Today, I’m basking in some country vibes on my #TheBalcony, and if you appreciate soul-stirring vocals, you need to check out Country Vocals Ug. My top picks from the trio? “Give Me the Roses” and “Far Gone Dreams.” These songs capture life’s essence, like a perfectly framed snapshot in a cherished album of memories.
Speaking of snapshots, Uganda is marking 62 years of independence today! But it’s tough to celebrate when we’re still untangling the confusing numbers from UBOS. It’s like trying to complete a jigsaw puzzle with pieces that keep shifting.
Apparently, our statisticians have a talent for “figure swapping” that could rival any magic show! When people raised eyebrows at the numbers, one explanation was that some figures had simply been swapped. We have heard that the statistics for the Bagisu were exchanged with those of the Bakiga. Now, the big question is: what else has been swapped that we haven’t caught onto yet? It’s starting to feel like we’re in a game of statistical hide-and-seek!
Uganda seems to have a bit of a figure-swapping dilemma! Maybe it’s time to fire the statisticians and hire a team of magicians instead—they certainly seem better at making numbers disappear and reappear! Just imagine a magician at the next press conference: “And for my next trick, I’ll turn these confusing statistics into something that actually makes sense!”
It seems many Ugandans have a tendency to forget events and fail to connect the dots. But I’ve seen it firsthand. Take my visit to the polling stations—especially the Church of Uganda in Maganjo. According to Electoral Commission data, Candidate Katumba Oye racked up 333 votes, followed by Museveni with 61, and Kyagulanyi with just one! Yeah, your guess is right, those Katumba votes did a little switcheroo with Bobi Wine’s.
They say numbers don’t lie, but let’s be real—they can definitely be bent to point you in a certain direction. Isn’t that a bit like magic? One minute, you’re looking at a clear picture, and the next, the numbers have pulled a disappearing act!
Ah, yes! The infamous World Bank-Uganda feud over those middle-income numbers—a classic showdown in the battle of figures! In July 2022, President Yoweri Museveni triumphantly declared that Uganda had reached lower-middle-income status, only for the World Bank to swoop in and raise an eyebrow, disputing the claim faster than you can say “data discrepancy.”
It was like a high-stakes tug-of-war, with UBOS waving their numbers proudly on one side and the World Bank countering with their own set of stats on the other. It’s as if they were playing a game of poker, each side trying to bluff the other into submission.
In the end, it just goes to show that numbers can be as contentious as they are revealing. When it comes to economic status, you’d better believe there’s more than one way to count your beans!
Wilson recently shared a little gem of a book called “How to Lie with Statistics,” and it seems like I’ve been drowning in PDF books on the same topic this week. David also shared “The Politics of Numbers” which dives into the social and political forces shaping nations’ statistics.
The bottom line? Every number thrown at you is often dressed up for a specific purpose. Before you take any figures at face value, ask yourself: what’s the real story behind them? Remember, if it looks too good to be true (or too confusing), it probably is.
Seriously though, we could use some fresh perspectives—maybe some data analysts who can keep the numbers straight and help us celebrate our independence without all the confusion. After all, clarity is key, especially when it comes to understanding our own progress. Siku ya Uhuru Njema!
-CKW-
11: 38 EST
October 9, 2024
North of Kampala.
English 