Recommendations to conduct elections in a more democratic and fair manner

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[?????] Some very clear suggestions were submitted yesterday to the Chief Election Commission of Uttar Pradesh state to conduct forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections in February 2012 in a more democratic and fair manner. Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee and Vice President, Socialist Party and member, National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch, has submitted a list of five strategic recommendations to increase accountability and transparency in the electoral process.
We are reproducing the letter Dr Sandeep Pandey wrote to Mr Umesh Sinha, Chief Election Commissioner, Uttar Pradesh below:

Subject: Some suggestions for conducting elections in a more democratic and fair manner  

In continuance with our discussion earlier today in your office I would like to submit to you the following suggestions: 

(1) Kindly make the ‘shadow register’ as well as the expenses reported by the candidate public on a regular basis – so that people and voters can monitor if your 750 microobservers and other officials are documenting all expenses and report if any is missing, subject to due verification of course. This will increase transparency in the election process and also up the accountability of candidates and monitor how honestly they are reporting their own electoral expenses. 

(2) The common expenses incurred by a Party, for example in hiring helicopters and chartered airplanes, should be divided equally among all candidates or at least among candidates of that party for whom this serivce is used. Otherwise, it’ll not be a level playing field for candidates belonging to smaller parties and independent candidates. 

(3) The expenses incurred in covering the statues of Ms. Mayawati and those of elephants should be borne by BSP. Even though these were built at government expense but because of the very fact that they are required to be covered as they are associated with a particular party, this party should bear the expenses. More so, as they were built only during the term of last government. The public is being burdedned twice, first for the construction of these statues and then to cover them. 

(4) There should be ban on established parties to use their symbol for campaigning before the symbols are alloted to independent candidates. Essentially, all candidates should get the same period for campaigning with their symbols in order to ensure fairness of the contest. 

(5) An officer of the Election Commission must sit outside the Secretariat building, where a ‘pass’ is required for entry, so that she is accessible to any ordinary voter or representatives of smaller parties and independent candidates who may not always succeed in convincing the staff of Commission to issue them a ‘pass.’ 

Regards,

Lok Rajniti Manch and Socialist PartyA-893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016: Phone: 0522 2347365, 9415022772 (Arundhati Dhuru)

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SRI LANKA: Officers of the Thalathuoya Police Station beat and filed a fabricated charge against a soldier who rescued his friend from their assault

William Nicholas Gomes
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Dear Mr. N K Illangakoon,

SRI LANKA: Officers of the Thalathuoya Police Station beat and filed a fabricated charge against a soldier who rescued his friend from their assault

Name of the victim: Mr. Mr. L. M. Jagath Kuamara
Alleged perpetrators:
Police officers attached to the Thalathuoya Police Station
Date of incident: 23 December 2010
Place of incident: in the Private Bus at Thalathuoya

I am writing to express my serious concern over the case of Mr. L.M Jagath Kuamara (22).
Kumara is a soldier attached to the Vavuniya Army Camp. On 23 December 2010, while on vacation he went to have his hair cut at Thalathuoya town. When he was returning home with a friend by the name of Ruwan Chamara (24) from Thalathuoya in a private bus suddenly the conductor approached Chamara and tried to forced them forward so that the bus could take on more passengers. However, Chamara refused as the bus was already full. There then followed an exchange of words between them. Without cause the conductor started to assault Chamara and Kumara intervened to protect Chamara. The conductor then started to assault Kumara as well.

A few police constables in civilian clothes were travelling in the bus and these officers also started to assault Kumara and kicked him on the chest. Later these men officers identified themselves as officers attached to the Thalathuoya Police Station. Kumara and Chamara alighted from the bus when it stopped close to their houses and returned home. Three days after this incident Jagath Kumara went back to the Vavuniya Army Camp and reported for duty.

After almost two months later on 6 February 2011, some police officers attached to the Thalathuoya Police Station came to Kumara’s house in search of him, and since there was nobody at his house, the police officers left a message with his mother, W Kalyani, asking for Kumara’s details. His mother was asked to report the details to Constable of Police (PC) Mettananda of the Thalathuoya Police Station on the 10 of February 2011.

