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BREAKING: Army withdraws guards from Gen. Tumukunde as a raid looms over a rumoured 2021 presidential ambition

By
Our Reporter
-
Gen. Henry-Tumukunde.

 

The army has withdrawn all security details of former Security Minister Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde at his Kololo and Rukungiri homes.

Close sources to the retired army general confirmed the development to Eagle Online that an order to withdraw guards was given last weekend when the Gen. Tumukunde was up-country.

“It is true all the guards have been recalled back to Bombo and we are wondering why now because he is entitled as a retired general” The source told this website on condition of anonymity.

However, Eagle Online has established that the issue at hand pitting Gen. Tumukunde and the Kampala establishment is the rumoured presidential ambition he harbors to run against the incumbent Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in 2021.

Apparently the sophisticated army general has silent been mobilizing masses across the country and has been endorsed by some members/ generals of the historical high command who are reportedly silently reportedly opposed to the continued dominance of President Yoweri Museveni.

Eagle Online can authoritatively reveal that as part of the wider plan to encounter the influential and well networked former spy master, there is an alleged raid to his home.

However, we couldn’t verify this information as Brig. Richard Karemire, the army Spokesperson couldn’t be reached on phone. 

So who is Gen.Henry Tumukunde

He was born on February 28,1959 in Rukungiri District in the Western Region. He attended Bishop Stuart College Demonstration School for his primary schooling. He studied at Kigezi College Butobere (Siniya) and Kibuli Secondary School for his O-Level and A-Level education, respectively

Tumukunde graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1981. He obtained a Diploma in Legal Practice awarded by the Law Development Centre in 2010. He also holds an Executive Masters in Oil and Gas Management, awarded by the Graduate Institute of Geneva in 2013.

 

Joining The NRA guerillas

During his time at Makerere, Tumukunde was involved in anti-government politics, which subsequently led to his joining of then rebels, the National Resistance Army, led by rebel leader Yoweri Museveni. Tumukunde was hounded by the government security services during his last year at the university and on completion, decided to join the struggle, along with two of his friends at the time, Major General Mugisha Muntu and Colonel Jet Mwebaze.

Obote’s security services at the time caught wind of their impending departure for the bush and mounted an attack on the NRA’s transit house (shop) in Kampala. It is said that Tumukunde alongside Muntu posed as shopkeepers, surviving what would have been sure torture and death. In the early stages of the war, Tumukunde was a machine gunner and eventually went on to become one of the senior officers in NRA, indicated by his senior number RA 0111.

Getting shot

In 1985, during one of the bigger battles with the Uganda National Liberation Front in Luweero District, Tumukunde was shot multiple times in his legs. The wounds were so major that it was thought he would not survive. He was, however, smuggled out of the country to Nairobi and eventually to London where he was operated on.

Post-Bush

On capturing power, Tumukunde was promoted to the rank of major and appointed first secretary and military attache at the Ugandan High Commission in the United Kingdom. Subsequently, Tumukunde was sent on a Command and Staff Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, in Kaduna, Nigeria from where he emerged as one of the best students. He later on returned to Uganda where he became the Army’s director of planning. Tumukunde served in this role for many years and was very instrumental in the setup of formal military structures in the UPDF, which had until then been a rebel army.

In 1994, Uganda held elections for the Constituent Assembly and Tumukunde sought to represent his home county Rubaabo. His main competitor was Prof. Mondo Kagonyera. Tumukunde, who was in early thirties at the time, was thought to be the underdog in the race; however, Tumukunde was a very good mobiliser and won by a landslide margin. Tumukunde then joined the CA, which formulated the current 1995 Ugandan Constitution. Tumukunde was known to be a regular and astute contributor to the sessions and debates that preceded the formation of the Constitution.

