HIV VACCINE STUDIES IN UGANDA

For the first time in 2009 in Thailand, scientists were able to demonstrate that a vaccine against HIV and AIDS could work. The world was happy and the latest now is that it is going to be tested in Africa but in only South Africa and Mozambique. Now, the U.S military’s HIV Research Program in Uganda, Makerere University Walter Reed project is tasked to test newer generations of vaccines that could potentially work everywhere. For now, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are carrying out a phase one trial study to test two vaccines on 80 volunteers for a period of 18 months. The rate of HIV among 16000 volunteers in Thailand reduced by one third over a period of 3 and half years in the individuals that had received the vaccine. "One year after vaccination actually 60 per cent of the volunteers in that trial were protected," says Nelson Michael, Director, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. This success meant that there was a possibility to find suitable products that would work in Africa. Studies to redesign the vaccine to work on the African continent were begun and now the Thai vaccine will be tested in South Africa and Mozambique. "In Southern Africa, there’s only a single sub type of HIV, a single type that circulates, just like in Thailand. In Uganda there are many different types of HIV that circulate. So, it will be very difficult to take the vaccine that works in Thailand and make it work for East Africa or for that matter for West Africa," Colonel Nelson emphasises. This is an opportunity according to the Director of U.S Military HIV research Pro-gram, to look into newer vaccines that can potentially work everywhere. "How long, how far are we, I say probably we are 67 years off to be able to be in a position to have done the initial efficacy testing. When that testing is done, Uganda will definitely be part of those studies," he adds. Uganda has for long been part of the prevention activities not just with vaccines but drugs and with microbicides. According to the Colonel,Uganda will continue to help lead Africa into an AIDS free future. At the moment a new study has started which is a few weeks old in the country as well as in Kenya and Tanzania to last 18 months with 80 volunteers most of whom have now been vaccinated. "Simple study that you ask first as to whether or not the vaccine will show any promise in terms of blood test that you would measure, so we are still not really close to testing a vaccine for efficacy in Uganda but I think we gonna be there probably in about 4years," he says this with conviction. Already the crew in the Walter reed Laboratory in Uganda are working tirelessly to see to it that maybe in the near future, Uganda could contribute to finding a vaccine against HIV. "Epidemics or viruses have never been able to be beaten until you have a vac-cine. This is true with small pox, it’s true with measles. There are a number of viral diseases that we’ve already either beaten or beaten down with vaccines. As much as you can try with drugs and condoms and other prevention activities, ultimately it’s gonna take a vaccine to beat this infectious disease," affirms the Colonel. For now, hopes to have Uganda an AIDS free country are still grim until a vaccine is found. ENDS

WEIRD - Chimps on contraceptives

Worry warts condemn extinction to researchers yet the very people are packing them with birth control pills and other forms of preventing pregnancy.


They may have our near to 100 per cent DNA but they do not deserve the cruelty bestowed upon them - it is in human or should i say in animal?

Next thing we know, they will be procreating with humans. These innocent creatures are chimpanzees which are refused against their will the right to give birth and are instead packed with birth control pills and obviously it is the females on the pill.

Now of course one at Ngamba Island in Uganda gave birth about 8 years ago despite the pumped up pills and when the baby came, the staff were too surprised that they named the baby Surprise because they were surprised.

Truly surprise is not the word that should have described their reaction - Stupid maybe.

Yes, Stupid and you may wonder why. For one they know the traits the chimps have with humans with over 98 per cent DNA similarity and female humans always have side effects when they use the contraceptives and u=an unwanted offspring kicks in once in a while.

What's worrying is that like humans, they may force the poor animals to have abortions.

And someone is scared that they are going to run out like the dinosaurs! Talk about contradicting statements! Poor things may exist no more in the next 20 to 25 years according to environmentalists who insist on measures to be put in place to protect them, is birth control one of the measures to protect them? I’m thinking out loud!

Researchers are in demand of their genes and according to Executive Director of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Lilly Ajarova research is the worst threat to extinction but she advocates for contraceptives in the meantime and this has gone on for a number of years where the chimps are injected every three years. Huh!

Excuse - limited space and hope to ONE day find an ideal forest for the animals’ survival. For now they depend on tourists, but what if the top paid staff forewent their monthly salaries for even just a month, wouldn’t that money do wonders for these near human animals?

If the chimps become extinct, we know where part of the blame game will be.

