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Reuters journalist Akena sues gov’t for Shs400m

Photo journalist James Akena.

 

By Our Reporter

A Ugandan journalist working with Reuters, an international media agency, has dragged government to court seeking over Shs400 million as compensation for assault inflicted on him by soldiers of the Uganda Defence Forces (UPDF) last year.

James Akena was beaten on one of Kampala streets by a group of soldiers during a protest against the arrest and detention of Kyadondo East Member of parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine on the 20th of August last year.

Akena has asked court to compel government to refund him Shs390 million that he allegedly lost during the said assault, compensate his damaged camera worth Shs29 million, a phone and watch.

He also wants the court to order the government to pay all the medical expenses he incurred while nursing himself at Kampala Independent hospital amounting to about seven million shillings as a result of his injured back and. He also wants to recover  Shs600,000  in transport costs to and from the hospital.

 

 

 

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Police refutes claim of spying on opposition, wants WSJ and Daily Monitor to provide evidence

Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga
 

 

The Uganda Police Force (UPF) has denied allegations by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that it used Huawei technology to spy on Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine of the People Power pressure group, arguing that WSJ and Daily Monitor should adduce evidence to confirm allegations.

“We strongly reject a malicious story that was published by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), claiming the Uganda Police Force used its technology for spying and surveilling opposition figures…,” the Force’s spokesperson, CP Fred Enanga, said in a statement released on Tuesday.

Enanga said UPF has an existing contract with Huawei to install CCTV cameras country wide as a measure to strengthen law and order.  “Their contract including both the hardware and software were thoroughly evaluated, and there were no short comings in the engineering and policing processes.  The first phase of the installation of CCTV cameras within the KMP areas is in advanced stages with 85% completion,” he said.

He said the Force’s  relationship with Huawei is purely business and does not prohibit the Force from purchasing or using their telecommunications and surveillance products in addressing crime and safety in our country.  He said the cameras are already transforming modern day policing in Uganda, with facial recognition and artificial intelligence as part of policing and security.  “They are also helping us to be more accountable through increased visibility and better response mechanisms,” he said.

We continue to take our policing responsibilities very seriously and do utilise a range of operational, investigative and intelligence tools in our everyday activities, but not for spying purposes as alleged, Enanga said. “Take note also that where it requires information about users, we use existing laws and procedure to seek such information from service providers,” he said.

He said the CCTVS are becoming a wide spread feature in Ugandan life, where citizens are more secure and conscious in public spaces with CCTVs.   It’s therefore, protecting the public from criminals, he said.

“The other innovations include; DNA, Fingerprinting of guns, digitalising of Registration number plates…” he said.

He said the Article by the WSJ that was intended to sabotage and smear the UPF, and give political mileage to ‘a particular member of the opposition’ and other interests. “We wonder why they would single out one  leader, yet there are many other players in the political arena of Uganda including other politicians, activists, Members of Parliament, Journalists, to mention a few,” Enanga said.

“We do petition both the WSJ and Daily Monitor to release information that the anti-crime infrastructure we are installing has been secretly used to extract personal information from private cell phones. We have seen the same accusations fronted against many other countries and institutions, using the Huawei intelligent monitoring systems. We believe its pure sabotage and a trade war strategy against Huawei and its clients.”

The Article will not put any pressure on the UPF, and we will continue to observe our Memorandum of Understanding with Huawei, and not help promote propaganda wars in the fight for the export of automated technology for policing, he said.

Huawei executives and Chinese Embassy in Uganda have refuted the claims by WSJ.

 

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2019/20 UPL season: Five fixtures to look out for in the first round

UPL logo
 

The 2019-2020 StarTimes Uganda Premier League season gets under way on Thursday, 29 August 2019 and here are five of the first round fixtures to look out for.

The games include the title challengers, traditional giants and those which will play an important role in deciding who will be at the top by the end of the first round.

Express vs SC Villa Jogoo – September 13, Muteesa II stadium, Wankulukuku

This is commonly known as the Kampala Derby. Every time these two lock horns, it is always more than just a mere match. Two traditional giants who have got huge fan bases in the country will be looking to rejuvenate this season with new players, coaches and ambitions.

KCCA FC vs URA FC – September 18, StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo

KCCA lost two league games last season and one of them was a 2-1 loss at their backyard against Sam Ssimbwa’s Tax collectors who totally dominated in all aspects. URA is the nearest team to KCCA and Vipers to challenge for the title and didn’t lose a single away game last season.

