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Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, has backed a controversial bill with some of the world's harshest anti-LGBTQ legislation but will pass it back to parliament to include provisions for gay people to be rehabilitated.However, at a National Resistance Movement (NRM) meeting on Friday, Museveni praised the lawmakers for approving the bill and insisted he would never bow to international condemnation.

“I want to congratulate the honourable members of parliament on your stand on the “Ebitingwa,” [Runyankore word for gay men]," he said

"Congratulations, I congratulate you for that strong stand. It is good that you rejected the pressure from the imperialists.”

The bill, which prescribes the death penalty in some cases, was passed last month and has already triggered a wave of arrests and attacks against LGBTQ Ugandans.

But Museveni rejected criticism from human rights groups.

“Europe is lost. So they also want us to be lost, but in order to fight we must be patriotic. 

"If we are parasitic in mind, mind of a parasite, there is no way you can fight, that’s how you become a prostitute because you feared sacrifice, you fear difficulties. Somebody says I will give you money if you become a prostitute. And that’s what they want us to be. 

"They want Africa to be prostitutes. Do what we don’t believe in because we want money.”

Those who advocate or promote the rights of LGBTQ people can be jailed for up to 20 years and be sentenced to death for an offence of “aggravated homosexuality.”

The U.S. has warned of economic consequences if the legislation is enacted. A group of U.N. experts has described the bill, if enacted, as “an egregious violation of human rights.”

Parliament on April 20 ratified the Smart Africa Alliance agreement, which aims to transform Africa into a digital single market and promote the use of technology and innovation across the African continent by 2030.

The move was presented by the Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire, and was highly welcomed by the plenary sitting of the Chamber of Deputies, after 20 member countries ratified the agreement during the 10th Smart Africa Board Meeting on November 10, 2021.

This comes as Rwanda seeks to further establish itself as a leading player in Africa's digital economy, following its successful adoption of e-government and e-commerce initiatives in recent years.

Ingabire said it is of great importance to ratify the agreement ahead of the sixth Transform Africa Summit which will be held in Zimbabwe from April 26 to 28 at the Victoria Falls.

Smart Africa Alliance was launched in 2013 and now consists of 36 member countries, international organisations and global private sector players tasked with Africa's digital agenda.

The alliance is empowered by a bold and innovative commitment by African Heads of State to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development of the continent.This will usher Africa into the knowledge economy through affordable access to broadband and the use of ICT.

According to the Minister, the Smart Africa alliance is expected to solve the issue of roaming barriers as the cost of connectivity remains a major barrier to broadband penetration in the continent.

"Every single country must have its project in member countries and make sure the project's implementation and championing is maximised," Ingabire said.

Referring to Rwanda, Ingabire revealed that there is the Smart City project which provides a framework to guide local areas in their efforts to harness ICT and provide better quality services for all.

Rwanda has also pledged to work closely with members of the alliance to promote the adoption of common ICT policies and standards across the continent, with the aim of creating a more integrated and inclusive digital ecosystem with easy and affordable internet access.

"In order to meet international capacities, Starlink was licensed to operate in the country, which increased the competition for the existing internet selling companies," Ingabire said.

"This led to a reduction of price for internet packages. As the price goes down, everyone will be able to access the internet with less amount of money charged."

German colonizers in Namibia, due to their interest in evolutionary theory & missing links executed inmates and decapitated them. Herero women were required to remove all flesh from the heads to create clean skulls suitable for shipment for study in German Institutes.The German missionaries began working in Southern Africa in the late 1820s and experienced significant success in evangelizing and educating their converts. But toward the end of the 19th century, a new ‘gospel’ was increasingly introduced to Africa.

Germans, many indoctrinated in Social Darwinian ideas, colonized South West Africa (Namibia) in the 1880s. They generally regarded the Herero people as primitive and frequently referred to them as 'subhuman' and 'baboons!'.Social Darwinism is a theory that applies natural selection to the evolution of individuals and society. The theory says that:
- individuals and groups of people compete for survival and
-superior individuals, social groups, and races are most fit for survival.

The very first genocide of the 20th century occurred in Namibia perpetrated by Germans on the Herero and Nama people in concentration camps. The body parts of these dead prisoners were used in racial studies trying to prove the inferiority of blacks.Before the skulls were sent off and sold to German universities, the female prisoners (Herero Women) did all the horrendous preparatory work like scrapping off skin.

Eugen Fischer, a geneticist and avid eugenicist, was sent to Namibia for one main purpose to evaluate the physical characteristics and intelligence of several hundred interracial children and prove that interracial relations would be detrimental to European culture.It was Fischer's work that led to the victimization and sterilization of africans. They also perpetrated inhumane acts toward the Herero: they progressively seized their land and cattle, shot people for no reason at all, sexually abused and raped the women.

