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Why Kadaga may meet her Waterloo in the Oulanyah fight

By
Editorial
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Speaker Kadaga and her Deputy Jacob Oulanyah, on the extreme left is Clerk to Parliament Jane Kibirige.
The fallout over the Shs10 billion that MPs controversially allocated themselves has triggered a fight by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga against her Deputy Jacob Oulanyah.
Forced against the wall by public consternation, amplified by acerbic criticism from President Museveni, Speaker Kadaga has found herself with no allies, forcing her to act like a bull in a China shop.
After Speaker Kadaga colluded with Budget Committee Chairman Amos Lugoloobi to smuggle in the Shs10b for Parliament,MPs Gerald Karuhanga and Jonathan Odur rushed to Court, which issued an order against the payment.
The Court order was welcomed by an already angry public with further open support from President Museveni who branded the actions of Speaker Kadaga and MPs “morally reprehensible”.
With Kadaga forced against the wall,she has launched wild attacks on all and sundry;the executive, judiciary and the media.
Speaker Kadaga has, however,saved her most lethal attacks for Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.
During a motion of displeasure against President Museveni last week,Ms Kadaga allowed MP Maurice Kibalya to include in a clause condemning the Deputy Speaker.
The clause to condemn the Deputy Speaker was on grounds that Mr Oulanyah is a member of the Parliament Commission and had therefore stabbed it in the back by publicly returning the Shs20 million,as directed by Court.
However,that ground falls flat as Finance Minister Matia Kasaija,who is also a member of the Parliament Commission, also returned the money.
While handing over the Shs20 million to the Masindi district taskforce,Kasaija said had he been present in Parliament when the Shs10 billion was smuggled in the Supplementary Budget,he would have opposed it.
So why has Ms Kadaga singled out Deputy Speaker Oulanyah for attack?
Simple;the race for Speaker of the 11th Parliament is on.
Ms Kadaga should however be cautious because her fight against Oulanyah may send her crashing.
It should be recalled that in the 2016 race for Speaker,Ms Kadaga was facing an onslaught from Oulanyah until she was saved by President Museveni.
The NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) was in the process of endorsing Oulanyah for Speaker until President Museveni begged the party top organ to give her a second and last term,just like her predecessor Edward Ssekandi.
Being the loyal cadre that he is,Mr Oulanyah conceded and allowed the Kamuli Woman MP to be given a last and second chance. But Ms Kadaga has chose to mess up her second and last term.
She has clashed with senior Ministers,the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and the President.
Ms Kadaga’s frenzied  support of the Shs10 billion has made her Public Enemy Number One, making her unpopular enough to be swept aside by President Museveni.
Her role in the infighting over the Kyabazingaship has also made her indispensable in the Busoga sub-region, leaving her with no bastion.
Ms Kadaga’s political muscle is also up in the air, which explains why she has been contesting on affirmative action for the past five years.
Abandoned by all her allies,Ms Kadaga is now walking on eggshells,thus her desperacy.
With the race for Speaker for 2021 having just started,Ms Kadaga is already wrong-footed, putting Mr Oulanyah in pole-position.

 

 

 

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“I will miss Jinja,” embattled RDC Erick Sakwa finally accepts his interdiction

By
Our Reporter
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Sakwa and Jinja West MP, Moses Grace Balyeku
Sakwa and Jinja West MP, Moses Grace Balyeku

Joseph Erick Sakwa the embattled Jinja Resident District Commissioner (RDC) has this Monday said the reason for his interdiction was his overzealousness to implement the presidential directives on the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Sakwa recalled that last month he closed down a popular bar belonging to a known politician from Jinja West constituency which was flaunting the directives of the president and the moment he closed it, the politician vowed to see him out of office.

He says that since that incident, he never had peace at work with the politician setting several traps for him.

“The same politicians have stolen all the sub country land. They have ganged up to see that I am out of Jinja because of my personal zeal to fight corruption.

Sakwa says that when he was interdicted last week, politicians incited people to abandon the president’s directives and this has created an opening for disobedience, which is putting many lives at risk in Jinja.

Last week Sakwa told the press that his arrest which resulted into his remand to Kirinya prisons was plotted by Moses Grace Balyeku the Jinja West legislator. This claim was however rubbished by the member of Parliament.

“I will miss the people of Jinja because they have been friendly. They don’t allow corrupt people and thieves. When you show them that you will work with them they will be with you. I appeal to whomever that will take over from me that if you don’t serve the people you will fail,” Sakwa said this Monday.

