Sandra crowned first POA Star search winner

By Musa Ssemwanga Sandra Nansambu was crowned the first Pearl of Africa Star Search winner, walking away with sh60m on Sunday. Nansambu also becomes Uganda Tourism Sector Ambassador as part of the accolades won at the grand finale…
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Shs 70bn lunch allowance: 1,039 ghost workers unearthed on nurses' payroll

At least 1,039 ghost names have been discovered on the nurses' payroll. The names were unearthed during last week's payment of lunch allowances for nurses. 

Some 147 ghost health workers received the money under the docket of nurses working under Uganda Police, 40 from Jinja district, 40 from Ntungamo district, and other districts including Kanungu, Kamwenge, Adjumani, Bunyangabu and Kasese.

With the revised allowances, qualified nurses who had been getting Shs 3,000 per day for lunch are now be receiving Shs 15,000 whereas nursing assistants who were being paid Shs 2,000 per day have been upgraded to Shs 10,000. At least Shs 70 billion has been budgeted for the allowances annually.

Owing to these irregularities, Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwire, the permanent secretary in the ministry of Public Service has given the accounting officers of the affected districts to tender in an explanation not later than August 15.

"You are requested to explain in writing by 15th of August, 2021 the circumstances under which the attached employees were enrolled onto the lunch allowance. The total amount of the lunch allowance earned over the years should also be attached," Bitarakwate said.

Bitarakwate also notes that more than 1,000 ghost nurses had been receiving the money yet they are not health workers and don't work in health facilities.

But Jinja district chief administrative officer (CAO) William Kanyesigye said while Jinja has been marked as one of the districts with high ghost beneficiaries, it was done in error and that they have scheduled a meeting for today Monday to have this corrected.

Kanyesigye said there are not 40 ghost health workers as alleged, but only one irregular recipient who has since been discovered to be a teacher in the district.

In Ntungamo district, the CAO Nasser Mukiibi says the 20 identified ghosts are not health workers but are support staff in the health department who work as typists and cleaners. Uganda has a total of 70,167 nurses and midwives registered by the government's Nurses and Midwifery Council.

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Riders accuse police of working with boda boda criminals

Boda boda riders in Kampala city have accused police of working with motorcycle-riding gangs who have intensified attacks against city dwellers. 

Over recent weeks, different gangs have been captured on security cameras intercepting their victims and robbing them of money and property. Gang robbery incidents have been recorded by CCTVs at Jinja road traffic lights, Mawanda road, Old Kampala and Nateete. So far, 18 suspects have been charged and remanded over the criminal activities.

The most recent recorded incident happened around Corner House along Mawanda road where a gang of about 12 men riding on motorcycles intercepted Jiwan Lal, an Indian national, and robbed him of Shs 5 million. Police, together with sister security agencies have already arrested some of the suspects who were involved in the attack on Jiwan, an accountant with Rigil Agro Peck Limited in Kololo.

Kevin Ssendegeya, the chairman Security Boda-Boda stage at Total Corner, says that there is a group known as 'Nato', which they reported to the police but nothing was done. Ssendegeya alleges that policemen instead revealed the names of whistleblowers to the criminals, who have since carried out revenge attacks against them. 

Yasin Mubangizi, the chairman Boda-Boda stage at Shoprite near Clock Tower, says that whenever they report the suspected criminals masquerading as boda boda riders to police, the officers simply say that they don't have control over them.     

Police also arrested members of another gang that used motorcycles to stage a robbery in Mityana district. Police said some of the criminals came from a boda boda stage at Cooper Complex and connived with Dennis Kyeptoyek, the commander of Nyanzi police station who was also apprehended.   

The gangsters were identified as boda boda riders from Cooper Complex in Kampala who were recruited into robbery activities by Moses Serunkuma, a truck driver. They were identified as Raphael Semaganda, Peter Mukalazi, Yoweri Kironde, Ibra Kyoita, Topher, and a one Andrew.

Richard Sonko, the defense secretary at Care Corner boda boda stage, says that they know the robbers masquerading as boda boda riders, but whenever they report them, police instead release them immediately.  

Those arrested and charged in connection to the Mawanda road robbery include; Asibu Takuba alias Stephen, Jimmy Sserwada, Gadafi Kasibante, Jonah Ssemanda, Richard Mulema, Sharif Akidi, Aloysius Ssewakilyanga, Latif Mawejje, Salim Babu, Farouk Ssekaganda alias Sharif, and one Swaibu. 

Faroq Mwiru, the defense secretary at Ben-Kiwanuka boda boda stage, said there is a need to provide reflector jackets with the names of every rider and the stage he is attached to. 

Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy Kampala police spokesperson, said the problem with boda boda whistleblowers is they don't name the particular police officers who allegedly work with criminals. 

