Pre-Weekend News

This is just a quick note before the weekend - I can’t seem to stay away.

October 1st always sticks in my brain as it was on this day in 1990 that the Rwandan Patriotic Front launched its invasion into Rwanda from Uganda. Random trivia you may need one day.

The news in Gulu today: Joseph Kony is allegedly about 25 kilometers from the town of Gulu and narrowly escaped a government attack on his group of rebels. He has apparently crossed back into Uganda from Southern Sudan, as Ugandan government forces continue to attack LRA bases in Sudan. You always have to take the local media with more than a grain of salt, but it is strange to be so close to where the conflict continues to be waged (but please, no worries, I am more than secure). This man seems to always narrowly escape death, though numerous top commanders and those closest to Kony have been killed or captured in recent months, including three of his wives, several of his children and his personal doctor, so perhaps his time will come soon. Capturing or killing Kony could really be the key to dismantling the LRA insurgency for good.

The power has been out since Wednesday – Gulu is powered from Jinja, the source of the Nile. I managed to soak up a few hours of electricity last night, but sure enough it went out again. My new hotel powered up the generator for a bit so I was able to catch some BBC in the restaurant – I was dying to see the debate, but the time zones are not conducive (so if anybody wants to email me about it, I welcome it).

No electricity means no hot water. I got to relive my early Rwanda days, bathing from a bucket of water. I still got skill. This morning I went to meet Anthony, the driver for ACORD, in town to catch a lift to the office. I didn’t realize that he was taking his little girl to see a doctor, as the poor darling has malaria. Malaria remains a huge health issue in Africa and continues to kill millions of people. Like AIDS, in addition to ailing or killing millions of Africans, it takes away from the productive labor force of the country. It is difficult if not impossible to develop without a healthy population. As my colleague Jimmy and I went to lunch today we drove by his 92 year-old grandfather and Jimmy reflected on the fact that if you live to be 40 in Africa you are an old man these days. In the old days, without modern medicine, Africans lived so much longer. What changed?

I waited around all afternoon to meet this guy to view a house – my work colleague was an hour late getting me there and the man’s phone was unresponsive, so the search for a home continues. In addition, the computer that I have done all my work on at the office has suddenly stopped functioning, taking my hard work with it! But that is life in Africa. I will be taking it easy this weekend in Gulu. I plan to head to Kampala next week for work and play - ok, really to drink lattes and eat chicken vindaloo with naan.