SC Villa vs Vipers SC, October 2, Namboole stadium

Vipers will be looking for revenge after falling 3-1 to Villa Jogoo last season at St. Mary’s stadium. The fixture is mainly dominated by rowdy fans and vandalizing of stadiums and it will be a night game at Namboole.

Vipers SC vs URA FC, November 12, St. Mary’s stadium, Kitende

After talks of Sam Ssimbwa reportedly joining Vipers after Nam Ouma was sacked, The Venoms reappointed Edward Golola. He will have to prove a point to his boss in his reappointment. Last season, URA inflicted a painful 2-1 loss to Vipers in Kitende to halt their title chase and now they will be looking for revenge.

KCCA FC vs Vipers SC – November 16, StarTimes stadium, Lugogo

The fixture is turning to be Uganda’s El Clasico. Over the past years, both teams have shared the league triumph and it is expected not to change this season. The two teams drew 1-1 in both legs last season and whenever they play, it’s the most hotly contested league match.

 

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Man Utd ‘disgusted’ by online racist abuse towards Pogba after penalty miss

Pogba
 

Manchester United say they are “working to identify” those responsible for the racist abuse directed at midfielder Paul Pogba on social media.

Pogba, 26, had a penalty saved during the 1-1 draw with Wolves on Monday.

He is the third player in a week – after Yakou Meite of Reading and Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham – to have racist abuse directed at him on social media following a penalty miss.

United said they are “disgusted” by the abuse and “utterly condemn” it.

“The individuals who expressed these views do not represent the values of our great club and it is encouraging to see the vast majority of our fans condemn this on social media also,” read a United statement.

“Manchester United has zero tolerance of any form of racism or discrimination and a long-standing commitment to campaigning against it through our #AllRedAllEqual initiative.

“We will work to identify the few involved in these incidents and take the strongest course of action available to us. We also encourage social media companies to take action in these cases.”

On Sunday, Reading striker Yakou Meite called out racist abuse sent via social media after his spot-kick was saved.

Ivory Coast forward Meite, 23, came on as a substitute against Cardiff and missed a 91st-minute penalty.

Last week, Chelsea condemned “abhorrent posts” aimed at Tammy Abraham after his Super Cup final miss against Liverpool.

Blues boss Frank Lampard said he was “disgusted” by the abuse aimed at the 21-year-old England forward and suggested social media companies must do more to stop players being targeted.

Others fans quickly condemned the tweets containing racist abuse that were sent to Pogba – who won the penalty he then missed – shortly after full-time at Molineux on Monday.

Some tweets were later deleted while several accounts appeared to have been taken down.

Twitter’s terms and conditions say it “takes action against behaviour that targets individuals with hateful conduct”.

In July, anti-racism charity Kick It Out produced a report that showed reports of racist abuse increased by 43 per cent last season, with 274 cases compared with 192 the previous season.

 

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UTL WAR: I can’t reply a ‘mad’ person-Rukutana to Anite

Ministers Rukutana and Anite who are reading from different pages on UTL saga. Photo credit, New Vision.

Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana has said he won’t reply a ‘mad’ person or else he will be considered mad as well.

Mr Rukutana made the remarks in reference to his junior colleague, State Minister for Finance in charge of Investment and Privatisation, Evlyen Anite

When contacted for a comment over a petition to Inspectorate of Government to have him and others investigated over their wealth and involvement in Uganda Telecom Limited, Rukutana said he would not reply Anite who seem to be mad. “I can’t reply a mad person otherwise I will be considered mad as well” Mr. Rukutana told Eagle Online 

A Ugandan citizen Davidson Ssemwanga  has petitioned the Inspector General of Government (IGG), urging her to launch an investigation into the alleged illicit wealth of the three government officials as well as their vested interests in the liquidation of Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL).

Mr. Ssemwanga in his petition to the IGG, dated August 19, 2019, alleges that the Auditor General William Byaruhanga, his Deputy Mwesigwa Rukutana and the Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary Keith Muhakanizi own various properties both in Kampala and upcountry

He says Rukutana owns five arcades, six storied apartments in Zana and two houses in Kololo. On the other hand, he says Muhakanizi owns five storied apartments in Bukoto, four in Naguru and three houses in Germany as well as two houses in Mbarara. He alleges that Muhakanizi owns 50 square miles of land, though he did not mention the location of the said land.Further he says:

While “William Byaruhanga has bought land in front of his Rwenzori courts building. He wants his law firm to manage UTL affairs.”

The petitioner further alleges that Rukutana owns companies that export labour out of Uganda to the Middle East and Asia. He says that many girls exported by the companies allegedly owned by Rukutana have been exploited and that their rights have been abused.

