BBNaija Lockdown Reunion Show Set for June 17

By Alex Balimwikungu MultiChoice Nigeria, the organizers of Africa's biggest reality show, Big Brother Naija (BBNaija), have announced that the BBNaija LockDown Reunion Show will begin Thursday, June 17, 2021. The BBNaija Reunion Show is done as part of preparations for the commencement of another season of the reality show, and fans will once again […]
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Police shoot dead 18-year-old boy in Kamuli over 'curfew insult'

Police in Kamuli district has detained one of their own, assistant inspector of police (ASP) Isaac Twesigye over the shooting dead of an 18-year-old Guster Bakooye at Buwenge Mpya zone in Kamuli municipality on Sunday night.

It is reported that the plain-clothed Twesigye attached to Kamuli central police station was walking with a female companion whose identity has been withheld at around 9:30 pm when a group of youths started hurling insults at them. 

Ismael Mulondo, a resident within the area, says that prior to the shooting, the angry youths accused Twesigye of arresting them over curfew violations yet police officers are left to spend nights in bars unstopped. 

"Most of us are small business operators and just like the victim who lost his life, we spend some time out before quietly spending nights in our shops," Mulobndo said.

Following the insults, Twesigye allegedly walked back to the police station and returned to the scene in the company of three other police personnel who attempted to quell the angry youth in vain. 

Twesigye is then reported to have fired two rounds of live ammunition in the air before shooting Bakooye in the chest. The Kamuli district police commander, Ahmed Madiri confirms the incident, adding that, inquiries are underway.

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One killed in cement truck explosion in Ngora

One person has been killed and several others injured following a cement trailer explosion along Soroti-Mbale road.

The accident involving trailer reg. no. UAU 9995Y and a Bajaj motorcycle UEA 230W occurred last night at Agumit village in Mukura sub-county in Ngora district near Akello Oils.

The deceased, whose identity hasn't been established, was a passenger on the motorcycle. The other accident victims are admitted at Ngora Fred Carr hospital. Oscar Ageca, the East Kyoga Region police spokesman, says that they are still gathering more facts about the accident.

Ageca said that the driver of the trailer fled the scene immediately after the accident. He explains that preliminary findings indicate that the truck burst in flames shortly after the driver ran away. It is not yet clear how the trailer loaded with cement caught fire on the road. 

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20 'ghost' emyooga groups unearthed in Fort Portal

At least 20 emyooga beneficiary ghost groups have been unearthed in Fort Portal, the resident city commissioner (RCC), Rodgers Mbabazi has said. 

Emyooga is a presidential initiative on job and wealth creation that targets 18 clusters including restaurant owners, boda-boda riders, women entrepreneurs, carpenters, salon operators, journalists, people with disabilities, fishermen, mechanics, performing artists, and taxi operators. Each constituency was given Shs 560 million.

The estimated nationwide budget for the programme is about Shs 260 billion. Mbabazi says that upon a verification exercise, however, he made a discovery that some of the listed prospective beneficiaries in Fort Portal city in western Uganda were non-existent. 

Earlier in April, Mbabazi stopped the issuance of certificates to all 36 Emyooga groups in Fort Portal after the commercial officer, Michael Karwani failed to avail lists of the intended beneficiaries.

While meeting Saccos leaders at Kyebambe Girls' secondary school main hall, Mbabazi argued that he could not allow the issuance of the certificates to the emyooga applicants yet some of the purported beneficiaries from the same groups did not even know each other.

He then tasked Karwani to produce the lists of the beneficiaries before embarking on any other process. About three weeks later, Karwani produced the lists but the RCC insisted that the members of each group appear physically with their national IDs to confirm their existence.

Mbabazi says that over 16 Sacco emyooga groups have already been verified. He, however, says nobody showed up to confirm members for more than 20 other groups.

He says that this was shocking given the fact that the commercial officer appeared to call the group leaders several times to mobilize their members. Mbabazi says majority of ghost groups were found in the Saccos of salon operators, produce dealers and performing artists.

He also says that he was shocked to find some groups had names of civil servants which they had to delete because they are not among the intended beneficiaries. Mbabazi argued that with the members failing to turn for physical verification, it means the groups were forged.

"So we reached at a point where you could call a group maybe; boda boda group C you come. No one turns up, you say; anyone who knows about this group? No one. Simply because you find that group was submitted by a one individual, went somewhere, got a certain database, put the NIN numbers and whatever, and when he heard that we need members, he feared even to come. So you find no one has turned up. You read a group no one has turned up," said Mbabazi. 

Mbabazi says there is going to be a strict verification exercise of the remaining 16 Saccos and all the ghost groups will be thrown out. Karwani however defended himself, saying the group members could have failed to surface because as the commercial office, they did not have funds to make radio announcements to call the beneficiaries for the verification exercise.

Some financial statements that our reporter has seen, show that about Shs 30 million was deposited on each of the Sacco's account in Fort Portal city in November last year, but no Sacco have ever accessed the funds.

Mbabazi says that after the verification exercise, they want the Saccos to come up with business plans. He also adds that Saccos have to hold general meetings where the commercial officer and his team can train them on how the initiative works before they can access the money.

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NUP lead lawyer hospitalized with stomach complications

The head of National Unity Platform (NUP) party legal department, Anthony Wameli was yesterday Saturday hospitalized at St. Anthony medical center in Kasangati, Wakiso district due to stomach related complications.

His wife, Olive Wameli told URN on phone that her husband was rushed to hospital in bad shape.

"We had feared because he was badly off……He was doing badly. His condition isn't good. That's why I have picked his mobile phone," said Olive.

According to Olive, her husband is currently unable to talk. Wameli's closest friend, Geoffrey Turyamusiima said that the human rights lawyer has been battling severe peptic ulcers over the past weeks, which he says could have worsened. He said that they are preparing to transfer Wameli to Kampala for further management. 

Wameli was last seen on Friday at the NUP offices in Kamokya where the party was announcing new leaders for various positions in parliament.

On Monday, the lawyer also appeared at the General Court Martial where he was representing 36 NUP supporters who were arrested from Kalangala District during the campaigns of their party president, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.

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Bobi Wine unveils Eddie Mutwe’s new born

By Ahmad MutoSinger and former presidential candidate, Bobi Wine unveiled his body guard, Eddie Ssebuufu popularly known as Eddie Mutwe's new born baby on Friday, May 29, 2021. Through his social media pages, he wrote: "My brother Eddie Mutwe was blessed with a bouncing baby boy last night. Mother and baby are in good health condition. […]
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Six pupils of Real Infant school pin headteacher on sodomy

Six pupils of Real Infant primary school in Wakiso district have pinned their headteacher Didas Mpagi alias Bakulu for sodomizing them on several occasions.

According to the pupils, Mpagi sodomized them between 2016 and 2019. Yesterday Thursday, Mpagi appeared before the International Crimes Division justice David Wangutusi on charges of aggravated defilement.

According to the prosecution, the victims were required to sleep naked, and Mpagi would then fondle their genitals with his fingers and thereafter practice oral and penetrative anal sex on them.

The children who were aged between 10 years and 16 years then when the crime was allegedly committed, told the court that Mpagi who was also a youth pastor admitted them into the school on a bursary scheme and threatened to withdraw it if they refused to have sex with him or reported the matter. 

The prosecution notes that the headteacher who also used to work as a warden at the school would reportedly sleep with each of the victims in the dormitory where he also often slept. 

Court heard that due to Mpagi's actions, the victims felt pain in the stomach and buttocks and also found it hard to pass urine and feaces normally. Prosecution further states that Mpagi would intimidate the boys whenever they complained about his actions.

"He also threatened them that being a pastor and a man of God, he could easily know in case they reported the incident to anyone and this forced the victims to remain in a system of sexual exploitation and constant fear," reads the case summary. 

The case was adjourned to June 8 for further hearing. Mpagi is facing 12 charges related to aggravated defilement and trafficking in children. Mpagi was remanded to Kitalya government prison.

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Pia Pounds’ pictures leave thirsty men shifting uncomfortably

By Paul Waiswa With the release of her pictures that with no doubt cannot leave male fans' underwear in their usual position, musician, Pia Pounds seems not to be bothered with what others say or talk about her. Musician Tracy Kirabo aka Pia Pounds has left starving men on social media rushing to find options after pausing […]
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Mpuuga appointed Leader of Opposition

Mathias Mpuuga has been appointed the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the 11th parliament. He replaces Betty Aol Ocan of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party.

Mpuuga's appointment was announced on Friday by David Lewis Rubongoya, the secretary-general of National Unity Platform (NUP).

