Uganda Perspective

Zeroing in on Kony, Obo is the new Gulu

We haven’t heard much about the 100 U.S. special forces sent to Uganda last year to help catch Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army- until yesterday when this article appeared on the Associated Press.

The article reiterates the problem with catching Kony lies in his ability to slip easily across the porous borders of Uganda, Congo, Sudan and the Central African Republic (C.A.R.).  Now, thanks to US technology and expertise, and enthusiastic, unprecedented cooperation between the various countries, the LRA is being tracked and the noose is tightening.

Activity is currently concentrated around the town of Obo in the C.A.R.  Conditions there today are much like they were in Gulu, Northern Uganda for decades as people were terrified by Kony’s roving marauders.  Farmers do not stray more than five kilometers from town.  People fear saying anything that might be heard by LRA spies.  US-led local troops apparently freed a group of people recently captured by Kony – so the man remains determined and dangerous.

There are huge resources behind the capture of Kony – more than $25 million in U.S. aid and millions more from other donor nations.  It boggles the mind to think that if Kony were not an issue, the investment of those funds into enterprises throughout the region would work to alleviate poverty.  The Youtube movement called Kony 2012 is having zero effect on the capture effort.

As for the marauding rebel himself, it is estimated he has between 150-300 followers still with him.  Even as small bands are captured, Kony stays on task.  “I can still be effective if I have only 10 men,” he says.  Here’s hoping he has zero men and ends up in prison by the end of the year.  What a waste.  Thanks to Ralph Cervantes for finding the AP story.

Kony 2012 – Scam or Strategy – You Decide

Since Monday, March 5, the film KONY 2012 has gone viral on the Internet with, as of this writing, more than 64 MILLION views.  Also promoted under the name "Visible Children,” the film depicts the atrocities committed by Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) over the last 30 years, mostly in Uganda, and urges viewers around the world to push their governments to find this man and bring him to justice.

The exploits of the LRA were documented in a film called Invisible Children, produced by the same people and shown to thousands of high school kids around the world.  The film generated millions of dollars in donations. 

But the LRA was put out of business in Uganda in 2006.  And the film is still being shown.

In my opinion, this film – KONY 2012 – is the sequel, the next attempt to exploit young and naïve people to join a cause that needs no joining.  The premise is that by making Kony famous and taking to the streets, somehow the UN will step up efforts to capture Kony and bring him before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.  The film producers claim that their efforts are responsible for the U.S. sending 100 special forces troops to Uganda to help in the capture of Kony. 

First, let me say the film is brilliantly done.  And the producers’ ability to promote their product/cause is just possibly the most astounding and inspiring piece of work this old promoter has ever seen in his lifetime.

But here’s the problem with this thing:  The premise of “the movement” is that if you get enough people yelling in the streets, the problem will be solved by somebody.  If that worked, why wouldn't  we have millions in the streets yelling for world peace?

But wait, there’s more.  The producer keeps saying Uganda, Uganda, Uganda when referring to Kony.  Kony hasn’t been in Uganda since 2006.  If you access the producer’s Kony-Finder, you see the rebel has operated throughout central Africa in at least four countries.  HE ISN’T IN UGANDA!   When pushed by an NBC interviewer today, he admitted Kony is believed to have less than 200 followers.  “Soldiers…” he corrected.  “And that’s 200 abducted children…” he added.  Last reports were Kony is living like an animal in the jungle with 200 ragged followers.  THEY ARE BARELY SURVIVING… NOT ABDUCTING CHILDREN.  And finally, it has been reported only 32% of the NINE MILLION DOLLARS collected so far on this project goes to help Kony’s victims.  The producer says, “Oh, we have a different model of charity… it’s message, movie, mobilization.”  What the heck is that?  IT’S NOT A CHARITY.

This whole thing sounds like the perpetrator is on an adrenaline high funding a movement just to make noise and, well, line his pockets.   As long as Kony isn’t caught, the movement continues to stir the hearts of young people and naïve celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey and Justin Bieber and generate donations.   And if Kony is caught?  I wouldn’t be surprised if the film goes on for years. 

