The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
THE LAST WORD: How the obsession with our internal weaknesses has obscured the international dimension of Africa’s problems
Andrew M. Mwenda | THE LAST WORD | Now in his 32nd year as president, Yoweri Museveni faces a dilemma. Uganda is still a very poor rural agricultural economy in spite of having sustained an impressive rate of economic growth over 30 years. Museveni’s (and Africa’s) problem is excessive reliance on advice from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, the main agents of multi national capital. In 1987, Museveni accepted IMF and World Bank policy prescriptions out of desperation rather than conviction. This opened doors for foreign financial and technical assistance to aid a bankrupt state. As the economy recovered, Museveni was able to use growing state revenues and foreign funds to rebuild the state and consolidate power; rewarding loyalists, buying off opponents, providing some basic public goods and services and defeating armed insurgents.
Museveni was, therefore, quick to see and seize the benefits of IMF and World Bank policy prescriptions in politics and economics. When a state is recovering from collapse, you need to divest it of many responsibilities. This improves performance. And when an economy has been destroyed, removing onerous controls improves it. Hence Museveni became ideologically converted. But he was misled to think these policies that are good for recovery in the short-term are the solution to structural transformation – which is long-term.
IMF and World Bank did not stop at Museveni. They also cultivated close relationships with the most influential sections of the Ugandan society and state. So they courted journalists, academics, businesspersons, civil society leaders and the bureaucracy – especially the ministry of Finance and the central bank. They gave such people internships and fellowships to go to USA or UK be indoctrinated with the free market dogma. Within the bureaucracy, they paid such people salaries above the rest of the civil service.
Henceforth, to be an influential bureaucrat, you had to have good relations with donors. To have such influence, you had to share their free markets ideology. Once you had this profile, you could negotiate aid i.e. revenue to the state. This meant that now Museveni would look at you as an asset – the man or woman who handles donors and brings in cash to finance his political survival. You would be promoted and placed in strategic positions.
This is the context that led to the rise of Tumusiime Mutebile, Keith Muhakanizi etc. I admit I was one of these people in the media. Looking back 30 years later, one can see the results. Most of the influential pillars of opinion, including Museveni’s critics such Charles Onyango-Obbo, are advocates of the free markets and low inflation.
Thus, disagreements within Uganda are never about the viability or suitability of our macroeconomic policies and the philosophy that justifies them. The disagreement is about the right way to implement them or what donors call “governance.” “Good governance” (whatever it means) became the catch phrase in development thinking. The policy debate was settled. Every African country should court foreign direct investment, control inflation, sell off state enterprises, liberalise and deregulate, promote private sector led-growth, control inflation below 5%, etc. and prosperity will follow.
“So we are back to the height of the scramble for Africa in 1884 when Europeans partitioned our continent amongst themselves.” This is an admission on two fronts. It is an admission that Africa is a “creation” of the Europeans on the one hand. But it also goes on to confirm that as a result of the first admission, the problems thereof are by large a creation of the Europeans. How then, does the catchword- “African problems- African solutions”, fit- side by side with this admission? This is my take.
It is sad that Africa was ever colonised but it is a sad fact that we shall forever live with. However, we are not the only continent that was colonised. Almost all continents including countries on the European continent were colonised. To continuously lament about it, will not do us much good. Let us fold our sleeves, pick the axes and go for work. Sheer hate of Europeans won’t help but let’s find the reason why we hate. We can do this by identifying ourselves with dignity, honesty, justice, love and fairness. What Africa is currently engaged in, is travesty- an imitation- a mockery of these very values. Let us find partners to work with and not adversaries to build walls against. We might be having “black leaders” but only just from their faces, their hearts could be more discriminatory than those of the colonialists.
