The Politics of Conflict and Peace in Uganda

Jacob Waiswa,

Peace and Conflict Program,

Makerere University,

Kampala, Uganda

In Uganda, there are endless conflicts between law enforcers and settlers, between developers and environment activities, and above all; between settlers and environment hazards like cholera. Those conditions represent the structural anomalies in the country, which amount to conflict, not just outburst or explosions into full-scale wars as some people say.

Conflict is rather an understanding of the root, growth processes, depth, nature, complexities, levels of occurrences, role-players and connectedness of conflict sources, multicultural, and multidisciplinary aspects of conflict explored, peace research, conflict prevention, and interventions designs and redress.

It is, therefore, wrong perception of conflict understand it as an end, rather than to attempt to grasp its initializing points, processes, parties, motivations, and strategies to address it.

In recent past, the president of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was quoted by the media suggesting to universities that a program on peace and conflict was irrelevant, having defeated Joseph Kony, the Lord’s Resistance Army in the north of the country.

Yet if the conditions, structural problems still stand, like disease pandemics, poor housing, poverty and unemployment, widespread prostitution of girls as young as 8 years, poor health services, remoteness, poor climate and starvation, and perception of unprivileged position compared to the south, then there is completely nothing to celebrate.

President Museveni cannot sit back and wait for the new Kony brand, but just to concentrate of transforming society for the better (peace). Conflicts in north are still worse, and if it blends with the rising structural concerns in the south, the country will be graced for a disaster.

Population explosion and its implications, for instance cannot be underestimated as agricultural production suffers serious setbacks, poor sanitation and disease pandemic become more vivid, unemployment and insecurity, encroachment on wetlands, which increases the natural incidences of flooding and destruction of lives and property, while congestion in the city puts pressure not only on the environment, but to city-dwellers themselves.

There is a lot of stress experienced through traffic jams characterized by headaches, aggressive driving, and accidents. Accidents have been very prominent in recent times, leading to scores of deaths.

And pollution, which is common in rapidly growing and congested areas, too, has adverse effects on health, in addition to the global impact of the resulting global warming as heat stress, general discomfort, moodiness, drought, famine, among others.

And once the freezing sociopolitical and socioeconomic trends and the miserable consequences are structured through the years, it becomes structured violence, and increases vulnerability to physical violence (physical confrontations).

Most people focus their attention at the crisis stage and ignore the crisis early development years. When commenting about the relevancy of some university programs, including peace and conflict, president Museveni castigated that program with a view that if Kony problem is over, its relevancy too ceases.

But many writers, as it can be realized by the simplest of the minds, have observed the situation in Uganda and labeled it a ‘time-bomb.’ Structural violence in the forms of vote-bribing, partial electioneering process, high inflation, food insecurity, global warming, break-down of the health care system, interfering with the work of the judiciary to influence court decisions, global warming on the persistent increase, and high population growth and unemployment constitute conflict awaiting transformation.

It is also important that government takes conscious steps to promote research, information sharing, and reading culture among the both elites and the general population. The president and other Ugandans, who think like him, ought to undo their position on the peace and conflict program said to be unable to meet national needs; that position is unfortunate, and a statement as that made such a senior citizen spills a lot about his own abilities as a leader and those associated to him. With them in powerful social positions, the future, now, brings lots of questions with no answers for the poor country, Uganda. 

REVISED: Are Women Really the Weaker Sex?

After the world war, women came to the limelight, and many flocked to workstations -having impressed in war adventure. Occupation-wise, they moved to the same radar as men.

Success of civil rights movements in 1960s helped to strengthen the position of a woman in Western Europe. Events soon set impulses to the Middle East. Women, there, did not enjoy the same privileges as men. And they were vulnerable to physical and verbal attacks.

Numerous prejudices were channeled to them. The structures in place had its oppressive dos and don’ts for them. But women, still, were the most oppressed –as they did not enjoy economic, educational and economic rights. Instead, as let down by Napoleon Bonaparte, women in the Middle East were a reserve of the kitchen.

In Uganda, strides have been made to liberate women. The country, now, boasts of reasonable number (of women) in political offices at different levels. Employment opportunities too are very much open to them, as is the gate to further studies. As a result, very many are rising to prominence.