Last month, Sakwa was arrested and charged will manslaughter and using an iron hand while implementing the presidential directives on containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Court grants Gen. Henry Tumukunde bail

By
Our Reporter
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Gen. Tumukude at City Hall Court this afternoon

High Court has granted former Security Minister Henry Tumukunde bailed.

Gen. Tumukunde presented earlier sureties that included former Minister Mathew Rukikaire, his wife, Stella Tumukunde, brother in-law Hannington Karuhanga and retired army Commander Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu.
Justice
Wilson Kwesiga had rejected same sureties stating that Gen. Tumukunde presents army generals at his rank and above with clearance from Chief of Defence Forces.

Kwesiga’s conditions were met with resistance from legal brains that argued it was wrong for stating that only serving generals well knowing Gen. Tumukunde had retired from the army into civilian life and that was the reason he was being tried in a civilian court.

Through his lawyers, Gen. Tumukunde filed an application asking High Court to soften the conditions set by Kwesiga in the bail application.

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Uhuru and Gideon Moi sign coalition deal ahead of 2022 election

By
Agencies
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President Uhuru receives a cap from KANU party national chairman, Gideon Moi.

Independence party Kanu has been operating without a formal pre-election agreement with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party as required by law since 2017.

This pushed the two to sign a post-poll deal last week, the Nation has learnt.

PRE-ELECTION AGREEMENT

Although the party led by Baringo Senator Gideon Moi has been voting with Jubilee as a bloc and has its members seconded to House committees by virtue of Jubilee Party strength, Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju said that the pre-election agreement had not been deposited with the Registrar of Political Parties.

“It was supposed to be deposited as soon as the pre-election deal was done, but some people just did not do their jobs,” Mr Tuju said.

“So to avoid any challenge and any ambiguity, the two parties have chosen the path of a post-election agreement to formalise the relationship they already have,” he added.

Kanu has 10 MPs in the National Assembly as Mr Moi, West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio and nominated Senator Abshiro Soka Halake fly the Kanu flag in the Senate.

Based on the non-formalised deal, Mr Moi now chairs the Information, Communication and Technology Committee while Mr Poghisio is the head of Committee on Delegated Legislation.

DEFEND PARTY

The agreement might not do any magic politically, as the two parties have been working together, anyway, but the inclusion of Kanu could work to the disadvantage of Dr Ruto’s side, which has been on a warpath to defend the Jubilee Party which was recently in the DPs’ firm grip.

The agreement between the two parties was received by the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu on May 8.

“This is to certify that Jubilee Party and Kanu, fully registered political parties under the Political Parties Act, 2011, deposited a coalition agreement. Form PP 19 was filed on May 4, 2020 by the chairmen and secretary generals of the two parties,” said Ms Nderitu.

The deal was signed by Mr Tuju, Jubilee Chairman Nelson Dzuya, Mr Moi, Kanu’s SG Nick Salat.

And while the sealing of the deal might create challenges on implementation of the pre-election agreement before it was formalised, Jubilee might have questions on its own processes.

Dr Ruto’s side insists that the national executive committee (NEC) has not met since the 2017 General Election.

CLOSER TO LEADERSHIP

This is important because the party Constitution indicates that a post-election agreement “shall originate from a Post-Election Coalition Negotiation Panel consisting of the national chairperson, the secretary-general and two other persons nominated by the National Executive Committee.”

Mr Salat did not pick calls and texts by the Nation on Sunday, but in a previous interview, the Kanu official was full of praise for the deal.

“As a party, we do not want to stagnate, and growing for us means getting closer to the leadership of this country. And so the question remains: if it is in our party’s best interest, why not?” Mr Salat said.

While he insisted that Kanu was not reinventing the wheel, Mr Salat said the party was ready “to go the extra mile to be even more in”.

“If and when our support is needed, we are ready. If we are needed to serve in any position, we are ready. Our top decision-making organ endorsed this kind of arrangement,” Mr Salat explained.

The agreement, the two parties said, will be guided by patriotism, national unity, sustainable economic growth, devolution, integrity, public participation in decision-making, and promotion of interests of vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

Disputes about the agreement, they said, should only be subjected to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal “only after serving the party over whose action, omission, declaration, candidature or nomination the person seeking dispute resolution is aggrieved over with a notice of not less than seven days”.

 

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#COVID-19: Famous pork joints operate behind closed doors

By
Ronard Shabomwe
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A couple being served by a waitress at Nicodemus pork butchery.

