, so I turned my madness into gladness; spread Art through my Brush strokes, paint the world like fire!

A Ghost Town in Uganda

2008-05-26T01:11:00.000-07:00

Bweyale, somewhere between Kiryadongo Hospital in Masindi and Karuma Falls is a real Ghost Town, I must say. During my pilgrimages to Arua, I noticed that sometimes there isn’t much activity in the area. However, on other occasions, you see mysterious buildings erected, market spaces created and councilors having meetings. The town suddenly comes to life and you wonder how. Of course similar things happen in various parts of Kampala and Mukono markets but this is truly mind-boggling. You wonder where all these people were hiding earlier. I wonder what is meant by ‘Fresh Tea’ in Bweyale. Is it served in any restaurant there or does that refer to boiling newly picked tea leaves or just hot tea? How about the pitch black ‘Muchomo’; is that game meat being camouflaged from Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers or something more sinister like dog flesh or monkey meat? I wouldn’t buy roasted meat that dark. It can only be found here, not at the eternal Namawojolo on the Jinja Highway. However, we need to be watchful everywhere.

Paraa-dise

2008-05-26T01:10:00.002-07:00

Welcome to Paraa-dise, where you can get fear-smashing ferry rides from one river bank to another; fantastic tourist rides in motor boats while watching the beautiful expanse of the Victoria/ Kyoga Nile as it makes its celebrated journey to Lake Albert, Sudan, and finally the Mediteranean Sea in Egypt. Don’t you want to feel connected to the places where life began – Ethiopia and the Middle East? ; Paraa Safari Lodge (the mansions in Paraa-dise); hippopotamuses breathing out air and yawning wide; Murchison Falls; the game Park with elephants, antelopes, emblematic Uganda Kobs, and other attractive animals; the green forests; plateau land with scattered coco nut trees…

Is this Route 666?

2008-05-26T01:10:00.001-07:00

The Bible calls the number six three-score the Mark of the Beast, but who is the Beast? Does he cruise among us? Some writings say that the next pope after Benedict the XVI will be the Anti-Christ. How about Osama Bin Laden? Can you kill innocent civilians in GOD’s name and claim to be for Christ…What kind of ear-slicing is that? Even when Peter did it in defence of his Lord on Holy Thursday, Jesus told him it wasn’t necessary. Many times while returning home from Nakawa via Ntinda Stretcher, I see vehicles with 666 in their number plates. You wonder whether the owners are happy individuals or even Christian in the first place. I would never cherish anything with those digits together even if surrounded by other digits; they spell disaster. No street in the whole of Uganda has as many cars, not the same ones by the way, with that number on their plates than Stretcher. Amazingly not many accidents occur here and the only ominous things I have seen are dead cats or dogs on the road. Otherwise, Route 666 from Spear [or the Mango Boulevard] to Ntinda stage is not so dangerous…I just hope it is not a route to hell.

Tribute to my Art Teachers

2008-05-26T01:04:00.000-07:00

I might be naturally talented but sometimes I believe all my Art teachers since nursery helped me polish my skills to some level...Below is a tribute to them:

Mrs Achere, R.I.P. (Primary One 1990): fat; caring; met me again in 1991 while visiting my eldest sister Gladys alongside my family at Tororo Girls School. She also had a daughter there. Taught simple drawings plus English Language… I was Third Overall in Second Term and First Overall among 2 other male classmates before joining Primary Two; I heard that she died of cancer, GOD bless her soul…

Miss Nabirye (Primary Three 1992): a Muganda with Somali features; brown; tall; quite slender but looked very strong…Was the Class Teacher and once asked the class why my grades were deteriorating. Classmates for whom I used to draw pictures confessed openly that it was because I spent more time on Art than reading…That was the beginning of my aggressive focus on books…

Miss Ganda (Primary Four 1993): Very sexy Science teacher, a hottie like Emily – my Number One Campus Galfi and Mariam Were – the classmate who was the Beauty of my Dreams at that time; Miss Ganda liked my style; I remember drawing a skeleton and other images with all my heart during science class-work and subconsciously cementing my reputation as a promising artist…

(My Primary Five Art teacher was arguably the Most Beautiful I have ever had 1994): brown, fleshy and wonderfully good-looking…I loved doing her English tests too. She would borrow an Indian named Raju’s metallic ruler and hit the heads of noisy pupils or those who failed her home work. Didn’t involve us so much in Art but had a good taste for artistic things…

Pajero (My Primary Six Class Teacher before I left Victoria Nile Primary School 1995) was a very entertaining fellow; Used to call his ‘Hero’ bicycle a Pajero and also taught Science like Mr. Bamwamye. Science tests in the mid 90s used to amuse me because if they asked a question whose answer I did not know, I would just answer with any powerful idea or name I had read in any American Science encyclopedia or text book thinking the teacher would bow down for me and mark it correct; talk of Albert Einstein discovering the vaccine for small pox. You are wrong, Edward. Those were the days…Pajero would just give us an Art topic to work on and go away…

Miss Kibone (Primary Six Class Teacher 1995): she taught craft making and English; I was kind of her pet according to classmates - As class monitor at Kalinabiri Primary School [I wonder why they chose me so fast even when I had not completed a term there], I did so many things to make sure the class was running smoothly…I did not do any Art in Primary Seven because it was not examined during PLE. Meanwhile, Miss Kibone assured the pupils after us that I would write like a computer…

Mr. Godfrey Lutaaya (Senior One – Four 1997-2000): I think this was the best and realest Art Teacher in my life (You know what ‘am sayin’?) because he specialised in teaching the Profession unlike the ladies and gentlemen before him; He not only exposed us to masterpieces by old students before us but also took us on Art Tours to Grand Imperial Hotel and Michaelangelo School of Creative Arts just nearby in Kisubi…Taught me how not to fear painting and so many other professional Art techniques besides supplying powder paints, art pencils and brushes to my exclusive Art Class after Senior Three at SMACK. No wonder while at Macos, I often saw him at Makerere University probably for more Art or Education studies…

Mr. Kikolokomba (Senior Five 2001): My very last Art teacher before campus; I studied in his class for the first 3 weeks when I was a day scholar at Macos and struck out because my academic marks where too low considering the effort and spirit I put into my work. To continue building on my Art Dreams though, I willingly took on projects commissioned by students and teachers…Later after campus, I met Mr. Kiko at the National theatre while starting a backdrop painting for KADS and he gave me tips on what to do. Actually encouraged me that I could make it…

Money is not everything!

