Leading Social Conditons In Uganda

Many roads like anywhere else in the country are in a sorry state. Just think of any size, shape or depth and surely, you would come across countless potholes of that description.

Riding along the station road just past the post office, en route to Tororo hospital, you encounter a series of circular, oval, square, pentagon or pyramidal shaped potholes that interlock one another like footsteps of cattle on a muddy expanse.

Banana suckers can sprout well in these potholes, the one spectacle here is that huge CDC flashy monster cars reluctantly negotiate past these eyesores.

On the road off Kashmir Road to Bazaar Street is in ruins under the weight of potholes. Cramped like sardines, the potholes hit you in the face like a rude slap. Naughty boda-bodas’ flit from one side of the road and to the other under the guise of dodging the potholes.

The road segment from Rock high School that joins Busia road is irritatingly rugged. Here potholes and the brief tarmac compete for motorists’ attention and in so doing, they cause suffering to pedestrians.

They are forced to scamper for cover in the bushes and watch in astonishment the drama as motorist desperately grope about for a plain road surface.

The situation only gets worse along Tongue Avenue . This road section, introduces a new meaning to the word pothole. Plan Uganda ’s double carbine trucks and motorcycles wiggle in these potholes without any problems.

If there is any road in Tororo that should immediately be closed, then it is Joewwet road that runs from Tongue Avenue and hits Uhuru road at ninety degrees.

This road is literally a huge ditch. It is like all the potholes in the town were collected and dumped here. These seem to test the mechanical resistance of a vehicle as well as assess how long motorists can clench their teeth.

You would probably think that a posh residential quarter like senior quarters is devoid of road gullies. Don’t be fooled. Try Masaba road front of Osukuru road. Masaba, East, Jackson and Mukudo Crescent roads, and you’ll see huge potholes you have never imagined exist.

The souring potholes across Tororo town are not a problem of motorists only; the pedestrians are also nursing rubbish phenomena.

Wherever a pedestrian is walking in the town, they have to be conscious and take precaution lest they fall victims of these nuisance smelly garbage.

Strolling through school road, will encounter tear-spreading, garbage just in front of behind the post office.
The nasty thought of skipping over this hip of rubbish does all but send shivers down your spine. It is such a blemish among the shower students who walk past this road as they keep jumping over it.

Another terrible, garbage hips also exists behind the main market. It is strangely over spread. Even from a far, you can notice and even smell an irritating stench.

The rubbish is ajar which creates the impression that Tororo municipal Council (TMC) deliberately did it to let the fresh air to be contaminated.

On Nagongera road adjacent to famous Kisangani joint lies another irritating and senile, garbage dump. It is now more than a rubbish collection site, considering the health risks, it leaves a lot to be desired.

There are also much pathetic rubbish dumping site in Kasoli, Bison and Railway Quarters. In the case you have seen of one of them, you may be excused for thinking they are a broken sewerage.

They are dreadfully stuffed, large and dark. The stench of rotting matter emanating from them and the relics of human faeces blended with maize cobs and stagnant sewage attest to that.

One cannot help but attribute the open filth that are dangerously scattered in the municipality to negligence by the municipal council. Most of these litters have outlived their purpose and thus require their removal or maintenance.

The situation gets worse even as you walk through the corridors in town, especially along the town central business area. You will be choked with, garbage to the brim; this careless rubbish disposal by residents seems to spawn every other day.

Is it time Tororo Municipal Council unveiled the mask on there face and addressed the issues of road and, garbage disposal as serious environmental issue.

CHANGE IS THE BASIS OF DIALOGUE.

When on 22nd Aug Tororo District Council convened its 2nd council meeting as required by the local government act, a minor section of councilors from Tororo County stormed out of the meeting when their motion to suspend the council proceeding aborted.

It all begun when the leader of the disgruntled councilors took the flow and said "I move the motion that this council be suspended from proceeding until the issue of the District is resolved albeit "Tororo County", the other section of the council replied, "We can not suspend the council proceedings because the issue of the District is with the office of presidency and parliament".

In protest, the disgruntled party mainly form Tororo County walked out and camped at the nearby tree, while the council proceeded with the meeting because the quorum had been realized.

Information kept trickling in that the councilors outside were plotting to disrupt the meeting but security was beeped up.

Having discovered that their stance would not realize the expected effect, Hon members resorted to do propaganda in the only local radio station Rock Mambo making all sorts of allegations to attract public attention but to their surprise nobody listened to them.

I will dwell on the manner in which my Honorable members decided to expose their dirty linen by raising contentious issues in the wrong forum. I do not believe that such starveling Honorable members resorted to can bring about a revolution. I do not say that there is not terrible side to this but how can it be otherwise.

The basis of change must be the dialogue of ideologies addressed through the right forum, I mean that though here and there different parties held different views moved by their conscience and insight, these views should have by nature of existence follow procedure or it would instead strengthen discontent.

This is because competition had already been sown; the wind was blowing recklessly and which reaped the whirlwind. The councilors had decided to create proletariat for their own interest and this creation was ready destroy every progress since there is no other force that could do so.

The question to honorable members from Tororo County, Do you have to continue eating rats in order to justify this Tororo County District? Besides if rats were really a delicacy for justification of Tororo Municipal Council you geographically want to curve in Tororo County District, then why are isn’t rat source being served at Thembe Inn, Jajjas and elsewhere like Merikit and Osukuru.

You have increasingly marked your justification by trying to draw sympathy with a down trodden and oppression by every clime. You have also advanced and blamed the lack of your freedom, power and courage on foreign hands, which you have assailed.

You have also deliberately exposed their misdeeds and cruelties, why then do you go ahead to behave in such unscrupulous manner. Yet in your provident operations, you have by the virtue of the positions you hold contributed immensely but which act together with your speeches has made up life that can be commended by yourselves.

Viewing everything from the financial aspect and totally passing by those moral political considerations, which make Districts weak or great, developed or under-developed and by influence of which alone men are distinguished from animals cannot be disregarded to this fact.

Now we have what is called diplomacy, you a great many councilors engage in what we call diplomacy, we have councilors from Tororo Municipality, others from Budama West and South; we also have you from Tororo County. Majority of you come from pleasant and climates most agreeable meaning there is almost certainty for noble indigenous representation.

The real topic to discuss is not the District issues, which you are smearing the other party, discuss topics that will excite both parties to work together and not storm out of meeting to eat rates a norm aliens to the other members of the house.

Think of one new law, which will make you comfortable. And if that is the present law, which is making you uncomfortable that the District Council has at its disposal an inexhaustible power out of which it can give those who now want a district without also creating else where other greater wants.

Such include the extension of popular government to counties, free education, health, charitable endowments from central governments, collection of taxes, awarding of tenders and accumulating personal property using public funds.

SHOULD COUNCILLORS YELL AT THEIR BOSSES ALL THE TIME.

Here is a little child of three, he is happy, he plays all day long on his own or with other children, and he is able to sit up at the table and eat like grown up people.

In the day time he is getting quite good at knowing the difference between what we call real things and what we call the child’s imagination, what he likes in the right? He sleeps, and no doubt dreams.

One day he wakes up with a piercing yell, mother jumps out of bed and goes in and turns on the light and makes to take the child in her arms, is he pleased?

