Friday, June 27, 2008
The New Vision: Thursday, 26th June, 2008
Book: A Voice Of Women
A WOMAN'S Voice is a compelling anthology of 12 short stories written by Ugandan women. The stories are drawn from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds of the Ugandan society. This reflects a rich diversity of themes and messages which, in a way, inspired their authorship. Saturday, June 21, 2008
THE ten African countries that share the River Nile under the umbrella of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) should consider economic and political integration, an Ethiopian academic has suggested.
Dr. Tesfaye Tafesse from Addis Ababa University was presenting a paper on Benefit-sharing Framework in trans-boundary river basins during a stakeholder dialogue by the Nile Basin Discourse at Hotel Africana on Wednesday.
The countries that make up the Nile Basin are Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Sudan, Rwanda, DR. Congo, Tanzania, Burundi and Uganda.
He said the Nile Basin is home to 160 million people living in the ten countries, of which four of the countries are water scarce.
“A number of benefits are potentially realisable. For instance, implementation of watershed management in Ethiopian Highlands will reduce silting in Sudan,” said Tafesse.
He said the Nile which flows through arid countries of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia, has often been a source of tension with countries such as Uganda, which are located upstream of the river.
He said that regional integration could bring about mutual dependency between the Nile Basin countries.
The NBI was established in 1999 to address water conflicts in the region, reduce poverty and promote economic integration.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Friday, 13th June, 2008
New Vision (Kampala)
BY JOSHUA MASINDE AND FRANCIS KAGOLO
PRIVATE students at Makerere University have rejected the hike in tuition and accommodation fees.
“Many of us come from poor families and the university should recognise this. If Makerere is a public institution with a vision to serve Ugandans and not making profit, why should it raise fees unnecessarily?” asked the private students’ chairman, Nehemiah Katantazi.
He was speaking at the association’s general assembly at the Mulago School of Medicine on Thursday.
Makerere’s finance committee drew up a new fees structure last month, with a sh400,000 increase on all courses to be split between the two semesters.
It also proposed that private students who reside at the campus pay an extra sh150,000 in addition to the sh640,000 they pay per year.
The proposal, which authorities said was induced by soaring price of food prices and items, has to be passed by the University Council.
Currently, students pay between sh500,000 and sh1m for tuition. In addition, each student pays sh200,000 for registration and sh100,000as examination fees per year.
Abdul Kirembeka, a social sciences student, complained that lecturers spent more time pursuing their private business than teaching at the university.
Makerere staff and students to receive benefits from their innovations
0 comments Posted by Joshua Masinde at 7:33 AMBy Joshua Masinde: Kampala
Any Makerere University student or staff member who comes up with an innovation will receive benefits once the innovation is commercialised and marketed. Dr. George William Nasinyama, the Deputy Director of Research at Makerere University has said.
The university drafted an innovation policy that will cover both the undergraduate and post-graduate students and members of staff.
“This policy addresses issues related to ownership, protection and commercialisation of intellectual property and innovations created by the student and staff of the university,” the draft policy reads in part. The policy, which was approved by the University Council in March this year, will be reviewed periodically by the Board of Research and Publications once it is adopted.
“The university will help the innovator to develop the innovation further and market it,” Dr. Nasinyama said.
“To develop an innovation to commercialization stage requires funds which an individual may not raise. The university comes in, takes up the innovation, undertakes all processes of commercialization in order to market it,” Dr. Nasinyama added.
Once the innovation has been commercialized, the university signs a contract with the innovator. The contract will depend upon the individual and the university. When the contract has been signed, it is taken over by Company law.
As far as benefits are concerned, the profits accrued from marketing the innovation will be shared between the individual and the university after the costs of developing the innovation have been removed.
“Eighty percent (80%) of the first five thousand dollars (US $5000) go to the innovator,” says Dr. Nasinyama. “Thereafter, he or she takes fifty percent (50%).”
Dr. Nasinyama however points out that the innovation does not cover books because published books are addressed by the contract between the author, the publisher and the copyright law. Nevertheless, the university is planning to establish a University Press by the end of this year. This will handle publications like books.
“We are trying to come up with a University Press. If you publish a book, it will be handled in the same way.”
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Uganda: Artistes' Body Demands Change in Copyright Law
0 comments Posted by Joshua Masinde at 9:00 AMNew Vision (Kampala)
8 June 2008Posted to the web 9 June 2008
Joshua Masinde: Kampala
The Copyright and Neighbouring Act 2006 should be amended to make it more effective and all-inclusive, according to the Uganda Performing Arts Association.
The general secretary, James Wasula, pointed out that the law, which covers musicians, writers, poets, was weak because cases of piracy, infringement, unauthorised reproduction of copyrighted works was still rampant in the country.
He was speaking on Friday during the annual meeting of the Uganda Library and Information Association in Kampala.
"Permission must be gained for the reproduction of copyrighted material," Wasula stated, adding that although, the role of a library was to pass out information, the manner in which the information was accessed by different users raised key issues sensitive to the copyright policy.
"Reproduction of the copyrighted material is not limited to photocopying or reprinting. You have to pay to reproduce it," said Wasula. He also observed that lending out a book was not illegal but it interfered with its sales.
The artists recommended the Creative Commons as part of the amendments to the copyright law.
"The Creative Commons supports the desire to learn, get recognition and help others," observed Joyce Bukirwa, a lecturer at the East African School of Library and Information Science at Makerere University.
"That is why we have the free encyclopaedia online."
The Creative Commons will allow access to works, like music, books, journals and drama productions.
"Publishers will lose interest in material which will be available for free. Also, a musician may not be ready to join you to produce work which is going to be obtained freely," Bukirwa pointed out.