"We held a good meeting with the boda boda leaders early this week. None of the leaders came up with such allegations during our meeting. However, if there is anyone with such information they should bring them forward at KMP," Owoyesigyire said.

Mudasiru Irumba, the chairman of Mega Standard boda boda stage where the 'Nato' gang often operates, said these are remnants of the infamous Boda-Boda 2010 militia that was terrorizing them during the reign of Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura. 

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Foot and mouth disease outbreak confirmed in Jinja

Authorities in Jinja city, eastern Uganda have confirmed the outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD). The disease is prevalent in Masese, Jinja central business area and Budondo regions. 

Speaking to URN on Saturday, Rajab Kiito, the public relations officer Jinja city, said FMD is mainly affecting pastoralists who graze their cattle along different streets within the city. He says the veterinary department has organized meetings with relevant stakeholders to ensure that all animals are sprayed with approved herbicides to contain further spread of FMD.  

He says that they have since notified the ministry of Agriculture on the need to vaccinate all the cattle within Jinja city and the surrounding areas. Kiito further says that the city's veterinary department has set up different checkpoints to ensure that all animals are screened before being cleared to enter Jinja city abattoirs.   

Isaac Mudumba owns 15 head of cattle, which are infected with FMD. He says that he is currently relying on private veterinary officers to contain the disease.     

"Two of my cows showed signs of FMD in mid-July and I hired a private veterinary officer to spray them. However, the disease continued to spread to the rest of the animals in the kraal," he said.      

Another herdsman who spoke on condition of anonymity says that he has registered 32 cases of FMD in the past three weeks.

"My herd has been badly hit by FMD, the animals are weakening every day but, I am positive that we shall have a sigh of relief after vaccination," he said.    

Musa Ssozi, the vice-chairperson of the cattle dealers and traders association, says that prior to last month's Eid Adhuha celebrations, about 1500 head of cattle ferried from the different parts of the country were left to freely share grazing grounds with local animals within Jinja city.  

FMD is a viral disease of cloven-hoofed livestock and wildlife, including cattle, goats, swine, sheep and buffalos. It has occurred several times in Uganda since 1953 when it was first confirmed. 

It is characterized by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats, and between the hooves. The disease causes severe production losses, and while the majority of affected animals recover, the disease often leaves them weakened and highly unproductive.

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Court reduces jail sentence of convicted murderer from 61 to 21 years

The Court of Appeal has reduced the jail term of convicted murderer Peter Bagatenda from 61 to 21 years. The decision stems from an appeal filed by Bagatenda challenging his conviction for 61-years for the murder of 15-year-old Pauline Nassiwa in 2000.  

Trouble for Bagatenda started when he beheaded Nassiwa on July 19, 2000. It is alleged that Nassiwa was walking home in Nakawuka trading centre in Entebbe with her 10-year old-nephew Moses Byabasajja around 10 pm when Bagatenda emerged from the bush with a machete, beheaded Nassiwa, and ran away with the head. He is believed to have killed the deceased in ritual to boost his business. 

In 2003, the High court in Entebbe found him guilty of murder and sentenced him to death. However, following the 2006 Susan Kigula case that saw the death penalty revised, lady justice Elizabeth Alividza conducted afresh Bagatenda's case for resentencing. She handed the accused a 61-year-jail term.  

In 2014, Bagatenda through Douglas Magulu Sembuya Advocates appealed the ruling on grounds that the learned justice had erred in law and fact to impose such "an excessive jail term of 61 years." 

The lawyers argued that besides suffering the death row syndrome, their client "had demonstrated a high level of reform, remorse and was a first-time offender aged 22 at the time of the offense in 2000."    

The lawyer also argued that the judge didn't follow the correct sentencing principles, when she ordered the sentence to be reckoned from resentencing date and improperly considered the appellant remand period and post-conviction period jointly.

Magulu also told the appellant court that his client had reformed and enrolled in primary school, adding that keeping him in prison for 61 years would mean that he regains his freedom at 97 years, an age at which he wouldn't be productive anymore to society.  

Now, a three-member of the appellant court comprising justices Catherine Bamugemereire, Remmy Kasule and Geoffrey Kiryabwire has unanimously agreed to reduce Bagatenda's sentence from 61 to 21 years, saying that the earlier sentence was harsh and excessive. 

The justices noted that they would have sentenced the applicant to 35 years in prison but instead handed him 21 years being in mind that he has spent 14 years in jail. 

