PHOTO CAPTION:SHOWS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASE STILL EXISTS IN AFRICA. THIS CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ATTENTION TO MEET HIS MEDICAL BILLS PHOTO BY WILLIAMS MOI IN IGANGA DISTRICT EASTERN UGANDA.

UGANDA POLICE SEARCH FOR MISSING HUMAN HEAD

By Williams Moi

25/10/2009

Police in Kumi District are looking for a human head after one businessman called Ogwel Basil aged 40 years an Etesot by tribe was beheaded by unknown thugs on Thursday night in Eastern Uganda.

Regional Police Commander (RPC) Mid Eastern Region based in Soroti District about 300km East of Kampala City Alison Agaba confirmed the murder before the media on the scene that day.

Agaba said that soon after the murder that fateful night Rapid Reaction Unit (RRU) of the Uganda Police Force were alerted where they arrived on the scene hours later with sniffer dogs which cordoned and searched the area.

She said the police dogs tried their level best to trace the suspects but failed to scent them near Olelia swamps around Koloin village in Kapir sub-county in Kumi district that night.

However, she said that the murderers when found would be brought to justice. Meanwhile Agaba said police were on the look out for the human head which the suspects escaped with to unknown destination.

“To you the public be vigilant for any strange person seen around and report to police always for prompt action”, she said.

The incident took place at around midnight (East African Standard Time) on Thursday 22/10/2009 when the deceased was sleeping in his mudded grass thatched hut in Koloin village.

According to the deceased’s wife Akayo Immaculate, the thugs were many in number who came stealthily forcing her to open the door first. They then divided into two groups during the murder time, two remained on guard when the rest were killing the victim.

After they knocked on her door, she explained that they demanded for unknown woman who was believed to be concubined by her late husband before he died. She replied them that no such woman was found there. However I managed to see two men armed with a rifle which they did not fire but used a suspected panga in the murder.

“They threatened to kill me and my kids incase I made an alarm. Later I heard a struggle from my husband with the attackers. He was sleeping in the next house. All of a sudden the struggle ended. When I alarmed later on, my brother James Eyadu came with his wife Joyce Akiyai and lit the scene where they found my husband’s head chopped off. His body lay in a pool of blood with some splashed on the wall, Akayo said.

Detective sergeant Solomon Kedi officer in-charge Criminal  Investigative department at Kumi Police Station said no suspect has been arrested yet but police were busy hunting for the missing head and the suspects together as well.

On the other hand Public Relations Officer Soroti Mid Eastern Police Spokesman Juma Hassan Nyene said the postmortem report from Atutur government hospital indicated that a sharp object was used in the murder, but did not rule out the possibility of a panga or sword. Nyene urged the public to cooperate with the police in hunt.

The late Ogwel was the son to the late Olego Gabriel who was also murdered in a similar manner some time back by unknown people whose body disappeared up to date and its not yet found.

Residents of Kapir sub-county and the whole region were shocked with fear when news about the beheaded businessman dealing in pork sales at Ocamute-Koloin stage (pork joint) spread the next morning like bush fire.

There was no clear reason why the assailants committed the offence but speculators said it might have resulted from “adultery” with another man’s wife. But local councilors the reporter found on the scene namely; Atwala Deogracious, Apudu Augustine, Okello Pius and others ruled out the possibility of land disputes as a cause of the murder!.

The late came from Atekok clan from Iteso tribes (Nilo hamartic) group in Eastern Uganda).

Among the police officers who visited the scene of crime about 100km from the main Soroti-Mbale road were; District Police Commander KumiJulius Ocen, Regional Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Officer, Mr. Opuuno and Jacan Philips head of the Rapid Reaction Unit (RRU) of the Uganda Police force.

This is the fourth murder of such kind in the country, in less than a year. A school girl’s head from a high school in Soroti was chopped off but the head was discovered later. Another was a pupil of Kanyum village in Kumi district and the other was from Western Uganda and now Eastern Uganda.

Residence who talked to the reporter urged the police to speed up the investigations so as to discover the missing human head soon before rotting. 

Otherwise the remaining mutilated body was buried at his ancestral home on Friday afternoon.