Following the set-up of the constitution, Uganda held elections and Tumukunde subsequently became a Member of Parliament representing the Army as a special interest group. He went on to serve as an MP until 2005. In addition to this, Tumukunde was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and appointed chief of personnel and administration. In 1998, Tumukunde was again promoted to the rank of colonel and appointed chief of military intelligence and security. His tenure was arguably the most successful by any officer as it is during this time that Al-Qaeda’s plan to bomb the American Embassy was thwarted. There was also a time where bombings were rampant within the capital Kampala, and once again Tumukunde formed several intelligence committees within the city and the problem was managed. Tumukunde also built an amicable rapport with the Muslim community, which many had accused of spearheading the attacks, so much so that key intelligence information was forwarded to him with ease. Arguably, it was during his reign that the Ugandan intelligence apparatus was at its most efficient.

Tumukunde was then promoted to brigadier general and transferred to command the UPDF Fourth Division based in Gulu. At the time, the war with the LRA was ongoing and Tumukunde made significant headway during his time as division commanding officer in diminishing the threat of the LRA. It is also at the time when Ebola outbreak was first reported in Northern Uganda and Dr. Mathew Lukwiya and Gen. Tumukunde swung into action but bad enough Dr. Lukwiya lost to the Ebola battle.

Tumukunde was then appointed Director General of the Internal Security Organisation, Uganda’s civil intelligence body. During his time at ISO, Tumukunde set up structures that returned ISO to being the country’s foremost Intelligence gathering body, just as he had done with CMI. The Internal Security Organisation became renowned for its efficient and effective approach towards intelligence and counter-terrorism.

The fall out

Tumukunde’s fast rise to the upper echelons of both the political and military scene in Uganda marked him out as one of Uganda’s most popular and well-known figures and ultimately, this, alongside his very strong minded and unrelenting dedication to his country, brought him into the sights of the very institutions he helped to consolidate.

At a political retreat in 2003, Tumukunde, in the presence of the president and his cabinet, argued against the impending removal of term limits that would give President Museveni the right to stand for re-election on an infinite basis. Tumukunde stated that this would be in direct contravention of the rights that they fought to establish and that he was not willing to take part in what he considered to be grossly unconstitutional behaviour. Predictably, this put him at loggerheads with the establishment and more so the president.

Arrest and detention

Tumukunde was charged with the offences of abuse of office and spreading harmful propaganda. The abuses of office charges were eventually dropped in a manner suggesting that they had been politically motivated in the first instance. What followed was, however, a surprise to many. Tumukunde was on May 28, 2005, forced to resign from Parliament and subsequently arrested on the orders of the President Museveni

His home was surrounded by at least 50 soldiers commanded by then Brig. Kale Kayihura and Brig. Joshua Masaba who proceeded to arrest him. Gen. Tumukunde was then driven in a tightly guarded convoy to an officers mess turned detention center, where he was incarcerated for nearly two years, during which he had limited and tightly controlled contact with the outside world. His extrajudicial detention coupled with a series of controversial and uncertain court martial hearings seemed to backfire leading to irreversible pressure culminating in his release in 2007.
His arrest followed his opposing views to the proposed “third term” project that suggested a revision to the Ugandan constitution enabling one to serve more than two terms as president as was the case at the time.

On April 18, 2013, the UPDF General Court Martial sat to bring an end to the process that had lasted eight years and summed up its deliberations. The charge of spreading harmful propaganda was dropped while the joint charge of military misconduct was upheld and Tumukunde was subsequently sentenced to a severe reprimand.

Promotion and retirement

In September 2015, Tumukunde was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and then retired from the Army.

Appointment to cabinet

On June 6, 2016, he was appointed to the Cabinet as the Minister of National Security. He was relieved of his cabinet responsibilities on the evening of Sunday, 4 March 2018, in a presidential tweet, in which his nemesis, General Kale Kayihura, the former Inspector General of Police was also fired.

 

 

 

 

 

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Police denies knocking People Power supporter says CCTV footage will tell the truth

By
Our Reporter
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Late Nabukenya

 

Police has denied all allegations that it patrol knocked People Power supporter Rita Nabukenya earlier today in Nakawa division.

Ms Nabukenya was knocked by speeding police patrol as she headed to Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court for the hearing of disobedience of statutory case against their patron, Robert Kyagulanyi.

According to Joel Ssenyonyi, the Spokesperson of group, Nabukenya was clad in People Power attire this morning on a boda-boda (Motorcycle) in Nakawa heading to court and thereafter she was to proceed to Pope Paul memorial hotel where Bobi wine was schedule to have his consultative meting ahead of the 2021 presidential elections.