Also because of their interest in evolutionary theory and missing links they dug up the graves of the Herero's ancestors and stole their skulls. Not surprisingly, localized reactions to this from the Herero led to efforts to drive the Germans out of their land.110 years later after the Herero genocide, 25 of the possible hundreds of victims' skulls, were returned to Namibia.

A director with the African Agricultural Technological Foundation (AATF), Kenya, Dr. Sylvester Oikeh, has said Tela Maize Technology would go a long way in boosting maize production in the country.Tela Maize technology is the best option available for Nigerian farmers as far as maize cultivation is concerned, he said. According to him, the technology is not new in Africa, but was recently introduced to Nigeria.

He disclosed this when stakeholders from research institutions such as the Institute of Agriculture Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, National Biotechnological Agency Abuja, African Agricultural Technological Foundation (AATF) met at a one-day interactive seminar with farmers in Kaduna State.

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He said the Tela Technology has been around in African countries such as South Africa, Mozambique and Ghana, but it only came to Nigeria a few years ago.

'Currently, Nigeria cultivates 5 to 6 million hectares of land, but only gets one tonne of maize per hectare, but in South Africa, the yield per hectare is 5.6 tonnes. This is made possible with the use of Tela Maize Technology.

'If you are growing maize on a hectare of land with the normal maize, you will have about a hundred tonnes of maize, while a farmer growing maize on a hectare of land with the technology, would harvest about 140 tonnes of maize,' he said.

Dr. Rose Gidado, a Director Agricultural Department, National Biotechnology Agency Abuja, explained that Tela is a genetically modified seedling of maize that is meant to resist attacks from fall Army and Stem Bora worms, which have ravaged maize and caused financial losses to farmers.

She further revealed that Tela Maize gives higher yields than the conventional maize. Where the ordinary maize gives about 1.4 tonnes, the Tela gives about 5.6 tonnes.

'Since it yields more tonnes, it means more money for Nigerians farmers.'

Another agricultural expert, Prof Rabiu Adamu, Principal Investigator Tela Maize, Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, said if Tela Maize is fully adopted, Nigerians farmers would harvest about seven tonnes of maize per hectare, instead of the two to three tonnes, which would address food insecurity in maize production in the country.

On the evening of Thursday, April 13, Keith Muhakanizi, the man who guided technical and policy development work in the preparation of three successive National Development Plans (NDPs), lost the fight against cancer.Before his death, the man who held the powerful position of Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, between May 2013 and July 2021, had been on and off planes, and in and out of hospitals.That he was ailing was an open secret, but until about three months ago, he was reportedly being considered for governor of Bank of Uganda, a post which has been vacant since January 23, 2022 when Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile passed on.That the appointing authority could still look beyond his failing health, considering him the right candidate for the job is perhaps the biggest indicator that he was widely recognised as a man with a big economic brain.

The country is struggling under the weight of high fuel and commodity prices which have left Ugandans in need of a messianic figure to lead them to an economic Canaan.It is not possible to talk about Uganda’s economic recovery and growth in the pre-Covid-19 era without talking about Muhakanizi and Mutebile. They formed an effective economic strike partnership.Joining FinanceMuhakanizi graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor of Science (Economics) degree in 1982. He joined the Ministry of Finance as an economist in the Macro Economic Division, and was handed the responsibility of generating policy proposals to stimulate and drive private sector-led economic growth.But it was not until after the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) took power in 1986 that his thoughts and ideas really started coming to the fore.He cannot take all the credit for that though, because other like-minded people were pulling in the same direction.If what the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) says in the paper, “EPRC’s assessment of Uganda’s economic progress, challenges and prospects since 1962” is anything to go by, it was, thanks to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), that his brilliance could shine through.

According to the EPRC’s paper, after the tumultuous years of the Obote II era when Uganda’s economy was bled by the armed rebellion government was fighting, things had to change.The new socialist-leaning NRM leadership, which had initially rooted for barter trade, made an about-turn. The mandarins at finance traded in their post-war backing for cashless economic transactions and state-led economic growth for the capitalist model which fed off private sector-led economic growth.At the time, a wave of liberalisation and privatisation was sweeping across the country. The government had been compelled to swallow the severe structural adjustment programmes ruthlessly promoted by the IMF and the World Bank as central drivers of the free-market-economy agenda.Muhakanizi’s elevation in December 1992 to the position of acting commissioner for Macro Economic Planning, therefore, coincided with a period of painful re-adjustment and the drive to economic recovery.“The policies Uganda implemented, especially from 1992, led to economic stability and significant achievements in growth and poverty reduction. Real GDP growth from 1992 to 2012 averaged about 7.5 percent per annum, and during that period, GDP quadrupled. The proportion of Ugandans living below the minimum income to meet the cost of basic needs that stood at 56 percent in 1992/1993 fell to 24.5 percent in 2009/2010,” the EPRCR says about the period.