On the contrary; he screams, go away you witch! I want mummy. His dream world has spread into what we call the actual world and for twenty minutes or so the mother waits unable to do anything, because for the child she is a witch.

Suddenly he puts his arms round her mother’s neck and clings to her as if she had only just turned up, and before he is able to tell her about the broomstick, he drops off to sleep, so that his mother is able to put him back in the cot and return to her own bed.

This is what my own councilors of Tororo County woke up to yelling on the morning of Friday 25th Aug to demand for the Tororo County District that His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the President of the Republic of Uganda pledged during the first democratic direct election campaign.

Their plot was reach the District Headquarters by 7:00 am, assemble at Boma grounds and raid the administrative block also called white house, order all the civil servants out of their offices and take over the building until the Minister of Local Government comes to address them.

The coup failed, the mobilizes themselves failed to reach Boma grounds in time as was announced at the only local Radio station Rock Mambo after eight o’clock news the previous day.

Of course this plot did not bother the Chairman Mr. Emmanuel Osuna. Infact, the following day he courageously drove to office and he attended to his assignments. Still the late coming mobilizers arrived, attempted to disrupt work at the administrative block the police officers chased them away thus law and order.

Now to deliberate on the unseriousness of these councilors we labored to elect so that they can objectively lobby for development of our communities. It is not the first time these honorables are yelling at everybody who matters.

When the President came to Tororo last year during nation wide visits, these very councilors led the rat-eating contest at Molo Sub county, within a spell of two months they again organised the local residents to abandon the President at Mukuju County, who knows may be they could also do the same to the local government minister and subsequently the reports in the daily monitor that they refused to be addressed by the chairman comes as no surprise.

Its also common to everybody’s knowledge that the president fulfilled his promise to give Tororo County a District, what is the grumble about? Why should the white house be an issue for one who wants to be independent?

Pallisa, Busia and Banyole asked for Districts, their wish was granted and are comfortable where ever they are. West Budama has never asked the President for a District so why should leave white house. Therefore, Friday’s raid at the White House two weeks ago can be classified the ultimate rape ancestral sanctuary, which has so far given birth to three Districts.

The most embarrassing incident of this raid is that even when these Honorable councilors know that the matter at hand is no longer at the council level, they go ahead to misinform the population on radio as if the District chairman constitutional mandate to award Districts and he has therefore deliberately sat on their demand.

There are many other unjustifiable factors that should raise such alarms like the Honorable Councilors want to claim. Its our humble request that don’t carry us on your back so that you can expose our buttock and that everybody out there keep calm and stop point accusing fingers our leaders but pray that they learn from past mistakes and join hands to develop our District.

Plan Uganda PMTCT-Plus Changing Lives in Mukuju Sub-District.

In 1995 when Plan International (Plan Uganda) was inaugurated in Tororo Program Area (TPA), nothing was known about their dream to create a child friendly environment free from domestic violence, poverty, disease and illiteracy.

Around the same time Plan Uganda started implementing projects like child sponsorship scheme, construction of education and health facilities, Plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA) to improve food security.

It was peculiar that Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission-Plus (PMTCT-P) program was coming in later years to free the Tororo newly born babies off acquiring AIDS virus says a beaming TPA Sponsorship Manager Ike Christine.

Mukuju PMTCT-P center is sprawled over a flat toped hill overlooking a domineering a Volcanic Plug Oguti Rock 5km south of Tororo Town. A bicycle taxi (boda-boda) ride cost no less than shs 1,000 a better deal and much faster means of reaching the center.

The center is housed among lone structures built on a spacious compound of Mukuju Sub-District, a cool breeze blows in from the near by eucalyptus forest enveloping the atmosphere of the external bliss.

“The years of endless service lay before us, ceaseless devotion to our clients, ever let a dream come true, strengthen our commitment so that the AIDS scourge prostrate before our clients” seems to be the core drive of Mukuju PMTCT-Plus team.

“To serve and not be served are proud to be identified with every time a child is born free of HIV/AIDS”.

This is the untold mystery of Plan Uganda Mukuju-PMTCT-Plus whose workers cling by to promote safe motherhood in its desired totality.

The center was opened in 1998 as a comprehensive project focusing on the entire affected family to prolong the parent-to-child relationship.

Dr Lukoda says PMTCT-P strategy was developed from pervious PMTCT programs that were basically promoting nevirapine use to reduce vertical transmission.

“Perhaps this explains why we as a non-for profit organization chose to initially not call the program ordinarily as PMTCT but brand it with an organizational image PMTCT-Plus.

Dr Lukoda explains that at the beginning nothing was known about the Mukuju Health Sub-Districts community based ARTs services. He adds that Plan Uganda had to mount a thunder burst operational research to establish the best practices and community demand for PMTCT-Plus.

“The survey projected 27% HIV positive mothers who risked transmitting the virus to their babies during pregnancy, delivery and through breast-feeding which is contrary to 6.9% of the national incident rate”.

“Absolutely inline with Plan’s Global directive strategy in working with partnerships to promoting rights of children, learning and reaching as many children living in difficult circumstances”.

Henry Mwombekeri Mukuju in charge says that PMTCT-Plus promotes health-seeking behavior through community mobilization, provides treatment of opportunistic infections and prophylaxis against pneumonia with daily septrin.

“As a result, there has been more people are coming for VCT thereby creating a better access to maternal care in the catchment area which has scaled up the role of ARVs at the local community as well as engaging both public and private agencies into effective partnership to increase community response to HIV/AIDS” he adds.

Ms Asayo Beatrice Social Worker says that todate PMTCT-Plus is extending VCT to the general community in eight centers, promoting maternal care and nevirapine based prophylaxis and safe infant feeding to reduce vertical transmission as well as providing ARVs services to Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) eligible clients

She further explains that other health services available at The Mukuju PMTCT-Plus include nutrition care for PLWHAs and supplementary safe infant feedings, training in safe water and hygiene, which means water chlorination, storage, food security and Income Generating Activities (IGAs) for affected families.

Ms Margaret Achego however notes that though most women have opted to exclusively breast-feed their infant after counseling but poverty has made it difficult for these families to afford animal milk after early weaning.

“But on a happy note, most clients value their treatment as evidence obtained post-test clubs indicated an adherence rate of 98% something we can attribute to easy access of stuff here at the center”.

Is Teso-Tororo District Status genuine.

I'd like to express sincere thanks to Dr. Apollo Epuwatt for his article that run in the New Vision Friday 28th July 2006 titled not yet Uhuru for the people of Tororo.

In the article, Dr Epuwatt narrates a brief background of the Tororo (Bukede) District. He cites the conflicts that degenerated to disintegration of the Bukede in to new districts of namely Busia, Pallisa, Butelejja and now the much awaiting Tororo-County-Teso District.

He also continues to explain the Itesots resistances to the Japadhola harassments and repressions. Dr Epuwatt goes on to tell how his own grand father made efforts to prevent Japadhola “Colonization” by telling off Japadhola Chiefs who had been appointed to Teso areas. He further adds that the boundaries, which had been the concern over the division of the District, are very clear.

Upon reading this article, I felt a lot of mishap-mischief from how the author’s argues, that future prospects of unity, socio-economic development, freedom, justice and or emancipation can only be attained if the Itesots are granted the District Status.

This led me into question whether “the Teso-Tororo District Status” is genuine. First and fore most, let me shade light on the much thornier aspect which is “where should the Municipality belong?”

