EAC Leaders Commission New Berth

Published: August 29, 2013

President Yoweri Museveni has praised President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya for working to ease trade in East Africa.
Museveni noted that Kenyatta had worked actively to reduce bottle necks that impede smooth trade in the East Africa region like reduction of road blocks and weighbridges.
He said President Kenyatta had managed to reduce road blocks from 200 to only 2 and also left only one weighbridge.
Museveni was officiating at the commissioning of the new berth Number 19 at Mombasa Port in his capacity as the current Chairperson of the East African Community.
In attendance were Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto and delegates from South Sudan and Burundi.
The President together with the visiting dignitaries were led through the layout of the port since its construction in the 1920s and current development taking place including the new berth.
President Museveni then together with his fellow Presidents flagged off the off-loading of the 1st container from the berth and unveiled a commemorative plaque.
Museveni congratulated President Kenyatta for the achievement and commended the Kenya Port Authority for the vision of expanding the capacity of the port.
He noted that trade between Uganda and Kenya had increased tremendously and that Kenya now imports 700 million US dollars’ worth of goods from Uganda.
The 5.6 million Kenya shilling facility will create an additional capacity of 250,000 units at the container terminal.
Museveni also noted that the berth is very critical for agricultural producers, industrialists and as well as service providers.
He emphasized the need for integration of east Africa saying that it was all about enabling producers to produce sustainably and have a ready market regionally.
President Kenyatta noted his government’s commitment to the East African integration.
President Kagame noted that the people of Rwanda look forward to working with those in Kenya in promoting the agenda of integration.
William Ruto, the Vice president of Kenya, described the occasion as historic as the facility with other infrastructure will assist the people of the region to do business and expand investment in the region.
Uganda’s delegation at the function included Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa, Internal Affairs Minister General Aronda Nyakairima, Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde, Minister of Energy Irene Muloni, Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka and others.

Buganda To Showcase Vast Mineral Potential At UK Trade And Investment Fair

Published: August 28, 2013

Buganda Kingdom is set to market her Untapped Minerals and Chunk pieces of Land for Development at Powerful UK International Trade and Investment Fair.

Vice President Edward Ssekandi and the former Katikiro of Buganda Eng. JB Walusimbi at a locally organised land Expo

The kingdom has finalized plans to showcase her vast mineral potential as well as vast land for development, to attract moneyed- investors in the wealthy Europe.
The fair will start on September 14 and the 3rd annual edition of this fare will be held at Troxy Arena, 490 Commercial Road, E1 0HX.
Buganda Land Board, the kingdom’s agency that manages its land buildings is expected to be one of the high powered exhibitors at the fare.
Willy Mutenza, The chairman of Uganda Convention in UK, the largest forum in Europe designed to promote Uganda as the favored investment destination in East Africa, has confirmed that Buganda Land Board will feature at the fare.
According to the statement issued by Mutenza, Buganda Land Board will use the forum to showcase its various available investment opportunities.
He also highlighted the untapped opportunities in Buganda Kingdom and they included;
Huge deposits of quality granite stone outcrops which can be used for making hard core granite tiles, fabrication of kitchen/table counter tops, tombstones, bathroom vanity tops, Jacuzzi and fireplace surrounds, stone aggregate for road construction and reinforcing buildings.
Planned land for real estate development in Kigo, next to Lake Victoria Serena Resort.
Buganda Kingdom land that is available for agricultural purposes in Kyaggwe.
Land for a mass housing project in Buswa Wakiso District: this project would fill a gap in the housing sector.
According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Uganda has a housing deficit of 550,000 units. About 160,000 units of this backlog are in urban areas. Kampala alone has a housing deficit of 100,000 units
The fair will offer private individuals and companies large and small the opportunity to access business and investment opportunities presented on the day by experts from Uganda and abroad.
Mutenza further stressed that the Expo has achieved some ground-breaking results.
“After the 2nd Convention a group of investors committed to invest more than $3million in a maize processing plant. Another group donated more than $50,000 to the 1st Lady who was among the chief guests at the 2nd Convention to build a school and buy two tractors for the women of Karamoja,” Mutenza said in a press statement.

MOH Officials Grilled Over Recruitment Of Health Workers

Published: August 30, 2013

Ugandan Ministry of Health officials were on Thursday put on the spotlight to explain what happened to 3 billion shillings meant for recruitment of Doctors and critical health workers.

State minister for health Dr Elioda Tumwesigye (R) stated that they needed 1.9 billion shillings to carry out a second phase of recruitment exercise to fill over 20,000 vacancies.

Appearing before the health committee, state minister for health Dr Elioda Tumwesigye stated that they needed 1.9 billion shillings to carry out a second phase of recruitment exercise to fill over 20,000 vacancies.
These included 378 vacancies for Mulago hospital, 50 for Butabika hospital, and 1,210 vacancies for 14 regional hospitals. Others are 2,849 vacancies for 48 general hospitals, 529 District health officers, and a total of 15,864 vacancies in health centres 4, 3, 2 and urban authorities.
The Ministry of Health officials since the last financial year have several times asked Parliament to allocate money for a second phase of recruitment for health workers.
On Thursday, Oyam South MP Betty Amongi raised a query on how the 3 billion shillings that women MPs forced President Yoweri Museveni to release for recruitment of health workers in the last financial year was used.
Aston Kajara, the state minister for privatisation, distanced himself from blame when he quickly stated that the money was released to the Ministry of Health, even though the officials had earlier stated that they did not have money for enhancement.
Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Director General Health Services, then quickly consulted with the desk officer who confirmed that the planning department was aware of the money.
Last week, Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka told the committee that all monies meant for Ministry of Health were released on time.
Kenneth Mugambe, the Director for Budgeting at the Ministry of Finance, also added that out of the 49.5 billion shillings released for recruitment, 34 billion was not spent and was sent back to the consolidated fund, which means it can be accessed for fresh recruitment.
Dr Aceng also explained expenditure of the 49.5 billion saying only 6.5 billion shillings was given to the ministry of health. She said 43 billion shillings was sent to various districts for payment of salaries of the recruited health workers.
Out of the 6.5 billion, 3 billion shillings was for recruitment while 3.5 billion was to enhance salaries of Doctors who were already in service before the recruitment exercise.
Meanwhile the committee also heard that the Ministry of Health requires 43.1 billion shillings for retention packages for health workers. The package was introduced for medical officers at Health Centre Fours, where ten categories of key employees still require retention package.
The total number of filled positions in the health facilities is 11,132 while 2,306 are still vacant. This means that the total annual salary is 71.2 billion shillings with a total annual allowance of 17.3 billion shillings. To enhance their salary by 50 percent Dr Tumwesigye says they require an extra 43.1 billion shillings.
To enhance the salaries of medical officers in General hospitals by 1.5 million shillings, the ministry requires a total of 2.9 billion shillings annually. For district health officers, an enhancement of their salaries by 1.5 million shillings would cost the ministry 2 billion shillings.
Dr Christine Mwebesa, the deputy chairperson health service commission who kept shaking her head when the Ministry officials were submitting, asked why some staff in health centre Fours were not found.
In the last recruitment exercise, only 84 medical officers were hired together with 45 anesthetic officers, 35 public health nurses, 40 ophthalmic clinic officers and 25 theatre assistants.   There are 170 health centres with theatres.
Dr Mwebesa put the blame on public service, explaining that employees who do post basic training such as anesthetic officers, public health nurses and ophthalmic clinic officers also do a public health diploma. However, upon competition of the public health diploma, Dr Mwebesa expressed disappointment that they are still brought back at a salary scale of U-5.
The other problem cited was the fact that government does not carry out training for theatre assistants which is done by Rubaga Hospital only.