Between 1993 and May 2013, Muhakanizi served as acting commissioner and advisor to the Minister of Finance; commissioner of Economic Development Policy and Research; director of Economic Affairs; acting deputy Secretary to the Treasury and later deputy Secretary to the Treasury under the late Chris Kasami. He was named Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST) in May 2013, a position he held until July 2021 when he was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister.Fiscal disciplineThe blunt speaking Muhakanizi was never the type to hide his true feelings about the economy and the state of the Treasury that he was in charge of.“No money!” he would quip whenever accounting officers would make file requisitions for items that had never been budgeted for.As PSST, he emphasised fiscal discipline and never walked away from an opportunity to lecture the government about the need to cool their appetite for disruptive supplementary budgets. Supplementary budgets, he argued, were a manifestation of fiscal indiscipline.

“Cabinet should ensure we minimise supplementary expenditure, because (this practice) has a negative impact on the planning and budgeting process; cutting money from weaker sectors to facilitate supplementary (budget requests) as opposed to stronger sectors, causes problems, especially because (these proposals) to ‘touch’ stronger sectors can also bring ‘problems’” he said in July 2018, during a panel discussion at the Annual Bankers Conference.The ministry was at the time being asked to find money to buy armoured cars for MPs.Muhakanizi was not afraid to stand in support of an unpopular position when he believed it to be right.That became evident in September 2018. He was one of the few who insisted that the government retain the politically damaging one percent excise duty on receiving and sending mobile money.“The increase in taxes is working. We are absolutely okay with what we did,” Mr Muhakanizi told MPs on the Finance Committee of Parliament.ShortcomingsYet for all the brilliant and hard work, fiscal discipline and rigour, it is not possible that nothing could have gone wrong.

Yes, some things did go wrong.In April 2018, for example, he found himself on the wrong side of reason when he defended the planned irregular payment of Shs11 billion to businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba. The money was supposed to compensate for losses purportedly suffered by the businessman in his ultimately botched attempt to grab prime land belonging to Uganda Broadcasting Corporation.

Accra, April 15, GNA – Mr Henry Quartey, Greater Accra Regional Minister, has commended the Rotary International District 9102 for its good works and efforts in identifying and implementing initiatives that support government’s developmental agenda.

He said Rotary Clubs had improved the lives of Ghanaians in areas of health, education, sanitation, and economic development.

He said this at the 10th District Assembly and Conference held in Accra on the theme: “Beyond Imagination”, to drive the Clubs work to achieve its goals.

He said Rotary Clubs in Ghana took upon themselves the initiative to end polio and on World Polio Day last year they held a three-day walk in Accra and Takoradi to educate people on clean water, hygiene and sanitation practices.

The Clubs, in partnership with the Forestry Commission, embarked on promoting Green Ghana, with over 1,000 trees planted to protect the banks of the Weija Dam, the major water production source that services the more significant population of the capital city of Accra.

“Protecting the environment with trees to ensure a constant supply of water to households and industrial usage for products is a must for us all,” he added.

This initiative has direct implications on child and maternal health, disease prevention and control, and poverty eradication for the growth of the Country.

He said Rotarians over the world had united and took action to create lasting change across the globe, in communities and in ourselves to ensure socio-economic well-being of humanity in general.

He said over the years Rotarians had provided humanitarian services across the world by taking actions on the world’s most persistent issues such as promoting peace, provision of clean water, sanitation and hygiene, economic and community development.

He called on Ghanaian Rotarians to rally their support behind the efforts of the government to make the “Let’s Make Greater Accra Work” agenda, which aims at re-orienting the citizenry to understand and participate in the process of making the region function as an engine of growth in an environmentally and socially friendly manner.

He urged all Clubs to take advantage of the major tourist attractions and investments in the Region to visit cultural sites such as the National Museum and W.E.B. Du Bois Centre for Pan-African Culture, beaches and resorts and a Game Production Reserve, the Shai Hills Resource Reserve, close to the capital city.

Mr Victor Yaw Asante, Director Governor of Rotary International District 9102, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the Rotary had seven areas of focus, including basic education, maternal and child health care, environment, peacekeeping and conflict resolution, water and sanitation.

These areas are key factors that contribute towards improving socio-economic development in Ghana.

He said there were 62 rotary clubs in Ghana, which aimed to find issues in rural areas and provide solutions for community members.

He said the Clubs would continue to work for citizens by constructing more social amenities for the betterment of people.

“As humans living, there would definitely be issues occurring even though we continue to solve them”, so we hope for the better,” he said.

The focus for this year is to increase impacts by continuing to empower girls not to be seen as inferior and second decision makers, expand women in rotary clubs to 30 per cent and also increase the ability to adapt by focusing on Diversity Equality and Inclusion.

“This year’s theme should drive us to serve towards a world without polio, a world with clean water for everyone, a world free of disease, a world where every child learns to read and a world full of kindness, hope, love, and peace,” he said.

Rotary International District 9102 is geared to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy.

It comprises 14 West African Countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.