Emphasis on women education has seen off women take positive advances in life. Even adults now go to adult literacy centers for further training which has helped guard against men chauvinism; increase their economic and social power. Women now find themselves capable of doing anything a man would like; managing a business firm, contesting a political office, and acting in self-defense against men violence

Biblical personalities like Mary (mother of Jesus Christ), Ruth and Bathsheba -who played leadership roles in Israel. God used them to fulfill his purpose in the world –of bringing salvation to sinful mankind.

There also exist women groups or associations that advocate and uphold women successes in their economic, educational and political strides. In these networks they enjoy advantages of sharing support information, encouraging and supporting education of the girl child etcetera.

The secret of women’s indomitable power tends to only be a preserve for the military. They are usually aware of the problem of trusting women. Soldiers, who all victim of women irresistible influence, could be doing so at own peril.

No wonder, women have proved best workers for defense or security intelligence gathering. This could explain why President Muammar Gadaffi of Libya preferred women power to men's for recruitment as bodyguards. So, why are women considered the weaker sex?

With such, it sounds great deal of capital for any successful negotiations. It would only be a matter of asking herself, “what?” Surely, women are bound to be decision makers anywhere and anyhow. Already, there are acceptable assertions to that regard –given the saying, “behind every successful man, there is a woman.”

As it is already happening, in future, all decisions would no longer just be bedroom-based -but in all spheres of human activity. Simply, it would be a woman’s availability that would matter -whether one or two of them -to cause an effect by her will.

But women are gradually coming to terms with the changing cultural and socioeconomic realities. It is very possible to find a woman entirely supporting a family without the help of a “man” -while at the same time married to “him”.

It would, therefore, be true that the so-called decisions men of any caliber make are actually women’s. Men could simply make any such decisions unconsciously. And so is a wave, this time round, called the strength or power of a woman. We could as well see cultures that earlier genetically discriminated women, get eroded. Should we expect emergence of men movements, thereafter, to advocate gender equity as women movement could have done?

Microfinance and Project Developments in Uganda

By

Jacob Waiswa
Dishma Inc.
P.O. Box 8885, Kampala-Uganda
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com
dishma.imhs@gmail.com
waiswajacobo@yahoo.co.uk


St. Balikudembe Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Owino Saaco) is one of the very many cooperative companies spread around the country –and masterminded by government in 2006 –to empower economically marginalized Ugandans. And it is one of the most promising government-founded savings and credit cooperative societies in Kampala Sub-region.

St. Balikudembe branch started operating in 2007 from its first home in Nakivubo trading area to offer market vender-tailored services, like sending out field officers to collect savings from client stalls rather than them (clients) walking to company offices, its strategic location within market premises –and the practice of giving business-friendly loans.

It set out to strengthen existing businesses and support enterprise initiatives by opening up to the business community in its area of operation. They did so through purchase of shares. It was stipulated that minimum amount of shares a member bought were five (5) costing five thousand shillings only (5,000/-) while no limit was put on maximum amount one wished to take.

It was at the time clients needed to borrow that members were required to hike shares held from 5,000/= to 30,000/= Uganda Shillings. This helped to increase loan repayment security. In that respect, low income earners were encouraged to save or raise membership fees in bits or small amounts they could afford such that, at end of the day, they took full rights and benefits of their membership while clients with shares expected dividends at the end of the year.

To completely secure membership to sacco, basically, clients had to pay 16,000/- where 10,000/- was charged to open an account, 5,000/- in payment for the minimum shares a client ought to have –and 1,000/- as charge for passbook or account book. From there, one began the run to self-driven economic liberation –as at that time they qualified to receive loans depending on the amount saved while amount of shares remained constant at 30,000/-. If for example a member had 75,000/- in savings, he or she was eligible to access a loan of 300,000/=; 125,000/- = 500,000/-; 250,000/- =1,000,000/-; and the limit amount of money they could borrow was 2,000,000/-. Before 2006, there was very little knowledge about saccos: their intentions, operations, management (efficiency and effectiveness, financial trust, safety and insurance).

Going into it them opened doors for one to learn about management issues of saccos, role descriptions and executions, working in a busy market environment, general organization structure, general history of saccos in Uganda, customer-relations, client training and recruitment of new ones. That, of course, had its challenges, like the taunting history of saccos –involving a series of them in the same area (Owino). In fact, stories of that nature were widespread; not only in Owino but all over Uganda.

Interestingly, however, government-founded saccos (GFSs) had financial and social security safeguards better than small privately individual own saccos. Not all did represent the truthfulness of a sacco. While saccos stood for ownership by members, in their operations, it was something different –personal business.