Historically, it is believed and We mean believed not rumored that the Japadhola came to Bukede first way back in the 16th century led by chief Adhola and his brother Awiny of the Jok-Owiny group that passed through Acholi, Lango via Kaberomaido to present Budama which stretched to parts of western Kenya.

Where as the Itesots, moved into Tororo later through the western parts of Kenya occupying parts of the proposed new-Teso District.

To continue debunking the writer as where the legendary ward “Tororo” originates. Tororo is Japadhola word from a padhola expression “tor oro” which means the fog of the year, which is seasonally on the pick of Tororo Rock sitting in the heart of Tororo Municipality.

This puts writers’ claims full of falsehood and fabrication intended to create an impression that the Itesots are the genuine owners of Tororo Municipality.

Secondly, I were totally mesmerized by the writers’ claims that the japadhola forced the Iteso alumna and alumnus, who sought education in well established schools located in Kisoko-Nagongera among other schools to abandon their names for the Japadhola ones.

This again portrays the writers’ concealed agenda to blacken the Japadhola as racist or agitators of apartheid, which is incorrect. These assimilations were mainly as a result of inter-marriages and not education. This only undermines the credibility of extended relationships the Japadhola have sealed with the Iteso from Tororo County.

On the oppression and marginalization of the Iteso, I get so disheartened when the writer complains and yet the nitty-gritty of the issue is that the Iteso disengaged themselves from competing for the influential offices like the District Chairman and Women MP sites citing unleveled ground but how come Hon Ekanya from the Japadhola Speaking Tororo County can get elected even among the Japadhola speaking society.

If I may refer to especially the Districts of Pallisa and Busia, yes! This guy’s need for break away was genuine, if you consider the distance from two geographical areas and a Headmaster is to see a DEO in Tororo, the cost involved is alarming unlike Tororo County to Tororo Town. Its therefore ridiculous for the Iteso to be aggrieved.

I think that once the District status is granted, it may even marginalize the Japadhola in Tororo County which my in turn cause now the real tribal conflict the writer is keying on that will also lead division of the same Teso District.

Following the writes continued predicament that once “they-we” are granted District Status, justice and freedom will prevail, this in itself sound outrageous in that the agitators of this agenda are just trying to portray the Japadhola as unjust and practitioners of discrimination when they have actually failed to mobilize the Japadhola to give the win-win vote.

Down to development, this subject happens with sufficient resources, if Teso is granted District status, she has enough resource bases to collect local revenues especially at Malaba Town Council, but the question is will the Japadhola or the Japadhola-Itesongro equitably benefit from the precedes especially when the so called Itesots who eat the rat are in charge.

I foresee the obnoxious Iteso technocrats pushing for the new district as just using a dubious ideology to poor old wine into new bottles.

Why Iron Ladies Won and Lost National Elections.

In 2005, iron ladies won in the National Delegates Conference. The Ugandan woman for the first time in history of Uganda rose to the level of a President General of Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) (Miria Kalule Obote), Vice Chairperson (Cilia Ogwal), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), vice presidents (Ms Salaamu Musumba).

Divorcee National Resistance Movement Organisation (NRM-O) (Hon Miria Matembe) Uganda is a regional model in terms of women’s participation in elected positions of decision-making. At local government level, women constitute at least 30 percent of local councils. At national level, women garnered at least 28 percent of the seats in the legislature. These are critical developments, especially when viewed against the past; in 1980 there was only one woman in a legislature of 126 members.

With this form of representation, Uganda is not far behind the countries with highest female representation, like Rwanda (49% women) Mozambique (35% women) and South Africa (33 % women). Uganda’s high level of female representation in parliament is linked to the fact that in addition to the 214 county MPs, each of the 56 districts in Uganda elects one District Woman Representative to Parliament through separate women’s elections says Winnie Byanyima Karagwa.

Dr Sylvia Tamale however comments that these developments have been as a result of broader struggles for democracy in the country over time, as well as a specific intervention of affirmative action for women. Attempts have been made to evaluate the political effectiveness of women who have entered political structures. At the heart of this quest lies the concept of representation.

She maintains that regardless of what political system is in control of the state, and regardless of the lofty rhetoric, when Ugandan women lift the veil off the face of the state, they see nothing but deeply entrenched norms of male privilege and power embedded therein. We see a patriarchal state whose number one agenda is to sustain and defend such power; an institution by men and for men.

The history of the women’s movement is too well known to need repeating. But an important set of factors that have recurred include coalition of the relatively privileged, including articulate intellectual leaders, a mass movement with the capacity to make a government feel distinctly uncomfortable should they do nothing, and a new moral consensus that the ruling values of a previous generation needed to be supplanted.

Something Dr Josephine Ahikire lecturer in department of women and gender studies at Makerere University admits, "The impact is limited and this is because changing the real power position of women in society historically depends upon a range of other, wider social and economic changes. The changing situation of women in the labor market, the increased education levels of women, smaller families, a shift in the demands of the labor market to service industries, are all factors that have been vital in contributing towards the social and economic emancipation of women."

She adds that the implications of this are disturbing for the struggle against disease and poverty. It would appear that more is needed than action to protect women’s basic rights, mobilize women’s organizations and encourage changes in attitudes. It would seem probable that African women will only be structurally capable of protecting themselves against the threat of polls when there has been more far-reaching social and economic change in the position of women.

However, it is also erroneous to suppose that African women’s emancipation can only follow the model of their sisters in developed countries; there should be opportunities for women to gain more power and influence in their societies, workplaces and homes in a distinctively African context. There is a pressing demand for leadership to identify a moral and social discourse that can enable progress in this direction.

This calls for diversity in the struggles for social change and emancipation. They indicate the different challenges of leadership therefore need effective public policy which is founded on leadership and social mobilisation. But perhaps the most important is that success is nurtured over a period of time-usually decades

Battle 4 GE Still Rages On.

I begin with an admission regardless of all political and economic theories, treating of the fundamental differences between various groups within the human race, regardless of class and race distinctions, regardless of all artificial boundary lines between woman’s rights and man’s rights, I hold that there is a point where these differentiations may meet and grow into one perfect whole in the just concluded multi-party election in Uganda.

When in October-November parties went down in a donjon at Mandela National Stadium for a delegates conference, men walked in hungry, eat-wined and walked out satisfied while the women sat back to serve, clap, thump feet, ululate, shout our man, wash dishes the list is endless in return penny-coin transport refund.

On the series of such organised crimes, October 29th Forum For Democratic Change (FDC) recognised two ladies for top management; Ms Salaamu Musumba as one of party vice presidents and Hon Alice Alaso secretary general to create a supposed fair partnership in the five-man team.

November 19th National Resistance Movement Organisation (NRM-O) just like FDC pulled even stealthier stunt and elected two women in position of deputies, Hon Rebecca Kadaga as second vice chairperson and Hon Dorothy Huynh as deputy secretary general of nine juicy positions.

November 18th Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) at their Uganda House did a bit well to place Mama Miria Obote Kalule at the helm of the party, Cilia Ogwal vice chairperson and Ms Mary Tiberodwa treasurer in similar offices as named before.

But still the party bird flu did not spare some women both in primaries and later in national elections with the supposed women advocates trounced out off their sits by insignificant implants such includes likes of Miria Matembe (NRMO), Ms Salaamu Musuba (FDC) and Cilia Ogwal (UPC among others.

