Tag: uganda

                             WALKING WITH ONE’S PAST

                             WALKING WITH ONE’S PAST

There are many old adages about the past, present and future- the standard markers of

 of time.

“ The past is behind, learn from it . The future is ahead, prepare for it . The present is here, live it.’’- Thomas  S. Monson

“ None of us can change the yesterdays, but  all of us can change our tomorrows.’’– Colin Powell

Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week. – Spanish Proverb

One thing I know for sure is that as l live in the present moment, the past keeps showing up in snippets.

The psychologists tell us that unresolved issues in our past keep showing up and influencing the decisions and choices we make as adults.

The historians want us to look at everything through the lens of history since humans hardly change in behaviour and history helps us understand the complexities of human behaviour.

Looking at the past gives you perspective- understanding the complex circumstances of past events. It endows you with a broader perspective on current issues and challenges. It influences you to make better decisions and develop more effective solutions to the present.

Studying history helps each one of us to understand our own identities and cultures.

For the young generation, history presents them with real life dilemma, teaches them how to understand what it takes to overcome adversity and make a difference in the world around them. Students learn that acts of love, sacrifice, perseverance, integrity and commitment can impact the lives of many and inspire future generations to be bold and daring.

For the elderly, history helps us understand who we are, where we come from and the values that guide us. History adds depth to our present understanding and enhances senior identity.

In medicine, the health history is very crucial in understanding the patient’s state of health and most times it has a role in the diagnosis and management of each patient. Past medical history is essential in making timely and accurate diagnosis of an acute illness and leads to improved outcomes. It also helps in identifying the high risk of having common disorders and in the management of present health care and future needs of each patient.

In the current Digital era where things change often and rapidly, individuals and companies have to keep updating their profiles, systems and skills to survive and thrive.

For regular bloggers like me, we are to keep agile by writing content which is fresh , original  and relevant to keep our readers engaged and to attract new ones to our websites while retaining the old ones. Regular update is essential as new information becomes available and the writers gain new insights. Old content can also be refreshed.

 We should not to dwell in the past but we must strive to understand it with clarity and pick what is most appropriate to inform our Present and Future. For you when you know and understand things, you act better.

“ Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.’’– Winston Churchill

 THE BOOK LAUNCH

An important historical event in the advance to Uganda’s independence took place in the six hundred years old Buganda Kingdom located in the current central Uganda. By then, it was being ruled by its 35th King: Kabaka Edward Mutesa II.

In 1945, after the second world war, the British empire and European countries were weakened by debts and needed to shed off some of their colonies and territories. The war armed the Africans with the military knowledge and leadership skills which they later used to fight for their own independence. African nationalism challenged the colonial powers and dismantled the empires.

By the time the British Prime Minister,  Harold Macmillan made his famous speech of “ the Wind of Change’’ in Cape Town , South Africa, in February 1960, the forces of change were blowing furiously across the African Continent.

From July 1953,  Kabaka Edward Mutesa II and his people had started clamouring for independence as a sovereign state from the her Majesty’s government.  The stalemate between the Kabaka and Queen’s representative as governor of the Uganda Protectorate, culminated in the exile of Kabaka Mutesa II to Britain on 30th November 1953. This was followed by two and half years of uncertainty and non-violent struggle against the Queen’s government by the Baganda.

Kabaka Mutesa II’s government was run by 3 Ministers: 2 Protestants and 1 Catholic. Among the  Protestants ones was my late father Paulo Neil Kavuma as the Katikkiro- Chief Minister. Educated in a Church missionary –founded school for chiefs followed by 20 years of working  in the Protectorate’s Provincial  and Resident’s Offices and 12 years as a saza chief in the Buganda Kingdom: he found  himself at the helm of the government.

 After the deposition of the Kabaka, the three ministers accepted to become regents – to rule the kingdom on behalf the Kabaka until his return. Together with their people, they chose to fight non-violently and relentlessly until the Queen’s government agreed to return Kabaka Mutesa II as their king on 17th October 1955.

It was a win-win situation for the Kabaka and his people and the Uganda Protectorate representing the Queen’s government in that for once the Buganda Kingdom agreed to become an integral part of the Unitary state of Uganda while Her Majesty’s government agreed to return Kabaka Mutesa II as Kabaka immediately and sign the new 1955 Buganda Agreement.

CRISIS IN BUGANDA 1953-55 is a personal account of my father as Katikkiro  at the vanguard of the fight for the return of Kabaka.  He wrote the manuscript in 1957 when everything was still fresh in his mind and it was published by Rex Collings, London 1979.

