Unarmed Civilian Peacekeeping in Mindanao, Philippines: My Story
narmed civilian peacekeeping plays a vital role in conflict zones. Most international peacekeepers engaged in this type of work are deployed in countries other than their own. That means they shed light on what’s happening locally. Their presence allows the world to see what’s happening in places affected by conflict through the eyes of someone […]
The Pagee Wine Lesson: A Teenage Mistake That Shaped My Life
tasted alcohol and its most devastating effects on the very first day I tasted Pagee Wine from St. Mary’s Lacor in Gulu, Uganda, in 1998. Pagee Wine is a local wine made from pineapple. Even though that moment happened nearly 27 years ago, just the thought of walking back into that local drinking joint in […]
The Curse of Eating School Fees and the Price of Misplaced Priorities: Kidega’s Tragic Downfall
On 11 February 2024, the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) released the 2024 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results under the competency-based curriculum, sparking a wave of reactions across the country. The new system emphasizes skills, values, and real-life applications of knowledge, aiming to foster competencies like critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and communication. While this […]
Surviving the Rules of the Gun: Lessons on Power and Resilience from South Sudan
orking in South Sudan taught me lessons about power, authority, and survival that I’ll never forget. Some moments were uncomfortable, others eye-opening, but all were crucial in helping me understand working in the context of conflict. Growing up in Uganda in the 1990s, my view of soldiers was shaped by fear. Soldiers were figures of […]
Managing Staff in Conflict Zones and the Hidden Price of Doing the Right Thing; Upholding Accountability.
Managing a team in conflict zones can be a different ball game depending on the context and organization. Forget about the usual office politics or the daily “Did you sign the form?” issues. Here, firing someone can quickly escalate from an HR matter to something that threatens your safety. Sometimes, doing the right thing requires […]
Turning the Tide: A Young Manager’s Journey to Revitalize an Underperforming Project in South Sudan
hen I landed in Kuajok, Warrap State, South Sudan, in March 2015, I had no idea what awaited me. The project I was stepping into, funded by the World Bank, was meant to improve local governance and service delivery. However, instead of having a project ready to launch, I faced many problems. It was months […]
Acholi needs reconciliation commission to heal
While campaigning in Gulu Town in November, former Makerere University vice chancellor and independent presidential candidate, Prof Venansius Baryamureeba, promised to institute a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate atrocities committed in northern Uganda. Despite the prevailing peace in the region, some questions continue to be asked by victims of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)-UPDF […]
Government lacks commitment to UPE
Written by Alex Okello Ouma At Okol primary school in Omot sub-county in Pader, studying under the tree is all but normal to an estimated 300 pupils. According to the head teacher, Mr. Omech Ben Robert, some pupils walk for over 5 kilometers to and fro school every day because of their desire and willingness […]
Political Tolerance in Uganda is Still a Pipe Dream
When you feel that your voice cannot be heard because you have a different sexual orientation, belong to a certain religion, are from a certain tribe, or support a certain political party, what president Yoweri Museveni said about intolerant leaders of the past may not make sense to you. I refer to the article titled […]
What is Joseph Kony saying and why does it matter for National Reconciliation?
In the Daily Monitor of January 27 2014, it was reported that Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel leader Joseph Kony wrote to Ugandans seeking forgiveness and resumption of peace talks. This comes amidst unconfirmed media reports that Kony’s health is deteriorating. Joseph Kony was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2005 for war […]