Day: March 10, 2011

Daily Talk keeps Liberians informed about revolt against Gaddafi

by R.Kagumire, posted in Uncategorized

As Col Muammar Gaddafi continues his grip on power, the African continent continues to follow the story. In countries like Liberia where years of civil war which Gaddafi had a hand in, many are following the fight for Libya in hope that Gaddafi can finally be brought to justice.

In Monrovia, Daily Talk, a street news blackboard offers Liberians news about Gaddafi. The people on the street pay much attention here because of Gaddafi’s role in the Liberian civil war.  Cllr. Jerome J. Verdier , the former chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in Liberia issued a statement a few days  ago saying  the massacre of protesters  in Libya reminded the people of Liberia of the  killings that Gaddafi had much hand in as he supported President Charles Taylor during the civil war.

Verdier accused President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of being a key ally of Col. Gaddafi citing that she had consulted Libya throughout her six-year tenure. So today’s Daily Talk had another political figure Sherman defending President Sirleaf on her ties with Gaddafi. President Sirleaf recently on BBC warned against military intervention to oust Gaddafi saying that “it’s easier to destroy than rebuild”, citing Liberia’s experience. However the President condemned the violence that is taking place in Libya.

In a country that is still emerging from the ruins of a civil war that lasted more than a decade, Daily Talk does a great job bringing Monrovians news. Just like many institutions, the media still has a long way to go to be vibrant and contribute a lot to the country’s development. Daily Talk offers ordinary Liberians  up to the point news from the west Afric

an nation and beyond. Below are the pictures shot at the Daily Talk March 10 2011.

Headline about Obama on Gaddafi

Daily Talk
People reading the the Daily Talk news in Monrovia.
A story on Daily talk on accusations against President Sirleaf and her ties with Libya. March 10 2011.
Children stop by the Daily Talk in Monrovia on Thursday March 10 to read news.

Cultural rights campaigners ask court to halt demolition of Uganda’s only museum.

by R.Kagumire, posted in Uncategorized

Ugandan cultural rights campaigners are fighting hard to stop the demolition of Uganda’s only National Museum.

Today the Historic Resources Conservation Initiatives (HRCI), Cross Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU), Historic Buildings Conservation Trust (HBCT) and JENGA AFRICA filed a case against government against the demolition of Uganda National Museum.

The demolition is supposed to give way to a 60-storey building.

The case was instituted High Court of Uganda at Kampala.  I will be bringing more voices against this sale.

Here is a call from HRCI.

 

The Uganda National Museum is to be demolished to give way to a 60-storey building which will take 30 years to complete!

The foreign affairs permanent secretary, Julius Onen, sees nothing alarming in this and says there is no need for cultural activists and politicians to be worried about the matter. It is sickening for this to come from a technocrat. If it was a politician speaking it would be understandable.

Politicians saw nothing wrong with the destruction of a large chunk of Mabira forest for sugarcane growing and they did not sober up until a few people had lost their lives!

To demolish the museum for a commercial building is ridiculous, however grand the building is expected to be.

A museum is a collection of a people’s culture, past and present and represents a people’s values, history, ethoes and thoughtforms. It is a unique identity of a people and an archive for research.

The powers that be seem to be bent on destroying every green space in Kampala and replacing it with a concrete jungle.

Even without its filth, I am sure the sight of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, cannot be flattering to many foreigners. Nobody seems to have heard of urban planning! The word ‘investment’ is so exciting that nobody seems to think twice about where to build what.

Since the grand building will take no less than 30 years, where will the museum collections be after demolishing their home?

Many of us will probably be dead! Will it be a flattering legacy for our grandchildren and great grandchildren to be told that the national museum was demolished during the tenure of the the NRM government?

If we cannot value our heritage, then we should not complain when foreigners write our history for us and tell us that River Nile was discovered by Hannington Speke! Wise counsel would dictate to leave the museum alone.

It is a shame of unimaginable proportion to even think of demolishing the museum. What moral authority will we have been left with to vilify past leaders as swine? Have we no shame?

Abigail Turinawe
Kampala