 

As a part of the #Covid-19 preventive measures, President, Yoweri Museveni banned social gatherings. The ban affected places like bars, night clubs and music concerts among others, which would gather many people and there increase the risk of Coronavirus infection.

Although the ban is still on, some popular pork joints in Kampala are operating secretly. Our reporter visited Nicodemus Pork joint in Nankulabye and found its operating normally. One of the waiters informed the reporter, they could offer him pork on top of his  favorite drinks and beckoned him to enter quickly before they could be spotted by security.

The waiter offered the reporter pork and beer at Shs5000 and Shs3500 respectively. On entering the pork joint, it was business as usual with a fully operational bar and several clients eating pork and drinking beer. Our reporter spent about an hour at Nicodemus Pork joint and left without any problem.

The situation wasn’t any different in Wandegeya, which has various pork joints. The operators employ different tactics to avoid being nabbed by law enforcement. At one of the pork joint, the waitress approached our reporter and invited him to their joint.

The waitress said they could also offer the reporter, saying their bar was operating at the back of the pork butchery. She said they would serve him any drink of his choice including soda or beer.

At Generous pork joint in Bukoto the bar section was closed by the time our reporter visited it last week. “Dear our esteemed customers, in line with the directive issued by the Government of Uganda towards fighting #Covid-19. Our bar section remains closed with immediate effect,” read a notice at the entrance. Adding that “However, our restaurant remains open and fully adhering to the standards and procedures set by Ministry of Health.”

However, our reporter later learnt that the bar was sealed off by Kampala City Council Authority-KCCA for failure to refrain from selling alcohol and maintain the recommending physical distancing. An employee told Eagle online that KCCA closed the bar when they found a huge number of people on tables drinking beers in disregard of the physical distancing guidelines.

 

 

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#COVID-19: Uganda cases hit 121 as tests confirm five more

By
Ronard Shabomwe
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Health officials at Elegu border.

Uganda has registered new five new cases of #COVID-19 as five test positive today.

The five cases bring the total cases to 121. However Uganda has discharged over 55 #COVID-19 patients after undergoing successful treatment. The country is faced with a big turn up of truck drivers who are registering a big numbers of positive patients from the neighbouring countries.

“Today, May 10, 2020, five  new #COVID-19 cases confirmed from 1,498 samples of truck drivers. This brings the total number of #COVID-19 cases to 121 in Uganda.The new cases are, two Ugandan and three Kenyan truck drivers who arrived via Elegu and Malaba Points of Entry”

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#COVID-19: Milk prices drop by half in Kampala

By
Ronard Shabomwe
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Milk

There is a drastic decline in milk prices across Kampala, with a litre now going for as low as 1,000 Shillings down from Shs2000 before the lockdown.

 Sharon Murekatete, the proprietor of New Diary in Bwaise buys milk from Mbarara, Nakasongola, Goma and Bulemeezi. Murekatete says that she used to buy a litre of milk at Shs1600  and would sell it at Shs2000 . She, however, says she is currently buying a litre of milk at Shs800.

Murekatete explains that she now operates to keep the business open but not for profits.

Gordon Kaliisa, a milk supplier told our reporter that besides the lockdown, there is increased competition from big suppliers like Pure Milk and Sibyangu Diary companies. He says these purchase milk from remote areas at the low prices and sells it half price compared to diaries in Kampala.

Nathan Sabiiti, a wholesaler milk vendor in Bukoto noted that he cannot sell milk at Shillings 500 because he knows its value. He says he used to sell over 40 litres of milk a day before the lockdown but only sells 20 litres currently, which he blames on the curfew that was introduced during the lockdown.

Aida Nakanwagi, a regular customer appreciates the drop in the milk prices, saying she can now afford to buy milk every day for iftar.

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#COVID-19: 13 new cases test positive among truck drivers

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Uganda's Health Minister, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng.

 

Uganda has registered 13 #COVID-19 cases after 13 truck drivers tested positive.

The results of samples tested on 8 May, 2020 confirmed 13 new #COVID-19 cases from 2,421 samples of truck drivers.

“Out of the 13 new cases,seven are Kenyans, four are Ugandans while two are Tanzanians. Tracking them has commenced and the public will be informed accordingly”. All 740 community samples tested negative for #COVID-19 as total #COVID-19 confirmed cases in Uganda stands at 114″

The Ministry of Health also announced that total samples tested on May 8, 2020 are  3,161 while discharges are 55.

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Jinja RDC, Sakwa interdicted

By
Trevor S Baleke
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RDC Eric Sakwa holding a diary being escorted to police.

