1. Posted on Tuesday 22 April 2008 - 08:35

   ---

   mugira

   

   • Profile
   • 293 messages

   ---

   Fredrick Mugira, AfricaNews reporter in Mbarara, Uganda

   Uganda's first lady Mrs. Janet Museveni is calling on media in the developed countries to portray a good image of the African continent.

   

   Janet Museveni, who is also a Member of Parliament in Uganda, made the call at State House, Nakasero on Monday when she received a visiting delegation from the United States of America led by the Commissioner of the Latin University of Theology, Dr. Rivers Clyde.
   
   In reference to Christians in the US, Mrs. Museveni said they should help to change the face of Africa because Africa has always been portrayed by the developed world as a continent of poverty and diseases whose inhabitants suffer from hunger and starvation.
   
   Mrs. Museveni was pleased to note that the US visitors were in Uganda to provide an accurate image of the country. She commended them for expressing interest in identifying themselves with the local people.
   
   The leader of the delegation, Dr. Rivers Clyde said “No more Ugandans should die of preventable diseases”. The members of the delegation revealed that they are determined to help in the empowerment efforts to ensure that the people of Uganda have tools to run their businesses effectively.
   
   Keywords:  uganda media society

   ---

   ---

Reactions

1. Posted on Friday 25 April 2008 17:16

   ---

   denis

   

   
   2 berichten
   Lid sinds March 2008

   ---

   thankx fredrick mugira, from mbarara , give us news

   ---

   ---

2. Posted on Wednesday 30 April 2008 05:33

   ---

   bhukabijumiro

   

   
   31 berichten
   Lid sinds April 2008

   ---

   While I may support Uganda's first lady, Mrs Janet Museveni calling on media in the developed countries to portray a good image of the African continent, it is my opinion that she should take on the stand back home to her people to transfrom their thoughts, words and actions in a fundamental way and manner. She knows more than any one else that many Uganda's journalists portray Uganda and Africa in a very negative image to the western world by what they write in newspaper columns.
   
   Some Ugandan Africans for example are opposed to the country's biggest privately initiated project, the Sseesamirembe City ; Lake Victoria Free Trade Zone because of religious differences. They have written negative articles full of malicious allegations against Kagera Eco-Cities directors who are promoting and working behind the clock to realize this most progressive project for Africa. They say this to paint a picture that would incite government to ban the Foundation on the ground that they are a security threat to the country. They speculate and count on the false hope that by abolishing the Foundation, the Sseesamirembe Eco-City :Lake Victoria Free Trade Zone project would also undergo a natural death. It is rumored that the sources of these allegations are trying to build a project similar to the airport project of the Free Trade Zone. This way they would have eliminated a formidable competitor.
   
   They have portrayed the initiators (Sserulanda Foundation) of the project as wierd and that they are engaged in covert activities which is a totaly untrue allegation. Historical facts reveal the exact opposite of this. Check this out:
   
   1. During the NRM/NRA Museveni's protracted guerilla war against the Obote Two dictatorship regime, Mrs Janet Museveni's father-in-law and his family and about over 120 other persons were removed from their home district to safe haven in Sseesamirembe by the Founder and Initiator of the Sseesamirembe City : Lake Victoria Free Trade Zone project (HIG Bambi Baaba Baabuwee) in May/June of 1985, six moths before Mrs Museveni's husband caputured state power and was sworn in as Uganda's president and Head of State. Mrs Museveni has never visited the members of this safe-haven foundation that saved the lives of her in-laws, (mostly because she does not ascribe to their spiritual philosophy). Only her brother-in-law, the Major General Salim Saleh ever visited this foundation and at night (for security reasons) before the war ended. There were more than three thousand persons who sought refuge and safety for their lives from war ravaged areas in Uganda. This Foundation, took good care of them all free of charge for as long as they were there.
   
   2. Today, Mrs' Janet Museveni's husband who happens to be Uganda's president, has had a commission of inquiry set up to investigate the so-called covert activities of this foundation which is portrayed by some Ugandan mass media sources as a cult whose members engage in the sell of body parts-(words picked to connote cannibalism). Yet the members of this Foundation are strict lacto-vegetarians. This is what and how Africans portray Africa negatively to the western press. Mrs Museveni’s father/ mother-in-law and her brothers-in-law spent a number of months at Sseesamirembe, where they were served and hosted by members of this Foundation. Some of her in-laws also adopted the vegetarian diet, especially her father-in law who during that time was also initiated into the Path of the Saints by the African Born-Saint and Soul-Liberator, HIG Bambi Baaba Baabuwee. Mrs. Museveni knows that members of this foundation neither eat human nor animal flesh. Has she ever come forward to tell the truth that stories of cannibalism about members of ths Foundation are baseless? Because if they true, then her father and mother-in-law are cannibals too. You do not live in the house of a cannibal for months without eating what the cannibal eats.
   
   3. Newspaper articles have been advanced that compare the Sseesamirembe City initiators with the Ten Commandments cult of Kibwetere and Credonia Mwerinde who were Christians and who are responsible for the deaths of some 800 people believed to have been burned alive inside of a church at Kanungu in western Uganda March 17, 2000. This cult group believed in the return to earth of Lord Jesus the Crhsit by the year 2000. Came March, the Christ was no where to be seen and so they chose to burn themselves or so , the stories are told. Those Christians leaders like the Pastor M. S. M who are attacking the Sserulanda Foundation should first comb Christian sects like the doomsday Kibwetere cult of which they speak, before focusing on peaceful responsible citizens who, for over three decades now have concentrated and invested in meaningful research on rural development projects designed for the eradication of poverty, disease and ignorance from Africa’s remote villages.
   