Govt Fails To Allocate Money To Buy Hospital Mattresses

Published: August 29, 2013

With a failing health system, hospitals in a state of disrepair, Ugandans seeking for medical attention in government facilities will brace themselves and continue sleeping on bare floors after news that there will be no new mattresses this financial year.

MPs learned that government hospitals may no get new beds as money for them was spent.

State Minister for Health Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye on Thursday made a passionate plea to Parliament to ask government to allocate money to buy hospital beds and mattresses.
Dr Tumwesigye told the Health Committee led by Kenneth Omona, MP Kaberamaido, that the National Medical Stores (NMS) in the financial year 2011/2012 had planned to procure beds and mattresses for all health facilities in Uganda at a cost of 16 billion shillings.
The money was diverted by Ministry of Health to facilitate what it termed priorities and urgent needs worsened by a budget cut off in the fourth quarter hence failure to procure beds.
Government needs a total of 31,305 beds to cover two national referral hospitals with 1200 beds for both adults and children.
13 Regional Referral hospitals require 3250 beds, 48 general hospitals 6000 beds, 170 heath centres IV 6,800 beds and 937 health centres III’s need 14,055 beds.
The grand total including delivery and assembling at the health facility requires 22.4 billion shillings.
The State Minister then dropped the bombshell that funds have not been provided to procure beds and mattresses this financial year.
Dr Tumwesigye noted that this is a critical area and appealed that if the committee could get money from another sector and avail beds.
Moses Kamabare the National Medical Stores Executive Director, explained to the committee that in 2012 government had an understanding with Global Fund to procure drugs under the long term institutions procurement.
However since there was no decision made between Global Fund and government to acquire the money, the government went ahead to spend the 16 billion meant for mattresses with hope that it would get reimbursed as soon as Global Fund releases the funds for HIV/AIDS.
Kamabare adds that in the third quarter of the financial year 2012/2013 Global Fund did not honour its promise and instead decided to provide actual medical supplies to different facilities.
The Ministry of Health also used the money for what they determined as priorities and the balance was used to buy other urgent needs.
Kabasharira Naome, Ntungamo Woman MP, suggested that since government is not going to be able to afford to get the 22 billion shillings, the ministry should identify the critical areas such as Kitagata hospital and buy the mattresses.
The unit cost of each adult bed and mattress is 292.5 dollars with a total cost of 6.689,703 million dollars. Meanwhile the total cost of the paediatric bed is 232 dollars with a total of 1.961.137 million dollars.

Karamoja Men Shun Circumcision

Published: August 29, 2013

Only a handful of men in Kaabong district have embraced the safe male medical circumcision, since it was launched there a month ago.
In June, government launched safe male medical circumcision in Kaboong district as one of the ways of reducing HIV infection. However, only 10 men have so far undergone the Safe male medical circumcision at Kaboong hospital.

Only a handful of men in Kaabong district have embraced the safe male medical circumcision, since it was launched there a month ago.

Dr. Charity Oneko, a medic at Kaabong Hospital the district had targeted 2880 males by end of this financial year but the men have shunned the exercise.
She says they may not hit their target despite decentralizing the exercise to sub counties. Oneko notes that health workers have to wait longer for the men to turn up for circumcision across the district. She attributes the low turn up to the stiff culture of the Karimojong.
Joseph Midi Komol, the Kaabong LC5 Chairperson blames the health practitioners for not carrying out sufficient sensitization on Safe Medical Male Circumcision. He says most of the residents are not aware of the significance of circumcision. Komol says since the practice is new in Karamoja, most men look at it as bad. He encourages men in the district to embrace Safe Male Medical circumcision saying it is for their own benefit.
Dr. Peter Mudiope, the Head of HIV prevention Uganda Aids Commission acknowledges safe Male Medical Circumcision is a delicate initiative. He asks the leaders to encourage the men in the district accept safe male circumcision by outlining its importance.
In 2007, the World Health Organization, UN AIDS and the Government of Uganda recommended the use of male circumcision as an effective intervention for HIV prevention. This came after various studies showed that circumcision reduces the risk of HIV infection in men by approximately 60%.

DRC CRISIS: M23 Rebels Withdraw

Published: August 30, 2013

The M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has said it will stop fighting, following days of clashes with UN-backed forces.

M23 official Museveni Sendugo told the BBC its forces had already pulled back 5km (three miles) from the frontline.

The M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has said it will stop fighting, following days of clashes with UN-backed forces.

Rebel leader Bertrand Bisimwa said the pull-back would allow an independent investigation into how shells fell over the border in Rwanda on Thursday.
Rwanda says the Congolese army fired the shells. Congo denies the claims.
The M23 is made up of deserters from the Congolese army. They are mostly ethnic Tutsis, like Rwanda’s leadership.
DR Congo and the UN accuse Rwanda of backing the M23, a charge it denies.
Their troops have been pounding rebel positions on the Congolese side of the border with Rwanda since last week.
As tension escalated on Thursday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appealed to Rwanda’s president for restraint.
Rwanda twice invaded its much larger neighbour during the 1990s, and the border area has been unstable for two decades.
Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende told the BBC’s Newsday programme that M23 rebels were firing onto Rwandan territory “to give Rwanda a pretext for coming in openly in this war”.
A newspaper close to Rwanda’s government has published photographs showing a military build-up near the border with DR Congo.
The UN peacekeeping mission in DR Congo, Monusco, recently deployed a new 3,000-strong intervention brigade to tackle the rebels.

Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said on Thursday that 13 “bombs and rockets” had been fired into Rwanda on Wednesday and 10 the following day.

This brought the number of attacks Congolese have carried out on Rwanda in the last month to 34, she said.
She accused DR Congo forces of targeting Rwandan civilians and said: “We have remained restrained for as long as we can but this provocation can no longer be tolerated.”
BBC Great Lakes service editor Ally Yusuf Mugenzi says that even when Rwanda invaded Congolese territory, it never made such strong accusations against the Congolese army.
Congolese army spokesman Col Olivier Hamuli told the BBC that his forces would never fire at civilian populations.
“That could only be rebels,” he said, adding that M23 fighters, and not soldiers, were in the area from which the shells were fired.
This was backed up by Mr Ban’s assistant, Edmond Mulet, who told the UN Security Council that UN forces in the DR Congo had witnessed M23 rebels firing artillery into Rwanda but not the Congolese army, diplomats said.
Mr Mulet ended the session by informing members that Mr Ban had telephoned Rwandan President Paul Kagame to urge restraint.
At least 800,000 people have fled their homes in DR Congo since the M23 launched its rebellion in April 2012.
The M23 rebel movement is named after a 23 March 2009 peace deal that ended four years of rebellion in eastern Congo.
The rebels complained the Congolese government had failed to honour the agreement, which included integrating them into the army.
Eastern DR Congo has been wracked by conflict since 1994, when Hutu militias fled across the border from Rwanda after carrying out a genocide against Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

DRC CRISIS: Rwanda Officers Fueling Violence – UN

Published: August 30, 2013

Rwandan military officers are fueling deadly violence in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations has said.

