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Topic for discussion
| President Obama! hosted by Administrator |
Now that Obama has won the US election, what do you expect to benefit, what will your country Uganda and Africa in general benefit?
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| Yes, We Can. Sweet indeed!.......... authored by alotimbitek245 on 5. January 2009 at 00:17 |
My fellow Ugandans, the President of the free world, King Barack Obama. Yes, We Can. Sweet indeed!
Current Issue: Fall 2008 : President Obama and Africa:
Understanding the Framework for President Obama’s Foreign Policy in Africa
With the election of Barack Obama on November 4th, 2008, January 2009 is expected to usher in a new direction in American -African relations because for the first time, an African American with an African father will be sworn in as next President of America.
Barack Obama, whose father was of Luo heritage in Kenya, is expected to build on President George W Bush foreign policy on the continent. The response to Obama's election in Africa has been euphoric and met with celebration all over the continent. But the question is what it will mean for Africa, its people and its leaders. There is no doubt that President Obama will be informed by the legacy of the Clinton administration, the Bush policy in Africa, his own heritage and the involvement of many advisers with prior experience in Africa, prominent among them is Susan Rice, who is expected to become the national security adviser.
Africa will surely be central to President Obama’s foreign policy interests. A review of Obama’s campaign promises offers an insight into what we should expect from his administration, According to Carina Rey, who in an opinion piece, on August 14th, 2008, in Pambazuka News, President Obama’s foreign policy in Africa, informed by his family ties to Kenya will provide him a greater personal connection to the continent and its people than any other American president before him.
She also believes that Obama with the” most cosmopolitan upbringing of any president combined with his intellectual strength, eloquence, and ability to think outside of the box suggest that he will pursue a more diplomacy-oriented and judicious foreign policy in general. With regard to Africa, the simple fact that the continent is already on his radar further suggests we can expect him to have a greater hand in proactively crafting his administration's Africa agenda, rather than doing what most US presidents have done before him: neglect Africa except when the US's strategic interests are involved".
Africa is an area of priority according to Obama's campaign website. To Ms Rey, “though Africa is featured on the list of Obama's top eight foreign policy priorities, which in descending order are:
Ending the War in Iraq; Iran;
Renewing American Diplomacy;
Nuclear Weapons,
Building a 21st Century Military ;
Bipartisanship and Openness;
Israel; and
Africa”.
It shows how important Africa is to Obama. According to his website, Barack Obama will also be engaged in, stopping the genocide in Darfur, ending the conflict in Congo, and bringing former Liberian president Charles Taylor to justice.
He also promised to work with Congress to increase American investment in foreign assistance, to redress the lack of increase in development assistance in areas such as democracy building, the rule of law, judicial reform, the strengthening of parliaments, education and enhancing the entrepreneurial skills of men and women.
Obama promises to spearhead an initiative to eliminate the global education deficit by establishing a Global Education Fund to help fill the financing gap for primary education in Africa and the developing world. He will also make the Millennium Development Goals America's goals. Another adviser to Barack Obama on Africa, Whitney W. Schneidman, in a guest column on allAfrica.com of September 29, 2008, sets out what President Obama's fundamental policy objectives for Africa in Africa would be.
In the piece, he said Obama's African agenda is informed by the interest in his candidacy in the African Diaspora community which can be a game changer in voter drive and on election day. Obama's African initiative, according to him, is premised on the following facts: •
• Africans are the most educated immigrant group in the country.
• African-born men and women have higher median earnings than all foreign-born men and women in the U.S.
• Remittances from Africans in the diaspora are on the rise,
• Estimated to be in excess of $4 to 6 billion per year.
Nigerians, as one example, remit more than $3 billion per year.
There is great expectation in Africa from an Obama presidency With this in mind, Barack Obama will therefore pursue three fundamental objectives on the continent. •
• One is to accelerate Africa's integration into the global economy. •
• A second is to enhance the peace and security of African states. •
• And a third is to strengthen relationships with those governments, institutions and civil society organizations committed to deepening democracy, accountability and reducing poverty in Africa.