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Ykee Benda responds to his Tekno collabo critics

By Ahmad Muto Singer Ykee Benda who has just released his 18-track Kirabo album has started receiving criticisms and they are coming in all forms. They have particularly accused him of being a sellout. A day after unveiling the album on Friday,…
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Lumbuye deported back to Uganda from Turkey

Fred Lumbuye, a renowned Ugandan blogger has been deported from Turkey and is being held at an unknown location in Uganda, URN has learnt. According to security sources, Lumbuye arrived in the country aboard Turkish Airlines, which touched down at Entebbe International Airport on Saturday at around 3 am.  

He was held at the police station in the passenger terminal for two hours where he was interrogated and whisked off to Kampala. Multiple security sources say that Lumbuye was escorted by Turkish security operatives who took him through immigration and the police station for clearance. 

"He was taken to the Turkish Embassy for further management and has now been handed over officially to the government," one of the sources says.

Okello Oryem, the Foreign Affairs State minister confirmed Lumbuye's deportation. He, however, denied claims that he was taken to the Turkish Embassy, saying that it wasn't necessary since he was formally handed over to the government before deportation. 

"Lumbuye is in the safe hands of the government," he said. He, however, declined to reveal where he is being held for security purposes and not to attract crowds. Oryem also castigated journalists who were to the airport to witness Lumbuye's arrival.   

"I warned you all not to go to the airport. I told you that you won't get access to the airside. So why did you go to the airport?" he asked. 

He was responding to claims that officers from the elite Special Forces Command (SFC) had chased journalists from the entrance of the airport on Saturday morning.   

Some airport workers that there was heavy deployment between 12 am to 9 am with strict access requirements at the main entrance of the airport. Oryem says that after interrogations, Lumbuye will be produced in the courts of law to answer charges.

Lumbuye, who has been living in Turkey, is in trouble for among others being the source of a rumour that dominated social media in July indicating that President Museveni was very ill and was admitted to a hospital in Germany. The following days he took his allegations to even another level when he announced that Museveni had actually died from the hospital where he had been taken.

Speaking a few days later, Museveni, said the country has got another challenge of social media, which needs to be dealt with urgently. He ordered security agencies to hunt down anybody who is trading rumours that he was dead and for those outside the country, their citizenship should be revoked.

Lumbuye's associates say that he was arrested at the Ugandan Embassy in Istanbul where he had gone to renew his passport. On Friday, Charles Twine, the spokesperson of the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), said that the government had plans of going through known protocols to arrest all Ugandans using social media to tarnish the country's image.

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Olympics ‘Nile’ commentator stunned by messages from Uganda

By Ahmad MutoBritish broadcaster Rob Walker who suddenly became a darling of Uganda last week after his commentary at the Olympics in Tokyo has not stopped showing his admiration for the Pearl of Africa. Following athlete Peruth Chemutai's stunning victory in the women's…
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MPs reject proposal to contribute Shs 2m towards Covid-19 vaccine purchase

MPs have rejected a proposal to deduct Shs 2 million from their salaries to support the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

On Tuesday, Esther Afoyo-chan, a member of the parliamentary commission proposed during plenary that each legislator contributes Shs 2 million to help the government procure vaccines for learners between 2 and 18 years of age.

There are 529 MPs in the 11th parliament. At least Shs 1 billion would be raised with each legislator contributing the proposed Shs 2 billion. During his latest televised address on COVID-19, President, Yoweri Museveni revealed that the government is considering vaccinating all learners as one of the measures to ensure safety and re-opening of schools.

In line with the government's proposal, Afoyo-chan, the Zombo Woman MP proposed that each legislator contributes Shs 2 million from their salary towards the procurement of Pfizer vaccine that is recommended for vaccinating children.

Citing the Bible, she said that even God demands a 10 percent tithe and urged other MPs to part with Shs 2million each from their salaries. However, several legislators could not have any of this. They took to the floor of parliament and opposed the proposal. Jane Pacuto, the Pakwach Woman MP, said that such a matter should not even come on the floor of parliament.

Jonathan Odur, the Erute South MP said the proposal contravenes the employment Act of Uganda, adding that the Parliamentary Commission should ensure that MPs are protected.

"What she is rising, is actually unlawful, that MPs emoluments cannot be deducted contrary to the Employment Act," he said.

Ibrahim Ssemuju Nganda, the Kira Municipality MP, said that the proposal was not before parliament as required by the rules of procedure. The rules required a motion to be tabled for such a proposal.

He recounted that during the 10th parliament, the former speaker Rebecca Kadaga asked MPs to contribute towards the Nsambya hospital cancer facility, something that some legislators did not take in good faith.

Ssemujju said that parliament then resolved to avail consent forms for individual MPs to sign allowing the deduction of their salaries for the cause. He said that the same procedure can apply to the COVID-19 vaccines.

In her ruling, deputy speaker Anita Among said that all MPs interested in contributing the Shs 2 million should approach the COVID-19 National Task Force.

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