A desert locust on a tree

However, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has assured the country that government has made preparations to ensure the imminent locust invasion is prevented.

He described it as an emergency that requires immediate intervention during an Inter-Ministerial meeting comprising Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Internal Affairs, Defence, Security, Environment, Local Government, East Africa Community Affairs, Presidency and Disaster Preparedness and Uganda Wild Life Authority.

He urged the public to stock food reserves as a precautionary measure.

“With an imminent threat of locusts invading our country from our neighbors in Kenya, I would like to assure the public that the Government is taking this matter seriously and consequently, different agencies of Government have been instructed to work together and collectively heighten our preparedness to prevent and handle the invasion,” the Prime Minister said in a statement on January 21.

He said the Ugandan government is in contact with authorities in Kenya to explore ways of jointly addressing the challenge.

Locusts invasion

What experts in the region say

According to The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the severe Desert Locust outbreak in the region is threatening rural food security across East Africa.

IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu while calling on member states, the East African Community and partners to pull resources together to prevent, control and possibly eradicate the Desert Locust, said the desert locusts is a threat to livelihood in the Horn of Africa.

“IGAD calls on Member States, the East African Community and partners to pull resources together to prevent, control and possible eradicate the Desert Locust threat to the food security of the region,”said Dr.Workneh Gebeyehu,IGAD’s Executive Secretary and added, “Prevention and control measures must be scaled up to contain further spread of the Desert Locust”.

Locals take to chasing locusts from the fields

In a statement, Dr. Gebeyehu said the invasion is a threat to food security of the region. He called for scaling up of prevention and control measures to contain further spread of the Desert Locust.He urged member states to act urgently to avoid a food security crisis in the region.

The Executive Secretary urged for increased ground surveillance for early detection. He called for use of wind forecasts, to help pre-empt trajectory of desert locust bands and swarms as well as immediate regional mapping of current invasion and forecast trajectory.

Dr. Gebeyehu urged countries to act urgently to avoid food security crisis in the region through aggressive targeted aerial and ground spraying and immediate up scaling of aerial control operations.

IGAD is appealing to governments to make use of the mass media especially Radio to disseminate and educate the public in order to aid early detection and reporting.

Map showing the spread of the desert locusts that started from the Greater Horn of Africa

“Encourage citizens to report any incidences of desert locusts,” said Dr. Gebeyehu in the statement.

Dr. David Phiri, FAO Sub regional Coordinator for the Eastern Africa and Representative of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa warned that the locust invasion is worsening the food security situation in the region.

“The locust is making a bad food security situation worse in the sub-region, exacerbating the existing dire food insecurity and malnutrition in the sub-region,” said Dr. David Phiri, FAO Sub regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa.

Dr. Phiri further warned that the weather seems favorable for the locust breeding in high probability that the locust will continue to breed until March-April 2020.

The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned that the large immature swarms are spreading from the initial invasion areas of Mandera County, south of Wajir and Garissa, west along the Ethiopian border in Marsabit county and southwest into central areas of Isiolo, Samburu, Meru and Laikipia counties.

The UN body says one immature swarm is 60 kilometers wide. FAO further warns that the swarms are expected to move into the Rift valley’s Baringo County and move northwest into Turkana County.

Other swarms are expected to move to Tana River County, while others will move to the northeast Uganda and southeast South Sudan. When the swarms mature, they will begin to lay eggs in the sandy moist soils giving rise to numerous hopper bands in February.

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The revelation was made on Friday by Aggrey Bagiire, the State Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries during a press briefing at the Ugandan media centre.

Bagiire during the press briefing on Friday

Bagiire revealed that the ministry of agriculture is now seeking Shs5 billion to cater for aircraft fuel, pesticides for control, provide for ground spray equipment and spray teams and to continuously create awareness to the population in case of an invasion.

The Minister says due to  security situation in Somalia and North Eastern Kenya (Mandera and Garissa Counties) and other factors, there are still large locusts’ swarms observed from Somalia and Ethiopia with further spread inside Kenya.