Dr Josephine Ahikire a senior lecture at Department Of Women And Gender Studies Makerere University says that in Uganda, just like in other countries of the world, women form the greater part of the disadvantaged and marginalized category in society.

She adds that discrimination against women is historically rooted in cultural norms that ensured their systematic exclusion from major society decision-making roles. Gender neutrality/blindness in the legal provisions is insufficient to redress the gender imbalances created by this state of affairs.

This is something Miria Obote contends, "She says there are people who think that a woman cannot challenge Museveni. And what hurt most is that party people who should have voted for their president but instead they voted other candidates."

Women comprise the biggest constituency of the population of Uganda’s electorate but why did they give away their portion the way they did.

Dr Ahikire says it is difficult to pin down these particular issues because issues that concerned women in the 1986 can be described as ‘bread and butter’ matters, such as housing, food prices, and marriages. In present Uganda, women are faced with a wide range of issues such as domestic violence, child abuse, HIV/AIDS, unemployment as well as poverty.

She adds that women political fibre is still weak; secondly women are also minors economically yet the politics of Uganda depends heavily on the economy. Thirdly, parties did not field women in all constituencies and or even support them appropriately.

Similarly opposition women just like their male counter parts faced the same problems. Similarly the women in the ruling party also enjoyed the same benefits their men had in the party NRM-O".

But Miria Obote insists that the ground was not levelled because of heavy deployment of the army, which intimidated her supporters. "In Lira, there were Mambas patrolling the city and all those factors played a big role in my defeat".

Salvation lies in an energetic March onward towards a brighter and clearer future. Women unhampered growth out of old traditions and habits. The movement for woman’s emancipation has so far made but the first step in that direction if it is to be hoped that it will gather strength to make another.

Dr Ahikire The demand for equal rights in every vocation of life is just and fair. Indeed, if partial emancipation is to become a complete and true emancipation of woman, it will have to do away with the ridiculous notion, which is synonymous with being slave or subordinate. That alone can transform the tragedy of woman’s emancipation in Uganda into joy, limitless joy.

Media Technology and Privatisation

Privatization is the process of transferring property rights from public ownership to private ownership. To keep the definition within this questions’ exposition, privatization can be defined as the transfer of media management, it services and activities from government to the private sector.

Privatization as a policy has got a number of objectives, which include development of the economy and enterprises, budgetary and financial improvement, income distribution and redistribution and most importantly political considerations.

Its important also to highlight on some of the specific objectives of privatization; reduction of opportunities for corruption by public officials, encourage employer ownership, introduce new technology and promote innovation, create competition to abolish monopolies and to foster the enterprise’s efficiency among others.
However with today’s rapid change in technology, privatization has posed a number of challenges to media managers in the global markets.

To begin with is competition for audiences visa-vi the increasing number of advertisers. The new global competition has handicapped the financial performance of media houses by exposing them to increased pressure on their profits hence leaving the media managers literally caught pants down. This means that media managers must seek new ways to earn more money and also new ways to improve efficiency if they are to maintain high profits.

Such conditions have instead aided the unsparing arms of privatization policy to land media managers into legal charges of fraud, corruption and any other similar behaviors in trying to match their consistent counter parts in the global market as well as making both ends meet. For example Teddy Cheeye’s Uganda confidential that collapsed in the whims of fraudulent scandals.

Secondly, advanced technology as the main driving force behind the changes in the media, it has created new ways of developing and producing messages, distributing information, promoting and selling its product. Such technology requires a lot of media capital investment to employ and develop staff with appropriate skills.

This has in reverse made it difficult for media mangers to contain the speed of technological change and the range of skills needed. This is due to limited resources available to retain the same level of employee ongoing commitment to and management of traditional collections as well as integrating commitment to digital collections without additional resources. For example The new vision had to hire an expert to just come and change the packaging of the paper for it to meet the international market standards.

Similarly media managers have the task to give its employees suitable incentives even if the cost goes to staff of the media agency. This scheme is expected of every media organisation as a house policy to encourage employee performance in accordance with interest of the state. The real pressure builds on media managers when audits firms come to monitor the house internal input visa-vi the output and general house employee attitude. For instance a broadcast media like the Capital Fm pays large sums of incentives up to 3 millions and over to especially the presenters who almost do nothing apart from just yapping (discussing non issues) as a means of motivation.

Media managers further face potential legal problems as well. In Uganda, at least many media managers have been sued or criticized unsuccessfully, for libel, based on his supposed misuse of materials they took from the Internet a case in point is the Redpepper with its infamous publications of articles coupled with computer photo manipulations. Such practices have dearly costed media managers their integrity and credibility.

This is why most Editors in Uganda try to avoid stories developed electronically as to follow the same kinds of procedures traditional newspapers have always used to make stories accurate and fair and to ensure that information-gathering practices can pass ethical scrutiny.

Further more is the issue of compliance with the buyer obligation. As it’s always the procedure in privatization i.e. when the contract is signed, the contract normally imposes terms that the buyer must fulfill. These obligations extend over years that often concern maintenance of existing jobs, creation of new ones and achievements of specific objectives. Such need money to monitor the contracts and institute proceedings if necessary so as to compel buyers to honor their commitment.

The real challenge to media managers therefore is not just the sell of shares but seizing the role of publics to administer through the private media, increase efficiency and adapt to enterprise sector economy as a whole in order to meet the first changing globalization demand. An example can be drawn from The New Vision when it was selling its 20% shares; it for instance took William Pike sometime to convince the public into buying shares.

In addition, the electronic media traditional practice of online data mining and publications has also raised concerns that have led some government agencies to deny news organizations access to records including those that are not harmful to the national security.

This has driven journalists to wrongfully tapping into databases and rummaging through the lives and records of citizens something, which is certainly enhanced by the ability to go into the computer. To this extent, it means media managers do not have hands on their reporters who are on fishing expeditions into the lives of people with no greater purpose than to see what they can find about them. This is common in especially cases to do with in public offices such as corruption, sex scandals and fraud among others.

As a result, information has been subjected to the privacy legislation protecting information held on individuals. Copyright and other intellectual property rights (IPR) such as moral rights have therefore had substantial impact on digital preservation of materials by media managers.

In the network environment, any individual with access to the Internet and Intranet can also be publishers and the network publishing process does not always provide the initial screening and selection at the manuscript stage on which libraries have traditionally relied in the print environment

Further on, in the digital environment, it is also possible to by-pass the traditional distribution channels, as well as filtering and quality control processes. Much as this benefits users in terms of swift access, there are also difficulties in terms of quality control that places a burden on organizations and or media managers in terms of resources and also in terms of the potential impact in selection of the proper medium since media products are very perishable.

An example can be derived locally from within Uganda. The print media like the Dailies are far more advantaged in publishing news scopes as opposed to the Weeklies. The Observer for instance cannot compete with The Monitor in publishing fresh hard news.

Similarly print media cannot compete with Radio Broadcasters in breaking news and maintain subsequent updates as the event unfolds. A case in point can be deduced from the variation in reporting presidential electoral results in late Feb 2006.

In cases where there may be multiple news room units targeting segmented audiences, decisions may be cumbersome in selecting which version is best for channeling messages, or whether more than one should be selected. Sampling dynamic resources as opposed to attempting to save each change, may be the only practical option but may also have severe repercussions if the sampling is not undertaken within a well-defined framework and with due regard to the anticipated contemporary and future needs of the users.