Mpuuga is the Nyendo-Mukungwe Division MP and NUP deputy president for the central region. As the largest opposition party with 59 MPs in the 11th parliament, NUP is obliged to appoint the LoP.

The LoP is supposed to keep the government in check and also appoint the shadow cabinet. John Baptist Nambeshe, the deputy president for Eastern Uganda and Manjiya County MP was appointed the opposition chief whip. Deputy chief whip is Kyebakutika Manjeri, the Jinja District Woman MP while Busiro South MP Medard Ssegona is the chairperson of the public accounts committee (PAC) and will be deputized by Asuman Basalirwa, the Bugiri Municipality MP.

Joel Ssenyonyi, the Nakawa West MP is the chairperson of the parliamentary committee of commissions, statutory authorities and state enterprises (Cosase) and will be deputized by Luck Akello, the Amuru District Woman MP.

Others appointed include Betty Nambooze as chairperson of government assurances committee. Her deputy is Joseph Sewungu, the Kalungu West MP. Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Bardeg-Layibi MP is the deputy chairperson.

The Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake has been appointed as commissioner of parliament.

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Uganda signs agreement to start road construction in DRC

Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have signed major agreements that will see the two countries bolster cross-border trade, development and the stabilization of eastern Congo.

The signing ceremony that was held yesterday Thursday at State House Entebbe, is a follow-up to the meeting between President Yoweri Museveni and President Felix Tshisekedi that recently took place at State House Entebbe when he was in the country to attend Museveni's swearing-in ceremony at Kololo. 

Museveni signed the inter-governmental agreement on behalf of Uganda while deputy Prime Minister and minister of Foreign Affairs Christophe Lutundula signed on behalf of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The signing was witnessed by the new speaker of parliament Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah. On the same occasion, a project development agreement (PDA) was signed between the two countries on cross-border roads. The permanent secretary ministry of Works and Transport Bageya Waiswa signed on behalf of Uganda while the DRC minister of state for Infrastructure and Public Works Alexi Gisaro Muvunyi signed on behalf of DRC.

This was witnessed by the new deputy speaker Anita Annet Among. The third PDA agreement was signed with the Dott Services contractors and witnessed by DRC's presidential advisor Bisere Fortunate.

Speaking shortly after the signing ceremony, Museveni expressed gratitude to Tshisekedi and the DRC government for accepting to partner with the Uganda government in the three crucial sectors of roads, electricity and security that he said are the pillars of development to any nation.

"This is just butter on a bread roll. Peace is the bread and roads are the butter. It's good that President Tshisekedi sent his team to do something about the roads. We are also ready for the electricity. We took power to Kasindi and now Beni and Butembo. We shall extend to Mahangi. We are ready to work on three things, security, roads and electricity. Even if we don't do anything else, for now, people on both sides will be happy with these," Museveni said.

Breaking with protocol, Museveni said a new government has not yet been appointed into place because they need parliament to first sit and vet the appointees that is why he had to sign the agreements witnessed by the speaker and deputy speaker. Former ministers including Sam Kutesa who was invited as MC, Gen. Katumba Wamala and former Attorney General William Byaruhanga were invited as guests.

"We have not constituted government now. There are only three people, the president, speaker and deputy speaker. There are no ministers. I will sign with the deputy prime minister," he said.

Museveni said Uganda and DRC not only share borders but their people are the same.

"The Nandis in Congo, the Bakonjo, Banyoro, Bahema, Banyamboga, Bamba, Hutu, Lendu etc are the same people. When there is insecurity, we are affected directly. We currently have 4,000 Congolese refugees in Uganda camps and others in society with their relatives," he said.

On his part, Christophe Lutundula who delivered a special message from Tshisekedi, said he trusts Museveni in the three areas of roads, electricity and security and believes that once implemented, the needs of the people will be met.

"His commitment to these projects is true and firm. We shall implement what is going to be signed today and we believe and are convinced that they will be appreciated and will be of great benefit to the people both current and future generations," he said.

He added that Tshisekedi was happy with Museveni's Pan-African stand that emphasizes Africans finding solutions for their problems.

Last month, DRC reopened a reparation case it filed against Uganda at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Congo demanded $322 million for damages caused by its troops during the Congo invasion between 1997 and 2003.

This reparation is part of the $4.3 billion compensation that Congo is demanding from Uganda - nearly half of the $10 billion it demanded in 2005. The additional amount Congo is demanding is for the looting of its minerals, destroying the environment, adverse impact on the economy and legal costs. When added the figure totals to about $4.3 billion (about Shs 14 trillion). 

The figure is a drop from the $10 billion that DRC had demanded from Uganda in 2005 when it won the case.

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DRC officials order evacuation of Goma, fearing another volcano eruption

Officials in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Thursday ordered the partial evacuation of the city of Goma out of fears of another eruption of the nearby Mount Nyiragongo volcano.

North Kivu province military governor Constant Ndima Kongba announced the mandatory evacuation of 10 neighborhoods in the city after seismic and ground deformation data indicated the presence of magma under Goma, extending under adjacent Lake Kivu.

The governor said there were extra risks associated with the interaction between magma and the lake, including "the emission of potentially dangerous gases at the surface." Ndima said transportation would be provided toward Sake, about 21 kilometers northwest of Goma.

The governor said he asked people to take very few belongings with them and said they could not return home. Thousands of people left the city shortly after the announcement, with many fleeing southeast, across the border and into neighboring Rwanda.

Goma, a city of 2 million people, had been spared when the volcano, 13 kilometers to the north, erupted late Saturday. United Nations officials say the eruption killed 32 people and lava destroyed at least two villages, displacing tens of thousands of people.

Before Saturday, Mt Nyiragongo—one of Africa's most active volcanos—last erupted in 2002, killing hundreds of people in Goma and displacing more than 100,000.

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Pallaso admits Kato Lubwama lives in his head rent free

By Ahmad MutoAccording to singer Pallaso, when he became a victim of xenophobic attack in South Africa in February 2020, former Rubaga South legislator, Kato Lubwama taunted him to the point he nearly considered violence. He claims he nearly lost his life, and still has scars, but the comedian was busy poking fun at him […]
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Kyambogo University halts physical classes over Covid-19

Eight student leaders of Kyambogo University have been arrested for staging a protest against the institution's decision to suspend physical learning and ordering for online learning following a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases. 

The arrested include guild president John Mbaziira and his vice Claire Namara. Others are; Eriasa Kato, Bright Kasozi, Calvin Waiswa, Geoffrey Ssali, Alphonso Nkurunziza, and Ivan Malingumu.     

During the protest, the students blocked all the roads leading to the university with bonfires and heaps of cabbage, saying they wanted the university management to stop the implementation of the e-learning system since most of them are not prepared for it.     

Kyambogo University recently registered eight Covid-19 positive cases. Six of the cases were detected from students while two are administrative staff. Reuben Twinomujuni, the university senior public relations officer, says that following the outbreak of Covid-19 at the university, management decided to cancel physical learning and resort to online teaching.

However, the decision was resisted by a section of students and the guild leadership who claim that many of their colleagues don't have laptops and smartphones while others cannot afford internet data.

Edwin Tumusiime, the personal assistant to the guild president, says the student leadership has on several times written to management asking them to either reconsider the decision or engage students on how they could smoothly migrate to online lectures in vain.  

But, Twinomujuni says that even without the Covid-19 cases, the university had already designed a road map that was sent to all students before reopening indicating that at a given point, lectures would be held online in the blended system.    

He adds that before the program was rolled out, the university did a survey among the students to find their willingness or inability to participate in the proposed arrangement and most of the learners accepted that they have the required gadgets for online learning.   

"70 per cent of the learners said they had laptops and smartphones and they could access the tool. To ensure that learners are catered for, the university installed wireless internet hotspots all over the university campus and at different colleges for learners who cannot afford data," Twinomujuni said adding that an option of using university computes in different ICT laboratories was granted to those who don't own laptops or smartphones.    

Mark Kiguli, a student pursuing a bachelors of arts degree in education, says that the said wireless internet hotspots are not working and at times are completely off.  He says that learning cannot take place if they are not certain of attending classes.   

Kampala Metropolitan police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire says that the arrested students have been charged with inciting violence and are currently detained at Jinja Road police station pending investigations.

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Fmr S.Africa president Zuma pleads not guilty to corruption charges

Former South African President Jacob Zuma pleaded not guilty to corruption charges Wednesday in a trial that began more than a quarter century ago after some of the alleged crimes were committed.

Zuma, 79, is being tried on multiple counts of corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering charges linked to a 1999 $2 billion arms deal when he was deputy president.