Since the current control capacity is limited, some of the swarms could move further Western into Turkana County, probably by Mid-January 2020, with likely potential and risk that some swarms could spill over into the North Eastern region of Uganda, particularly Karamoja region (borders Turkana County).

Uganda is a member of the Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa (DLCO EA) and is currently closely working and sharing information on the current status of the desert Locust in the Region.
A technical team of 2 (Two) officers have been assigned to travel to Kenya (Wajir and Marsabit counties) to understudy the current Locust control operations to subsequently share experiences and support the control efforts in Uganda (in case of any outbreak).

Bagiire however, says  the country should not to panic because there is  vigilance following up developments and control efforts in Kenya. In case of any outbreak, we are ready to handle it.

What has caused these locusts?

The second half of the year 2019 recorded unusually high rains in most parts of Eastern Africa that had not been seen in many years. These rains incidentally fell also in the semi-arid traditional Desert Locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) breeding ecological areas of Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. The favourable conditions facilitated further locusts breeding, multiplication and spread in to Kenya.

Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is a species of short- horned grasshopper family. It is characterized by its nature of high mobility (migratory) and broad spectrum feeding habits.

Desert locusts could move into Uganda and South Sudan

Locusts have ability to alter their behavior, colour, size and shape. When the population density is low, locusts behave as individuals, when the population is high, they swarm and migrate. The locust life cycle comprises three stages of egg, hopper and adult and it lives a total of 3 to 6 months.

“In Solitary phase, the Desert Locust lives individual life until it rains with availability of vegetation, the females lay eggs. Desert Locusts usually fly with the wind and swarms can travel between 5-150 km or more a day depending on weather conditions and normally taking off 2-3 hrs after sunrise in warm weather and 4-6 hrs in cool weather.
1.1.3 Locust feeding habits,” Bagiire explains.

Locust swarms vary from less than one km2 to several hundred km2. There can be at least 40 to 80 million locusts in each km2 of swarm. Coupled with its amazing ability to build up and multiply to colossal numbers, a locust can eat its own weight in fresh food (about 2 gm/day). Half million locusts weigh about 1 ton and they can eat about 1 ton of food enough to feed 2500 people.

A motorist passes through a swarm of locusts in Kenya

An Ethiopian Airline B737-700 (ET-ALN) encountered a grasshopper swarm on approach to Dire Dawa Airport (HACR).The pilots discountinued the approach and the ET363 instead diverted safely to Addis Ababa.

An Ethiopian airline that was forced to cancel its destination due to a swam of desert locusts

Plane route

According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the region is suffering it’s worst invasion for decades. Kenya says it is facing an “unprecedented threat” from desert locusts in its worst invasion for 70 years.

Swarms of the insects have spread from Ethiopia and Somalia and are threatening food production and grazing land, said Kenya’s agriculture minister, Mwangi Kiunjuri.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said last month that the species of grasshopper had already destroyed more than 175,000 acres of farmland in Somalia and Ethiopia, posing the worst threat for seven decades.        Because much of Somalia is engulfed in conflict, spraying pesticides from the air has become impossible, the agency added.
There is a risk that the swarms could move into Kenya’s neighbours Uganda and South Sudan, the FAO said.

The locusts crossed into Kenya a few days after Christmas and have spread to the counties of Garissa, Isiolo and Samburu to the south and west, Mr Kiunjuri said.

“We recognise that the pest invasion, and the potential to spread rapidly to other counties poses an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihood in the country,” he commented.
The FAO said that while locusts are expected to breed in Somalia this month, there is less chance of that happening in Kenya.

But what are the possible benefits of locusts

According to a 2015  study of researchers on insects, desert locusts could boost food security and offer protection against chronic diseases.

In the study published in PLOS One , researchers based in Kenya and the United States assessed whether locusts contain high levels of chemicals known as phytosterols that could control heart-related diseases.