His mother W Kalyani went to the police along with some friends on 7, 8 and 9 February and asked as to why they were searching for her son but received no information.

On the 10 February a team of police officers came to Kumara’s house and entered by force searching for Kumara, however, only Kumara’s father, mother and the wives of his brothers were at home. The police officers scolded them in filthy language and demanded details of their husbands, Kumara’s brothers who were also serving in the Army. They also demanded their marriage certificates. Then two police officers by the name of Gunatilake, a sergeant and Kalpage threatened Kumara’s parents that they would be killed if Kumara was not produced. Since then the police officers came at night on several occasions and knocked at the door repeatedly almost damaging it.

On the 12 February Kumara’s mother Kalyani went to the Thalatuoya Police Station along with a lawyer but the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) refused to meet them. When the lawyer questioned Sargent Gunatilaka, he said that if details of Kumara were not given he would “Break the bones of the whole family and would kill them,” and this was said in front of the Lawyer, Ananda Hearath. When the lawyer asked to make a complaint he was refused and the police officer, Kalpage, said they would provide the case number later.

Once again they went to the police on the 13 February to meet the OIC and Kalyani was asked to return at 1.00pm. She decided to stay at the police station until that time. Meanwhile Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohottige arrived at the police station and Kalyani went to him and told him of the harassment that she and her family had faced. Then the ASP questioned another police officer, Ranasinghe and the OIC regarding the incidents. Ranasinghe without giving any reason for the search told the ASP that the whole family would be killed if they did not cooperate and provide Kumara’s details.

Incredibly, despite the fact that this officer told his superior that he would willfully commit a criminal act the ASP did not take any action to reprimand him or make any record of his threat.

When Kalyani went to meet the Lawyer on the 14, the lawyer asked Kalyani to make a complaint at the Human Rights Commission (HRC), which they did. Later in the day the police officers gave the lawyer details about the case no B/15303 in which they stated that they have filed a case against Kumara. Further they stated that the case is supposed to be called on 21 February 2011.

On the 21 Kalyani and her family members went to the Magistrate’s Court of Kandy and waited for the case to be called. However, there was no case with that number and the court officers asked them to return on the 1 March 2011. Once again they went again on the 1 March but no case was called of that number or any case against Kumara.

On 24 March, a police officer sent a note asking Kalyani to meet Sgt Rodrigo and when Kalyani met him on the 26 March 2011, he recorded a statement from her. Despite the fact that she was never allowed to read the statement of have it read to her she was forced to sign it which she did out of fear.

On the complaint made by Kalyani, the HRC regional office in Kandy notified both parties on several occasions but the police officers never turned up. Further the police officers have found the details of the Army camp where Kumara is on duty and have informed the Army officers that Jagath Kumara molested a girl in the bus and they have witnesses to prove the assault. Kumara vehemently denies the charge. Kumara states that police officers have filed this case in vengeance for opposing the officers in the bus when they assaulting his friend Chamara.

The mother of Kumara, Kalyani fears that Jagath Kumara would be arrested at anytime and she and the family members would be killed as the Thalathuoya Police officers are repeatedly threatening them.

I request your urgent intervention to ensure that the authorities listed below instigate an immediate investigation into the allegations of torture and filing fabricated chargers by the police perpetrators, and the prosecution of those proven to be responsible under the criminal law of the country. The officers involved must also be subjected to internal investigations for the breach of the department orders as issued by the police department.

Yours sincerely,

William Nicholas Gomes
William’s Desk

www.williamgomes.org

Azonto goes Academic!

ameyawdebrah.com
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A symposium to look at ways in which Azonto, the latest dance and music fad to hit Ghana, could be exploited for economic and social development is in the offing. Planned to take place at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, the conference will have among its panel of discussants Azonto proponent, Sarkodie and music producer, EL. They will hold the discourse with musicologists and the intellectual and corporate community to trace the development of Azonto, and find ways to give the craze longevity, and make it a symbol of modern Ghana.

