For almost two decades,Northern Uganda has experienced a brutal war that pitched Ugandan government forces against the Lord’s Resistance Army. LRA leader Joseph Kony has been almost a mythical figure whose reclusive nature has led to many questions about his existence.
It was the same curiosity that led Mathew Green a British reporter to take time off his job to find the elusive Joseph Kony. Green recently released a book The Wizard of the Nile: The Hunt for Africa's Most Wanted in which he recounts his journey that takes him through Northern Uganda to Southern Sudan, to the forest of Congo.

However as Green explains, the book is not only about his search for Kony,in it he tries to explain the difficult history of the war in Northern Uganda in which thousands have been killed and millions displaced. ‘For over twenty years,people in this part of the country have known nothing but war’ he says. He paints a broader picture of the conflict that had eluded international attention until a couple of years ago.
The LRA say that they are fighting a secular government to replace it with one that is backed by the Ten Commandments. Green says that he like many others, was also puzzled by the myth of Kony, and was curious to meet the person behind this conflict.

He started off in Kampala,the capital of Uganda moving north. “On my journey I spoke to many local people, missionaries and aid workers…to understand how the rebels operated..” His journey coincided with the peace talks in Southern Sudan-talks aimed at ending the conflict. This gave him a lucky break since Kony was beginning to show signs of his presence by sending a peace delegation to represent him in the talks. “It was rather lucky timing…because it was during those peace talks that Kony started to make public appearances and coming out of his hideout..” Green says. His brief meeting with Kony took place in Garamba forest in Congo; where Kony has been based for the past five years.

Green says that his book is not just about searching for Kony,but also attempting to paint a broad picture on how Northern Ugandans have been affected the long war. The two-decade conflict, which has spilled over from Northern Uganda into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern Sudan, and the Central African Republic, does not have an end in sight. Pressure has grown on the LRA since the talks collapsed in April. The top U.S. diplomat for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, has accused the group of re-arming and has urged United Nations peacekeepers in the Congo, where the rebels are based, to pursue the group.

Last month, the governments of Congo, Uganda and southern Sudan agreed to launch a joint military operation against the LRA, with support from U.N. peacekeepers. It is unclear where these plans stand now, in light of the renewed peace efforts, and Ugandan officials have remained tight-lipped.

BREAKING NEWS

By Jackson Muneza Mvunganyi

UNAMID set relocate non-staff from Darfur following ICC indictments of Sudanese president Bashir


The United Nations has plans to withdraw its non-essential staff from Darfur, following the International Criminal Court indictments of Sudan’s president Bashir. UNAMID spokesperson in Darfur Shereen Zorba says that at the moment the mission is “operating under security phase four…one that allows the UN to relocate its international staff temporarily until the security situation improves..” This move comes on the heels of last week’s attack on UNAMID peacekeepers in which seven peacekeepers were killed.

Zobrba says that relocation will not affect any operations “We will continue working as usual..” she says. Many analysts believe that this move by the UN to move its staff is fear of a potential backlash after this weekends protests by thousands of Sudanese who rallied the streets of Khartoum in reaction to the ICC indictments. Zorba plays down any such fears of a backlash and a potential rift with the Sudanese government. “Until now there has been communications between UNAMID and the government of Sudan..consultations are ongoing” She emphasized that the protection of the UNAMID staff is also the responsibility of the Sudanese government “We are bound together by an agreement…there is a technical committee that resolves outstanding issues..” However the decision to relocate staff was made by the mission with the backing of the Sudanese government. Some news sources have report that a Sudanese spokesman has called the UNAMID decision ‘unilateral’.

Zorba says that such a decision is based on the “perception of how things are going” She adds that even though they welcome such ‘reaffirmation’ from the Sudanese government, UNAMID management would be responsible for the ultimate decision “ that is best for the staff and the continuation of the operations efficiently on the ground” says Zorba. The International Criminal Court is an independent court that investigates and prosecutes persons accused of the most serious crimes - namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Sudanese government has said it will continue its policy of not cooperating with the International Criminal Court, no matter who is named as a suspect. The government has also warned that the ICC's actions could undermine the peace process in Darfur.

By Jackson Muneza Mvunganyi


The Maranyundo Initiative in Bugasera Province will focus on educating up to 200 girls from mostly rural areas.