The widow survived with five children.#

Photo shows the mutilated body of the late Basil Ogwel aged 40 Etesot by tribe lay in coffin ready for burial after un identified thugs beheaded him on 22^nd oct 2009 at Koloin village Kapir sub-county in Kumi district Eastern Uganda

Picture by Williams Moi. 

contact NEMPI for picture not in the story.

UGANDAS WOMAN SEEKING FINANCIAL AND MATERIAL ASSISTANCE

Find attached the picture of a 27 year old woman,Aarakit Kezia from Bukedea District,Eastern Uganda. Kezia`s breasts started growing bigger and bigger in 2007 .She is very poor and cannot afford to get treatment.

North Eastern Media Peace Initiative, a media organization in operating in Eastern and Northern Uganda is leading the campaign to raise funds to meet her medical bills.

Any assistance financially or materially is welcome.We have also developed story idea to follow the ailment to find out what it is.We need your support.

You can contact, the Chairman, NEMPI Media Organization,Mr. Williams Moi  on telephone number +256 77 6 44 701 or email nempi2006.pressclub@yahoo.com

TOPIC: EARLY MARRIAGE: WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE FOR AGIRL TO BECOME A WOMAN?

NORTH EASTERN MEDIA PEACE INITIATIVE

(NEMPI) MEDIA ORGANIZATION

P.O. Box 77, NGORA ROAD

KUMI DISTRICT

EASTERN UGANDA

Tel: +256772644701

E:mail ;   nempi2006.pressclub@yahoo.com

willmoi2k42004@yahoo.com.

In Uganda, any girl to become mature enough for marriage must attain eighteen years of age and above according to the law, but a few people honor it.

At this age the girl is expected to have fully grown and her sexual organs matured enough to perform in sexual reproduction where needs be. And also her waist bone is expanded, the ovaries and fallopian tube are fully grown to hold a baby before delivery.

But all these have been defied by our parents, or grand parents who seek bride prices for early marriage as of paramount importance to them than education.

In  this way early marriage is defined as the kind of unwanted ceremony to marry off a young girl whose  time has not yet come to start a family due to love of bride  price and poverty.

It also means that a girl drops out of school without minding of her future in preference to marriage or a bride price following the demands from parents, clan members and relatives. Or else she is forced out of school by demanding parents who wished to marry off their girls at an early age.

 Some of them say they would rather eat their bride prices early before they die. And some force their girls into early marriage due to poverty. 

It is also accepted due to abject poverty which is biting the nation seriously.

Here, a parent will accept early marriage of his or her daughter in order to satisfy his basic needs  in a home, which might not also be enough thus ruining    the girls future to study,  get a job and earn a living for herself (self sustainability ).

British colonialists or Uganda’s former rulers had put the right age (age of consent) for a girl to mature for marriage at fourteen years. But currently it is amended as a new law to stand at eighteen years of age.

A teacher of Soroti district primary school in Eastern Uganda Mrs. Akello says the right age for marriage should stand at twenty-five years soon after the girl has completed ordinary level education and done another course for the next two years. Then she would be capable of marrying and become independent at her own home.

She argues that this age of consent to maturity and marriage has always been disputed by the citizens as not applicable. Mrs. Akello continues to argue that this age is not applicable in villages of Uganda but is right for town dwellers which should be adopted by the state.

For example in Amuria district, early marriage from Kapelebyong sub county has taken a new twist where the marriage ceremonies to be performed is conducted in the bush due to fear of the law (police) crack down on early marriage participants.

“People now marry off their girls in the nearby bushes due to fear of the police arrests. They conduct marriages separately to avoid the law.

When police come in, they disguise to be at a burial ceremony whereas it’s a marriage event,” Joseph Opio who is sub county chief of Kapelebyong said.

Opio said that when police comes, the local councilors presiding over the marriage ceremony run away from the scene of marriage of under aged girl leaving the arresting officers stranded. This happens only on sighting the police officers on duty.

He added that they marry off their young girls at a low bride price. While others say they would die before benefiting from their unmarried girls. On the other hand people now attach value to marriage. Others also say their girls might also die of HIV-AIDS.

For example a low bride price could cost one, a small cow with two – hundred thousand shillings, a packet of salt, a kilo sugar, a jerry can of cooking oil and a tin of crude waragi, Opio said. Others take only one cow and accept to release the bride (girl). Meanwhile others accept part pay and on credit.