Zuma, who faces a 25-year prison term if convicted, was president from 2009 until he was forced out of office in 2018 during multiple political corruption scandals. He has maintained he is the target of a politically motivated witch hunt by a rival faction of the ruling African National Congress.

One of the charges accuses Zuma of accepting bribes from Thales, a French multinational company, to guarantee South Africa signed the arms deal with the company in 1999.

Prosecutors have also launched a separate probe into allegations that Zuma accepted $34,000 annually from Thales to protect the company from an investigation into the agreement.

Thales, known as Thomson-CSF when the deal was reached, said it was unaware of any offenses committed by any of its employees. A company representative pleaded not guilty to the racketeering, corruption and money laundering charges the company faces.

Prosecutors filed charges against Zuma more than a decade ago but decided just before his successful 2009 presidential campaign not to pursue them. Prosecutors reinstated the charges a month after Zuma stepped down in early 2018.

On Wednesday, Zuma's lawyer filed papers in Pietermaritzburg High Court calling for the removal of chief prosecutor Billy Downer. They claimed Downer is biased and that Zuma's right to a fair trial was at risk. The judge said he would consider the request.

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Kira Road police boss Turyasingura succumbs to COVID-19

Kira Road Division district police commander (DPC) Mathias Turyasingura has succumbed to coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

Assistant inspector general of police (AIGP) Asan Kasingye said Turyasingura succumbed to COVID-19 on Tuesday at Mulago National Referral hospital.

"You were a good commander, patriotic, disciplined and always concerned with the welfare of your officers. DPC, you fought crime in Kira Road with zest and zeal. Rest in Peace comrade," said Kasingye in a tribute.

Sgt. Eddie Semitego, the head of community policing at Old-Kira Road Police Division, a close friend to the deceased told URN that Turyasingura fell sick about a fortnight ago and went on sick leave. 

The next day, the deceased communicated to his colleagues that he was receiving treatment at one of the clinics in Mpererwe, a Kampala city suburb where he has been residing, but the situation deteriorated over the weekend. He was transferred to Mulago hospital on Sunday evening, where a COVID-19 test was taken and returned positive.

At the time of his death, according to Ssemitego, the deceased had already received the first COVID-19 vaccination jab as did most other officers.

Semirego said they are waiting for official communication from Turyasingura's family and relatives, and the Uganda Police Force about the arrangements of his burial.

The deceased, who hails from Kabale district joined police in 2007 when Gen Kale Kayihura was the Inspector General of Police (IGP). He did an intermediate course at Kaweweta, completed senior command and staff course before he was posted as DPC Kira Road replacing Michael Kasigire who had by then transferred to Entebbe last year.

In March, police launched a COVID-19 vaccination exercise for its personnel at an event that was presided over by chief of joint security Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba at Naguru police headquarters.

Dr Moses Byaruhanga, the director of police health services, recently said that so far only 7,833 police officers in Kampala have turned up for the COVID-19 vaccination. Health officials have said Uganda is already into its second coronavirus wave with all the ICU units at Entebbe and Mulago hospitals already full. 

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Ring Rapper gets Atlantic Records deal

By Ahmad Muto Budding rapper, the sensational Ring Rapper got heads at American Record label, Atlantic Records spinning after dropping a remake of Jamaica dancehall star, Sean Paul's 2002 record 'Like Glue.' According to an email written to him, the record label expressed admiration and congratulated him upon the feat. Sean Paul's team management requested […]
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My boyfriend is seven years my Junior – Bad Black

By Ahmad Muto According to city socialite Shanita Namuyimbwa a.k.a Bad Black, her boyfriend, Asha is seven years her junior and too smart for his age. She noted that she sees no reason why people ask her about it because she finds him worthy in every other aspect. She said: "I am making 32 years […]
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Peer pressure ruined Tip Swizzy’s career – Kenzo

By Ahmad MutoBET award winner Eddy Kenzo has revealed that his protégé, singer Tip Swizzy fell off the music scene because of ill advice from his peers about his status in Big Talent, claiming he was being used. He said Swizzy should be an example to all the youth to trust the process and desist […]
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Nince Henry undresses Spice Diana in new collabo dubbed “body”

By Hussein KigandaSinger Nince Henry and Hajara Namukwaya also known as Spice Diana have released their much awaited collabo that had been hyped by a previous stunt by Spice Diana.  In the song, Henry says he touches Spice Diana’s body starting from whispering into her ears and to the whole body.  “Nkutandira mumatu, Munda mpaka […]
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Bidandi to Museveni: leave peacefully

After a long political hiatus, former presidential candidate and government minister Jaberi Bidandi Ssali is back in the fray—with a word of caution for President Museveni: Leave power peacefully.

Bidandi Ssali joins an ever-growing list of Museveni's former allies and opposition figures who want the president to end his nearly four-decade rule peacefully before he is pushed.

In a rare public appearance and media interview last week, Ssali urged his former ally and boss to consider a peaceful transition. Asked what he thinks President Museveni will offer in his  new term of office, Bidandi Ssali "Uganda will remain the same but my appeal to the president is to consider a peaceful succession. I feel the president has generally done well but there should be a peaceful succession plan."

Museveni was sworn in on May 12 for a sixth consecutive term of office, which expires in 2026. However, Museveni's victory in the January 14 general election was widely discredited due to the pre-poll campaign violence meted out on his main challengers; Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu a.k.a Bobi Wine, the former presidential candidate for the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) and Patrict Oboi Amuriat, the candidate for the Forum for Democratic Change.

"If the president does not consider that [peaceful succession], he risks the country sliding into chaos," Ssali, who contested against Museveni in the 2011 presidential election, warned.

The 83-year-old spoke to The Observer before a dinner hosted in honour of People's Progressive Party (PPP) first–ever member of parliament Santa Okot at his Kiwatule Recreation Centre on May 20.

Despite his retirement from active politics in 2013 due to ill-health, Bidandi Ssali remains a key elder and influential opinion leader in PPP. He is the party chairman emeritus and continues to mentor young leaders.

Dr Dick Odur, the former Constituent Assembly (CA) delegate for Dokolo, took over from Bidandi Ssali as the PPP national chairman. However, he also fell sick a few years back, handing the baton to Saddam Gayira in acting capacity. The party members are expected to elect a substantive national chairman during their delegates' conference later this year.

NO REGRETS

Like in the past, Bidandi Ssali insists Museveni has made tremendous contribution towards Uganda's progress. "I cannot say he [Museveni] has done nothing for this country. My main issue is to reintroduce governance based on the Constitution where institutions perform," he told The Observer in November 2010.

Asked then whether he regretted some of his previous pro-Museveni actions such as the campaign catch phrase 'olina kewekoleddewo?' used to mobilize support for the president in the run-up to the 2001 elections he said, "I don't have any regrets; I am only appreciative of life."

Back then, Bidandi explained that he decided to back the president because there was a possibility of plunging the country into conflict. He said: "I had the privilege, then, of being in one of the top NRM meetings where the army vowed not to accept [former presidential candidate Kizza] Besigye to take power if he won the election; so, that meant there could be bloodshed again."

"As a responsible leader, I decided to back Museveni so that there's stability in the country since the president had promised to make way for a peaceful handover if he got another five years in office. Unfortunately, he went against his promise after that and that's why I quit the NRM."

PARTY MILESTONE

Speaking to the PPP's success in getting its maiden legislator (Santa Okot, Aruu North) in the eleventh parliament, Bidandi Ssali described it as a milestone in his efforts to promote democratic governance.

"I feel happy for this milestone in our party but also for Honourable Santa Okot because I have worked hard to promote the principles of democracy. My appeal is that she and other people I have mentored should never lose sight of that," Ssali said.

He also reiterated his stance on practicing cool-headed politics. "I tell young leaders who come to me from all other parties to engage in non-confrontational politics because even when I was personally active, I never attacked my competitors. My politics was not confrontational; so, I tell them 'don't attack people – argue on issues'."

Ssali declined to comment on the prevailing political tension sparked by the election violence, abductions, arbitrary arrests and imprisonment of President Museveni's opponents. "As a retired [political] actor, I just watch and observer but don't comment," he said.

Apart from the occasional advisory and mentorship role in PPP, Ssali is enjoying life in retirement.

"I am now in private business and, as you can see, I'm okay and fit," he said.

Indeed, he looked physically fit; walking without help as he freely mingled with the few PPP members who attended Okot's dinner at Kiwatule. He spoke briefly but sat through the evening speeches of more than three-and-half hours.

The speakers, who included MP Richard Lumu (Mityana South), National Convention Party for Democracy chief Degaul Kawuma and several PPP leaders from Pader district, praised Ssali for his wise counsel.

