Government of Uganda . – Page 4 – Prime Time Communications

Automotive Industry

Kiira Motors unveils the 2024 8-Meter Kayoola EVS Model

6th June 2024 – Kiira Motors Corporation today delivered a batch of eight (8) 8-Meter Kayoola EVS buses produced at Luweero Industries Limited in Nakasongola to the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja, bringing the total stock of Electric Buses produced in Uganda to fifteen (15). This has signalled Kiira Motors’ readiness for delivering bespoke electric mass transit solutions for the African market. The 2024 8-Meter Kayoola EVS is a fully electric city bus with a nominal range of 200 kilometres on a full charger and capacity of 56 passengers. It forms the latest offering from Kiira Motors’ rich portfolio of state-of-the-art Ugandan-made buses. The bus is built to offer the utmost comfort and convenience with features like infotainment systems, CCTV cameras, E-Ticketing & Cashless Payment Systems, Wi-Fi, inclusive design for the elderly and persons with disabilities, USB charging, ample carrying capacity, and the highest quality and safety standards. The convoy of 8 buses caused a stir as they weaved through traffic from Luwero to Kawempe, across the Northern Bypass for a brief stopover at the Kisaasi roundabout before proceeding to Bweyogerere and finally to Jinja covering a distance of 236 kilometres. Hon. Prof. Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa, Kiira Motors’ Executive Chairman, said, “Uganda’s push towards becoming a net source of e-Mobility Solutions in Africa is steadily getting closer and we are proud to be contributing to this agenda. This progress has been made possible by the strategic partnership we have fostered with National Enterprise Corporation and its Luwero Industries Limited subsidiary.” He added that following World Environment Day – which is celebrated internationally on the 5th of June every year – and with the knowledge that Kampala’s air is nine times more polluted than the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s recommended limit[1] – more Ugandan public and private sector players need to embrace environmentally sustainable means of mass transit for the good of the environment with solutions that offer quality and value for money like the Kiira Motors portfolio of products. The company is also looking to mainstream the deployment and distribution of its fast-charging infrastructure to cater to its customers and other Ugandans who have embraced the electric vehicle transition. Eng. Ian John Kavuma, Kiira Motors’ Quality Inspection and Testing Manager added, “We are in the process of onboarding several partners with whom we shall work to ensure that a robust charging network is established across the country in line with the National E-Mobility Strategy for a seamless electric vehicle ownership experience.” Kiira Motors offers fast-chargers ranging between 60kW and 360kW. The 2024 Kayoola EVS comes in the following variations: 18-meter EV with capacity of 120 passengers; 12-meter EVS with capacity of 90 passengers; 10-meter EVS with capacity of 70 passengers, and 8-meter EVS with capacity of 56 passengers. ENDS For orders, go to: https://bit.ly/kmcproducts For any inquiries, send an email to: sales@kiiramotors.com | info@kiiramotors.com [1] https://globalpressjournal.com/africa/uganda/trouble-breathing-kampala-quite-likely-air/

June 7, 2024

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Patching up potholes and lighting ip expressways shouldn’t wait NAM/G77

By Denis Jjuuko In the early years of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Dr Samson Kisekka was appointed Prime Minister and then Vice President. Kisekka was said to be a rich man who even had a certain part of Kampala named after him. He had built a modern private hospital in the 1970s in Makerere Kivulu/Kagugube area near Old Kampala. When traders of motor vehicles set up shop nearby, the market became known as Ewa Kisekka or Kisekka Market as we know it today. Dr Kisekka is said to have been a man of means who is rumored to have provided significant resources to Museveni’s rebel outfit, the National Resistance Army or NRA which would capture power in 1986. Kisekka was rewarded with the influential position of Prime Minister and later Vice President. Vice Presidents all over the world usually play the role similar to that of a bridesmaid — be near the bride but not do too much to outshine the bride. May be because of boredom, Dr Kisekka perhaps became the first Vice President in history to hold a weekly radio show. In the days before 1993, Uganda had only one radio station. So, every Tuesday evening, Kisekka did his radio show on Radio Uganda. He was boisterous, boastful, funny and engaging with a deep voice that was actually meant for radio despite his old age. He boasted about his farm in Temangalo near Kampala. He talked about the good life he lived. He reminded whoever cared to listen that he was “Omusawo Omutendeke” translated as a professional medical doctor. As a “Doctor Omutendeke”, he urged his audience to listen to the advice he was giving them if they wanted to live a similar good life like the one he was living. One of Kisekka’s pet subjects was on how Ugandans prepare for visitors. How they leave no stone unturned because visitors were expected at their homes or in their communities. On a tour somewhere in Uganda, Kisekka realized that the community had just worked on the road so that he could use it. They had filled the potholes, dug the trenches and had the road reserve slashed of any bushes days before his arrival. In his speech, which was played on Radio Uganda, Dr Kisekka deeply laughed at the community telling them in their faces that they were an unserious lot. He said they didn’t need to dig up the road for him because he was arriving in a monster vehicle as VP and most importantly, he was also wearing designer shoes. There was no way thorns would pierce his feet. He reminded them, that his car had been driven all the way to the platform where he was standing to give the speech. He then delivered the punch. “Unlike me, you and your children have no shoes. You have no vehicles so thorns will always be piercing you. What about ensuring that your community road is always well maintained even when you are not expecting me?” he said and then let out his signature laugh. On another time, he refused the gifts of goats and chickens the community was giving him. He told them his farm in Temangalo had lots of goats, cows and whatever food he wanted to eat. Yet when he looked at the people giving him the chickens and eggs, they looked like they lacked proteins and hadn’t eaten eggs or meat in a year. He laughed again, boisterously with a lot of pride. Kisekka must be turning in his grave that decades after his speeches and even death, his NRM-beloved is doing exactly what he was telling people not to do — preparing everything for visitors as they starve. Patching up potholes and lighting up expressway spurs just because visitors are coming. The visitors would tell a mature palm tree that was planted the other day. They would tell a road patched up for them. They would know that the lack of traffic jams is because roads are blocked and the citizens are told to use the dusty Nakawuka road to access Entebbe International Airport. Imagine if we had built the Nakawuka road without waiting for the visitors? Businesses would prosper in that area. Uganda Revenue Authority would collect more taxes. We would decongest Kampala of traffic jams. If we hadn’t waited for visitors to patch up potholes, we would have created a culture where roads are well maintained throughout the year. The visitors would then come and see a well-managed country and would wish to return or invest. We may create the impression for visitors from Entebbe to Munyonyo and some parts of the city centre but what if they venture out of their hotels and visit bars in Najjeera on their own? Won’t they see the messed up roads? What if they visit Kabalagala (which many will do) and then realize that not everything that glitters is gold? Will they still be impressed? As Kampala and Entebbe were put on a standstill so that Uganda hosts delegates attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the G77 conferences, let us a create a culture that impresses the citizens and residents first. That is how countries and cities develop. Remember what Kisekka said more than 30 years ago. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