Whereas Katakwi district family protection Unit officer for the police, Asero Florence, complains that many young girls married off do not prefer family planning due to fears of catching diseases, but did not say which way. 

Aero added that marriage in Katakwi now takes place in the market place where they are offered the cows as a bride price to take home without notice of the police.

Whereas the girl goes on her other way or direction to where their ends would meet with her said husband.  One person, a mother, says it is difficult to apprehend those violating this law because they are extra careful.

On the other hand, there is conflict with the law on issues of age of consent and early marriage.  Despite the tough laws of Uganda, people don’t care they go on marrying. They go on marrying young girls below the age of consent that is   eighteen years to fourteen which was preferred by the colonialists of the colonialists.

For example eleven- year- old girl produced a child in  West Nile  district  of  Nebbi at Paidha  sub-county, unfortunately police  couldn’t act correctly because she  didn’t  manage to identify  who pregnated  her  leaving every body amazed.

And another produced a baby at the age of thirteen years in Western Uganda.

This means there is conflict with the law and the citizens are not law abiding where something could be done by the government to avert it .

Family protection unit officer for Soroti police station Assistant superintendant   Florence Adongo states that having sex with a girl less than eighteen years of age is an offence of defilement against the law of Uganda according to the constitution.

Adong says that defilement case is now amended as a new law where one can be imprisoned for life when found guilty.

 For aggravated defilement the sentence is to suffer death when caught in the act.

 She added that there   is also a category of defilement of a girl above sixteen years but below eighteen years i.e. middle aged girl.

 In this way when caught you may be sentenced to seven years in prison.  She cautioned on early marriage.

“I blame the issues of defilement or early marriage on drunkenness, wizardry and poverty”, Assistant Superintendant of police (ASP)  Adong says.

However Otim William, a police court orderly working in Kumi district Magisterial area says that no culprit has ever been prosecuted, sentenced to death for the offence of aggravated defilement.

“My friend Mr. reporter, I have never seen any suspect here in Kumi sentenced to death for this offence.

Neither has anybody been hanged nor killed by firing squad yet the case (offence) is very serious, Otim recalled.

Otim went on saying that the judiciary and the police were working well to see to it that the offenders were prosecuted but the parents spoil everything by negotiating outside court with the culprits over the allegations.

“They keep on corroborating with the accomplices until the case is thrown out of court or dismissed,” the court orderly said.

 Martin Kiiza, Acting Secretary general National Council for Children (NCC) in Uganda calls upon every baled body to protect our children so as to allow them go to school, remain there and complete school cycle.

“Let’s make this World we are living in fit for children,” he says.

From the Ministry of Health in Uganda, the Programme Manager Aids Control Programme (ACP) Dr. Zainab Akol calls upon all Ugandans to stop early marriage so that cases of HIV/Aids infection in children reduce.

“Do not infect innocent children with HIV/Aids. Anybody caught in early marriage which will lead to HIV/Aids infection of our children, will be severely punished.  It is not our work only to protect and manage our children against early marriage but also the role of journalists to do so”, Dr. Akol says.

By writing this article for the Guardian, the question of early marriage and age of consent in Uganda remains un answered but it is put under control.

According to Benson Ekalam Probation and Social  welfare  Officer Soroti says that  early marriage is on the increase in Teso sub-region due to increase in poverty.

“This is where a person cannot manage to raise funds for a family or  food security put  in place but resorts to marrying  off a girl child in exchange for food,”.

Early marriage is also on the increase due to low  level of education, clan taboos  and  lack of  to serious  sensitization  of the citizens  on the dangers  of  early marriage and defilement”,  Ekalam said.

For example early marriage may cause a girl to abort, die, or experience sexually transmitted diseases STD’s or any other related problems. “The girl’s future is at stake if it is not controlled,” he said.

He said that in Soroti district alone cases of early marriage reported each month stands at 70%.

“In Lango sub-region in North Uganda any girl who is not schooling is married off as early as at the age of thirteen and sixteen years and there is no case to answer according to their culture.

The worst effect of Ugandan girl age of consent is insurgency where parents feel that their daughters should be married off early so that they benefit from their bride prices before they die.

 Others believe they should earn from their daughters first before they die or sell them off to hungry husbands as their property without any condition.

Another challenge is poverty where the parent fails to raise school fees for continuous education of his or her girl child. By doing so they end up terminating their daughter’s education.