But if we are to barrow into the road of “Africanism”, let’s first dismantle the “African superstructure” that the Europeans helped to create. For some of us still feel better served under our respective monarchies and other local authorities of our choosing. Let us go back to our native dominions (pre 1884) and select the “Republics” we want to be part of. Then, we shall have outdone the ills of the Berlin conference. The fears that this proposition comes with, is the harsh reality that the powers that be are an integral part (the glue that holds it), that when it falls, it will come down crashing with them. Simply because, it raised them in the first place.
(Sometimes, I speak beautifully when I speak less.)
Thanks old man. Cannot wait for next week.
-First, it appears that M7 is not ideologically a free market ideologue, but he ended up embracing some of its principles as a means to support Uganda rebuilding as a Nation, and eventually in order to consolidate his grip on power
-Secondly; it appears that the lure of foreign aid/donor assistance has been used as a weapon to convert many Africans to the wisdom of IMF/World Bank orthodoxy which is another front of the WestErnest ideological battlefield
We are now in 2017, the World is a different place and changing fast. One does not need to embrace IMF/World Bank orthodoxies in order to sustain development: guaranteeing citizens security, upholding the rule of law should suffice to attract investors to all these African countries in order for them to be less dependant of the whims of the Western World
There are partners such as China, India, Turkey and other Nations such as the BRICS Nations which could be valuable win win development partners; and used to leverage Africa’s strength and move her relationship with Western Nations to a less controlling affair.
-It is becoming apparent that the Nation which is now on top of the World economically, has more lessons to offer Africa than those whose own rise happened when the World was different
-Free trade is a great principle…it is ultimately more beneficial between Nations with similar levels of development…this is why Africa must be careful about being encouraged to drop her tariffs in trade with Nations which have state apparatus supporting companies, and therefore gIving them an unfair advantage in trade matters . This will lead to Africa never accomplishing her industrialisation, and continuing to be a producer of resources aimed at richer Nations
-As for corruption: it is very rare to start a conversation about the supposed ills of Africa without corruption being cited as the number one devil in Africa. Of course; corruption is terrible and robs the continent of essential assets . It would therefore be welcome from Western corporations to not aid this corruption by either paying bribes themselves or Western Nations laundering money in their tax havens, it would helpful if Western corporations behaved exemplarily in Africa too. Their own participation in this system proves that there is nothing intrinsically corrupt about Africa or Africans. Furthermore; as you point out; at similar development stage as Africa; such Nations were rife with corruption; non respect for the rule of law etc. Even today; there is regularly a scandal involving Western elites and their corrupt ways which put to bed the prejudiced view that corruption is an African disease: FIFA, Wolkswagen, Total in Equatorial Guinea, Lafarge Cement frollicking with jihadists in Syria etc…British MPS and the expenses scandal, French Presidents tried for embezzlement,.
-As for governance, we currently have in the UK a PM who was once home secretary. She has to be commanded for having dedicated herself to the Brexit process; even though she campaigned against it. Yet; she cannot escape scrutiny on her competence in combating terrorism; considering Britain is now rumoured to host over 20000 jihadists: more than any other European Nation. She and her predecessors at the home office have a lot to answer. So; Western governance is not the panacea we are supposed to see it to be. The rife youth unemployment within the Euro zone is also an indictment on the governance of those Nations.
Truth is Africans are empowered in this day and age to come up with a political and an economic agenda which reflects the needs of each Nation; independently and confidently without needing a guiding hand.