According to Schneidman, President Obama will also pursue conflict resolutions in Darfur, Somalia, Eastern Congo, the Niger Delta in Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
He will also sustain AFRICOM, the US military command for Africa to realize its potential, in cooperation with other U.S. agencies and regional partners, to promote peace, security, and stability on the continent.
In addition Obama will create a Shared Security Partnership Program to build the infrastructure to deliver effective counter-terrorism training, and to create a strong foundation for coordinated action against al Qaeda and its affiliates in Africa .
The program will provide assistance with information sharing, training, operations, border security, anti-corruption programs, technology and the targeting of terrorist financing.
President Obama will also establish an Add Value to Agriculture Initiative (AVTA), to accelerate Africa's integration into the global economy and to expand prosperity on the continent, which will spur research and innovation aimed at partnering with land grant institutions, private philanthropies and businesses to promote higher yield seeds, better irrigation methods and affordable and safe fertilizers.
With the believe that such an initiative will address issues related to food security, Barack Obama will strengthen the African Growth and Opportunity Act to ensure that African producers can access the U.S. market and will encourage more American companies to invest in Africa.
He will also work with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation to develop lending facilities to small and medium businesses, so that those companies under $5 million can become $10 and $20 million companies, creating new jobs, sustainable incomes and partners for American companies.
President Obama also plan to work with Congress to address stagnation in the areas of democracy building, the rule of law, judicial reform, the strengthening of parliaments, education and enhancing the entrepreneurial skills of men and women, and to increase American investment in foreign assistance.
He promises to spearhead an initiative to eliminate the global education deficit by establishing a Global Education Fund to help fill the financing gap for primary education in Africa and the developing world and make the Millennium Development Goals America's goals.
He will surely provide a new vista to US-African relationship. However, the question will be whether it will match the level of expectations from the continent because of his African heritage. The demand and pressure of the current financial crisis at home and other areas of priorities around the world such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Middle East, North Korea will surely test his ability to devote time and energy to Africa.
Given the domestic policy demands and the economic problems on the home-front and the peripherilization of Africa in American interest sphere, it may be difficult for President Obama to achieve all the lofty goals on his campaign website.
The economy and the war against terror might also force his administration to limit his expenditure abroad and his African initiatives may be the first casualty of such a cut. President Obama may not realize this but he has a higher standard to meet than any other President's before him.
*Bamidele A.Ojo Professor of Political Science, School of Political & International Studies. Fairleigh Dickinson University. Nj USA.
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| This is so funny authored by Evelyn on 3. January 2009 at 08:15 |
| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs&feature=related |
| *HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPIER (NEW) YEAR 2009* authored by ucan weekly on 31. December 2008 at 23:07 |
Hi There,
HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPIER (NEW) YEAR 2009 TO YOU:
"AS ONE REFRESHES ANOTHER
SO SHALL ONE BE REFRESHED"
Ref. Prov. 11:25 - http://tinyurl.com/843s4h
May the year 2009 be more refreshing as we move beyond political
to economic self/ves - dependence, particularly through TRADE.
Many are inspired by Obama as a model, as one who overcomes
obstacles to win vs. whine only e.g. about foregin "AID" handouts.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPIER (NEW) YEAR 2009 WISHES
TO YOU, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR BELOVED ONES AND ALL.
URL. Ref. link - http://tinyurl.com/9trt7r
We Can & U Can Africa, additionally overcome + outgrow obsolete
mindsets of joyfully living on our knees instead of living on our feet.
We can also shed off or fully discard traditions that with insensitivity,
devalue human life/ves. We have plenty of room to grow up & do better.
May all aspire to higher ideals as self/ves - dependence & self/ves respect.