Azonto is bitingly originally GH – a construct of the new Ghanaian! It lends a parlance for describing everything popular that happens in the country, like this year’s AFCON which has starting being regarding as the Azonto AFCON! Azonto is swagger, but more importantly, it is GH, and is gaining increasing much national and international popularity, growing to become one of those cult trends that tend to bind us as Ghanaians by default.

“If culture is constructed as ‘the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively’ or the ‘attitudes and behaviour characteristic of a particular social group, then surely, Azonto, whose display enthralls everyone, cutting across young and old, must become part of our culture now,” contends conference convener, PaJohn Dadson.

The impending symposium, titled ‘Harnessing Azonto for Ghana’s Socio-Cultural and Economic Development.’ is being organized by ACVB Events in collaboration with The World Bank and Graphic Communications with assistance from number organizations including Bentsifi.com, GH One, www.AmeyawDebrah.com and Dust Magazine.

There is a school of thought that believes it is about time that as a nation and a people we recognize that even fads can hold their own and grow organically so that in another generation, their foundation can be referred to in terms of tradition, and thus become part of our culture. Azonto is a part of our living culture today, a part of our reality.

Ashesi lecturer and one of the interlocutors at the upcoming symposium, writer Kobby Graham sums it up succinctly. “The concept of Ghana, after 55 years still has not much symbols that hold it together. Try a call to rally round our national flag and see if the euphoria that will generate will be anything like that which the ultimate Ghana symbol – the Black Stars – can cause! Then, try it against Azonto! Azonto, am afraid, I can see in my mind’s eye, can pull us together in euphoria more than the Ghana flag!”

Although it seems to be a derivative of the Kpanlogo dance but is wildly adaptive to Adowa, Kete, and any other kind of dance, or gesture, another of the pluses of Azonto is how it is not any tribe’s dance but a dance move done by Ghanaians. It is a dance form with a burgeoning music style and a mindset that can potentially spew an industry like Hip Hop has done in the US!

The school of thought that seeks to promote Azonto believes it is time to wake up to its promise. Growing rather organically, from among the ghettos and now onto You Tube, with images of people doing the dance all over the globe on the streets, and it is insightful that the dance gingers everyone, and gets people from all walks of life, pumping blows into the air whenever they hear its fast beat accompanying beat!

The highlight of the movement that is Azonto, would be when Obidimpong Sarkodie got onto Westwood’s program on BBC Radio 1 Extra, a mainstream radio in London to demonstrate the moves as his music was being played, scenes captured for You Tube! Now, that’s taking things beyond the Ghanaian Diaspora, prompting time to dance!

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Wizkid to collaborate with Sarkodie and R2bees

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According to sources, Nigerian young rapper, Wizkid arrived in Ghana on Wednesday for a fun trip and already the R2bees gang has him screaming raaaaahhh. While in Ghana the rapper is expected to hit the studio for a recording with R2bees and Sarkodie either individually or collectively to collaborate on some songs.

Looks like the young rapper who is noted for his multiple affairs with young girls and older women is ready for a ‘wicked’ holiday as he tweeted: “Touchdown Ghana!!!….oooooooh shit!!!!…..its abt to be a messy trip!!!…hehehehehe…”

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Movies and more on DStv this weekend

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DStv audiences across Africa can tune in to exciting viewing as that month of January comes to an end. Check out the exciting line-up of movies and more on DStv this weekend and beyond.

Drive Angry: A vengeful father (Nicolas Cage) escapes from hell and chases after the men who killed his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter. John Milton is up against the clock: Jonah King, the leader of a cult, has murdered Milton’s daughter and kidnapped her baby. In three days, King and his followers will kill the child at midnight. Milton picks up the trail in Oklahoma as well as rescuing a waitress named Piper from her brutal, two-timing fiancé. There are odd things about Milton: his driver’s license is out of date, he has a very strange gun, and he’s being pursued by a man in a suit who carries FBI ID and calls himself the Accountant. Piper, who’s lived a life on the sidelines, has to piece things together on the fly as they close in on King. DStv audiences can tune into M-Net West on Friday 27 January at 00:00 CAT to watch.