Mwenda n Sasha, very shallow reasoning. Corruption is bad, n yes it did occur n still does occur in the western world. If you drunk n did all the bad things as a youngster, does that take away your right to caution your children (BTW, does M9 have kids)
@ejakait: Do you not see efforts deployed by African Nations to fight corruption? I read today that a Uganda MP was summoned to explain how she sold some land twice, there was a story in the Rwandan press about a water company operative being arrested today, there is the prominent case of the ex Nigerian Finance Minister, and the list goes on. Despite those daily efforts by African Nations to uproot corruption, this belief that Africa is intrinsically corrupt and therefore condemned to not develop, is quite mainstream
I cannot speak for Andrew, but if I mention the West, it is because I have lived in two Western Nations and I read about the general politics of the West. Furthermore, I know that it is a Western hobby to portray Africa through those prejudiced lenses
If you read today’s communiqué from the BRICS, the part which deals with corruption does not isolate certain countries…it makes the fight against corruption a common goal to achieve for all BRICS members. Not at all surprising, because this far, China’s approach to international relations has not been about undermining other Nations in order to make herself look better….othering Nations as prone to corruption, bad governance, insecurity etc is a Western type of exercise, because the West generally tends to want to create a them and us narrative
Up to Africans to continue to be used in this chess game as tools for others to feel better about themselves and evade their own weaknesses and lack of exceptionalism
I must admit I laughed a lot at this tweet by the Old Man today about the performance of his F-B post on the Kenyan stalemate…I never knew Andrew cared so much about such data…we all know you are an influencer, and you are prepared to hold views that go against the mainstream…your tweet was not controversial, it was just in my opinion pessimistic. Kenyans refused to be dragged into Odinga’s games and boycott work. It is a pity that Kenyatta has failed to uphold his initial commitment to respecting the verdict of the court…Hopefully, he is not allowing Cambridge Analytica to advise him to act in a blusterous, Trump like manner. He can run a campaign of hope; use the fact that his party has Parliamentary majority etc to mobilise for campaigning and outperform Odinga fair and square…Even if he lost, it would not be a tragedy…he can use the Parliamentary majority and come back after a Odinga one term. How you exit the stage matters too…this fear of losing face is a problem for African politicians…this is what Laurent Gbagbo should have done in the Ivory Coast…he most certainly could have won another election. I doubt, though not an expert that Kenyans will allow themselves to be dragged in a conflict…let us trust in the maturity of African electorates, if we truly believe that Africa is moving on
Great piece, in which an architect of the IMF/World Bank prescriptions to Africa in the 90s is ready to eat the humble pie and believes agro industry and manufacturing are the way forward…No one will fool Africans again https://www.independent.co.ug/interview-africa-road-industrial-progress/
Thanks for this insight Andrew. I was waiting to read your comment on what next for Africa in lieu of the issues raised and was comforted in the line, ‘more next week.’ I am looking forward to next week. Cheers!
Insight! It’s garbage, recycled conspiracy theory. How can incompetent leadership,corruption, genocide…. be good for Africans. To call that insight is mind bogling.
Ejakait brother,
First of all, we Africans are not Europeans’ children. (Actually, they are largely considered our migrant offsprings – but that is a different issue).
If we take your analogy of drunkenness, West Europeans and their emigrants in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand (and South Africa) were the first to practice ‘international drunkenness’: thanks in part to Adventurism and Geography which led to head-start capitalistic economic organisation ability, and early headway at ocean-going ship building. (although some studies indicate Africans and Asians had already conquered the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to settle permanently in the Americas and Austral-Asia without using that advantage to ‘torment’ their ancestral lands of origin). These West Europeans unilaterally defined the rules guiding this drunkenness with an objective of propelling themselves to much greater technological and economic advantage. Elsewhere, I address this issue at greater length. Today, like in the 1400-1900 period, they continue to use similar but more sugar-coated tactics to claim a right to define these rules of drunkenness. Of particular concern, is the use of our very own ‘bright’ people like Tumusiime Mutebile’s group, Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, even Kenya’s PLO Lumumba on the political side. Like before, poaching of African brains – through both brainwashing and economic means (e.g. Green carding of the US, the MUK electrical car graduates poaching by GM, and – on a personal front – the 2010 call to design solar assisted transport ref. systems for some UK’s old age homes) continues unabated.