February 5, 2024

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: There is more to learn from Joseph Yiga than just his mega country home

By Denis Jjuuko In the early evening of the second day of this year, a video started trending on various social media platforms in Uganda. A guest attending a house warming party had recorded the video while narrating what the amenities were in the house. He concentrated on the visitors’ toilets, guest house, flowers and the sheer size of the compound. Although he exaggerated the acreage of the land on which the house sits, the picture was clear for everyone. Photos eventually emerged as well. For the next few days, social media discussions were centered on the house. Its sheer size and architectural beauty. One person tweeted that at least Kampala’s billionaires were finally building something Hollywood-esque. Others compared it to a five-star hotel in Kigo. Both the hotel it was compared to and the mansion borrow from the Mediterranean architectural themes. A well-traveled friend who was among the guests at the house warming party told me that he hadn’t entered a house that big before and commended the owner’s taste. On social media, eventually everyone asked who the owner was. It turned out, the house on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kasanje Buwaya belonged to Kampala businessman and papal knight Joseph Yiga and his wife Regina. Many people had never heard of Joseph Yiga before and many actually confused him with a dealer in real estate with whom he shares both names. Yet Joseph Yiga is the founder of one of Uganda’s most known brands — Steel and Tube and before that, Hardware Deals. I would never blame them for not knowing him. I have been to events where Yiga has attended but he keeps a low profile. He will never arrive at an event where he would ask the protocol people whether they knew who he was. That is for wannabes who actually have nothing to their name or have just fallen into things the other day. Yiga didn’t become a captain of the industry the other day. He has been in the trenches of business for the better part of his life. Before he founded Hardware Deals, the precursor to Steel and Tube, Yiga had been involved in the cosmetics business among others. As Kampala expanded, he saw opportunities in the construction sector and eventually started his steel manufacturing empire. Steel and Tube is said to be among the top five steel manufacturing businesses in Uganda. That means he can afford the mansion in Kasanje that rivals some of the best five-star hotels in Kampala. But I don’t want to write about his mansion. We know he can afford it. But what do we learn from him? The story is in his move from a hardware stockist to a large manufacture of steel products. He was never contented with playing second fiddle to businessmen from Asia who came here and set up manufacturing businesses and controlled the market. Many Ugandan businesspeople travel to Asia, particularly China, for decades importing stuff and stocking them. Most of the stuff they import can easily be made here but they don’t look at business that way. Countries develop when nationals can control some of the sectors of the economy. If we concentrate on being traders of stuff we can make, we are always at the mercy of those who manufacture them. Manufacturers set the price of their products. They determine the quality and quantity you can get. They can even remove the business from you and start dealing with another trader who may be can deposit more money with them than you. There is nothing you can do about it. That way they determine how much money you can make and you will never make more than them. Many times, they use your money. Had Yiga remained a hardware dealer in Nakasero in the Kampala Central Business District, he would have been wealthy but not able to control any percentage of the steel market in Uganda and the region as he does today. He would probably have built a mega country home but not as luxurious as the one he built in Kasanje Buwaya. He would have employed many people but not the thousands that work in his factories today. If there is anything Ugandan businesspeople can learn from Joseph Yiga, it is the need to move from trading to manufacturing and of course other sectors like banking. We can’t be leaving this to only foreign entities. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

