The Encounter

the encounter
By Africano Mande

O’ Maridi! O’ Maridi!
Don’t you bellow for me.
I ‘m the son,
Ain’t more or less a son.
So far muluya nda kuwa.

I rode on a buffalo in a leopard skin,
Charging with my pala burning red.
I pierced through your heart,
You proclaimed,
Come! Come! Come on!
Down on earth I came.

I cried to find the glory,
Searched for my civilisation,
But down on my feet,
The graves of Banzoro and Gedima rattled.
They both admitted that,
The civilisation I’m to inherit,
Is nothing but the numerous graves.
And it will not be easy.

My! Should I tarry to be the witness?
Or I should promise that,
I will testify.
In my oath with Maridi,
I vowed to rise when the morning comes.
And with Ambiringi under my feet,
I will blow the trumpet of Mande.

And that day,
Those below and beyond the hills,
Will all gather to march.
Even the widows will get their share of musala.

Owerah's Bits now on beta blogger

By Henry Owera
www.owerahbits.blogspot.com

After frustrations with the old annoying blogger, I have finally decided to go beta!

My apologies for being unable to post to the site for donkey years!

I shall resume regular blogging and enjoy!

Online activity

Well I have finally made it back to the blogsphere and websphere - but at what cost!?

I must say a sorry to all readers of Owerahbits! From the southern part of maridi and my heart am very sorry for neglecting my readership for donkey years! Sincere apologies to Hash of the White African fame for not replying a mail, my new colleagues at AISI E- Discussions: Africa Speaks / African Youth and the Information Society. I shall do right soonest!!

In case you care to know what happened! Well, certain escapades and occurance socially excluded from the blogsphere but for the lighter side none can resist the temptations of the mango indi of Maridi, Southern Sudan - yours prodigal!

Egos are causing bad blood in Southern Sudan! LRA vs UPDF!, Peace Vs Jsutice!, civilians and soldiers! hope is being toyed with in old Kush!

Information!? How absurd!?

I have a problem: I am a member of several mailing lists / listservs and a creator and moderator of some few. I do access not less than fifty mails a day: Mails about Information systems, information architecture, information professionals' mailing lists, monitoring and evaluation mailing lists, and yes! junks do sneak in! Am in eight mailing lists! I really get lots of information. But then what have I got? Power!? No! Knowledge!? To an extent! Information overload! Very much so! Information! Misinformation! Disinformation! What is information!?

In the first instance the term "information" is not clearly defined! What do they mean by the term Information ? Could information have been confused to mean a communication!? What does Wikipaedia tell us!? Anyway has the world any standard defination of English terms and abstract such as information!?

I have information is abundancy - all sorts of information like useful Wikipeadia and Google .com can avail but have I the power!? Power over what!? Over my destiny?; competitors?; floks? or what!? Information! What does the blue print of information in its purest form contain! Does information in its purest form contain only facts!? Is information still power!?

I have too much information around me that communicating it is as hard as comprehending them! There lies the absurdity! I have too much information around me but hasn't harvested enough from them! And oh yes! I have another thing! I can communicate to thousand people and only at a click to these very sources of information - the mailing lists! But what do I tell tell!? Yes it is also Information and I also export my confusion to them to consume!
One thing for sure: Knowledge is Power!

Uganda: Information and ICT

The puzzle the Information Age presents has won Ugandans two full Cabinent Ministeries and a State Ministry! This thing called information, has warranted that the government of Uganda led by H.E. Rtd. Lt. Gen. Y.K. Museveni, Chairman NRMO and Commander in Chief (CIC) of UPDF, create the vacancies for:

• Minister of Information and National Guidance.
• Minister of communication and information communication technology (ICT).
• And Minister of State for ICT.

These three ministries shall be dealing with information in all its context. Need I include Dr. Nsaba Buturo, the former head in the Department of Information in the office of the President. Well Dr. Nsaba Buturo is now a an almighty Minister for Ethics in the Office of the Vice President! Ethics!! What ever that means! Nevertheless, I can't help witnessing Uganda discuss the nitty gritties of handling this information age and the knowledge economy!

Below is the full list of the new cabinet that was sworn in today June, 02 2006. This is an extract from Uganda's leading daily -The New Vision of June 02 2006. (The emphasises are mine!)
................................................................................