2008-05-26T01:03:00.000-07:00

During the 5th annual Amakula Kampala Film Festival in May 2008, Black South African Vincent Moloi made a film about Leonard Johnson, a white homeless drug addict begging on the street in post-Apartheid Johannesburg. Leonard (not real name as Moloi later found out) had an ancestry of famous high class relatives from Europe. However, after ‘uneducated Blacks’ took over in 1994 as he complained, everything went down hill for him. The laid back white said his begging is not while sitted but just above the pavement while standing so he was not doing badly. Sometimes Leonard and his homeless friend would try to sell jewelry. Actually, he had a bed to sleep on and some of the gifts from generous passers-by he would use to pay rent. One day, a young woman who worked in a bank ran up to him and gave him some money because she had just been paid. How uplifting is that? His wise words are, “A man may have everything and still commit suicide…Why? It is because of his way of thinking.” Everybody came into this world to endure pain. If you want to live in it, you have to smile no matter your status. That is one thing I learnt from the meaning of my own Lugbara surname “Ayiko bua”; ‘true joy or happiness can only be found in heaven’…Here it is just “kiwani” (unreal or fake), but it has to be there for us to survive for a moment… That is why some people create their own dreamlands and others enjoy them as paintings or movies which relieve them from depression.

Sports TV

2008-05-26T01:02:00.000-07:00

Thank GOD Ugandans will cease to feel bored after the English Premiership hibernates every May to August. For 24 hours and 7 days a week, we will be able to watch live and recorded classic sports events from seasons gone by. Affiliated to Setanta Network from the UK for the next 10 years, the Sports TV broadcaster will surely take me down memory lane to the times during my childhood when watching telly was better than eating food. No wonder I became a skinny idiot but I don’t give a damn. It’s in the Game!

If you don’t know the directions, ask and you won’t get lost…Ask me why I say so! I had always seen an overhead sign reading ‘Sabrinas’ opposite Kampala Pentecostal Church but never bothered to find out if that was the hyped red light pub (among my peers) second to the media hyped ‘Capital Pub’ in Kabalagala. It just did not look like a pub to me. So when the inter-school hip hop competition was slated for some laid back Saturday in 2007, I boarded a taxi heading to Bwaise and Kawempe since I knew that was where Bombo Road extended not knowing that this other Sabrinas I used to look down on was actually at the point Bombo Road joins Kampala Road or Ben Kiwanuka, whatever. Hoping to find Sabrinas Pub in Bwaise, I asked the conductor to alert me when we reached but got shocked to hear from his dazed countenance that I had left it in the city. In order not to appear lost, I just took the ride beyond the Northern By-Pass and disembarked near a Kawempe Market. Of course, I had to spend double coming back to the city but I took it as a lesson learned. Ask when you don’t know; the same applies in academics and spiritual matters…

Tina Davis’ Workshop (& the Last ‘Queen’ of Scotland)