UN forces in Congo (file photo)

The UN said on Thursday it had “consistent and credible reports” of Rwandan troops entering Congo to back March 23 movement (M23) rebels fighting against the Congolese army and UN troops.
Deputy UN peacekeeping chief Edmond Mulet briefed the UN Security Council on the situation in eastern Congo. He told the Security Council that Rwandan soldiers had assisted the rebels, according to the diplomats.
The UN and Kinshasa have accused Rwanda and Uganda of helping the rebels in Congo. Rwanda and Uganda have repeatedly denied the charges that they are backing the M23, but Kigali and Kampala have never publicly condemned the militia, which occupied the city of Goma in eastern Congo for 10 days last November.
On Thursday, the Congolese army forces backed by new United Nations intervention brigade shelled M23 rebels near Goma.
The Intervention Brigade has been given a stronger mandate by the Security Council to launch offensive operations against armed groups in eastern Congo.
Earlier on Thursday, Rwanda accused the Congolese army, the FARDC, of shelling into its territory, adding that such “provocation” could no longer be tolerated.
A Rwandan woman was killed and her baby injured, reports said.
However, the UN mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO, has seen only M23 rebels firing artillery into neighboring Rwanda, Mulet said.
“MONUSCO has not witnessed any shelling by the FARDC into Rwanda. These are areas where FARDC are not present,” Mulet was quoted as saying.
On February 8, leaders from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) approved the deployment of a special intervention force to Congo.
On March 28, the UN Security Council passed a resolution, which not only renewed the mandate of MONUSCO for one year, but also endorsed the 4,000-strong Intervention Brigade, which consists of Tanzanian, South African and Malawian soldiers.
The M23 rebels and several other armed groups are active in the eastern Congo and are fighting for control of the country’s vast mineral resources, such as gold, the main tin ore cassiterite, and coltan (columbite-tantalite), which is used to make many electronic devices, including cell phones.
Since early May 2012, nearly three million people have fled their homes in the eastern Congo. About 2.5 million have resettled in Congo, but about 500,000 have crossed into neighboring Rwanda and Uganda.
Congo has faced numerous problems over the past few decades, such as grinding poverty, crumbling infrastructure, and a war in the east of the country that has dragged on since 1998 and left over 5.5 million people dead.

Govt Denies Deal Over Migrants Deported From Israel

Govt Denies Deal Over Migrants Deported From Israel before that.........

Uganda To Host African Immigrants Expelled From Israel

Published: August 30, 2013

The Ugandan government denied on Friday that it would accept African migrants deported from Israel after Israeli officials said they would soon send these people back to the African continent via Uganda.
“We’re not aware of any such deal. There’s no way Uganda would enter such an arrangement,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Elly Kamahungye said.
Israeli officials said they would shortly start the process of deporting the Eritrean and Sudanese migrants, who number more than 50,000.
Israel regards most of these Africans as illegal visitors crowding impoverished areas in search of jobs, and largely rejects the position of human rights groups that many fled their countries in search of political asylum.
A statement late on Thursday from Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel would soon begin a staged process of deporting the migrants after an agreement was reached with an African country other than Eritrea and Sudan to absorb them.
Michal Rozin, chairwoman of parliament’s committee on foreign workers, said by telephone that Uganda was the country that had agreed to absorb migrants who had settled in Israel.

2 Dead After Eating Fox Meat

Joseph Opio and Expedito Tumusiime were reported dead after eating fox meat.
The sad incident happened in Ngurwe village, Kasonga parish, Kyangwali Sub County, Hoima district.

Fredrick Byenume, the Hoima district Health Inspector said that  the two who are in their 20s, died on Wednesday August 28 a day after eating Fox meat.
Fredrick further explained that the villagers hunted down the wild animal on Monday August 26. After killing it on Tuesday, they roasted its meat and ate it.
The two developed stomach complication shortly after eating the meat. They were then rushed to Kituti health center where Joseph died from. Joseph later died on his way to mulago hospital on Wednesday.
Four other people, of the 50 who ate the meat are also admitted at Kituti health centre complaining of stomach pain.
The District Health Inspector however said that the medics are investigating the exact cause of death, since fox meat is not known to be dangerous to humans.
Byenume describes the condition of the still admitted patients as stable. He reveals that the patients are being given painkillers
The act by residents to feed on Fox meat has left health officials and local leaders surprised.
Rwemera Mazirane, the Kyangwali Local Council 3 Chairman, said that it is his first time to hear that Fox meat is a delicacy to some people in his area.
Two months ago, residents in the neighboring Kibaale district killed and feasted on a chimpanzee after it attacked and injured three people.

DRC-RWANDA TENSIONS: UN Boss Appeals For Restraint

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appealed to Rwanda for restraint amid escalating tensions with the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
This comes just a day after Rwanda complained that a rocket fired from the DRC territory on Thursday, killed one person in Rubavu district.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appealed to Rwanda for restraint amid escalating tensions with DRC

Rwanda threatened to retaliate in what they called continued provocation from the DRC, where a joint operation by the UN intervention Brigade and the government forces are fighting the M23 rebels.
The incident on Thursday was the second in just one week that rockets fired from DRC have landed Rwanda. Last week a 107mm rocket allegedly fired by DRC forces landed in Bugu Cell in Cyanzarwe Sector damaging property.
Rubavu District Mayor Sheikh Hassan Bahame said the act by the Congolese army was inhuman, though DRC army spokesperson Olivier Hamuli dismissed the allegations as baseless.
Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said 13 “bombs and rockets” were fired into Rwanda on Wednesday and 10 on Thursday.  This brought to 34 the number of attacks Congolese have carried out on Rwanda in the last month, according to the minister.

Presidents Joseph Kabila of DRC (L) and Paul Kagame of Rwanda. Rwanda threatened to retaliate in what they called continued provocation from the DRC.

The UN says Ban spoke to President Paul Kagame after Rwanda accused DRC of deliberately bombing its territory, killing a woman and wounding her baby.
According to the BBC, Ban’s assistant, Edmond Mulet, reportedly told UN members that M23 rebels had been seen firing into Rwanda.
The DRC government and the UN accuse Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, a charge it denies. The rebels have been fighting the government of President Joseph Kabila since April 2012. At the heart of the disagreement is core of the former Rwandan armed forces, the FDLR, who have been living in the DRC after participating in the 1994 genocide.
Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende is quoted by the BBC as saying M23 rebels were firing onto Rwandan territory “in order to give Rwanda a pretext to openly enter the war.
The UN peacekeeping mission in DR Congo, Monusco, recently deployed a new 3,000-strong intervention brigade to push the rebels further from Goma, the eastern DRC regional city near the Rwandan border. The M23 captured and briefly occupied the town in November 2012.
At least 800,000 people have fled their homes the fighting started in April 2012, with many of them crossing into Uganda.

Kadaga Irked By Ministers’ Absence During Plenary

The absence of Ministers in plenary sessions without explanations on Thursday almost brought business to a standstill forcing the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to demand for written explanations.
The Minister for Defence Chrispus Kiyonga and Internal Affairs Minister Gen. Aronda Nyakairima were expected to present their ministerial statements and respond to queries put by Members of Parliament but were not present.