Perhaps Andrew will address this in a subsequent article: but if he doesn’t, I do in an other forum – One of the most important things Africa needs to do is to refocus on the creative potential of its peoples. I have heard people talking of ‘manufacturing’ to absorb the idle youths. This is okay – but it simply cannot be ‘manufacturing of any sort’. We must motivate (whether through superficially high monetary incentive or whatever other means) creativity, innovation and go slow on this over-reliance on Europeans (and Chinese and Indians now). And make NO MISTAKE: IT IS POSSIBLE!! Needless to say, if we can do away with present day borders, the better. If we cannot, at least, let African peoples, goods and services move freely across the superficial borders. —– I could go on and on but let that be enough for now. The bottom line is: we have to see through this trickery by the West on defining rules they themselves do not always obey (and fail to punish their own offenders) but come down heavily to despise and discredit us.
When you accept the superiority of another model, not because it is really superior but because propaganda has been used to make it look so, you are in grave danger. One problem with de colonising non Western brains with the worship of Western models of governance, of political economy etc is that you end up being seen as someone who carries a grudge, or is on a vendetta for the past. Those who will fight you harder are Africans themselves. This is why sometimes where people have bought this ideology, in order not to slow down one’s own liberation, it is better to give them the space. When they finally compare their own choice and its outcome to those of countries which whilst remaining opened to cooperation, investment etc, will not suffer undue interventions or attempts to model them, they might change their tune. There is another African economist whom I greatly admire for he has decided to stop trying to convince those elites who are Western worshipping…he rather mocks them but he has moved on and is doing practical work with the new generation of African thinkers…he regularly exposes Western lack of good governance, having himself long lived in Europe. He is inspiring a new generation of Africans to look beyond, outside of the Western World so as to be part as stakeholders of the new World order being shaped. They will be able to be in this position because they will have the financial wealth and they will have acquired enough knowledge about other civilisations, whilst being very proud of their own African culture; spirituality etc…I think he has already walked the walk that Andrew is not walking…Andrew is on a mission to save African elites who have used their own brains to decide that they should be worshipping an exogenous model…Hopefully, he will succeed. .
I for my part believe that it is more important to create a war chest like this economist is doing of Africa believing wealth creators who will only pick from the outside what suits them, than trying to change the minds of those who have consciously surrendered. Only today, the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered an indictment of the State of British society as a result of poor economic choices…yet, Britain has full employment, economic growth etc…her youth is telling us that they are as unhappy as the African youth which is tempted to leave Africa…we interpret the desire of African youth to leave Africa as a sign of failed leadership…I certainly can think of countries in Africa which indeed need a change of direction and are failing to even deliver that most basic of commodity which is security for their citizens…why are Western Nations which deliver poorly on those indicators and whose own citizens complain are not being seen as lacking in good leadership? Why worse are such countries the blueprint for Africa’s development? After inspiring his young leaders to look across to China, he is now taking them to Russia, the country whose geopolitical issues with the West should have inspired Africans to tap into the Russian market for food and more…I saw Trump celebrate China importing American meat, Britain is ramping up her meat exports to Asia …tell me that on this basic commodity which is food; Africa cannot at least compete with the West for such huge markets? The day Africa will look at herself as a competitor on the world stage, not merely a bystander : she will have won her battle
BTW, where is @Winnie? I miss her…I love her posts
Britain has full employment!!!!!!!!!What Britain are you talking about or what do you understand by full employment.
What some of you are suggesting is that a Doctor who smokes or drinks has no business advising a patient not to do those things.
M7 indeed has a dilemma because contrary to what M9 was and has never been a socialist by conviction. His foray into that arena was borne out of anger and jealousy for those he perceived to be better than him and his dislike for kingdoms for instance, just like his dislike for rulers who overstay in power , was because it was only him who wanted to be the king or to overstay in power
We have to realise for instance that the nature and magnitude of corruption and its impact as it exists in the west today is completely different from that which exists in Africa.
Yes,the west does a lot of bad things to other nations, but we as Africans have put ourselves in a situation where we think that they owe us and indeed do look up to them until they start telling us what to do.
Even M7 goes around telling people that he is the one who has the money(never mind that it is their own taxes) and that they will not get services unless they vote for him or his people.
Uganda has an influx of refugees from Sudan and the first place we run to for aid is the west.