February 5, 2024

Out to Lunch

OutToLunch: Electric mobility as a new year business option

By Denis Jjuuko One of the most trending videos last year was of a bus driver recorded having a meal while driving. He wasn’t snacking, picking on a crisp or something. He had his plate full from which he would pick some African food while driving. At one stage, he even sipped some soup direct from the plate. On seeing the video, police as usual reacted and had him arrested. Another driver was recorded WhatsApping while driving a busload of passengers. One would expect that bus drivers pay the utmost attention given the number of people on board. In most cases, they are the worst. They drive at high speeds beyond the 80kph that they emboss at the back of their buses, overtake in blind spots, or simply overtake and other road users must find their way or else a head on collusion. They install train horns in their vehicles that they sound with reckless abandon. They don’t care if they make you deaf in the process, as long as they have sounded the horn as if their lives entirely depend on it. Most times, the buses are rickety with broken centre bolts that make it impossible to move in a straight line. If you want to see impunity on the road, follow a bus on a highway. One of the major reasons they drive that way is because many haven’t received proper bus driving training. They are easily moved from lorries or even taxis to buses. Some start as cargo loaders and along the way start learning to drive. In a few years, they are bus drivers. Most bus drivers are paid per a trip so drivers consider sitting down for a meal or driving at the recommended kilometre per hour a wastage of time. The more trips they make, the more money they earn in a day, week or month. The more money a bus owner makes. I have though never understood why a businessman would spend Shs700 million or more on a bus and then hand it to the most incompetent driver ever or one who wouldn’t care about how the bus is driven. If bus owners don’t value human life, at least they should look at their investments. Many of these buses don’t have comprehensive insurance so once they are involved in an accident, that is the end of it. No compensation. That could explain why many bus companies struggle to stay in business for decades. So, I was impressed on a recent visit to Nakasongola where I met bus drivers undergoing skilling by Kiira Motors. Even though the program being implemented by Kiira is updating drivers with the skills they need to drive electric buses, it is also focusing on customer care and experience, traffic rules and regulations, routine service maintenance and repair as well as handling and operation of equipment including electric charging. If they can skill a big pool of bus drivers including those who drive internal combustion engine buses, the better for the country. Passengers eventually won’t be driven from one part of Uganda to another like bales of used clothing. But this work can’t be left to one entity and its parent ministry. Bus and taxi drivers must be equipped with regular skills they need to do a job that puts the lives of the passengers and other road users first. Not just thinking of how many trips they can make a day. Bus owners must be aligned to this necessity as well. Of course, it isn’t just bus and taxi drivers that require refresher driving courses. Many ‘my cars’ drive recklessly and don’t even know basic traffic rules and regulations. Once they have made some money, they buy a car and next day, they are driving for Christmas to the village to show it off to their relatives. Many arrive by sheer luck. Beyond the case for driving, last year saw an increase in the number of electric vehicles in Uganda albeit with nearly all of them in Kampala. Some corporate bodies, NGOs and diplomatic missions accredited to Uganda started electrifying their fleets. This heralds a new era of electric mobility. Sooner than later, there will be lots of electric vehicles without the skills to drive and maintain them. The opportunities for electric vehicles are massive and there is a lot for the private sector to play. We shouldn’t just wait when the vehicles are all over the city and then try to catch up. It isn’t just cars by the way. Some entrepreneurs have been converting boda bodas from petrol engines to rechargeable batteries. Since there are more boda bodas than cars in Uganda, that sector also has a lot of potential—from charging infrastructure, skilling, to maintenance. If you are reflecting on what to do in the new year, electric mobility is one option. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

January 10, 2024

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Chanel mobile money interest payments to pension savings

By Denis Jjuuko Some old people in Uganda receive some Shs25,000 a month from the government to enable them to “afford life.” The people who are involved in this activity claim that the elderly on this program look forward to this money as it enables them pay for some household needs. Most people would like and even pray every single day to live long lives. I don’t know though how many would love to survive on this Shs25,000 (US$6.5) a month. Nevertheless, one is better than zero. Uganda’s workforce stands at more than 18 million people today. The majority of these people will in about 30 years retire from their jobs either because they have reached their age for retirement or too old to hustle. Most of these people today are unsalaried and will remain so for all their working lives as they work in the so-called informal sector. Even though most of these people will not be able to kuyiriba (hustle), many will still be alive given the improvements in medical treatment technologies, availability of information and living generally better lifestyles. The challenge they will face will be consistent income. For decades, many people banked on their children to look after them during retirement especially those that managed to pay school fees for these offspring. Although that may have worked in the past, it is one sure way of suffering as you wait for the benevolence of the children, who themselves may not have much or may prefer to spend their money elsewhere. We are increasingly becoming capitalistic. The social system that most people in Africa depended on is getting broken as the continent urbanizes. And if millions of people retire or unable to work every year, the government cannot be able to pay those on regular pension (retired civil servants), those being retrenched from public service and the elderly. Even if they pay, the Shs25,000 a month is too little to enable anyone live a decent life. Uganda isn’t the only country that has this problem. Africa is the youngest continent where the median age is 19 but with a working population of 788 million people. Like Uganda, the majority of these people will be retiring in 20-30 years. Again, like Uganda, the majority of these people (600 million) have no pension savings. When they retire, they will become destitute. In Uganda, employers are supposed to contribute to NSSF for their workers but the reality is that many people in informal jobs can’t do this. We are known as the most entrepreneurial country in the world but the majority of these entrepreneurs are kuyiriba-ring such as hawking, being paid for work done or per a day etc. Just study those who claim to own online shops or the guy slashing your compound where he comes once a week during the rainy season and maybe once a month during the dry season. Who will pay his NSSF? They may be catered for in the law but the reality is different. What needs to be done is to create systems that can enable people to save by seeing the benefits of it. Many people are increasingly becoming members of village saving schemes, saccos or investment clubs (building societies), and Nigiina (where people raise money for one person on a regular basis until every member has received their share) among others. But these are usually short term and not looking at pension 15 or 30 years later. I recently attended the African Pension Supervisors Association (APSA) conference and as experts debated pathways to sustainable inclusive pension in Africa, I kept on thinking about mobile money and how it can revolutionarize pension in Africa. Periodically, I receive some mobile money. Little amounts. Last month, I got Shs2,695 as interest payment. There about 40 million mobile money users in Uganda. There are two major mobile money companies in Uganda and they each pay out an average of Shs5 billion per a quarter to customers like me. That is Shs10 billion every three months. In a year, that is Shs40 billion on average. Imagine if this money was instead of sending it directly to me, they opened a pension account for me linked to my National ID where it is saved and invested? Growing at a net income of about 12% annually, this pension scheme would bring in Shs4.8 billion in net profit in the first year. If you compound this for 15-30 years and telcos contributing every quarter, many people would be able to retire with something. It can also be linked to the national health insurance scheme and allow each member to voluntarily contribute. It would require innovative incentives to work such as withdraws of a certain percentage every five years or funeral covers for parents, spouses or offspring. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

