Creating an independent traditional court:A study of Jopadhola clan courts in Uganda

AbstractThis article examines the contribution of clans (kinship institutions) to the administration of justice within the context of standards set out in the African regional human rights instruments. Field work on the Jopadhola of Eastern Uganda is drawn upon, to explore how clans reproduce their notion of an independent court using an abridged legal doctrine of separation of powers, and partially mimicking lower level government and judicial features. The field work also shows how clans accommodate interests of women and youth. Even so, clans retain a largely customary approach to the appointment, qualifications and tenure of court officials. The main findings lead to the conclusion that, by applying an “African” notion of human rights, clans have created traditional constructs of an independent court: one that is culturally appropriate for their indigenous communities.</jats:p

Groundwater - surface water interactions on deeply weathered surfaces of low relief in the Upper Nile Basin of Uganda

Little is known of the interactions between groundwater and surface water on the deeply weathered surfaces of low relief in the Great Lakes Region of Africa (GLRA). The role of groundwater in sustaining water levels in lakes, rivers and wetlands during periods of absent rainfall is also unclear. Indeed, groundwater is commonly excluded from estimations of the surface water balances. Piezometer nests constructed on the shores of Lakes Victoria (Jinja, Entebbe) and Kyoga (Bugondo) through this study, provide the first evidence of the lithologic interface and dynamic interactions between groundwater and surface water in the GLRA. Evidence is drawn from lithological analyses (texture, lithostratigraphy), geophysical surveys (resistivity mapping, VES), hydraulic tests, borehole hydrographs and hydrochemical (major ions, \delta^2H, \delta^1^8O) data. Groundwater interacts with surface waters primarily via preferential pathways within the coarse horizons towards the base of thick saprolite underlying relatively thin (<5 m) fluviallacustrine sands. Hydrological observations and hydrochemical data indicate that groundwater flows primarily into lakes; this interaction is dynamic varying by season and proximity to lake. Interactions between groundwater and Lakes Victoria and Kyoga are also influenced by changing drainage base (lake) levels that are controlled, in part, by regional, rather than local climatology and dam releases from Lake Victoria (Jinja). Groundwater levels are strongly influenced by rainfall-fed recharge that depend more upon heavy rainfall events (10 mm\cdot d^-^1) during the monsoons than the total volume of rainfall; mean vertical velocities in the unsaturated zone are ~1 m\cdot d^-^1. Layered heterogeneity in aquifer properties (hydraulic conductivity, storage) indicate deeply weathered rocks formed under prolonged in situ weathering (etchplanation) of lowrelief surfaces. This layered heterogeneity in the saprolite aquifer gives rise to a twocomponent recession in borehole hydrographs following recharge events. A firstapproximation of the proportion of the Lake Victoria’s water balance supplied by groundwater is derived from new observations in this study and is in the order of 1 %

What crop theft in northern Uganda tells us about relations between investors and communities

In the Acholi sub-region of northern Uganda, commercial farmers are experiencing an increasing theft of maize. Arthur Owor and Carolin Dieterle explore the underlying reasons for this and draw attention to the need for more meaningful collaboration between investors and host communities

Trauma registries as a tool for improved clinical assessment of trauma patients in an urban African hospital

This combined retrospective and prospective study describes trauma patients in an urban African Hospital and assesses whether use of trauma registries leads to  improved clinical assesment. The Kampala Trauma Score (KTS) is assessed as an injury  severity filter. The level of clinical assessment was defined by Model Rural Trauma Project (MRTP) trauma triage criteria. Trauma registries were filled out  systematically for every alternate patient on arrival in the casualty department, and the patient status was recorded two weeks after admission. This retrospective study showed that 52% of the trauma patients were inadequately assessed.  Amongst the deaths, 72.7% had been inadequately assessed (p value = 0.0193). Prospective data showed that injuries were most common amongst young males (72.7%), in and around the city following road traffic injuries (50.7%). The  mean time between injury and arrival at the hospital was 0.363 hours (SD 0.331) and the mean hospital response time was 0.36 hours SD 0.245) The rate of inadequate assessment decreased significantly after the introduction of the registry (p value =  0.000). The case fatalities before and after the introduction of the registry was,  however, not statistically significant. The KTS  was found to be a reliable severity filter for injured patients, with a KTS score of less than 14 increasing the likelihood of death by at least three times. The results showed a cut off value of 12 by the ROC curve (0.8755; 95% CI = 0.8455 - 0.9055).Key words: trauma registries, audit, clinical assessment, Afric

Aguu: From Acholi Post War Street Youth and Children to ‘Criminal Gangs’ in Modern Day Gulu City, Uganda

This paper analyses the origin and evolution of the Aguu, a group of street youth/children labelled as a criminal gang operating in the streets of Gulu, Uganda. Based on a series of interviews, focus group discussions, participant observations, archival work and literature review, the paper traces the origin of the Aguu to the conflict in Northern Uganda, and describes the transformation of the Aguu from street youth/children linked to war and displacement to their present day labelling as ‘criminal gang’. Anchored in an analysis based on Assemblage Theory, this paper demonstrates the complexity, multiplicity and fluidity of the Aguu identity as a group whose inception and evolution, both internal and external, occurs through a process of relationship between social, political, economic and infrastructural changes linked to war, culture, aid and politics, affecting present day security discourses in Gulu, Uganda.publishedVersio