Get a LOLLIPOP and vote for me - cheap politics!

I am snapping out of a long bout of sleeping sickness. But why i’m i still yawning?

Simple - what I am awake to is boring me to the bones and there is this strong urge to fall back into Slumber Land.

Yes - nothing has changed - not at all! These politicians are still the same.

This is quite an outrage, do they think we are still in diapers and will be swayed by lollipops? - because lollipops is all they want to give us if you care enough to ask me.

Candidate number one (at one point i will stop counting); Nobert Mao, “I will do nothing, he meant he would get rid of corruption,” he blubbered this as a strategy to beat fellow Candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museven alias the President of Uganda.

In comes number two, the oldie himself and he has promised enough LOLLIPOPS since he started campaigning, wait; even before he started campaigns. Way back when he came to power after wading through the thorns in the bush. He might just have come out and said, “there is nothing new under the yellow sun.”

Good strategy though he got there, with each year, he promises free and even more free education.

Now for the Bad Loser who should be credited for NOT giving up, the retired colonel and a retired Doctor, Kiiza Besigye, happiness is going to reign in the Land of Agriculture, farmers are going to have smiles from mouths to ears.

If elected, he is going to bring about a revolution in farming by providing TRACTORS to every sub-county. Don’t we all have dreams!! - this is one i would love to see put into play. And on he went in the field of agriculture - A YAWN here, blah, blah and even some more blahs. The sleep did not take long to conquer me.

Poor thing had to quit his promises of increasing teachers’ salaries to Ush400,000 because the not so lousy Bwanika pledged the same thing but even better, Ush500,000 plus a bonus performance increase of Ush300,000.

As for The Lady, Betty Kamya, i got nothing much to say. She wants a FEDERAL run government this all screams TRIBALISM and she dreams of rich orphans and widows, God bless her soul.
Bidandi Ssali, 73 who should be on a little beautiful island somewhere eating guavas , is also running around like the teenagers, the likes of Abed Bwanika who is always exchanging a blow or two with the police.

Now how could i have forgotten Olara Otunnu, strong candidate is he. A dagger here and there about the not so current president keeps him breathing. If Kaguta goes through, Otunnu should be sure of excommunication. How can he accuse the big guy of throwing trucks of jiggers in Busoga?

Oh Lord! - more candidates! Who the hecks is Lubega Sam??????

Then comes the blame game - it is candidate attacking fellow candidate. These PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS can only but have hope, otherwise they have to face the harsh reality that Uganda can only have one president, so let them blast each other to kingdom come.

NB: Notice how i squashed them all like stuck up beans - well they are stuck up politicians who just wont let us be! Nothing special about any so chronology wasnt an issue!

American Idol Vs The Lab–out but about

“That was fairly horrendous, I do not know what to say but it has been established that you can never sing.”

Words of grooming, told to an American Idol contestant by none other than the meanest judge on a reality music show on planet earth, American Idol’s judge Simon Cowell.

“Give me a PUNCHY staccato intro.” “Do not dwell in a self inflicted sanctum of ignorance.”

That’s our own NMG Lab III Prof for you–Henry Owino Opondo.

Simon's eight year reign of terror comes to an end this year. He has decided to quit the show and his lovers and haters have been left agape for this little Hitler in the music industry.

And our almost 10 month’s stretch with The Prof – this moving dictionary and tank of wisdom has ended.

Yes, you both love and hate them or you do one of the two but they keep you on tip toe when they are in the judging chair and holding the marker to the board.

When Idol’s Paula Abdul left, a gap was felt but lucky enough her replacement Kara Dioguadi was not a disappointment. It is at the same time that Ellen DeGeneres joined.

Rumours are that songwriter DioGuardi has been fired but Fox entertainment chairman Peter Rice declined comment on reports.

Simon’s preferences were Perez. "He's got good taste in music and a personality that could work."
Although he didn't say if she would make for a good judge, he added that he'd like to get Lady Gaga, who performed on the show last season, to stop by as a mentor to the contestants.

Replacement for The Prof is The Prof himself – he is still going to bombard other incoming “Labists” with his gems and what he calls basic English – bombed up English to most of us.

The same can’t be said for the Lab III sharps, we are the best but we are going to be replaced with Lab IV. We are still going to be “Labists” for life. The Prof can’t help but shed a tear or two for we the outgoing. We grew on him, but he can’t openly declare his über love for us.