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Busoga kingdom shocked, 'sick' over Kadaga loss

Busoga kingdom has expressed 'sadness' over the election loss of the former speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga.

Kadaga suffered a humiliating defeat to her former deputy Jacob Oulanyah after insisting on contesting as an independent candidate after her ruling party, NRM endorsed Oulanyah as the flag bearer. During yesterday's vote at Kololo Independence ceremonial grounds, Kadaga polled 197 votes against Oulanyah's 310 votes.

The Kamuli Woman MP, who had served as speaker for 10 years was seeking a third term. Busoga kingdom spokesperson, Andrew Ntange, says that they had anticipated getting more influential political positions but were instead shocked by Kadaga's loss.

"As a kingdom, we are under no obligation to make political commentary over the election processes of the speaker of parliament of the republic, but we cannot say that all is well with us because our prayer was that we get more and more of our illustrious sons and daughters in more lucrative positions without losing any, we didn't see this coming and we didn't know the scheme was deep, well calculated and spirited," he said in a statement.

Adding that, "We are going to learn to live with it now that, it has dawned on us. We call for calm and peace and do ask our champion, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga to invoke the lioness in her, to come to terms with this and find only advantages in this. As for Busoga, such is politics and we faced the ugly side of it, let's move forward."

Wilberforce Mudiope, one of the elders within the says that over the years most leaders have always capitalized on elevating their individual fights rather than fostering the general transformation of the sub-region as a whole.

Mudiope says that instead of lobbying for economic empowerment projects, leaders have instead rallied with foreign allies to boost individual fights against their own, which has continuously retarded efforts of transforming Busoga which has enhanced the tribal stereotypes against the Basoga that they only start to mentally mature after 45 years.

Party and kingdom power struggles and wars have previously pitted Kadaga against former minister the State Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development. 

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Comedian McVex marries fiancée Patience

By Ahmad MutoCity comedian Ronnie Mcvex real name Ronnie Musiimenta walked his fiancée' Patience Mbabazi down the aisle over the weekend. This follows their engagement in November 2020 after a decade of dating and getting blessed with a baby boy.McVex shared his excitement on social media by making the announcement like he did the day […]
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Uganda entered second COVID-19 wave in April - scientists

Ugandans have been warned to brace for tough times ahead because the country has already entered its second coronavirus disease (COVID-19) wave or resurgence.

According to scientists, the country entered the second wave last month in April. From mid-April to date, over 2,600 cases of COVID-19 have been reported with many of them being moderate to critical forms of the disease. There were 185 new cases and one new death recorded from the 2,962 tests conducted on May 22.

The total cumulative confirmed cases now stand at 43,919 and 357 deaths according to the ministry of Health. Active cases on admission currently stand at 140. 

At Mulago National Referral hospital, the COVID-19 treatment unit, which was closed in late February and early March due to few cases is now fully functional.

Dr Rose Byanyima, the deputy executive director at Mulago hospital and the head of the COVID-19 treatment unit says they had to re-open the unit especially the high dependency unit (HDU) and ICU when hospitals began referring critical patients.

"During the first wave, it took over three months of us having patients before we received critical patients. This wave is different. From not having patients for a few months, within a few days we had an increase in patients who all needed to be admitted to the high dependency unit or the ICU," she said.

According to Byanyima, before the resurgence of cases, they had sent away staff at the COVID-19 treatment unit because there were no patients. She says now they have been forced to call back the staff.

"The numbers had gone down and we redistributed the nurses. Now we are asking hospitals who refer patients to first wait so that we can prepare space here and even bring in more staff to manage the patient," Dr Byanyima said.

At the hospital, they now have 75 patients that are critically sick. The high dependence unit at the hospital is also full. The situation at Entebbe Regional Referral hospital, which handled the first COVID-19 case in the country isn't any different.

Muhammad Mubiru, the principal administrator of Entebbe hospital says they only have ten fully installed ICU beds and therefore refer those who miss ICU beds to Mulago hospital. For instance, on May 22, ten of the 31 patients were admitted to the ICU. On the previous day, two critically ill patients were referred to Mulago because all ten beds were occupied.

According to doctors, patients in the second wave tend to need more oxygen and deteriorate faster than before. The outgoing Health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng says the situation is worrying and people need to take the necessary precautions.

"Right now,  I want to tell Ugandans that the situation is not good, the number of cases is increasing daily. The resurgence is true, it is real. Our isolation facilities especially the intensive care unit at Mulago is already full. If you're eligible for a bed right now, you may go on a waiting list. So my appeal to you is to take COVID-19 very seriously and take this resurgence as more dangerous than the first." she said. 

Adding: "If people are not careful, we may end up losing many more people than we did before because apparently, Ugandans seem to have forgotten that we have COVID-19, people are back to their normal life, people don't want to wear masks, people don't want to sanitize, they don't want to social distance. COVID-19 is affecting everyone even children, we have children in our isolation facilities." 

While the country begun vaccinating people against COVID-19, this does not protect them from being infected with the disease. The vaccine helps protect against severe effects of the disease. At least 511,064 persons have been vaccinated with the first AstraZeneca dose while 2,274 have been vaccinated with the second dose. 

With many regional referral hospitals not having functional ICUs, the situation at Mulago is expected to worsen, as all critical patients will likely be sent there.

Byanyima says this time they want all referrals to be transported by the emergency service department to ensure that whoever is referred is planned for adequately.

"This time round, we have asked the emergency services department to be in charge of transporting all referred patients because we want to avoid scenarios where people who are not critically sick come to be admitted. In the first wave, we were put under pressure. Politicians became doctors and wanted all their loved ones to be admitted to the HDU or ICU even when they did not qualify. This put a lot of strain on the health system because people who needed care could not get it in time," she said.

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India nearing 300,000 recorded deaths

India is nearing 300,000 recorded deaths from the coronavirus, after adding more than 3,700 deaths in the last 24 hours.

The country reported more than 240,000 new infections Sunday – a number that many believe is an undercount because of limited testing resources.

The Indian government said Saturday that while COVID-19 infections remain high as they spread to overburdened rural areas, the infections are stabilizing in some parts of the country.

While a new variant of the virus first found in India has raised alarm around the world, a new study found Saturday that vaccines by Pfizer and AstraZeneca are effective against it after two doses.

The study by Public Health England found that Pfizer's vaccine is 88% effective against B.1.617.2, or the Indian variant, and 93% effective against B.1.1.7, now known as the Kent variant. AstraZeneca's vaccine is 60% effective against the Indian variant and 66% effective against the English variant.

In both cases, the effectiveness was measured two weeks after the second shot and against symptomatic disease. Both vaccines had limited effectiveness after just one dose.

The Kent variant is the dominant strain in England, but health officials fear the Indian strain may outpace it. On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that three scientists from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, or WIV, in Wuhan, China were admitted to the hospital in November 2019 – a month before China confirmed its first coronavirus case.

The news, which cites a U.S. intelligence report, came a day before the decision-making body of the World Health Organization is scheduled to meet to discuss the pandemic and will likely add fuel to the theory that the virus may have escaped the laboratory.

The report is not the first to cite the possibility that China had earlier knowledge of the virus. Near the end of the Trump administration, a fact sheet released by the State Department said that "the U.S. government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses."

The World Health Assembly will begin Monday and last until June 1.

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Pallaso claims he jumpstarted Sheebah’s career

By Ahmad MutoSingers Pallaso and Sheebah Karungi have not greeted each other voluntarily for a while now. However, the former took offence when a question about an allegation he stole the song Nalonda came up during a live television interview. He slammed the claim by upcoming artiste, King Avidon saying it has no ounce of truth, […]
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Fashion show to promote Menstrual Health slated for Friday

By Paul Waiswa The Wellbeing Foundation will on Friday 28th May celebrate two years of creative activism for menstrual rights and Sexual Reproduction and Health Rights (SRHR). The celebrations will have the Foundation hold a fundraising fashion show known as the Menstrual Shebang Fashion Show at MoTIV 7k Old Port Bell Road. According to the […]
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Canary Mugume introduced by fiancée Sasha

By Ahmad MutoFollowing their kukyala on May 8, 2021, journalist Canary Mugume got introduced by his fiancée Sasha Ferguson to her parents in Buziga on Saturday, May 22, 2021.Unlike the kukyala, this was attended by a slightly bigger delegation, led by veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda, and his sister Margaret Muhanga. This time, it did not take […]
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Uganda Medical Association in support of intern doctors' strike

Uganda Medical Association (UMA), a body that brings together all qualified and duly registered medical doctors in the country has expressed support for the ongoing strike by the intern doctors.