“A police truck saw her, chased after them and run over her. We have learnt that she has since passed on. We are now at Mulago mortuary, with police tossing us around” Ssenyonyi said.

Alluding to Kampala metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owesigire, the accident happened in the presence of the alleged police patrol but failed to arrest the other cyclist whose motorcycle collided with the one carrying Rita Nabukenya.

“In the accident motorcycle reg. UEP 675Y was trying to overtake police patrol UP 4841 and collided with another motorcycle whose registration number was not captured because he fled the scene. The passage of motorcycle UEP 675Y who was identified as Rita Nabukenya a resident of Bunamwaya sustained injuries after she fell of the motorcycle.” he said.

He said Rita was rushed to Mulago and later pronounced dead. He said Traffic police at Jinja road has open up injuries into the matter and have since recorded statement of eye witness and the crew of police patrol. Her body was conveyed to city mortuary for postmortem as investigation take shape.

He vowed to retrieve footage of CCT Cameras to confirm what exactly happened.

 

 

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Parliament Pension Fund register growth of Shs 53.3billion

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga

The Parliament Pension Scheme has realized an assets growth of 25.7 per cent from Shs204.55 billion in 2018 to Shs257.21 billion improving its financial and investment capacity.

According to Chief Operations Manager, Nightingale Mirembe, the growth is attributed to an increase in member contributions, returns on investments in the equity market and the employment of a new risk management policy.

Mirembe made this revelation at the Eighth Annual General Meeting of the Parliament Pension Scheme. “The use of a new risk management policy has helped us focus on investing in items that have less risk and greater return,” she said adding that the risk management is crucial since the core value of the scheme is in investing funds for value and mitigating risks.

Mirembe added that this helped the fund realise improvement in other aspects of the scheme like prompt payment of pension benefits and.

“We have been able to pay out pension benefits by the 15th day of the month and sometimes the 10th day; we have also reduced the unclaimed benefits from over Shs3 billion to Shs500 million,” she said.

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga pledged to support the Scheme and to remind the president of his pledge towards offering funds to boost it financially.

The Auditor General, John Muwanga commended the Board of Trustees for adhering to the Parliamentary Pensions Act, 2007, Public Finance and Management Act 2015; the Uganda Retirement benefits regulatory Act, 2011 and generally accepted accounting practices.

“In my opinion, proper books of account have been kept by the scheme so far, as appears from my examination of those books,” he said

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EAC Heads of State Meeting postponed to a later date

By
Isaiah Mwebaze
-

The 21st Ordinary Meeting of the Summit of East African Community Heads of State that had been scheduled for Saturday February 29, 2020 in Arusha, Tanzania has been postponed to a later date.

The postponement of the 21st Meeting of the Summit comes in the wake of a request by the Republic of South Sudan, which said it was currently in the process of forming a transitional government bringing together the government and opposition groups.

Also postponed is the 41st Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers that was scheduled to take place from 25th to 27th February, 2020 at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha. The 41st Council was supposed to precede and make preparations for the Summit meeting.

Rwanda’s Minister of State in charge of the EAC, Amb. Olivier J. P. Nduhungirehe, communicated the decision to postpone the two meetings to EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, in a letter dated 21st February, 2020.

“After consultation with the Chair of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, I have the honour to both inform and request you to notify Partner States that the above mentioned meetings (21st Summit of EAC Heads of State and 41st Extraordinary Council of Ministers) have been postponed to a later date due to the request of the Republic of South Sudan. A new date will be communicated later after consultations with EAC Partner States,” said Amb. Nduhungirehe.

In requesting for the postponement, Mr. Mou Mou Athian Kuol, South Sudan’s Under Secretary for EAC Affairs in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs, said that the formation of the new Transitional Government of National Unity (ToGONU) would mean a lot of changes in the government and probably affect its organizational structure.

