The distinct change in the engine sound of the huge new Ugandan “Eagle Air” plane signaled the commencement of the descent and final approach. This journey had been very long in coming. It is exactly fifty years since I departed with my adopted family for a new life in the United States. During these years I have read and seen a lot in the media about the changes in my country of birth and have looked forward to visiting someday…
INT Alumni Think-Tank
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Governance
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Governance
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Governance
36 comments
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Okay i could not fight the goose bumps as i read through the piece. The writer paints a picture of Uganda that comes off as a dream but also provides hope that actually with the right will, we can get to a singapore status. Though not prominently brought out but the writer tends to place the success of Uganda at 100 on the discovery of oil. This creates a scenario that actually without oil, we are likely not going to achieve much yet we have seen countries without oil actually catapult into world giants. I want to agree with the writer that change in leadership integrity and having accountable leaders will play a big role in transforming Uganda from 3rd world to 1st World. It is also true that benchmarking countries like Israel on Agriculture can transform the agriculture in Uganda changing lives of the majority of Ugandans. The writer paints a picture of the Ugandan countryside largely turning into agricultural lands as many of the people will move to the urban centres but does not clearly show how this can be done but actually mentions of Ugandans becoming largely innovative this could actually be the the driver to such transformation. Largely the writer writes about transformation of Uganda through reforms in the current Uganda challenges of endemic corruption, culture and enthinicity, waning agriculture and food security, land tenure and access, climate change, water pressure and ICT and i agree that Uganda in the next 50 years can actually make the progress written about in this piece and all we need is transformational leaders, who put their nation first before their individual needs and desires.
Yes Moses, the transformation of Uganda will mean all our industries firing on all cylinders. There is no reason, with what Uganda has been endowed with, we are not a first world country by 2062.
This article attempts to describe a desirous Uganda, the Uganda we wish to have in future. it wished a Uganda where there is development in industry, especially import substitution industries, a Uganda where there is investment in infrastructure such as railways, roads that connect the whole country, it wishes for a peaceful Uganda, where security is in place, there is freedom of movement, there is more national and social cohesion, a self empowered Uganda, free of foreign aid, no corruption, among others.
My individual project is on promotion of quality primary education in Lomuku 1, Yei town of South Sudan; with main objectives being:
Quality performance – both in academics and co-curriculum activities.
Effective participation and performance of pupils in co-curriculum activities
Talent development in scouting, debating and writing
Teaching basic Christian values of love, prayers, forgiveness, sharing, singing and worshiping.
With this project i intent to achieve a reformed education system where the teaching curriculum is re-designed to suit the needs of the learners and the current educational needs of South Sudan, well equipped schools with libraries and laboratories, well motivated teachers in terms of salaries, and other social services, a change in cultural dimensions towards education, especially in regards to girls. Further the project intends to invest in modern education, for example the introduction and use of computers in class, teaching more of life skills in order to prepare the pupils for future life in secondary schools and after secondary schools.
My project further intends to contribute to a stable South Sudan though teaching basic christian values and producing children who are good fearing, disciplined and hard working.
My individual project can not directly contribute to Uganda’s future, it can indirectly or i could just try to link the contributions to Uganda.
The intended results of my project are the future wishes for a desired Uganda in terms of education according to the readings in the article. The project would lead to a rigorous change in the universal education systems (UPE) towards a more enhanced one. UPE has not achieved its intended goals and objectives due to failure in systems and processes. My project could contribute towards reforming UPE in terms of management of the scheme, and directing the efforts towards a productive force.
Overall, the project could contribute towards reforming the primary education sector and systems in the Country.
You project is one that can certainly revolutionize South Sudan. As it succeeds in South Sudan, Uganda will take a leaf from it.
All the very best!
My project will help solve youth redundancy in the village of Wabitungulu through a plastic bottle recycling project. The purpose of this project is to create a source of income for the young people who will be involved, help save the environment from plastic pollution and the coaching sessions will help change their mindsets towards money, poverty and work.
Youth unemployment is very high in our country especially in the rural areas where we have many school drop outs without employable skills and a mindset to of creativity.My project is geared towards helping young people create income generating activities through creative projects and also coaching them towards changing their poverty mindsets. By helping carrying out this project, I’m hoping that there will be a reduction in crime, teen pregnancies will be reduced, the levels of poverty will be reduced and that through using plastic bottles for good, our countrysides and soils will be free from plastic pollution.
Therefore I’m hoping that through my project young people will learn the importance of work, it will increase their creativity, save the environment from plastic pollution, reduce the crime rates, early pregnancies. Uganda will the future be characterised with less idleness especially in the rural areas.
Sandra, Uganda is so desperate for projects that help recycle plastic. Well done for taking on such a bold project. The landscape of Uganda is set to change and this will go a long way in alleviating the unemployment problem. Do persevere!
The writer has painted a picture of a failed Uganda by the year 2062 in all aspects of social, economic and environmental spheres. He has listed each and every key aspect for building a prosperous nation this includes: infrastructure development, addressing climate change, land tenure and access, population, water pressures and so on and provided the picture of Uganda when these key issues are not addressed. He has also elaborated on the long term effects of corruption and its effects in future when not addressed currently. He clearly illustrates impact of a failed nation (in the absence of good governance, the people supplant the existing social contract with one of their own making. The weight of this mass of different agendas and emerging social orders can fill the vacuum reaching a critical mass that instantly explodes rapidly collapsing the existing order).