Hope the next lot is not a disappointment. Unlike the incoming Idol judges who are loathed by some fans, our Prof is safe because not most incomings are aware of him.

The element of surprise is a favour to them like it was to us. They will spend the first few months in The Lab talking and walking The Prof.

It is now a reality as the new idol judges were announced in mid September to be Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and long standing judge Randy Norton staying on.

However an idol fan on yahoo, said that if Steven Tyler and Jennifer "talentless hack" Lopez are the new judges, he would no longer watch the show.
“I suffered through a dull Season 9, I'm over it.” Lopez was the worst "mentor" ever with no redeeming qualities. She makes Paula Abdul seem like Beethoven.”

Former idol judge Ellen DeGeneres who joined season 9 was not a favourite as some fans thought her an amateur equating her to other viewers from home “who can say anything that came to their minds about a contestant.” “Let her judge at home on her sofa like the rest of us,” said a fan.

American Idol remained the most-watched show on U.S. television last season but audiences have declined since 2006.

The Lab remains the best thing that has ever happened to NMG collecting young talent and grooming it. The results are seen in news rooms all over East Africa.

Cry, oh yee idol and Lab lovers – but may be not yet.

Just in case you miss Simon’s meanness in the next show, which you will, try catching Kenya’s own protégé to Simon (according to rumours) on Tusker Project Fame.

And most of us from the Lab, catch us in news rooms from Uganda, Tanzania and in this big building called Nation Centre the mother hen to news rooms from without Kenya.

Long live The Lab!

Stranger no more

Nairobi is one city I tried to understand since I joined NMG in January as a trainee and still I’m going out of the city green but lighter.

The streets are a crossword word puzzle. Why the complication? There is a lot of mathematics, what with most streets being parallel to each other. And the names are way too many even for the shortest of streets-which are numerous.

Jeremiah my best Kenyan Lab buddy thinks some streets should be merged like Banda and Mama Ngina but then again he says they help combat over crowdedness in the city.

It’s amazing but even the residents have not mastered all streets. There are way too many corners which just tire the mind to master. Only advice I ever got was to cram the two major streets Moi Avenue and Kenyatta Av that is if I desired to find my way back to Norfolk towers-my residence. Advantageous though is that I have been staying near Nairobi University and Central Police Station.

Let’s get to the details of how I got misplaced with a colleague in this very big city. It was after a visit to the tax collectors’, KRA that the streets decided to give a colleague, Flavia and I an unwanted tour which left us lugubrious.

We only needed to find Central Police Station, Nairobi University and Nation Center, not necessarily in that order. One minute we were on Haile Selassie Street, the next we were in between streets and with each step, we got deeper into the other dirty side of Nairobi. I forgot to mention that Nairobi is the cleanest town I have ever been to save for Kigali but if I tell you that I saw the dirtier side then know that I did get lost.

As we went deeper, we felt like it was Kampala as there were many vendors with different commodities. That was a joy because we never thought we could get to see a market place in Nairobi. Consolation was in buying some cheap shoes though they weren’t off budget but the anger dissipated.

To cut the story short, we snaked through the long alleys and in fear of being robbed we asked few people for directions. The few that we talked to made our already unplanned tour even worse because all they could do was speak in Swahili. However much we declared our adherence to the Englishman’s language, the locals never wanted to subscribe.

It was a real horror which reminded me that I had to learn the language because it is hard to have a lengthy conversation with a Kenyan without them routing into Swahili. Well, now after 10 months in the city “ninaongea Kiswahili vizuri.”

We spent two hours in that other side of Nairobi until a kind English-Swahili speaking lady told us to keep going “juu” to Nairobi University. The experience came in handy when we went to explore Ngara market from where we did excessive shopping. We had to take notes of the streets and matatu numbers to our destinations.

For sure I am going to miss shopping from Ngara where almost every item is KSh100.

I have just discovered the street on which we got lost after trying to conjure mental intelligence to my rescue but I had suffered temporally amnesia when it came to that particular part of town.

But come to think of it, I should have acted like the journalist Media Lab has groomed me to be and written down the street names but all intelligent thoughts had escaped me.

If I had gotten out of Nairobi after four months, I would have continued believing that it is indeed the half London of East Africa, but at least the myth of robbery is gone, I can no longer call it Nairobbery – maybe the city of big money corrupt officials.

