By Charles Ochen Okwir – 9^th-15^th Aug 2010

Mr. Okwir

Kenyans, for all their recent political troubles, achieved something truly magnificent last week.  As a people, they finally voted [in a referendum] for a new constitution which they had, rather unusually, debated and mauled over for more than two decades.  That, by any standards, must be something worth a celebratory drink for all Kenyans.

Besides, coming less than three years after the violent general elections of December 2007 that claimed the lives of over 1,000 people, the fact that this referendum passed off peacefully is another great achievement worthy of mention here.  What a contrast to the ruling NRM’s internal elections in Uganda [around the same time] that were marred by gunshots, widespread rigging, and intimidation. (more…)

By Abbey K. Semuwemba – 9^th-15^th Aug 2010

Mr. Semuwemba

I would like to agree with Daniel Kalinaki’s analysis of Timothy Kalyegira as a “conspiracy theorist” rather than a “terrorist”.  There is an old saying that one can never convince anyone who doesn’t wish to be convinced.

I therefore think whatever Kalyegira writes is up to the readers to make up their own minds on whether it’s true or not.  I don’t believe in conspiracy theories but I think it’s wrong for a government to arrest a journalist for writing something that they feel passionate about.  As long as the mainstream media continues to leave some important questions lying dormant, people will write their own opinions and there is very little the state can do about it. (more…)

By Lawrence Kasozi – 9^th-15^th Aug 2010

The recent jailing of Mr. Geoffrey Onegi Obel, the former National Social Security Fund board chairman, has greatly saddened me.  Onegi Obel was sent to Luzira prison after his bail was cancelled by the Chief Magistrate of the Anti-Corruption Court. (more…)

By Charles Ochen Okwir – 2^nd-8^th Aug 2010

The Author

Lucian of Samosata was a Syrian-Greek writer who was responsible for the first fictional accounts of extraterrestrial life.  He was born at Samosata in Commagene and called himself a Syrian.  The exact duration of his life is unknown.  But it is probable that he was born not long before 125 A.D. and died not long after 180.  He began his career as an apprentice to his uncle who was a sculptor.  Soon, he became disgusted with his prospects in that calling and gave it up for Rhetoric, the branch of the literary profession that was most favoured then.  The vocation of a rhetorician was to plead in court, to compose pleas for others, and to teach the art of pleading; not too far off from what your typical Lawyer does today. (more…)

By Abbey K. Semuwemba – 2^nd–8^th Aug 2010

The Author

I don’t agree with those who support the government’s position to wage a full scale war on Al-Shabaab Militants.  History has shown that the war on terror, if that is what we intend to fight, is not won that way. The attack on Al-Shabaab Militants is certainly not the heart of the matter.

I disagree with president Museveni’s war drums because I believe he is not focusing on the problem of terrorism.  It seems he has an agenda that has not been presented to Ugandans succinctly.  I suspect that one of the reasons why the government is war mongering is to get people to think of war instead of domestic issues. (more…)

By Ofwono Opondo – 19^th-25^th July 2010 

Firstly, let me thank Uganda Correspondent once again for asking us [NRM] to respond to some of the issues raised about the [present] Electoral Commission [EC] and [give] our very well considered view as people supervising the whole country. (more…)

By Abbey Kibirige Semuwemba – 12^th-18^th July 2010

The author

Some Mao supporters have written and said a lot of stuff about the 1966 crisis and Kabaka Yekka [KY] in relation to the IPC and Suubi 2011 [a new political pressure group. Ed].  But they are scaring Ugandans on matters they seem not to know very well.  Yes, they resolved in their latest meeting to de-campaign Suubi 2011 and IPC but I think they are going about it wrongly.  DP-Mao and its supporters are replicating what DP did in 1961 when it refused to take the same position that Mengo was taking.  Mengo had called for a boycott of national elections because neither the British administration nor the African political parties would guarantee Buganda’s future position within Uganda. (more…)

By Lawrence Kasozi – 12^th-18^th July 2010

First I want to thank the proprietors of Uganda Correspondent for giving Ugandans what I think is a very good platform for constructive debate.  I would therefore like to use this platform to comment on the article “NRM govt hits back at Ogole and UPC” in which Mr Ofwono Opondo, the NRM Deputy Spokesperson and Head of the NRM Communication Bureau challenged Ogole’s claims. (more…)

By C.D Rauxen Zedriga – 12^th-18^th July 2010

It was gratifying reading the response of my friend Ofwono Opondo [who once labeled me an economic migrant] to Col. John Ogole’s interview.  But let’s deal with the facts. (more…)