LIVE: Social Media Conference Uganda 2017

BBC'S Rachael Akidi (top) shares her experience of social media.
@JoyDoreenBiira (left, above) make a point on the panel today
discussing social media. Midlle is @OfwonoOpondo,
the Government Spokesperson. PHOTOS @UgandaMediaCent & @KasUganda

The third edition of the Social Media Conference #UgandaSocialMedia held today provided another opportunity for deepening and expanding the discussions and exploring new perspectives under the theme “Facts, Freedoms and Rights in a Connected World. 

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Tweets about @ACME_Uganda

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Tweets about #UgandaSocialMedia

Programme

8:00 Registration, Welcome Tea & Bites

9:00 Welcome Remarks by Mathias Kamp, KAS Country Director

9:10 Opening Remarks by Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, Minister of Information & ICT

9:30 Opening Session: Social Media, Blogging and Citizen Journalism: Re-configuring Ethical Standards?

Keynote address by Rachael Akidi (Editor, BBC Africa) Panel discussion:

Monica Chibita (Head, Department of Journalism, UCU)

Grace Natabaalo (Programme Associate, ACME)

Ian Ortega (Founder, Bigeye.ug & CEO, Campuseye.ug)

Angelo Izama (Analyst, Writer & Blogger)

Moderator: Rukh-Shana Namuyimba/NBS

11:00 Breakaway Sessions Pt.1

Panel 1: Freedom, Responsibility and Regulation: Navigating Online Spaces in Uganda

Vincent Bagiire (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information)Sarah Kihika (ICTJ/Chapter Four Board)

Jimmy Haguma (Uganda Police)

Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala (Unwanted Witness)

Neil Blazevic (Manager Technology Programme, DefendDefenders)

Moderator: Ivan Okuda (Daily Monitor)

Panel 2: Breaking Barriers? - Youth Engagement through Social Media

Antonio Kisembo (Media Challenge Initiative)

Binyamin Rukwengye (Boundless Minds)

Jackie Kemigisa (Parliament Watch)

Anna Adeke (Youth MP)

Moderator: Raymond Mujuni (Journalist, NTV)

Speakers Corner

The “Digital Humanitarian”: Social Media for Social Good - Philip Ogola (New Media Consultant)

Digital Ubuntu - Cultivating Responsible Digital Cultures

Zawadi Nyong’o (CEO, 7thSense Communications) (tbc)

Host: Solomon Serwanjja

12:45 Lunch

13:45 Breakaway Sessions Pt.1

Panel 3: ICT and Social Media for Development: Leaving No One Behind?

Maureen Agena (CEO, Tune Communications: ICT4D Consultant)

Philip Ogola (New Media Consultant)

Evelyn Namara (CEO,!nnovate)

Patricia Litho (Lecturer, Makerere University)

Lillian Nalwoga (President, Internet Society, Uganda Chapter)

Moderator: Michael Niyitegeka (Social Media Consultant & Trainer)

Panel 4: More Opportunities, More Threats? - Feminist Voices Online

Lydia Namubiru (Data Journalist, ACME)

Patricia Twasiima (Chapter Four)

Zawadi Nyong’o (CEO, 7thSense Communications) (tbc.)

Moderator: Josephine Karungi (NTV News Anchor)   Speakers Corner

The Art of Online Media Manipulation - Mark Kaigwa (Speaker, Author & Entrepreneur / Founder, Nendo)

Africa Blogging: Trends of Political Blogging across the Continent

Anthony Masake & Ruth Aine (Members of the Africablogging initiative)

Social Media and the Art of Political Communication

Don Wanyama (Senior Press Secretary to the President)

Host: Catherine Ageno (KFM)

15:30 Closing Session: Shrinking Horizons? – Online Trends, Algorithms and the New Rise of Populism

Panel discussion:

Rachael Akidi (Editor, BBC Africa)

Mark Kaigwa (Speaker, Author & Entrepreneur / Founder, Nendo)

Rosebell Kagumire (Blogger, Media & Communication Specialist)

Teddy Ruge (CEO, Raintree Farms / Cofounder, Remit & Hive Colab)

Susan Kitariko (Uganda Country Director, Google)

Moderator: Mildred Tuhaise/NBS

Sserunkuma gives Cranes a flying start - Uganda 1 Cape Verde 0

Geoffrey Sserunkuma tapped in the only goal of the match in the 83rd minute to give Uganda Cranes a flying start to their campaign for a second straight Nations Cup finals appearance.

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The Cranes Line up vs Cape Verde in their opening 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.

Starting XI: Denis Onyango (GK), Nicholas Wadada, Godfrey Walusimbi, Bernard Muwanga, Murshid Juuko, Khalid Aucho, Hassan Wasswa, Faruku Miya, Derrick Nsibambi, Emma Okwi & Isaac Muleme.

