Uganda’s competitiveness on the international stage is still quite poor, according to the 2007-2008 Global Competitiveness Report.
Uganda is ranked 113th in a list of 131 countries surveyed for their policies, institutions, factors driving productivity and sustained economic growth.
The Global Competitiveness Report is compiled by leading academics and a global network of research institutes. It provides a comprehensive dataset on a broad array of competitiveness indicators for a large number of industrialized and developing economies.

The report says Uganda suffers from large weaknesses in the health and education systems. The country’s failure to make a significant improvement in these basic requirements is likely to continue to dent its growth prospects.

Kenya is in 99th place and Tanzania is ahead of Uganda, ranked 104th.

In sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa, at number 45, does particularly well in a number of areas. The report says its economic sophistication is reflected in high ranks for property rights, private institutions, goods and financial market efficiency, business sophistication and innovation.

Botswana, ranked 81st, has succeeded in using its wealth from key natural resources to boost the growth rate. Key to Botswana’s success have been its reliable and legitimate institutions, the prudence of government spending and public trustworthiness of its politicians.

Besides hard data from leading international sources, the Global Competitiveness Report indicators include the results of the Executive Opinion Survey carried out by the World Economic Forum annually. The Survey captures the perceptions of several thousand-business leaders across the countries covered on topics related to national competitiveness.

Wife Beating Must Be Punished-Women Politicians Demand.

Women Politicians in Kasese district want men who batter their wives punished for their actions.
The women have petitioned parliament seeking the inclusion of a clause in the Domestic relations bill, which makes it criminal for men who batter their wives.

The politicians want such men subjected to community work.
In addition, the politicians say that there is an urgent need to institute a rehabilitation program for men who beat up their wives to help them reform, and learn how to sort out misunderstanding with their wives without recourse to beating.

Currently, many women who are beaten by their husband suffer silently for fear of being shaming their husbands. But under severe circumstances, some women have taken a bold step to produce the men before the local council courts.
But the politicians in Kasese say that the local council courts have failed to provide punitive or deterrent punishments against men. In most cases such courts would recommend an out of court settlement for the couple.

Jane Alisemera, the Bundibugyo Woman MP says that the out of court settlement have yielded further rifts in the families and in most cases divorces. She noted that children would suffer most whenever divorce occurs.
Monicah Amoding, the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) Policy and Communications Officer, says that domestic violence is high on women’s movement agenda across the country.

Ssembabule Cop Investigated for Rape.

Police in Ssembabule district are investigating their own for rape.
Steven Kutesa, attached to Lugusulu sub-county local administration police, is accused of raping several women including an 80-year-old woman.
Casius Adire, the criminal investigations officer, says that his office has received several complaints about the reckless cop. The complainants claim that the cop has been using his position to rape women and to defile teenagers.
The local elders in Lugusulu sub-county were particularly concerned about the cop’s actions. The also logged several complaints saying that Kutesa has become a threat to the women folk in the village.
On Wednesday last week, Benon Bulora, the Lugusulu sub-county speaker, told police that Kutesa arm-twisted an 80-old-woman and raped her. The old woman had gone to seek for a job at his farm.
Bulora also told police that his office had received five rape cases from the victims. He said that there was need for urgent intervention and called for disciplinary action against the rogue cop.

The police officer has been summoned to defend himself against the alleged actions.