Maybe you are stirred by the message.  I think it’s a brilliant, brilliant scam.  

Gorillas Earn Uganda Top International Tourist Spot by Lonely Planet

Of all the places in the world, Lonely Planet chose Uganda as THE top tourist destination for 2012. 

It was mainly the attraction of seeing mountain gorillas in their native forests that caused the choice.  CHECK OUT THIS AMAZING VIDEO OF AN ENCOUNTER WITH WILD GORILLAS. But there were the other things as well – the national parks full of wildlife, the good hotels, improved roads, white water rafting on the Nile, climbing to the snowy peaks of the Rwenzori, the safe environment for trekkers and backpackers and the stability of the nation.  This is a major milestone for Uganda which was one of the world’s top tourist destinations before independence in 1960, a status that caused Winston Churchill to call Uganda “The Pearl of Africa.”

Most people following Lonely Planet will most likely spend their time in Uganda with professional tour companies or guides who are highly personable and knowledgeable.  The net experience will be good since the pros understand what it takes to give a pleasing tourist experience. People met along the way will enhance the experience because of course the Ugandan people are naturally welcoming and pleasant. 

But outside of the professional tours, eco-lodges and large urban hotels, I have to say there remains a huge void in hospitality service.  In the last three weeks, frequenting restaurants at all levels, I’ve regularly encountered laziness, resentment and downright stupidity among servers.  One restaurant owner argued with me that I needed to pay in full with my order because the place was often crowded and they couldn’t control people running away without paying.  We were the only people in the place.  One waitress showed me to a table and then pulled out a wet rag to wipe it down, flipping it my way.  While I waited for my table to dry, she came around and draped a table cloth over it and into my lap.  Eventually the coffee came.  Once it did, a guy came around swabbing the floor on his hands and knees, all of which contributed to a delightful breakfast experience.  Like, they couldn’t have been ready for clientele BEFORE the doors opened?

Everyone agrees there needs to be training of hospitality workers but who is to do it if even restaurant owners don’t understand the concept of service?  The owners are often foreign-born Middle-Eastern or Asian who treat their help like cattle and hide behind their cash drawers.  I find it ignorant and deplorable and, even with the immense leeway I give people in Uganda because it’s Uganda, how can people operate with such an innate lack of common sense about service?  Can’t they treat people as they would like to be treated?  A friendly smile, a warm welcome, someone who understands English in this English-speaking country and wishes me a good day… is it too much to ask?  Ask me next trip.

PS:  The next best locations named were Myanmar (Burma), the Ukraine and Jordan.

 

Meet Patrick, the Only Hope for Street Kids in Kabale

You read my piece on street kids in Kabale.  That was the problem.  Here is the solution.  His name is Patrick Tushabomwe and this man is dedicated to getting every street kid off the streets of Kabale.  Estimates are there are only 95 of them so the goal is achieveable but the work will not be easy.

On January 4, Patrick opened The Shepherd Centre in Kabale town, in a rented house, and in the presence of board members, supporters, government officials and clergy.  It was a great event, particularly because there are 14 young boys under his care. The facility offers housing, counseling, parenting.  The kids get to go to school.   It’s a good start.

Patrick’s heart was broken for street kids more than five years ago.  He started seeking them out just to let the kids know someone cared.  He provided soap and some food for them at Christmas.  He learned where they stay, how they live, and began to understand the family situations that would cause them to be tossed onto the streets.  Even while he underwent intense discipleship and evangelism training in the ABIDE program for Juna Amagara Ministries, he thought of the kids in Kabale.  Even while he earned his bachelor’s degree,  Patrick planned facilities for the kids. 

Eventually he found some backers from the U.S. who caught the passion and now Shepherd Centre can provide safe shelter, parental love and discipline AND reconciliation services for families.  None of this easy or cheap but great progress has been made.  The goal?  Zero street kids in Kabale.  However long it takes.  Whatever it takes.  That’s what Patrick says and I believe him.

To support to The Shepherd Centre, click HERE.  Check them out on Facebook HERE.