I applaud the write as the issues raised are key to development of every nation and not only to Uganda and it is important for countries to have a picture of the scenarios when they are not addressed just as presented by the writer of dangers looming in the horizon. Most of the time national leaders give hopes of a better and rosy future to citizens for example Uganda’s vision 2040 and making Citizens have hopes not knowing that if the essential drivers of that better future are not addressed then the situation would be worse than present. I also like the fact that the writer has acknowledged the need of selfless transformational leaders to move Uganda to where it is needed to be. Most of the issues mentioned by the writer are of concern to the current Uganda , however the writer presentation of the worst case scenario has greatly underscored, the progress that has and is being made in different sectors to ensure a better future for Ugandan’s. There are ongoing infrastructural development in Uganda for example new roads have and are being constructed to increase accessibility, Uganda is also a party to many global commitments such as the SDGs which are addressing most of this issues and together with development partners they are all working towards addressing the issues addressed in the article by 2030 and some progress will be realized. Some of the effects for bad leadership are currently being experienced such us the mass unemployment that is increasing the crime rates among the youths. Slow progress and poor outcome of infrastructure as a result of corruption as someone may think they may only happen in future and yet they are ongoing and calls for urgent need of transformational leaders.
Leadership with integrity will surely be paramount in the transformation of our country and continent. As an Oakseed we encourage you to develop other leaders in your sphere that will help in our transformation.
My individual project focuses on providing the women a platform to be able to be heard on radio, a world where by the rights of the women are respected in the face of the so called male dominated world. A world where by women’s rights are well observed and women equally have their full human rights observed and respected. A world where women are seen taking high positions in government, in the politics of Uganda, a world where women are in charge of the economy of Uganda and they run huge business empires.
My individual project has a lot to contribute to the preferred future of Uganda. Today in Uganda, we have several pilots who are male and really, piloting and the study of science and technology in Uganda and in Africa has been attributed to been a field for the men, while the women have been pushed to the study of the arts courses which include social works and social administration, counseling and guidance and nursing. However, my project is going to change this course. We need situations where by the women take up this science and technology courses equally as men. Admissions at the universities will be based on merit so that women too have equality chances to join these courses. My project envisages a Uganda where people will have jobs not because they are men and others cant because they are women, but because they are capable and qualify for such jobs.
My project will see more women join the science universities, and many women will join piloting and flight engineering, so in the future, Uganda will have several air buses and planes being flown by women
This open up for women to join all these institutions will definitely see women take up their role in all these offices and professions. My project will see more women engaged in tourism industry, in research and commerce. This is because women have been given a lee way to through merit participate in contributing towards the development of Uganda. So women’s contribution towards the national pride and development will be seen and appreciated across all spheres. When everyone regardless of one’s sex is allowed to contribute their skills to the general development of the country or achieving the core objectives, development will be faster and admirable. So women through my project will be more energized, more motivated to work themselves out to contribute to the development of Uganda. This then will reduce the economic gap that could exist between the men and the women today because, I envisage where both women and men have a good earning and can pay taxes to develop Uganda and their families and the dependency syndrome will be reduced.
My project will also see a country where women and men sit side by side and negotiate and discuss issues and not being bullied around using the patriarchy challenge. Tradition will be performed in the best interest of every one and as a means of protecting our historical identity and existence other than abusing the rights of women and making it a privilege for the men. The project will help see happy families, which are more prosperous and spiritual, loving and praising the lord together and manifesting the glory of the lord. My project will help create a happy and God fearing family where women are not known as the officers of the kitchen but rather a family where cooking is simplified because men and women cook in shifts because they now use solar and gas for cooking and not far fetched firewood.
Joseph, its wonderful that you a male have taken on such a project. Empowering women is key to the development of any nation particularly in Africa. By 2062 the Uganda we desire will have women in significant leadership positions in all spheres of life.
My individual project resonates with this article in a number of ways. The main improvements in the country that are highlighted in the story related to outcomes of the education sphere which yielded the following outcomes; a responsible citizen, a sense of nationalism, accountability, integrity and resource management.
Although most of the transformation in the article was as a result of properly managing our oil resources, it has been demonstrated in cases like Singapore that even without mineral wealth a nation can create critical mass required to get to the point where it can take off and transform itself.
My project targets boys in their early teens and at o’level that will need to be guided on the path to adulthood and to fulfilling their roles as future leaders of homes, businesses, churches, communities and the nation. These will be the cornerstones of the next generation and inspire communities to want to change for the better.
Borrowing from the idea of youth camps, these would serve as a platform to teach the target audience of the project soft skills that they require to take charge and drive transformation first of themselves, and then this would then spill over to the community and eventually lead to change in mindset and the mentality of the nation.
By teaching young men to manage time, inspire them to have a sense of purpose, honoring their parents and commitments and to be accountable through workshops and work programs that could eventually be integrated into the school curriculum I believe there is massive transformative potential in developing our youths self-esteem and giving them a sense of purpose.
Providing male youth with the opportunity to see positive male role models that embody the values of integrity, respect, hard work and with whom they can interact and hopefully borrow a leaf from would motivate young men to follow the right path rather than looking at get rich quick schemes or believing that someone else will solve their problems.
The sharing of soft skills like time management, resource planning will impart a sense of urgency and drive which in turn would reduce wastage of resources and allow for timely completion of tasks, improve on overall productivity all of which are important to start the process of transformation that will deliver the vision of a preferred future for Uganda.
For the O’level boys modules that introduce the concept of responsible citizenship and the role of a man in nation building, these will aim at helping the next set of voters understand their responsibility as citizens, learn their constitutional rights and help shift the mindset away from accepting fate to demanding accountability and taking responsibility for who is granted the opportunity to lead.
The program will also aim at encouraging innovation and a change of mindset from away from complaining about problems to seeking solutions within which there could potentially be entrepreneurial opportunities or solutions and even create employment opportunities and the ability to use practical skills or choose vocational training.