U CAN AFRICA. |
| OBAMA SAYS ... *HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPIER (NEW) YEAR 2009* authored by ucan weekly on 31. December 2008 at 22:51 |
OBAMA SAYS ...
CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME, WITHIN ONE'S OWN HEART;
AS ONE REFRESHES ANOTHER SO SHALL ONE BE REFRESHED
and as one sacrifices another so shall one be sacrificed - it is plain
old natural law for doing unto another as one wishes done to oneself.
Ref. Prov. 11:25 - http://tinyurl.com/843s4h
WITHOUT LOVE WITHIN and for oneself/ves one cannot be able
to love ... leave alone praise others, particularly where credit is due.
V.Many are inspired by Obama as a model, as one who overcomes
obstacles to win vs. whine only e.g. about foregin "AID" handouts.
Obama inspires whether one feels expired, has lost or has found oneself.
Let the people free of guilt burdens in their celebrations of his victory.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPIER (NEW) YEAR 2009 WISHES
TO YOU, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR BELOVED ONES AND ALL.
URL. Ref. link - http://tinyurl.com/9trt7r
We Can & U Can Africa, additionally overcome + outgrow obsolete traditions
like many other discarded ones that with insensitivity, devalue human life/ves.
May all aspire to higher ideals as self/ves - dependence & self/ves respect.
U CAN AFRICA. |
| OBAMA SAYS ... *HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPIER (NEW) YEAR 2009* authored by ucan weekly on 31. December 2008 at 22:49 |
OBAMA SAYS:
CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME, WITHIN ONE'S OWN HEART....
AS ONE REFRESHES ANOTHER SO SHALL ONE BE REFRESHED
and as one sacrifices another so shall one be sacrificed - it is plain
old natural law for doing unto another as one wishes done to oneself.
Ref. Prov. 11:25 - http://tinyurl.com/843s4h
WITHOUT LOVE WItHIN and for oneself/ves one cannot be able
to love ... leave alone praise others, particularly where credit is due.
V.Many are inspired by Obama as a model, as one who overcomes
obstacles to win vs. whine only e.g. about foregin "AID" handouts.
Obama inspires whether one feels expired, has lost or has found oneself.
Let the people free of guilt burdens in their celebrations of his victory.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPIER (NEW) YEAR 2009 WISHES
TO YOU, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR BELOVED ONES AND ALL.
URL. Ref. link - http://tinyurl.com/9trt7r
We Can & U Can Africa, additionally overcome + outgrow obsolete traditions
like many other discarded ones that with insensitivity, devalue human life/ves.
May all aspire to higher ideals as self/ves - dependence & self/ves respect.
U CAN AFRICA. |
| We need to find ourselves first before applauding others authored by Kharim Ntambi on 29. December 2008 at 10:35 |
I keep getting surprised by the way you respond to my comments. Am not sold to the fear strategy as you allege. But according to the few interactions we have shared, allow me say that there is need for you to get more exposed to the real world. I don’t know about your source of the 80% white Americans working to make US inclusive. That’s a misconception my friend. The masses you are talking about did not vote for Obama because they wanted to show the world that they are not racists, NO, They were insecure about the current situation in the US and it would only be Obama whether they wanted or not . He just came at the right time where by the country was desperate for someone who can address their problems such as the financial crisis.
But in reality there has never been a capitalist kind of rule that can listens to the views of the poor. It capitalist view caters for only those who are financially stable by helping their corporations. The question that will still linger is; who is going to listen to the black small farmers? Remember that the first open heart surgery was carried out by a black man but right now a number of young black Americans who would help can not afford medical school and the system can not bail them out. White people clearly understand the black people’s potential and their influence in American history that’s why every American whether white or black still believes in the words of Martin Luther King Jr.
To get back to the 80% issue I will recommend you to read some of the writings by “Time Wise” one among a few whites who are ready to denounce their white privilege. I believe that you have been in contact with people from America, Pose.. Besides the Ugandans who acquired US passports, how many Hispanics, African Americans and other minorities have you come across working with US agencies in Uganda? Please try to be true to me and the world!
