Science is a belief system whose principles are anchored in empirical evidence from objective, logical and systematic approaches designed to provide answers to questions and hypotheses being investigated or tested.

Adherence to high moral and ethical code of conduct during the process of enquiry into the already-known, unknown or doubted is key. An equal chance is given to all subjects under investigation in order to allow fair and objective comparisons to be made.

This is to make sure that the test turns out positive when the patient actually has the disease and negative when the patient is healthy in medical science.

According to the article published on the New Vision of December 15, 2016, several MPs were taken around maize experiments at Namulonge. This is part of the grand campaign to rally the 10th parliament into supporting the bill before parliament that seeks to impose genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) on Ugandans.

This attempt is a repeat of what happened in 2009 and again in 2013 where MPs were flown to South Africa, Brazil and USA to visit the giant GMO firms of DuPont, Syngenta and Monsanto in those countries respectively. Some – if not most – of the beneficiaries of those flights came back converted after ‘seeing the light’ of the intended impact of the ‘seeing-is-believing’ flights.

I do not know the background and qualifications of the MPs who participated in the ‘seeing-is-believing’ tour of Namulonge research fields. But I highly doubt that they had the capacity to discern for themselves what constitutes a well-designed scientific experiment and, therefore, to demand answers to what they toured in Namulonge.

For example, a close look at the photos published by New Vision reveals that the good-looking maize plots were fitted with a drip irrigation system whereas the miserably-looking maize was not. This is crooked science because scientific principles and ethical code of conduct demand that if two maize varieties are being compared, it is only fair that whatever is done to one variety (irrigation in this case) is done to the other.

Secondly, the miserable maize had yellow leaves with white stripes, suggesting deficiency of the most needed plant nutrients: nitrogen, sulfur, boron, zinc and silicon.

In contrast, the good maize looked clearly to have been heavily-fertilised. By giving the good-looking maize undue advantage of water and nutrients, which are two of the most limiting nutrients to crop productivity while starving the ‘miserable’ maize, those involved acted like science crooks. The biggest threat to humanity and nature today are science crooks because they are worse than religious extremists!

Giregon Olupot,
Mbale.

Christmas and New Year message to UPC delegates

Best wishes and warm greetings to UPC national council members, delegates, general members and well-wishers all over the world, as we celebrate Christmas and enter the new year.

UPC is a national party which has ruled this country twice and is preparing to rule for the third time with clear ideology. In 1962, when Uganda got independence, UPC identified ignorance, poverty and disease as the major challenges facing citizens. 

The NRM regime has spent 30 years in power and ignorance, poverty and disease have increased during that period. People are starving yet Uganda used to be the food basket for east and central Africa. There is an increasing gap between the rich and the poor. There is rampant violation of human rights. There is the corruption cancer in all the sectors of the economy. There is sectarianism and millions of unemployed youths and street children.

These are the realities in the 21st century in Uganda. This has to change. There is need for UPC to engage in a serious mobilization strategy across the country and make sure we are able to field UPC candidates in all the parliamentary constituencies in Uganda in the 2021 general elections.

UPC shall then embark on internal financial mobilization, starting with collection of membership fees of Shs 1,000 and annual subscription fee of Shs 10,000. But we also thank the Milton Obote Foundation for financially running the party singlehandedly.

Equally important is the appropriate contribution from UPC MPs of five per cent of their monthly remuneration.  The same with the local government leaders elected on UPC ticket.

This time round, UPC shall have a team of lawyers to defend human rights victims.  This will counter and compromise the negative actions of district and gombolola internal security officers in Uganda.

In the upcoming UPC delegates’ conference, delegates should critically examine the track records of the presidential aspirants and their contributions to the great party.

Delegates should avoid giving party leadership to moles, non-performers, corrupt individuals, cowards or aspirants whose records and characters are not known and are being sponsored by the state.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Dr Dan Okello,
UPC presidential aspirant.

Spend wisely this festive season

The festive season is here and many people are warming up for a spending spree. While it is good to celebrate and enjoy with our families, we must be mindful that this is not the end of the world.

Everyone should work within their budgets and ensure that they have enough left for the start of the year. I have seen people borrow money to spend on Christmas! But this is a spiritual celebration that you can go through without buying new clothes or buying beer.

Jovia Kyolaba,
Nakasongola.

Opposition should emulate the late Mathias Nsubuga

The demise of Democratic Party stalwart Mathias Nsubuga leaves behind a big scar on the political landscape of Uganda. Many mourners described him as a man of integrity and a crusader of social justice and democracy.

Besides nurturing many young leaders, the seasoned politician ensured serving his nation first before self; he will be remembered for advocating for dialogue and consensus both on the side of opposition and government.

It is hard to find an opposition member with shared values of Nsubuga since majority of them would cede consensus during matters of national importance to instead play popular politics.

Although the late Nsubuga closely worked with government under the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue, he remained with his conscience high and never was he compromised in such events. This should be a big lesson to Uganda’s opposition that has mastered the art of ‘opposing’ everything, good or bad.

Badru Walusansa,
Commonwealth correspondent.

letters@observer.ug