Speaker of Parliament Hon. Rebecca Kadaga

Speaker Kadaga told the house that she had not received any written explanations as to why the Ministers were missing in action.
Third Prime Minister also MP Moyo Moses Ali vehemently tried to defend ministers amidst interruptions as he explained that Kiyonga is abroad while Jeje Odong the State Minister for Defence is sick.
Premier Ali added that Gen. Aronda is in Mombasa while the state minister James Baba is also sick.
MP Cecilia Ogwal Dokolo MP stood up and  cynically suggested that they should go and visit the sick Ministers at their respective homes and hospitals causing laughter in the house.
Kalungu East MP Ssewungu Gonzanga told Parliament that he was with the Defence Minister Kiyonga that morning and was shocked to hear that he was not able to attend plenary.
Mulimba John, MP Samia Bugwe North, noted that all ministerial statements come with particular signatures appended to them and each ministry has more than one minister. He proposed that as it is in the committees that no statement is accepted from technical staff apart from substantive minister, so must it be done during plenary.
Tashobya Steven MP Kajara County said this action is a clear statement on the importance that the government ministers attach to government business.
Kadaga who is also the Chairperson of the Appointments Committee stated that when each minister comes for vetting they have portfolios and were approved with some conditions. She also revealed that there was a minister she saw at lunch time and wondered why he was not present to account.
Ever since her seeming fall out with leader of government business and Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Kadaga is yet to chair a plenary session with majority of the ministers attending.
Worth noting is that the Prime Minister himself has not attended plenary chaired by Kadaga ever since the passing of the Public Order Management Bill (POMB) which sitting was chaired by Jacob Oulanyah.
On the second day of Kadaga’s chairing, 21st a Wednesday of August all ministers did not turn up and later the Minister without Portfolio Todwong Richard said they had a lengthy agenda with pertinent issues to discuss.

Mbale Student Kills Colleague Over Waragi

Police in Mbale are hunting for a 19-year-old student for stabbing a colleague to death after a disagreement over locally made gin commonly known as Waragi.

Menase Losike, a senior four student at Progressive High School, stabbed Emmanuel Lukoli a senior Senior six student at the same school.
The victim and the suspect, all from Moroto district, were sharing a rented room at Buwalasi view in Mbale Municipality.
According to students who preferred anonymity, the Wednesday night incident was sparked off by an argument over a sachet of Waragi before it degenerated into a fist fight. They said the two had a long quarrel before Losike stabbed his colleague to death and run away.
A student who identified herself only as Fatuma said the two had been good friends adding that they thought they were playing.
Diana Nandawula, the Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident saying they are hunting for the suspect. She said the victim died instantly after he was stabbed in the chest.
Nandawula said preliminary investigation indicates that the duo spent the whole day in the bar drinking waragi and suspects the incident was as the result of drunkenness.
Up to late on Thursday, the body of the deceased was still lying at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital mortuary.
In July 2012, a similar incident occurred at Bugisu High School in Mbale, when a female student stabbed of her colleagues to death and injured another. Lillian Nake then aged 20 and in Senior Four, killed Catherine Wegosasa and injured Caroline Marole during a fight over a pair of shoes.

IGG Advice Ignored In New Water MD Appointment

inShareThe appointment of Dr Silver Mugisha as the new National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) Managing Director continues to attract negative comments with the Inspectorate of Government saying its advice was ignored.

IGG Irene Mulyagonja

Dr. Mugisha was early this week confirmed as the new Managing Director by the NWSC board headed by acting chairman Christopher Ebalu. The board put Mugisha and the other top contender for the job, former acting managing director Alex Gisagara on psychometric in the long and grueling process to choose the director to take over from Dr William Muhairwe, who retired almost two years ago.
During the time of Muhairwe, Mugisha worked as Chief Manager in charge of Institutional Development and External Services at NWSC, while Gisagara was Chief Manager in charge of Engineering Services.
The recruitment process was however carried out in the absence of the board chairman William Oketcho who is still on suspension over allegations of delaying the appointment of the NWSC managing director.
The Inspectorate of Government (IGG) now says its advice on the matter was ignored in the run up to Dr Mugisha’s appointment.

Minister for Water and Environment Ephraim Kamuntu. The report pinned him for undue political interference in the process.

In July, the IGG wrote a report on the alleged irregularities in the appointment of the Managing Director at the corporation after receiving a complaint from a concerned party on the manner in which the process was being handled.
The report pinned Water and Environment Minister, Professor Ephraim Kamuntu, for undue political interference in the process. It also faulted the board of the corporation for causing the withdrawal of KPMG, an independent consultancy firm that had been hired to handle the recruitment process.
IGG spokesperson Munira Ali says the office handled the investigation as an ombudsman to help NWSC handle the different leadership issues they had. She adds the side-stepping of the IGG recommendations raises governance issues affecting the corporation. Munira further adds that the recommendations are however not binding on the corporation board.
In the report the IGG notes that in the interests of transparency and fairness, and clearing up any doubts and controversies surrounding the recruitment process, the current NWSC Board of Directors should conduct a fresh recruitment process right from the beginning.
Christopher Ebalu, the acting board chairman declined to comment on the matter saying it was a corporate affair that cannot be discussed in the media.
The NWSC spokesperson Vivien Newumbe has not responded to emails sent to her and phone calls have gone unanswered.
The process had earlier been halted after allegations of political interference were raised. This was after President Yoweri Museveni acting on the advice of Professor Kamuntu endorsed the appointment of Mugisha. The IGG decried the political interference and ordered that the board be left to handle the process. However, last month the board chairman William Oketcho was suspended over allegations of delaying the appointment. Investigations into this matter are still ongoing.
During Oketcho’s suspension, the acting Board Chairman subjected the two candidates to psychometric tests from which Mugisha emerged winner and was subsequently appointed.
Other recommendations from the IGG included the hiring of a new consultancy firm to carry out the recruitment process, fresh advertising of the top NWSC job and avoidance of unnecessary political participation in the process, none of which was picked up.

ULS to Challenge Odoki’s Reappointment in Court

inShare

The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has unanimously agreed to challenge the reappointment of retired Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki in court if Parliament vets him.

Justice Benjamin Odoki has been re-appointed Chief Justice

After one of the members of the society Bruce Kyerere filed a petition that was discussed at the society’s extraordinary general meeting, the lawyers resolved that if all the other prayers in the motion are not achieved, they will challenge the reappointment in courts of law.
Kyerere’s motion sought to discuss the illegality surrounding the reappointment of Odoki and the consequences it has on the Judiciary, to ask Museveni to withdraw the appointment of Odoki, to implore Odoki to decline the appointment and to urge appointments committee of parliament to reject the appointment.
The lawyers argued that the appointment of Odoki will compromise the independence of the Judiciary and will create a credibility crisis in the third arm of government.
The petitioner said that the Judiciary cannot be embroiled in controversy because it is the arbiter of all controversies.
One of the lawyers said that the court of South Africa ruled when President Jacob Zuma appointed the Chief Justice illegally, that a country cannot have a Chief Justice working on tenure because it will compromise the autonomy of the Judiciary. The society by way of voting adopted the prayers of the petition.
Article 144 of the Constitution requires a Chief Justice to vacate the office on attaining 70 years of age. Odoki clocked 70 in March this year, retired in June but was reappointed in the same capacity by President Museveni in July.

Law Society Suspends AG Nyombi Over ‘Incompetence’

Published: August 30, 2013

The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has unanimously resolved to suspend Attorney General Peter Nyombi from the lawyers’ body saying that he is incompetent and has embarrassed the legal fraternity.