2008-05-26T01:01:00.000-07:00

I love pleasant surprises. Sometime in April 2008, I saw a banner advertising iVad Productions outside the National Theatre’s Green Room. I had always fancied their film productions so I walked in. Curiosity killed the cat (but revived the dog). I’m not a cat, for heaven’s sake, so as a good dog I got the bone I deserved. The Uganda Arts and Media Academy (UAMA) were organizing a Documentary Workshop during the Europe-Uganda fortnight to develop skills among Ugandan or East African filmmakers. Present were various dudes and some Swahili-mumbling babes like Zippy the first I uttered a word to [who probably came from the Coast of East Africa]. At the start of the workshop, Sade, a Nigerian who works for iVAD alongside the big Caroline Kamya (Everybody loves Carol) taught the gathered pack a discipline game whereby the members of the circle would throw balls at another person straight in front of them while mentioning the name of the recipient and looking into their eyes. After the introductions, everybody was expected to remember several names for a target pitch in order not to look a bum. Luckily for me, I could remember Sara, diagonally on my right. We had been told not to throw on the side but I had no other option. She even asked me later during the tea break if I am related to the famous Akii Bua. Does that mean I have to change the Aiko? No way or let me say Norway where Tina comes from (Pun intended)! Tina was the main speaker at the workshop. I wonder whether this ball-throwing game has some kind of social magic in it because the person whose name you call somehow becomes more interested in you most especially when you have never met before. I told Sara ‘No’ about my relationship to the Olympic Star but added to her fulfilled amazement that Ceasar Okhuti, the Uganda Cranes footballer is my brother…We are both Lugbara so that makes him my brother-by-tribe. See, Kiwani with truth in it…!
[Anyway, the truth is that the one Ugandan Sports personality I’m related to, without a doubt, is neither David nor Denis Obua but former Cranes Coach Leo Adraa. My dad is his uncle because he got married to ‘Dede’, my dad’s niece, also Tom W.’s sister. My dad even used to work with Tom at Nile Bank, my personal bank, in the 90s before leaving at the turn of the new millennium and star Leo Adraa is the only link I’m sure about]
Earlier I had mentioned my name and introduced myself as a cartoonist and writer who wanted to develop a few skills in documentary making so as to make a film about my ancestral culture which did not feature much in the mainstream media. Thinking that no one would probably remember my name, I was stunned when Peggy dressed in gorgeous hip-hugging blue jeans threw the ball at me and beautifully called out “Edward”. I concentrated and later tried to converse with her by asking if Dan Brown was her Favourite Author (She was holding the ‘Angels and Demons’ novel) and she replied that she reads anyone. So I suggested she read my blogsite. I shared the Norwegian Chocolate (Tina brought for different random pairs) and later honored her request by picking a mineral water bottle for her from the table behind. She probably felt I was itching to impress her; just maybe. Nevertheless overall, she was not the best person I could shoot a breeze with because she showed a glimpse of a certain attitude I do not fancy in human beings (I won’t mention it or else I will be arrested by the police in the spiritual realm). Anyway, after Tina Davis the Norwegian speaker at the workshop, Barbra came top among my conversation interests. She introduced herself as the girl who played the role of a prostitute or whore (She ain’t a bitch, haters) in the Oscar-Award winning movie “The Last King of Scotland”. She was to me the Last ‘Queen’ of Scotland. It’s not that I got attracted to her face or anything (Of course she looked a’ight), but I liked the composed and suave way she approached me in her green blouse and khaki pants while I prepared to serve myself some milk tea, gonja, sumbusa and sausage. We shook hands that stayed locked for a few minutes and talked about ourselves, movies and things like that. She had enchanted me somehow, probably skills she was taught in the build up to her role in the Hollywood movie. We went for breakfast together and later talked during lunch before I disappeared when a male friend of hers showed up. I didn’t return for the final afternoon session that featured Tina’s second production but watched other movies in the auditorium (organized by the Uganda German Cultural Society who had alerted me about the multi-cultural festival in an email. I had missed their morning workshop but no regrets whatsoever)
“Bringing Excellence to creativity” – iVAD Motto
Tina Davis, from Norway is hugely talented. Where she comes from, “the land of the Midnight Sun only gets dark for ten minutes in Tromso, Norway”…I’m glad that I once studied in a Norwegian founded school (Kalinabiri Primary School, Ntinda 1995-6 and was in the pink-red Norwegian House). Tina took Media Education in London and graduated in 1996, the same year I did my PLE (Primary Leaving Examinations) at Kalinabiri [Luganda for “He who has two eyes must see beyond”]. She has been working on documentaries and taught a little bit in a Cuban Film School.
Basic theory: the Definition of a Documentary has stretched with time. Central spirit is exploration of actual people and situations. Actors can be used to recreate past and present events. It is Created Treatment of Actuality: Travel, Nature, Science, Industrial, Educational, Promotional e.g. a docu’ in a Soap-Making industry. Socially Critical, uncovers dimensions. It goes more into moral and ethical dimensions. Go into a familiar place to reveal the unfamiliar…Tell stories about anything but take it and tell what’s not known. Look at it from different angles e.g. boda boda cyclists being harassed by women. Prostitutes exchange sex for free rides. Corner of reality seen through human temperament, convictions, conscience and ideology guide you. Persuade viewers into your world. It’s an organized story, narrative tension and integrated point of view”.
[“Artists write; it is the function of all art to give us perception of an order in life by imposing an order on it.” –T.S. Eliot]
Order gives us a perception of life. Controlled, Obstentious, Speechless, Lyrical [no limits to possibilities], profound fascination/ Passion and General Interest
Actuality [Objective, measurable and can be agreed] vs. Realism
TV networks want docu’s about what is seen and proved, afraid of lawsuits/ corporate journalism
Takes you beyond objective notions… Try to present the inner lives of those we film, internal dimensions-dreams, nightmares part of actuality. If you are a writer, sometimes you include yourself. Factual TV balances out opposing views. Unbiasesd views on events, journalism. “I showed all three sides so I’m not responsible for social criticism.”
Subjectivity shows effective use. Art for representation of your subject
Realism is the way you bring actuality to another level. Motivation for producing a docu-drama will impact the people e.g. a docu-drama of the horrible Hiroshima event (bombing). Makes it powerful…Do you shoot a documentary and leave room for viewers to interpret? Sometimes people do not need spoon feeding, you can have sub themes.
Six Basic points during Tina’s Workshop
1. Instinct/ Attraction (Greatest Personal Tool. Unfortunately we sometimes make our Intellect come in the way. Face the opinions, Trust your instincts, Instinct guides you through the process)
2. Aim of the documentary (Why do you want to make this film?) Write; record your thoughts and ideas. Push yourself to be able to achieve the aim…
3. Structure the story (Shooting Script, How you organize your material. If you sit down and create awareness within you, it moves you closer to the core of your film…makes it clear to you. Director’s Notes, Synopsis for the funders…Make choices. Home Videos and Professionals are different
4. Style (Observational)
5. Techniques can be still photos, private material, Montash, Goes hand in hand with style. You can use imagery
6. Character (Identify a strong character as a subject to tell a story; reveal info about your interest). Must be sb who is not an exhibitionist (A show off becomes annoying in the process). Someone who wants to be portrayed…Build trust and get to know your subjects
Fall in love with your character, Connect your audience to your characters. Superficial truths separate us but fundamentals or universal elements can be reflected by others. The better you know a person, the deeper you can portray her Quirks. The more you know about your character, the better access…to all the secrets. We had breakfast and then watched Tina’s documentary.
“BIGGER Than Barbie”
A documentary about a project for women in RSA (Republic of South Africa) where they make beaded dolls. Tina Davis was in Norway visiting a friend when she got mesmerized by colourful quirky dolls. Three months later, Tina saw these dolls in a London shop. She got a number of dolls and went to teach in Cuba. Tina was called back to pay because her credit card didn’t go through. The shop owner told her the story of the dolls: It was an Empowerment Project for women started by 3 artists to create income…The film shows different stories in Africa.
“Make films for educating the TV networks here…I like the choice of music, a Reggae classic by Bob Marley ‘Waste of Time’; it highlights the fundamental truth that the world or life is a beautiful struggle…,”said Tina (This is exactly what I have been trying to preach through my ‘Arua Boys’ stories)
“Live with your heart & appreciation,” this line was spoken at the Monkeybiz HIV Clinic. Mankozi was an invaluable member of the bead community and went to New York where their dolls were selling well at the ABC Store.
Film REVIEW (from the lecture by Tina Davis)
1. Impressed by the community; Humbled/ Learnt the township philosophy in action: Create work that suits the delights of the women not take them to a factory. They should work whenever they want and could. Tina wanted to make an inspiring story for people to follow their dreams
2. The Aim was to make a positive documentary: “Wherever there are people, there is hope. Everybody has potential. Sometimes you need help but it is a matter of getting that potential out…” –Tina
3. This film happened as a result of so many uncontrollable elements…Fragmented funding system (Government body gives a sum, One Big Lesson: “I will never again start until I have a film about a subject on the other side of the world. 90 hours of footage, 4 months…It’s difficult to convey your vision to the subjects in the documentary who may get tired because it may not mean much…”I Could have made many stories from this film…Could have told the story through Mankozi, the lady in Monkeybiz who had HIV…” The film is a portrait of Monkeybiz and all their aspects. If you choose a closed off environment, you do yourself a big favour. If you are not flexible, you will feel your plans are going down the drain…
4. Wanted to make an observational film but because of the language and camera pointing at other places, it was heart-wreaking for Tina. Wanted the subject to come out through the scenes and not Voice Overs. Make sure you have intos to back up your story even if you never intend to use them. Writing edits are very important, rather than polishing each scene before you move to the next
5. Using the reportage at the start from ABC TV was not my plan. A news-crew turned up to do the story. The doll shots were also a technique. Wanted to use animation to show that the dolls are moving or expanding. This would highlight the essence of Monkeybiz. It was meant to be playful and hearty, an interesting touch…A couple of montage sequences in the film (a lot of women making those dolls in their homes). The music too! It creates moods and atmosphere. Finding a rhythm is important. People should not be hang up by the information that is less… [Spent one year getting a license for the soundtrack from Damian Marley… “Make sure you have contracts when dealing with music…Another thing I had to license is the concert and Live Mandela feed…”
6. You can organize but not stage a documentary. “I like to work more spontaneously; that’s more interesting…” Tina revealed…

