Today, I spent close to two hours with a group of young Ugandan men and women who are openly gay at the People’s Space. Some people actually thought I was gay, not that I cared.
And as an open interactive area and a hive of activity it was the right place for these young people to be: they could speak openly.
And guess what, I realized that like me, they are just people, who love and want to have freedom. People who want to be accepted and not persecuted just because they are men who love men and women who love women.
I am not going to go into the law here but speak as a human being and try to put myself in their shoes. An openly gay beautiful young woman participant had me thinking. As I talked to her she told me about the challenges she and others face thanks to being openly gay.
She has been thrown out of public transport, she is shunned in the community where she lives, she cannot find a job, seeking medical treatment for HIV and AIDS is another challenge, and so the list goes on and on.
Now who would want to live such a life? I do not think that these people wake up one day and decide they want to be gay. That just does not cut it.
Gays and lesbians have always existed in Uganda but the moment they decided it was time for them to gain their stand in society, then all hell broke loose for them. Is that not just hypocrisy? And their problem is simply the fact that they talked about being homosexuals then that became a problem.
I cannot help but wonder, ‘Are our leaders not trying to find a scapegoat in gays and homosexuals instead of focusing on the issues that they have failed to solve in our societies?’ Poverty for example, maternal mortality, child mortality.
There is always a price to pay for visibility and right now, Uganda’s gay people are paying that price.
With the Commonwealth People’s Forum’s theme being “Realizing People’s Potentialâ€, it is critical to take a personal reality check in terms of how you as an individual can realize your own potential.
The key is to focus on how you yourself can unleash your potential. You can’t wait for someone else to wave a magic wand in front of you and expect - bingo – success to appear.
If each of us can realize our own potential, then, the whole Commonwealth - and the whole world matter will experience an explosion of immense success.
So here are my 7 great ways to achieve that:
Vision
Always have a clear vision – a big crystal clear picture of the kind of life you want to experience. Where do you see yourself 5, 10 or 20 years from now? A personal vision will keep you motivated and inspired.
Set Goals
Set goals in all the different areas of your life like health, relationships, spirituality, material and financial, career, mental and personal development. Do something progressive about them every day and you will be astonished how much you can accomplish by the time the next CHOGM comes around.
Excellence and integrity
Whatever you are engaged in, do it with excellence. Excellence attracts opportunity. Keep promises to yourself and others. Excellence and integrity will transform into greater performance which will unleash more of your potential. Remember potential is what hasn’t been realized yet. Do more that you’ve never done before.
Positive Self Talk
Keep telling yourself: ‘I can do it’.’I love myself’ ‘I like myself’ ‘I love my work’ ‘I am the best’. That will keep you motivated to stretch further towards your hidden potential.
Hang around the right people
Hang around people who can inspire you. They will keep you going towards your dreams. Toxic and negative people will suck the life out of your dreams. Positive people will turbo charge your desire to become more successful.
Constant self improvement
Read inspirational books. Listen to audio tapes for more success.
Persistence
Never give up until your dreams are realized. Make it happen until your dreams are realized to celebrate your unlimited potential.
Good luck
Ethan Musolini is a CEO of Success Africa, motivational speaker, consultant, facilitator and author of 2 books – Get Motivated in 30 Seconds or Less and Public Speaking Secrets Exposed. He is a Ugandan based in Kampala
Journalists have warned Commonwealth countries and global development agencies that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) risk failing if freedom of the media and expression is not given a priority by Commonwealth governments.
Over 100 journalists who met to discuss issues they want their heads of state and government to address when they meet in Kampala from tomorrow said they are concerned about the rising incidents of harassment, imprisonment and deaths, especially countries going through war.
The MDGs include eight minimum targets set by the United Nations to be achieved by the year 2015. They range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education.
Their main aim is to address extreme poverty levels in the world.
Nupur Basu, an independent journalist in India referred to the closing down of media houses by Pakistani leader, General Pervez Musharraf. She called upon the leaders of the Commonwealth countries to impose more harsh conditions on Musharaf to force him to adhere with full democratic principles.
James Deane, the Head of Policy Development with the BBC World Service Trust said that in a dictatorial environment, no free media can exist.
CHOGM presents a unique opportunity to bring together Leaders and Ministers from throughout the Commonwealth to discuss issues which are not just of importance to the Commonwealth, but which are of global significance. The Government of Uganda, who are hosting the event, have chosen the theme “Transformation of Commonwealth Societies to achieve Political, Economic and Human Developmentâ€. Under that wider theme, we will be discussing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Climate Change, Trade, and Education. These are all key issues, which we believe need to be tackled head on if the poorest countries of the Commonwealth are to develop. And we firmly believe that the Commonwealth itself has an important role to play in these issues. As a unique grouping of countries from across the globe, with a fundamental set of principles in common, we, the Commonwealth, cut across traditional regional and economic groupings and can move the debate forward and take action on such issues of critical importance.