 Due to the civil turmoil  in the Uganda of the 80s, only a few copies were made available in Uganda.

Fast forward to the new millennium when our three children and a niece who were attending the University of Cape Town in science courses but voracious readers, stumbled upon CRISIS IN BUGANDA 1953- 55 in the African Region History section of their main library in 2007.  This challenged me as the eldest daughter of my father, to make the book available to Ugandans and the world at large.

 On returning to Uganda after almost twenty five years of economic exile in Botswana, Southern Africa,  I started on this project only to be slowed down by the two half years of the COVID-19 pandemic lock down. It took me a while to get assimilated into a radically changed Uganda.

By God’s grace , the 2024 Edition of the CRISIS IN BUGANDA 1953-55 was successfully launched at the very place: Butikkiro- the official residence of the Katikkiro of Buganda, where my late father had lived during that tough period of the exile of the Kabaka. By sheer coincidence, it was exactly 71 years since the historical event had happened! A group of invited guests closely connected to the book , members of our big family and friends were hosted for the launch by none other than the current Katikkiro of the Buganda kingdom: Owekitiibwa Charles Peter Mayiga.

The theme of the day was : Only Time Will Tell – that’s why my father wrote the book so that readers get to know the facts surrounding the saga to decide for themselves whether the 3 ministers led by him as Chief Minister made the right decisions at that moment in time.

THE  2024  EDITION INCLUDES

  1. The original book as my father wrote it and had it published in 1979.
  2.  Part of the Post Script is an introduction to the new edition by a renowned Ugandan Historian : Prof of History , Samwiri Lwanga- Lunyiigo
  3. A chapter entitled : After the Crisis in Mengo– introducing the young generation to Paulo Neil Kavuma and highlighting his great contribution to the growth and development of Uganda including his indispensable role in the NRA bush war in the Luwero triangle( 1980-86) and last but not least as a hands-on- father and as the true portrait of voluntary service in Uganda during his final thirty four years after the Mengo Crisis of 1953-55.

He died with a great sense of radical thankfulness and celebration of his whole life.

“ The dying pray at the last not ‘please’ but ‘ thank you’ as  a guest thanks his host at the door.’’

REVIEWS- One encouraging review from a reader under 40 :

“I finished reading Crisis in Buganda 1953-55 on Sunday.

What a thrilling book!

I was so engrossed in reading that book and found it most eye-opening and informative.

May your father’s legacy live on.’’

Where can I get the 2024 Edition of the book?

Locally:  Contact

+ 256 705164655 and + 256 784 859 642

For those outside Uganda and are interested in buying copies of the book please contact me via email address: janekavuma.kayonga@gmail.com

A tree without roots is a  piece of wood.- African proverb.

“ We are because he was.’’  He remains our best role model.

GRADUATION WEEK AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY

I was reluctant to write about the graduation week at my university where I graduated with my undergraduate degree and post graduate diploma donkey’s years ago. When I remembered that each year produces a new crop of graduates adding on the already existing ones , I  just dived into writing something for this year’s graduates.

Makerere university is the oldest university in East Africa. It celebrated its centenary in 2022. It was started by the colonial administrators in 1922 as a technical school: with 14 students training as carpenters, builders and mechanics . Over time, it grew to become one of the most prestigious universities in Africa. Since 1945, when it admitted its first women students, it changed its motto to: We build for the Future– aiming at becoming a centre of excellence whose graduates transform society in all its areas. Makerere’s rich  history of 100 years is well documented on its website : https://100.mak.ac.ug

For a long time, it was the only university in Uganda but as I write now there are 11 Government universities and 11 private chartered ones. Makerere, the largest, has ably continued to produce accomplished academicians, professionals and researchers and leaders for Uganda, Africa and the world at large.

Like all Ugandans aged above forty, structures and institutions , Makerere university has weathered numerous challenges reflecting the  years of civil strife of the 60s to the late 80s.

A Makerere Symposium on national development was held at the university in March 2023 to strategise ways on how Makerere university and other institutions of higher learning and the private sector can meaningfully contribute to the development of Uganda.

From the 29th January to the 2nd February 2024, Makerere university held its 74th Graduation Ceremony.

 As par news.mak.ac.ug  : A total of 12, 913 graduands received degrees and diplomas of Makerere Univ- 

Of these , 11, 016  received bachelor’s degrees

                      1.585 with master: 888 Males and 699 females

                          132 PhD’s : 86 M and 46 Females

                            156 Post graduate Diplomas

                                24 undergraduate Diplomas

As a female activist, I could not help but cheer loudly that 53% of the graduates were females while 47% were males. The Affirmative action policy of 1990 which allows 1.5 points added to every application of a female student is bearing fruits.