This is an important project, Samuel. We have a shortage of youth training programmes that nurture our youth to be innovative and also maintain a strong character. Our youth need to see themselves as an integral part of our development and transformation.
The key word in this article lies at the very beginning of the article – “Preferred”. This implies that the future described is what the author would have loved for Uganda but not one that would materialize automatically. The preferred future is a beautiful dream that needs hard work to be realized and sustained. My heart was filled with excitement as I read about a Uganda with proper infrastructures (roads, railways, airports), security, national and social cohesion etc. The one question that lingered in my mind was, “How can I be a part of this?”
My individual project is in the sphere of education. It is about making a case for the relevance of mentorship in Ugandan schools (A case of St. Lawrence Schools and Colleges). The importance of education in transformation of any society can never be more emphasized. Just like the vision of Karamoja in the article where targeted education worked, mentorship is form of targeted education. Students and institutions of learning especially secondary schools have got caught up in the current trend of cut throat competition as they strive to produce better academic grades year in, year out. Because of this, teachers spend a lot of time trying to cover large volumes of syllabi material and forget the importance of activities like mentorship. Mentorship in a school setting provides career advice and also helps bridge the gap between school and life after school by providing professional and personal enrichment. To me, the ability of an individual to harness the skills gained through learning and using them to survive after school is very important; otherwise education would have been in vain. Of course, several other arguments can be presented to make a case for why we need to go to school; but in my opinion, survival is at the top of the list.
Mentorship is broad; however, my project shall be limited to developing a mentorship framework that is relevant in terms of local content and the prevailing situation in Uganda, enable students appreciate the importance of mentorship in bridging the gap between school and the work place and also make better career choices as they transition from high school to university instead of getting carried away with the band-wagon effect. To achieve this, gaining an in-depth understanding of mentorship as it is currently done will be key. Creation of a mentorship framework that incorporates local content and is closely linked to the current situation in Uganda will also be important. Ultimately, taking the first step of piloting the framework to test it so that it can be gradually fine tuned to address the gap is crucial.
Education is at the heart of transforming societies and even entire nations. This can be seen from the start of how African nations got independence from colonial powers and how they have managed to grow and sustain the growth achieved to date – at least for some countries. Because of how important education is, it is one sphere that the devil is always fighting against. It is therefore a no-brainer that I will need a lot of collaboration in this effort so that the necessary changes can have a trickledown effect to all corners of Uganda instead of a few individuals benefiting, which is the present case.
From the article, I see that the preferred vision and future can only be achieved if the challenges predicted through the think tank article “Danger looming in the horizon” are aggressively addressed.
My project is to create a SACCO operated people with kingdom principles without any bureaucracies. The prospects are immeasurable including achieving this preferred 2062 future.
My project right now appears like such a small concept, but once it grows, it shall address a range of critical issues and dynamic programmes focussed on delivering this future we all crave for. With great governance, out of the box thinking, great people and most of all God, the outcomes of this SACCO project shall be limitless. Look at how Singapore built and operated the CPF facility.
At the moment the project seeks to improve lives of the congregation to have hope, have the ability to feed their families by starting small income generating initiatives. In 2062, all members of the congregation would be provided health insurance for their families, children having access to free quality education without the need to travel abroad among many other important benefits.
This future is indeed worth looking forward to. When the congregation’s businesses grow, they shall be able to contribute taxes to the national economy to spur development and provision of social services including healthcare and education.
The project being developed through the church will require all members or contributors to abide by kingdom principles which shall be the reason for their business successes. Those who ask how members of the church are succeeding in their businesses shall be forced to adopt the same principles to achieve wealth and success as well.
When the congregation utilising the SACCO funds prosper, they shall be in position to afford quality healthcare, education among many other benefits which will allow their children attain knowledge to contribute to this preferred future. They may also be part of those who establish high quality health centres to contribute to this vision 2062.
Members having access to more income shall be able to travel abroad and bring back options to quickly achieve vision 2062 to improve our various priority sectors for national transformation including tourism which the article strongly highlights.
My project encourages members to act without waiting on hand-outs from Government as mentioned in the article. Government will find us on this agreed path to success by the select few. It all starts with a small assembly of little blocks. The church is the best vehicle to carry the transformation message and action because people who have the fear of God in them are true transformers if in the right churches that is.
If the country prospers, the people shall prosper and have access to more resources or income and therefore make greater contributions to the SACCO to meet more important objectives for society. Imagine if the SACCO grew to address high end technological research, or developing talent for the entertainment industry.
And because Uganda 2062 would be a developed country, all this research would find its way on to the global map to address global concerns with Uganda at the forefront.
The article does indeed present a very ideal situation considering where we are now but well, YES WE CAN is a slogan worth believing in. Let us never fail to dream or try.
The SACCO becomes a fund from which resources can be targeted towards a range of initiatives through the church as highlighted in the article to spur the 2062 desired transformation.
Indeed Solomon, its important to look at ourselves individually and see what role we can play to transform Uganda. That is the attitude of no excuse leaders. Mentorship is key. Do collaborate with others as you mentor the students.
The diary of Mr. Okello about his visit to Uganda in 2062, one hundred years’ after Uganda’s independence is fascinating to read. It is indeed a vision of a preferred future of Uganda, a dream that seems so farfetched given the current situation in Uganda but nevertheless achievable. Uganda has all it takes to achieve that dream. Uganda is endowed with natural resources and I believe has people who have the vision to get Uganda to that preferred future.
As Mr. Okello does suggest in his diary it all starts with leadership in Uganda over the next twenty or so years, the decisions they take; and how they use of the resources that God has endowed our country with. Uganda needs leaders that are willing to put aside personal, family and tribal interests and plan for our country.