Civil society has an important role to play too. The Commonwealth People’s Forum, is an excellent opportunity to raise the visibility of civil society. Focussing on the theme of “Realising People’s Potentialâ€, Ugandan and pan-Commonwealth organisations will discuss key issues such as democracy and development. Their views will then be presented to Heads of Government at CHOGM.
My best wishes for a successful Forum. I look forward to hearing the outcomes.
Journalists covering the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Peoples Forum (CPF) in Kampala yesterday faced-off with Ugandan security officials over media accreditation to the summit.
Trouble begun after officials of President Yoweri Museveni’s elite protection unit, the Presidential Guard Brigade (PGB), barred reporters who didn’t carry a “special†accreditation tag, from covering the opening gala.
It was in many ways a bizarre spectacle as it turned out that reporters were never informed that they needed additional accreditation, on top of the official media accreditation issued by the Commonwealth Secretariat. Worse still, the security officials took the decision to issue a second accreditation without informing the Secretariat.
It was a frustrating experience for many reporters, both local and international, especially those who have travelled thousands of miles to cover one of the biggest events on the Commonwealth calendar this year. I spoke to Mr Julius Mucunguzi, a communications officer in charge of media and broadcasting at the Commonwealth Secretariat, and while he expressed utter shock at the organizational hitch, he was very optimistic it wouldn’t affect the smooth running of the event.
But we cannot forget that this was the opening of the largest civil society event this year, a grouping of people better known for their love-hate relationship with politicians and the government.
And we also know that civil society has often been accused of hiding behind the media in promoting interests not favourable to the state. So were there any ulterior motives in issuing a second accreditation? Why was the Commonwealth Secretariat kept in the dark?
These are questions that need answers. It would be a sad commentary for Uganda as host, if such organizational hitches continue at the ensuing Commonwealth events.
Here is a transcript of an interview I did with Stella Atal, Ugandan Fashion Designer and Artist. In the interview, we explore questions around the growth and sustainability of the fashion industry in Uganda.
Here is a sense of what happened at the opening ceremony. A few pictures and some audio.
SERVING THE NATION: A Ugandan policewoman struggles to hoist the flag of the Commonwealth Secretariat in the moments that preceded the opening of the Commonwealth People Forum at Hotel Africana yesterday. The country is basking in activity as it opens its doors to representatives of a third of the world’s population. Ugandan President, Mr Yoweri Museveni, has urged Ugandans to contribute to the success of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting taking place this week in Kampala by being hospitable.
The crowd listens to opening statements
President Museveni addresses the audience
ACHOLI DANCERS: CPF delegates were treated to a pulsating performance by the Acholi Cultural Foundation, a group of talented folk song and traditional dancers from northern Uganda. The group staged a renowned dance presentation, one that greets the installation of a new cultural chief or one only performed when an important person visits the Acholi people.
Download a low bandwidth audio clip of the Acholi dancers here, or press play below:
Two years of preparations and discussions of whether or not Uganda as a country will be able to host the biggest event so far in its history, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the event is finally here.
The city is gripped with the CHOGM fever. Heavy security, sirens of police escort vehicles receiving delegates from outside, newly patched-up roads, flags hanging on trees and roadside poles, and so on, and the city is ready to host the biggest event ever in Uganda’s history. Another event of such a magnitude was the OAU meeting that was hosted by President Amin, the late Ugandan dictator in the 1970s.
Back then the media was not as developed as it is today and the civil society was almost dead. In contrast, today, the two are very active. The media in particular has grown in leaps and bounds and has curved itself as a strong critical voice of the excesses of the Museveni government.
Museveni himself realises the power the media wields in his country and will not hesitate to call in a talk-show or go to a studio to air out his views.
It is along this thinking that President Yoweri Museveni came out during a press conference this afternoon shortly before he opened the Commonwealth People’s Forum, to appeal to the media to support the big meeting through a positive coverage of the events. He said the biggest advantage of the event is in terms of the economic opportunities that CHOGM will bring to Uganda.
But even as he appealed to journalists, both international and the local media here for a positive coverage of the event, the journalists seemed a lot more concerned about the inconvenience of road closures and diversion of traffic flow within the Kampala city centre. They asked Museveni whether the big meeting means any relevance to the ordinary Ugandan who will be inconvenienced by the heavy security in the centre of town, being sent away from the roadside kiosks and booths where they have been doing their petty businesses for years, and some arrested by police for looking suspicious especially at night, and so on and so forth.
The President said he would cross-check to see if there were some people who are being arrested innocently.
But he defended measures taken by security during the meeting. Museveni, who will for the next two years be chairman of the meeting, said it is okay for some roads and streets to be closed and diverted to avoid inconveniencing the visitors and schoolchildren. He said he was in agreement with the two days of public holiday announced for 22 and 23 November.
Looking relaxed, the President said that “up to 10,000 visitors will come and spend their money in Uganda during the big meeting. If each of the 10,000 can spend even 1,000 dollars, then we shall get a lot of money as a countryâ€.