The Sad Case of Brian The Tough Guy

In Kabale Town, the lowest form of life is not vermin or the garbage storks or mangy stray dogs.  It is the street children, mostly boys, ranging in age from four to sixteen.  These are kids who may have one living parent but whose lives at home are so intolerable, they are forced to survive by their wits on the street.  Some parents are too poor to feed the child so they throw him out.  Some are alcoholic or mentally disturbed and cannot care for the child.  Some are so abusive, the child runs away.

Street kids sleep in abandoned or unoccupied buildings.  They eat from garbage piles.  They wear rags.  They rarely bathe. They must be wary and clever and sly.  They become inured to pain, both mentally and physically and, just to survive, they become tough.  Because they are completely feral, they are treated like wild animals.  People shoo them away.  The police beat them.  They are harassed.

It all became clear here one evening when a young boy named Brian was brought to a place called Shepherd Center, a haven for street boys.  The boy was filthy and weak and had a bloody bandage on his arm.  He was given some food and water and later, the bandage was cut away. It was discovered the boy had a double compound fracture of his left arm.  It appears he had been deliberately hit at high speed by a boda boda driver three days earlier.  But Brian never so much as whimpered.

Shepherd Centre people took him to the hospital and, after hours of searching for the one doctor who was supposed to be on duty, got an X-ray and then, nearly 12 hours later, the boy received treatment that just barely saved the arm.

 Poverty has many faces.  This is just one of them.

The Battle Over Homosexuality in Uganda Deepens

Many have forgotten the flap a couple of years ago when a Member of Parliament in Uganda proposed severe penalties for homosexual acts.   You can read that background HERE.

While the subject has been back burner in the world media, those who push the gay agenda have been persistent.  This week’s survey of local news in Uganda tells the story.

In October, Mr David Cameron U.K Prime Minister said publicly that “infringement on gay rights is one of the things that determine the country’s aid policy…” clearly threatening that foreign aid from the U.K. to Uganda is to be tied to the latter’s gay policies.

Previously, the UK delegates to the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) had urged Uganda to resist a gay push.  In November, Zanzibar President Ali Mohammed Shein said in Tanzania, ““We have our own culture and it should be known and understood that we shall not receive any command from anywhere using whatever sanctions to undermine our way of living. UK should understand this.” 

Kenya said ditto.

A few days later, Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe chimed in:  “Cameron’s gay talk is diabolical,” he said.  The President has threatened to mete severe punishment against gays for their behaviour, which he said is inconsistent with African and Christian values.  He attacked British Prime Minister David Cameron for threatening to withdraw aid to African countries that did not embrace homosexuality, calling him ‘Satanic’.

And just a few days ago, Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, the retired Catholic Archbishop of Kampala, asked African leaders not to accept overtures from the United Kingdom or any other foreign nation in exchange for embracing gay rights.

Anglican bishops attending an all-Bishops Conference in Entebbe reiterated their unanimously firm stand against homosexuality. President Yoweri Museveni commended the Church for its strong stand against homosexuality. He asked the clergy and African leaders to guard against Western culture, warning that the continent will end up eaten by homosexuality if they relax.

Homosexuality is a serious issue in East Africa.  It is not acceptable on any level.  When will the West leave those countries alone to deal with it on their own terms?... wait, I know, when they become economically independent and are not tempted to take aid with gay strings attached.

One Man's Safari into Brightest Africa - Read All About It

After more than seven years hard labor (well, three years hard labor and four years wondering how to put it together) I’ve just received copies of my new book on Uganda called They Call Me Mzee: One Man’s Safari into Brightest Africa.

Called “a remarkable story of discovery,” the book charts the cultural and spiritual ife of present-day Uganda.  Part memoir, part travelogue and part investigative report, the reader will learn about how the AIDS epidemic started in Uganda and spread throughout Africa.  And, how Uganda is still the only nation in Africa to have arrested the disease.  The report talks about the huge faith life of Ugandans, where it came from and what it means.  There is much discussion from a personal perspective about the plight of orphans and how ministries, the government and the church are dealing with the ever-growing problem.