Lastly, I don’t think you want to talk about Buganda and the Kabakas in that kind of category, you need to touch base the forces behind their actions. It was colonialism which was another enforced by another r race of white people that saw our cultural leaders turn into such a way.
Hey I can send you some resources if you send me am email with your address and I believe you will learn more about your Dream US.
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| To change, you need to accept the fact that there are good people...... authored by alotimbitek245 on 29. December 2008 at 06:21 |
Mr. Kharim Ntambi you stated the following:
“I talk about racism because it is something people tend to ignored. My brother what you want to know is that the white people you are talking about seem to be cool on thier faces but thier hearts are purely WHITE!”
It is very apparent that you have been sold the fear strategy whole sale. There are good people all over the world. There are also bad people all over the world.
So the question you must ask yourself when you get up in the morning is this:
• Will I be the one that can change the world for the better, or will I be crying and blaming others for my short comings?
Granted that some KKK are out there plotting to hurt a black person. But how many whites are waking up everyday and working to make their live better with black as participants?
We are optimist by nature. If 80 percent of whites are working to make America inclusive, then there is hope. The election of King Barack Obama is the result of the 80 percent of whites Americans who want to make the world a better place.
Many bad things have happened in the past. Germans committed the most heinous crimes known to man. British helped the sale of Africans into slavery. In Uganda, past Kabakas were despicable leaders—Mwanga and Sunna were no saints. Check your history.
To change, you need to accept the fact that there are good people.
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| You can't tell how a shoe pinches the soil, unless you are the one wearin' it! authored by Kharim Ntambi on 29. December 2008 at 00:14 |
I thank you for responding to my submission. You started with my quote and the pride behind it is that Mr. Love is one out of the few young African Americans who have broken odds coming from the city of Baltimore, to winning a national championship, he had to talk about the issues facing black people and make the country once again aware of the problem of whiteness in order to be recognised.
Secondly, I was asked to ponder the number of white young people who are ready to denounce their whiteness and work together for America. What you want to know is that Black people have always been there for America but there efforts are always turned down by the forcess of racism. History shows as that after the energy that black people wasted to build America, these folks where deported in the islands of Jamaica, Anguara and others in Seirre Leon and Liberia but America has over looked and has seen these countries suffer despite the efforts of their fore fathers..... Ask you self who is United States?
United States is composed of people who sent black people to serve in the world war I-II and instead of rewarding them, they were welcomed by lyching in their different communities.
United States has a state called Texas were the biggest number of black people have been killed by white people and they were not brought to justice, the families of black people whose relatives where lyched by the KKK and other white terrorist groups never got support from the Federal government
Texas is a State where the biggest number of people on death raw are blacks!
United states is were 47 million people have no healthy insurance and 70 percent are from minority groups.
47% of the homeless minorities are black people (Conference of the Mayors '07).
I talk about racism because it is something people tend to ignored. My brother what you want to know is that the white people you are talking about seem to be cool on thier faces but thier hearts are purely WHITE!
When you said that Obama is a pride for all Africans, i truly know what that means. A number of Africans have for so many a time entrusted their pride in people who later go against them i can not make a long list of such leaders. My prayer for Obama is that his evealuation will be done in 2012. Thats when you will correct my statements. I pray he that the system doesn't bring him down.
Compare the number of times and people you have interacted with from minority enthicities in the United States who have clearly and freely given you their view on racism and upholding the American values before tagging my comments biased!! |
| Stop whining and start to clean up slums............. authored by alotimbitek245 on 28. December 2008 at 21:13 |
My fellow Ugandans, Mr. Kharim Ntambi quotes Deyvon Love:
“We shall not be able to debate about anything unless we address the issue of Whiteness"
First Mr. Ntambi, this quote is a reflection of your insecurity and misplaced biases towards whites and people that are not black.