December 19, 2023

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Predictable incomes, culture of paying debt key in lowering interests on loans

By Denis Jjuuko You have probably heard somebody say these not very magical words; “It is very little money,” especially when they are being asked to pay back some money, they were so desperate to borrow. Or somebody has accosted you for depositing money on a particular mobile money line without asking them first as they had a debt on a line on which you deposited. You also probably know somebody who came crying to borrow some money and has since switched off their phones or no longer answers your phone call. Some wise people have advised Ugandans to only lend people money that they can afford to lose. Imagine! This habit of failure to pay back is extensive. I saw a post with a quote attributed to the Bank of Uganda Deputy Governor saying that the Uganda Bankers Association had told him that commercial banks in the country have Shs5 trillion of loans in courts. Apparently, once some people borrow money from the banks, when payment time comes, they run to court disputing the amount to pay or the legality of the lender. As you know courts take their time to decide non-political cases. It can be years before a judge is allotted the case and then the scheduling and adjournment can take forever. As the judge is about to give his judgement, he is transferred and another judge is appointed to hear the case. Adjournment of cases is the norm in Ugandan courts. In the meantime, the lender is losing money and the borrower is in court purposely to play the long game. It’s perhaps one of the explanations for the high interest rates we pay on loans thereby affecting the country’s economic growth. Usually, we only complain about the banks and not our failure to honor our loan obligations. Failure to pay debt is one of the major impediments to growth. In his top selling autobiography, legendary businessman, Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige (BMK) and now deceased, credited his growth on supplier’s credit where he received goods on credit and paid back. He said that many of his colleagues who always found ways not to pay back suppliers had their businesses collapse within a few years. Some of these people, he said, had been wealthier than him. By the time of his death, some used to call him for financial assistance. Of course, debt payment issues aren’t squarely on the shoulders of the debtors. The banks aren’t innocent either but there are also other issues why interest rates are high in Africa. The size of the economy, political instability, high levels of poverty and high inflation rates among others could provide richer explanations. But the borrowers can’t always be absolved. The majority of people in Africa have no predictable income since they largely work in subsistence agriculture, growing food for household consumption with the little surplus left to sell. Even those who practice commercial agriculture, the majority have small gardens and always unsure of their income. Today the tomato harvest is good but everyone has had a bumper harvest thereby crushing the prices. Next season, few farmers have remained in the business and the prices are high prompting everyone to grow the tomatoes the following season. By harvest time, there are simply too much tomatoes and the prices are down again. That is the circle most smallholder farmers operate in. Banks looking for somebody to lend money won’t even bother giving them a call. They know that chances of a borrower not being able to pay back are high. If they are to lend, they extend as little as possible (at high rate) which is unable to help get a farmer out of poverty. Yet 50km away, in the country’s capital, the tomatoes are on high demand that some are being imported into the country either as fresh tomatoes or factory processed tomato paste (look at the shelves in your local supermarket). This being the rain season, there are reports that farm gate milk prices have crushed by more than 50 percent. In December, at the first sign of a dry season, the prices will go up again. But farmers have no alternatives to preserve their milk and wait for the prices to go up. The money they would have made due to increases in the prices in the dry season will go into looking for water for the cows. You can say that about almost every crop or produce. If we want lower interest rates on loans, there is a need to ensure that the majority of our population who are involved in agriculture earn a predictable income, the judiciary must become efficient in disposing cases (Katikkiro Mayiga writes about this in his book Uganda:7-Key Transformation Idea), and cultivate a culture of people paying back their debts and stabilize the economy and the politics. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

December 7, 2023

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Nyege Nyege and the case for local governments to identify their niche attractions