Now Kampala is calling – I have to heed the summons.

Murder and be murdered in kind

Probably the local cinema people never saw it coming, but what did they expect?

You take someone down and you don’t contemplate going down yourself, shame on your ignorance.

The cinema people ought to have upped their game and seen that the way they overthrew the local theatre is the same way they could also be overthrown. The once popular Kenya Cinema just closed down hence murdering the movie-going culture.

RESULT? - The end of movie dates for majority of Kenyans.

And according to the management of Fox Theatre, the cinema was no longer profitable as a business, due to a consistently low uptake of tickets. More to close will be Fox's Drive-in Cinema, along Thika Road as well as the Kisumu outlet.

Reminds me of theatres closing in Uganda, because they were invaded by many factors including emergency of cinema halls.

One popular theatre which even turned into a church is former Pride Theater to which most theater lovers were frequenting.

Ok, maybe a little advancement was needed by these emerging cinemas but at least they are also now feeling the pinch and local theater is fighting to attract more people something the cinema guys can’t do because most DVD movies are released even before movies are to be shown officially.

I insist they should have anticipated the downfalls.

Let’s not forget the pricing; DVDs are cheap as low as KSh50 compared to going for a movie of about KSh300 and above.

Yet the cinema people pay for rights to show these movies at high prices which they have to recover after charging highly the movie goers.

Well now people are having movie dates from their homes hence rendering most businesses dead like the popcorn makers, kiosks around the theater and phone booths.

At least it can be guaranteed that people will always go for a good play in the theatres at any given day but for cinema, death came calling with no resurrection card.

Disclaimer…….i’m not hating on cinema. But frankly what’s d use of watching a movie at above KSH300 yet I can get it at Sh50 and watch it in the confines of my home..???

Anyway I appreciate originality of the theatres, so local theater guys should grab this opportunity and reign again.

Where’s the Law? -Muslim leaders in Kenya ASK

Muslim leaders have embittered hearts.

It is indeed absurd that the law they were quoting in defense of their brothers held on suspicious grounds in relation to the July 11 twin bombings in Uganda is the same law which neglected them in the first place.

A bit of a contradiction, no wonder the press asked them where else they would turn and they opted for evasion of the question, clinging to the fact that they will use the law, and go through the legal system to the end.

This transpired at the Jamia mosque in Nairobi at a press conference organized by the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) and backed by National Muslim Leaders Forum, Muslim Human Rights Forum, Young Muslim Association, Muslim Consultative Council and the Council of Imams and Ulamaa.

You could say again that the boost up was steady and strongly united for the Muslim cause.

While speaking on behalf of the six organizations, to the press, the Chairman SUPKEM said that the Kenyan Police, NSIS and ATPU “have run rogue”. This he said spelling out the fact that these security organs are causing the Muslim society anxiety as they are not working within the confines of the law.

The constitution was quoted from section 29 talking of no freedom deprivation to Section 49 talking of the rights of an arrested person.

However the chairman said that the Kenyan Police was oblivious to the constitution. “They have been trailing Muslims, beating, placing hoods on them and shipping them off to Uganda,” he asserted.

So FBI-like, just like in the movies.

The Muslim leaders believe that justice was not administered here in Kenya and the officers feared that the suspects would be found innocent in Kenya. They cited the example of the good rule of law in Tanzania where by a suspect to the same bombings was not handed over to Uganda on a silver platter.

They said they hold nothing against Uganda and believe that the American government is paying off the Kenyan Police force.
“It is our Police and the FBI who are questioning the suspects in this newly created Guantanamo bay neighboring us,” said the Secretary General SUPKEM.
If it was not serious, any African country would be honoured to work with the FBI, it’s simply revered.

Threats/warning
They warned the government that they will not sit in silence while a “mini war” is declared on the Muslims and even urged Christians to join in the move to see their brothers back.

“The Muslim leadership will not play cat and mouse games, we do not fear, and intimidation of the rogue security forces is none to zero,” they said.
Mr Ibrahim Ahmed from the Muslim Council when questioned of the threats to the government, retorted calmly that, “We are actually the threatened.”
“Bring back our brothers now or you shall face the wrath of Kenyans,” was the concluding message of the chairman.

Muslims have been urged to start special Qunut prayers.

Best option, turning to God always in time of need because they need His guidance in pursuing the matter.

So any outcome will be in line with God’s wishes but the law is not heeding their woes.