AG Peter Nyombi. The petitioners say that the Attorney General has given the President misleading advice

In an extraordinary general meeting, the society resolved to adopt the prayers in a petition by Jude Mbabali and others about Nyombi’s conduct and the way he executes his duties as Attorney General.
The petitioners say that the Attorney General has given the President misleading advice and therefore cannot continue advising the president and Ugandans on matters that greatly affect the nation.
The petitioners as background of their petition cite the opinion that Nyombi gave to President Museveni over the reappointment of Odoki which contravenes article 144 of the Constitution. They also say that the Attorney General misled Museveni by saying that the recently appointed Minister for Internal Affairs Aronda Nyakairima can serve as minister while still serving in the army.
The petitioners also add that it was the fault of the Attorney General that the government of Uganda lost 13 billion shillings to Severino Twinobusingye as compensation when he won the case against parliament’s resolutions concerning the ministers that were accused of getting bribes from oil companies in 2011. They argue that the Attorney General refused to appeal the ruling and the subsequent costs awarded to Twinobusingye within the stipulated time.
Several members supported the petition citing examples that brought the competence of the Attorney General in question. Reading the opinion that Nyombi gave President Museveni in December 2011 regarding the compensation of the former workers of Coffee Marketing Board, lawyer and Oyam North MP Crispus Ayena said that it is the President who advises the Attorney General not the other way round.
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago also cited the opinion Nyombi gave regarding the tribunal to impeach him. Nyombi in his opinion to the minister for Kampala Fank Tumwebaze stated that there was no background for instituting a tribunal but opposed Lukwago in court when he went there seeking that Nyombi’s opinion be reinforced.
A number of lawyers opposed the prayer to suspend Nyombi saying that the society has no power to suspend the Attorney General or anybody for that matter as stipulated in section four of their act while others said that the Attorney General should be accorded a fair hearing.
One Kiwanuka Kiryowa moved a motion that Mbabali’s petition be declared null and void saying that the prayers he seeks are illegal and untenable because Nyombi is a member of the society by law and cannot be suspended.
But majority of the lawyers argued that it is the duty of the Law fraternity to ensure that constitutionalism is observed.
Robert Kabumba argued that the Constitution is above Uganda Law Society Act saying that article 3 gives Ugandans a duty to protect the constitution against people that defy it like the attorney general. The prayers of the petition were subjected to vote and an overwhelming majority voted for Nyombi’s suspension.
The meeting also resolved to adopt other prayers on the petitions which included; that the society expresses displeasure towards Nyombi’s conduct and strongly disassociates itself with the opinions he has rendered that are inconsistent with the constitution.
That the society issues Nyombi with the certificate of incompetence, that parliament passes a law to make the office of the attorney general an independent office free from any political interference and that Nyombi be referred to the law council for trial proceedings.

Makerere Re-Opens September 7th

Published: August 29, 2013

Makerere University is set to re-open on September 7th after lecturers agreed to call off their strike that led to the closure of the institution two weeks ago. 

Muasa members vote for the suspension of the strike at the University Main Hall yesterday. NET PHOTO

The university council sitting at Makerere Main Hall agreed on the date after lecturers agreed to a 70% salary incentive. The teaching staff under Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) had been pushing for a 100% pay rise.
In a communiqué to the press from the council Chairman Dr. Charles Wana Etyem, the council said the university was now ready to resume operations after reaching an agreement with the lecturers on their salary demands.
On Friday, the Makerere staff under MUASA agreed to call of their month-long strike after the university council re-aligned the budget to find 44 billion shillings for their salary increment.
However, negotiations between the two bodies yielded fruit after the university funds were touched and redundant expenditures reallocated to the wage bill. This cut off areas of workshops, travel, road construction projects and some teaching allowances.
The academic program will start running effective September 7th for three straight months.
MUASA members lay down their tools on 2nd August demanding an immediate 100% salary increment. Council, however, responded by closing the university to allow for negotiations to take shape just three days before the academic year was due to start. The academic year was set to open on 17th August.

“ADF Children” Reunited with Families

Published: August 29, 2013

It was all joy at Butaleja District Headquarters on Wednesday as children who were recently rescued from the Allied Democratic Forces –ADF training camp in Buvuma Island reunited with their parents.

Some of the rescued chidklren waiting to be re-united with the parents at Butaleja District Headquarters.

The 15 children most of who are between the ages of 12 and 15 are all residents of Namunasa village, Nampologoma parish in Kachonga sub county- Butaleja district. They were rescued in a joint operation by the army and the police on July 27.
Hadija Gimbo, a mother of two of the rescued children fainted on seeing her children and was rushed to Busolwe Hospital in Butaleja. After she recovered, Gimbo expressed joy for her children saying she had completely lost hope of seeing them again. Gimbo commended the government for rescuing and bringing them back.
Fazili Haruna Hasahya, whose two children were rescued, was all in tears of joy as he grabbed and hugged them. Haruna narrated that he had left the children at home as he went to the trading center, but when he returned he never found them. He said he searched for them in vain for more than two weeks.
Patrick Onyango, the Deputy Police Spokesperson, claims that the security burst the ADF training camp in Buvuma Island following Intelligence reports that the ADF rebel group had started recruiting some young children there.
Onyango said after they were rescued on July 27th, the children who were undergoing indoctrination into the ADF ideologies were rehabilitated at a center in Kampala he declined to identify for security reasons, before they were handed to their parents on Wednesday.
He advised parents and guardians to take extra care about the movement of their children and asked them to be security conscious.
Lt. Godfrey Kavili, the Butaleja District Internal Security Officer [DISO], who represented the army at the handover, claims that some parents were conniving with the ADF rebel group to recruit their children.
He said they are investigating some of these parents adding that those implicated would be arrested and charged with treason.
Kavili said they are going to beef up security in the district to avert the ADF target in the area.
Joseph Muyonjo, the Butaleja District LC 5 chairperson said his office has also received information that some parents were willingly recruiting their children into the ADF rebel group.
Muyonjo said until the children were rescued none of the parents reported to police about the disappearance of their children, something he says is suspicious.
He said the district leaders will work with the security team to get these parents. He warned the general public against resorting to armed rebellion to overthrow the government.

Rwanda To DRC: We Will Not Hesitate To Defend Our Territory

Published: August 29, 2013

Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Government Spokesperson, has said that DRC forces have intensified deliberate shelling of Rwandan territory and that Rwanda has a responsibility to protect its population.

Rwanda’a Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo says her country Will Not Hesitate To Defend Its Territory

Mushikiwabo issued the statement on Thursday after a bomb fired by FARDC at 9.45am killed a woman and seriously injured her two-month-old baby in a market in Rubavu town. A second bomb landed at 11.20am near the grande barriere in Rubavu town injuring one person while eight bombs landed at Busasamana village in Rubavu District at 11.30am.
This follows thirteen bombs and rockets fired by DRC forces on Wednesday at Rwandan border villages in Rubavu District. A total of 34 bombs and rockets have been fired into Rwanda in the last month by DRC forces.
“The persistent shelling of Rwandan territory is unacceptable, as it would be to any sovereign nation. Rwandan civilians are being targeted by DRC forces,” she said. “We have remained restrained for as long as we can but this provocation can no longer be tolerated. We have the capacity to determine who fired at us and will not hesitate to defend our territory. Rwanda has a responsibility to protect its population.”
She said that the Government of Rwanda has repeatedly urged the Government of DRC to stop attacks on its territory but instead violations have increased in frequency and intensity. She pointed out that no one is calling out the FDLR genocidaires who continue to be inexplicably shielded, while actively collaborating with DRC forces right across Rwanda’s border.
“It is hypocritical for the international community to talk about protecting civilians when FARDC together with FDLR are causing harm to our citizens as if the lives of Rwandans have no value. The attacks by FARDC and FDLR have now reached another level.”
Minister Mushikiwabo said it was regrettable that the international community has not mastered the necessary coherence to properly manage the situation, including supporting the regional political dialogue that had yielded a lull in the fighting in Eastern DRC.
“The shelling by FARDC and FDLR has been a sustained strategy of provocation designed to draw Rwanda into the conflict. Rwanda is the most willing signatory to the peace and security framework and we have done everything we can to contribute to durable peace in the Eastern DRC. But we will not stand by while the army of one of the signatories continues to shell civilian targets in Rwanda.”