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The WHO says non-communicable diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, cancers, diabetes and asthma kill about 28 million people a year in low- and middle-income countries, including those in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Baldwyn Torto, a scientist with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Kenya, who led the study, says that phytosterols block the absorption of cholesterol, a chemical which increases one’s risk of getting heart and other cardiovascular diseases.

“They are also rich in proteins, fatty acids and minerals that boost immunity, fight cancer and prevent inflammation of body organs.”

Baldwyn Torto, The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)

He adds: “They are also rich in proteins, fatty acids and minerals that boost immunity, fight cancer and prevent inflammation of body organs.”

Kate Kibarah, a clinical nutritionist in Kenya, says that food sources which contribute to the fight against non-communicable diseases should be promoted, adding that based on the findings of the study, desert locusts as a food source should be promoted.

Kibarah notes that many Africans are now dealing with ailments such as hypertension and cancers due to sedentary lifestyles and bad dietary habits.

“Instead of consuming fast foods all the time, we should eat quality food with nutrients that help us to ward off deadly diseases,” Kibarah says. “People should also exercise to keep fit.”

The WHO states that strong evidence demonstrates that compared to less active adult men and women, individuals who are more active have lower rates of all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, colon and breast cancer and depression.

According to the researchers, although plants are generally the richest sources of phytosterols, insects such as locusts that feed on them can provide alternative sources for these nutrient-rich compounds to humans.

The study found that after 200-250 desert locusts —  Schistocerca gregaria — reared in icipe were fed on wheat seedlings and wheat bran, they consumed the phytosterols from these plants and amplified them, thus resulting in the insects having higher amounts of phytosterols compared to the wheat.

Locusts can also be used as animal feeds as the contain a lot of proteins that are valuable especially to birds.

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Hon. Anifa Kawooya (Uganda) on the right during discussions

YAOUNDE, CAMEROON: There is renewed interest by academics, civil society and legislators over the continent’s extractive sector and want a common mining law. The legislators are concerned over natural resource governance and economic development on the African continent and are pushing for legislation that addresses issues of transparency and accountability by the governments and mining companies.

They noted that Africa finds itself in a paradox of plenty where its abundant endowment in natural resources does not lead to equivalent levels of prosperity, development and industrialisation.

Meeting in a continental conference in Yaounde, Cameroon, on Thursday, African legislators sought to adopt and ratify a model law on a new development approach to natural resource governance in Africa.

“The model mining law would give pointers that would, for example, strengthen the negotiating capacity of Parliaments; ensuring meaningful collaboration between key players and providing support for the required social dialogue,” Dr. Paul Jourdan, one of the panelists, said.

He elaborated that the African Mining Vision, adopted by African heads of state during their July meeting in 2009 in Kigali, is seen as a solution to the poor governance, lack of strong institutions and weak policies in African states. He explained that the AMV framework is currently being used in several countries such as Mozambique, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Tanzania and provides for a transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development.

Jourdan noted that AMV is also supporting countries to develop world class geological survey system so that they can negotiate from a point of knowledge. He said they hope to work with the Pan African Parliament to train parliamentarians on contract negotiations.

While legislators appreciated the need for a model law to regulate mining on the continent, they noted that there are some hurdles that need to be overcome.

Honourable Geoffrey Lungwangwa (Zambia) was concerned that some colonial land laws still obtain in Africa.

“If you have title to land, you are only confined to the surface and anything under the surface belongs to the state. That land law still prevails in our countries today and it is a contributing factor to poverty,” he said. “Many of our people are being removed from land once minerals are discovered. They are not even given shares in the mining companies. Is this really socio-economic transformation?”

He said there is need to have a model law that eventually will empower local communities to have shares in the mining companies so that they are economically empowered.

According to Hon. Bernadette Lahai (Sierra Leone), who comes from a diamond mining area, exploitation and child labour is rampant in mining areas and legislators often have no information on agreements entered by the mining companies and the state.