In many sub-Saharan African countries, access to higher education for girls has been historically been limited. This inequality in education is still common in rural societies, where girls are strongly influenced by a patriarchal tradition that grooms them only for marriage. But times are changing and many African governments have passed legislation giving girls the same access to education as boys. And the first step is to give them a good secondary education.

In Rwanda, there have been efforts to encourage that trend, with the government launching its own initiatives and supporting some private ones to create all-girls schools. The effort has been boosted by a partnership with a group of Americans. Sister Ann Fox of the US city of Boston met with a female lawmaker from Rwanda, Alosia Inyumba, and together they created what came to known as the Maranyundo Initiative.

Sister Fox says the goal of the project is to provide community-based education for young girls. Working with women from Sister Ann’s parish, they built a boarding school in the rural Rwandan province of Bugesera. Sister Ann says the initiative “represents an international partnership of educators, government leaders, and dedicated visionaries aimed at helping Rwandan girls forge a bright future for their people.”

The school opened earlier this year with an enrollment of 60 students. Sister Fox says the target is to enroll almost 200 students within three years. “The parents have been very receptive,” she says. The school will be administered by local teachers and a group of Catholic nuns based in area. Students will be admitted according to financial need and their scores in national exams.
Sister Ann says even though some students come from the city, the emphasis is on rural students from all over the country. “The girls were very receptive and pleased that they are now able to get a good education,” says Sister Fox

By Jackson Muneza Mvunganyi

One NGO, the Poverty Eradication Network, is working with farmers to create new food cooperatives and to market their crafts


In many sub Saharan countries, poverty eradication programs are government-driven projects targeting mainly rural areas. Many experts feel fighting poverty requires a comprehensive approach, combining both government and non-government entities. In Tanzania, poverty remains a primarily rural phenomenon, with many people living on less than one dollar a day.

Mungwe Athman heads the non-governmental development organization, PEN (Poverty Eradication Network.) It operates in Central Tanzania, working mainly in rural areas. He says in the fight to eradicate poverty, there needs to be “a holistic approach that uses both economic and non-economic initiatives.”

In the past decade, PEN has worked with farmers to create cooperative gardens in the central regions of Dodoma and Singida. It is also helping them increase their earnings by marketing their craft items. Mungwe says that one the main causes of poverty in Tanzania is illiteracy. To fight this, he says PEN has long term goals to “distribute new and used textbooks and school supplies, school construction, nutritional feeding programs for students.” Mungwe says many citizens don't fully understand their role in the economy, often relying on government programs to help them fight poverty. His organization encourages local entrepreneurs, giving them access to small loans and helping them undertake income-generating projects.
PEN has sister organizations based in the United States. It helps promote Tanzanian products in US markets.

By: Jackson Mvunganyi


A HIV-positive Kenyan woman was awarded $35,000 by court for firing by her employer on medical grounds

This week’s ruling by a Kenyan court to award damages to an HIV positive woman has been hailed by many experts and health organizations as a step in the right direction.

John Hassell the director of the Washington DC office of UNAIDS- says that the Kenyan ruling is ‘ welcome step to ensure that people living with HIV are protected….and makes great progress in reducing stigma” UNAIDS is a joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, that brings together ten UN system organizations in the AIDS response to help the world prevent new HIV infections, care for people living with HIV, and mitigate the impact of the epidemic. Hassell says that Kenya like many African countries has legislation protecting people living with HIV and such laws should be strictly enforced to avoid abuses such as Jacqueline Odhiambo Ongur suffered at the hands of her employer.

Mrs Ongur was fired from her job after her doctor released her medical records to her manager. “I ‘am not sure of the details of this particular case, however this type of conduct by the doctor should be is unacceptable” says Hassell. Mrs Ongur also sued the doctor who released her medical records. It was not clear if the court ruling affects his practice. However court ruled that disclosing her information was illegal.

Hassel also points out that International labor laws prohibit employers from firing an employee based on their medical status. “It is a big win for people with AIDS because it reinforces the fact that they can perform their work as anyone else” To avoid such cases in future, Hassel says that education is necessary in work places to dispel such stigma. His organization has taken steps to fund educational programs in many countries targeting areas in which people living with AIDS suffer from social stereotypes.

Hassel says that his organization also believes in a ‘human rights approach to this issue’ He adds “ a fundamental understanding of human rights is critical in addressing the epidemic both terms of treatment and prevention”