From Father to Son...

2008-05-26T00:46:00.000-07:00

Below are some of my Dad’s thoughts he wanted shared in the newspaper media. He sent them to Crusader and New Vision in 1998 but said they were probably never published. Ask Capital FM’s Saturday Night Fever Deejay Alex Ndawula about him! Specifically mention the book “Talking about Talking” and he might tell you more exhilarating stuff about the wit of the man who used to stay near his wife Drucilla (Magezi)’s crib in the late 1980s (Lubogo Road, Jinja).

“Many Ugandans do not care for each other”
Why is there poverty among the people when Uganda has plenty of riches? Why are there street children and beggars? Why are the towns dirty? The answers to these and other bad situations lie in the lack of care for each other. Our leaders in government and other bodies start it all with corruption and embezzlements. Where services would be provided to improve on the conditions for the population, funds are stolen. The people working in such places go without pay or are retrenched without adequate package.
These stolen funds are used to acquire houses, wives, cars, etc. It is not surprising to see a family of four having six cars, not even business vehicles that could employ some other people. Ministers, Managing Directors, Permanent Secretaries and other big men and women employ fellow Ugandans as electricians, masons, carpenters, painters etc to do work for them while putting up mansions with the stolen money but they do not pay such. They bully them and the small men coil away in their poverty. The big men prefer to go to relax in hotels within and without the country instead of paying the poor workers who would help other dependants. First of all, they have deprived people of salary in one organisation and they do it again in their own set-up. This is malicious. Businessmen are deprived of payment for services and goods supplied to government in good time and this slows down business. Other parastatal bodies providing services to government are also not paid, thus resulting in poor services to the public, delay in salary payments, retrenchments and other evils which perpetuate the vicious circle.
Our leaders live in mansions on two acre lands maintained on public funds, which are obtained by taxing poor workers all their small earnings. If we really cared for each other, we would not need to beg from abroad through organizations like Africa Foundation, Save the Children, Feed the Children, Uganda Forster Parent Plan, Children Welfare Mission, etc to provide these services. The likes of Sanyu Babies Home, UWESO etc would be financed by citizens who have. Have we ever known how these funds which come from abroad are obtained? Some of these are individual savings donated for a cause for humanity all over the world. Ugandans would prefer to burn old clothes instead of donating to a charitable organisation like UWESO. They prefer to sit at joints draining half a million shillings every evening or acquiring more women to have more children some of whom end up in the streets causing more problems. Food is poured into pits and bins instead of being given to the destitute.
Some people own chunks of land but would not allow people to cultivate it for food badly needed by many. [Bringing that idea forward to 10 years later from when this article was written by my father: On Monday 19th May 2008 while being interviewed by WBS TV’s Daniel Arap Moi (Face to Face: “Say it as it is”), Issa Sekitto, the Spokesperson of KACITA said in order for government to solve Uganda’s problem of rising food prices, each household should have a farm where they cultivate…]
People instead crowd in town shacks on metre pieces of land. When a good planner suggests a document to allow many people own land, landlords go mourning. They incite non suspecting oppressed occupants into believing that the law is bad. Who do you think benefits from the 9000 square miles of land? Is it not the ministers who would be allocated that land and continue to oppress the occupants for whom they do not care?
The small people have also got their share of not caring for each other. They throw rubbish anywhere anytime claiming that someone is earning by cleaning. Why don’t you use the rubbish bins and save someone time to do other things? People even throw rubbish on staircases, on some people’s compounds and on public paths. What do you think of others who use these areas? Just walk into flats like Bugolobi, Buganda Road and others and find what I mean. Places like Universal House on Luwum Street, City House and others should not even hold offices, as they are smelly with urine and faeces on the corridors. Ugandans are careless. Do we need experts to advise on hygiene? If we say Kisenyi, and Kamwokya lack facilities to collect rubbish, how about the other places mentioned above. You just see a well dressed person walking across the street eating sweets or biscuits; or smoking and all of a sudden he throws down the wrapper when a well painted city council bin is in front of him. In the villages, it is even a crime to keep the surroundings of your home clean. All plastic bags will be thrown under your fence or on your path. You either continue to pick them up or get annoyed or leave them but then cholera will not spare you. People do not need your music so why blast it out? Fellow Ugandans, who read these comments, please change for the better.
(The manuscript from which I copied this data was produced by John Galia, a friend to my dad from Tara, Maracha? on 29th September 1998)