Uganda has oil, minerals, fertile soil, beautiful sceneries and wonderful friendly people. The future of Uganda depends a great deal on how the resources we have are put to use. The proper use of oil and minerals in Uganda is the key to moving Uganda to a first world country. I agree with the author that the resources should be used to invest in infrastructure. We need to build an efficient transport system that will connect Uganda to the rest of the world. This will attract investors and increase revenue for the country among other benefits.
In order to succeed in this, the government needs to deal with corruption decisively as the prerequisite for starting transformation in Uganda. The government needs to take a strong stand and stay the course in order permanently stamp out corruption in Uganda. Failure to dealing with corruption will result in poor use of resources from the oil production.
The idea of making Uganda a green country and promoting it as the greenest country in Africa is an interesting one. The key point the author seems to be making is that Uganda needs to find a niche that will distinguish her from the rest of Africa. Branding Uganda as the greenest country in Africa and perhaps the world is achievable but will take a lot of sacrifice. This will result in closure of some businesses and sources of income for citizens which will lead to great resistance. It may also result in death as predicted by the author. Greening Uganda will also help contain the problem of global warming in Uganda which has affected Agriculture and led to food shortage.
The author also refers to development Karamoja, a marginalised region in Uganda. This implies that all resources will be used to develop the whole of Uganda and not just parts of Uganda. In addition, he refers to members of parliament who appear to be represent parts of the country that they do not hail from. That is only possible if we deal with tribalism in Uganda.
Yes Patricia, as far fetched as the Uganda we desire in 2062 appears to be, it is attainable. As you rightly say it will take a lot of hard work and a culture of integrity.
Greening Uganda will have a knock on effect of actually building other industries. Singapore is proving this to be so.
I have loved this article because it brings out an image of a Uganda we all desire. One cannot help but wish to be around and see all these beautiful changes manifest. The style of writing is also appealing because they portray it through the mind of a senior citizen who left the country as a teenager and is amazed to find a totally different nation. Despite the fact that he is coming from a much more developed country, he is able to appreciate the great changes taking place back home.
The writer presents a different generation of Ugandans who are enlighten, empowered, competent and efficient in all that they do. This is exactly in line with my passion of raising visionary leaders of influence who will transform the nations for Christ.
In the story, although its not the centre of focus, it comes out clearly that the nation is experiencing good leadership and it can be seen in the new outlook that the nation is experiencing. This fits in perfectly with my area of passion and my burden which is about raising leaders who will be transformational. If today we are deliberate to invest wisely and positively in the lives of the young ones, some years to come Uganda will be different.
It will be possible to move it from the 3rd poorest country in the world as per the Focus Economics report of 2018 to be a first world countries. The development and advancement does not happen by miracle and magic but deliberate steps were taken and investments were done especially in the lives of the people to enable them attain that standard.
As Ugandans if we invest in creating a leader out of each child and enable them lead in their sphere of influence, to exacel in their field and be confident enough to risk and reach out for their dreams.
When the young generation is taught the word of God and supported to develop their values along biblical principles so that their values, ideas and decisions are shaped based on the fear of God. When this is achieved, we shall be assured of a president, members of parliament and cabinet ministers who will make decisions not based on the next campaign results but what is best for the nation. We shall have a corrupt free Uganda and thus people with low income will be in position to access basic needs like quality education and health care as well as infrastructure required to foster trade and development.
So if we focus on giving the young generation the best, create opportunities for them to get quality education, build their confidence and give them an opportunity of a bright future. There is a lot of potential among the young ones and with deliberate effort and the right training, we can bring out the best in them for the good of the nation.
You are right invest in leadership in our children we produce the Uganda we desire. I like that your emphasize the importance of prayer and also acting upon what we desire. From this very day you and I must continue to work towards the new Uganda.
The writer paints a rosy picture of a developed and functional Uganda by 2062. My individual project will provide fathers, mothers and other caregivers with knowledge, skills and attitudes to parent positively without using violence. This in turn will result into strong loving relationships developing in families. A nation is made of families and therefore when we have stable families, we end up with a stable nation. Research has shown that when children grow up being subjects of or witnessing violence, they themselves often end up being violent to their spouses etc. There is a high economic as well as a social costs of violence to the country which will be reduced and eventually eliminated if parents adopt violence tree parenting methods. My project within three years hope to directly reach 300 parents trained in positive parenting which translates to a violence free environment to approximately 1,500 children living in those households. I hope that a momentum will be developed through testimonies from the trained parents which can lead to other stakeholders taking up the methodology and spreading countrywide by 2062.
Discipline is an important part of a child’s early development. However, violent forms of discipline have become highly normalized and deeply interwoven in Ugandan society. Many adults take the view that what they experienced as a child themselves is the correct means of discipline and a part of their culture, helping create a cycle of abuse. In Uganda a substantial proportion of adults consider physical punishment as being an essential element in a ‘proper’ upbringing. All too often, parents and community members are simply unaware of the positive alternatives to corporal punishment. The widespread acceptance of corporal punishment also permeates Uganda’s schools, where boys with sticks are often asked to enforce discipline among their peers, and teachers know no other way of correcting a child’s behavior and instilling discipline. This is in spite of the fact that corporal punishment is now outlawed in Ugandan schools. The impacts of witnessing violence on children are not as well understood as the direct effects of abuse which include immediate injury and emotional effects, and psychological issues, living in the streets and prostitution later in life. Violence affects the growth and development of a child’s brain and their capacity to learn, inhibits positive relationships, and provokes low self-esteem and distress. It brings with it a serious social and economic cost, hampering Uganda’s long term development. Unless this is addressed, we will not achieve the levels of development described in the article by the author.