By Denis Jjuuko For many years, Jinja had lost its status as the industrial hub of Uganda when many factories closed following their privatization to private entities. The private investors preferred setting up in Kampala near to the market or executives didn’t want to abandon their Muyenga mansions for life on Kiira Road on the banks of River Nile. Jinja, with its wide streets, became somewhat sleepy, eventually known for making chapattis! But the picturesque location that is Jinja was always going to be key for its revival. Residential houses where once factory executives resided became bed and breakfast lodges. And tourism players started building hotels and lodges on cliffs where people could see the majestic Nile flowing towards the Mediterranean. Sports such as kayaking and bungee jumping were introduced. Someone brought in quad bikes and horse riding. Soon, Jinja became a preferred destination for tourists, honeymooners and those seeking a nook to break away from the hustle and bustle of Kampala. Many young people spend their weekends in Jinja. Located a mere 80km away from Kampala, the town is a cheaper option for those seeking gateways. Transport fares are reasonable and accommodation is affordable and there are lots of stuff to see and enjoy on budget. Eventually, factories returned to Jinja and many are being set up increasing the number of people in town. But also, Jinja still has big open spaces where big events can be staged. The agricultural show is a parmanent fixture on the town’s calendar and of recently, the famous Nyege Nyege that took place over the last weekend. There is no event that divides opinion like Nyege Nyege in Uganda. It has been debated in parliament and at one stage, MPs wanted to ban it even though people questioned if they had the legal mandate to do so. The ethics ministry termed it an immoral event. Busoga political stalwart Rebecca Kadaga showed up to preside over its opening ceremony, like she did again this year. Pictures and videos will emerge of a few people who have drunk a little too much or who are dancing seductively or dressed in clothes the size of handkerchiefs. Those against the four-day music festival will use such images to justify their opposition to the event as one that is leading to the erosion of the country’s moral compass. Regardless, young people arrive in Jinja in droves to enjoy the event. Many fly in from overseas and turn the town upside down for four days to the chagrin of the country’s morality police. Wherever people converge in large numbers, some may do certain things that many won’t approve of. People ‘misbehave’ at workplaces or even worship ‘crusades.’ There is no way, a few people wouldn’t let their passion take over during a musical festival. Anyway, it is during this event that Jinja experiences some bit of traffic gridlock and have the many lodges filled up. Some people turn their homes into temporary hotels while those in the camping tent business make a killing. Boda boda riders, chapatti makers and all sorts of small businesses make lots of money during this festival. Jinja local government authorities and the Uganda Revenue Authority must be smiling all the way to the bank. Banks themselves are smiling as well. However, if you are a local government in one of the major towns or cities as some are called, you should have taken keen interest in Nyege Nyege. Local governments need to promote their towns so that businesses can blossom which in turn will mean increased revenues. They don’t necessarily have to do music festivals. Masaka, for example, could do more about grasshoppers during the two seasons a year (hopefully they return). They can promote the season and open up collection or gathering centres where at night, people can get involved. They can make the exercise a fun event for four days each season. Uganda is food rich. Another town can do a food festival. Actually, that can be done in each region of the country given our peculiarities when it comes to culinary stuff as long as we portray it as fun event. Packwach’s Nang Nang fish is delicious just like the cassava in Kafu. Malewa in Mbale. Malakwang in Gulu. Firinda in Tooro and potatoes (chips festival?) and Enturire in Kabale. What about games? Wrestling (ekigwo), board games (mweso, dduulu), okwepena (what is it in English?), skipping the rope, and blend it with modern ones people have come up with these days like Otyo and a town’s fortunes may change forever. Towns like Arua have golf courses. They also don’t have to be events held once a year. Local governments with support from their mother ministry or that of tourism or the Uganda Investment Authority may help towns identify their niche attractions and work on a plan to promote them. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

December 7, 2023

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: If people can contribute to Kyabazinga wedding, they can do so for impactful causes too

By Denis Jjuuko Many times, the Busoga region appears in the press for the wrong reasons. High levels of poverty largely blamed on sugar cartels that disenfranchise farmers and even higher cases of teenage pregnancy that are sometimes above the national and East African average. But earlier this month, the focus was on the royal wedding. Globally, people love weddings and more so if it involves royals or very famous people. Television stations left no stones unturned in broadcasting the event live. Many people on social media claimed to have spent the day glued to their TV sets to capture every aspect of the ceremony. Jovia Mutesi, the Queen Consort, had done a great job of ensuring there wasn’t much known about her before the wedding. There were no previous social media posts of her past circulating everywhere. No groupies claiming, she is their bestie. At least I didn’t see them. Not even her kwanjula photos. The first images we saw were of her farewell ceremony on the day of the wedding. Kudos to her and the team. For the past nine years of William Gabula Nadiope as the Kyabazinga of Busoga, it has been hard to tell what the kingdom is doing from an outsider’s perspective. He seemed to be largely holed up in his palaces, appearing once in a while at events before disappearing from the public view. We even heard at one stage that he had been appointed an ambassador by the central government. And when his prime minister announced the wedding date and unveiled the future queen consort, everything seemed to be going awry. A corporate bank issued a famous letter that they have no money to contribute followed by an audio allegedly of a woman he married in a small island country in Europe. But the kingdom didn’t panic. They stayed on course with their strategy, only issuing a statement when some lawyers had written about the existence of another marriage albeit without any iota of evidence at least for us watching from the distance. Undeterred by such allegations, organizations and even individuals continued to line up to the prime minister’s office to donate and wish the king and his future wife happy nuptials. That confidence that people had in their king even when many allegations were flying on social media and even in some newspapers is something Busoga Kingdom must build on. Kingdoms today don’t have the mandate to fight poverty and provide social services to their people. That is the sole responsibility of the central government, which enjoys absolute authority yet the people demand social services from the kingdoms — at least the kingdom that have legitimacy. It is not possible for these legitimate kingdoms to sit back and tell the people who are desperate that your social contract is with the central government. The people actually know that but they have learnt to manage their expectations. So, for Kyabazinga to continue enjoying his legitimacy, he must do something. The wedding has shown him what is possible. If people can contribute billions to a wedding, they can contribute to kingdom programs that alleviate people from biting poverty. The organizing committee of the wedding already know this and I saw that they committed themselves to do something in the first 100 days of this wedding. It is good that they don’t lose momentum but they should also be thinking long term. You can’t significantly reduce teenage pregnancy in 100 days. They also committed themselves to ensuring the people of Busoga participate in the parish development model. Good stuff. But they should avoid portraying themselves as an extension of the central government or ruling party. They wouldn’t want to be blamed for its excesses. At one stage during the wedding, it looked like a political party event. Towing an independent line would ensure that they don’t alienate the Kyabazinga’s subjects that belong to other political parties. They should work with all people across the political divide. For many reasons, they can look west to Buganda which manages to deliver social services to its people without the resources from the public till. If corporate bodies see value in the work of Busoga Kingdom, they will partner with it just like they collaborate with Buganda. The Kyabazinga already has a team that he can rely on and he shouldn’t allow them to go into hibernation mode after the 100 days they talked about. It will also be important to put administrative structures in place that are watertight to safeguard the interest of the kingdom. Since the Nnabagereka of Buganda was Inhebantu Mutesi’s witness in church, she now has a direct line she can use to learn how she can create an office that can address some of the challenges children and young women in Busoga face today. Just like her husband, she already has the will of the people. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