In life, there are no free lunches.
@ejakait, what I meant which is what I learnt in my economics course is that unemployment in Britain is under 5%, which tends to be considered full employment…in any case, job creations are at their highest levels for decades even if I will concede that some of the jobs created may not be of the quality that is expected and might be the reason why the youth especially feels so disconnected from this economic success story and is rebuking the gvt and favouring Corbyn
-As for the case of refugees: first of all, one has to command Uganda and Turkey and all these countries taking on so many refugees…I do not condemn countries refusing to do so such as Japan which has only taken in 28 refugees or China who is openlu citing an unwillingness to cause social tensions with her native population and the fact that she did not contribute to creating the mess which caused refugees. unfortunately, in Europe there is no democratic mandate for this kind of generosity…rightly or wrongly, public opinion does not favour this kind of influx…Germany’s unilateral decision which caused so many tensions in Europe was misguided inmy opinion…it encouraged people to risk their lives and be victims of trafficking…I think Germany could have solved her demographic deficit and her desire to improve her image internationally in a more orderly manner which would not have exposed her neighbours in the Schengen area. rich Nations have to be commanded, and in this case I will praise Britain for the support to refugees in their neighborhoods…this to ke is the most humane and rational approach. From there, it is easier to safely bring in refugees I recently read a report arguing that the cost of hosting refugees in developing Nations is much lower which is quite evident. This is why we must make the case for increased funding for Nations such as Uganda, Turkey so that they can look after the refugees without creating tensions between refugees and natives who might feel left out…I don’t know about the conflicts in Uganda’s neighbourhood, but I believe that when it comes to the Middle East, and for the active role that the West played by backing oppositions militarily, there fore participating in fanning the flames of tensions, they should participate financially in supporting refugees. It does not make the West the sole responsible for the chaos, as ultimately, it is the regimes and their oppositions who allowed themselves to be dragged into chaos …but the West has to pitch in and hopefully stop meddling politically…if foreign aid must exist, surely itUstinov email diverted towards this sort of support for refugees, against climate disasters etc…most of the World came to Europe’s rescue during 1st and 2nd WW…helping refugees is part of this global chain of solidarity…even if one cannot accommodate them; at least helping those who do financially
Sasha, part of the reason WINNIE(wine opener) is not here is because you are bashing the West and as you will know she is British, probably a distant cousin of our Prince Willy, and of course Britain is part of that West you are bashing
Mr Mwenda, you wrote: “…yet the claim that corruption, greed, dicatorships, nepotism are the evils that have undermined our prosperity are false..”
No, Mr Mwenda, the statement is not false, it is just incomplete. These evils indeed do undermine Uganda’s prosperity but they pale in significance compared to the queen of all evils: incompetence. Uganda’s big problem is leaders who are clearly clueless and unable to learn from their mistakes. It is impossible to pen a Ugandan newspaper without reading a story that makes one say “is anyone really that dumb”. This is true at all levels of government. The answer to your question of why the rich nations got rich despite being led at times by murderous thieving thugs is “they were not murderous, thieving, incompetent thugs”.
It is incompetence not to realise that endlessly multiplying the number of districts shrinks them to a size whereby they cannot even fund headquarters staff salaries, let alone provide any services.
It is incompetence for a member of the cabinet not to know that demonstrating irrigation techniques is the work of Agricultural Extension workers.
It is incompetence to issue banking licences to persons who have been arrested for financial crimes.
The IMF and WB are responsible for a lot of foolish policies; they are not responsible for the appointment people who simply aren’t qualified for their jobs.
It is incompetence to disburse public funds in sacks, uncounted, with no signatories, no method of ascertaining the final recipient.
I could go on….