The association said Sunday that the strike should continue until government heeds onto their demands. Last week on Monday, the intern doctors under their umbrella Federation for Uganda Medical Interns (FUMI) laid down their tools, stating that the government had failed to improve their welfare and the current poor living conditions.  

According to a statement that was released by FUMI president, Dr Lillian Nabwire, the interns demand an increment of allowances from Shs 960,000 to Shs 3 million. Now, Dr Richard Idro, UMA president they are backing the interns so as to obtain decent pay and living conditions such that they can have appropriate meals and accommodation.

Idro also wants the parliamentary resolution that was made some time back to increase their allowances from Shs 12 billion to Shs 35 billion to be implemented within this coming financial year because it sought to address all their grievances related to improving their welfare.

"Uganda Medical Association stands with the medical interns and supports their sitdown strike and industrial action. And this is in quest of better pay and living conditions such that they can have half a decent meal, sleep in a decent accommodation as they train and work so hard caring for the rest of us. And we say, the parliamentary resolution meant to increase their pay their allowances to Shs 35 billion and provide only this decent accommodation," said Idro. 

According to UMA, there is also an urgent need to review and overhaul all parts of medical training in Uganda because they have realized that some of the institutions for interns do not have all the necessary equipment.

As such, UMA leadership says have since petitioned the Prime Minister seeking to have an inter-ministerial body involving a number of ministers involved in a life of upbringing a medical person to see how it can be done.

They listed the minister of Education, minister of Health, Local Government minister, minister of Finance, Public Service minister, National Planning Authority officials and representatives from all the training institutions.

According to the UMA leadership, there is no coordination between the ministry of Education where the medical interns are trained from, ministry of Health where they are working, ministry of Public Service and Local Government ministry which absorbs them, and the Finance ministry which is supposed to give resources and this has led to the untold poor working environment.

FUMI secretary-general, Dr Faith Nabushawo has welcomed the UMA support and called upon the interns to continue laying down their tools, adding that they have sought an appointment with President Yoweri Museveni who promised to address their grieviances.  

"We have hope that when we meet the president, our issues will be addressed. Ministry of Health also promised to involve in the negotiations the relevant stakeholders to discuss the implementation of the parliamentary resolution. As FUMI leadership, we encourage the interns to keep calm and be patient as we stay home until we communicate our next action," said Nabushawo.

The permanent secretary for ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine a few days ago revealed that the government has no money to meet the medical interns' allowances before advising them to resume work, finish internship and get better paying jobs.

On September 30, 2019, Museveni directed the Public Service ministry to increase the allowances of the scientists in the country but to date, the directive is yet to be implemented.

The Public Service ministry previously said that they were working to make sure that there is harmonization of all salary structures in various departments of government and so far, the plans are in the offing according to the former State Minister for Public Service, David Karubanga. 

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5 killed in Congo volcano eruption crash

Congo's Mount Nyiragongo unleashed lava that destroyed homes on the outskirts of Goma, but witnesses said Sunday that the city of two million had been mostly spared after the volcano erupted at night and sent thousands fleeing in panic.

Authorities said at least five people had died in a road crash while trying to leave Goma, but cautioned it was too early to give a death toll in the hardest hit communities. More than 500 homes had been destroyed, according to Constant Ndima, military governor for the affected region.

Residents said there was little warning before the dark sky turned a fiery red, leading to fears that the eruption could cause the same kind of devastation as the last time in 2002 when hundreds died.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission had said late Saturday that it didn't appear the lava was flowing toward Goma based on reconnaissance flights, but untold thousands still set off fearing the worst. Some boarded boats onto Lake Kivu while others attempted to reach Mount Goma, the highest elevation point. At least 3,000 fled across the nearby border into Rwanda.

On Sunday, residents ventured out to assess the damage after a night of panic. Smoke rose from smoldering heaps of lava in the Buhene area near the city.

"We have seen the loss of almost an entire neighborhood," said Innocent Bahala Shamavu.

"All the houses in Buhene neighborhood were burned and that's why we are asking all the provincial authorities and authorities at the national level as well as all the partners, all the people of good faith in the world, to come to the aid of this population."

Elsewhere witnesses said lava had engulfed one highway connecting Goma with the city of Beni. However, the airport appeared to be spared the same fate as 2002 when lava flowed onto the runways.

Goma is a regional hub for many humanitarian agencies in the region, as well as the U.N. peacekeeping mission. While Goma is home to many U.N. peacekeepers and aid workers, much of surrounding eastern Congo is under threat from a myriad of armed groups vying for control of the region's mineral resources.

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Isaiah Katumwa’s ‘Dance Again’ on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Most Added list

By Paul Waiswa It is great news for renowned Ugandan Saxophonist Isaiah Katumwa and the country at large as his latest single Dance Again song features on Billboard's Smooth Jazz Most Added list. Katumwa and fans were exhilarated waking up on Thursday morning and learning that their one-week-old jam had enormously flourished in the Jazz […]
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Nigerian army chief dies in air force plane crash

Nigeria's army chief, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, died in a plane crash Friday on an official visit to the northern state of Kaduna, which has had security challenges in recent months, the presidency said.

The air force said in a statement that its plane crashed near the Kaduna airport and that it was investigating the cause. The presidency said that in addition to the army general, other military officers died in the crash.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in a presidency statement, described the crash as a "mortal blow … at a time our armed forces are poised to end the security challenges facing the country."

The crash occurred three months after a small Nigerian air force passenger plane went down just outside the Abuja airport following what was said to be an engine failure, killing all seven people on board.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, has had a poor air safety record in the past, although it has improved in recent years. Buhari appointed Attahiru alongside other military chiefs in January after years of mounting criticism over spreading violence by Islamist insurgents and armed gangs.

Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, have waged a decade-long insurgency estimated to have displaced about 2 million people and killed more than 30,000. They want to create states based on their extreme interpretation of Islamic sharia law.

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Speeding taxi knocks four dead in Bundibugyo

Four people have been knocked dead along the Bundibugyo-Fort-Portal road, Bundibugyo district in western Uganda. The accident occurred last evening at Bugama village, in the middle of Semuliki national park.

According to eyewitnesses, the accident occurred when a speeding taxi registration number, UBH 654J lost control and hit the four pedestrians who were trying to cross the road. The deceased persons were from collecting firewood from a nearby forest.

The deceased have been identified as Kabasinguzi Kelvin, Kobusinge Grace, Muhindo Medren and Asaba Kyamunye. The fifth victim was critically injured and was rushed to Bundibugyo hospital for management. 

The area LC II Mugisa Magama said two of the victims died on the spot while the other two were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. He blames the accident on overspeeding.

Bundibugyo district police commander (DPC) Aggrey Okumu said they have opened up investigations to establish the possible cause of the accident. He cautioned drivers against reckless driving.

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Missing Bobi Wine bodyguard 'tortured to death', buried

Daniel Apedel, the 21-year-old missing bodyguard of former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has been found dead.

Apedel also a member of Bobi Wine's Firebase Entertainment Group crew was part of the soldiers' brigade, a wing that was responsible for providing security to NUP campaign teams in the recently concluded general elections.

He is also one of the few Firebase members who survived the Kalangala security swoop in which more than 90 members of the National Unity Platform (NUP) were arrested and subsequently charged.

His close friends say he went missing on Tuesday this week while on his way from work. Suddenly, his phones were off and he never made it home, according to his roommate in Kamuli Zone, Kireka. The search for him started instantly, until last evening when they received a phone call informing them that his body was in the city mortuary at Mulago. 

According to Dr Joel Mirembe, the head of NUP's professional's wing and emergency unit, Apedel was tortured to death, a statement he based on the record from the postmortem report. Apedel has been buried today afternoon. 

Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said the investigations into the death are still ongoing to ascertain his actual cause of death and the circumstances under which he lost his life. 

Last year during the presidential campaigns in December, Ssenteza Frank who was also a personal bodyguard to Kyagulanyi was knocked dead in Busega while Kyagulanyi's motorcade made its way from Masaka to Kampala.

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Rema, Hamza Dubai photos deleted

By Ahmad Muto Singer Rema Namakula's fans entered the weekend in low spirits after discovering that all the photos she shared with them on social media while in Dubai weeks ago have now disappeared from Facebook. It has them wondering if there is a problem in paradise that they are only being prepared for the […]
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Corrupt Uganda Airlines officials must face consequences - Museveni

After flying Uganda Airlines to Tanzania for the signing of oil agreements, President Museveni has said corrupt officials in the management and board of the airline "must face consequences."  

