Following years of conflict, the reintegration of formerly abducted women and children born of war continues to pose challenges for northern Uganda. As the passing of a national transitional justice policy delays, many survivors in the region are looking elsewhere for recognition.

One such initiative is the “Peace Path”, a new monument in Gulu created by NGO Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice to recognise war-affected communities and encourage reconciliation between victims and their communities.

A Safe Place

The Peace Path was launched on 21 April 2017 at the Acholi cultural institution, Ker Kwaro Acholi, in Gulu, coinciding with the graduation of 32 formerly abducted women from a two weeks skills training programme called the “Wamare Young Women’s Institute”.

The training followed consultations with formerly abducted women who identified areas such as livelihoods and entrepreneurship as priority areas in their lives. It offered dancing, singing, yoga, meditation and devotion to “foster reconciliation and further promote [the participants’] own healing process,” according to Brigid Inder, the executive director for Women’s Initiatives.

“Creating a peaceful environment during the Institute through yoga, music and devotion or meditation is a good way to be reminded that they are in a safe place and to restore a sense of health since most of them suffered long term disabilities,” she says.

Inder says the Peace Path itself will provide an opportunity to mourn, remember and honour loved ones lost during the war in northern Uganda since there are not many public platforms available for this purpose.

Each of the 32 graduates from the Wamare Institute was given a tile brick with her name engraved on it which was placed on the Peace Path during the ceremony in Gulu.

“It is hoped the Peace Path will foster a sense of belonging, healing and reconciliation among those affected by and recovering from the war. [It] will be a form of bearing witness to all those who died and suffered during the conflict,” Inder says.

The Path will gradually grow as it is paved with the names of other victims of the LRA-related conflict, specifically those who were abducted as children, those that have died and other young victims. It is also to be open to anyone in the community who wishes to lay a brick for themselves or a loved one.

“We hope that this will create more acceptance of female returnees and children born in captivity. If the community fully embraces the Peace Path and participates in it this will be very sobering to see names of those killed, abducted and missing so that they don’t allow the same scenario to re-occur,” Inder said.

Show Future Generations

Evelyn Amony, the chairperson of the Women’s Advocacy Network, a grassroots organisation of war-affected women in northern Uganda, says the Peace Path is very important for personal reasons.

“My child went missing in 2004 when I was still in captivity. She was called Winnie Angeyocan. At the time she was four years old and got lost at a time when we were in South Sudan when UPDF soldiers fought with the LRA,” she says.

“By placing my child’s name on the Peace Path this will [hopefully] help with finding her as well as keeping her in our memory. The Peace Path will show future generations how dangerous war is because there are [still] so many people missing, who died and who were injured.”

Akello Susan, who was abducted by the LRA as a child and spent over 10 years in captivity, also laid a plaque.

“I feel [good about] laying the stones but I still pray for those still in captivity to be able to come back home safely without harm,” she said, “This is as a memorial for me so that when I am not alive my children and other people in Acholi will be able to remember me and the suffering I went through.”

Poli Sharon was abducted in Lira district at Acole Banya secondary school in 1993 and lived in captivity for over three years.

Shedding tears after placing her plaque she said the whole thing reminded her of her relatives and family members who were murdered during the time the LRA raided their village.

“But the commemoration is very important because it reminds us of where we have been, what we have gone through and were we are going as returnees,” she said.

We Love Peace

Ochora Emmanuel Lagedo, the deputy prime minister of the Acholi traditional cultural institution, says they are proud to host the Peace Path.

“This isn’t regular monument. It engages users because the path is followed for one to reflect … one has to make a decision to embrace life and peace. We Acholi love peace so the Peace Path gives opportunities to reflect and decide to promote peace.”

Lagedo points out that the Peace Path also leads to the Peace House, the multipurpose hall at Ker Kwaro Acholi.

“When the Peace Path reaches the multipurpose hall it changes to a ‘Peace House’ where peace is promoted. This is a place where warring parties come together to resolve their differences peacefully. With the Peace Path in place this widens access of people coming to Ker Kwaro Acholi not only for redress of cultural challenges but also for individuals or groups who want to find peace through a self-reflection process,” Lagedo said.

On 20 April 2017, the Uganda People’s Defence Force received its first contingent pursuing the leader of Lord’s Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony in the Central African Republic.

This is followed by reports of a decision by the Ugandan government to withdraw its soldiers from the mission pursuing Kony’s rebel group saying that it has been neutralised.