Most importantly, it is my personal story of discovering a place where faith underlies all.  The people I meet, the visitors I take to Uganda and the lessons we have for each other are insightful, surprising.

Anyone who has been to Uganda, who is planning to go to Uganda or who supports the work in Uganda should read this book.  You will laugh, you will cry and you will learn something of Africa you have never seen anywhere.

Click here to order the book in paperback.  The Kindle version is due out in about 10 days.  $1.00 of ever sale goes to support the work of Juna Amagara Ministries in Uganda.

After you’ve read it, let me know what you think.  I answer all emails.  Enjoy.

Rush Limbaugh Blew It: LRA Not Christian, Needs Extermination

On October 14, Rush Limbaugh, reacting a news bit by Jack Tapper of ABC News, felt the need to comment on Barack Obama’s decision to send 100 troops to Uganda in an advisory capacity to help rid the country of the Lord’s Revolutionary Army.   The directive came in the form of a letter to House Speaker John Boehner.

Calling the nation oo-ganda, not you-ganda, Limbaugh first took umbrage that the U.S. would send troops to “fight Christians.”  “What, are we gonna then send troops to Egypt to fight Christians there as well?” he offered.  Then he wondered out loud exactly how in the world this action could be in the national security interests of the United States.

Let me just say this about that.  There is nothing Christian about the Lord’s Revolutionary Army.  Built on a wacky cult created by a woman called Nightmare Alice, elements of Christianity and Voodoo and other imagined stuff come together to create a violent, sacrifice-based belief.  Leveraging his aunt’s wackiness, Joseph Kony built the LRA.  Kony was part of the army that overthrew the last dictator in 1986 and he fully planned to run the nation afterward.  But another general, Yoweri Museveni, became the leader and Kony spent the next 20 years being a pain in the butt.  He terrorized the north, abducting boys into his army and girls to be “wives” for his generals.  He lopped off limbs.  He made children kill their parents.  No wonder Kony and his generals were labeled as war criminals by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. 

After much negotiation, the LRA was disbanded in Uganda in 2006 with many of the key players going on trial.  Yet Kony continued operations from bases in Congo and the Central African Republic.  He received much logistical support from Sudan until South Sudan became its own nation.  In 2008, a force of Ugandans and Congo soldiers attacked Kony camps in Congo.  They got Kony’s guitar and some of his men but Kony eluded capture.

Uganda has always been a friend of the U.S.  And Ugandans were thrilled when Obama was elected President.  This is the first indication that pleas for various types of support have been acknowledged by Obama.  If he can send 100 troops on an “advisory” mission… let’s assume they are special forces and will be directed to find and kill Kony, we will have done Uganda a big favor.  It is in our national interest to keep good relations.  Diplomatic work for the entire region is based in Uganda.  The nation is a force of stability in the region.  It’s where refugees come when their countries get dangerous.

So, Rush, get your stuff straight before you spout. And, please, no more oo-ganda.

Shilling Rate Hits 2800 to the Dollar; Invest in Uganda Now

Even as we hear the US dollar (USD) is weakening against major world currencies, it continues to get stronger against the Uganda shilling (UGX).  In 2011 alone the exchange rate has changed from 2200 to the dollar to today’s posted rate of 2800.  It wasn’t that long ago, just three years, when the shilling was getting stronger against the dollar every month, stabilizing at a rate of about 1600. 

Much of this difference can be explained by runaway inflation.  In speaking with Prof. Emmanuel Mutebile, the Governor of the Bank of Uganda in July, I learned the rate of inflation then was 14%, actually 7% without food and fuel.  Today, 90 days later, that rate is 21%, a 17-year high.  As he said, food and fuel are the real culprits behind the high inflation and worsening exchange rate.  Both are in high demand and supplies are increasingly limited.