On UTL audit, the petitioner must have read the recent disagreements between Byaruhanga, Muhakanizi and Rukutana on one side and Evelyne Anite, State Minister for Investment and Privatisation, who wanted UTL audited and the processing is ongoing following a directive from President Museveni .

On the audit of UTL, Ssemwanga says: “IGG, what has been bothering me and other citizens of Uganda is why public officials would be disagreeing to an audit. The only logic is that they are hiding something. These people have been at the centre of most liquidated public assets in their lifetime of public service.”

Mr  Muhakanizi told Eagle Online that the call for investigation into his wealth wasn’t new because every year he declares his wealth to the Inspectorate of Government.

“I won the war on the audit because I insisted that we must follow the law and I insisted on the involvement of the Attorney General Chambers and the court ruling was precisely what we wanted. I am happy that they have petitioned IGG to investigate my wealth because I declare my wealth to the IGG and so there is no fear whatsoever”

 

 

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Kadaga commissions fistula hospital, warns against child marriages

Kadaga commissions fistula hospital.

 

 

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has launched the newly constructed Terrewode Women’s Hospital in Soroti, with a stern warning against involvement in child marriages.

The hospital is dedicated to treatment of women suffering from obstetric fistula, caused among others by complicated births arising from child marriages.

“I have asked His Highness the Emorimor to take the message against fistula and child marriages to his people, using the clan system,” she said adding that the hospital’s utilities would be catered for.

“If we can support Lubowa Hospital, why can’t we do this? Parliament will do its part to ensure that the money for water and electricity Bills is provided,” she said.

The State Minister for Health, Sarah Opendi, painted a dark picture about the rising cases of fistula in the country.

“We still have a lot of work to do; usually, we get 1,900 cases of fistula every year. We have about 85,000 women suffering from fistula in the country,” she said.

The hospital is the effort of Terrewode, a women’s health advocacy organization, headed by its Executive Director, Alice Emasu Sseruyange.

“I was a little girl when I began this project; I used to fear to talk about child birth complications but the women supported my efforts,” she said.

Sseruyange asked government to increase financial support to maternal health through the national budget.

“We need the national budget to reflect the concerns about fistula, maternal health and child birth,” said  Sseruyange.

Dr Louis Wolf, who is one of the donors from the United States, said government should ensure the hospital is closed in 20 years by wiping fistula out of Uganda.

“This hospital is only part of a bigger infrastructure that needs to be built to prevent the problem of fistula from occurring in the first place,” he said.

“We have to work to ensure that 20 years from now, we don’t need this hospital,” he added.

The ceremony attracted Parliamentarians and senior government officials.

Kadaga also committed to support the drive to construct residential quarters for hospital staff.

 

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CAF Champions League: African Stars arrive early in Uganda for clash with KCCA 

African Stars have arrived in Uganda.

 

 

Namibian side African Stars are already in Uganda for the second leg of CAF Champions League preliminary game against KCCA FC at Lugogo this Friday.

African Stars hold a slim 3-2 advantage over KCCA FC from the first leg at Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek.

KCCA scored two away goals and will need a 1-0 victory to make it to the next round on away goals rule.

African Stars’ Ivan Kamberimpa conceded an own goal with Patrick Kaddu, who is set to join Moroccan side RS Berkane, getting the other for the Ugandan champions. Ambrosius Amseb and Ibroihim Youssouf grabbed a brace for The Samba Boys.

Mahmood Ali Mahmood Ismail from Sudan will be the center referee together with Omer Hamid Mohammed Ahmed and Haitham Elnour Ahmed as his first and second assistants respectively.

Elsiddig Mohamed Eltreefe will be the fourth official and Malawian Maxwell Mtonga the match commissioner.

KCCA is still unbeaten at StarTimes stadium in Lugogo in Caf competitions and will build their confidence around the record in bid to progress to the next round.

African Stars are expected to conduct their training sessions at the Star Times Stadium, Lugogo with the final one on the eve of the game on Thursday evening.

The winner on aggregate over the two legs will take on either Matlama from Lesotho or Angola’s Atletico Petroleos De Luanda.

A minimum of US$550,000 (sh2bn) cash prize awaits KCCA should they make it to the CAF Champions’ League group stages.

On the other hand, Proline will continue their continental journey with a return leg of the CAF Confederation Cup Preliminary round against Masters Security Services FC (Malawi) this Saturday August24, 2019 in Lilongwe. Proline hold a 3-0 goal advantage from the first leg.