A relevant local here can be referenced to TV viewer ship se Wava Broadcasting Service (WBS). WBS has so many different types of viewers of which selecting the version to suit each segment requires practical inquiry. For instance the time in which they broadcast their TV series is different from the only other TV competitor Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC).

However there is need to also appreciate that despite these insurmounting challenges, technological advancement and polices like privatization have also have positive attributors which have aided media managers to survive in the sell of media products for example it has helped them to privately mobilize resources to finance investments that can no longer be funded by public finances and improve the quality of their products and services among others and a case in point is UBC current product.

In conclusion, its true privatization is causing insurmountable challenges to media mangers, but it is worth entertaining in the global market given the positive changes that we have experienced since the privatization of UBC.

References
David Hutchision. (Ed). (1999). Media Policy Introduction.
Pierre Guison. (Ed). (1997) The Privatization Challenge; A Strategic And Institutional Analysis Of International Experience.
John M. Leveine. (Ed). (1995) Managing Organisation; Effective Leadership of the Media:.
Feeney, M. (Ed). (1999). Digital Culture: Maximizing the Nation’s Investment.

Is Abstinence The Way To Go!!!

In 2002 TASO Tororo statistics indicated that Merikit Sub-county was one their major program areas hit by high infection rate with about 60% of its population living with the virus. Merikit is located in northern part of Tororo District about twenty four kilometers from the town area Mbale road. This article takes a deeper observation of the challenges of abstinence among the rural Jopadhola community as one of the strategies to curb AIDS infection rate.

As a health seeking initiative, abstinence is the act of avoiding any form of sexual penetration before and after marriage that is not socially sanctioned by the society. Among the Jopadhola generally, it’s the act to hold one’s self from anti-social sexual behavior in the line of cultural-religious morals.

Leo Othieno clan leader notes that through abstinence especially in today’s immoral society stuffed with all forms of temptations, it could be a way towards re-discovering our lost cultural norms and religious values attached to virginity and fidelity in order to regain the universal divine human dignity.

But is this the same else where? This year Pastor Sempa’s newsletter prime timer reported that the Omukama Solomon Gafabusa Iguru spent complete three months on a touring his Toro kingdom sensitizing his subjects on their role in curbing HIV/AIDS, "we want to employ our traditional culture abstinence as an initiative to curb HIV/AIDS"

This implies that that there is general call for change, a change which will connect sex with permanent relationships for example with marriage and incorporate slogans like "I'm worth waiting for!" especially for the young people.

Sr Agnes Keteko Senior Nursing officer and a resident of Merikit says that since abstinence is said to be effective in reducing early sexual activity, this calls for a need to provide a foundation for individual responsibility.

However she decries the role of liberal elites, they have corrupted abstinence-until-marriage initiatives and turned into the use condom.

This is something every Jopadhola is not comfortable with is this part of Tororo. Emmanuel Osillo graduate of Developmental studies from Uganda Martyrs University explains that liberal elite’s initiatives is a nonsensical case, it sounds like a detergent, which kind adds dirt instead of taking it out. For instance, it’s to the interest of our societal pride to have virgin and that is the only thing we as young people can be very proud of let alone other achievements.

He added that to demonstrate commitment, the local communities here have even established local anti-HIV/AIDS initiatives like Maka-Abura in Maliri and Post-test club in Merikit parishes. Such programs enable them to communally discuss usefulness of abstaining.

This implies that the pro-condom use advocate like Human Rights Watch (HRW) among others which criticize abstinence as being a US Christian conservatives ideology are minimizing efforts to promote the use of abstinence before the Jopadhola therefore placing them at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

What can be done therefore in the face of such a challenges especially at the time when the AIDS epidemic is eating every one irrespective of age? James Opendi an elder in Agugu clan Amurwo considers the need to re-institutionalize the forum of traditional practice in order realize the traditional sexual mores and values which formally depended on lived memory and knowledge of tradition enshrined upon the elders.

He explains that to pursue these classical forms of socialization, elders must be allowed the opportunity to share in public life with the hope that it will result to preventable western practices that are destructive to their cultural and or behavioral sexual practices in any form for consumption.

The Jopadhola here also called for religious revival as instruments that have in the past helped in shaping society mores for example Monica Aboth a local leader of women’s guild a catholic based founded women movement in Kachinga village argues that virginity is a result of abstinence, which is both a cultural and religious requirement.

A religious leader who declined to be named adds, abstinence is a moral demand as reflected in God’s commandments "He who commits adultery fails his commitment" Therefore religious institutions are the right partners to appropriately teach abstinence through catechism instruction for the young people, homilies during prayer services.

What then is the major cause of early sexual encounters the youth I this part the district? A sub-parish of Amurwo chief Gabriel Ochwo parish explains that there is a popular myth, that the primary cause of teen sexual activity is raging hormones; the real cause of teen sexual activity is emotional emptiness. It is a search by young people for acceptance, identity, purpose, or love.

This has generated feelings among the Jopadhola that there is need for real abstinence education to address identity, self-esteem, healthy relationships, and character with the expectation that it will create hope for the future.

This gives timely insight into what abstinence does and does not mean within and without the Jopadhola society. But already many studies in marital adjustment between men and women indicate that couples that have been virgins before marriage make better adjustments in the institution of marriage and are less likely to divorce or cheat than those that had pre-marital sex relations.

This can be validated by an American psychologist Eugene C. Kennedy who asserts that Virgins are a better fidelity material simply because individuals who do not indulge in pre-marital sex have high ego strength with conventional attitude.

But have the youth in this community realized that penetrative sex should be genuine, honest in the sense that consensus is required to generate the willingness to see beyond the moment of pleasure too near and the far reaching consequences.

Isaacs Bony coordinator of Burning Forest a youth corporate partners says that abstinence is not the best option to fight this scourge.

Mark Odio from Bere village says that, there is no one right answer to preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS pandemic. And those who want to simplify the solution to just one method "abstinence" simply do not understand the complexity of the problem.

He is however also concerned that whether it’s true or false that condom use as a means to control HIV/AIDS is a recurrent passage to spread HIV/AIDS while abstinence is non recurrent.

But many Jopadhola in Merikit shared the view, that anti-abstinence and yet pro-condom users are liberal economists who are after enriching themselves but not to save life. If they are committed to save life they should supply those condoms freely, they should demonstrate their charity (HRW).

Such a unison view is because Jopadhola generally traditionally bound by communal ties that in the best interest of the African tradition of helping others help themselves, it was time to join hands as kins for compassion and justice to assist especially the young people, women of Merikit and this nation to overcome HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty.

To realize such a pact, measures such as sex education, health, and respect of culture, acknowledge, the fear of God and nurturing socialization environment for young people who will transform the future and hope for this entire generation in the country sides.

When all is said and done good health is a major necessity for development and yet to maintain it is very expensive, with one voice this community opts for the in expensive method "abstinence", backed with being faithful after engagement and in marriage and let condom use be perceived as one of the methods of birth control or treatable for STDs.