The Jinja District Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Eric Sakwa, has been interdicted.

In the May 4, interdiction letter written by the secretary in the office of the president, Haji Yunus Kakande, Sakwa’s interdiction is as a result of the criminal charges he is facing in court.

Sakwa was on Friday April 24 arrested and charged in courts of law and remanded to Kirinya for alleged manslaughter of the late Charles Isanga of Lwanda in Mafubira sub county Jinja district.

Prosecution alleges that between March 17 and March 22, Sakwa and others still at large caused the death of Isanga.

Relatives of Charles Isanga who is said to have died two weeks after he was allegedly tortured by Mr. Sakwa had refused to bury the body until the government intervenes.

The postmortem report indicated that the deceased died of hemorrhage in the vessels.

Further, the prosecution claims that Mr. Sakwa and others still at large on March 22 at Lwanda village stole cash amounting to shs 80000, three crates of beer, eight trays of eggs, soda, water and sachets of waragi all valued at 429000 UGX

Sakwa was on Wednesday last week released on bail by the Chief Magistrate of Jinja Court, Jessica Chemeri.

His bail conditiona included banning him from speaking to the media about the matter.

However, a source that has preferred anonymity has told The Eagle Online that the super RDC angered his bosses and worsened the matter when his went on a radio in Jinja two days after his release and among the issues he discussed was his arrest and and the subsequent events.

According to media reports, Sakwa also had a presser at the weekend at which he alleged that it was Jinja West MP, Moses Grace Balyeku who engineered his arrest. Balyeku rubbished the allegations.

“He does not listen. We told him yo adhere to the conditions of his bail but the bad thing he surrender himself with thugs,” one prominent person said to this writer.

According to the interdiction letter, Sakwa is ordered to handover office to the District Internal Security Officer of Jinja who shall perform all the duties of RDC until another communication comes from the appointing office.

He is also barred from leaving the country and shall be receiving half of his monthly pay.

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ISO top boss arrested by SFC soldiers over fake ‘technical intelligence’ reports

By
Our Reporter
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Arrested Simon Peter Odong

 

Special Forces Command soldiers have arrested the Director of Cyber Crime at Internal Security Organisation Simon Peter Odong over what they described as fake technical intelligence reports.

Mr. Odong was arrested on Tuesday morning at his Kirinnya home by SFC commandos that were dispatched to pick him. However, before he was picked, there was an exchange of fire between three of his ISO guards and the SFC soldiers and in the process he was injured.

After arresting Odong who is a civilian, he was taken to Special Investigations Unit (SIU) but upon reaching the Kireka based facility; Odong was rushed to Naguru hospital for further treatment before he was on Tuesday evening taken to Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) for further interrogation.

Eagle Online has learnt that upon being arrested, a search was mounted in his house were ‘war materials’ were found and these include, three sub machine guns, one pistol, uniforms and communication gadgets.

“There was a growing concern from the consumer of intelligence that there was inaccuracy in some of the reports he receives because most of what was in those reports would at times turn out to be untrue and therefore, Odong as a senior technical analyst was aware that what he was doing was treason” a source told Eagle Online.   

Sources within intelligence circles say of late there has been a lot of negative propaganda hitting at ISO on how it handles its issues.

Sources further say the arrest of Odong who is considered a blue eyed boy of ISO-Director General Col. Kaka Bagyenda has been treated with mixed reaction especially the manner in which Odong was picked. In one of the meetings, it is reported Col. Kaka warned his staff against intrigue and in-fighting. Odong was heavily involved in the investigations that pinned former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Gen. Kale Kayihura and ACP Herbert Muhangi the former Flying Squad Unit (FSU) commandant to the killing of former Assistant Inspector of Police (AIGP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi when he presented an audio implicated the two.

Meanwhile reports recently revealed that ISO staff had undergone over five months without allowances.

There are also reports that former ISO-DG; Ronnie Balya had been recalled from his diplomacy station in South Sudan for possible redeployment at the spying agency as DG for the second time. However, it has been established that his name was rejected by Senior Presidential Advisor on Defence and Security matters Gen. Salim Saleh in a meeting by some lobbyist from Tooro. It is said that the Tooro lobbyist after failing to market Brig. Balya instead fronted the name of Lt. Rtd Dr. Kaijamuru Kaijamurubi Kagoro aka Alaari as their choice for DG to replace Col. Kaka. Lt. Kagoro is the director Logistic and Technology at ISO.

 

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