Uganda To Host African Immigrants Expelled From Israel

Published: August 29, 2013

Uganda has agreed to take in tens of thousands of African migrants expelled from Israel in exchange for arms , a gag order lifted on Thursday revealed.

According to the arrangement, Uganda will either accept the migrants, or serve as a transit station to their own countries.

A gag order is a legal order by a court or government, restricting information or comment from being made public, or in some cases, passed onto any unauthorized third party. Gag orders may be used, for example, to keep legitimate trade secrets of a company, to protect the integrity of ongoing police or military operations.

According to the arrangement, Uganda will either accept the migrants, or serve as a transit station to their own countries.
Israel’s Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that Hagai Hadas, the prime minister’s special envoy, had obtained Uganda government’s consent, which was approved recently by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein.
However,  Human rights groups in Israel say that the plan is in violation of UN policy.
According to Israeli media, under the agreement in principle, Uganda will take 1,500-2,000 Eritreans currently in Israel in exchange for military, technological and agricultural aid.
“In the first stage, we will focus on raising awareness within the population of infiltrators while helping them with the logistics of their departure, including costs, airfare and dealing with the possessions they accumulated while they were in Israel,” Sa’ar said.
During the second stage, which will begin after the upcoming Jewish holidays, the state will set a deadline by which “certain sectors within the “infiltrator population” will be asked to “willingly” leave the country.
ISRAEL AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS
Over the past eight years, some 60,000 African migrants, mostly from Eritrea and Sudan, have entered Israel via Egypt. Around 2,000 are being held in a prison camp. They have applied for refugee status, but their requests have yet to be processed.
Rising anti-African sentiments exploded into violence last year when a Tel Aviv protest turned ugly. Jewish rioters smashed African-run shops and property, and there was a worrying number of attacks against innocent African.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is now focused on the infiltrators leaving.”

Last year, it offered cash to the migrants to leave voluntarily.
In June this year, the Israeli government decided to send thousands of African migrants to an undisclosed country in an attempt to stem the influx of migrants. That country now happens to be Uganda.
However, this move drew criticism from rights groups in the middle east country
with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel saying their rights must be protected.
“In order to repatriate or resettle refugees or asylum seekers, there are certain standards that have to be met,” ACRI’s Marc Grey told reporters.
“They have to go voluntarily to a third country,” he stressed.
“And that third country needs to provide assurances they will get refugee status.”
In a bid to stop African migrants from entering Israel, the country has erected a barrier along its border with Egypt. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has credited it for a dramatic fall in the numbers of people crossing from Egypt, with only two “infiltrators” entering this month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mid this year was quoted as having said, “We have stopped the infiltration phenomenon into Israel. Last month only two infiltrators entered Israel, compared to more than 2,000 a year ago. Now we are focused on the infiltrators leaving.”

City Buildings Found Wanting On Accessibility Standards

Published: August 29, 2013

Up to 95% of public buildings in Kampala Central Business District (CBD) do not meet accessibility standards, three years after the introduction of guidelines to make them accessible to people with disabilities (PWDs).

In 2010, the Uganda National Action for Physical Disability (UNAPD) formulated standards that were later adopted to inform architects and engineers when drawing plans for new buildings.

This was revealed in a survey that was aimed at establishing the extent to which property developers and constructors adhere to the 2006 PWDs Act, and Article 9 of the 2008 UN Convention of the Rights of PWDs. The legal entities require the State and all players in the construction industry to construct building and facilities that are easily used by every person especially persons with disability.
In 2010, the Uganda National Action for Physical Disability (UNAPD) formulated standards that were later adopted to inform architects and engineers when drawing plans for new buildings. Only plans that adhered to the new guidelines were to be approved.
But the survey which covered hospitals, schools, banks, local authority, courts and police stations, hotels and places of worship shows priority has only been given to people with physical disabilities as compared to those with poor hearing and visual impairments.
George Kiyingi, UNAPD Acting Executive Director, told local media that once the building control standards Bill comes into law, it will be easier to prosecute offenders.
Most of the old buildings in Kampala were supposed to be upgraded to include specific aspects such as signage, ample parking, ramps, squat toilets with grab bars, and tactile markers to guide people with visual impairments among others.
Architect Phyllis Kwesiga of K.K Architects, Interior and Landscape Designers, who carried out the survey, says that the standards do not particularly benefit PWDs.
Mosques registered a noticeable improvement, they have ramps but they are located at the back of the main building or far from the stairs and parking. Corridors are wide to allow easy entry for persons on wheelchairs. At the old Kampala Mosque, the entrance is wide and painted in different colours, a signage for people with canes, but steps at the entrance are steep for people with physical disabilities to mount.
At Makerere University, ramps have been added to old buildings, but buildings lack markings on stare cases to aid the visually impaired people.
Hellen Grace Asamo, a Member of Parliament Representing PWDs in Eastern Uganda, like Moris Buwembo, a former student of Makerere and Angela Bulabo, the Executive Director Spinal Injury Association narrate their ordeal in accessing some of the public buildings.
According to the survey, Centenary Bank showed improvement after PWDs in Hoima sued its management for having inaccessible buildings, high counters and stairs leading to ATM machines.
Mulago Referral Hospital is accessible at the main entrance; however there was no signed parking for PWDs. The closest parking spot near the entrance to the hospital is occupied by the School of Public Health. Toilets for PWDs are on the 6th Floor and most of them have to crawl on cracked and chipped pavements. The Hospital has new beds for pregnant mothers with disabilities, but the attitude of care givers was said to be wanting.
The Central police Station was described as hard to access building, with steep stairs to different floors.
But MP Asamo is concerned that even as the building control bill is awaiting presidential assent to become law, most new buildings that are coming up in the CBD come short of the accessibility standards.
In the transport sector, buses were reported to be extremely inaccessible, with PWDs having to be lifted on board, while some stages or bus-stops had high pedestrian pavements.
Transport motorcycles commonly known as Boda boda were described by the report as the most difficult form of transport for PWDs since they could not climb on motorcycles or alight with their wheelchairs.

MUK Lecturers Call Off Strike, Get 70% Incentive

Published: August 29, 2013

Makerere University lecturers on Thursday afternoon called off their  one month long strike.
The lecturers who lay down their tools demanding an immediate 100% salary increment met Thursday in the Makerere University main hall and called off the strike.

Makerere University lecturers on Thursday afternoon called off their one month long strike.