December 7, 2023

Affordable Housing in Urban Informal Settlements: A Catalyst for Economic Growth in Uganda

By Robert Otim A good home is a base from which one can be economically productive. Good housing improves health and productivity of the occupants who in turn have the ability to contribute to the economic growth of a country. However, about 1.8 billion people globally within urban centers are struggling to find decent and affordable housing. The lack of affordable housing is a major driver of informal settlements. These are areas characterized by a high population, small and congested housing units with limited access to water and sanitation facilities and very prone to diseases and epidemics. The demand for affordable housing especially in urban centers is one of Uganda’s biggest challenges due to its fast growing population. This is coupled with increasing urban poverty resulting into the lack of access to credit and financing options hence the inability to take on opportunities such as rental housing or mortgage-financed homes which fuels the growth of informal settlements. Land tenure issues also contribute to the proliferation of informal settlements. Many residents in informal settlements do not have secure land tenure rights, making them vulnerable to eviction and displacement. This uncertainty discourages investment in better housing, leading to the growth of informal settlements as people settle on unoccupied or disputed land. Addressing the high prevalence of informal settlements in Uganda requires a multi-faceted approach that includes affordable housing initiatives, improved urban planning, secure land tenure, poverty reduction strategies, inclusive economic development, government policies, community participation, and the collaboration of various stakeholders to tackle this complex issue. In 2008, the government of Uganda approved the National Slum Upgrading Strategy and Action Plan in an effort to slow down the growth of slums and eventually stop the creation of new ones through legal and land market reforms, revamping planning and zoning regulations. The policy is also meant to provide security of land tenure as well as building codes to make housing more affordable to the citizens of Uganda. The policy further provides for inclusiveness by bringing all housing sector stakeholders on board to pull resources together to support government in providing affordable housing for Ugandans. Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity Uganda, a housing organization dedicated to eliminating poverty housing in Uganda has on a number of occasions yielded to government’s call through collaborating with government entities, private sector partners, and communities to seek out innovative ways of providing affordable and decent housing for Ugandans. Early this year, the organization together with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MLHUD) launched the Home Equals campaign, a five year advocacy campaign dedicated to achieving policy change, at all levels, to ensure that people living in informal settlements have equitable access to adequate housing. The Home Equals campaign seeks to advocate for increased collaboration with settlers of informal settlements, accessible quality services and improved land governance and leadership by local government land committees. This campaign together with other initiatives are steps to addressing the affordability challenge in the housing sector through providing a platform and foundation to access wider development opportunities that contribute to the well-being of humanity and the country as a whole. Investing in affordable housing initiatives in urban informal settlements creates employment opportunities for workforce which not only alleviates poverty but also stimulates economic growth by generating income for individuals and local businesses. During the World Habitat Day in October this year, the MLHUD and Habitat for Humanity Uganda will hold the second annual Uganda Housing Symposium under the theme: Affordable Housing in Urban Informal Settlements as a Driver of Economic Growth at the Mestil Hotel in Kampala. The symposium will seek for solutions so that affordable housing projects serve as a catalyst for micro-enterprise development within urban informal settlements. As new housing units are built, the demand for local goods and services increases. This presents an opportunity for small businesses to flourish, providing goods and services such as building materials, plumbing, electrical work, and home furnishing. By supporting these micro-enterprises, the local economy is strengthened, creating a ripple effect of economic growth. Access to affordable housing in urban informal settlements directly impacts the health and education outcomes of residents. Adequate housing provides a safe and healthy living environment, reducing the prevalence of diseases and improving overall well-being. Moreover, children living in stable housing are more likely to attend school regularly, leading to better educational outcomes. Investing in affordable housing not only improves living conditions but also contributes to the development of a healthier and more educated workforce, which is essential for economic growth. Affordable housing initiatives can serve as a catalyst for the development of infrastructure in urban informal settlements. As housing projects are implemented, there is a need for improved road networks, water and sanitation facilities, and electricity supply. These infrastructure improvements not only enhance the quality of life for residents but also attract future investments and economic activities in the area. The writer is the National Director, Habitat for Humanity Uganda. noffice@hfhuganda.org