“Christianity and the Changing World”
In the early times when Christianity was introduced in this country, the leaders were mostly whites from various European countries.
One was taught to read, write and accept the teachings to become a Christian. It was a conversion from old beliefs to new ones. Once a Christian, one was a new person but equal to his teachers apart from the teachers being more learned. Everyone was a Christian, full stop. There were no issues of some being more Christian than others and the teachers showed no sign of that.
Those of us who accepted Christianity then knew that certain behaviours were to be avoided and once one did that one was a good Christian. All sorts of dancing were not acceptable nor were some instruments allowed. Shouting and yelling was un-Christian.
As time passed by, things did not remain as before. Many indigenous people became learned and read so many books. More foreigners came into the country with their different cultures. These cultures have taken root in Christianity. The same Bible is still being read and the same hymns being sung with modifications to suit the situation. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and does not change. That being the case, why the changes in the way we praise him? The very items refused in the past like dancing, shouting and yelling are now acceptable by various groups. Youth can no longer go to ‘dull’ churches because they enjoy music more than anything else. And the dancing! Is there a difference between such dancing and that of Pepe Kale, Lucky Dube and others? Even when the word GOD is used in hymns, so it is in the other songs.
Are we on the right track in our religion? In the past, religion united people as one family. In one church, there were no divisions between family members, couples and all the Christians. Nowadays you will hear such things like saved people, converts, and people with or without the Holy Spirit in them. I was in my local church one time for a meeting and there was so much division there that attendance in the church was dwindling. The reason was that some people considered without Holy Spirit in them were not allowed to participate in leading service. The qualification to have the Holy Spirit was to declare that one was saved. You can hear children talking of daddy or mummy’s church. They do not pray together with their parents except at nursery age. They do exactly opposite of what the parents do or teach.
If we are following the unchanging GOD and our beliefs are based on the Bible which is what was left by eyewitnesses of GOD’s work on earth in the past as we believe, how come we change the teachings of the Bible by change of terminologies, phrases, and our own judgement? Are we saying that the early teachers of the Bible were not knowledgeable about the Bible? We nevere refused preachers, lay readers to have Holy Communion even when they were not wedded in church. In 1950s and 60s, most of those leading in church were not church wedded. Does this mean that the teaching then was fake? It was a necessity for one to accept Christianity on his own accord but babies are now made Christians and many of these divert after coming of age.
We have seen that the way people tend to conduct Christianity has made Christianity a dividing doctrine rather than what the teachings were meant to do. Christianity is one, that is the doctrine concerning Christ. The way the world is changing has made people also change methods of worship. People’s behaviours have changed and Christianity teachers are bending to those changes also. They consider the old methods archaic. But is that correct?
Saved people believe that there is no better Christian than one who has declared that he/she is saved. The Bible teaches us that no one is saved except by the Grace of GOD. So how can one really say or know one has a place in heaven? Is it the public announcement declaring your sins or is it what you do in your life according to the teaching of the Bible which saves you? GOD sees in secret so must we open to anybody other than GOD? How sinless are the people one declares to? These issues are really controversial and when one brings them up like this, it is considered as devil’s work.
There have been so many reasons why people have done things in their lives including having church affairs. One may want to achieve something by being in a certain group and if the best way is by doing something acceptable to that group, one will do it without believing in it. I mean here for example, I may declare that I am saved because I want the favour of a priest or some other person for a scholarship, job, etc. you will notice that the moment one achieves the goal, he or she may drop the belief. Many ‘missionaries’ have come for other purposes but under the guise of strong Christian beliefs or being born again. As the world has become so diverse with issues, being a member of a certain group may give one a consolation from world’s problems and Christianity is good at achieving that.
Some Christian groups think theirs is the best belief. Someone told me recently that if I want to get the true GOD, I should join Pentecostal Churches. Isn’t this a division in Christianity? Others believe in healing power without medicine and have caused deaths by denying people medical attention. Are these any different from traditional healers who consult spirits? Even the traditional healers are wiser in that they still give herbs which cure and not the spirit power alone. I think GOD has given us the world and all the good things to use and one good gift is to sustain life with the help of medicine. All the faculties of seeing, thinking, deciding are given to us to help ourselves. The saying is that GOD helps those who help themselves. You are given eyes to see both good and bad things and on seeing danger, other faculties allow you to escape. Teachers of some Christian groups will feel they have succeeded in preaching if they convert people. They do not realize that by so doing they are bringing divisions. As I mentioned at the beginning, becoming a Christian is a conversion already and the constant teachings delivered should make one judge oneself and inwardly change for better. What use is it to declare your sins and out of church, you commit the same again: Backbiting, anger, quarrelling, jealousy, name it and you have not changed?
Can a Christian really overcome the problems of life in this changing world and particularly in urban areas? To me the answer is “No”. This is a sincere and life experience answer. Take your family which should be your first contact. You cannot convince all your children to follow your beliefs. If you fail that, can you convert all the others? You will always face resistance in your attempt to reach others. Come to money problems. Much as you would not like to be indebted, you will be forced to. You even become selfish. Just imagine, the only way you can have food is with money and you only have enough to care for your immediate family. I do not think you will give it away to feed someone else. You become unsociable because you do not have the money to travel or contribute for functions. Segregation is common, either due to differences in beliefs, clans, education, marital status, etc. you even notice at functions where Christian equality fails.