“Children as young as six years work in the mines. We don’t want mining to affect education,” she said adding that “Mining agreements are conducted between government and the mining companies leaving MPs and the local population in the dark.” She argued that there is need for capacity building for MPs to monitor and oversee the mining activities in their countries so that they can approve or reject mining deals that come to Parliament.

According to the African Development Bank, minerals account for an average of 70 percent of total African exports and about 28 percent of the gross domestic product. It notes that earnings from the recent oil, gas and mineral discoveries in Uganda, Mozambique and Tanzania could lead to an increase in government revenues of between 9 percent and 31 percent in the first 10 years of production.

Legislators noted that because of the structure of Africa’s extractive industries, most countries remain exporters of unprocessed commodities. They proposed that Africa needs to add value to her exports so as to unlock the full economic potential of its natural resources.

According to Hon. Anifa Kawooya (Uganda), the diversity in Africa may not be in asset in having a uniform law.

“We have different land laws and policies. Having one unified model will be complicated,” she said. “There is also the issue of who owns the land where the minerals are found. The land tenure in African countries in different. Some land is owned by the government, individuals, and others owned customarily. We also don’t know how much of our natural resources we have,” she added.

In an attempt to reverse the curse of resources, the East African Legislative Assembly is in the process of adopting a mining law for the East African region. The East African Mining Bill, 2017 will provide a legal framework to harmonise and regulate mining operations in the region and ensure environmentally friendly and sound mining practices. The bill was presented for First Reading in March this year.

The four-day conference on the theme “The issue of political and socio economic integration of the African continent: The role of the Pan African Parliament” is taking place in Yaounde, Cameroon from 22-25 August 2017 and has attracted legislators, civil society and academics from Africa.

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In a meeting that opened on Wednesday at the Speke Resort Munyonyo was expected to review several immigration policies concerning the movement and administration of citizens in the seven member states.

The meeting attracted seven ministers from seven IGAD member states which include; Somalia, Djibouti, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.

Caroline Njuki, the Senior Programme Coordinator at Regional Secretariat of IGAD.

Caroline Njuki, the Senior Programme Coordinator at Regional Secretariat of IGAD on forced and mixed migration says the ministerial meeting on migration will see the launch of the ministerial committee on immigration.

Njuki says the ministers will also find ways of handling the considerate cases of migration which include the positive and the negative effects to the region.

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Uganda Red Cross Society recently deployed the first Red Cross unmanned aerial vehicle – a drone – in Africa to monitor the situation at a vast refugee camp on the border with South Sudan. The drone footage from northern Uganda revealed that a swathe of countryside is becoming home for the hundreds of people crossing the border each day.

On 8 September, the day the drone took to the air, 4,373 new refugees crossed into Uganda, according to the most recent update from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The Bidi- bidi reception Centre in Yumbe district, where many refugees are being initially registered, is 300 kilometres north of Kampala, but is within walking distance of the border with South Sudan, where fighting has erupted. Red Cross volunteers and staff are providing aid and care to the refugees passing through the reception centre.

According to the Red Cross, 57,900 people have passed through the Bidibidi centre – just over a month after it opened. The reception centre is expected to be over its capacity of 100,000 people within the next month.

Nearly 130,000 South Sudanese refugees have arrived since 1 July, bringing the total number in Uganda to nearly 360,000 (Source: UNHCR).

‘A decent life’

On 29 August the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched an emergency appeal for 700,000 US dollars to support the Uganda Red Cross Society’s efforts to assist 40,000 refugees for six months with safe water, sanitation, hygiene promotion, emergency shelter, and health care.

Regional leaders in the Greater Horn of Africa has also raised concern over unending wars that often leads to emergency situations that majorly  affects women and children.

While addressing leaders at a recent world leaders’ summit on Refugees in New York during the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, President Museveni called on world leaders to respect the rights of refugees in their countries.

According to reports, Uganda currently has a refugee population of 690,000 coming from the countries such as Burundi, DR Congo, South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda among others. The president predicts the numbers to increase further to 810,000 by the end of this year.