1. PRESIDENT: Yoweri Museveni
2. Vice President: Prof. Gilbert Bukenya
3. PM Prof. Apolo Nsibambi
4. First DPM and Minister in Charge of EA Affairs: Eriya Kategaya
5. Second DPM and Minister of Public of Service: Henry Kajura
6. Third DPM and Minister of Information and National Guidance: Kirunda Kivejinja
7. Minister for Security: Amama Mbabazi
8. Presidency: Beatrice Wabudeya
9. General Duties (OPM): Adolf Mwesige
10. Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries: Hillary Onek
11. Defence: Dr Crispus Kiyonga
12. Relief and Disaster Preparedness: Tarsis Kabwegyere
13. Education and Sports: Namirembe Bitamazire
14. Energy and Minerals: Daudi Migereko
15. Internal Affairs: Ruhakana Rugunda
16. Finance: Dr Ezra Suruma
17. Works: John Nasasira
18. Justice, Constitutional Affairs and AG: Dr Khiddu Makubuya
19. Gender, Labour and Social Affairs: Syda Bumba
20. Trade and Industry: Janat Mukwaya
21. Water and Environment: Maria Mutagamba
22. Lands, Housing and Urban Development: Omara Atubo
23. Health: Dr Steven Mallinga
24. Foreign Affairs: Sam Kutesa
25. Minister of communication and information communication technology (ICT):Ham Muliira
26. Local Government: Maj. General Kahinda Otafiire
27. Without Portfolio: Dorothy Hyuha
28. Chief Whip: Kabakumba Masiko

MINISTERS OF STATE:

1. Agriculture: Kibirige Ssebunya
2. Fisheries: Fred Mukisa
3. Animal Industry: Maj. Bright Rwamirama
4. Higher Education: Gabriel Opio
5. Primary Education: Peter Lokeris
6. Sports: Charles Bakabulindi
7. Energy: Simon D’Ujanga
8. Minerals: Kamanda Bataringaya
9. Finance (General Duties): Fred Omach
10. Planning: Omwony Ojwok
11. Microfinance: Salim Saleh
12. Investment: Prof. Ssemakula Kiwanuka
13. Privatisation: Chekamondo Rukia
14. Foreign Afairs (International Affairs): Okello Oryem
15. Regional Affairs: Isaac Musumba
16. Gender (Women) Rukia Isanga
17. Youth: James Kinobe
18. Labour: Mwesigwa Rukutana
19. Disabilities: Sulaiman Madada
20. Health (General): Richard Nduhura
21. Primary Health Care: Dr Otaala Emmanuel
22. Housing: Werikhe Kafabusa
23. Urban Development: Urbane Tibamanya
24. Lands: Atwoki Kasirivu
25. Office of the VP: Economic Monitoring): Kagimu Kiwanuka
26. OVP (Ethics): Nsaba Buturo
27. Office of PM (Relief and Disaster preparedness): Musa Ecweru
28. OPM (Northern Uganda): David Wakikona
29. OPM (Karamoja): Tom Butime
30. OPM (Luwero Triangle): Nyombi Thembo
31. Trade, Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities: Wambuzi Gagawala
32. Industry: Ephraim Kamuntu
33. Tourism: Serapio Rukundo
34. Water: Jenipher Namuyangu
35. Environment: Jessica Eriyo
36. Transport: Simon Ejua
37. Works: John Byabagambi
38. Defence: Ruth Nankabirwa
39. VP Office: James Baba
40. Internal Affairs: Matia Kasaija
41. Justice: Fred Ruhindi
42. ICT: Nsambu Balintuma
43. Local Government: Hope Mwesigye
44. Public Service: Sezi Mbaguta

.............................................................................................
One for the road -The notorious self styled Lt. Gen. Joseph Kony of the LRA is a fugitive. Kony's atrocities are well documented.
Justice or peace? South Sudan meets rebel fugitive: By Daniel Wallis JUBA, Sudan, June 2 (Reuters) -

Why would Africa's youngest regional government risk world opprobrium by meeting with and supplying a guerrilla commander notorious for slaughtering civilians, abducting children and mutilating his victims? The government of Southern Sudan last month shocked many regional observers by holding unprecedented talks with fugitive Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony and giving him food and $20,000 in cash.

Tomorrow Saturday the 3rd June 2006, is Uganda Martyrs' Day.