My Boss’s Daughter (2003): Young executive Tom Stanisfield (Ashton Kutcher) has one eye focused on a promotion from the outrageously volatile Jack Taylor. Unfortunately, the other eye has been captivated by the alluring Lisa (Tara Reid), who just happens to be Mr. Taylor’s pride and joy. DStv audiences can tune into M-Net Stars on Saturday 28 January at 19:30 CAT to find out how this story unfolds.

Fame: At the New York City High School for the Performing Arts, students get specialised training that often leads to success as actors and singers. This movie follows four students from the time when they audition to get into the school, through graduation. DStv audiences can tune into TCM on Saturday 28 January at 21:10 CAT to watch Alan Parker’s high-energy, Oscar-winning musical drama about just what it takes to make it to the top of the tree at New York’s most prestigious stage school.

Shaft: Richard Roundtree is the super-cool private eye, hired to find a crime-lord’s kidnapped daughter. DStv audiences can tune into TCM on Sunday 29 January at 21:10 CAT to watch this cult offering from the 1970s. Isaac Hayes’ theme tune won an Oscar.

Border Security (Premiere): The series offers a gripping insight into the work of Australia’s dedicated team of customs and immigration officials. Taking viewers to the front line of Australia’s national security, it follows this expert team of highly trained men and women as they fight to protect their country from drug smugglers, illegal immigrants, potential terrorists, harmful pests and exotic diseases. In the series, customs fight to stop a multi-million dollar black market trade in sharks off the north-western coast of Australia; quarantine staff uncovers a shocking act of cruelty in a parcel from China, and the Customs Marine Unit teams up with the Navy and Department of Fisheries to confront illegal fishermen operating north of Darwin. From Monday 30 January at 18:10 CAT.

Live from The Red Carpet: Cameras flashing, dazzling white smiles, designer suits, trend setting dresses, international accolade, icon awards, showbiz gossip and of course there’s the speeches… the A-listers are about to embark on their favourite time of the year…The Awards Season! Get ready for the most exciting and glamorous time of the year… who will cry first? Who will wear the worst outfit? Which Actor will smile through gritted teeth as his award goes to someone else? Who will win the most recognition for their outstanding acting contribution?

Kourtney and Kim Take New York (Season 2): Kourtney and Kim return to the Big Apple, along with their men, and with both couples living under one roof, New York will never be the same. Newlyweds Kim and Kris join up with Kourtney and Scott to take a bite out of the Big Apple, but with two couples and a baby all living under one roof, things don’t go exactly as planned. The new season premieres on Sunday 29 January at 23:00 CAT.

House of Payne: This month e.tv introduces viewers to the family comedy drama House of Payne. Created and produced by acclaimed American movie maker Tyler Perry and his wife Ella, the series follows a multi-generational working class family living together in Atlanta, Georgia. Together they experience life’s struggles with faith, love and, most importantly, humour. You can watch it on Tuesdays at 20:00 CAT.

Mel B – It’s a Scary World: Mel B has gone from the party girl ‘Scary Spice’ to the ultimate new millennium mom! In the first episode, Mel is asked to perform in the Pussycat Dolls show and must decide if she should attend the Shrek Forever premiere.  Mel’s 35th birthday is also around the corner and planning needs to get underway. Mel B: It’s A Scary World airs on Mondays at 20:30 CAT.

Pastors Fight Over Dollars And Pounds, Many Against One – TB Joshua Part 1

News Ghana
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When you are called by God and a great anointing is bestowed on you, it becomes a source of jealousy, envy and back

archbishop idahosa
Archbishop Idahosa

stabbing. Many Judases rise from within and outside your own fold to destroy and to tarnish your image. But as it is often said, what people don’t understand, they call names.

It all started when Archbishop Idahosa came out strongly against Prophet T.B. Joshua to the extent of questioning his

Ayo Oritejafor

calling and pronouncing a death sentence on him by saying next year by this time he T.B. Joshua would be no more. Idahosa is known very much for his verbal vituperations and curses but this time the curse rather fell on him. He met his untimely death the year he exactly gave for T.B. Joshua to pass on. Words are powerful and people must be careful in the way they speak or talk. People should refrain at all cost in pronouncing curses on others.