Thank you @Rajah, although Andrew bashes the West more than I could ever managed to …his knowledge, his depth of analysis I can only hope to achieve so; I doubt Winnie is not here because of my Western bashing…I am a Westerner by citizenship and very much so culturally…of late, I have been very annoyed by the ways that Francophone West African Presidents are letting themselves being walked over by Macron…all of a sudden, lots of Africans I follow started showing their unconditional love for the West or retweeting themselves alongside white people…it has only made me laugh, as simultaneously there were all sorts of subtle opportunities of work being advanced via my timeline by Westerners…and I laughed internally…though I understood. So many of these countries still need aid, and it is very important that they do not appear to be in bad company…anyway, I cannot wait for part 2 of this column and I will stay silent…we shall see if dearest @Winnie reappears…she has a light touch I really love. Andrew, you made me cry with your post about those patriotic Ugandans on Facebook …as for public provision of healthcare, I long to read your ideas to roll it out.
1. Alot has happened while i was away making presentations at conferences.
2. I dont know why Africans in this century still believe that the 1st world is solely responsible for their backwardness fine, they exploited our raw materials during colonization and the period of industrial revolution are Africans suggesting that 100 years down the road crops like Coffee,cotton cant grow any more in Africa coz the 1st world jinxed us?
3.Honesty apart from slave trade that happened 100 years ago what other evil act did the whites do to Africans?The love one has for a Mum,Dad,wife,Husband Grandparents are not the same why is it that Africans love the slaves they did not even see so much in that statutes celebrating whites makes them go nuts in USA??
4.The 1st world introduced Christianity and civilization when we talk of originality do Africans want to go back to stone age period where they walked naked?personally,i have no issues with embracing good practices if the likes of Mutebille and Obbo were brain washed it was for their good i know they have no regrets being brained washed. ( Actually traveling & being trained overseas modes people) Isn’t Charles Obbo a better Uganda today than he was 20 years ago?
5.Land in Uganda should be treated as a mineral how come when govt discovers minerals in location X,there is no resistance during eviction?
6.I dont like the way the Judge heading the Land tribunal is carrying out her business its like she wants to stand for MP.Naturally,the looks of the poor is depressing it may make one think that they indeed being evicted by the rich.
7.Legally squatting should be a crime coz squatters often claim rights over places they have squatted in by virtue of occupation;let me tell you why squatters are on the rise in Ug?Men impregnate women and later disown them these bastards later terrorize govts coz they have no sense of direction.
8.I hear the pornography and arousal commitee has issues with arousal; but when a man sends a woman a sweet message its makes her so happy therefore maximizing her performance at work. The committee instead needs to regulate salons for men coz these days ,men go for hair cuts every day coz there are ladies who massage their heads in the process,they get aroused which is bad.
9.Kenyans are always dying to be unique will the nullification of the presidential elections stop it from being a 3rd world country? much as no one petitioned the elections of the MP’s wouldn’t it make make more sense to nullify the elections of MP’s as well?Besigye ‘s camp should be sent to Kenya to study the benefits of presentation of scientific evidence during defense.KB just makes sweeping statements like M7 has sold L.Victoria such evidence cant be tabled in court.
10. @ Sasha i also know that i am missed a lot when i don’t make a contribution on this forum; men on this forum like Rajab,Omeros,Musinguzi ,Ejaakait and Adhola wanted to marry me.
“i also know that i am missed a lot when i don’t make a contribution on this forum; men on this forum like Rajab,Omeros,Musinguzi ,Ejaakait and Adhola wanted to marry me.” Is this one of your “arousal thoughts?”
The Ganda say ” ebyembi bisekelwa” loosely translated , the sad/absurd is laughable.