“With that in mind, the Minister, Paul Mayom Akech, has directed me to notify the EAC Secretariat of this challenge and that South Sudan will not be able to take part. Given the significance of the meeting, the Republic of South Sudan is requesting for a postponement until mid-March 2020. This will allow the newly-formed government to continue with business as usual,” wrote Mr. Mou Mou to the Secretary General.

Decision making at the EAC is by consensus with quorum being constituted by the presence of all Partner States. The absence of one Partner State would therefore mean that there would be no quorum for the Summit meeting as per the Rules of Procedure of the Summit, Rule 11.

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Bobi Wine OTT Case: Judgement to be delivered next month

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
Bobi Wine

Buganda Road Court grade one Magistrate, Doreen Karungi, has adjourned the hearing of disobeying statutory case against Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine pending the disposal of the Constitutional petition filed before the Constitutional Court.

The adjournment follows defence lawyers led by Anthony Wameli who told court that they filed a constitutional matter before the Constitutional Court over the legality of his client’s pending criminal charges in relation to over the top tax (OTT).

According to the petition (filled in constitutional court) , Kyagulanyi wants Constitutional Court to determine whether the Public Management Act does not infringe on citizen’s right to assembly.

The Magistrate however, directed the state to file written submissions in regard to the Wine’s petition in a bid to deliver her ruling on March 24, 2020.

Wameli said it will be unfair for the court to continue trying him on charges of disobedience of statutory duty that stem from the Public Order Management Act 2013, which is being challenged by the Uganda Law society.

His co-accused include; Julius Katongole, his brother Nyanzi Fred Sentamu, David Lule and Edward Sebuufu commonly known as Eddie Mutwe.

They charges of disobedience of statutory duty when in July 11, 2018 he held a public meeting that protested the mobile money and social media tax, without notifying police contrary to provisions of the Public Order Management Act.

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World failing to provide children with a healthy life and a climate fit for their future- WHO, UNICEF and Lancet report

By
Our Reporter
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Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

No single country is adequately protecting children’s health, their environment and their futures, finds a landmark report released today by a Commission of over 40 child and adolescent health experts from around the world. The Commission was convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and The Lancet.

The report, A Future for the World’s Children?, finds that the health and future of every child and adolescent worldwide is under immediate threat from ecological degradation, climate change and exploitative marketing practices that push heavily processed fast food, sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco at children.

“Despite improvements in child and adolescent health over the past 20 years, progress has stalled, and is set to reverse,” said former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Co-Chair of the Commission, Helen Clark. “It has been estimated that around 250 million children under five years old in low- and middle-income countries are at risk of not reaching their developmental potential, based on proxy measures of stunting and poverty. But of even greater concern, every child worldwide now faces existential threats from climate change and commercial pressures.

“Countries need to overhaul their approach to child and adolescent health, to ensure that we not only look after our children today but protect the world they will inherit in the future,” she added.

The report includes a new global index of 180 countries, comparing performance on child flourishing, including measures of child survival and well-being, such as health, education, and nutrition; sustainability, with a proxy for greenhouse gas emissions, and equity, or income gaps. [Top & Bottom 10 countries; Full Global Index on pp. 35-38] [1]

According to the report, while the poorest countries need to do more to support their children’s ability to live healthy lives, excessive carbon emissions – disproportionately from wealthier countries –  threaten the future of all children. If global warming exceeds 4°C by the year 2100 in line with current projections, this would lead to devastating health consequences for children, due to rising ocean levels, heatwaves, and proliferation of diseases like malaria and dengue, and malnutrition.

The index shows that children in Norway, the Republic of Korea, and the Netherlands have the best chance at survival and well-being, while children in Central African Republic, Chad, Somalia, Niger and Mali face the worst odds. However, when authors took per capita CO2 emissions into account, the top countries trail behind: Norway ranked 156, the Republic of Korea 166, and the Netherlands 160. Each of the three emits 210% more CO2 per capita than their 2030 target. The United States of America (USA), Australia, and Saudi Arabia are among the ten worst emitters.

“More than 2 billion people live in countries where development is hampered by humanitarian crises, conflicts, and natural disasters, problems increasingly linked with climate change,” said Minister Awa Coll-Seck from Senegal, Co-Chair of the Commission. “While some of the poorest countries have among the lowest CO2 emissions, many are exposed to the harshest impacts of a rapidly changing climate. Promoting better conditions today for children to survive and thrive nationally does not have to come at the cost of eroding children’s futures globally.”

