Museveni cancels NRM elections in Mawogola

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primary election for Mawogola North constituency in Sembabule district has been called off.

George William Katokoozi, the Sembabule district NRM registrar has announced the suspension of the polls this morning on instructions allegedly from the party chairperson and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

This becomes the second constituency to have its parliamentary primary elections called off in Sembabule district, after Mawogola West constituency whose polls were suspended on Thursday after a spate of campaign violence. Katokoozi says he has received instructions from higher authorities to call off the elections until further notice.

The race in Mawogola North pits Museveni's younger brother Godfrey Aine Kaguta also known as Sodo against Shartis Musherure, a daughter to Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kahamba Kutesa and another candidate Salim Kisekka. The trio is jostling to replace Kutesa who is retiring from active politics. 

The cancellation of the elections has come amid heavy deployment of both police and the army in Sembabule district that is directly supervised by the deputy inspector general of police Maj. Gen. Sabiiti Muzeeyi who is camping in the area. 

But Robert Ssesanga, who was deployed as a special overseer of elections in Sembabule by the NRM's Electoral Commission, reveals that Shartis Musherure petitioned the party's Electoral Commission over intimidation of her supporters by the rival camp.  

Voting for the NRM primaries has begun this morning across the country to elect their parliamentary flag bearers in the forthcoming general elections 2021. 

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Club Beatz off the mark as Sheebah passes live act test

By Julius Senyimba When singer Sheebah Karungi’s name hit the internet as the headliner of the Club Beatz at home launch, many had their reservations. Reason, she has on numerous occasions failed the live performance test. However, with enough time on her throat to get her vocals on point, Sheebah did put up a clean […]
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'Dancing priest' Musaala sues company over song, seeks Shs 59m

Catholic priest Father Anthony Musaala has sued a soft drink manufacturing company accusing them of using his gospel song in product marketing without his consent.

Popularly known as the 'dancing priest', Musaala's case is filed before the civil division of High court through his attorney Henry Tumusiime against Alleluia Reflexology Health Solution and Nutrition Research Center Limited, the manufacturers and producers of Alleluia Natural Drink, a soft and energy drink.

Through his lawyers of M/S Nakasagga and Company Advocates, Musaala contends that he is the author of a praise and worship song titled 'Alleluyah' which he wrote and recorded about 12 years ago.

Musaala says however that early this year, the company allegedly run an advert on several local televisions about their drink, Alleluia featuring the song 'Alleluyah' which belongs to him. The Kampala Archdiocesan priest accuses the company of failing to seek his authorization and consent before running the said advert with his song runs in the advert background.

He adds that his song is a praise and worship one but the company used it to advertise a commercial drink which is contrary to the copyright laws of this country since it's a commercial advert. Through his lawyers, Musaala further contends that he has not benefited in any way by the use of his song by the company in its commercial advert and he believes that such actions are contrary to his right to ownership of his song and abuse of copyright laws.

 

Due to such actions, Musaala alleges that he has since suffered gross inconveniences for which he is seeking Shs 58.5 million in compensation. Additionally, Musaala also wants court to declare that he is the rightful author and owner of the song in question and also that the company violated his copyright.

When contacted the managing director of Alleluia Reflexology, Goodrich Muteguya, admitted that it's true they were using Musaala's song but he didn't know that it was wrong and have since recalled the adverts featuring Musaala's song. 

 

Muteguya said that he contracted Kai Productions to make for him an advert and they are the ones that mixed it up with Musaala's song. Additionally, Muteguya says that he had previously learnt that Kai Productions had approached Musaala over the matter, but he doesn't know what followed later which prompted the priest to run to court.

As such, Muteguya says he is aware of Musaala's complaint and the company has instructed their lawyers also to guide them on how they can proceed with the court case.

 

Musaala is not new to controversy. He became even more famous in 2013 after being suspended from his priestly duties after he had allegedly accused fellow priests of sexual crimes, a move that Kampala Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga described as contrary to the good morals of the church.

Musaala returned to the Catholic fold recently in 2018 after seeking for forgiveness and being pardoned by Archbishop Lwanga who had suspended him.  

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Woman dies after Kalaki police detain husband with her medicine

Betty Asayo has died after her husband was arrested by the police during curfew hours while rushing with medicine to save her life.

Francis Engwau, the lay reader at Gome Church of Uganda in Bululu sub county, Kalaki district in eastern Uganda lost his wife at around 1:30 am while in cells at Kalaki police station. 