WINNIE, you have made my day with your indirect proposal/proposition .LOKODO should come after you
@Winnie, so glad you are back my dear as if my comment had acted like a magical wand…hope your conferences went well my dear
I cannot help but jiggle as I read most of what you have posted, especially about Africans having been supposedly civilised via their encounter with the West…look, I am all in favour of the West and Africa having a very close relationship. I dislike the relationship as it stands, and I believe it is linked to the legacy of the slave trade and the colonial era. I do not lay the blame solely at the foot of the Western players…I think that some Africans, especially in Francophone Africa have capitulated in asserting themselves. In their desire to please their old masters, they sometimes end up making fools of themselves. Last week, Senegal arrested an activist for having burned a banknote…I thought at the time: fair enough if he broke the law…but then, they ended up breaking their own laws in order to deport him to France because he was planning a series of events aimed at confronting the pact between Francophone Africa and France. In doing so, they convinced people like me who have been made to look at the situation with a cooler head and avoid conspiracy theories mentality, that in fact, there is more to this relationship between French and Francophone Africa elites.
The ones Andrew was mentioning in his article , apart from Charles Onyango, I only know about them vaguely. I enjoy reading Charles views, and his aspirations for Africa democracy…I used to always start by reading Andrew then Charles in order to improve my critical thinking. The truth is Andrew when it comes to Africa writes what I have been thinking about Africa for a long time: the need to chart an independent path away from foreign dogma when it is not appropriate to African context. I believe that as a new World order emerges, and we get to understand better other great civilisations of the World whilst re acquainting for ignorants like me with African history and past glory, we will not look at Western dogma with the same approach. We will still admire and pick what makes sense for us, and also share what might inspire from our own model, without this current settlement with the assumption that Africa’s path is to be mirrored on the West. Yesterday, I laughed for a bit when a pro free market think tank which I follow posted a link advancing that in 30 years, poverty would be completely gone if we hanged in there …I told myself: they know that there is a tectonic shift taking place, that as young Owen Jones put it, the winds of history are starting to stack up against the economic order we have had this far. So, they are making outlandish promises of capitalism reforms, or of the current model delivering the goods soon. In fact, this could be the beginning of a new reflexion on what kind of societies we want to live in, and based on what economic model, with what underlying philosophical assumptions.
So, now that you are back @Winnie, I feel comfortable posting again lool
I would be happy to be your bridesmaid when you eventually chose one of the contestants on this forum who have lined up to marry you. I wonder if Andrew will give them permission: who would defend him once you are hitched my dear? Loved your assessment of why men often visit hair salons in Uganda
This forum can be so funny and the whole debate this week in Uganda had me in stitches at times…I know Uganda is far more Conservative than where I grew up, but still, there were some interesting recommendations and ideas on how to catch offenders of “arousal” thoughts
Sasha, strange as it may sound, and without making it appear as if I am trying to put myself in pole position of the WINNIE queue , the world needs people like our WINNIE.
I agree 100%…I love her…without her, this forum is wasted
She is one who can be described as one who shoots from the hip, she does not take aim, just draws and shoots , on or off the mark, and takes no prisoners.
That should at the very least put me ahead of ADHOLA in the queue!!!!!!!!
Just wonder where he is, I recall WINNIE once threatening to kick some people off the forum, to what end I do not know.
http://in.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idINL5N1LQ0DH
President Magufuli appears to be a tough line against foreign corporations and their dodgy practices as well as their local enablers in Tanzania. After AcacIa Mining, now Petras and their under declarations…This nationalisation might not be such a bad move
1.@ Sasha:You seem to have issues with the 1st world there is no way Africa can progress without them half a loaf of bread is better than non at all. There are many benefits Africans get by enduring and abiding by the rules in Europe or USA than relying on wild imaginations of being independent.
for example (i)How will you strengthen the Ug shillings if you dont export to Europe?(ii) Do you know the value of the pound sterling or dollar against the shilling?(iii)Have you had of balance of payment deficit and how to minimize it?(iv) Why does the 3rd world prefer investors from overseas?Gal big is big and stop listening to those activists who advocate for Africa to be independent ;those are guys who are paid by the West who dont wish Africa well so that we remain a laughing stock i mean an investor allocates alot of his resources in Africa and at the end, his contract is canceled how is she/he supposed to deal with it? Why do Africans think that they shouldn’t be monitored, protected and regulated but the West should?
What is the social roles of Andrew and Tamale in Uganda