The report also highlights the distinct threat posed to children from harmful marketing. Evidence suggests that children in some countries see as many as 30,000 advertisements on television alone in a single year, while youth exposure to vaping (e-cigarettes) advertisements increased by more than 250% in the USA over two years, reaching more than 24 million young people.

Professor Anthony Costello, one of the Commission’s authors, said: “Industry self-regulation has failed. Studies in Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and the USA – among many others – have shown that self-regulation has not hampered commercial ability to advertise to children. For example, despite industry signing up to self-regulation in Australia, children and adolescent viewers were still exposed to 51 million alcohol ads during just one year of televised football, cricket and rugby. And the reality could be much worse still: we have few facts and figures about the huge expansion of social media advertising and algorithms aimed at our children.”

Children’s exposure to commercial marketing of junk food and sugary beverages is associated with purchase of unhealthy foods and overweight and obesity, linking predatory marketing to the alarming rise in childhood obesity. The number of obese children and adolescents increased from 11 million in 1975 to 124 million in 2016 – an 11-fold increase, with dire individual and societal costs.

Dr. Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet family of journals, said: “The opportunity is great. The evidence is available. The tools are at hand. From heads-of-state to local government, from UN leaders to children themselves, this Commission calls for the birth of a new era for child and adolescent health. It will take courage and commitment to deliver. It is the supreme test of our generation.”

“From the climate crisis to obesity and harmful commercial marketing, children around the world are having to contend with threats that were unimaginable just a few generations ago,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “It is time for a rethink on child health, one which places children at the top of every government’s development agenda and puts their well-being above all considerations.”

“This report shows that the world’s decision makers are, too often, failing today’s children and youth: failing to protect their health, failing to protect their rights, and failing to protect their planet,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization said. “This must be a wakeup call for countries to invest in child health and development, ensure their voices are heard, protect their rights, and build a future that is fit for children.”

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High Court hold Special Sessions on Land Justice across the country

By
Our Reporter
-
Mr Tom Chemutai

The High Court has started holding Special Sessions on Land Justice in different parts of the country, targeting to clear at least 220 land cases in 60 days.

In this pilot phase, six of the sessions will be held at the Land Division in Kampala targeting 120 cases, and five other sessions will be held at the Mukono, Mbale, Masaka, Mpigi, Kabale and Jinja High Courts.

“Each judicial officer has been assigned 20 cases to dispose of within 60 days. Our projection is that each land case can be concluded in three days,” said the Ag. Chief Registrar, Mr Tom Chemutai.

The World Bank through its Competitiveness Enterprise Development Project and the Government of Uganda will jointly fund the sessions. Priority has been given to cases that have been in the court system for more than two years (backlogged cases) and those affecting implementation of key government projects, such as road construction.

The Chief Justice, Bart M. Katureebe, while meeting officials from World Bank in Kampala recently, welcomed the intervention, saying “it has the potential of expediting resolution of land cases as well as attracting future funding to address the land adjudication question in a more substantive manner”.

The Judiciary faces a perennial problem of case backlog and the problem is more severe in Land Justice where 52 per cent of the cases are more than two years old in the courts. At the Land Division, there are 11,952 cases pending in the court system, and of these at least half are backlog.

Mr Chemutai, explained that backlog in the land cases is mainly a result of shortage of Judicial Officers, low levels of automation in processing cases and inadequate resources. Other reasons include Judicial Officers’ lack of transport to visit the land in dispute, increased filing of cases fueled by a growing economy and pressure on economic resources particularly land.

“Failure to resolve land disputes has cost the country a lot of money in delayed implementation of infrastructural projects. Investment projects have equally been affected by slow land adjudication, making Uganda a high cost investment destination,” said Mr Chemutai.

He says Phase II of the project will be extended to land matters in other parts of the country, including cases in the Magistrates Courts.