Museveni said that it is wrong to treat African refugees as if they are seeking to consume resources of the indigenous people.

“I tell Ugandans that these (refugees) are our unfortunate brothers and sisters having a misfortune, for the moment, being misgoverned or being unprotected against demonic rebels,” he said.

The Red Cross and other Humanitarian agencies have often raised concern over escalating violence especially in Burundi and South Sudan which they say often causes suffering to the local populations.

“The vast majority of people crossing into Uganda from South Sudan are women and children or people with special needs, such as the elderly and those with complex health issues,” said Andreas Sandin, IFRC operations coordinator for East Africa. “Having travelled more than 400 kilometres from Juba, they arrive exhausted, hungry, and in need of shelter. With more families arriving daily, we need to ramp up our activities quickly.”

Gracious Kyagaba, Water and Sanitation Coordinator at the Uganda Red Cross Society, said: “The appeal launched by the IFRC will support us to address issues related to inadequate supply of water and limited access to health facilities, as well as curb outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases.

“We will also support refugees to set up shelters so that they are able to live as decently as possible.”

Red Cross volunteers are assisting with the registration of new arrivals, who come in on UNHCR buses and then disperse into the surrounding countryside.

Emergency operation

Volunteers are also operating a treatment plant to produce safe drinking-water, and working to raise awareness of hygiene and sanitation – crucial in maintaining good health for the refugees.

The drone used by the society to document its work in Bidibidi was supplied by the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre as part of its forecast-based financing programme for large-scale climate-related disasters in Africa supported by the government of Germany and the German Red Cross.

Following its successful first flight, the device may now be deployed from its base in Kampala elsewhere in Africa on forecast-based financing assignments and climate-related emergencies.

The first forecast-based financing response to a disaster was triggered in Uganda last November when Red Cross volunteers distributed 5,000 relief items to flood insecure communities in Kapelebyong after forecasts of rising water-levels reached a predetermined risk threshold.

Uganda
H.E. Mr. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
President
General Assembly Seventy-first session: Opening of the General Debate 71 United Nations, New York

Museveni however, wants world leaders to stop supporting armed conflicts especially on the African continent which result in an influx of refugees arguing that sponsoring such groups by external forces prevents peace building.

“If a conflict is really justified, in order to fight for justice with war being the only means of resistance and national salvation, the people can successfully wage a people’s struggle without external sponsorship,” said Museveni. He added that conflict situations are being propelled by puppets looking for external sponsors and by chauvinists looking for puppets.

He cited what he called sectarian persecution occasioned by the “ideologically bankrupt” groups who rely on undisciplined and criminal armies or militias” as one of the main causes of the refugee problem in Africa.

The president called on refugee hosting countries to ensure that refugees are given the necessary assistance to avoid degrading the environment. He also called on humanitarian organizations to empower refugees through educating the children, imparting skills in order for them to be more advantaged when they return to their countries.

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Opening the 9th Executive Council Meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union – (IPU-IGAD), Speaker Kadaga said that her colleagues also have to think about using their traditional tools of legislation, oversight and representation to champion the interests of the people.

“We are meeting at a time when South Sudan and Somalia still don’t have peace and security; when climate change is devastating our region; when many women and girls in our region are still subjected to cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment and torture under the name of cultural values,” she said.

The 9th Executive Council Meeting is being held at Century Hotel in Kamuli, 18 – 19 September 2016. Delegations from South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Sudan and Uganda are attending the Meeting.

The objectives of IPU-IGAD include promoting unity and strengthening ties of cooperation among member states; promoting peace, security and stability within the sub-region and promoting good governance, transparency and rule of law within member states.

“IPU-IGAD possesses the potent, at least from its objectives, to address some of the challenges faced in our region. Let us make it work for the common person in the region, the voiceless, the marginalized, disadvantaged and oppressed,” said Kadaga.

The Meeting is being held in Kamuli to give chance to visitors to see and experience Uganda’s countryside and how local people live and cope with development challenges.

“We wanted you to see the roads, dwellings, gardens, markets, hospitals, our rural people and their hospitality,” said Kadaga.

The Secretary General of the IPU-IGAD Member States, Amb. Mohamed Adam said the Meeting was testimony of countries’ commitment to the grand goals and visions.

“These visions are embodied in economic development, political and social integration. The aspirations of the people of this region can be achieved since they have more in common than the Europeans who achieved the European Union,” said Amb. Mohamed Adam.
He said that there was need to work together to achieve peace in the region so as to combat poverty, environmental degradation, migrations, human trafficking and drugs.

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This comes after Uganda ended a 38-year wait by qualifying to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon as one of two best placed runners-up.

Uganda cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic is a proud man at the moment having led Uganda to its first Afcon finals appearance in 39 years but also move the nation from 97th in the rankings up to 65^th.

This is in line with the goals set up by the Serb on his arrival in Uganda in May 2013 to take over the reins from the sacked Bobby Williamson.

“One of my aims is to develop the youth systems, and I want us to move from 97th in the rankings up to 70, and stay there to give our players a chance to play in top European leagues.”

Uganda will better their world ranking if they perform well in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia qualifiers group in which they were drawn with Egypt, Ghana and Congo Brazzaville.

Mean while,Kenya have dropped 3 places to 91st,Ethiopia follows closely at 125th moving four places up, Burundi are 129 while Tanzania are ranked 132.

Cote D’Ivoire is the best ranked country in Africa at 34th followed by Algeria (35th), Senegal (39th), Ghana (43rd) and Cameroon at 59th globally.

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Dr. Kazibwe a former Vice-President was among the 3 candidates who had spent several weeks canvassing for votes from other African members.

The highly anticipated elections of a new chairperson to head the AU Commission has hit a snug after none of the aspiring candidates contesting for the position garnered the required majority votes in the initial stages of voting that took place in the Rwanda capital Kigali, Monday 18 July,2016.

Uganda’s Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe who is also a former Vice-President, Botswana’s former Foreign Minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi and Equatorial Guinea’s former Foreign Minister Agapito Mba Mokuy had each hoped to replace South Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma who is stepping down after fours of steering the African founded body.

Uganda’s Kazibwe is said to have got the least of the votes with 23 out of 53 voting in favour of Botswana’s Pelonomi Benson
Reports from Kigali indicate that after three rounds of voting, none of the three candidates could secure the required two-thirds majority for the top job.

According to Rule 42 of the rules of procedure, the deputy chairperson takes responsibility in case of suspension of elections.

Following Monday’s unsuccessful process, the new Commission chair will be elected at the next summit in January next year in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.

Earlier, some member states had proposed that the elections be pushed to January with some members especially from the west African countries arguing that none of the 3 candidates meets to required qualification to clinch the job.

President Idris Derby of Chad, who is the chairperson of the AU, presented the matter of postponement which he said had come from some member states. But after discussion, he said rules must be followed, not bent.

Dlamini-Zuma, who is stepping down from the chair, is the ex-wife of South African president Jacob Zuma.

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Engineers inspecting the Mpigi-Kanoni road currently under construction.

Delays in resident compensation by the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) have stifled progress to the completion of the Mpigi- Kanoni road.

This according to Milivoje Millisavijevic, the managing director ENERGO Uganda has affected the work progress on the 64km road that stretches through Seeta, Kabasanda-Gombe. ENERGO is the company that was awarded the contract for the construction of the road at a cost of 123 billion Uganda shillings.

“We have to depend on UNRA clearing the way by compensating the residents that are along the way in order for us to move smoothly. In addition without the consultants providing the designs we can do anything more than that,” Millisavijevic said.

He further revealed that the designs by the consultant AE Com from South Africa for the road have also not been completed. Among the visible sections that have been skipped is Mpigi Town roundabout and Kibibi trading center.