ABIJAN SHOULD HAVE EMBRACED ABSTINENCE

December 1st was world AIDS day; the theme was read "Stop AIDS. Keep the promise", another read if we fail to stop AIDS, AIDS will not fail to wipe us out, charity begins at home, keep your promise to stop AIDS

And George W Bush re-stated his 15 billion commitment to fight AIDS using the ABC model he was flanked by his predecessor Billy. The duo assured the world that AIDS was still the biggest health threat especially in the third world countries.

Five days later the 14th the United Nation General Assemble (UNGASS) is meeting in Abjan Nigeria to discuss impacts of HIV/AIDS on the families, the major issues shall be choice of strategy Europe’s condom or and United States abstinence strategy.

In Uganda the ABC model has been associated with the decline of HIV/AIDS. Condoms that are readily available, effectively promoted and used consistently are said to have played an important public health role in HIV prevention.

Professor Joseph Konde-Lule 2003 says despite the strategy in place especially as condom use continues to rise; easy access has only been attained in urban areas while most rural areas have very low access to condoms transmission. This is consistent with report of Agency France presse, that condom use in Uganda has increased form 5-54 percent.

Abstinence or sexual intercourse with a mutually uninfected partner is though most effective in preventing HIV infection while using condoms can simply ridicule the risk of infection of STDs including HIV for those who are not abstinent.

According to Weller and Davis 2002, the most recent meta-analysis of condom effectiveness suggest that when condoms are used consistently, they provide only an 80% reduction in HIV/AIDS infection rate
But as we all know, no public health strategy can guarantee perfect protection. For instance influenza vaccine is only 60-80 % effective in preventing Influenza. So the real public health question is not are condoms 100%, but rather, how can we more effectively use condoms to help prevent spread of AIDS.

Are Condoms Effective Barriers?
Center for diseases control and condom for prevention of STDs 1988 report indicates that, yes! In the laboratory, latex condoms are very effective at blocking transmission of HIV because the pores in latex are too small to allow the passage of virus.

Condoms have therefore been shown to be effective barriers not only to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, but also to harpies’ simplex, hepatitis B, chlamydia and gonorrhea.

The same report also reveals that out of the laboratory, condom effectiveness declines with introduction of the human factor. Despite condom education, people do not use the condom well as human are prone user error. Condom failure is more often due to user failure than product failure

Users fail to use a condom in each act of sexual intercourse, i.e. put on a condom before any genital contact occurs due use of drugs or alcohol impairs judgment and proper condom use.

But to ensure maximum condom efficacy, the following should be avoided, use of oil based lubricants, storing condoms in direct heat or sunlight, using condoms damaged packages or shoeing obvious signs of age (brittle, sticky or discolored).

Why Do People Not Use Condoms?

Choi KH, Rickman R, Catania, JA of New England Journal of Medicine 1994 suggest that its mainly because of the emotional reactions or misconceptions.

Uganda’s 2003 of Statistics show that 54% believed that condom use might fail during intercourse, 41% complained they reduced sexual sensation, 31% were uncomfortable buying them and 21% felt uncomfortable putting them on.

Interacting with university students at Makerere, factors associated with using a condom-included embracement about condom purchase, difficulty discussing condom use with their partner, and believed that condom interferes with their sexual pleasure especially first years and those coming from single sex schools.

Similarly, According to MacDonald, High risk STD/HIV behavior among Canadian college student 1990, the study does not differ much from the Uganda’s tale.

Can Condoms Be Promoted More Effectively?

Absolutely. Barriers to greater condom usage have hardly begun to be addressed in Africa at large. Bill Clinton in an interview with BBC talking point program said the major challenge to effective condom use is lack of awareness yet sexually active people are between 17 and 30 years old and among them are sex workers.

"We need a comprehensive strategy to treat people as we find them. AIDS is a disease that will kill any body that contracts it but you can not stop people from having sex. We have to tell them how to do it and those who do not have it just do not have sex unless you have a faithful partner".

Though abstinence is not the most powerful weapon to combat the epidemic and West stuck to use the condom strategy and the North with rather a strong moral religious background, in Abjan they will have to reconcile this debate.

But can making condoms available in more venues ease the access, would it help remove any stigma or embarrassment. In Uganda, local ordinances have been introduced to require bar and liquor store owners to sell condoms. But the consumption has been only partly successful in urban centers.

Again can innovative approaches like these and those above boost sales, cultural acceptability, and ultimately, use of condoms. South Africa have instance declined to embrace such innovations, this means that we need not to disagree with abstinence strategy but accept and just work around it.

Are Condoms Foolproof?
No. Neither are seatbelts, helmets, vaccines, or people. But in the real world we drive to work, vaccinate our children, and hope to get through the day unscathed. No disease prevention strategy is ever perfect, and all strategies, including abstinence, depending on the skills and knowledge of the user.

But we are aware that a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy uses multiple elements to protect as many people at risk of HIV infection as possible. Abstinence and mutual monogamy are a part of that strategy, as well as promoting correct and consistent condom use.

In a study of 245 heterosexual couples where one partner was HIV-infected and the other wasn't, none of the 123 male or female partners who consistently used condoms became infected. In contrast, 12 of the 122 partners who either didn't use condoms or used them inconsistently became infected.

Correct and consistent condom use can dramatically reduce the risk of HIV or STD transmission. With over million Ugandans and about 4.9 million currently infected with HIV in the world, and the majority of infections sexually transmitted, condom promotion is a crucial part of any public health strategy but less likely to achieve the desired results.

Cultural Chernobyl

Chernobyl has a very rich history beginning with charter of 1193 described as a hunting-lodge of kynyaz Rostislavich. It then sails through so many incidences including religious Jewish communities, polish campaigns, up to Saturday 16th April 1986, the Chernobyl-4 nuclear reactor, that is a city in north central Ukraine; site of a major disaster at a nuclear power plant. The catastrophe is attributed to a flawed reactor design and mistakes made by the plant operator. Wikipedia information about Chernobyl accident.

Examining systematically the events “between” 1193 to 1986 that are described as Chernobyl, were mainly tragic incidences, in my opinion the media from time memorial then coined collections of series of what I can term “ugly news” as cultural Chernobyl. Such is characteristic of this text am about to review. Some of the salient issues in this text relate to decision and ethical considerations, state verses the media power relations, media as an enterprise, media dominance and its impact on the consumers.

To begin with is to take a close examination of the F.A cup finals tragedy at Liverpool stadium where the sun editor Kelvin Mackenzie published in his front-page an article “THE TRUTH” which turned out to be complete false news due poor decision-making against the media ethics. It’s true that he was reporting the findings of Lord Justice Taylor.

The real cause of the Hills-borough disaster was over crowding…. The main reason for the disaster was failure of police control. Pg.445.

Yes but as an editor, Kelvin failed to establish the other side of the story. He made a bad decision much as he had the power to decide what is published when and how. I base my argument on Aristotle philosophy of ethical perspective; Kelvin lacked the virtue of wisdom and temperance. He was so extreme to the extent when the real truth was revealed, he was completely wrong. It is therefore recommended that even if an editor has the power to publish the truth with courage, he has to avoid extremity i.e. he should have tried to be just when reporting.

Another salient issue in this text is element of the state verses the media and power relations. That is, who determines what, when, where and how an article or news is to be packaged. For instance is the program 1988 Death on the Rock aired by the Thames television describing how!