Unlike privately-owned saccos, GFSs enabled access to loans in the friendliest manner, flexible pay back, based its decisions to lend money on membership fees and amount of money accumulated and by sought signatures of at least three (3) people; one of them, a fellow member to the sacco and others; a market zone leader, and a local government leader in the area of residency. That facilitated a healthy and trustworthy relationship between sacco management and clients. But in both, the client had to have some kind of security –in possession of a business stall, immediate asset (as collateral security) or belonging to a responsible group of five (5) people.

In attempting to build confidence in would-be clients during sensitization, it was critical to clearly state such advantages as the possibility to save or repay loans in amounts they could afford and to expect a monthly bank charge of 1,000/= cheaper than the system of instituting percentage charges basing amount saved and withdrawn (e.g. 20,000/= charge on 40,000/=, 40,000 charge on 80,000/=). This would indeed promote poverty rather than fight it.

But, also, the advantage that GFSs were not individual properties that single owners will one day walk-away with –along with client money compared to private ones –simply because they were entities owned by members with shares and savings in it. Hopefully with constant yet close supervisions of sacco affairs, St. Balikudembe Sacco will turn out to be the safe-haven of everyone wishing to improve his or her economic life.

However, there was need to build effort and expertise needed to increase client-base for or membership of St. Balikudembe Savings and Credit Cooperative Society. On top of that; understand business environment, study company history and operation system, identify key staff support units (or officers) –and gain experience at working in as busy areas as Owino or St. Balikudembe market.

Approaches adopted were; client-based services that involved engaging clients –right from their work area –a kind of mobile office, exploit areas with already existing members as these acted as role-models, role clarity and avoid unnecessary mix with work unpaid for or meant for other staff, plan for my field work everyday –to include right content and presentation style done in after a small meeting before setting off, evaluate day's work and record planned actions for the next day's field mission, daily short message service, time table for work changed from 9 am to 10am of the less busy days to 11am and above for busier ones and enough time was given for rain to down-pour and flood entire work area until it stopped and drained out –and pass on information to the understanding of would be clients and questions were well answered and, where more information was needed, consultation was always the last nail in the coffin of the matter.

To understand the business environment, a lot of questions were raised for the old staff who readily answered all to the best of their knowledge. They covered the geography of Owino sacco, existing branches elsewhere, timing to return after several financial scandals, management composition, busiest days of the week, legal requirements, weather concern when working in the open, working days of the week, and tactics best known to them applicable to winning clients.

Marketing documents (catalogs and brochures) were read for the right information to present to prospecting clients –giving name and location of the company, its legal status, composition of management, clientele base, requirements to join, safety issues -and streamlined share-holder benefits. Armed with such information, it was helpful to build confidence in self before prospecting clients during one on one or one on five presentations or training.

A system of operation was developed –where in case of any gap during presentation time, right people to consult were available. These included the project manager, vice-chairperson of the board –and enthusiastic staff members with experience at working in the same environment for over a year. The same units acted as reinforcements to concretize information already passed-on to the satisfaction of the prospecting or harder-to-persuade prospecting members. And once recruited, they were referred to right people –with whom to keep in reach or expect to see collecting their savings right in places where they worked, or at their stalls.

It had been understood during staff orientations that the purpose of any dynamic youthful staff working, having got the opportunity to prove one's role-skills, knowledge and abilities was to excel and register tangible results. And at the end of the work tenure one could transfer experience to a higher position or another job for individual and social progress.

It was evident that as time went on, confidence rose so high that work became fun. Communicating company position and making every effort to persuade prospecting clients more over in a vast, very busy and noisy market area was more clear and comprehensible well enough to prompt a yes response. Some of the achievements were: reached 200 people where in three zones; 150 showed commitment and willingness to join, only 25 showed up but only 5 were confirmed to be active members; pledges to join remained a dream of the staff (field officers); and sacco management reported increment in membership to a tune of seven million per week in collections from those who saved with it (from Monday to Sunday).

Like in any undertaking St. Balikudembe did not go without challenges –moreover hard-biting ones:

To Clients
• Too poor to save and to affords collateral security –which turned sacco into a club of the haves rather than the don’t haves –escalating the rich-poor divide.
• Lost confidence in saccos and preferred bigger banks. Clients had negative experience with other microfinance institutions that operated in the area. It was reported that client money ranging from 20,000/- to 10,000,000/- was swindled so victims opted for other banks and decided never to join area cooperative society.
• Sacco demanded a lot to qualify clients to receive loans. Dividends were not given either.
• Hated mixing market politics with sacco management affairs –to which market executives were part –moreover most of them had been cited in scandals. In addition, was understood as a project of the ruling party –which prospecting members of other political parties would not join.
• They did not have sufficient training, or information about the sacco. Publicity was inadequate as at no time did venders' voice advertise sacco services.
• They were insecure about future changes in management and safety of their money as well as possible change of government –since government had a stake in sacco.