What does this mean to people on the street?  First, let’s look at fuel.  Petrol (gasoline) is now selling for 3,800 shillings per liter.  At today’s rate that translates to about $6.00 per gallon which is the same dollar cost of fuel as in the last five years.  However, for Ugandans who were struggling to pay 1170 UGX per liter a few years ago, the cost has now tripled which, under the exchange rate of five years ago would translate to $18.00 per gallon.  The last time fuel was this high was during the Kenyan tribal riots of 2007 when the flow of fuel from Mombasa port was disrupted for a month.   Uganda, like any country depends on its trucks and taxis to move goods and people.  When those fuel costs are passed on to consumers, inflation launches into the stratosphere.

High prices are causing much suffering in country.  But there is a bright side.  Anyone bringing dollars to Uganda can now expect to receive triple the value they would have seen five years ago.  Now is the time to fund building projects, buy vehicles, start capital-intensive enterprises or… simply travel to Uganda.  Because an armload of emineche bananas bought by the side of the road still costs 2000 shillings but in dollars, they’ve gone from a buck to fifty cents.  Now is the time to build your textile mills, expand your agribusiness, set up your call center, donate funds to build schools, build the railway or build the soy processing co-op.  Because when the administration changes in the U.S. in 2012, the world’s economy will rapidly swing back to prosperity.  The investment you make now will then pay off big for decades to come.  Now is the time.

Riding Motorcycles from Cape Town to Jerusalem: Are They Nuts?

On September 4, 2011, two young, well-educated California men will begin a journey in Cape Town South Africa that will take them more than 8,000 miles up the spine of Africa to Cairo and then on to  Jerusalem.   They’re doing it for the adventure.  They’re doing it on Honda XR 400 dirt bikes. They’re also doing it to raise funds to build the Juna Amagara New Times Primary School in Kishanje, Uganda.  The event is called RideAmagara: Africa 2011.  And you can learn more if you click HERE.

The riders are Nolan Gallagher, a small-town big-sky boy turned professional baseball player for the Seattle Mariners.  A graduate of Stanford University, Nolan has given up baseball and when he returns from Africa, he’ll be studying for a degree in physical therapy.  Stephen “Brownie” Brown is a missionary kid who’s lived all  over the world.  Also a graduate of Stanford, Stephen worked in corporate America after graduation but has decided, upon his return from Africa, to enter medical school.

Over approximately four months, the adventurers will cross borders into 12 countries: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopa, Sudan, Egypt and Israel.  Their only plan is to make it before Christmas.  There is no detailed road map.  Accommodations are the tents on their backs.  There is no support van.  I don’t think there’s room for extra fuel.  But they are equipped with Bibles.  And immortal youth.

What, are they nuts?

There are no Interstate highways on this route.  What about breakdowns?  What about spare parts?  What about hostile territory?  What about pirates?  What about those long lonely stretches of savannah where there are no people, only warthogs?  What about all the different languages?  What about the Sept/Oct rainy season?  What will they eat?  How will they protect themselves at night in a tent in the middle of nowhere?  What about border crossings with surly and professionally uncooperative bureaucrats? Did we mention men with spears?  Roaming bands of Arabic slavers?  Tsetse flies, boa constrictors, thorny bushes, roads rutted like canyons?

Only the riders know the answers to these questions.  And certainly they have thought about all of these things, right?

 Meanwhile, Nolan and Brownie are asking for people to support the humanitarian reason for this ride.  The goal?  Raise $200,000 to finish a primary school and dormitory that will serve the needs of more than 500 children.  As you’ll see on their website, the riders are seeking corporate sponsors, but also individuals who can pledge $ per mile traveled – or support for a rider – or just a donation.  This is a worthy goal, as children in Uganda crave education and need it to survive.  The best kept secret in Africa is… the solution to overpopulation AND poverty is education.  This school will play a major part in all those roles.  Currently operating in rented buildings, New Times students regularly rank in the top percentile of all students in   Uganda.  With improved facilities and dormitories, these Juna Amagara orphan children will blossom into outstandingly productive adults.

Nolan and Brownie are carrying a PocketFinder GPS locator so we can all follow them in real time.  They promise to post frequently on Facebook (assuming they can find a computer).  And hopefully they'll smile if they are on CNN.  They request prayers for the journey.  God willing, they'll make it to Jerusalem by Christmas.