The development comes after the University Council agreed to give a 70% salary incentive to the staff of Makerere effective this October.
The incentive was drawn from a re-alignment of the university budget to raise 44 billion shillings to fund the incentive. Makerere staff has been in negotiations with the Council for two weeks and before a decision was reached on Wednesday when the staff agreed to take a 70% incentive in order to call off the strike.
Major faculty allowances like travel, workshops and seminars have been cut off and their funds drawn into the wage budget of the university.
According to a letter from Council sent to the Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) executive on 27th August, the payment of the incentive will start with the month of October and all staff arrears will be cleared in the first six weeks of the re-opening of the university.
The staff members are also to pledge 40 working hours every week with 10 of those hours confined to student teaching.
The deal means that a professor in a faculty that has been earning 3.4 million shillings will get an incentive of 2.4 million shillings every month raising his gross salary to 5.8 million. The lowest earner a laboratory assistant who has been at 452,000 shillings as gross salary will get an incentive of 268,000 shillings raising his wage to 720,000 shillings.
The MUASA members were quick to adopt the incentive but vowed to continue pursuing a 100% salary increment from government.
MUASA President Dr. Muhammad Kiggundu says the incentive is just one of the many demands and that it is a starting point for the various changes that will occur to the university.
The university has been closed for two weeks now owing to the lecturers strike. The University Council which closed the university is also starting an afternoon meeting from where they will sign a legally binding agreement for the delivery of the salary incentive.
It is also expected that after the meeting, the university will be declared open again.
The 70% salary incentive comes as a breather for the staff who have been on the same salary scale for 8 years running. The university will however cope with the payment of the incentive.
Other changes introduced by the negotiations are that the lecturers will start receiving payslips as part of the accountability for the salaries they receive.

DRC: M23 Rebels Accuse Government Forces of Blocking Aid

By: Our Reporter

Published: August 29, 2013

M23 rebels are accusing government forces of blocking the delivery of food aid to residents in the rebel held territory. They claim government forces backed by the UN intervention brigade piled troops in Kanyabayonga area on Tuesday night to open a new battle front. 
Colonel Vianney Kazarama, the M23 military spokesperson in an interview with local media at Mutaho on Wednesday, accused government forces of blocking humanitarian agencies from delivering Medicine and food supplies to residents under the rebel held territory.
He claimed that about 100 trucks carrying relief had been blocked at Rwindi and Mabenga and hundreds of travelers held hostage by the government forces on accusations of sympathizing with the rebels. Kazarama also accuses government forces of ordering the Nyatura forces which are pro- Kabila to Kill 5 civilians in Kiwanja.
Olivier Hamuli, the Congolese government forces spokesperson denies claims that they have blocked the delivery of food to citizens under the rebel held territory. He however, says government forces are scrutinizing the entering and leaving Goma to ensure that there is no infiltration by negative forces. Hamuli says they are ready to repulse any attempts by M23 rebels to gain access to Goma city.
He also denies allegations that the Kinshasa government has been ordering the Nyatura forces to slaughter people suspected of sympathizing with M23 rebels. Our reporter was unable to establish contact with the local Red Cross Teams to verify the claims by the rebels.

Kadaga: Parliament Vetting Process Should be Open to Public

Published: August 29, 2013

Speaker of Parliament Kadaga Rebecca has said that there is need to open the proceedings of the Parliamentary Appointments Committee to avoid speculation about its proceedings.
While meeting legislators from Kenya and Somaliland, Kadaga said that the work of the committee is affected by speculation from members of the public because they do not know what takes place in the committee.

Speaker of Parliament Hon. Rebecca Kadaga has said that there is need to open the proceedings of the Parliamentary Appointments Committee to avoid speculation about its proceedings.

The speaker expressed her admiration for the Kenyan Parliament’s vetting system that is open to public view. Kadaga said this is one of the aspects she admires the most about Kenya’s new Constitution.
Kadaga said that the secretive nature of vetting public officials in Uganda needs to changed to erase room for doubt in the public.
The issue recently stirred controversy when the Rules and Privileges Committee was amending the rules of procedure with most members arguing that the proceedings of the committee that vets officials appointed by the president be open to the public.
Vetting of most appointees often raises public debate with the public questioning the committee’s criteria. MPs one time demanded that the committee comes up with a report on every vetted appointee since most of them are not allowed to access the proceedings
The most contentious vetting process lately was for the Internal Affairs ministerial docket. MPs questioned the legality of a serving army officer General Nyakairima Aronda being appointed to the civilian post of Minister of Internal Affairs.
There is also a brewing confrontation over the extension of the Justice Benjamin Odoki’s tenure as Chief Justice. Odoki is yet to be vetted by Parliament.
Meanwhile, Kadaga also commended Kenya’s new Constitution saying that it has enabled more women to be elected in Parliament saying that the development will contribute positively to the politics of the country.
She added that there is need for legislators across the region to share experiences to improve participation in governance and decision making within the region.
Beatrice Elachi, the Chief Whip of the majority party in the Kenyan Senate, praised Kadaga for being an inspiration for the women of East Africa and the whole continent.
The 26 legislators from Kenya and three from Somaliland are in Uganda on a Parliamentary skills exchange programme to explore strategies for building and amplifying the women’s voice in economic and political development.

DRC CRISIS: UN Launches Attacks Against M23

Published: August 28, 2013

UN forces have launched air strikes on rebel positions near Goma, the main city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a spokesman has said.

The UN had used “attack helicopters and its artillery” to push back an offensive launched by the M23 rebel group, the spokesman added.
More than 80 people were reportedly killed in fighting last week.

A new UN brigade has the mandate to neutralise and disarm the rebels.

The UN has deployed a new intervention brigade to mineral-rich DR Congo to tackle the rebels.
‘Heavy weapons’
The rebels seized Goma last November, but withdrew under diplomatic pressure.
The UN peacekeeping mission in DR Congo, Monusco, was fighting alongside government forces, said Monusco spokesman Felix Basse, Associated Press (AP) news agency reports.
“Monusco has enlisted all of its attack helicopters and its artillery… to push back the M23 offensive that is under way right now on the hills of Kibati,” he was quoted as saying.
Kibati is about 15km (nine miles) north of Goma, a city of about 200,000 people.
The M23 said the Congolese army and UN intervention brigade had attacked its forces in areas north of Goma with infantry, air strikes and heavy weapons, Reuters news agency reports.
Government and UN forces have been battling the rebels since last week.
A doctor in Goma, Isaac Warwanamiza, told AP he had seen 82 bodies, including those of 23 government soldiers, on Sunday.
The UN has an 18,000-strong force in DR Congo.
Its intervention brigade, made up of some 3,000 troops, has a mandate to disarm and neutralise rebel groups in the region.
It is the strongest mandate ever given to such a force by the UN Security Council, UN officials say.
The M23 is made up of deserters from the Congolese army.
About 800,000 people have fled their homes since it launched its rebellion in 2012.

DRC Forces Advance As UN Deploys Helicopters Against M23 Rebels

Published: August 29, 2013

The DR Congo government army is said to be gaining an upper hand in the battle against the M23 after the UN forces deployed attack helicopters and their infantry against the rebels.
The rebels, who have been fighting the Kinshasa government since April 2012, came under fire in their positions at Kibati, Kinyarucinya and Mutaho, which have been their strongholds since they pulled out of Goma in November.

A new UN brigade has the mandate to neutralise and disarm the rebels.

Lieutenant Colonel Felix Basse, the UN forces spokesperson in the DRC, says they will continue to hit the M23 rebel positions in an effort to stop them from making an advance on Goma.
The fighting, which had on Monday this week died down temporarily, resumed on Wednesday with Kinshasa government sending in more reinforcements to support their forces who are said to have suffered heavy casualties.
A joint operation against the M23 rebels started on August 21 after weeks of tension over plans by the rebels to attack Goma, the regional commercial centre in the North Kivu province.
DRC government army spokesperson Olivier Hamuli told local media that the relaxation of the fighting was not a ceasefire but a military tactic.
He says that the government forces or FARDC have managed to dislodge the rebels from the frontline positions in areas of Kibati and Mutaho adding that holding these key positions has been posing a big threat to the city of Goma.
The M23 president Bertrand Bisiimwa told local media on phone from Bunagana that the coalition of UN brigade and DRC forces has been attacking their territory, but that the rebels are in position to defend themselves.