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Ugandan voters will embrace Museveni’s standards in 2021

By
Guest Writer
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Amb. Mayega

A daily of February 19 – 25, 2020 ran a story on page 4, thus “ EC clears 15 presidential aspirants to consult,” and went on: “…Apostle Ben Israel Sseninde, Bob Paul Akileng, Steven Kawesa, Timothy Mugerwa, Elton John Mabirizi and Bobi Wine,” all of them little-knowns, were “cleared to consult” in preparation for the 2021 presidential elections.

That, in my view, evidences the growth of our democracy since we extricated ourselves out of a monolithic political entrapment and reverted to pluralism after the plebiscite of 2005. That we can have as many, though many of them are performing “katemba,” aspiring to be president without being molested, is a complete departure from the debacles 1980 when the political space was largely restricted and ring-fenced for the powerful few. And these numbers will burgeon with time because the perennial presidential candidate, Kiiza Besigye will, for sure, declare his intentions; he has always and superbly choreographed his FDC electoral structures anyway.

In retrospection, Ugandans know that Yoweri Museveni, as incumbent president, has set our national standards higher than the bar, most especially when it comes to the restoration of our country into the international files of honor by maintaining peace, security, stability as well as ensuring steady social economic and political transformation; that is an indisputable fact, which his haters within and without our boarders must contend with. The Ugandan voters will not, as they have always done, gamble and elect flip-flops in 2021, whose character of politics is playing by renegade rules of remonstrations like Kiiza Besigye’s defiance or, indeed, Bobi Wine’s riotous shenanigans. Their admirers too, who are apologists of un-natural and alien behaviors have a stern message here as well.

A survey of the opposition pack that is seeking the office of Uganda’s chief executive office is a mixed grill of perennial losers and upstarts, none has what it takes to effectively shield our country from the insecurities in our neighborhood that simmer incessantly: both the north and the west are bedeviled with insurgent rebellions pulling in all directions and the south, in unhinged behavior, closes boarders. All that diffidence and fragility require tested leadership, which, undoubtedly, Yoweri Museveni has exhibited over decades.

The voters will not elect groups like DP and FDC who, for the most part of their internal discussions resort to fist fights as well as recalcitrant behavior. Electing them would reverse all the democratic gains from 1986 to-date and it would be a re-incarnation of the chaos during the epochal period between 1979 – 1980, a time when Uganda, for five times, changed heads of state: Idi Amin, Yusufu Lule, Godfrey Binaisa, Paul Muwanga and Milton Obote at a whooping cost to human life, property and economic stagnation. Opposition groups have failed to meld their jostling constituencies; they have elected to shout from Kampala’s bully pulpit to supercharge their political batteries and simultaneously punching beyond their weight, all coming to naught. President Yoweri Museveni’s inexplicable and unmatched public commission of over thirty years, his impeccable national and international standing all combine to pale the opposition’s fortunes and bravado, making Ugandan voters averse to that paralyzing polarization.

Kiiza Besigye’s debilitating stranglehold on the opposition, Johnny come-lately Bobi Wine’s intransigence and others in tow, while enjoying their crowded and chaotic political canvass have far, unknowingly, christened that sector as an assortment of stampeders of national progress in the eyes of the Ugandan voter. Their fiendish posturing, though politically satisfying and expedient, comes with a cost: it turns them into moonlight by Yoweri Museveni’s sunlight.

Amb. Henry Mayega

Deputy Head of Mission, Uganda Embassy, Beijing, China               

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ISO, IGG start fresh investigations on Kasekende, Bagyenda and other top BoU officials

By
Our Reporter
-
Embattled former Executive Director in charge of Supervision at Bank of Uganda Justine Bagyenda.

 

Internal Security Organisation and Inspectorate of Government have commenced fresh investigation on top Bank of Uganda officials.

According to sources, former Deputy Governor, Louis Kasekende, former Executive Director Supervision, Justine Bagyenda, Director Legal, Margaret Kasule and  Benedict Ssekabira, the director of Financial Markets Development Coordination (FMDC) are the top officials lined up for probing.

According to sources, ISO has been drawn in because previous investigations by the office of IGG have never been made public and as such, there is a likelihood that they are compromised.