Another Pentecostal big wig and leader of the PFN in Nigeria, Ayo Oritejafor was less charitable, and demanded to know, ‘who tutored T.B. Joshua as a pastor in the first place’. He went on further to say, ‘If T.B. Joshua can show me his pastor who pastored him before he said he was called into the ministry; if T.B. Joshua can tell me when he got converted and how he got converted, then we would consider him. Anybody who is a Christian is a Christian because he received Jesus Christ at a point’.

Pastor E.A. Adeboye

This is quite laughable, does the anointing come from tutors and role models? The anointing comes from God who gives liberally. Indeed, T.B Joshua never attended a Charismatic church pastored by the likes of Ayo, Adeboye and Idahosa but was a member of the Anglican Church where he served God faithfully and The Lord bestowed on him a mighty anointing which has become a source of envy. Thank God, T.B. Joshua was not tutored by the likes of Idahosa and Ayo. They transformed Christianity in to a commercial venture, a multi- business conglomerate with worldwide subsidiaries all with the idea of lacing their pockets with billions of naira to satisfy their insatiable demand for fame and power. To them, the poor did not matter as they believed it is nonsense to remain poor in the mist of plenty. They laid the foundation of the prosperity ministry in Nigeria. Where in the bible did Jesus talk or preach about prosperity? Jesus cared about the poor, sick and the vulnerable in society and he illustrated this by the story of the Good Samaritan.

Adeboye on the other hand had this to say, ‘If he T.B. Joshua wants me to

come and minister in his church, we will sit down; we will discuss the issue of salvation the way I understand it, according to the scriptures. If we agree on that and he now wants me to come and preach the same message of salvation in his church, then I will go.”

Such balderdash! Who made Adeboye an expert on salvation? Holding a doctorate does not make you an expert on

salvation. It is now becoming increasingly clear that those who criticise T.B. Joshua do so because they feel he is not one of them, he is not up to their standard, he has not go a title (Nigerians love titles Dr. Dr. etc) and they do not know where he got his anointing from. If I were them, I would ask God where he got his anointing from. But one thing is certain, they do not hear from God. They are imposters caught up in drama, shouting on top of their voices deceiving many and

Prophet TB Joshua

siphoning monies from an unsuspecting congregation, promising them 24 hour miracles from God. These self styled pastors ride in the latest and most expensive cars on the planet. And the mega rich out of them have jet planes. Where are we heading to? Those who attend their churches do so not because of the salvation of their souls but because they want to enjoy the niceties of life and to be like their pastors.

Networking has become the order of the day among pastors all with the sole idea of associating themselves with mega rich pastors in America to be given the opportunity to preach in their churches and thereby raise monies for their lavish lifestyles. A pastor friend one day said to me ‘after salvation, what else?’ His answer was obvious, riches!

With such mentality, how can you advance the work of God? And they have the audacity to talk about salvation and that they are educated enough talk about such topics.

In part 2 we shall write on the ex disciple of TB Joshua and the lifstyle of TB Joshua.

Source: Watching TB Joshua

EA traders doing better than exporters, report says

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Joanne Bushell, CEO of Middle East & Africa of Regus.

East African companies concentrating on domestic trade are making more profits compared to their exporting counterparts, a survey has revealed.

The latest Regus Global Survey on business performance conducted on over 12,000 companies globally, shows that East African companies operating within their domestic markets are realising higher annual returns in form of profits and revenue.

This is an exceptional trend that is different from the rest of the world where companies operating in international markets are reporting better business results than those concentrating on their domestic markets.

East Africa has a population of about 140 million people with a combined GDP of about $74 billion.

Data from the survey emphasizes the need for both local and foreign companies to wake up to the growing market in the East African Community with a growing demand for a number of commodities.

Speaking at the release of the report, Ms Joanne Bushell, the regional vice-president at Regus said: “This report provides hard evidence that East Africa’s balance of trade is becoming more even handed.”

She however said even with the presence of good business in the region, local companies are looking at operations outside the region.

“Although companies trading domestically have fared better, even the majority of these companies report plans to expand abroad, suggesting that in the next decade East African firms will once again be looking for export-led growth.”

By Nicholas Kalungi, Daily Monitor

Do you have a story or an article to publish? Please email us to [email protected].