Millisavijevic was on Thursday 14, 2016, reacting to a question by a journalist on why some sections of the road had not been completed. He however said he was confident the work would be completed on time once these obstacles were eliminated.

However, when contacted, an official from UNRA who preferred not to be named because he is not authorized to talk to the media confirmed the delays in compensation to residents due to an ‘avoidable circumstances’, he said.
When asked to comment on the recent findings of a UNRA report that mentioned ENERGO as among the companies that were accused of inflating road construction prices, Millisavijevic refuted the claims.

In a the report that was delivered to President Museveni earlier this year, Justice Catherine Bamugemereire who was chair of the probe team also pinned some former officials of  UNRA of conniving with companies that construct roads to do substandard work.

The report also pointed out that the cost of construction of roads in the country virtually doubles that of neighbors like Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia who build similar roads.

“While embarking on the construction works we consider so many factors. The costs of materials, taxes of a country etc. We therefore ensure that we work within the perimeters where a client is left satisfied and so are we. We are a very reputable company having started operations in 1951 and are working in over 70 countries worldwide. We therefore have a name to protect,” Millisavijevic said.

Rodol Jub Radojevic, ENERGO’s project engineer revealed that the company has embarked on using modern technology to construct durable roads.

He said a state of the art machinery to crush stones has been procured to ensure the surface of the road is well laid before construction.

The 2 year project that started late last year is expected to be completed by next year.

The company has carried out previous road works in Uganda among them upgrading and gravelling of the Kampala –Jinja road, works on Entebbe road and the Kawempe-Kafu road among others.

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Juakalis’ making energy saving stoves from aluminum materials.

The odd saying that one Kenyan can do a job worthy six Ugandans is about to change if we are to go by a new World Bank report on productivity in a work place.

According to the The East African newspaper,the  World Bank report indicates that Kenyan workers are less productive than their counterparts in Uganda and Ethiopia with an average output of Kenya’s workers standing at $3,400 in 2014 compared to Ethiopia’s $5,000 and $3,800 for Uganda.

Kenya’s lower gross domestic product (GDP) per person employed — the country’s GDP divided by the number of people in employment — has been blamed for slowing economic growth.

“Set in international comparison, GDP per employed person is lower in Kenya than in many African peers and has been increasing at a slower rate than in other countries, both poorer (Ethiopia) and richer countries (Ghana, Burkina Faso and Cambodia),” says the report released last week.

“Productivity growth is held back by limited growth in formal wage jobs,” added the World Bank, signaling that the employee output in the informal sector is lower than those on formal jobs.

The economy created 128,000 new formal sector jobs or 15.2 per cent of total employment generated last year, official data shows.

The informal sector created 713,600 new openings last year, accounting for 84.7 per cent of the 841,600 total jobs.

At 343,400, Kenya’s value of output per worker has grown $600 from $2,800 in 2006. Ethiopia’s output over the period has grown by $1,200.

The Kenyan annual output is much lower than the average take home pay per employee. Official data shows Kenyan workers earned an average of Ksh553, 137 ($5,477) in 2014 and Sh604, 255 ($5,983) last year, which is nearly double their output.

The World Bank uses GDP per person employed to measure worker productivity levels in the economy.

“While many people work, most jobs are not sufficiently productive: they are not likely to offer significant earnings opportunities or income security,” the report says.

“Kenya’s labour markets are characterised by a much smaller formal wage sector, and much more work in the form of self-employment or informal wage work than is typical of more advanced economies.”

At $5,000, Ethiopia’s output per worker is $1,600 higher than that of Kenya.

Ethiopia has posted growth of more than 10 per cent in the past decade while Kenya’s growth has averaged at about five per cent.

Burkina Faso leads the pack with $6,600 as the value of output per worker while Ghana lags behind with $2,300.

The report, dubbed ‘Kenya – Jobs for Youth,’ says that young people have been hard hit by unemployment and suffer from rampant skills mismatch due to limited opportunities.

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