According to Edmond Egweu, a nephew to Engwau, Asayo has been on medication after being diagnosed with liver complications. However, she developed a complication at around 8:00 pm on Wednesday while at home.

Engwau reportedly hired a boda-boda cyclist to take his wife to the hospital. However, after realizing that he had forgotten Asayo's medicine and hospital book at home, he decided to first take her to her parents' home in Kadyia village in Otuboi sub-county as he rushed back.   

"Since Otuboi is nearer to Lwala hospital, we advised him to leave the wife here as he goes back to pick the hospital book and the children who were supposed to attend to her in the hospital," said Egweu.

"Unfortunately, uncle was arrested and detained by the police doing patrol in Kalaki town for moving during curfew hours. We waited for him in vain until one of the boda-boda cyclists, who managed to escape from the police, came home and told us what had happened to uncle," said Egweu.    

Egweu adds that they resorted to their local leaders for help but Asayo's condition worsened and she died before her husband was released from police cells.

Pascal Engwau, the interim Kalaki LCV vice-chairperson says he was called at night by Egweu but it was too late to save the deceased's life. He notes that it was an unfortunate incident in the district and asked police to streamline their operations.

David Ongom Mudong, the East Kyoga regional police spokesman said he was not aware of the incident and promised to respond after making inquiries.

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I have not been summoned yet – Fameica

By Ahmad Muto Shafik Walukagga popularly known as Fik Fameica has responded to lawyer Prasidia Nagasha's petition to the High Court asking the My Property song to be banned arguing that it degrades women. Fameica has now revealed that he has not been served any summons therefore all that is going around is a rumour. […]
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US sanctions ICC prosecutors Bensouda, Mochochoko

The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions against the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda and her counterpart Phakiso Mochochoko, the ICC's director of jurisdiction, complementary and cooperation division.

The 59-year-old Bensouda, a Gambian national, had angered the Trump administration by opening an investigation into crimes allegedly committed by American soldiers in Afghanistan.  Mochochoko is a from Lesotho.

During a briefing Wednesday at the State Department, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced sanctions against Bensouda, adding that any individual or entity who materially assisted her also would be subject to sanctions. 

Pompeo did not give specific reasons for the sanctions but accused the ICC of targeting Americans,  a similar accusation made by African leaders against the global body. The sanctions means Bensouda and Mochochoko have been grouped together with other convicted criminals such as terrorists, drug traffickers among others.

In June, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order authorizing sanctions against "officials, employees and agents, as well as members of their immediate families" working at the ICC.    

"These attacks constitute an escalation and an unacceptable attempt to interfere with the rule of law and the court's judicial proceedings," Bensouda told VOA in an interview later in June.

"An attack on the ICC also represents an attack against the interests of victims of atrocity crimes, for many of whom the ICC represents the last hope for justice,"   she said.

Bensouda's name has been added to the list of sanctioned individuals, the U.S. Treasury Department noted in a Wednesday release. US is not a member of the ICC.

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Terrorism: Sheikh Kamoga's life imprisonment quashed

The Court of Appeal has quashed the conviction of Jamatil-Salafiya leader, Sheikh Yunus Kamoga and other six Muslim leaders for terrorism.

On Wednesday justices Alfonse Owiny Dollo, Cheborion Barishaki and Elizabeth Musoke ruled that the ingredients of terrorism had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt. Kamoga was jointly set free with Sheikh Siraje Kawooya, Sheikh Murta Budde Bukenya, Sheikh Fahad Karungi, Yusuf Kakande and Abdul Salaam Ssekayanja.

In 2018, three judges of the International Crimes Division including Ezekiel Muhanguzi, Jane Kiggundu and Percy Tuhaise found the cleric and the six guilty of terrorism and convicted him to life imprisonment because they committed terror crimes by printing flyers with the names of the people they wanted to kill, holding meetings from their homes where they would plan the killings from, sending on social media messages of pictures of graves and bullets, coffins of their religious rivals.  

However in their judgment, the Court of Appeal justices noted that the flyers that were distributed by Kakande did not convey any threat either to murder or attack the victims that were named in the charge sheet.

The judges have also explained that under the Terrorism Act, for one to be convicted of terrorism, the prosecution must prove that their acts were done indiscriminately without due regards to the safety of others or property during the execution.

They noted that whereas the lower court was satisfied that the appellants had indiscriminately uttered threats, they have not found any precise reason that the lower court judges based on to arrive at such a conclusion.

The justices added that after revaluation of the evidence, they have found that the appellant's involvement in any acts of terrorism was not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Court also heard that none of the prosecution witnesses attended the meeting where the alleged threats took place. They ordered for the immediate release of Kamoga and his group from Luzira Upper prison where they have been for almost six years.

One of their lawyers Twaha Muyanja says that they will discuss with their clients for the next course of action. There were emotional scenes at the court as their lawyers and relatives broke into tears of joy after the judgement that was read by the court registrar Mary Babirye in the absence of the accused. The defense lawyers were led by MacDusman Kabega.

Counter-terrorism operatives had sealed off the premises causing tension at court. They were arrested in January 2015 following the murder of Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga on December 29, 2014.

Seven others whom they had been jointly charged with were acquitted of all offences. Those acquitted included Amir Kinene, his brother Hakeem Kinene, Abdul Rashid Sematimba, Hamza Kasirye, Twaha Sekitto, Rashid Jingo, Musa Isa Mubiru and Yiga George William.  

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Chizzo, Flirsh celebrate 12 years of cohabiting

By Ronald Kintu Around you, yes you who are watching E-News now, you have a friend or two who have cohabited for years as if it is a hobby for various reasons. Well, for Uganda's most decorated female basketball player Flavia Flirsh Oketcho and stagnant singer Chizzo Lubega, this has been the case for over […]
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KCCA egobye takisi ezibadde ziremedde mu ppaaka empya

Siteegi 10 zikwatiddwa ku mpaka mu ppaaka ya ttakisi mu Kisenyi n'endala ne ziragibwa ziyingire mu ya Namayiba ssaako ne Namirembe ttakisi ppaaka.

Mu Kisenyi batutteko siteegi okuli eya Ntebe , Zzana, Namasuba, Kajjansi ssaako ezikwaata ku luguudo lw'eJinja okuli Jinja , Iganda ,Mbale n'okugendera ddala e Busia.

Kyokka ba Ddereeva abamu abaabadde batamanyidde ppaaka ya Kisenyi era nga bamaze ebbanga nga tebakiriza kutwalayo motoka zaabwe basoose kuguguba okutuusa poliisi siteegi yaabwe bwegigobyeewo.

Ebifo byonna ebibadde bisimbamu mmotoka ezigenda ku luguudo lw'eNtebe nga ziri mu ppaaka mpya kati ebifo byatwaliddwa mmotoka ezikola ku siteegi y'eNateete ne Busega.

Ssentebe wa ppaaka ya Kisenyi Julius Ddamulira yagambye nti ba ddereeva babadde bagaanira bwerere okuyingira mu ppaaka ya Kisenyi ate nga yaggwa buli kimu ekirina.

"ppaaka ya Kisenyi ttakisi ppaaka yonna yakubwa kolansi, ngazi, erimu ebifo ebikalu bingi ate mmotoka ezigikozesa tezikwatibwa bulippagano. Zonna ezigenda entebe zikozesa luguudo lwa ku Lubiri ne zigwa mu Ndeeba olwo ne zigenda e Zana oba e Najjanankumbi nga zifulumye e Kajjansi" Ddamulira bweyagambye.

Kyokka abamu ku ba ddereeva  bakyayomba nti baagala ppaaka eyongere ku byokwerinda, etteekewo emizindaalo egiranga abasaabaze gyebagenda ssaako okwongera okusomesa ba ddereeva enkozresa y'obubikka ku mimwa n'okunaaba mu ngalo.

Wabula ssentebe wa ppaaka Julius Ddamulira yagambye nti amazzi , obuguwa, obupima ebbugumu n'abasomesa abalinya mu ttakisi baabateekawo nti tewali musaabaze kyasobola kwekwaasa kiraga nti ppaaka teri ku kumutindi.

Ate mu ppaaka ya Namirembe ttakisi ppaaka nayo baagala siteegi egenda ku mpigi, Masaka , Butambala , Mityana ne Mubende ,Kiboga kubanga bakyalina ebifo bingi wezisobola okusimba. Mu ntegeka yeemu, ttakisi endala ezibadde zikyagaanye okuyingira mu USAFI nazo zaayingidde ssaako eza Namayiba ezigenda ku ludda lw'eBombo .

Omwogezi wa KCCA Daniel Niwe Abine yakakasa nti KCCA ekyayongera okutegekera Kampala era baagala buli mmotoka egende mu ppaaka gyebaagiragira okwewala obuvuyo. Ate mu ppaaka empya , ebifo omubadde ezigenda ku luguudo lw'eNtebe byatwaliddwa dda kyokka era ekyajjudde.