Geoffrey, you project is important because it will cause a culture change in Uganda. Violence indeed begets violence. The Uganda of 2062 must have respect and tolerance for each other despite age. You will need patience but its success will set Uganda on a different trajectory.
How my project could contribute to the proffered future in Uganda
As soon as I started reading this article on ”Vision of a Preferred Future” the story of Lee Kuan Yee and Singapore’s rise from Third to First kept ringing in my mind. The writer clearly envisioned a transition of Uganda from its current position of a Third World Country to a 1st World County. It is a dream of how Uganda can rise from rugs to greatness.
What again struck me was that, this article was written in the year 2012. We are now in 2018 and some of the things captured in the vision are already beginning to happen in Uganda. It is quite amazing when Uganda can testify of the opening of the new source of the Nile Bridge, also New Jinja Bridge, which was commissioned on 17 October 2018, by the President of Uganda. It is a cable-stayed bridge across the Victoria Nile in Uganda. It replaced the Nalubaale Bridge, which was built in 1954. This one single example tells me that the Vision 2062 for Uganda is actually possible.
My project is about “Enhancing access to justice for women in prison”. I came up with this project because as a Judicial Officer, I interface with women in the course of my work. Some Women have ended up in prison for failure to clear loans borrowed from money lending companies for purposes of improving their businesses. These small businesses, sometimes simple market stalls are a source of livelihood in most families. You can imagine what happens to such a family once the woman has been sent to prison for failure to clear this loan.
This project will therefore contribute to the Vision for a preferred future because deepening access to justice especially for the vulnerable and in this case women, leads to the restoration of families and thus national transformation. The projects entails INT values of Responsibility and Compassion with a biblical basis in Micah 6:8 of doing justice loving mercy and walking humbly with your God. A family is the basic unit of society. The absence of a woman in a family, whether this woman is married or not, whether she has children or not, will affect the stability of a nation. The law has to take its course but not all women who are in prison should be there. Some are there because they lack basic legal knowledge on how to apply for bail, how to conduct themselves in court, bargaining for lesser sentences once found guilty and having access to legal aid service providers. This project will also help in promoting public engagement in the administration of justice and ensuring actualization of provisions for affirmative action for women, youth and marginalised groups. This will eventually lead to the political stability envisioned in the Uganda 2062 Vision of a preferred future.
Sarah, the is an important project. It will bring belief into our judicial system and bring hope to thousands. It will be challenging but pivotal as we move towards being a first world country. Be resolute as you pursue your project.
The article states a Uganda that we all desire in the next fifty years. The picture painted here is too perfect to imagine. A developed country with a perfect transportation system that allows one to easily travel from one point of the country to another in the shortest time, beautiful environment, an effective energy sector, attractive tourism, warm and hospitable people, clean city and a leadership academy whereby It is mandatory for all leaders in politics and the public service to regularly spend some time. A country where corruption is not tolerated. An interesting one for me was “ two members of Parliament: Hon. James Mukasa representing a constituency in Dokolo district in Lira and Hon. Betty Achieng representing a constituency in Kisoro district” which implies that there will be no tribalism and it will be a united Uganda.
While the aspects in this article may seem too rosy, the ideas therein are premised on the existing potential of the country. The country is endowed with natural resources, including ample fertile land, regular rainfall, and mineral deposits. The economy of Uganda has great potential for rapid economic growth and development. This therefore means that the country is capable of achieving this dream. The challenge is now before me and everyone else that identifies themselves as leaders. It all starts with transforming our communities (our spheres of influence) while promoting good values of integrity, accountability, hard work among others.
My individual project is to contribute and participate in strategies that aim at promoting the participation of locals in public procurement in Uganda. I believe that the participation of local companies (citizen owned) will stimulate industrial development, increase local capability, increase employment, and build a skilled workforce. The Government of Uganda spends a significant amount of money in its expenditure through Public Procurement. However there is a public outcry that a significant proportion of these funds does not benefit the local providers in Uganda.
Faith, you state that this is a Uganda that is too perfect. However you say this will be possible if we can fight the challenges before us. Your attitude is commendable and is key towards our transformation. Procurement of local goods for tenders is one way that can help us use our own resources. Procurement is also known as a channel for corruption. The Uganda of now as we move towards 2062 should and will have zero for corruption.
The writer paints a very beautiful picture of Uganda 100 years after Independence. However it is practically impossible to achieve that especially in an African country in a period of 50 years. The External debts African countries have can be a huge challenge to offset in this period. It could only be possible if we allowed in colonialists to come back & re-colonize us again. He clearly states the difference between the Parenting skills at the time he left & at the time he returned almost 50 years later. The good parenting skills over the years i believe could have contributed a lot in Changing the Mindset of the people of the Nation for the better to try and achieve that level of Development.
The Development level however appears to have been over estimated. It takes such a long time to stabilize the economy & getting people to be contented with their earnings to the extent that Corruption, Thefts, illegal trading can be avoided. This could probably see a lot being done in the right way.
Countries like Singapore could have taken a time close to 60 years to develop, but they still don’t have those many cities dotted everywhere. It just takes a high level of Integrity to achieve that leave alone the high financial Budget needed to get things running.
In my Opinion however, this kind of Development begins right in our Homes with Our children. Children can be taught not to tell lies, be clean, respect others, obey laws & rules, be hardworking and all that right at home. Such a Child may find it unworthy to practice any Form of Corruption in future when they are grown up and employed in the Civil service or any other organization.
Things like cleanness, respect, love for each other & for the Nation all begin from Homes while the Children grow up. Being the Future Generation, they will probably remember all this early part of their education & Keep it in Practice. This however appears to be non-existent in the beginning as we see that the writer himself was abandoned at a tender age by his parents. Moving from his type of parents to parents that can change a nation definitely takes a bit of time.