Substitutes: Benjamin Ochan (GK), Ismail Watenga (GK), Denis Okot, Timothy Awanyi, Robert Kakeeto, Milton Kariisa, Geoffrey Serunkuma & Muhammad Shaban.

Tweets about @OfficialFUFA

PRE-BUDGET: Amos Wekesa meets Finance chief Muhakanizi

WEKESA: When you are investing in any sector be it agriculture, tourism, trading, ICT etc make sure you engage those in responsible positions. Share with them the challenges and opportunities...... (read on)

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Highlights of the Uganda Budget 2017-18

President Museveni displays Ugandan made products. PHOTO PPU

President Yoweri Museveni has reassured the country that recent investments in infrastructure across the country is the right foundation needed for the country’s economy to boom again.

“I am very optimistic because for the first time we have got a base which we have not had before,” Museveni said in his remarks after Finance Minister Matia Kasaija read the 2017-18 national budget on his behalf on  Thursday.

Museveni cited mainly “peace is there and no one has got capacity to disturb it,”  the many new roads, the building of the Standard Gauge Railway and ” now we have more than 2000 mega watts”, as reasons that will spur the economy that many say is in slow down.

“Newspapers have been giving a pessimistic view of the economy. The Bible says they have eyes but they don’t see. They have ears but don’t hear,” Museveni said at the parliament budget session held at Serena in Kampala.

Earlier, finance minister Kasaij read out a sh29 trillion budget that he said focus on areas to boost the economy. The budget theme was “Industrializatin for job creation and shared prosperity.”

Kasaija said the country is on track in its economic development plans, and listed to parliament statistics showing many Ugandans are now living longer and better lives.

i) Life expectancy today is 63 years, up from 48 years in 2002.

ii) Literacy rates for adults now stand at 74% rising from 68% in 2002.

iii) 79% of the population now accesses safe water compared to 59% over the same period.

iv) Immunization of children against measles is now 82% up from 62% fifteen years ago.

v) Per capita incomes in real terms have more than tripled to $773 in 2016 up from $250 in 2002. This is despite an increase in population from 26 million to 36.9 million people.

Uganda 2017-18 Budget Speech_8th June 2017_Final by The Independent Magazine on Scribd

*** SOURCE The Independent

Bitter memories of Lesotho 2007 as Uganda Cranes encounter Force Majeure again

2007: FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa and Uganda's
new German Cranes coach
share a light moment before the Lesotho game in 2007.
 FILE PHOTOS NEW VISION

Exactly 10 years ago, Ugandan football came face to face for the first time in a big way with the clause Force Majeure.

The Uganda Cranes had arrived in full force in the South African state of Lesotho for a make-or-break match. Having beaten Lesotho 3-0 in Kampala on September 2, 2006, Uganda looked a good bet to snatch all three points June 17, 2007 in the away match.

The mathematics in the group meant that while Nigeria looked set to top the group, victory in Lesotho would give Uganda Cranes the points needed to advance as the second best team to the 2008 Nations Cup finals.

Ugandan football was riding a new wave 2006-2007, with FUFA President Lawrence Mulindwa leading a drive to break the Nations Cup jinx, for Cranes had last appeared at the finals in 1978.

Uganda had recently brought in a foreign coach, German-Hungarian Laszlo Csaba, and had just beaten Nigeria 2-1 at Namboole with goals from David Obua and captain Ibrahim Sekagya.

Because of  difficult travel plans, Uganda would travel to face "tiny" Lesotho without Obua and Sekagya.

Csaba however still had a strong team. This was his starting line up: D. Onyango, S. Masaba, N. Kizito,T. Batabaire, A. Mwesigwa, J. Bagoole, A. Bajope, D. Wagaluka, G. Massa, G. Serunkuma, A. Kadogo.

Mbidde led the fans to Lesotho June 2007

Save Uganda Soccer's Dennis Mbidde, Aldrine Nsubuga and Fred Muwema had led the drive to oust Denis Obua as FUFA head, and had joined the new Mulindwa and Moses Magogo team, giving fans a lot of hope.

Mbidde, in charge of FUFA marketing, led travelling Uganda fans who had paid Shs2 million each, to Cranes base in South Africa, then they crossed over to Lesotho for the game. 

Hours to the match, it was revealed the Sunday June 17 game had to be postponed because the referees could not fly in on time for kick off!

CAF mentioned their Force Majeure and it hit the headlines in the Ugandan media.

The Force Majeure clause is a contract provision that allows a party to suspend or terminate the performance of its obligations when circumstances beyond their control arise, making performance inadvisable, commercially impracticable, illegal, or impossible.

In football, it is included for exceptional circumstances when a football match may not be played.

Tanzanian match officials Victor Mwandike, Charles Ndagala and Hamis Changwalu were held up in

Johannesburg for lack of South African visas.