DRC CRISIS: UN peacekeeper Killed In Fighting In Eastern Congo

Published: August 29, 2013

One United Nations peacekeeper has been killed and three others injured in fighting with the March 23 movement (M23) rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a UN spokesman has said.

UN forces in Congo (file photo)

The peacekeeper was killed on Wednesday in clashes between the rebels and government troops backed by the UN peacekeeping mission in DR Congo, known as MONUSCO, near the flashpoint city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, AFP reported.
On Wednesday, the Congolese army and UN forces launched a joint operation against M23 rebels in the Kibati area, about 15 kilometers (nine miles) north of Goma.
“The operation is ongoing and we have just heard that one UN peacekeeper has been killed and three others have been wounded,” UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters in New York.
Haq, however, did not reveal the nationalities of the casualties.
UN forces, including from the landmark new offensive intervention brigade, used attack helicopters to push back M23 rebels from positions near Goma.
“MONUSCO attack helicopters engaged the Kibati hills, while (UN) artillery and that of the (regular army) went into action against M23 positions south of the ‘Three Towers’,” Madnodje Mounoubai, a spokesman for the UN mission, said in a statement.
The Congolese army is battling the rebels with the help of the new UN intervention brigade. The brigade, made up of some 3,000 troops, has a more robust mandate compared to previous UN peacekeeping missions.
The intervention brigade was created after the M23 rebels invaded and briefly occupied Goma, home to about one million people, last November. The rebels withdrew from the city on December 1, 2012 under a ceasefire accord.
The M23 rebels and several other armed groups are active in the eastern Congo and are fighting for control of the country’s vast mineral resources, such as gold, the main tin ore cassiterite, and coltan (columbite-tantalite), which is used to make many electronic devices, including cell phones.
The M23 rebels defected from the Congolese army in April 2012 in protest over alleged mistreatment in the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC). They had previously been integrated into the Congolese army under a peace deal signed in 2009.
Since early May 2012, nearly three million people have fled their homes in the eastern Congo. About 2.5 million have resettled in Congo, but about 500,000 have crossed into neighboring Rwanda and Uganda.
Congo has faced numerous problems over the past few decades, such as grinding poverty, crumbling infrastructure, and a war in the east of the country that has dragged on since 1998 and left over 5.5 million people dead.

Otunnu Urges Opposition Parties To Unite Ahead of 2016

Published: August 28, 2013

The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) is encouraging opposition political leaders to embark on a robust campaign of free and fair elections ahead of the 2016 general elections.
Olara Otunnu, the UPC President, says this can be done by bringing together opposition political parties, civil societies and those interested in promoting democracy in Uganda.

UPC President Olara Otunnu

According to the former United Nations (UN) Ambassador this translates into a basket of demands as they did in 2010 highlighting the key issues on which the integrity of the elections lie and make proposals on them.
These include reforming the Electoral Commission (EC), involvement of security forces, financing of the elections and deployment of monies, the voter registry and how to secure the journey from the counting of votes at the polling station to the correlation of regional levels and announcing at the national level.
But more effort should be put on how to handle dispute in the aftermath of the polls particularly in regard to the Presidential Poll.
Otunnu insists the above issues should be the circle of deliberations in a national open forum with a view to garnering national consensus and a new electoral process. Considering this will involve all political parties including the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Otunnu says they need to generate and pile pressure on President Museveni.
The UPC President believes the challenges Uganda is facing can only be resolved if the regime is changed. When asked what the party is doing internally in order to prepare for the 2016 elections such as party restructuring, mobilization of masses and finance among others, Otunnu confidently states that what matters is not about who is going to be the candidate.
What should be asked is the mannerism under which the elections would be held adding that the UPC exists not to serve itself but to serve the people of Uganda and that can be achieved through changing the regime.
He also revealed that he will soon be going on a nationwide tour but their focus now is to work with other parties to bring regime change despite the abnormal conditions under which political parties are working under.
However, Lira Municipality MP James Akena, also a UPC member, disagrees with his party President saying there is still a lot of work to do to organize their structure ahead of 2016. The pertinent question according to Akena is that if a free and fair election is held tomorrow, how will the UPC perform?
Yesterday the Democratic Party President Norbert Mao stated that it is possible to change the Presidency as long as a political party organizes itself. He argued that it is never useless to participate in the elections just because they claim the conditions are not favourable for a free and fair election.
He cautioned opposition political parties not to expect President Museveni to lay for them a red carpet to State House since the challenged political parties are facing in Uganda are not strong enough to not participate in the elections.

Facebook Rejects Uganda Govt Request For User Data

Published: August 28, 2013

Facebook has revealed that the Government of Uganda is among the 74 countries that requested for user account information in the first six months of 2013.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg

The requests are made under the dockets of national security and criminal investigations by Governments. In a first release of the Global Government Requests Report, Facebook’s general Counsel Colin Stretch noted that the release of the report is aimed at helping the on-going global debate about proper standards for governments around the world to access user information.
The list put out by Facebook shows Uganda was among the five African governments that requested for user information to conduct official investigations.
However Facebook declined to disclose the data of the users that government had requested for. Facebook has a stringent legal process for governments to access user data which involves detailed information of a legal basis and factual evidence for each request.

The report comes just months after Security Minister Muruli Mukasa revealed that government was in the final stages of setting up a social media monitoring unit to follow social media discussions and weed out people damaging the reputation of government and its officials.

Five African countries made the list with South Africa leading at 14 requests, Egypt with 8 requests, Ivory Coast with 4 requests, Botswana with 3 requests and Uganda with one request.
Efforts to get the government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo to comment on the report were futile as his known numbers were switched off.
Other countries mentioned by the release were United States that topped the list of countries requesting for over 12,000 user accounts information. Facebook said the list was their first but will not be the last and hopes to release more detailed reports in future.

Kibaale Accident: 2 Congolese Refugees Confirmed Dead

Published: August 28, 2013

Two Congolese refugees have been confirmed dead after the Monday Kibaale bus accident which left 20 refugees hospitalized.
The deceased have been identified as Ndikubwami Alikiki, a male adult, and a 9 month old toddler. Ndikubwami died shortly after reaching Fort Portal hospital while the toddler died shortly after the accident.
Ndikubwami had been transferred from Kagadi hospital with 8 other accident victims.
The transfer from Kagadi hospital had been authorised by the United Nations High Commission For Refugees (UNHCR) under whose care the refugees are.
Alice Litunga, the UNHCR field office head, said the dead had succumbed to excessive internal bleeding. She said the survivors were now responding well to treatment from Medicine Sans Frontiers and a Kagadi clinic.
The accident occurred on Monday afternoon at 2:00pm on Kagadi-Hoima road at Rwengeye hill in Kyenzige sub-county in Kibaale District.
The Horizon bus registration number UAN 292D which they were travelling in failed to round a corner and overturned.
The deceased were part of 60 passengers who were being transported to Kyangwali refugee camp, Hoima from Bundigubyo district.
Charles Sebambulide, the Mid-Western Region Police commander, confirmed the accident. He said police was still investigating the cause of the accident.
The wreckage of the bus was towed from the scene to Kagadi police station.