Upright parents who will play proper parenting roles & educate their Children both at home & School hold the Key to this Level of Development in this Country.
Jacqueline, countries like Singapore, Malyasia and Vietnam have transformed themselves in a generation. They, too, faced seemingly insurmountable problems but they overcame.
Take heart. INT and other organisations are committed to building the Uganda we desire as we move towards 2062.
Keep the faith!
The writer paints a moving and motivating picture of a Uganda after the next 50 years from 2012. He returns to Uganda which he had left 50 years ago in dire need, and was amazed at the transformational change that had happened. He encountered transformation that had happened in the tourism sector, infrastructure with state of technology, education, corruption free society among others. It’s a sight that is breath taking, a fantastic reality that is possible to behold.
The journey of transforming Uganda is one I need to be part of. It’s a journey worth taking to create a more than desired future for my generation and the generations to come. Armed with the current motivation through the INT course along with the exposure experienced during the course, I am awakened to action through my project.
The burdens to carry off are quite a number but the future hold more dividends to the willing and prepared.
I have a burden to see a better tomorrow beginning with my village back in Kabale. Currently when I visit my Village (Murambo Village in Kabale district), I see people more so the youth in despair. Poverty and ignorance has relegated the populace to begging and drinking local brew. Their current state is not one that will make them see the desired future as envisaged in the article. There needs to be a change of which my project is intended to contribute to.
The project is focused on addressing the gap in the employable vocational skills of the youth to enable them into gainful employment as well as increase their literacy levels. This is envisaged that it will have a ripple effect of the families from which they come from as they will in turn support other youth hence transformation.
To be specific to the desired future, my project will contribute to its attainment in three ways.
The people that will be needed in the desired future will need to be literate with basic literacy levels. Through my project, the beneficiaries most of whom are school drop outs at primary and secondary level, will be given a chance to be more literate and to gain exposure for the next level generation awareness. The writer highlights key developments that had taken place in the education sector to the extent that the previously despised Karamoja had had a transformational change in education. This is a desire of my Village as well.
The attainment of literacy comes along with acquisition of employable vocational skills which will trigger earning of income needed for expenditure and further investment as we build the desired future. Most of the population in the desired future are urban. I believe most of my project beneficiaries will eventually live in urban centers and be part of the desired future population.
The acquired skills will also be needed for the skilled manpower to work in the rapid infrastructure developments and the industries as narrated in the article. The future employees in the transformed Uganda need more vasertile skills; vocational, soft skills for tourism operation and for the service industry. My contribution will this to enlighten and skill more youth, well positioned to contribute and be part of the desired future.
Vision for a preferred Future
A highly positive mindset and clear development projection painted for Uganda come 2062. This cannot be taken lightly given the then state of nation Uganda was by 2012. It took courage and innovation for the author to arrive at such a picture for Uganda. My individual project has a contribution to the preferred future. Modernization and transformation are not possible without developing human resources through education and health for all. We must, therefore, alphabetize, intellectualize and equip with skills the whole society. They should be in good health. On top of immunization, we should ensure hygiene, sanitation and more advanced medical care. On the side of education, we should ensure quality output. My project will address provision of resources to facilitate quality education the nation needs. With reference to gardening at school and small-scale farming parents/guardians will be involved into, in order to take advantage of the available markets, we must stop exporting raw materials. We should instead add value to our products and sale them as finished products.
The export of raw materials is, therefore, is the curse of Africa. By selling raw materials, it means that the African purchasing power remains very low. If you have no job, you do not earn income. If you have no income, you cannot buy. Therefore, a country of jobless people is a country of a tiny market. Since the Africans have been busy exporting and losing money on every kilogram of raw material they export, they are in-effect “donors” in ignorance. They donate to others unknowingly and unacknowledged. They do not demand a “Donors’ Conference.” They just donate. Uganda’s coffee exports for 12 months (September 2017 to August 2018) totaled to 4.35 million bags worth $472 million, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) says in the latest report So, we donate all the would-be earnings from coffee by selling it in a raw form. My project in an effort will teach to add value to Arabic coffee that all parents produce in the Bugisu sub-region and sale at a higher price as opposed to throw away price that merely meets very few family demands.
The project will also address innovation through use of biogas in lighting and cooking at school. This knowledge will be extended to the homes of many children in the area where they come from around Busamali primary school, through the savings groups that we shall set up in the school community, parents will be in position to organize resources and invest in small scale businesses on a private mission to create wealth but also empower women to generate money for domestic operational funding and expansion of investments. My project will also address quality of results children register that will improve the capacity of critical thinking in the learning process of science in school. Critical thinking will get our children into innovation and development. The practical aspect of teaching of science in my project will help the children to put logical sense to matter and energy. Different types/forms of energy will be explored. They will examine through experiments the use of heat energy in their day to day life in school and at home. The learning outcome will be to use basic scientific knowledge on the effects of heat on things in the environment and demonstrate skills of investigating effects of heat on matter. My project will also address life skills like effective thinking, problem solving, critical thinking, decision making and creative thinking. While in actual intervention, promote values including responsibility, care, cooperation, confidence, logic and making right choices. A desired future will require this mindset.
It was very revitalizing to walk into this future as I read unto the end of the vision. The author predicts an overhaul change of Uganda in every sphere of life. The author is however quick to acknowledge that all this could not be possible without a strong moral, strong focused and credible leadership. It is evident therefore that the rise and fall of any nation is grounded on leadership. A good leader is not just born but rather they are nurtured.