He added, “A country is like a body. When the mouth takes tea, the good effect is felt by the entire body, including the legs and the back and yet the back and the legs may not even get involved or even know that the mouth is taking tea.†Journalists laughed.
The message: that even if we, as journalists, criticize government for spending huge amounts of money on the event, the revenue that direct beneficiaries are getting will trickle down indirectly to benefit all Ugandans. He said that the holding of the meeting is just a practice for doing bigger things in the future.
On democracy, good governance, the rule of law and human rights, Museveni said that these are issues that the country has already handled. He talked more about the need to do trade with the delegates from different countries and their people.
He dodged discussing at length questions about the Pakistani leader General Pervez Musharaf, who will not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala. Museveni, himself an army-general like Musharaf, though now retired, said that the Pakistani leader had been asked to “correct certain things†which he hasn’t.
But it is left to be seen how Museveni with his colleagues in the ‘Commonwealth Club’ will discuss the critical issues of good governance, democracy, the rule of law and how he can practice a common value and respect for human rights like his colleagues in the club do. We wait to see that by Friday and in the days following.
Museveni told the journalists that the emphasis of his government is power and energy. He said the country needs cheap and more efficient electricity and rail transport to develop fast.
Without mentioning anybody, he said that “hecklers†should stop criticizing government plans.
The opposition is worried and has already expressed fears that after the meeting, Museveni will revert back to a militant way of handling descent and opposition. As CHOGM gets underway with all the excitement, let’s wait to see how the ordinary Ugandan benefits from the meeting.
Donned in a yellow jacket, a white shirt and black pants, and strategically positioned in the middle, Richard Weyers stands out from Matt and Joel who are ‘branded’ in their maroon People’s Forum Blog t-shirts.
While the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is arguably the most serious event that is yet to happen in Uganda, the show takes off on a note of humour and simplicity. Richard’s very first response gets them all laughing out loud. “So, what is CHOGM?†Joel asks. Instead, Richard chooses to say what it’s not: “CHOGM is actually not the Queen’s husband!â€
Richard Weyers explains that the Commonwealth People’s Forum gives a chance to civil society citizens and NGOs alike to advise the political heads about issues that concern their society.
(Editor’s note: We are trying to get a copy of the video which will be dropped into the blog.)
For about the first eight minutes, we have forgotten that Matt and Joel are in the studio too. Richard is showing off his knowledge (and I am sure his passion) for the People’s Forum; the guy actually answers everything even before he is asked! Phew! I am wondering how this show will run for the next 52 minutes; as far as I can see, Richard has already said everything about the People’s Space at the Hotel Africana and the various activities that will take place through the week: the workshops, the concerts and the allocated spaces. He even describes the huts in the Space and the gate that gets you there without going through the hotel. And by the way, entrance (and exit) is FREE to all!
Matt O’Neill explains that blogging is ‘sort of an online diary that includes images, and audio-video recordings.’ A team of 5 Ugandans (including Joel) have been put together to provide a platform for the public through blogging.
“We shall have pictures, recordings and interviews of what’s going on in the various workshops for those people that for one reason or another cannot come to the People’s Space,†says Matt.
That’s what blogging is about; everyone can have their say. And if you have a hiccup with blogging, just tap anyone you see in a maroon t-shirt!
Generally, the show takes a smooth run, until the live call-in begins and the phone lines start squeaking. Somehow, Joel manages to get through some calls by shouting over the din for callers to ‘please turn down the volume of your set’ over and over again. One caller named Susan calls in about 4 times; that’s maybe because Joel is such a charmer? Another caller asks how CHOGM will end corruption in Uganda and once again, I am impressed by Richard’s answer: civil society encompasses all these realities; everyone can represent these issues and even pressurise government through the People’s Forum!
Considering that CHOGM represents a third of the world’s population, blogging is the way to go: while not everyone can come to Kampala to participate (CHOGM itself is a closed event for heads of states only), wherever you are, you can be a part of this through the people’s forum. Inclusion is the way to go; come and join in the conversation!
With Uganda hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in not so long a while, preparations are in higher gear than ever before. Lots of facelifts, road repairs, security deployment, dry runs and much more are going on to ensure the meeting is a success.
As one of the pre-CHOGM meetings, the Commonwealth People’s Forum, (CPF) has caught the public eye. The five-day event officially opens Sunday, 18 November 2007 and the opening is to be presided over by HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the host President of CHOGM 2007.
A lot is underway to ensure the forum is a big success. Notable in the CPF is the People’s Space, where the general public are invited to freely participate and be a part of CHOGM, something that has not happened before in any of the previous CHOGM events. To sugar-coat the CPF, blogging is to be covered by a group of five individuals dressed in maroon t-shirts with name tags, inscriptions about the blog and the blog web address.
At a glance, one can tell it’s going to be a great and fulfilling event which ought not to be missed by any Ugandan. Owing to the fact that entrance is not restricted and is also free, people from all walks of life are expected to come and be a part of this coveted event as they discuss issues pertaining to:
