Seriously Tho'

My Political Education teacher used to say that when a concern for the proper governance for society does not come naturally, then it is better to pretend. I wonder what he would say about the current land debate.

The on-going crisis in Kenya has backed Museveni into a corner of sorts. Uganda's economy and welfare are tied to Kenya's stability. As such, fuel shortages in Uganda have been disrupting business and causing the kinds of rumblings that are always dangerous to ignore. Museveni might have wanted to stay out of the Kenyan mess, but it was necessary for his government to open up a dialogue with Nairobi to work out a way that will ensure the flow of fuel into Uganda.

The Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting of 2007 is being described as a success. During the three-day summit, the organisation suspended Pakistan from its ranks and produced a climate plan. These are both modest achievements with little international impact except to remind the world that when it comes to human rights and the environment, the Commonwealth can still be a relevant association.

Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have not always treated each other with a great deal of respect. This is not unusual; there are always tensions between neighboring states, partly those led by people who came to power behind the barrel of a gun. But now that oil has been discovered in Lake Albert, that has only made things more complicated.

Uganda and Iraq have a special relationship. Thousands of Ugandans are making the trip to quaint military compounds in cities such as Baghdad and Tikrit in order to make ends meet, something they have trouble doing back home.