The future of every nation lies in the youth who are most cases unaware of this fact. If there is going to be any transformation, there is need of empowering the youth to realise that they have a vital role to play. Most times the youth have a misconception of when the future is, not knowing that they are already in the future. They have such a false futuristic mind-set that this project seeks to rectify. Historically the men and women that caused a difference started their journey of transformation while they were youthful, talk of David in the bible, Samuel, Daniel and the three friends. Joseph at very young age became the prime minister of Egypt the same age that Lee Kuan Yew did.
A neglected and abandoned youth is equivalent to a neglected future. that is why my project will contribute towards the preferred Uganda by causing an awareness among the youth about their potential. The mentorship project seeks to cause a mind-set shift of the youth. Where there is a clear purpose it anchors an open mind which strengthens one’s will in responding to the issues at hand. The projects are wired at empowering the youth from a dependence attitude to a work attitude, from a laid back attitude to an all involving attitude.
The preferred Uganda revolves around innovation. Innovation, by definition is the introduction of something new. An innovator has the ability to see beyond the existing circumstances in other wards innovation brings change from the usual phenomenon of life. Without innovation, there isn’t anything new, and without anything new, there will be no progress. However, innovation cannot be achieved unless one unlocks their potential. Unlocked potential equals locked innovation and locked change. That is why Myles Munroe says the grave is the wealthiest place on earth. This project seeks to provoke that unlocked potential that will bring innovation.
According to the preferred vision the author comments that this would not be possible without strong moral base, strong focused and credible leadership. Ethics, or morality, is a system of principles that helps us tell right from wrong, good from bad. These must be nurtured at very early stage in life, however we are faced with a generation of young people that are nurtured. This mentor-ship project is based on the fact that we are God’s workmanship set a part for good works. For good works to be manifest there must be a strong moral fiber that has be deliberately nurtured. The most basic need for ethics lies in the fact that we do not automatically know what will benefit our lives, and what will be detrimental. We constantly face choices that effect the length and quality of our lives. We must choose our values: where to live, how to spend our time, whom to associate with, whom to believe. We must choose what to think about, and how to go about achieving our goals. Which character traits to acquire, and which to eliminate. all these choices are driven by purpose. These choices are easily driven by purpose.
Reading the above article stirred a lot of sentiments and excitement and helped me visualise my country from a number of different angles that I had never imagined. It was as though Uganda was already living the First World dream, and I felt proud of every second of it. Professionalism at its best, people willing to die for worthy causes, environment conserved and preserved, perfect infrastructure, talent and sports at maximum, the education system reviewed and working, equitable treatment of all districts, etc.
My INT project, which is aimed at empowering pre-teens and youths in Nabweru, Wakiso District with leadership and vocational skills, has a great input in this vision in three of more areas.
Am empowering a generation of youth who believe in themselves (purposeful, capabilities and strength) and are willing to do whatever it takes to transform their livelihood and the areas that they live in. Such people will be willing to fight for the conservation of forests because they know they were created for such times as this.
Secondly, we are tapping into our God-given talents and promoting it at every level to the extent of earning from it. This is one of the easiest strategies of engaging youths into something they believe in. We have musicians in the making, sports people, etc and am confident we will provide this country with some of the very best talent.
The project’s biggest vision is to address the youth unemployment problem which has haunted this country year in, year out. The youth live amongst us and are willing to work, yet we have nowhere to place them in form of employment. The project aims at providing vocational skills and using of our society as our market for our products. In the first three (3) years we are targeting; tailoring, cookery and beadwork. I believe these will go a long way in transforming the lives of the youth in Nabweru and can later be replicated in other areas. I believe in the principle of reaching one and empowering them to spread their wings and impact others.
The project also has a plan for a resource centre which is fully fledged with computers to enable research and creativity. We will have our own think tank of youths who will also be projecting Uganda in the near future and working towards achieving bigger visions.
If my project addresses these areas above, I am confident that together, each one playing the role in the different spheres, we will be able to achieve the desired vision for this country.
In conclusion, reading this article gave me more confidence and helped me realise that am part of a body (of Christ) that is charged with getting Uganda to where it should be. If I fail to play my part, then am not only frustrating my country and failing to be purposeful (reason for creation), but am also failing the Kingdom of God from coming down on earth. I, therefore, have no alternative but to brace myself and do that which am mean to do for my time as this.
BERNARD MASABA
OUTREACH COORDINATOR
FIELDS OF LIFE
EDUCATION
CLASS 25
VISION FOR PREFERRED FUTURE
Vision for a preferred Future
A highly positive mindset and clear development projection painted for Uganda come 2062. This cannot be taken lightly given the then state of nation Uganda was by 2012. It took courage and innovation for the author to arrive at such a picture for Uganda. My individual project has a contribution to the preferred future. Modernization and transformation are not possible without developing human resources through education and health for all. We must, therefore, alphabetize, intellectualize and equip with skills the whole society. They should be in good health. On top of immunization, we should ensure hygiene, sanitation and more advanced medical care. On the side of education, we should ensure quality output. My project will address provision of resources to facilitate quality education the nation needs. With reference to gardening at school and small-scale farming parents/guardians will be involved into, in order to take advantage of the available markets, we must stop exporting raw materials. We should instead add value to our products and sale them as finished products.
The export of raw materials is, therefore, is the curse of Africa. By selling raw materials, it means that the African purchasing power remains very low. If you have no job, you do not earn income. If you have no income, you cannot buy. Therefore, a country of jobless people is a country of a tiny market. Since the Africans have been busy exporting and losing money on every kilogram of raw material they export, they are in-effect “donors” in ignorance. They donate to others unknowingly and unacknowledged. They do not demand a “Donors’ Conference.” They just donate. Uganda’s coffee exports for 12 months (September 2017 to August 2018) totaled to 4.35 million bags worth $472 million, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) says in the latest report So, we donate all the would-be earnings from coffee by selling it in a raw form. My project in an effort will teach to add value to Arabic coffee that all parents produce in the Bugisu sub-region and sale at a higher price as opposed to throw away price that merely meets very few family demands.
