The Prison of Self

Carl Gustav Jung said:

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.

And Dr. Hal Stone:

The people we judge and hate in life are in fact reflections of our disowned selves.

The leaked U.S. diplomatic cables reveal little more than what we already knew about Yoweri, the man.  He’s a megalomaniac, we know, but his complete lack of self awareness is shocking.  Perhaps narcissism is essential to leadership …

Museveni on President Isaias Aforkwi of Eritrea:

Museveni told A/S Frazer that Isaias needed to be talked to by the members of the U.N. Security Council who carry a big stick. Museveni claimed that Eritrea continued to infiltrate weapons into Somalia and said that Isaias needed to be intimidated. Museveni argued that the UNSC should consider a blockade or sanctions if Eritrea does not listen.

Breasts, Bebe Cool, Bejesus

Breasts.

Unless you’re looking at Erias Lukwago, breasts are the only way to tell the sexes apart at first glance. (I’m not hatin’, I’m just sayin’.)

Breasts.  Another glaring omission from the ongoing presidential and parliamentary campaigns in Uganda.

The 2006 Uganda Demographics Health Survey states, in relation to the diminishing importance of breasts on the public agenda:

• Timely breastfeeding initiation, within the first one hour after delivery is only 42%
• 54% of babies receive pre-lacteal feeds
• Exclusive breastfeeding from 0 to 6 months is only 60% and by 4 to 5 months it is only 34.8%
• Partly as a result of these inadequate practices malnutrition is prevalent with stunting rates at 38%, wasting rates at 6% and the rate of underweight children at 16%

Four years later, there is no legal requirement for either the public or private sector to allow nursing mothers to leave work during the day to breastfeed their children.  I won’t even go into the option of expressing milk because for the majority of women in Uganda that is an expense too high to afford.

Got Boobs? Leave them at Home on Voting Day

Yesterday I had the (dis)pleasure of meeting (again) the leader of one of Uganda’s main opposition parties.

Mr. X beamed at me as I introduced myself to him (for the hundredth time).  He shook my hand heartily, asked me about my father The Rev and told a long winding story about how his family knew my mother’s family and the good old times and oh hohoho how great it was.

Then Mr. X gave me one of those patronizing side hugs and a little push to send me on my way.

“Excuse me Mr. X, I am Tumwijuke, remember?  I called you everyday last week seeking an appointment for an interview.”

“You are Tumwijuke?” he said looking puzzled, “You sounded like a man on the phone.”

Great.  That explained the side hug, the infuriating grin smile and the shove.

This is a picture of boobs.

A Great Man and a Coward

If you haven’t read the letter by the ‘exiled’ LC5 chairman of Masindi, Steven Birija, you should.  The letter published in today’s edition of The Observer proves that there are voices of sanity in the world of confusion, intrigue and corruption in Bunyoro.

Steven Birija; Photo credit: The Observer

Of course Mr. Birija is not without fault.  The constant bickering between him and the former Masindi Chief Administrative Officer, Milton Kato, almost brought the district council to its knees.  Birija appeared to be on the offensive throughout his four-year tenure, making enemies of his closest political allies and alienating his friends with his accusations of corruption and abuse of office.

Still …

This year, my friends Bro and Taata, together with a partner radio station in Masindi, were dragged to court for reporting on a district council session in which the District Engineer was implicated in the theft of property from the district garage in Nyangahya.  To prepare for their defense, Bro and Taata wanted a copy of the council’s minutes from November 2008 to prove that the matter had indeed been mentioned publicly not once, but twice.

Museveni’s Speech to Parliament

If you missed YKM’s speech to parliament today on last week’s riots, please visit my Twitter page @UgInsomniac or the #Kampala site for a brief rundown on some of the highlights.

Kenya Chick … Yes, what you asked was the truth. Kalundi Serumaga was charged before the Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate’s Court with six counts of sedition. He was granted bail this afternoon.

Media Blackout?

From the corridors of WBS TV, a report that Kalundi Serumaga, a panelist on Kibazo on Friday was picked up shortly after the show for comments made about President Yoweri Museveni’s upbringing and leadership, the Bafuruki issue, oil and ethnicity

Perturbed

Disturbing reports that security operatives stormed the offices of NBS TV today to ‘edit’ their 8pm bulletin. A source inside NBS says any ‘unsanctioned’ material on the riots in Kampala was discarded.

I’m dying here. Somebody send me confirmation or join the discussion on Twitter – http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23Kampala.

Looking for Alternatives (II)

It takes a crisis to bring Ushahidi to Kampala, but that’s okay.

Report, in real time, any outbreaks of violence in your part of the country at Uganda Witness.

Also, keep blogging, Facebooking, tweeting #Kampala and anything else. Let’s battle through these issues and restore sanity to this country … if we can.

Doing CBS FM a Disservice

If ever you needed proof that the broadcast media in Uganda is out of touch with reality, go on; turn on your radio.

Teargas canisters are still flying over the city, traders are overwhelmed with the loss, taxis are charging exorbitant prices for trips into the city, woman killed in Kyengera early this morning, fighting in Kasubi and Nateete, Masaka Road blocked off, CBS Radio is still off air …

What do the TVs do? Broadcast CNN, Al Jazeera, BBC and France-24. A boring sermon by a televangelist on whether or not to spank your children. A ridiculously long news piece on why the Electoral Commission chose UBC as the most appropriate media house to partner with in civic education. Only after 10:30 does WBS TV start its ‘live’ reports.

Armed and Afraid

I’m rediscovering Achebe through A Man of the People and Anthills of the Savannah.  No more timely has this section from Anthills been for me than today in light of the Kabaka-Kayunga demonstrations.

There is something I have never been quite able to figure out: why the military armed to the teeth as they are can find unarmed civilians such a threat. For His Excellency, it was only a passing phase, though. He soon mastered his fear, although from time to time memories of it would seem to return to torment him. I can see no other explanations for his quite irrational and excessive fear of demonstrations, for example. Even pathetically peaceful, obsequious demonstrations.

UPDF tankers come out in full force to 'calm' rioters (c) Daily Monitor

Of course some of the rioting went too far. The number of innocents who died during the fracas has broken my heart. The destruction was uncalled for. But was it preventable …  of course. Surely President Yoweri Museveni and his government should have discovered, after 20-some years, that you cannot suppress dissent by force. It didn’t work for them in the 1980s and by jove, it won’t happen now.

Incidentally, did anyone watch Museveni’s televised national address on the rioting? Was there anything marginally interesting in his speech? Was there anything assuring (no, “Government has it under control” doesn’t count)? Was there anything new? Was he conciliatory? Was he objective? Was he just the same old YKM we have come to know … and dare I say, love?

**BT, the book quote is for you.