The president's flight on Uganda Airlines came at a time when it has attracted a lot of negative publicity because of alleged corruption and mismanagement. Then Works and Transport minister, Gen Katumba Wamala at the end of last month suspended senior airline managers including the CEO Cornwell Muleya.  

Others on suspension are Joseph Sebbowa, the head of human resources, Paul Turyacayisanga, the finance director, Harvey Kalema, the manager ground handling and operations, and Bruno Origi, the director of safety and compliance. Others are Moses Wangalwa, head of procurement and assets disposal and Alex Kakooza, the airline's first captain.  

Although Gen Katumba has been claiming that senior managers were not suspended but advised to take their accumulated leave, he admitted that they are taking this "time to look into how they were doing business."   

While interacting with a flight crew after landing at Entebbe International airport, Museveni said that some elements in the management of Uganda Airlines and the board must face the consequence, regarding the alleged corruption, according to a short video he has tweeted this morning.

"I had not flown using @UG_Airlines until yesterday. The crew is very good. When they were landing, I did not know we had landed," Museveni tweeted. "Regarding the alleged corruption in the airline, some elements in management and the board must face the consequences," he added.   

The airline that is bedeviled by corruption and mismanagement is barely two years old. It launched its regional maiden flight in September 2019 before the pandemic hit. And when Museveni welcomed the set of Bombardier jets in Entebbe in 2019, he vowed, "I was among those who buried the old airline and I am among the midwives delivering the new baby. This new baby will never die."  

However, the Auditor General's report for the 2019/2020 financial year revealed that the airline made losses of Shs 102 billion, a sharp rise from Shs 15 billion registered in FY 2018/19. The airline operation costs were increasing quicker than the revenue, and the company was unable to realize its planned revenue, yet the expenditure on operations was way above projected costs.

"The company only realized $9.9 million (10.8 per cent) of the projected revenue of $92.8 million," the report said. There have been accusations of connected politicians trying to secure jobs for their relatives or demanding airline supply contracts.  

But this is precisely what a feasibility study by the National Planning Authority that informed revival of the airline warned about. The study warned that "national airlines especially are not free to make good business decisions due to politicians interfering in the running of the airline."

The airline wouldn't face doom and gloom, the study noted if " the national airline is run professionally by competent managers with strategies aligned to the economic objectives of the country" and "the airline is insulated from political and other influences with a strong corporate governance structure."

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Levixone nominated in USA Maranatha Awards

By Paul Waiswa The Year 2021 is a year of great change musically in the career of Levixone following the numerous goodies and elevations that have come along his music ladder since the year started. Gospel musician Levixone has been nominated for the prestigious Maranatha Award in the United States of America. The singer known […]
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Rwenzori in court after paying Shs 96m rent to wrong landlord

Rwenzori Bottling Company Limited has petitioned the High court in Kampala seeking to recover Shs 96 million which it allegedly paid to the wrong landlord. 

Through AF Mpanga and Company Advocates, the company sued Green Africa Recycling Limited, a company which interchangeably calls itself Green Africa Recycling SMC Limited which presented itself as the owners of the property located at plots 58, 59, and 63 on Kyambogo road. 

Rwenzori is also suing Wilson Sendegeya, one of the officers working for the said company, and John Musoke Ssenyonga, who late came up to claim ownership of the same property. 

Court records indicate that Rwenzori rented the mentioned premises on January 16, 2020, to operate a recycling facility. The tenancy agreement was supposed to continue up to January 25, 2021, with monthly payments of Shs 8 million, exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT).

The company says that it kept paying rent through Sendegeya in line with the invoices made by Green Africa Recycling Company and used the premises without any interruptions until December 2020 when persons said to be acting on behalf of Musoke Ssenyonga locked up the premises claiming that the tenant had not paid rent for the whole year. 

Court records indicate that after locking the premises, Rwenzori became aware that Sendegeya was a tenant under a separate two-year tenancy agreement with Ssenyonga. Evidence shows that various officers of the company have since then engaged Ssenyonga directly or through his agents through Sanjay Properties and a lawyer identified as Hashim Mugisha on the issue of how Rwenzori can get back its raw materials. 

They also want the team to establish that the company actually paid rent to a tune of Shs 96 million and to track Sendegeya down and produce him to Ssenyonga so that he can admit that he was paid and that the companies were not owing anything.

But after the engagements failed, Rwenzori reportedly communicated that it couldn't pay rent twice for the same premises or continue to rent the demised premises beyond the originally planned period. However, Ssenyonga maintained the demand for money and insisted on rent payment and continued holding Rwenzori's assets valued at more than Shs 60 million.

Now, Rwenzori says that it has lost Shs 15 million in legal fees and production time for over four months after being denied access to its capital in the form of assets, inputs, and raw materials that were confiscated unlawfully by Ssenyonga. Rwenzori now wants the court to order Green Africa to refund Shs 96 million and also be paid general, special and exemplary damages for the inconveniences it has gone through.

The assistant registrar of the Civil Division Agnes Alum has already summoned all the four people sued by Rwenzori to file their defence within 15-days and the file has also been allocated to the head of the same division justice Musa Ssekaana is yet to give it a hearing date.

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Sheebah contradicts self on feminism

By Ahmad Muto Singer Sheebah Karungi has cut a niche for herself over the years as a vocal feminist, preaching the values of equal rights and opportunities of genders. Her energy especially in empowering women and urging women to seek independence has divided her camp after a post on social media.   She took to […]
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Can Kadaga overcome NRM leadership 'hostility' for another term as speaker?

Kamuli Woman MP Rebecca Kadaga will have to convince the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party to consider her as a candidate if she is to bounce back as the speaker of the 11th parliament.

But according to interviews with a number of NRM senior members who spoke on condition of anonymity, there is almost consensus in CEC, the second-highest policy organ of the party that Kadaga should be relieved of her duties as the speaker.

"She only uses NRM when it suits her and after she forgets the people who helped her get to where she is," said one NRM official.

This point has also been made several times by Ofwono Opondo, the executive director of the Uganda Media Centre. Opondo is one of the few NRM senior officials who have not hidden their consternation for Kadaga and her style of politics.

CEC has at least 24 members, but according to people familiar with its work, the overwhelming majority of them are not Kadaga fans. These include Ruth Nankabirwa, the government Chief Whip, Lydia Wanyoto, the Women League chairperson, Kahinda Otafire, a special nominee, Godfrey Kiwanda, Justine Kasule Lumumba the secretary-general and Jacob Oulanyah, the vice-chairman Northern Region.

"The only persons I know who are Kadaga supporters are Mike Mukula [vice chairman Eastern], Dr Tanga Odoi [chairman Electoral Commission, and Haji Moses Kigongo [National vice-chairman. And she's acutely aware of how unpopular she is. That's why you have seen her previously castigating CEC and saying it has no role to play in the selection of the speaker," the source said.

In March, Kadaga clashed with Nankabirwa on the floor of parliament after it emerged that the latter was sending messages to MPs saying that in 2016, CEC agreed to allow Kadaga one more term as speaker and then leave the position to Oulanyah, who had sought to unseat her back then. But Kadaga said the previous CEC whose term had expired can't decide for them who will be the next speaker.

Speaking to reporters at the NRM Electoral Commission yesterday where she had gone to submit her letters of expression of interest for the post of speaker, Kadaga said a resolution of an expired CEC can't bound a new parliament.

"I said that it would undemocratic for CEC to sit and say that so and so will be our speakers, five years early. Why don't they do that for the president? Every five years he comes when there is an election and he says what do we do. It would be undemocratic to say nobody should come because we have already selected a person. Are these your cows for you to select,' Kadaga said.

New CEC members were elected last August and Kadaga, staved off opposition from the Lands minister Persis Namuganza to bounce back as the national second vice chairman [Female]. However, it was only the eight vice-chairpersons who were voted for and the term for the other CEC positions, most of which, are also elective,  was extended for six months owing COVID-19.

CEC is expected to sit on Saturday to vet the candidates who will have expressed interest. However, Kadaga said this should not surprise anyone because even in her last term, there was some form of vetting. 'We went for vetting in CEC and it was agreed that in the spirit of unity everyone remains in their current position. So there was some sort of primary,' Kadaga said.

When asked about the relevance of having CEC vetting candidates who are already qualified MPs, Tanga Odoi, the chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission said the process is very transparent.

'The candidates in question are called and they sit, and anything bad against them is said when they are listening and they have an opportunity to answer. We are calling for expression of interest for the speaker, 20 people may apply but we want only one. Vetting involves discussion, interaction and then recommendation. It's a transparent process and I want the public to know we are a good party and very transparent,' Odoi said.

