Month: July 2013

Karimojong girls face enormous hurdles to attain education

by R.Kagumire, posted in Conflict, Development, Uganda

In the village of Rupa, about 40 minutes drive from the regional town of Moroto, I met 11 year-old Clementina Loduk . I had gone there with a group of academicians interested in the development of the region at the beginning of July. This was my second trip to a region, which remains largely unknown to many Ugandans. I asked someone in the group to tell me the last story they had seen in the national media about Karamoja and many couldn’t point out any. Later we had a meeting at one of the villages.

Clementina and a friend.
Clementina and a friend.

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Ugandan journalists freed in South Sudan

by R.Kagumire, posted in Africa, Journalism

Today at about 1200hrs EAT, South Sudan authorities freed two Ugandan journalists who have been in detention since Saturday. The Justin Dralaze and Hillary Ayesiga who were filming in Juba, the capital of South Sudan without clearance were held by South Sudan security for four days.

The Ugandan Embassy and Uganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs intervened in the case for the last five days but it was a lot of work on part of two South Sudanese Human Rights lawyers that finally brought security in South Sudan to release the journalists without charge.

The two are expected to arrive in the country this evening. The two were held together with a Ugandan Juba based driver Muhammed Bukenya.

Here’s a poster from a social media campaign that Ugandan journalists used to call on President Kiir to intervene.

South-Sudan-Free-Justin-and-hillary- (2)

Read more from previous post.

President Salva Kiir free Ugandan journalists

by R.Kagumire, posted in Africa, Journalism
Hillary while covering floods in Kasese, Western Uganda a few months ago.
Hillary while covering floods in Kasese, Western Uganda a few months ago.

This is Hillary Ayesiga a Ugandan journalist. I met Hillary in 2007 when we started working for Nation TV Uganda (NTV), a part of the Aga Khan’s Nation Media Group. It was the new station in Uganda, fairly professional- more than most TV stations to the best of my judgement.

Hillary was a colleague for close to two years when i worked at NTV and he is a friend. He’s a hard working journalist. He never shies away from stories.

On Saturday, Hillary was arrested in Juba, South Sudan together with Justin Dralaze, a video journalist that has worked with Reuters for long time until recently. The two had gone to South Sudan to do stories for Feature Story News (FSN), a US-based company.

Justin (with a cap) on assignment with a Photojournalist
Justin (with a cap) on assignment with a Photojournalist

I have known Justin too for more than 7 years,we have survived riots and demonstrations in the land of Museveni where teargas is administered more regularly and with more zeal than immunisation against killer diseases.

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Seen in Moroto-Karamoja Uganda

by R.Kagumire, posted in Travel, Uganda

I took a 3 day trip to Karamoja for a meeting last week. This was my second time in the region that most Ugandans know so little about. Most of our images on Karamoja are based on many stereotypes and myths. There’s now relative peace in Karamoja after disarmament process but much of the area still needs a lot support in order to develop- not forgetting making sure Karimojong people benefit from the gold and marble mined in the area.

Not many seem to know where the gold goes. There’s been a constant American soldiers presence in the area for some years that is unexplained. This is a region with great potential and beauty that has been mostly locked out by our governments.

View from Mt.Moroto. It is a great climb and good for viewing the sunset.
View from Mt.Moroto. It is a great climb and good for viewing the sunset.

Continue reading “Seen in Moroto-Karamoja Uganda” →