To Management
• Increased competition from private saccos and big banks.
• Failed to organize annual general meeting since 2007.
• Limited number of staff and inability to meet staffing costs.
• Role ambiguity to fill staffing gaps.
• Repayment follow-up was difficult to sustain to dictate staff payment.
• No living wage for staff who were required to meet the requirements of client full membership and saving strength to 50% level of confidence before 2000/= pay per convincing client entered.
• Long distances to the place of work
• Unreliable commission pays to field officers
• Lack support services like breakfast chefs as this wasted staff time when they took time to prepare own breakfast.
• Inactive members of the board.

Opportunities:
St. Balikudembe Sacco can be leading GFS in Uganda –emplyment between 15 to 30 employees in the next 10 years. But that could be possible only if the management ensured a child- loving mother relationship with it.

Way forward:
• Introduce living wage for staff alongside commission received.
• Reduce interest rates from 20% to 16% to increase comparative advantages over other microfinance companies.
• Employ cook or introduce breakfast at the kitchen place so that staff do not add that to already busy days.
• Make possible for people who want on-spot loans to get them.
• Emphasize role clarity so that each staff (or member of the management team) knows and understands his or her work.
• Provide field gadgets as umbrellas.

In conclusion:
The future is bright for St. Balikudembe Sacco if only can trigger some changes in the management and operations. Otherwise, it was interesting experience to discover and develop this report.

BETTY KAMYA DOESNOT NEED A PUSH BUT UNDERSTANDING AND HELP

Regarding angry-some rebuts of Betty Kamya’s seemingly terror article, responses made were a result of baseless fears and lack of helping touch. As a contribution towards the fracas I would say, an individual opinion cannot be interpreted as generally justifiable and applicable in the right and social-wellness sense. What would be wrong with people saying what the have to say and what they think?

Let people express all they can. It would be their view. If touched, anyway then, they should go right way to express themselves as have those caught in statements of terror. It is healthy scenarios to respect and consider rather than generate fuss and conflicts. If that was the case, who would be in charge of masterminding peace and social harmony noting that anyone could be a victim?

And how would man sustain himself and other members of the eco-system if he or she were to fail first in the management role? One aspect we must honor and continuously tolerate are differences in human beings as well as natural bio-diversities –that help to sustain humanity. These are what would make the world interesting -with the fact being that we can naturally, spiritually, and culturally different.

And strangeness of what surrounds us, as a motivation to think and act otherwise or to better status quo. Others could therefore, potentially help us come up with better living standards and conditions to get furthered into the predictably better future.

But in all, always the right appeals overtake and overpower the wrongs. But we should never deny a chance for both happening and people expressing them-selves out as much as they can. Betty is not different. It could have been political depression through or frustrations and leading to such things as political “vomits” from her. Well such “vomits” could so wild that they might cause fearful reactions.

But if the reactions in turn tend towards positive change or appeal, the “vomits” too would be deactivated and the victim helped to recover and be as good as those for good, peaceful co-existence and harmony. Would it be bad for one to vomit? I would say a big NO because It could nothing else but healthy, and something that would be encouraged.

And in any case, Betty could have represented herself (due to personal and past emotional injury as well as recently occurred misfits), her immediate intimates and their grievances rather than FDC-political party, me and /or anybody. Instead it her reactions would be taken as symptoms of the sick that she needed help.

If similar vomits were used against her, it would only worsen individual health as if helping to destroy her. Unfortunately, these are a kind of statements that came from a high figure in the name of Betty. So under such circumstances, she would be expected to have advisors to help guide her in decision making.

And to understand her she had to be separated from her social position and looked at as an individual as well as the good and bad of her statements from the general right expectations. These needed to be critically examined.

All in all, the views seen on Ugandans at heart Google-groups forum members were not appalling as some members think. In future member would need to nurture care and help individuals like Betty since like any human being, she could have had weaknesses or emotional problems that drove past her.

Waiswa Jacob, Community Psychologist
waiswajacobo@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com/