 Instead they prefer early marriage to education.

While   others are lack of self control, engaging in early sex which leads to early marriage.

And also lack of determination, self esteem plus parental care.

Failure to honor religious teachings such as committing fornication and adultery.

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SOROTI MARKS CONDOM DAY

  14^th/02/2010

By Williams Moi:                                                                                 

 

The International condom day has been marked in style in Soroti district in Eastern Uganda with a call on lovers celebrating Valentines’ Day to use condoms always correctly, consistently and effectively.

Marking the day, chief guest On the  International condoms day celebration Uganda’s state minister for disaster  preparedness and refugees, Musa Ecweru said “the beauty of the condoms can make you enjoy sex as if it is not wrapped on.’ When we are not able to stop our feelings use condoms especially on lovers whom you don’t know in order to make love sweeter”.

Ecweru said since our country’s economy improves, the good nutrition of our women are becoming more beautiful. The more beautiful they become the more problems we get in loving them sexually.

Minister Ecweru urged the people of Uganda and all over the world to support the use of condoms correctly, consistently and effectively in order to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids in the country.

He said Government through cinematography act in place would ban the show of blue Columbian sexy movies in town which lures children to sex affairs in addition to getting HIV/Aids disease which has no cure yet.

However Minster Ecweru Decried lack of condoms to use in Tanzania hotel rooms if compared to Uganda. He reported to the rally in Soroti Sports Ground where nearly one million people attended that day. He surprised a Tanzanian hotel maid when he asked for a condom. He said using a condom is not promoting immorality but for protection from HIV/Aids, Pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. He also said that fighting HIV/Aids in Kenya is not open.

The occasion was organized by Uganda Cares an NGO supported by Aids Health Care Foundation supervised by Dr Peninah  Lutung AHFs West Africa Bureau Chief, Lydia Buzaalirwa, Country Program Coordinator Uganda Cares. USA Ged Kenslea communications director and Lori Yeghniayen, who is Associate Director of Communications based in Los Angels USA.

“There is no fear even if I found myself negative but it helps me to plan for my future. But to live like a blind person is not good in this era of HIV/Aids,” Minister Ecweru said.

In Kenya he said, authorities feared the fight would undermine tourist industry. “Up to now I speak HIV/Aids situation is worrying in coast line of Kenya near the waters of Mombassa.

Minister Ecweru commended the president of Uganda for his efforts in the fight against Aids whom he said was wiping human resource in the country.

“In order to save lives, Museveni said that we should be open and therefore decided to put up structures in the fight against HIV/Aids besides other strategies.” Ecweru said

Ecweru described HIV/Aids as worse than Lords Resistant Army (LRA) Rebel Leader in Northern Uganda Joseph Kony who has killed over a million people and added it to the terrorist list of Osama Binladen.

He called upon the people of Uganda to join hands to defeat Aids but not to be complacent.

The theme of the day (International Condoms Awareness Day), “Protect your self, protect your partner.” This was meant to mark 20 years of HIV/Aids Prevention. Care and Support Services through improved access to quality HIV/Aids counseling and Testing.

According to a media release from AHFs international condoms day was celebrated in 27 cities in 13 countries around the globe to set the stage open for free condom distribution and safer sex awareness events hosted by AHF and Global partners, where love condoms were distributed in colourful ceremony

AHF- the largest global Aids organization, currently provides medical care and service to more than 127,000 individuals in 27 countries: In USA, Africa, Latin America/Carebean, the Asia/ Pacific Region and Europe

AHF Uganda Cares is a part of Aids Health Care foundation which currently provides medical care and services to more than 127,000 individuals in 27 countries world wide.

According to Dr. Lydia Buzaaliriwa Country Program Director Uganda Cares, said that the International Condom Day was marked in conjunction with Valentine’s day which falls on Feb/14^th every year with free HIV counseling and Testing, Safer Sex Awareness and Media Campaigns throughout the week in Soroti Town with lots of Music, Dance and Drama in addition to distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on HIV/Aids with catchy messages.

However amongst the many people who turned up for testing their blood on the International Condom Day, many of whom also missed including a holiday maker from Kenya. Participants later asked for extension of days and many of search activities.

The goal of AHF condom campaigns this year is to achieve Global Aids Control, an aggressive re-integration of Condoms is critical to success. She said that the Love Condom campaign goal is to scale up to 100% access to free condoms world wide.