Conflicting signals from Museveni 

Two MPs-elect from Busoga sub-region who attended the NRM three-week-long retreat at Kyankwanzi told us that when the president met them, he rejected the notion that the lack of market for sugarcane was the biggest problem afflicting the area. Museveni said in his assessment, the lack of insightful leadership was the main stumbling block to Busoga's transformation.

"He said that he was going to have a solution to our leadership problem once and for all. He wasn't very direct about what he was saying neither did he ask us to support any other person. But he left us worried whether he will be supporting our woman," one MP said.

David Livingstone Zijjan, an independent but NRM-leaning MP for Butembe County in Jinja district who attended the retreat and spoke to us on record, confirmed this narrative. However, he said it would be a stretch to assume that Museveni saying he's going to have a permanent solution to Busoga's leadership problem meant not supporting Kadaga.

"President Museveni is a politician and a good one at that. His greatest strength is that he knows how to compromise and work with people even when they previously didn't agree. Kadaga might not be his ideal candidate for speakership but he's a man who leans forward and backwards. The opinion of the majority of the MPs is in favour of Kadaga and she's also NRM. Therefore, I don't see him imposing a candidate on us," Zijjan said.

He added that he believes that even if the party doesn't select Kadaga as the candidate, she would come as an independent and probably win the third most important office in the land. And if this happens, Zijjan adds Kadaga will forge a working relationship with Museveni.

"I believe that a parliament that is seen as independent is good for the President, the NRM and the country because all of us want strong institutions," Zijjan said.

Another source with direct knowledge about the thinking of the former speaker told us that the Kamuli woman MP has stopped talking with energy about the idea of being a candidate with or without the support of the CEC. 

"After the meeting they had with the president and they were ordered to stop campaigning if they want the support of the party, she kind of started realizing that it will be a hard nut to crack if she stands as an independent. She is very aware of the power that Museveni has over the MPs especially the new ones. With the old one, she has majority support but with these new ones, I don't see them defying Museveni," one MP told us. Some of Kadaga's ardent supporters are upbeat about her chances of bouncing back a speaker.

Asumani Basalirwa, the MP of Bugiri municipality who is the sole MP of the Justice Forum said he took a the decision to support Kadaga after getting assurances that she will be a candidate under any circumstances.

"I will be disappointed if she doesn't stand because she gave us assurances that regardless of what her party decides she will be our candidate," Basalirwa said.

When asked about the possibility of any of their candidates standing as independents, Odoi said that is not a possibility they envisage. He said the 337 MPs that the NRM enjoys out of 529 in the 11th parliament are sufficient to see the party candidate triumph.  

Oulanyah campaigns

After the acrimonious Entebbe meeting in which Museveni ordered Kadaga and Oulanyah to stop campaigning at least overtly, it was shocking to some MPs that the deputy speaker was allowed access to MPs while they retreated at Kyankwanzi last month.

Initially, both Kadaga and Oulanyah were lined up to make presentations at the retreat. However, the arrangement was scrapped after Kadaga apparently refused to release the sitting MPs on the premise that they were pressed for time to pass the 2021/22 national budget. The party then resolved to only have the new MPs retreat.

Richard Todwong, the deputy secretary-general of the NRM said that although Kadaga and Oulanyah were both members of CEC, they were not expected at Kwankwanzi in order to do parliamentary work. But Oulanyah was in Kyankwanzi for almost the days that the retreat lasted.

"He would meet with groups of MPs at night and campaign. I'm sure Museveni was aware of this because his security people obviously must have told him. But even if he hadn't campaigned, his presence at Kyankwanzi alone when his competitor is in Kampala is another form of campaigning," one MP who attended the retreat said.

On Monday next week, May 24, parliament is expected to convene for the first sitting at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds to elect the speaker and the deputy. On Sunday, the NRM MPs are expected to meet at the same venue to elect the candidate their party will be sponsoring. Other than the two NRM candidates, Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change has also expressed interest in the position.

Also in the race is the MP for Bukoto Central, Richard Ssebamala of DP and Juliet Kinyamatama, the Woman MP for Rakai also of the NRM. But by the time of filing of this story, only Kadaga had submitted her letter expressing interest in the position. For the position of deputy speaker; so far three aspirants have expressed interest. These include Jacob Oboth Oboth, Thomas Tayebwa and Anita Among.

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Govt set to revamp, expand functions of parish chiefs

[Sponsored article]

The government has recommended the parish to be the central focus of development. Under the Parish Model Implementation, the government will strengthen the parish level to cater for the added responsibilities.

This was disclosed by Jenipher Namuyangu, the minister of state for Local Government, as she presented the local government sector's accountability on the implementation of commitments made in the NRM Manifesto 2016-2021 on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

The presentation, made at Office of the President auditorium in Kampala, reported on achievements, challenges encountered and the way forward regarding the manifesto and the presidential Strategic Directives and Guidelines for Period 2016-2021.

"Implicitly, this raises the mandate of the parish chiefs beyond the traditional role of revenue collection. This will entail facilitation of parish chiefs in routine parish data collection, development of parish plans and monitoring all services delivered in the parish," Namuyangu read from the report.

Jenipher Namuyangu, the minister of state for Local Government

The minister placed the ministry's self-assessment performance at 77 percent success in implementing the manifesto and the strategic directives.

While answering media questions, the permanent secretary Ben Kumumanya said the parish model has been designed to be an investment, not a consumptive expenditure. He added that because of the model's importance, funds have been availed to fill the wage/ budget gaps so that it moves smoothly. "It [the parish] is going to be the operational theatre for development," he stressed.

THE MANDATE

Namuyangu started by stating the ministry's mandate as "To guide, harmonize, mentor and advocate for all local governments in support of the vision of government to bring about socio-economic transformation of the country" and the mission as "To coordinate and support local governments in a bid to provide efficient and sustainable services, improve the welfare of the people and eradicate poverty".

"This presentation, therefore, speaks to the mandate and mission above and highlights the extent to which our interventions have contributed to realization of our commitments to the NRM Manifesto," she introduced the subject.

Namuyangu outlined their achievements under the key manifesto areas/objectives of: strengthening security, good governance and democracy; empowering special interest groups; public and private sector institutional development; industry; and lands and housing.

She said that during the manifesto term, local government was granted a sector status; standardized stamps for LCI chairpersons were made and distributed throughout the country; all the 115 old district local governments received modern road equipment.

On office construction support at district/municipal level, the ministry planned to support 70 local governments. However, 72 were supported, which included 24 new districts and 29 new municipalities.

INDUCTING NEW POLITICAL LEADERS

On induction of councilors, the ministry planned to induct both technical officers and elected leaders (councilors) who had been elected in 2016 for all the 115 local governments. The exercise aimed to sensitize them on their respective roles and responsibilities. Councilors from 134 local governments, including new LGs, were inducted/ trained, resulting in improved working relations.  

On printing council rules of procedure, the ministry planned to print and disseminate to the 115 districts. This was fully achieved and it helped 135 local governments on how to conduct council business well.

On "develop and implement performance standards and evaluation systems for political leaders", the ministry in partnership with ACCORD and Uganda Local Government Authorities Association (ULGA) developed and disseminated a balanced score card highlighting legal responsibilities of political leaders.

The implementation of the balanced score card led to better performance of councils from 51 percent in FY 2016/17 to 76 percent in FY 2019/2020.

Regarding "strengthen local government associations", the ministry committed to financially support Uganda Local Government Authorities Association with Shs 300 million and Urban Authorities Association of Uganda (UAAU) with Shs 200 million.

However, due to failure by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to avail enough the funds, the ministry disbursed only Shs 150m to ULGA and Shs 100m to UAAU.

Eight districts receive 124 motorcycles under the Project for Restoration of Livelihoods in the Northern Region (PRELNOR) in 2018

Under the commitment of identification of alternative local revenue sources, the ministry and the Local Government Finance Commission (LGFC) planned to improve revenues of LGs and reduce their reliance on central government grants. So, the duo identified new other possible sources, which include Presumptive Tax and Commercial Farmers Tax. In addition, a paper on LG financing is in final stages.

To improve the collection and management of local revenue by simplifying registration of businesses, the ministry worked with URSB, KCCA and URA to support the simplification of registration of businesses in the municipalities of Kira, Mukono, Jinja, Njeru and Lugazi under the e-Logrev. This is due for rollout to 38 municipalities under the newly approved Local Government Revenue Collection and Management Information System (LGRMIS) project.

The ministry has fully implemented the pledge of revision of grant allocation formula and grant guidelines. Hence now every year the ministry disseminates the Unconditional Grant Guidelines and the Discretionary Development Grant Guidelines to LGs.