The change left hundreds of Ugandan supporters mainly from Lesotho and neighbouring Southern African states disappointed as they would not be able to watch the game mid-week.

FUFA Lawyer Muwema then got busy as Uganda prepared to play under protest. An appeal against the circumstances of the decision was prepared but there was fear that if Lesotho was knocked out of the group, Uganda would not get the three points anyway. The group would then not qualify to vie for the best runner up slots in the 2008 qualification.

The best 3 runners-up from groups with four teams (groups 2-11) would qualify for the finals.

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Tunisia	13	6	4	1	1	12	3	+9
Benin	11	6	3	2	1	10	4	+6
South Africa	11	6	3	2	1	10	4	+6
Uganda	11	6	3	2	1	8	3	+5
Equatorial Guinea	10	6	3	1	2	6	7	-1
DR Congo	9	6	2	3	1	8	6	+2
Mozambique	9	6	2	3	1	5	4	+1
Eritrea	9	6	2	3	1	5	8	-3
Algeria	8	6	2	2	2	6	6	0
Mauritania	7	6	2	1	3	9	10	-1

The change in kick-off date clearly upset the Ugandans, and it showed on the pitch. Key marksman Geoffrey Massa missed chance after chance, and the game ended goalless. Not the result Uganda had travelled for, especially as it emerged Nigeria had won 3-1 away in Niger, and had virtually secured top spot.

At the end of the qualification run, Tunisia snatched one of the three places reserved for the best group runners-up with 13 points, with Uganda losing out on the other two places on goal difference.

Fast forward to 2017, the circumstances are different in many ways this time, with Uganda actually benefiting from the Force Majeure clause.

Moses Magogo is now president of FUFA, Mbidde is leader of delegation - fresh from a war of words with his former boss Mulindwa, and Cranes are fresh from a Nations Cup finals appearance.

Uganda's players have travelled to Cape Verde in batches, and the last one was delayed.

The CAF statement below explains the circumstances:

The‎ Group L Day One clash between Cape Verde and Uganda, originally scheduled for Saturday, 10 June 2017 in Praia has been postponed for 24 hours. 

The decision was taken by the Organising Committee for the Total Africa Cup of Nations due to the difficulties faced by the Ugandan team in arriving in Praia.

The ‎flight of the Ugandan team didnot take-off as expected from Dakar (Senegal), where they held a training camp due to a technical problem, which constitutes a case of force majeure.

The match will therefore take place on Sunday, 11 June 2017 at the same‎ time and venue with the same officials.

A clear case of Force Majeure!

*** Sources New Vision, Wikepedia

FLIGHT DELAY: It is Cape Verde Sunday as Cranes return to Nations Cup action https://t.co/1sjkn1ffFJ #afcon2019q pic.twitter.com/ERcTyqR7sh

— The Independent (@UGIndependent) June 10, 2017

Why Egypt and South Africa, and not Uganda, rank among countries with world's worst traffic

Embed from Getty Images

Egypt, Iran and South Africa are among the top 5 countries globally with the worst traffic conditions, according to the latest ranking by online database Numbeo.

Uganda or Kampala does not appear on the rankings because there is not enough data from the country's road users.

"We rely on self-reporting data, we need more contributors for Uganda. If there are enough contributors by July 2nd, we will include Uganda and Campala in our publication on that date," an official at Numbeo said in response to an inquiry.

Numbeo gathers user-contributed data about cities and countries worldwide. (click here to contribute data)

The ranking is based on a comparison of indices of time consumed in traffic due to job commute, estimation of time consumption dissatisfaction, carbon dioxide emission estimation in traffic and overall inefficiencies in the traffic system.

Relatedly, computer scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore are working on an algorithm that can reduce traffic jams through intelligent routing. The program runs with the breakdown assumption, which is idea that at some point within a large traffic density, something (such as an accident) will probably happen.

The program’s task is to minimize the probability of such a traffic breakdown.

How the rankings are done:

Traffic Index is a composite index of time consumed in traffic due to job commute, estimation of time consumption dissatisfaction, CO2 consumption estimation in traffic and overall inefficiencies in the traffic system.

Time Index - is an average one way time needed to transport, in minutes.

Time Exp. Index - is an estimation of dissatisfaction due to long commute times. It assumes that the dissatisfaction of commute times increases exponentially with each minute after one way commute time is longer than 25 minutes.

Inefficiency Index - is an estimation of inefficiencies in the traffic, with high inefficiencies it assumes driving, long commute times, etc. It is meant to be more measurements of economies of scale in traffic.

CO2 Emission Index - is an estimation of CO2 consumption due to traffic time. Measurement unit is grams for the return trip. To calculate an average estimation of emission in grams for one way commute to work, divide this value with 2.