Wetland change detection and inundation north of lake George, western Uganda using landsat data

A remote sensing approach has been adopted to detect seasonal change and inundation in the wetlands north of Lake George, western Uganda that is being impacted by anthropogenic factors. Five Landsat (TM and ETM+) satellite imagery of August 1987, January 1995, September 1999, March 2001 and December 2001 were used. During change detection in the wetland region, three broad classes (water bodies, exposed areas and vegetated zones) were generated in a Geographic Information System (GIS) using the Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI), Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and unsupervised classification supported with ground data. Inundation mapping was carried out using density slicing on image sets with similar precipitation inputs. Change detection shows a slight decrease in vegetated and exposed wetlands areas from August 1987 through March 2001. Inundation mapping presents an increase in waterlogged expanses from January 1995 to December 2001. There is a likelihood of present anthropogenic factors playing a significant role in denuding the wetland land cover. A similar remote sensing approach could be used for monitoring temporal and spatial aspects of other wetlands in the region.Keywords: Wetland, Change detection, Inundation, Lake George, Remote Sensin

Faecal contamination pathways of shallow groundwater in low-income urban areas: implications for water resource planning and management

Shallow groundwater is vulnerable to faecal contamination, especially in low-income urban areas where use of on-site sanitation facilities is high. This paper explores statistical relationships between potential factors influencing contaminant pathways (i.e., variables) and observed faecal contamination of shallow groundwater, represented by nitrate concentrations and counts of Escherichia coli (i.e., response function) in a small, growing town in Uganda over dry and wet seasons in 2018 and 2019. A statistically significant (p = 0.004) multiple linear regression model from dry-season E. coli counts in 2018 identifies medium sanitary risk levels and modes of construction as significant pathways (p = 0.01). Water source depth (10 m) to a pit latrine were also significant (p<0.05) in both hydrogeological formations. No significant linear regression models were established for NO3 during both seasons due to low pH and rapid infiltration velocities; incon-sistent sample timing during the wet season impaired the significance of the statistical models of E. coli counts. We show that modes of construction of water sources and pit latrines play key roles in determining the quality of the shallow groundwater in urban environments. Greater emphasis is therefore required to improve the functionality and sustainability of on-site water sources and pit latrines

Hydrogeochemical processes in groundwater in Uganda: a national-scale analysis

Groundwater represents a vital source of freshwater to meet distributed, rapidly rising demands for safe drinking water, irrigation and industry in low-income countries across the tropics. The hydrochemistry of groundwater within deeply weathered crystalline rock aquifer systems that predominate at low latitudes, is determined primarily by long-term biogeochemical weathering of the parent bedrock. Here, we evaluate geochemical footprints and baseline chemical quality of groundwater that have developed from water-rock interactions across a range of geological environments in Uganda using a national database of hydrochemical and hydrogeological records from 3271 locations. Sampled groundwaters are mostly shallow (69% of samples from depths of <20 m below ground level), fresh at time of drilling (Electrical Conductivity <1000 μS cm−1 in 96% of samples), and of good quality (<8% of samples exceed WHO (2011) guidelines values for chemical parameters in drinking water). Unpalatably high concentrations of total soluble and suspended Fe are, however, common (21%) in meta-igneous, granitic and metamorphic formations. The dominant (95%) anionic facies of groundwater is bicarbonate (HCO3−), indicative of localized flow systems (i.e. discontinuous aquifers) in which chemical evolution of groundwater (e.g. as per Chebotarev sequence) is minimal. Low well yields (82% < 3.6 m3 h−1) and specific capacities (84% < 5 m2 d−1) support this inference; low aquifer transmissivities and storage serve to regulate naturally groundwater withdrawals (i.e. impacts of over-abstraction are localized). Overall, the results attest to the intrinsic high quality of groundwater that occurs in deeply weathered crystalline rock environments in Uganda, which may be expected across tropical Africa

MORTGAGE FINANCING AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

This study examined mortgage financing and housing development in Nigeria. The main focus of this research was to ascertain the impact of mortgage loan in housing development in Nigeria. To achieve this objective, data were extracted from CBN statistical bulletin and National Bureau of Statistics from 1990 to 2014. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested using econometric models such as Augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root test, the co-integration tests revealed the existence of a long-run relationship among the variables. The Error Correction Model established causal links and dynamic interactions between variables by granger causality test. The result of the findings showed a significant relationship between mortgage financing and housing development in Nigeria. Variables such as mortgage loan and interest rate had positive and significant impact on housing development while cost of building had a negative effect on housing development in Nigeria. Further findings revealed that mortgage bank deposit had positive effect on mortgage investment while inflation had a negative effect on mortgage investment. The study recommended that mortgage institution in Nigeria should develop strategies to mobilize more deposits and explore new sources of fund such as funds from the capital market via housing bonds, savings and loans from co-operative societies. Government should create an enabling environment for private housing sector in housing development in Nigeria by providing infrastructure and enhancing soundness and competitiveness of mortgage institutions in Nigeria