   Apart from building houses of worship and collecting billions of shillings or dollars from congregants, what well structured rural poverty eradication projects have these rumor mongering pastors initiated? They drive expensive new cars and live in first class residences while their followers languish in rented two roomed quaters in shanty towns throughout Africa. Do not misunderstand me: I am not talking about some well established Christian Churches like Roman Catholic or the Anglican Churches which (we all know) have over the past century, advanced many beneficial projects for the continent’s peoples. I am talking about some of these mushrooming "Christian mafia" (as Pastor Moses Solomon Male of Arising in Christ prefers to call them) organizations that nowadays are fighting amongst themselves for territory; in terms of financial gains from poor followers. The Kanungu cult hid itself in Christianity, and so did David Koresh's Davidians, and so was Jim Jones and Mr. Male's famous Mr. Smith, and others. May be it is more logical to investigate these Christian-based cults rather than focus upon those that are not since there is no history that ties Sserulanda whatsoever to these organization more than it does to Christian based so-called cults.
   
   The fact is that the Sserulanda Foundation, has been one of the most peaceful, fastest growing local communities in Rakai District for many years since 1975. This Foundation’s master plan is designed to materially enrich, educate, medically care for and spiritually emancipate the souls of its members from the vicious cycle of pain, misery and suffering in this world. More than that: the LVFTZ project is not designed for members of Sserulanda; on the contrary, it is designed and planned for every member of the human race irrespective of their religious, ethnic, culture or social-political affiliations. This is why it is designed as an international city project. It is not a Sserulanda city but your city;every body around the world. Even Jerusalem is not limited to Jews or Muslims but open to dwellers of all world faiths, races and cultures.
   
   The Foundation does not proselytise for new members. It has initiated and built rural development projects since then and is responsible for the initiation of the country's largest privately initiated and promoted project; the LVFTZ. Those who fear that this Foundation may end up like the cults they mention are just ignorant of the spiritual philosophy, the pragmatic policies and projects that have been made which among others include the establishment of the first Police Post in Kabira Sub-county, initiated by the Founder with the intention of keeping law and order.
   
   This Police Post was established in 1991/2 by the Regional Police Commander at the Living Saint's behest. This Foundation provided the office building, office equipment, materials, a bicycle and officers’ quarters for the Police Post, free of charge. No newspaper reporter reports anything about the schools, hospital, guest house, library and the unprecedented discipline and law abiding atmosphere that has endured at Sseesamirembe over a period spanning thirty two years now.
   
   Over the years, the following Uganda Government cabinet ministers have visited the Sseesamirembe City project but no journalist reports about this:
   
   1. Dr. Adoko Nekyen, Health Minister 1987.
   2. Governor Amin of Masaka 1976.
   3. Hon. Abraham Waliggo, Minister of Housing & Urban Development 1982/3.
   4. Hon. Rurangaranga 1983/4.
   5. Hon. Yosam Mugyenyi 1983/4.
   6. Hon. John Ssebaana Kizito, Minister of Housing and Urban development 1987.
   7. Deputy Minister Yafesi Sabiiti 1987/88
   8. And other high ranking government officials.
   
   None of these top brass government officials ever made a negative comment about the work and programs of this Foundation. On the contrary, they have always praised the activities and projects they saw. They encouraged the Founder and the members to continue with their creative services and tasks that foster rural development.
   
   Mrs Museveni is in a better position to launch a new paradigm shift in African journalism; a shift from intense focussing on negatives; baseless, uninformed and unfounded news to the transformational work that goes un noticed throughout African villages, towns, and cities. It is just unfortunate that some of our newsmen and women have been trained by western trained professors and have become indoctrinated in the western sensational journalistic ways. They perhaps serve their colonial and imperialist cronies even though they live and work in Africa as Africans. If there is anyone who should foster a constructive paradigm shift in African journalism for the betterment of the continent, it is none other than African journalists and leaders like Mrs. Janet Museveni herself.
   
   The time for African leaders to blame western countries for African plight is over; we need to focus on African development by bringing together development-oriented African minds from accross the board. The growth of the African Union is a promising development that needs to be speeded up. It is will be a strong foundation that will change the status quo in African social-political, cultural, religious and spiritual liberation.
   
   Bhuka Bijumiro-Jjumiro
   ________________________________________

   ---

   bhukabijumiro modified this message on 30-04-2008 22:44 with 31%: Polished with new ideas and typos checked

   ---

3. Posted on Monday 05 May 2008 22:01

   ---

   Linoze

   

   
   1 berichten
   Lid sinds May 2008

   ---

   The good work of Sserulanda in Rakai is what attracted me to work with it for ten years in the U.S., Europe and Uganda. I would hate for the organization or project to be judged by partisan religious sects or politicians who project their own 'cultism' onto Sserulanda. While I was in Uganda for extended stays in Sseesamirembe between 1987 and 1993 I was actually warned about and protected from real cannibals who exist in the area. One of the things that attracted me to Sserulanda was the fact that it was a vegetarian community which advocated AHIMSA or non-violence. I met some of the officials mentioned by Mr. Bijumiro. All organizations have their strengths and weaknesses. If Lake Victoria Free Trade Zone is to be judged, let it be on the merits of its actual record, not on conjecture fueled by ulteria motives. I would assure the honorable First Lady, Mrs. Museveni, that there are many of us in the west who are just as concerned as she is about the negative image sometimes projected of Developing countries and communities by the media . She can help by making sure that the media in Uganda and Africa is not used in that way towards its own citizens.

   ---

   ---