British government was willing to use death squads abroad in its pursuit of the war in Ireland and it ends, Margaret Thatcher did not forgive Thames television for its transgression. When the government rounded on the Thames for what it called the distortion of death on the rock, Sunday times appeared to give more space to a series of politically motivated charges. Pg.457.

I appreciate the fact that the media was doing a good job to reveal the truth but not all that is true is good for public consumption. This was very injurious to the British international image. Further still is the bias, Sun times should chosen to remain neutral in the event of such a saga. On the other hand it was wrong for the government to seize the operation of ITV operation. Therefore power should be shared considerable between the state and media houses. The press should be left free to inform the people but it should not absolutely because obsolete power corrupts good principals. The media on the other hand should allow the state to regulate her, as matters of national security are obligation of the state.

Further still is the issue of media as an enterprising firm. Most media firm exist for the purpose of social existence as opposed to the social consciousness they project such as provision of information, entertainment, education, and let alone the persuasive advertisement in market consumption.

I asked him about Murdoch’s reputation for ruthlessness. “Look,” he said, at that high level business principals can come across as ruthlessness… In 1989, Murdoch disclosed that he was a born-again Christian. He said he foresaw a major religious revival in Britain in which his paper would play part… what Murdoch got from wapping was money, he saved millions of pounds…Pg.465.

Though I acknowledge the fact that it’s acceptable for media agencies incur costs therefore need mobilise funds in order to operate Possibly through charges for advertisements among others. But when media moguls like Murdoch begins operate his firm for only strategic interests, this leaves the industry at risk. For instance many contentious issues will be ignored at the cost of publishing and broadcasting only the selling news at the time. For example around that era, there was that growing tension of Iraq-Kuwait oil ownership that calumniated into the gulf war of 1990. From the above quotation, it possible that Murdoch papers skipped such news for the sake of earning more pounds.

In addition are the issues media monopoly and its impact to the consumers. In instance where one media firm controls so many other sub-media firms, is not healthy for societal information and fulfilling of the media obligations associated with position she hold in a given setting she is serving. A case in point another reference to Murdoch as a media proprietor,

Murdoch boasted that his revolution would bring new media freedom…many of the corporate who supported Murdoch are now …if Murdoch prediction is correct, two of the three remaining national news papers will be owned by him… Tony Blair’s New Labor partying many respects is a creation of the Murdoch press and the rest of the right-wing media. Pges.466.467 & 468.

The danger of such a monopoly of one single firm is that she influences the way a story is reported. For instance Murdoch’s papers publications have shaped Tony’s labor party, to the people who consume her editorials are definitely inclined to think along Murdoch’s works both within and outside Britain. As such. It’s not advisable to not allow media monopoly. On the other, if monopoly is unbearable, then to minimize possibility of bias, challenge of bias should be given priority in court, which have to be independent of the state.

Another salient issue is related with concerns of the media employees. Media agencies must observe the contribution of their workers and therefore have to reward them according to how much value they have added to the company since they got their appointment letters. A typical example is this I personally describe as “Murdoch media conspiracy”,

On January 2, 1986, Tony Briton… wrote to T. Isaacs…. Unknown to the Dean…Murdoch had been secretly…the idea is to catch as many employees as possible… huge saving to our company. Pg 460 &461.

In my opinion Murdoch and company were being unfair to employees who had already been assured safety of their jobs. They wanted to even deny them pension. Such an act is very unethical; it’s a civil crime that can be heard in court and can result into very heavy damages to the firm ranging from public image to financial losses.

In conclusion, whatever one engages in, should not be for social existence but rather for social consciousness, contrary to words of Napoleon Bonaparte;

There is one thing in this world, and that is to keep acquiring money and more money, power and more power. All the rest is meaningless.

COMPUTER AIDED RESEARCH AND REPORTING (CARR)