October 23, 2023

Infrastructure

#OutToLunch Privatize road rescue services to reduce accidents on our highways

#OutToLunch Privatize road rescue services to reduce accidents on our highways By Denis Jjuuko If you ever pitch rides in vehicles that belong to international organizations operating in Uganda, you will notice at least two things. The first one is that many don’t move beyond 6.00pm especially on the highways. If the time is not enough to cover the distance and be parked by 6.00pm, they reschedule to the next day. The second one is that many drivers don’t usually do speeds beyond 100kph. Yet some of these vehicles are some of the most powerful on the road — V8 or V6 engines and brought in brand new. Not the usual end of life vehicle we gladly import from Japan. The reason they insist on their vehicles moving during day is largely for safety reasons. Regardless of how modern the car headlights get, there is better visibility during the day which enables the driver to make informed decisions fast. It is more likely to find a tired driver during the night than during daytime. The assumption is that the driver would have had enough rest during the night to drive carefully during the day. At night is when you find a crazy driver that has decided to do a return journey from Arua to Kampala on the same day. Driving under the influence of alcohol is more common during the night than during the day. Many people who drink alcohol don’t do so during the day. But in the evening, they grab a bottle or several after which they sit behind the steering and drive, sometimes very long distances. Also at night, there is no traffic police on the road to warn or fine drivers breaking traffic rules. It is one of the reasons vehicles especially trucks that are in dangerous mechanical conditions (DMC) or those that are wrongly loaded tend to move at night. Apart from a police patrol vehicle stopping them occasionally, they make their trips unrestricted. Many such trucks breakdown on the roads and don’t provide enough warning for other road users. Chances are higher to ram into a stationary vehicle at night than during the day. Do road accidents occur during the day? Absolutely. But it is way safer to travel during the day in Uganda than at night. Even if you put road accidents aside, it is still safer to travel during the day as you can easily get help should you have a mechanical issue to deal with. Thugs that stage illegal road blocks also do so during the night. Of course, government should not regulate the time when we can travel on the highways but we could learn a thing or two from international organizations and why they insist that their vehicles and staff should only move during daytime. They are trying to reduce the possibility of avoidable road accidents and other incidents that could put their staff in danger. Road accidents are always in the news either when many people die in a single road incident or when a prominent person dies in one just like businessman Apollo Nyegamehe popularly known as Aponye did two weeks ago. It is not clear what exactly caused the accident that claimed his life but what we know so far is that he was traveling at night and his vehicle rammed into a stationary truck. Although the government may not legislate the time we should be moving, it can make roads safer. The model being used on the Entebbe Expressway could be deployed on all the highways or at least on the busiest ones. This can be done by reinstituting road tolls. So every road user pays a fee and the money is used to maintain the road and most importantly clearing it of any obstacles that could lead to accidents as well as helping those involved in accidents. A private competent company would be hired to provide a road safety service. Once a vehicle gets a mechanical problem or runs out of fuel (like most vehicles in Uganda do), a tow truck would arrive in time to get it off the road to ensure that it doesn’t lead to traffic delays and most importantly accidents. An ambulance would also be deployed to rush those in need of medical attention to nearby health facilities. That would require several tow trucks and ambulances (including a helicopter ambulance) deployed every predetermined distance for them to be effective. Where the need may require heavy lifting cranes, the company managing the highway would be able to put measures in place for drivers to use the road carefully until the obstacle has been cleared. The company would also maintain road signage and such other furniture. This would not end all road accidents but at least it would reduce the carnage on our highways and make them safer than they are today. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

October 18, 2023

Automotive Industry

Uganda to launch three-wheeler vehicle with irrigation and electricity generation capabilities

Farmers and rural households are set to benefit from a new three-wheeler motor vehicle on the market that enables them to transport their goods, pump water and generate electricity. President Yoweri Museveni is set to launch the trike during celebrations to mark Uganda’s 61st independence on 9 October in Kitgum District. The trike, named Bingwa, Swahili for champion, is a product of a group of self-trained innovators from the informal sectorled by Rogers Mubiru under their company Kevoton Motions Engineering Ltd. The engine casting was made at the John Lugendo Foundry in Kibuye in Kampala. Bingwa is powered by a 0.8 litre 2-stroke engine with a potentially higher power-to-weight ratio compared to traditional 4-stroke engines making it fuel efficient and easy to maneuver. This was revealed by Hon Dr Monica Musenero, the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in the Office of the President during a flag off ceremony held at the Kiira Motors Vehicle Plant in Jinja where the trike was built. Bingwa, the three-wheeler commonly known as Tuk-Tuk can transport 1,000kg of goods, pump 6,000 litres of water per hour for irrigation and generate 6kW of electricity every hour, thereby solving some of the farmers and rural households’ most immediate challenges. The STI Secretariat under the Office of the President provided a grant to Kevoton Motions through the National Research and Innovation Program (Innovation Fund) for the domestic manufacture of a 3-in-1 trike for mobility, water pumping and electricity generation. Kiira Motors incubated and supported Kevoton Motions to bring their idea to life. The Bingwa trike is relatively affordable for smallholder farmers while equipped with technologies that solve their most immediate challenges — transport, water, and electricity. In Uganda, 90% of the population lives in rural areas while 80% of the households are involved in agriculture according to the Uganda National Population and Housing Census of 2014. However, only 2.9% of the households use irrigation on at least one plot for the first season and 2.4% for the second season. Just 19% of households are estimated to have access to electricity for lighting on the backdrop of an electricity distribution access of 51%. A solution that addresses the household’s challenges is critical in fostering economic development. “Mobility is a fundamental component for rural development, connecting people to opportunities, services and resources necessary for their well-being and economic progress,” says Hon Dr Musenero. “Electricity plays a transformative role in rural agrarian communities by boosting agricultural productivity, improving living conditions, enhancing education and healthcare and enabling economic diversification,” Hon Dr Musenero adds. Dr Musenero committed her support to innovators. “We are behind schedule in terms of innovations and we must therefore work hard to catch up with other continents. My ministry will continue to provide the needed support to innovators to come up with such products,” she said. She further says that irrigation is crucial in ensuring consistent water supply for crops to improve yields and enhance food security. All these three functions (mobility, electricity and irrigation) are key components that the Bingwa trike can be able to execute. The Bingwa trike can lead to rural transformation if it is integrated into the Parish Development Model or other government programs. “We got the idea of developing this engine in 1998 because we didn’t have a product that we could call ours as a country at the time. After attending an exhibition, we started working with Makerere University because of our innovativeness and eventually Kiira Motors under the STI Secretariat that has led to the production of the Bingwa Trike,” says Rogers Mubiru, Founder and Director at Kevoton Motions Engineering Ltd. “We hope that this development will lead to an offtake of 600 units which can be deployed in different sub-counties across the country to enable households improve their livelihood,” Mubiru says. The flag off to Kitgum where Bingwa will be officially launched was also attended by Hon Denis Onekalit Amere, the Member of Parliament for Kitgum Municipality who pledged his support to sustainable products. “Bingwa will solve challenges of our people across the country who are predominantly farmers and live in rural areas,” he said. “This is a welcome innovation but we need to ensure that Mubiru and others innovators like him get the support they need so that our country industrializes thereby creating jobs for our people,” he added. Allan Muhumuza, Mobility Team Leader at the STI Secretariat says that the success of the project has enabled the government to validate an incubation model where a budding innovator, especially in the informal sector is placed under the mentorship of an anchor enterprise like Kiira Motors. “This enables us to transfer skills, utilize existing infrastructure, create institutional capacity and foster synergies towards industrialization,” he explains. Most of the parts used to make the Bingwa Trike are made locally and many can be made by independent suppliers in the automotive industry value chain thereby making the case for localization and value addition of products. The support from the STI, which commenced in August 2022 has led to the Bingwa trike being made with 55% local content, according to Albert Akovuku, the Director of Production at Kiira Motors. “The key parts which have been locally made are the engine, the chassis, the frame and the body panels,” Akovuku reveals. “Specifically, 70 out of 128 parts have been made locally. Mass production will be at the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja with initial capacity of 1,000 units per a year growing to 4,000 per a year in the medium term,” he adds. Realizing the potential of the project, the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) has offered project preparation funding amounting to USD250,000 (approximately Shs900 million) to facilitate the development of the project business plan and production readiness. The Bingwa trike will cost Shs28 million, lower than what one would spend if they were to buy an ordinary tuk-tuk, water pump, and a power generator. The Bingwa Trike uses diesel. With an estimated total addressable market of 100,000 trikes in Uganda in