God has blown NDC’s cover; ‘they are hypocrites, liars and thieves’

Daily Guide Africa
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The opposition New Patriotic Party says their defeat in the 2008 general elections was a blessing in disguise.

According to the campaign manager of the NPP, Boakye Agyarko, the loss suffered by the NPP in 2008 has given Ghanaians the real opportunity to assess the two parties and to know which of them CAN best serve the interest of the country.

Speaking at a news conference to announce the party’s first ever national interdenominational prayer session, Mr Agyarko said he was confident Ghanaians’ assessment of the Mills administration will bring the NPP back to power.

It was the wish of the NPP to win the 2008 elections but God, in “His own infinite wisdom”, did not grant that wish for a reason, Mr Agyarko stated.

“But I believe God did not grant us because he needed to expose the NDC for what they are – hypocrites, liars, thieves of the first order. Otherwise how does a president who has declared himself righteousness allow such perfidy of taking the nation’s money to one person”

Mr Agyarko went Biblical and said God works in a mysterious way, and asked people to remain patient for God’s appointed time, professing that unanswered prayer “does not mean He (God) has not heard you, but He will grant you that wish in His time.”

Boakye Agyarko said the prayer session would be used by the party to pray for peace ahead of their campaign for the December elections.

Source: Myjoyonline

Mills still running B team – CPP

Daily Guide Africa
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CPP logo

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) of Ghana has said it is disappointed some ministers still remain in government after Wednesday’s ministerial reshuffle and new appointments.

According to the party, the Health Minister-designate, Alban Bagbin, was a failure at his former ministry and so does not deserve the new appointment.

The party, however, expressed satisfaction at the exclusion of former Health Minister, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, from cabinet.

According to the Communication Director of the CPP, Nii Armah Akomfrah, the NDC government is going through crisis following the resignation of a minister and the sacking of another in a spate of three weeks.

“They needed a major injection of talent to turn them into an A team,” Akomfrah told Citi News.

“You’d ask yourself if what has been is a B+ or a B- and many nurses and doctors would welcome the fact that Yieleh Chireh has left the Health Ministry, but they would be wondering whether Alban Bagbin is going to bring anything different considering the colossal failure at the Housing Ministry. ”

He added: “This has not been the change that is needed to inject massive new talent to firm their B team into a B+ or even an A. Yieleh Chireh is gone, I think that’s a good sign. I’m not sure that Alban Bagbin would be seen as successful minister who should remain in Ghana. ”

Source: Citifmonline

Uganda: Poverty limiting business growth in north and east

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Prof Lilian Tibatemwa, the PLA chairperson

The Northern and Eastern regions are still the most poverty stricken parts of the informal sector in the country, a Platform for Labour Action report on Civic and Political participation of women and youths in the informal sector has revealed.

The study conducted in five districts of Dokholo, Kaliro, Iganga, Bugiri and Amulata attributed the high levels of poverty in the two regions to high unemployment and illiteracy rates.

Statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics show that 61.2 per cent of the working poor are in northern Uganda while 43.6 per cent are in the east.

The working poor are individuals who are part of the working labour force but whose incomes fall below the official poverty line of $1 (shs2,390)per day.

But the disturbing fact is that these make up a big part of the informal sector that contributes more than 20 per cent to the national gross domestic product.

Speaking during the launch of the report in Kampala on Wednesday, Prof Lilian Tibatemwa, the PLA chairperson, said despite its great contribution to the economy, the informal sector has received little attention from the government.

Women and youths are the most affected of the population. For instance, out of the 67 per cent of the working persons employed in the informal sector, women account for 71 per cent compared to their male counterparts that stand at 64 per cent.

“The above national figures justify the need to pay special attention to women and youth in the informal sector, particularly in the northern and eastern region” Prof. Tibatemwa said.

The vice president, Mr Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi said the government would take action and use the study as a basis to uplift the country’s economy.

“The government is committed to transform Uganda from peasantry to modernity. This research captures the challenges that lie ahead of government and we shall ensure that we get remedies,’ Mr Ssekandi said.

By Flavia Nalubega, Daily Monitor

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