As women, we have come a long way since the first 6 female students were admitted to Makerere college in 1945 with some opposition. Among them was Sarah N. Ntiro, who in 1954, became the first woman university graduate in East and Central Africa from the University of Oxford, England.

1955, Eunice Lubega Posnansky(1927-2003)  graduated with  a BA from Makerere College. She later went on to graduate with a master’s degree from the University of Oxford.

Hon. Joyce Mpanga (  January 1934-Nov 2023) graduated with a BA in 1957 and later went on to become the first female lecturer  in the faculty of Education of Makerere College.

In 1959, Dr. Josephine Namboze ( 1930-  ) became the first Ugandan female to graduate as a medical doctor  from Makerere College. She went on to have a flourishing career as a professor in the school of public health. Her last posting was in the World Health Regional Office for Africa.

After our Independence in October 1962, several girls’ senior secondary schools introduced Science subjects at A-levels and since then the number of women graduates in science –based professions has increased. By the time I graduated as a medical doctor in March 1977, there were seven Ugandan females in our class among 110 Ugandan males.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Uganda ‘s population growth rate was at 3.04 % in 2022, 

among the high ones in the world and yet our institutions have not expanded fast enough to accommodate the big numbers.

Statistics from the National Planning Authority indicate that each year, about 700,000 graduate from the universities and other institutions of higher learning to compete for a mere 90,000 jobs in the job market. This leaves out more than 85% of them!

Uganda has one of the world’s highest youth populations:  according to UBOS, 78%  of the population are 15-24 years of age.

The youth unemployment rate to the share of the labour force is about 6.58%(2022)

Several factors combine to push the unemployment rate among the highest in the world. They include:

  • Misplaced national priorities
  • The archaic educational system which creates job seekers other than job creators.
  • A mismatch of courses offered at tertiary institutions and actual skills on demand in the job market.
  • The youth’s attitude to work- looking for instant gratification, not interested in farming or agribusiness.
  • Some jobs were wiped out during the COVID -19 pandemic lockdown and others are disappearing due to the use of robots, Artificial intelligence and Online services.
  • More males tend to get into regular jobs than the females- 53% females are unemployed. This pushes them into early marriages and early pregnancies.
  • Generally, the youths especially those in the rural areas have neither skills nor resources like land or capital to venture into startups.

The government has taken some initiatives but they are taking a long time to be rolled out in the whole country.

We are living in the 21st century, driven by Digital technology-  creating an ever changing environment. Technology affects how we live, how we do work, where we do things and who does the work.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.’’ – Charles Darwin

 Our educational system has to be overhauled to impart knowledge, train students with soft skills, enable them to become critical thinkers, and to become creative and innovative. Students should be helped into identifying the different ways of seeing and doing things. Only then, can they begin to understand that a degree does not guarantee them a successful future. Today’s world has shrunk to a global village, is Solution- orientated and demands for collaboration across global communities to solve society’s most important and challenging issues like Climate change, deforestation, food security and maximising the use of clean, renewable energy by exploiting  available Digital technology. Not forgetting that the technology itself is hugely dynamic. All systems have become dynamic: demanding change from parents, students, teachers and employers to continually make the systems vital, useful and relevant.

 The need to develop an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong culture of research then plan and collaborate with like-minded people has never been more urgent.

“The world needs problem solvers.’’– Anonymous

Developing countries like mine, have a lot to learn from

Switzerland, Germany and Austria. These countries have had a Vocational Education and Training system since the late 60s with the aim of drawing strong emphasis on apprenticeship programmes and close collaboration between education institutions and industries. This shared responsibility of the state, industries and institutions is regulated by law and has resulted in a high rate of employability among graduates and development of the countries in general.  Uganda’s education system should have been pruned into something functional yesterday. Establishing more publically –funded vocational schools enables students to learn the skills that are most in demand in the workforce- making it easy for the youth to slot into the job market. One factor has remained constant: 70% of Ugandan population live off the land in the rural areas so the focus on engaging the youths in agriculture and agribusiness cannot be overemphasised.

As Alvin Toffler (1928-2016) an American writer and business man rightly said, “The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.’’

Graduation day marks the beginning of the rest of your life. It is your life, believe in yourself and make the most of it. Congratulations to you all.

QUESTION:

 Are you ready to keep skilling yourself for the jobs of the future?