By James Dramani (1998)

Valuable wisdom

2008-05-06T03:02:00.001-07:00

“An artist must be a thoroughly educated analyst and researcher.” –Russian Painter Pavel Filonov

Wealth is given to a Muslim so that he may perform prayers perfectly and pay the annual charges known as Zakat in Islam. But the human being is so greedy that he knows no extent to his desires. He goes on collecting wealth until the last breath.

In the last third of every night, our LORD descends to the lower most heaven and says, “Who is calling Me, so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me so that I may grant him? Who is seeking forgiveness and I will pardon him?

Can’t Be without Buvera

2008-05-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

They have been demonized for causing drainage plus sewerage blockages; cancers in addition to other diseases in the digestive system and for failing to decompose quickly. However, even when the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning banned the use of ‘Buveera’ in Uganda while reading the budget for the new financial year 2007/8 on 1st July, few people followed the ruling. The problem was that ‘wanainchi’ were given only one month to stop the use and manufacture of these unwanted products. Instead, the importance of these bags was laid bare for all to see and no one dared to implement the ministry’s direction.
On Wednesday 30 April 2008 while returning to Nakawa from town around 9 AM, someone in the Ntinda bound taxi I was in suddenly mentioned something interesting, “There is tight security here.” I wondered where yet I had been in that area around 7 AM with my manager and saw nothing. It really takes a short time for things to happen. When I looked that way, I say a banner with Uganda Revenue Authority written on it campaigning against Buvera, “Keep the Pearl pure”. They were probably launching aggressive action against Buveera. Later on in the day while watching News on TV, I learnt that it was a joint initiative alongside other local organizations against polythene above 30 microns.
“I think they are going to pull this off,” one lady commented as I got ready to disembark. Come to think of it, they have enough resources to support a ‘kaveera-free environment’ but people somehow cannot do without these bags; the only other option could be to produce quicker decomposing (bio-degradable) polythene bags. Otherwise, we may just have to give the better solution as we eliminate Buveera.

Money, Money, Money!

2008-05-06T02:54:00.001-07:00

John Nagenda once wrote in his New Vision column entitled ‘One Man’s Week’ that, “In Denmark, people ride to work on bicycles but they send us money to balance our budget”. Wow, it’s amazing how wealth defines a nation and its individuals. How they invest their money is not the factor but how much they have. Where I come from, you will find a man living in a mud-walled, grass thatched house owning only a bicycle for transport but having enough money to rent a house in the city for one full year. In fact, all his children study in Great Lakes schools, i.e. around Lake Victoria, Kyoga, Albert and Edward. These are typical tobacco farmers in West Nile. How they spend what they have is their own business.
Money, by dictionary definition, is simply coins and paper banknotes but it affects our lives in more ways than we can imagine. The poor want to own it, the well-to-do can’t live without it and the rich will never feel contented with the large amounts they hold for the moment. You can earn it in the twinkling of an eye and even lose it before you spend it. It exerts too much power on everyone’s life that almost anyone would vote for money as one’s president or king if it had a soul and body. Would you? Of course not if you would ask me. Money is just a mere medium for people to exchange food, clothing and other pleasures. Anybody can produce these goods for himself but since our bodies and attitudes desire better things, we opt for variety which includes other people. That’s where money comes in to quicken, smoothen and simplifien (allow me to coin the third word for the rhyme) the situation. If you don’t want it to rule your life which means you do everything for yourself, then go ahead and break your neck. Work for yourself and don’t let others work for you because you hate money. Why should it keep you depressed? Even the poor have hilarious jokes, why would I need to buy a DStv package simply for the reason of watching the fine comedy F.R.I.E.N.D.S. when I can share rib-breaking cracks with the villagers (I’m not saying you shouldn’t). Isn’t money killing us softly? It makes us desire what we have but think it just inadequately produces the amusement we want, so we go for what everybody or let me say the upper class in society is indulged into, and unfortunately it requires some green back.
From the Bible:
Have nothing to do with the pointless philosophical discussions and antagonistic beliefs of the knowledge which is not knowledge at all; by adopting this some have gone right away from the faith (1 Timothy 6: 20-21)
For as money gives protection, so does wisdom (Ecclesiastes 7:12)
But meals are made for laughter. Wine gives joy to life. Money is the answer to everything. (Ecclesiastes 10:19)
The food of the poor…though you have no money, come! Buy corn without money and eat and at no cost, wine and milk. Why spend money on what is not bread? …Come to me…and your soul will live. (Isaiah 55: 1-3)
Daniel said in chapter 11:32, “The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” He did not say —the people that know Gordon Wavamuno, or Sudhir Ruparelia, or Michael Ezra or President Museveni or Robert Kayanja or Pastor Kakande will be strong and do exploits.“ He said, “The people that know their God will be strong and do exploits.”
So go ahead and make your money in the name of the Lord. Work hard and get those monies. Without it in the present civilization, there are several troubles you could face. Money simplifies life and if you’ve really got enough of it, life can taste a whole lot better. Words of caution though, don’t forget who gives it to you - the man upstairs - and He wants you to share it with those who might need it. GOD is great! Make that money and enjoy your life.