“The appointment authority is unhappy with IGG delay on findings of the investigation on the top leaders at BoU. And therefore, he has instructed ISO to join the fresh investigation so as to have a genuine report” said a source.

State House Anti-Corruption Unit headed by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema is also investigating top officials in relation to the payments they recently paid to city lawyers Timothy Kanyerezi Masembe and David Mpanga of Bowmans.

According to sources, the appointing authority is reportedly unhappy with the revelation that Bank of Uganda made losses to a tune of Shs2 trillion and yet top officials at the bank are swimming in wealth.

 

Earlier this website revealed that two directors at Bank of Uganda were under investigations by State House Anti-Corruption Unit for allegedly paying Shs6 billion to two city lawyers.

The two directors are Benedict Ssekabira, of Financial Markets Development Coordination (FMDC) and Margaret Kasule, director legal services.

According to sources, the two directors are alleged to have sanctioned the payment of Shs6 billion to Masembe Kanyerezi and Mpanga. Sources further allege that although this money was released as legal fees, however, its intended purposes is to cover all the legal loopholes in the case of Crane Bank Limited takeover and subsequent during receivership.

The two lawyers represented BoU and the payment for their services has been ongoing until parliament probing committee, Committee on Commissions, State Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) that investigated BoU over the controversial sale of seven commercial banks between 1993 and October 20, 2016.

In December 2017, the Commercial Court disqualified city lawyers Mr Kanyererezi Masembe and Mr. David Mpanga from the Sh397 billion Sudhir Ruparelia’s case against Bank of Uganda (BoU), also citing conflict of interest.

In his ruling delivered on December 21, 2017, the head of the commercial court division, Justice Wangutusi stated that Mr. David Mpanga of A.F. Mpanga Advocates and Timothy Masembe of MMAKS Advocates acted in violation of the Advocates (Professional Conduct) regulations.

Last month, it was alleged that BoU released Shs4 billion as part of the balance on Shs20 billion to the same lawyers. However, what is intriguing investigators is why paying that entire amount to the lawyers and yet some of the cases are jointly handled by BoU own lawyers.

Sources say that the payment could be part of the ploy to falsify accountability in the case of Shs478 billion.

Also what is of interests to investigators are revelation that these have ill accumulated wealth which cannot resonate with their salaries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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People power supporter knocked by speeding police patrol, group camps at Mulago hospital mortuary

By
Our Reporter
-
Late Nabukenya

Supporters of People Power, a political pressure group in Uganda are currently camping at Mulago hospital mortuary demanding for the body of their comrade, Rita Nabukenya.

Ms Nabukenya was knocked by speeding police patrol as she headed to Buganda Road Mgistrate’s Court for the hearing of disobedience of statutory case against their patron, Robert Kyagulanyi.

According to Joel Ssenyonyi, the Spokesperson of group, Nabukenya was clad in People Power Attire this morning on a boda-boda (Motorcycle)  in Nakawa heading to court and thereafter she was to proceed to Pope Paul memorial hotel where Bobi wine was schedule to have his consultative meting ahead of the 2021 presidential elections.

“A police truck saw her, chased after them and run over her. We have learnt that she has since passed on. We are now at Mulago mortuary, with police tossing us around” Ssenyonyi said.

In his response Bobi Wine said, “Very sad day! Yet again, a leader of the People Power Movement has been murdered by the Museveni regime. Police officers in a patrol vehicle saw comrade Rita Nabukenya donning our attire, drove after her and knocked her dead in broad daylight. We must end this regime of blood”

Eagle Online’s efforts to reach police spokesperson were futile.

Earlier police blocked Bobi Wine’s consultative meeting at Pope Paul memorial hotel on grounds that the group did not meet all requirements to hold a rally.

“On January 31, 2020, the Director Operations AIGP Asuman Mugyenyi wrote to remind Kyagulanyi  requesting him to submit  the proposals agreed on with the Electoral Commission which has not been done.” Deputy police spokesperson Polly Namaye said earlier today.

“Police therefore, still awaits the assurance that there shall be an effort to respect law and order by abiding with agreed upon strategies in order to embark on the teams consultative meeting schedule.” She said.

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