Regarding training LG staff on their roles, the ministry carried out orientations for LG CAOs, town clerks and heads of department, and political leadership, on their roles, identification of challenges and charting ways forward.

On office construction at sub-county/ town council level, the ministry planned to support 377 town councils and 364 sub-counties with start-up funds. It managed to support 329 town councils and sub-counties, given the resource envelope available.

INCREASING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

To increase employment opportunities, value addition and welfare of our people, the ministry planned to support LGs to build, in conjunction with private sector, economic infrastructure like warehouses, lorry and taxi parks, industrial parks, bulking centres, processing facilities and extending power supply, among others. With help of the Nakyobe Fund of State House, 20 industrial parks have been established.

On "strengthen national and local government capacities to implement LED", the ministry created a LED [Local Economic Development] department, recruited and inducted all staff to drive the LED agenda in the country. Every district now has a commercial officer. The department is now operational and helping local governments to incorporate LED activities in their annual work plans and budgets.

To supervise DSC operations, the ministry supervised all the 115 DSCs [District Service Commissions]. To date, all districts have functional DSCs, save the new districts; this translates as 85 percent achievement. Where there is wage available, the DSCs have recruited the required staff.

Where the manifesto pledged to construct markets in 12 new municipalities, the ministry planned to construct 34 modern markets in old and new municipalities. Fifteen of these are already commissioned, while four [Masaka, Mbarara, Kitgum and Kabale] are still under construction. Another 18 modern markets are being designed.

On creation of new LGs and administrative units, the ministry created 25 new districts as requested by parliament. It also planned to create 15 cities; 10 are already operational (Gulu, Soroti, Hoima, Arua, Mbarara, Mbale, Jinja, Fort Portal, Masaka and Lira).

Regarding "monitor functionality of LC committees from village to district", the ministry targeted to monitor LC committees in 135 districts and 41 municipalities, and this was achieved 100 percent. In addition, the lower councils were supervised by their respective higher councils. As a result, internal conflicts in LGs have reduced considerably.

Regarding inspection of local governments, the ministry planned to inspect 134 districts and 41 municipalities, and this was accomplished 100 percent. This led to improvement in the performance of LGs, as is demonstrated by national assessment results obtained Office of the Prime Minister and the increased number of LGs getting unqualified opinion reports by the Auditor General. 

EMPOWERING SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

To design markets to accommodate other interest groups and individuals, the ministry revised the architectural designs to accommodate breastfeeding mothers by providing daycare, the disabled to access and work in markets. There are now pre-primary facilities in one market centre.

The ministry worked on dissemination of the Market Act and Taxi Park Guidelines by revising and distributing the latter which clarified that taxis and buses will pay at one-stop centres instead of making multiple payments.

On strengthen capacity of market associations to manage the markets and the parks, the ministry developed guidelines to facilitate operations in the markets. These have helped resolve conflicts among vendors and market executives; enforce revenue collections to LGs; and enhance cleanliness in the markets.

INSPECTIONS, OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES

On empowering LG oversight committees, the ministry planned to train all oversight committees [Public Accounts Committee, standing committees, executive committee, DSC, land boards and contact committees] in 134 districts; this was fully achieved.

To appraise the performance contacts of officers at LG level, which aims to increase efficiency and effectiveness in LG operations, the ministry planned to appraise all districts and municipalities; this was executed to 100 percent.

The pledge to procure 30 vehicles for the ministry's inspection activities, the ministry planned to procure 30 vehicles; this was realized beyond target, procuring 46 vehicles.

On construction of 20,000km community access roads, the ministry actually planned to construct or rehabilitate 18,000km; this was achieved 100 percent under CAAIP [Community Agricultural Infrastructure Improvement Programme] and PRELNOR [Project for the Restoration of Livelihoods in the Northern Region] projects. In addition, the local governments continue to invest in rehabilitation of over 120,000km of DUCAR [district, urban and community access roads].  

Regarding the manifesto pledge of provision of agro processing facilities in 160 sub-counties, the ministry actually planned to install 66 facilities countrywide, and this was fully achieved.

On surveying and titling of LGs' land, Namuyangu said the ministry has witnessed nationwide encroachment of land on which LG facilities are located. The government has, therefore, come up with the Discretionary Development Equalisation Grants (DDEG) which will carry out the surveying and titling of land where LG offices, schools and health facilities are located.

CHALLENGES

The minister pointed out some challenges such as inadequate staffing for LGs; because of inadequate wage bill, the shortage of key staff has persisted. Currently, the average staffing levels stand at 56 percent for districts and 51 percent for municipalities.

A number of LGs' administrative infrastructure is constrained; office blocks are dilapidated and office accommodation is also limited. In addition, there is shortage of vehicles for senior officers.

Namuyangu said at the start of the reporting manifesto term, the ministry inherited accumulated domestic arrears of Shs 36 billion due to inadequate budget provision. This negatively impacted on the ministry's MTEF [Medium Term Expenditure Framework.] ceilings and service delivery.

She said new administrative units created since 2016/17 have never received operational funds; these are 356 town councils and 377 sub-counties. "We need a minimum of Shs 11.4 billion for this activity," she said.

Namuyangu said local government councils "have always registered above 70 percent leadership turnover every general election. This means that majority of members of Council are new people with little or no knowledge and experience in running public affairs and exercising the mandate of their respective positions as required by the law". She said that actually there was an 87 percent turnover in the just concluded general election. This challenge leads to need for resources to train and orient the newcomers. 

Source

33 media houses sue gov't, KCCA over double taxation

At least 33 media houses have jointly sued the government and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), challenging the double taxation on trading licences despite numerous court decisions declaring such actions illegal.

The media houses are Radio One, Akaboozi, Radio Simba, Basoga Baino FM, Digida, Buddu FM, Capital Radio, Hot 100.9 FM,  Galaxy FM Limited, Signal FM, KFM and Dembe FM, Namirembe FM Limited, XFM, Bukedde FM, NBS TV, NBS Khodeyo and Open Gate FM.

The others are Power FM, Sanyu FM, Touch FM, Spice FM, Voice of Kigezi, Super Station Inc Limited, Radio City, Voice of Toro, Vision Radio, Radio Pacis  Liberty FM Limited, Crooze FM, Voice of Kamwenge, BBS TV, NTV Uganda and Uganda Media Owners Association.

Through their lawyers; Ayigihugu and Company Advocates, the media houses challenged the government for continuing to charge them trading licences for operating in and outside Kampala and running satellite connections. They argue that they already pay license fees to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and subjecting them to another tax tantamount to double taxation.

Radio stations operating in Kampala are charged a trading licence fee ranging between Shs 300,000 and Shs 1.5 million, while satellite connections run by television states are charged between Shs 390,000 and Shs 1.5 million every year, according to the KCCA grading system.

This is on top of the payments for the commercial radio license paid to UCC. A national radio pays an annual fee of Shs 7 million, each FM radio from Kampala pays Shs 5.6 million annually, those in Mbarara, Jinja, Lira, Mbale, Arua, Soroti, Gulu, Fort Portal, and Masaka pay Shs 4.2 million each annually, while radio stations from other parts of the country pay Shs 3.5 million annually. Community radios on the other hand pay Shs 1.4 million in annual license fees.

But the management of the stations argue that the court has previously issued several decisions saying that it was illegal for companies that pay licences to the regulators and be subjected to payments of other trading licences from the areas they operate from.

They referred to the cases filed by Uganda Law Society against KCCA, Kampala Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda against the Attorney General, NC Bank Uganda and 24 others against KCCA and Uganda Cleaning Industry and Forwarding Association against the KCCA and the Attorney General.

In the said cases, most of which the decisions were delivered by justice Musa Ssekaana in 2020, the court held that once a company pays license fees set by the regulator, it is illegal to subject the same company to the payment of trading licence fees in any part of the country.

But the media houses allege that they are continually issued with demand notices to pay for trading licenses to local governments. They now want the court to interpret whether KCCA or the municipalities from where they are operating have the mandate to continue with the levy and whether those operating in Kampala are entitled to a refund of the monies paid since 2017.

"That the plaintiffs being in that category of business and trade which are already licenced by the central government's agent, in this case, the Uganda Communications Commission and the amendment is illegal, irrational and amounts to double oppressive taxation and the Minister acted ultra vires in amending schedule", reads the suit in part.

Each of the media houses operating in Kampala has produced receipts of trading licenses paid since 2017 and they have so far paid a combined total of Shs 94.5 million which they are now seeking to recover. The case which is supported by an affidavit of Evelyn Ochakachon the secretary-general of Uganda Media Owners Association is yet to be allocated to the judge to fix it for hearing.

Source