Let’s Talk, Uganda spoke with local northern Ugandans about what they think about this move.

Not a good idea

Proscovia Acen a resident of Layibi in Gulu says the idea of the government was “not a good idea”, saying the move does not mean well for justice for victims of the two decades of atrocities committed by the rebels.

Acen thinks the UPDF are withdrawing at a time when victims and the whole world needs the capture of Joseph Kony most.

Richard Oryema from Pece in Gulu agrees with Acen, arguing that if he (Kony) has less than one hundred soldiers with him as has been reported then “they should have intensified the search and arrested him.”

37 year old Lucy Lakot a resident of Kal A village in Koch Goma says the move by the government is a “betrayal” of the victims of the atrocities committed by the LRA.

“I think the move of the government to withdraw the UPDF has totally betrayed us the victims of the atrocities, killings that we went through for two decades, especially given the pain we were subjected to by the rebels.”

Lakot who was abducted by the LRA at the age of 20 said the recent reports that Kony is sick are just hearsay because among the recent returnees none of them were close enough to him to know of his health.

An opportunity to regroup

Rwot Francis Oriang Lagony, the chief of Koch chiefdom in Nwoya district expresses surprise about the recent news.

“I am shocked at hearing about this news because I thought the reason even why the United States of America also sent its commandos to backup the UPDF was to look for, capture and or even kill the rebels and their leader Joseph Kony.”

Rwot Oriang Lagony says the withdrawal of the UPDF from the hunt of Kony could give an opportunity for the rebel group to regroup, recruit more soldiers into the rebel army which could pose a potential attack in the area of operations.

The UPDF deployed over 3,000 soldiers CAR in 2012 under the African Union Regional Task Force to try and eliminate the LRA and stabilise the regions affected by the rebel group.

What are your thoughts on the decision to withdraw the UPDF from CAR?

Michael Ojok is a broadcast journalist working with one of the radio stations in northern Uanda for the last two years. He is passionate about community concerns and is a peace lover.

President Yoweri Museveni has said that coffee is an anti-poverty crop for small-scale farmers in the country.

“Coffee is an anti-poverty crop for the small scale farmers. It is one of the correct crops for them. There is need to resolve the issue of challenges in production. I want the Uganda Coffee Development Authority to avail the technology for roasting, grinding and packaging coffee,” he said.

The President made the remarks yesterday at Kampala Serena Hotel when he addressed the one Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) 10^th annual stakeholders meeting where he also launched the Coffee Roadmap.

The event was held under the theme: ‘25 years of empowering lives’ as UCDA celebrated 25 years of its existence. The meeting attracted coffee farmers, processors, exporters, Uganda’s development partners and Members of Parliament who are on the Agriculture Sessional Committee of Parliament.

The Coffee Roadmap has a target of producing at least 20 million 60-kilogramme bags of coffee per annum from the current figure of 4 million bags per annum. Among other objectives, the roadmap has set a mission of building structured demand through country-to-country deals, especially with China. It has also been programed to brand Uganda coffee to drive demand and improve value by up to 15%.

The roadmap is required to strengthen farmer organizations and producer cooperatives to enhance the commercialization of the crop for smallholder farmers and ensure broad access to extension, inputs, finance and aggregation.

Museveni, who observed that Ethiopia has performed well because the Government in Addis Ababa had spearheaded the value addition drive, called on the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) not only to do research in production but also in the processing sector. He emphasized that there should be vertical integration and that UCDA should facilitate the private sector. He congratulated the Authority for marking 25 years of work and urged the organization to ensure that the next 5 years become more dynamic.

He said that young emerging countries like Uganda have been facing modern day slavery by exporting unprocessed coffee at US$2 per kilogramme compared to US$32 per kilogramme of processed and packaged coffee. He observed that Uganda can still make profit even if coffee price declines. He, therefore, called on the stakeholders to take advantage of this benefit.

Museveni informed the meeting that the NRM Government is promoting the production of coffee because the global demand of the beverage is growing. He noted that given the current trend, coffee production is expected to increase from the current 160 million bags of 60-klogrammes per annum to 175 million bags by 2020. He urged the stakeholders to take cognizance of the need to coordinate the coffee enterprise to avoid collision.

Mr. Museveni further challenged UCDA and all stakeholders at large to identify the impediments to heightened coffee production. He strongly advised farmers to mulch their gardens. He also called on agricultural officers in the country to utilize radio stations that run at least once a week in order to mobilize and sensitize wananchi in modern agro-practices as a way of promoting the farming sector. He gave assurances that the issue of fake drugs and other inputs is going to be solved.

Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, saluted President Museveni for his presence at the 25^th anniversary of UCDA and also for launching the Coffee Roadmap. He reiterated that the current target is to produce 20 million 60-kilogramme bags of coffee by 2020.

Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Ssempijja Vincent Bamulangaki, commended the President for loving farmers and specifically for his support to coffee producers. He lauded the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for its role in the promotion of value addition to Uganda’s agricultural products.

During the function, President Museveni presented awards to the leading personalities in the coffee sector.

Mr. Abdallah Mangalji from Kabarole district scooped the best farmer award in Western Region while Mr. Lawrence Muwonge took the award for Central Region.

Farmer Cyprian Bangirana was the best from South Western Region, Mr. John Bosco Otto from Northern Region and Mr. Anthony Serikhe from Eastern Region.

AGACOF and KBS received awards for being the leading companies in the export of coffee while former Managing Directors, Mr. Ernest Kakwano and Mr. Tress Bucyanayandi received awards for their exemplary work. Mr. Henry Ngabirano was appreciated for promoting the export of Uganda coffee.

Thousands of Ugandans gathered at Lubiri, Mengo to take part in the fourth annual Kabaka birthday run. More than 30,000 brave runners including, the young, elderly, politicians, the business community sprinted the 5km, 10km and 21km races, in the event that is the chief fundraiser in the fight against Sickle cells in Uganda.

The run, that was flagged off at 7.00am by the Kabaka of Buganda; Ssabasajja Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, attracted top kingdom officials including the Katikkiro of Buganda, Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga, Prince David Wasajja and Princess Katrina Ssangalyambogo.

Prince David Wasajja, who was also the Chief Runner of the day completed the 21 KM race in just above 3 hours while Princess Katrina Sangalyambogo ran 10 kilometers and finished in 58 minutes.

The Kabaka Birthday run is part of Airtel Uganda’s three-year partnership agreement with Buganda kingdom to support four of its main activities including the Kabaka’s birthday celebrations, Kabaka coronation and Eid-El-Fitri.

Addressing the crowds after the run, Katikkiro of Buganda Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga thanked the participants for their enormous support to the Kingdom and its causes.

“Every year, more and more Ugandans participate in the Kabaka Run and this is an indication that the causes we choose are important to their lives. Allow me to thank Airtel Uganda for always standing with the kingdom not only for the Kabaka Run but for many other kingdom activities,” he said.

Airtel Uganda’s Managing Director; Mr. Anwar Soussa said it is part of the Company’s social responsibility to contribute to the well-being of the society in which it operates.

“We believe in the power of coming together for a greater good. In partnership with the Buganda kingdom and all Ugandans, we are sure we can reduce on the infant mortality rate caused by sickle cells and empower people with information that will enable them to identify, treat and even prevent the sickle cells disease,” he noted.

“I encourage Ugandans to do checkups before marriage in order to reduce on the percentage of people who can easily be infected by sickle cells disease,” he added.

According to the Ministry of Health over 25,000 babies are born each year with sickle cell disease and over 80% die before their 5th birthday contributing to 15% infant mortality, 13.3% of the total population have Sickle cell traits and 21% are within the Buganda region.

The newly passed Uganda Communications Amendment will give extraordinary powers to the Minister of Information, ICT and National Guidance (currently, Frank Tumwebaze) to pass all regulations governing the communication industry in the country.

The bill which was passed by parliament on Thursday seeks to amend the Section 93(1) with justifications that Parliament enacted conflicting provisions that require parliamentary approval of the regulations made by the Minister.

With the new amendment, the minister will pass any regulations as regards communication and will be relieved of the obligation to lay the regulations before Parliament as was required in section 93(3).

The bill allows the Minister more powers to take any actions against the media and the media practitioners as he deems necessary, which some MPs argue he/she might abuse.

Parliament will have no say over regulations passed by the minister although there is a proposal that a tribunal be constituted to which the public can seek redress in case the Minister misuses his power.

The tribunal however has not been set up although the amendment has already been passed.

State Minister for ICT, Aidah Nantaba who presented the bill before parliament said “The Executive Director, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) wrote to the Judicial Service Commission to have the Tribunal constituted and established but they have sighted cases of lack of funds adding that as long as the funds are available, they will be able to constitute one.”