The project will also address innovation through use of biogas in lighting and cooking at school. This knowledge will be extended to the homes of many children in the area around Busamali primary school. Through the savings groups that we shall set up in the school community, parents will be in position to organize resources and invest in small scale businesses on a private mission to create wealth but also empower women to generate money for domestic operational funding and expansion of investments. My project will also address quality of results children register that will improve the capacity of critical thinking in the learning process of science in school. Critical thinking will get our children into innovation and development. The practical aspect of teaching of science in my project will help the children to put logical sense to matter and energy. Different types/forms of energy will be explored. They will examine through experiments the use of heat energy in their day to day life in school and at home. The learning outcome will be to use basic scientific knowledge on the effects of heat on things in the environment and demonstrate skills of investigating effects of heat on matter. My project will also address life skills like effective thinking, problem solving, critical thinking, decision making and creative thinking. While in actual intervention, promote values including responsibility, care, cooperation, confidence, logic and making right choices. A desired future will require this mindset.
A vision for a preferred future is quite an interesting read that got me smiling and having imaginations. I kept convincing myself that this preferred future despite the challenges that Uganda is facing can still be achieved if we (Ugandans) each purposefully played their role towards national transformation.
My individual project titled ‘A Graduate With Skills (GWS)’ aims to reduce the high rates of youth unemployment amongst University graduates specifically those of Kampala International University. It aims to nurture and equip the young adults with leadership and entrepreneurship skills that are needed in the market place. Through different skilling programs, the young adults will be challenged to be creative in their thinking and thus be innovative and start up different initiatives in their communities that will empower them economically.
In line with the Vision of a preferred future, when the teenager returns in 2062 to find astonishing changes in Uganda, he should find a transformed education system that produces a human resource of a very high caliber. He should find an education system that produces graduates that are relevant to the needs and opportunities present in the country. Through my individual project I intend to look at the current curriculum that the technical and vocational examinations board is implementing and suggest how we can make it more practical and available to all university students and not just those that sit for that particular examination.
My individual project intends to interact with different stake holders in the corporate and government entities especially those in the sphere of Education. It intends to see to it that every student that graduates from Kampala International University and any other university walks out with one or two skills that are relevant to the market place and can also help them start up an income generating project.
Youth employment and economic empowerment are essential components of a strong foundation in any society. Having decent work is crucial for young people and their future. The present challenge lies in simultaneously creating jobs for the bulging youth population and addressing related concerns such as the skills mismatch. Skills mismatch is defined as the gap between an individual’s job skills and the demands of the job market. My individual project will aim at helping the young adults bridge that gap.
Therefore, my individual project could contribute to this preferred future by slowly reducing the numbers of unemployed youth in Uganda.
For God and My Country
PETERSON MWESIGA
The article paints a picture of Uganda’s future by 2062. Inevitably, this future can only be achieved if the dangers alluded to in the article ‘Dangers Looming on the Horizon’ are squarely addressed. Otherwise, the dream of a preferred future will remain just a dream. A dream such as Charles Baudelaire’s ‘Pays de cocagne’ – an aspiration for the French republic of a country far away full of peace, joy, tranquility, serenity and serendipity.
My individual project seeks to promote inter-denominational cooperation in the area of Christian Praise and worship, especially targeting young people. It will provide a neutral, safe and secure space for Christians of all denominations to freely unite in worship. This will be through the establishment and promotion of the Kampala Praise Festival/Rally (KPR) – an inter-denominational, neutral, safe and secure ‘space’ for Christians to unite freely in worship. Later, the Praise Festivals/ Rallies will be extended to other parts of the country.
The platform that the Kampala Praise Festival/Rally (KPR) presents will provide an avenue for Christian brethren to enjoy themselves in the presence of God without regard to their tribal, religious and other affiliations; provide an alternative ‘permanent space’ for Christians, in the place of Clubs and Discotheques for non-Christians; promote a spirit of Brotherhood, common purpose and unity in celebrating Christ together as the general body of Christians in Uganda; re-awaken the place of worship and praise (often neglected in preference for preaching, teaching and prayer) in Christian Ministry; reach out to the lost and win souls for the Kingdom of Heaven; provide a platform to nurture and promote talent in Christian music and Ministry; and promote interdenominational/ ecumenical cooperation between Christian Organizations.
Uganda’s vision for a preferred future can only be realised if there is strong and accountable leadership. Leadership that will say NO to the ills of corruption, nepotism, tribalism, chauvinism and laziness that have for long bedevilled our country. Such leadership must also be strong-willed and ready to make sacrifices to put country before self. They must have confidence to believe in themselves and in Uganda. It will be recalled that when Lee Kuan Yew had to choose a word to explain why Singapore succeeded, he chose the word ‘confidence’. Leaders must also come to the realization that Uganda will only be developed by Ugandans. No amount of foreign aid has ever developed any country. A famous Runyankore proverb ‘Nyakazaana ayerinz’ ogwarakore’ is apt to remind us of a proverbial person whose folly is in procrastinating about a task which he or she must inevitably do. It is simply inevitable that the work of building this country rests with us Ugandans.
My project will contribute to Uganda’s vision through raising young Christian leaders who will engage with the challenges of the day and proffer practical solutions to societal problems. We will raise young men and women of valour and integrity with the spine to make critical decisions in schools, businesses, church, government, parastatals and the private sector. It is such leaders that will insist on investing oil revenues into capital investment projects and physical infrastructure that will lay a strong foundation for Uganda’s transformation towards our preferred future.
Peterson Mwesiga
December 2019, Kampala