Article by Aiko G, also named Eminem, Controversial, Uncle, Designer, the Best Deejay in Arua, Mulalu (the Madman), the Most Handsome, Bad Bwai, Atelier (French for Studio), Saint, Runaway Devil-(man) and Snoop Dogg [All names during Secondary School]

I sold my Soul but the devil couldn’t buy it…

2008-05-06T02:46:00.001-07:00

GOD is great ... Jay-Z once rapped, "He who does not feel me is not real to me, so poof ..." That's how I felt about one dude at Macos... In 2001, I sold my soul to the devil but somehow, he did not buy it probably because it had already been purchased by the blood of Christ in 1997. I joined Makerere College in 2001 as the Best SMACK reject (after Senior 4 UCE exams) with 15 points on 8 subjects (9 on 6) and sat on the second last desk during Senior 5. Behind me was an irritatingly proud though shy guy who had studied at Macos since his first year in secondary. Did this Musoga want to bully me as a welcome gesture or was he just naturally condescending? I had seen worse bullies before at SMACK and so there was no way this guy could scare me. Perhaps, he was a few months older than me and somehow hurt me deeply by repeatedly calling me “fake and boring” but of course I knew that I could not always be entertaining or whoa (ignore the war in my Christian name ‘Edward) all the time, absolutely no one is, but at least he should not have been too loud and unflinching in trying to crush my spirit in order for me to obey his wishes. He actually wrote for me three topics (on a small piece of paper) I had to discuss whenever I talked to him, how rude! I prayed to God about this but since nothing seemed to be happening, I decided to do the unthinkable. With my conscience surrendered to possible rejection by parents, siblings, relatives and friends, I shouted in his face that I was ‘going to bury’ him. My plan was to break his nose with a hard uppercut punch and kick him to death against the wall. I was ready to face death row or life imprisonment and even hell. To prove the last bit, I even invoked the devil to possess me so that I would not know what I was doing but mercilessly end this superficial guy’s bullying. Thankfully, after my wicked prayer, I looked up and saw the heavens open. A voice from the sparkling white opening asked me to forgive if I did not want to miss the splendor of yonder. On second thought, I did what GOD wanted; I walked into the classroom at lunch time straight to this guy, shook his hand and said, “Thank the Holy Spirit that you are still alive!” I told him to call me whatever he wanted because deep down, I knew I was now ready for any hard psychological knocks. He mysteriously began respecting me and we later became good pals.
How can someone intimidate you simply because you do not talk about 1.Computers, 2.Women and 3.Arsenal? In my O’Level school, I had become born again and tried to cleanse myself by quietly listening to GOD’s inner voice. This meant that I did not make a lot of noise but many people knew that I was intelligent enough to talk about anything. It’s just that my soul was being opened to a new truth and this guy, who seemed demon-possessed if not the devil’s agent, was just about to crash all my hopes for a new beginning. Of course any one including a villager could Google and find out more about computers to talk about, but why was this Musoga puffed up simply because he had been taught a few computer terms?
Secondly, the boy was a Pornography voyeur and he did not know that I was just recovering from the addiction. He wanted me to spy on his crush, a chick in the Geography class who had a body like a sexy model. One day I told the dude that if he had watched her standing near the canteen, he would have been electrified. When other folks got to know this, they thought that I also admired the babe but I was only trying to encourage the dude to go on with his vision of hooking her up.
I had been an Arsenal fan for exactly three years and so when I saw this topic on the list, I brushed off the feelings of hatred for this guy. Afterall, it was only my first few months at Macos and along the way he would probably get to know me better for example when my Art skills stood out, he asked me to design a logo for his future Computer Company. He even pleaded for me to draw for him Nwankwo Kanu, his favourite Gunner which I did after a long time to show him that I also had my own will power. He also begged me to sketch the face of his love interest and later worried about me when I could do better than him in tests and exams; the scores were now even.

Rasta Aiko

2008-05-06T02:29:00.001-07:00

Wagwan, me was born in Jamaica-Jinja (Jah’s shrine) also known as the powerful City of Sada (Energy). My father comes from the eerie Republic of Uganja. During school holidays, I would plant ‘ganja’ and nyam it with the ‘chickens’. Rasta a fi harvest ‘ganja’ frum de farm. Hey Mimz en Cham, don’t yu tink dis is why am hat. Isa is my Saviour. You can feel the Holy Spirit in the healthy scent of the weeds. Ya ask me wat d’ aura of Arua is an al tel ya, “It’s in the Air...” At 1.7 metres and about 60 kilos, Art is my Ganja.

Prince Charming

2008-04-25T10:03:00.001-07:00

Prynce Charming Joel Okuyo who featured with a white cutie named Sonya on East Africa TV’s Friday Night Live (18th April 2008) hosted by Ugandan presenter Ssebbo in Dar-es-Salaam, is a real movie buff. With (much more than) three movies on his portfolio (Two feature length films: ‘Battle of the Souls’about former devil worshipper Roger Mugisha directed by the tall Matt Bish who couldn’t believe I was around 60 kilos in weight; plus ‘From the Ashes of Hatred’, a Nollywood and UgaWood collaboration about a family which did not want their daughter to marry a Muganda; and a TV Documentary ‘Trouble in Paradise’ - about the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Massacre. Lyhnnq-x acted as a rebel leader; by the time he went to the studio), his career is definitely taking off to the skies of international film. Having stayed with him during first year, first semester at Uganda Christian University’s affiliate hostel Bishop Kamanyire (since September 2003), I know how entertaining he naturally is. He was among my first real friends at UCU besides my Kenyan (Kikuyu-Luo) roommate Sidney Okumu (I left Kamanyire Hostel for St Michael Royale Hostel in Bugujju Village after May 2004). As tribemates, it was really easy to connect because of our ancestry but the love for music, almost similar taste for women and fantastic exploration of ideas strengthened our friendship. Some people say he talks too much but that is what makes people more interesting especially when they do it to thrill. Maybe one day he will be crowned the “King of Ugandan Cinema”.

AFTERMATH:
JOEL has won numerous international accolades in film including: Four time international award winning actor (2008), Best Supporting Actor (Balafon Film Festival, Italy 2009), Best Actor in Supporting Role Africa Movie Academy Awards, Nigeria 2010), Best performance by an Actor/actress (Uhuru Film Festival, Ubuntu Village, Colorado, USA), Best Actor (ZIFF) 2011.