The time is now to call for Condoms to be brought back to the fore front of HIV prevention said Terri Ford in  a media release who is Aids Health Care Foundation’s Senior Director of Global Policy And Advocacy said “Valentine’s weekend is the perfect time to re-enforce the message, to love your self, love your partner.”

“We think the Condom Campaign is a great and effective strategy towards prevention of ever increasing HIV infection amongst our people.

The reporter saw many people including dignitaries carry away packets of AHFs own specifically branded Love Condoms, eye catching, Bright-red-foil labeled Love printed on wrapper.

Among other leaders at the celebration were Resident District Commissioner Soroti Ben Etonu who called for massive mobilization and support on condom use supplied by AHF Uganda Cares.

Dr. Okadhi Charles Stephen Acting District Health Officer Soroti said that Soroti would also emphasize prevention more especially among people living with HIV/Aids by condom compaign besides treatment of HIV/Aids patients.

Dr. Okadhi warned that more infections were occurring now due to multiple sex partners, discordant couples, mother to child transmission and commercial sex workers.

Soroti Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Godfrey Egwau said that due to massive use of condoms and other strategies, HIV/Aids prevalence had dropped from 30% to 6% where the Minister Of Health feels good with AHFs contribution to the country.

Mayor Soroti municipality Alfred Aruo suggested that there should be routine distribution of condoms to district leaders so that they can do the Job but did not say which Job to be  done.#

                  

DANIDA FUNDS PERSONS WITH DISABILITY IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST HIV/AIDS IN UGANDA

By Williams Moi in Soroti.                                                                                             7^th September 2007

 

 

 

The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda has disclosed that DANIDA through the Danish Council of Disabled Peoples Organizations has injected 1.4 billion shillings into the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Addressing a - three - day workshop for Persons with Disability (PWDs), organized by TASO – Uganda with financial support from NUDIPU in Soroti District at People’s Guest House from 5 – 9 September, Mwesigwa Martin Babu, the HIV/AIDS Project Coordinator of NUDIPU, the Umbrella Organization for PWDs in Uganda said that more of such trainings were in the offing.

The money is to be used in trainings of PWDs in HIV related knowledge and skills, development of IEC materials, supporting various national Disabled Peoples Organizations among others.

Mwesigwa added that government should increase funding for PWDs in mainstream development programmes – especially Community Based Rehabilitation initiatives; support special needs schools and promote alternative information dissemination for PWDs in accessible formats, such as Braille and promotion of sign language as one of the mediums of communication in Uganda .

The Project Coordinator reiterated that people should desist from negative attitudes countrywide which he described as ‘terrible stigma’ affecting the inclusion of PWDs in mainstream development programmes all the time.

He also decried the perception by members of the community and most HIV/AIDS service providers,  that PWDs were not useful and that they were very expensive, which was wrong and needed to change.

The Coordinator called upon the Government of Uganda to support and encourage positive actions in promoting inclusion of disability issues in national development programmes, especially in planning and allocation of resources.

Mwesigwa had hopes that the project which is to last three years (2006 -2009) would eventually develop best practices and experience in the fight against AIDS.

He advised all national HIV/AIDS service providers and stakeholders to always include disability in their programmes and budgets.

Mwesigwa commended DANIDA through the Danish Council of Organizations of Disabled People (DSI – Uganda ) for their support to the disability fraternity in Uganda .

The project called - The promotion of a Disability perspective into Uganda ’s HIV/AIDS Response, is piloted in Gulu, Masaka and Soroti districts.

“Our main objective is to empower the disability fraternity with skills, knowledge and to increase access to HIV/AIDS services by PWDs on one hand, and also sensitize national HIV/AIDS providers on how to include disability in their programmes”, Mwesigwa added.

He also said that although Uganda had been cited as the most successful country in Sub Saharan Africa in combating HIV/AIDS pandemic, there was strong evidence that PWDs were most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS scourge than any other Ugandan.

On the other hand, Jonas Ingeman Parby, the Project Consultant DSI, said that ‘Low levels of HIV/AIDS awareness, high poverty levels, low education, sexual abuse; including rape and harassment, greatly affect PWDs, especially the disabled women if not jointly combated by all HIV/AIDS service providers in Uganda.’

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