Have you Mr. Ntambi ever ponders the following:
• That many white Americans want to move forward and leave racism behind?
• Have asked yourself why the younger white Americans see non white as equals?
When King Barack Obama makes the following statement:
“America will always be the United States of America”
What comes into your mind Mr. Ntambi? Most Americans live and work together. They have been fighting and dying in Iraq and Middle East not as whites and blacks, but rather as one United America.
Your analysis is based on assumptions that are riddled with anti whites and hopelessness.
King Barack Obama rise to the pinnacle of power in the free world is pride to all Africans and Irish people. The DNA in King Barack Obama came from his Luo father and his Irish American mother. If King Barack Obama was the son of Chinese American father, we would welcome Chinese people showing their pride.
The incoming Obama administration does not have to do anything to Africans. His mere presence in the white house and his ownership of Air Force one is enough motivation to push hard working Ugandans to want to build a better Uganda. The eyes of the world are on us as long King Barack Obama is running the greatest nation on the world. It is up to you Kharim Ntambi to roll your sleeves up and go into Katwe slums and eradicate the poverty that is holding our people back.
King Barack Obama has shown that one person can make a difference. You, Kharim Ntambi could be the Obama that katwe slum dwellers have been waiting for!
Stop whining and start to clean up slums.
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| You can change the face but it will be had to change the system authored by Kharim Ntambi on 28. December 2008 at 02:21 |
Editor: Status quo shows that the United States is going through the worst financial crisis ever. A financial crisis that is not only affecting the United States but als the the world over. If you are to look at the stock markets the price of dollar keeps fractuating like that on Vanila in Uganda 2001-2005. To me this means that there is need for the in coming President Obama to focus more on the United States first. With twowars in the Middle East, evacuating the troopes looks to be the the solution but it can not to solve for the un seen effects of the war were thousands have lost lives and loved ones. These will be priority areas for Obama to consider because these places will require reconstruction and rehabilitation. The effects of homelessness are going to be evident in such communities, you as need to know that in countries like Afghanistan where a number of people are exposed to weapons and drugs the effects are likely to harm the next generation that we would assume.
Back to what Obama can do for ugandans.. Uhmm, this sounds rhetorical for me! As i have showed you what the US is going through, it will be hard for Uganda to be priority for the US in the next four years and I don't see how it will come in to solve the problems that have been ignored by the international community for so long. In 1994, to respond to what Mr. Oryemma was talking about, the US clearly intetionally ignored the situation in Rwanda and what they assumed was that the situation was not clear to risk US young men to Rwanda. In a statement by the then President Bill Clinton from the Democrats, he said that the US has no interests in intervation Africa following what had happened to the US troops in Somalia in the early 90s. This means that the US can only come to your rescue in case it has interests in your country. For countries like Uganda the biggest role has to be invested in us by creating a fora where young people can be empowered to handle issues around the counter to counter the over aging "Careerist" in the government.
Last Mr. Oryemma, you talked about the voices of America speaking for Obama what i understood from your statement is that ; to you there is little significaance of racism, tribalism, in the United States and you painted it as a role model!! Hey, please Voting for Obama doesn't mean that racism is over, NO, your statement has always been said by people who have been blind folded and they pretend to be color blind about race. What you need to know is the the masses of black people, Hispanics and other minority groups have for so long been exploited, Obama victory was welcomed on the out look but on the inside, there is a lot of institutionalised racism at work place, unemployment in the minority communities. At the end you realise that these masses' voices are still like echoes in a lonely desert for no one to respond to. My collegue "Deyvon Love" the first African America to win Cross Examination Debate Championship, in one of his strong speeches he said " We shall not be able to debate about anything unless we address the issue of Whiteness"
(Kharim Ntambi. Towson University, Mass Comm [Major] Political Science [Minor] ). |
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