1.1 Introduction to Computer Aided Research
As you set out to make the computer, particularly through the Internet, a useful tool in conducting research, it is important that it becomes such a simple tool to use. There are several useful tips and techniques to make the computer user-friendly, particularly if you are in the process of dealing with research material.
1.1.1 Switching between programs
When you will be conducting Internet research, you will have several windows open; the web browser and often the word processing package.
Instead of shutting down programs, learn how to switch between them. Many users switch between programs by clicking on the windows to bring the window they want to the front of the screen. This can become confusing when you have so many windows open.
On a PC, the short cut to switch between programs is: ALT + TAB. When you see the one you need to open in the window, release the ALT key and the program or file will open.
1.1.2 Filing
During research, you will be dealing with vast amounts of information and you want to keep each category separate from the other. It is therefore advisable to create as many folders as possible.
1.2 THE INTERNET
The Internet is an interconnected system of computer networks worldwide. It is a huge network of millions of computer hosts from many countries and organizations and communicating via a common set of protocols. Currently, the commonly used feature of the Internet is the World Wide Web, which is a system of Internet servers that host ‘web pages’. Different servers can only communicate with each other by means of a coding language known as the HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language).
1.2.1 Some Internet Software
Chances are that your Web browser software is using an old version of Internet Explorer of Netscape Navigator. This has implications on the speed and ability for you to access certain online resources. You get a free version from the Internet and install it on your PC. For Netscape Navigator, visit: home.netscape.com
For Internet Explorer: www.microsoft.com/ie
You should also get a copy of Adobe Acrobat reader so as to read online documents, which will be in PDF (Portable Document Format). Get a copy at www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/.
NB: These are huge programs that will paralyze any activity on the computer as they download.
1.2.2 Freeware and Shareware
Freeware tends to be software programs often on trial produced by big companies encouraging you to use their services. They gain e.g. through online advertisers etc…
Shareware is often by smaller companies free on trial for a limited period before they ask you to subscribe or buy.
Check on some of the packages they might have on some of these archives:
www.winsite.com, www.download.com, www.shareware.com.
1.2.3 Software for uncompressing files
Several packages available online will often be zipper or compressed to reduce the size and therefore the download time. You can recognize compressed files by the extensions e.g. .bin, .zip, .hpx or .tar.
Often, newer computers have the software to unzip files automatically. However, if you cannot get your file unzipped, then better get software to unzip your files.
For those using PCs, the principal shareware package is WinZip, which can be downloaded from www.winzip.com. Look for the most recent versions.
Note that some compressed files actually uncompress themselves automatically when you double-click on them. These files are called self-extracting archive and often have the extension .sea
1.3 Some Internet Protocols
There are several ways of mining data on the Internet. Some information can be accessed from the displayed web page, or from within other pages within the web site or actually get into files saved on other remote computers which are made accessible through a transfer protocol.
Most of these documents we want to access will be posted on the World Wide Web (www), but others, especially database documents, will be accessed through other hyperlinks or protocols, notably Telnet, FTP and Gopher.
1.3.1 The Telnet Protocol
As a research, chances are that some of the information you want to access will be stored is some online library catalogue which is still not accessible on the www. Since Telnet was one of the core Internet utilities long before the WWW, it has remained a secure way of storing and retrieving information among some institutions, especially highly specialized research and academic ones. It was one of the first methods how one researcher could for instance access and use programs on a faraway machine, possibly in another university.
For that matter, some hyperlinks on the web will be telnet links and they will easily be recognized through their URL, which begins with telnet:// instead of http://.
Note that Telnet databases have their own commands, which they recognize. It is therefore important to note the set of commands provided by each database. There are also some software that can be acquired to help if you find yourself having to deal with a vast amount of Telnet files.
1.3.2 FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
This is one of the systems that allow one to connect a computer to another for the purpose of doing certain tasks, especially the transfer of files. It was one of the main methods used to transfer computer files across the Internet before the advent of the WWW. Using FTP, you could transfer files from another faraway machine onto your own machine so that you can work on them or print them. Note that in your online research activities, you will still come across FTP archives on the Web, which are often good collections of files you can download. They can easily be recognized because they will have ftp:// at the beginning of the address.
In case you find yourself dealing with vast amounts of ftp files, you might actually seek the skills of an experienced information scientist within the main library for assistance.
1.3.3 Gopher
Gopher appeared on the scene in 1992 and was the first tool, which made it possible for the ordinary person to connect to other machines on the ‘Internet’ and look through them for useful information.
It is this Gopher that actually marks the beginning of the Internet, as we know it today.
The files in Gopher were often arranged in a tree structure whereby the information was arranged by the source in a logical hierarchy manner. It is at the bottom of the tree structure that you would find the useful information.
When the World Wide Web was developed by about 1993, Gopher became redundant.
The gopher document will have the following protocol: Gopher://
1.3.4 The World Wide Web (HTTP)
The WWW appeared in 1993 and was based on the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) which had the capacity to process and display graphics, images and text files easily.
The Web protocol, using the HTML, could now make it possible for millions of machines to understand each other and display documents form other machines in a standard way.
Since there are millions of these machines connected to each other, and therefore millions of documents that one can access, one needs a quick and user-friendly way to access and use that information. Thus the usefulness of browsers such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
1.4 Web browsers
These are software applications used to locate and display web pages. To access web pages, therefore, one needs a browser. The two commonly used ones are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer (MIE). Both of these are graphical browsers with ability to display graphics as well as text.
1.4.1 The Microsoft Internet Explorer (MIE) interface
There are several features on an MIE interface. Some of them change with different versions of browsers, but generally the key ones remain.
1.4.1.1 Setting Home
You can set your browser to take you to the website you use most frequently or the one you prefer to visit first each time you open your Internet browser. Each time you would hit the HOME button; it would take you directly to that site.
Click VIEW on the toolbar and select OPTIONS. Click the GENERAL tab. Put in the box the address of the site you want to have as your "home" site.
Or go to TOOLS, then click INTERNET OPTIONS, and go to GENERAL tab. While here, you can do several things including changing the HOME PAGE address. Other things you can do are to change the font sizes and color of the page.
1.4.1.2 Organizing your Favorites OR Bookmarks
If you have loved the site you have been visiting and you want to visit it again, it is better you set it up as a favorite.
You click FAVORITES on the toolbar and select ADD TO FAVORITES. The address will go to the bottom of the list of favorites.
Over time, the favorites are being added as LINKS and therefore get too many. Therefore, need to organize them into folders. Therefore: Under ADD FAVORITE, you choose NEW FOLDER and give it an appropriate name. Or under FAVORITES, you can choose to ORGANIZE FAVORITES whereby you get the option to Create Folders, Move or Rename them.
OTHER BROWSER FUNCTIONS
If you want to see when a page was last updated: Go to FILE, click PROPERTIES, look for CREATED and MODIFIED dates.
To see pages recently visited: On the toolbar, click HISTORY. Then you get links of web sites and pages visited in previous days and weeks. You can as well sort or search the history bar, by clicking the arrow next to the View button within the history window and search. Note that you can set the number of days you want the History list to keep track of the pages you visited. You go to TOOLS menu in Internet Explorer, click INTERNET OPTIONS, click GENERAL and then set days to keep pages or to CLEAR HISTORY.
If you need bigger or smaller FONTS on the page: Under VIEW, click FONTS (or TEXT SIZE) – decrease or increase (Largest, Larger, Medium etc…)
ASSIGNMENT
Launch the www.poynter.org website and look for Bob Steele’s article entitled "Computer-Assisted Reporting Challenges Traditional Newsgathering Safeguards". With respect to Ugandan journalism, assess the relevance of the ethical safeguards he proposes.

Uganda's Leading Entertainment House

Like no other town, Kampala represents the most significant changing face behind the horrors and ruins of a dark and gloomy past.

Party is the subject of life; it varies from the sublime to the ridiculous. Discos are very much the order of the day, Ange noir, Club Silk and Club Rouge being the leading dance halls.

Some of the discotheques present daily while others have it on particular days with assorted clubbing nights like holiday-makers, ladies, campus, corporate and alcoholic promotions.The music usually varies from night to night in style that is; House Reggae, Caribbean , Western music and African soul. Their music is extremely loud all nights and no hotels or residency in the city centre are immune.

One therefore has to learn to dance and for a hotel visitor, occasionally, the manager of the lodge provides the entertainment available be it African cultural dances and sometimes karaoke based on any type of music.

If its night and looking for a leave out of bed, Kampala will not disappoint you. There are a large number of places offering out of house entertainment most of which are found around hotels in addition to pubs, restaurants and night clubs, the national theatres which are open every day, and busiest over weekends.

Kampala city has become a modern bustling capital after suffering a great deal during the years of civil strife. It’s a city where you quickly feel at home and get used to its layout and structure.

Drama groups also present plays in both locals and international languages, the theatres include Pride, River side, Holly wood and Bat Valley .

For musicals, live bands and discos including the famous Afrigo Band play at House of entertainment adjacent crested towers on Friday and Saturdays, whilst other bands like simba sounds play at Equatoria Hotel and Ndere Troupe perform at the Nile Gardens Hotel in the city centre, and other venues out of town.

The Sheraton Hotel’s Rhinos always has rappelling bands from other countries, and they change these ‘gigs’ every few months.

There are also a number of bar and restaurants that have regular Karaoke evenings. The most patronized within the city center are Blue Africa at crested towers, The Venue at garden city, Victoria Tarvan on Bomb Road and Mateo’s on Kampala road.

The other popular sports bars are: Just Kicking in the Kisement, Kaos on Kitante Road , Capital pub in Kabalagala, Bumbo Nest in Bugolobi and Rock Garden next door to Speke Hotel.

The city has also got casinos within Kimathi Avenue a walking distance to most hotels and at hotel international hill tank open from 2:00 pm till late for those interested in gambling with area bar and restaurant to keep one moving.

For movie goers, garden city and Cineplex on Wilson Road are Kampala’s main cinemas showing recent films on large screens with sound and air conditioned environment.

Kampala is thriving and befitting the capital with clean water, damaged buildings now habitable and many new ones have emerged in Muyenga, Ntinda, Bugga, Naalya, Bukoto, Gabba among others places.

She is one of the few African capitals that were not founded by the colonialists.
Arcades have sprout all over the city center filed with boutiques, electronic shops, internet cafés, restaurants and travel agencies companies running multi-million businesses.

The food markets in Nakivubo, Nakasero, Nakawa, Wandegeya, Nebba and other corners of the city are all very well stocked except the current nerving load shading that has rocked across the whole city.

Kampala is built on seven hills; the city centre is just one of them, Nakasero. The top of the hill is garden city with a wide quiet avenue lined with large houses behind imposing fences and golf course.

Embassies, international aid organizations, banks and business-towers, up-market hotels, government offices and the affluent including the president reside here.
Catch a day in Kampala and you won’t get disappointed