West Nile (Uganda - Germany) Investment Symposium 2019

Elders Bonfire

Arguably the Biggest Business Conference of all-time in the Region, this was a ground-breaker for zota [development]. The refreshing Muni University hosted an unforgettable inaugural investment gathering on Thursday 8th to Friday 9th August 2019 - postponed from 24th July because the President of UG did not want to miss and it was worth the wait. So many high-level politicians from West Nile (like Maracha's Onzima, Ayivu's Atiku, Arua's Wadri, Vurra's Ajedra - State Minister of Finance plus Zombo's Grace Freedom - State Minister for Northern Uganda), Acholi and Lango; clergy, delegates, government agents, investors, industrialists, farmers, Private Sector business-people, academia (from Gulu University, Busitema, Mountains of the Moon, Lira plus Mbarara University of Science and Technology), researchers, NGOs, cultural leaders and other professionals from different countries attended, all protocol observed. The main tent was literally African-full with Europeans also in the audience. Ozoo[Rain] even fell for some minutes on all the days as a blessing. The theme of the symposium was: "Transformation of Africa's Upper Nile Valley through Pan African Peace-Building and Holistic Development". Some Natives say People from down-country benefited more than them, but it was still a Ugandan Thing for all.

Ori'ba

On Day 1, Robert Rukare - the Chairman of the Organising Committee remarked that Uganda is a landlinked country, "From Koboko to Central African Republic is 160 kilometres... As entrepreneurs, we should be thinking our market is in West Nile... South Sudan... DRC... Central African Republic!" He praised the Indian Community in Uganda (represented by their Chairman) as being only 0.1 percent of the population but owning 60 percent of the economy. The Muni University Chancellor, Dr. Eric Adriko said West Nile is a "gateway" to Africa. The First Deputy Prime Minister General Moses Ali (from Adjumani) who baptised himself "The Cock of West Nile" gave a brief history of how his rebel group named Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF) quit guarding Katonga Bridge and instead supported NRA for the betterment of West Nile after he visited Gaddafi and found M7 with him in Libya. He stated that the idea of “People Power” which is fronted by the younger Opposition today is already the first article of the 1995 Ugandan Constitution, "What is the difference?" People power can only be used within the Constitution, but the other one will not survive because the Elders took care of it; many people actually lost their lives in creating stability, "This is Peace of Ugandan people, therefore it must be protected jealously!” General Ali confessed the following day that he is not only growing his stomach, but working for GOD and his country [suru]. I was stunned to learn from him that Dr. Eric Adriko used to be his Secretary General; I had never heard of it before from Kyambogo University to Lungujja to Arua. Meanwhile, Retired NRA General Salim Saleh, originally named Caleb Akandwanaho aka “Oriba” lamented about not being included as a minister in his step-brother M7’s cabinet reshuffle after he won the 2011 Presidential Election; he left Arua amidst Barifa Forest wrangles to go back to Garuga and even sold his house before settling in Kapeeka Village (Nakaseke District) where he set up Liao Shen Industrial Park (like the plan he had for Arua) plus his headquarters. He is considered a “Family member” in Arua and on his return after eight years was the Convener of this symposium as Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) in partnership with the Government of Uganda (GOU). The mission of OWC [something like "Oparesoni or Otita Lonyi Ideza" in Lugbara] is to improve household income through poverty eradication and overall prosperity of Ugandans. Salim Saleh presented messages from Africa Industrial Integration Centre in Cairo, Egypt; South Africa Agribusiness Mission and Kapeeka. Panelists sitted on the stage also spoke including the Vice Chancellor of Muni University Professor Christine Dranzoa; Patricia Ojangole - the Executive Director of Uganda Development Bank (UDB) plus others.

[Translated from Lugbara: GOD, deliver us from Evil! No Fear.]

On Day 2, panelists included the recently-replaced Miss Uganda 2018-2019 Quinn Abenakyo who nonetheless still has a few more weeks as Miss World Africa. She urged the attendees especially youth to return to agriculture. Later, Klaus Kunkenmuller from Riela - a tech giant in Germany presented slides of what his company is capable of doing in West Nile by partnering with Muni University for a Post-Harvest Training and Service Centre. It was a good encouragement for farmers because STORAGE is the final Agriculture; if your after-harvest handling is poor, then your yields get wasted. Another German Industrialist who originates from near KK's home base mentioned how Zombo has iron ore that can be tapped for making metal sheets in Uganda since the closest sheet-makers are actually in Alexandria (Egypt). By the way, Kabale also has iron ore.

When M7 arrived at Muni University, he toured the exhibition area that included showcasers from Arua City (like the Women Empowerment Group), Bantuland, DR Congo, etc. Then starting from around quarter to 3pm in his keynote speech that closed the symposium, President Yoweri Museveni revealed his desire to start fish farming with the youth along the Albert Nile Valley, plus encouraged navigation of the stretch of water for tourism rides. He emphasized that a Money Economy comprises four sectors: 1. Commercial Agriculture: He advised that maize should be planted by people with big pieces of land (on a large scale). Same should apply to tea, rubber (Factories in Mukono making motorcycle tires actually use rubber from Congo), sugarcanes used to make sugar for energy of workers, oil seeds like simsim, olives (he plans to introduce in Karamoja), dates, etc. Since a lot of land in West Nile is fragmented to as low as 2 acres, M7 recommended coffee, food crops, zero grazing, poultry, cows and the like; 2. Industrialisation; 3. Services: Hotels, Banking, Education, Shops, Transport and Tourism. M7 does not want private universities to charge non-Ugandans more than citizens because they are also “our children" In addition, he mentioned the plan to rebuild the railway to Pakwach, useable for cargo transportation before extending it to the South Sudan Border and farther. “Arua will be able to get 200 Megawatts” (of Electricity) when connected to the National Grid. That will be a very big upgrade compared to the 4 MW WENRECo Genset (Thermal) solution to Nyagak Hydro's 3.5 MW power issues that got switched on around Easter (April 2019) and has been commendably constant; 4. ICT: Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO), etc. M7 praised Nwoya District for being awake and urged Ugandans to use their land and labour. Just before ending his speech and launching some publications, M7 dramatised on stage his amusement at how some elderly ladies carry one sugarcane or just an egg as an offering to GOD and warned that if we do not apply our talents, HE will give them to other people. But if that’s what GOD gave them, then it is not their fault. Some people actually receive just one talent or two while others get five and so much more; that is GOD's otita [arrangement].

At the Heart of West Nile

The symposium brought to Arua Airport a large plane that amazed onlookers, like a precursor of things to come. With a monthly average of 180 traffic movements, Arua is the 2nd Busiest Domestic Airport in UG. Government plans to upgrade Arua Airfield to a Category 4C Airport with a field length of more than 1,800 metres capable of accommodating planes with a wingspan of up to 24 metres. The aim of the symposium was to rebrand the Upper Nile Valley as a very important Cross-Border Investment Destination and not just a place for Refugees, Conflicts and Poverty; something Nobert Mao once called “Prejudice Reduction for Northern Uganda” instead of just Public Relations. The conference was powered by Muni University, Azur Water, Northern Uganda Regional Development Forum (NURDEF), Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), National Information Technology Authority (NITA), Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Uganda Development Bank (UDB) and Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL). GOD bless the 105 Year old West Nile Province…