Survival Football

2008-04-25T10:02:00.001-07:00

Every civilization has found a way to pass time; At St. Mary’s College Kisubi (1997-2000), my classmates invented another. Arguably My Hottest Sport during school, ‘Survival Football’ (also known as “Bonna Bazanye” – Let everyone play) had no major guidelines. There were simply two teams - the West Side near SMACK Road and the East End. Changing sides and walking in or out of the game was allowed during the fast-paced match. As if that was not funny enough, one side was allowed to have as few as 13 players while the other over 22. Some final scores were as outrageous as 9 - 11. Everyone was a referee but the south side of the pitch had no throw-in line. If the ball crossed to the other two identical fields (where other classes were playing), it was the duty of some of the players to just chase it and kick it back. The Northern touchline near the teachers’ garden did not require neat restarts, one handed throw-ins were allowed. Otherwise the only exceptional rules were corner kicks, handballs plus maybe off-sides which were sometimes violated. Up to today, I still cannot understand how Ivan Mutebi (nicknamed Mutex) scored a hat-trick with only three touches, from neither penalties nor free kicks. His once-in-a-lifetime success was so unbelievable that no ‘survivor’ ever achieved it again.
‘Survival Football’ somehow bound our three streams with chords that could not be broken. While fundraising in 1999 for an unprecedented class jersey, students willingly contributed the minimum amount requested from each individual. We also rallied feverishly behind our boys‘The Block Owners’: Machuki, Lugemwa, Kitaka (3A); Haule [Steady Defender], Kiyinji [An amazing talent], Jacques (Not real name) (3B); Ddungu [My Personal Favourite, a true striking daredevil], Atuhura (3C); just to mention a few, who beat strong opposition including their seniors on their way to the finals of the Headmaster’s Cup which they lost unfairly to HSC (Higher School Certificate). A number of our classmates were regulars in the SMACK team and it was the first time Senior 3s almost won the annual inter-class tournament.
My childhood ambition (around 1992) was to become a soccer professional like the recently retired Brazilian ace Romario. However, due to injury worries and the nagging pressure to succeed in academics, I moderated my involvement in sport. Nevertheless at SMACK, ‘Survival Football’ loosened my inhibitions. I modeled my game for the West Side on Patrick Vieira’s majestic role for the Gunners and only managed a couple of goals in my final two years at SMACK. I had just fallen for Arsenal’s traditional ‘Retreating Defense’ technique in 1998 and therefore wanted to play like my heart. Overall, Communal Soccer at SMACK was so enticing that it brought together non-soccer fans, school team regulars, European Football enthusiasts and those not so talented but knew how to have fun. It was just a time to kick the ball around, show off any tricks you could summon and let off steam.

(Article published in Sunday Monitor [School Times] 11th May 2008, Page 20)

Here is the sequel to that “ballistic story”, Part 2 as Jimmo (Ocuku) called it… Nkosa was a solid player at the back; Tinyiro deputized as Ashley Cole, was a regular for West Side like me in the tough games and had the La Liga trophy (Block Owners League Cup) to show for his efforts (I was actually on the losing side, beaten 4-2 [We equalized twice only] while playing against his team that had the marauding Bushy (Katongole) - It was a really Bad Mistake that I forgot to include him in the main article next to Ddungu - and Zagallo (Self appointed father of the league and coach). The following year I was bought by Zagallo’s team which included Kalinabiri old boy and maestro Lazarus Wazarahi but our games were stopped by the administration. We had become too ingenious for their own liking because the games involved money and trading players); Jimmo had fantastic ball control and other skills like angling the post en bar for a goal - unstoppable; Ogwal would not feature for long periods but always enjoyed the games; Okol was the genius who should have feautured in the class team alongside his namesake also in the same stream C; Acanakwo said Part One of the article was a true representation of what happened and recommended that in future I ought to write about the “Idlers Arc” – Amazingly, he once knocked me down during the Block Owners League Cup; Yawe was like a Ghost on the brink of scoring every time we kicked the ball near Zone 14 in front of the goal area; Beehamya left SMACK early but even at Macos he displayed fantastic individual talent; Nabeta had the vigour of a charging goat; Mutuugu was short but lethal in halting air balls;

[To be continued]

The Walk (2004)

2008-04-17T01:09:00.001-07:00

The 2004 flick is Lilliane Ajuru Naomi's favourite as this Beautiful Aruan Dame disclosed to me...I did not watch most of it but was mesmerised by the storyline

A frustrated young woman seeks the aid of a dedicated Youth Minister in getting her life back on track in this contemporary urban Christian film starring Eva Pigford and Grammy-winning recording artist Regina Belle. Sydney has become entangled in a number of tumultuous relationships and feels that she has lost track of her morality and devotion to Jesus Christ. As she works with the faithful minister to reconcile her life and restore her faith, Sydney finds that her relationship with Jesus can give her the strength to overcome the negative elements that bind her.

- Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

(80 Minute Psychological/Religious Drama)

The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

2008-04-17T00:20:00.001-07:00

The Most Beautiful Girl I have ever seen was during my career at Kalinabiri Primary Schoool in Ntinda, Kampala (1995-6). Amazingly, she was neither studying in the school nor residing in Uganda. It so happened that during one of the weekly Saturday Video Shows for the boarding students, the Screen was temporarily put on TV mode and on air was the now defunct Sanyu Television broadcasting a music programme. The song on the playlist was “Nikki” by a young Reggae-muffin artiste named Vicious. He was reminiscing about a girl he saw somewhere, probably at school and she was outstandingly cute. Her beauty had the power to make you do anything for her affection. I was in the final year of my pre-teens but she somehow challenged me to grow up fast if I was ever to woo such a wonderful chick in real life. They say that the beautiful ones are not yet born but I think the Most Beautiful one was born too early…”Nikki, when shall we ever meet again, ah?”