October 4, 2023

Housing

#OutToLunch: Extended infrastructure will lead to affordable housing in urban areas

OutToLunch: Extended infrastructure will lead to affordable housing in urban areas By Denis Jjuuko The community in Wakiso is stuck with three children whose father abandoned after failing to clear rent for nine months totaling to Shs630,000 or approximately US$160. The father woke up one morning and never returned according to an article that appeared in the New Vision newspaper last week. The eldest of these children is nine years old! When contacted on phone, the father said he couldn’t afford to clear the arrears, the newspaper further reported. As this story was unveiling, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) posted on its X (formerly Twitter) handle of the ongoing asphalting of the Buwaate-Najjeera Spur as part of the construction of the Kyaliwajjala-Matugga Road. Buwaate had become famous for dust and social media trolling for those who live in this part of the ever-expanding Kampala. Buwaate is about 15km from the main post office in Kampala’s central business district. Since the construction of the road commenced in Buwaate, landlords have been licking their lips with glee in anticipation of increased incomes from their properties. Politicians will claim it is their ability to lobby that led to the construction of the road as they campaign for votes in the 2026 general elections. The construction of a road changes everything in this part of the world, an indicator of how far we need to go to achieve some elusive status as a country. The lack of roads, piped water and electricity is one of the reasons why land is very expensive in greater Kampala and in many other urbanizing areas in Uganda. So, where the roads, electricity and piped water have been extended, property prices go up. In Buwaate, a plot of 50×100 feet or 0.12 decimals is going to nearly double once the road is complete. Landlords will increase rents as people seek to move into this part of the city. So how does that make land expensive? Because few areas have proper infrastructure, areas that end up getting a road become extremely expensive. Areas that have a bitumen standard road, water and electricity make life easy for those living or planning to settle there. They don’t have to pay much to extend electricity to their homes or suffer fetching water due to lack of access to piped water. In an area like Buwaate, if a 50×100 feet plot has been selling for Shs70m, it will go to Shs100m or more by the end of this year if it hasn’t gone up already. This means that people who can’t afford there, will now buy further away. Some will sell in Buwaate and look for land in Kalagi or Busiika thereby creating demand in those area. Simple economics teaches us that increased demand leads to increases in prices. As demand increases in these areas, landlords will increase the price of land and rent too thereby making it difficult for men like that father of Wakiso to afford a decent house for their children. So, if we want decent affordable houses, what do we have to do? Extend asphalt roads, electricity and piped water to every little part of greater Kampala. Have good hospitals and schools that are affordable in those areas too and have a plan on reliable and affordable public transport. If we had those everywhere, asphalting a road would cease to be news. It would stop landlords from smiling every time they see a grader in their area. Electricity and piped water would cease to be part of texts in property adverts and promotion campaigns. If there is a good road everywhere, a compactor in an area wouldn’t lead to increased property prices. Electricity poles or trenching earth for piped water wouldn’t lead to abnormal increases in prices. People would easily live in Kiringente in Mpigi town or Namagunga near Lugazi and still be at their desks at 8.00am on Kampala Road. Greater Kampala isn’t a very big area where the government can’t do this kind of work. The Buwaate-Najeera Spur that is causing all sorts of excitement is just 5km long. The Kulambiro Ring Road that caused much more excitement earlier is approximately 3.5km. Spear Motors to Ntinda is just 2.2km. So, imagine if government constructed just 10km every year in greater Kampala, the price of land would significantly go down thereby making houses affordable. I have seen some social media posts by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and its partners notably Habitat for Humanity promoting the upcoming annual Uganda Housing Symposium and the theme is on affordable housing. I hope that they can look at how extending infrastructure as mentioned above could solve the affordable housing issue especially in urban areas, obviously one of the most significant challenges our country is facing today. Children who are worried of a landlord throwing them out of a house will be affected mentally, denying them the ability to develop to their full potential. In fact, they would also be suffering physically as well. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

September 21, 2023