CAF Champions League

23rd August 2019

KCCA FC v African Stars

StarTimes stadium Lugogo (4pm)

 

 

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Kyabazinga roots for tourism dev’t

Busoga Kingdom’s tourism sites are due for development given the cultural institutions strategic plan.

Addressing Kagulu climbers who converged for the annual challenge on Saturday at the hill, His Majesty William Gabula Nadiope, IV, Isebantu Kyabazinga of Busoga disclosed that development of the several tourist sites in the Kingdom is one of the priority areas.

“We are more than ready to develop and promote our several sites. It’s incumbent upon the different stakeholders to ensure that we work together to achieve our target as regards tourism development”, the Kyabazinga said revealing that revenue from the sites will be used to cause social development.

On her part, the speaker of parliament noted that as current leaders, tourism development tops there to do list.

“We need to identify other tourist sites within Busoga and develop them to acceptable levels”, she said before disclosing that Kagulu will also host the commonwealth delegates of the 64th meeting next month.

Present at this year’s challenge were Prime Minister and his deputy of Busoga Kingdom, royal chiefs, Ministers, MPs, CEO and chairman Uganda tourism board, tourism adherents among others.

Earlier on, there was a crowning ceremony of the Miss Tourism Busoga 2019 were Nguna Sandra Elizabeth from Luuka emerged overall winner with

First Runners up Miss Tourism Busoga 2019 being Kyeru Phiona Bridget from Kigulu chiefdom while second Runners up for Miss Tourism Busoga 2019 was Nabagala Sandra from Butembe chiefdom.

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UNBS urges Kisenyi maize millers to improve standards

Worker at maize miller
 

 

Maize flour is produced all over Uganda but the central region houses 38 percent the of maize millers, the reason why the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has urged the sub sector to maintain high standards of storage and processing maize into flour.

Speaking at the Stakeholders Meeting with Kisenyi maize millers, the UNBS Head of Medium and Small Scale (SMEs) Division, Ronald Ahimbisibwe, noted that the maize sector is still faced with the challenges of compliance to good manufacturing practices, good hygienic practices and milling from makeshift/temporary structures that have all contributed to production of poor quality maize flour.

In the recent past, maize flour tested in the UNBS laboratories has been found to contain E.coli and aflatoxins that are danger to human health. Aflatoxins can lead to acute poisoning (aflatoxicosis) and can be life threatening, usually causing damage to the liver.

Ahimbisibwe called on maize millers to embrace certification of their products that will in turn increase consumer confidence in their products and help them access national and international markets.

He added that maize flour standards states that, “Milled maize (corn) products shall not contain any foreign matter such as insects, fungi or dirt; shall be free from fermented musty or other objectionable odor and colors; and it shall also be wholesome and fit for human consumption in all aspects.”

Millers in Kampala however said the maize grains bought from the village are very dirty and some farmers supply immature maize that has in turn resulted into producing flour that does not meet standards. He also urged government to provide equipment to measure moisture content in maize flour since majority of the millers are poor and cannot afford to buy such equipment.”

 

 

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Is Anite receiving death threats from colleagues in her gov’t darlings?

Minister Evelyn Anite

 

By Geoffrey Serugo

 

The yelling of the State Minister for Investment and Privatization in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and economic Development Evelyn Anite, is an indication that curses of opposition leaders have come to pass over her actions to maintain President Museveni’s leadership in power as long as he wishes.

During February 2014 NRM, Ms Anite became buzzword for Kampala’s political talk after she fronted sole candidature project in Kyankwanzi ahead of the 2016 general elections. She knelt on her knees, begged, danced and chanted in praise of Museveni calling others to support her in endorsing Museveni’s sole candidature for NRM primaries.

Her life totally changed after Museveni won that election in 2016. He later appointed her State Minister for Investment and Privatization as she continued to praise him Museveni to live longer for the attainment of the 2020 middle status income and the vision 2040.

Studying Ms Anite’s actions, one finds the contrast in description, between a politician known for unwavering loyalty, and, a schemer who can tell an opportunity to exploit with her eyes closed.

Anite’s political rise to spokesperson for the NRM Caucus by 2011 would seem a little high for a then 27-year-old. That could be testimony of just how much ambition drives her, an ambition that can at least be traced back to her university days.

It is while she studied Mass Communication at Uganda Christian University (UCU) that she debuted on the tense radio political talk-show scene, a breeding ground for NRM cadres, many of whom have now earned themselves RDC slots.

The patriotic MP recently in the struggle to maintain Museveni in the race a head of the 2021 election, warned the opposition that they will do whatever it takes to achieve what they want. “Don’t intimidate us, we have support of the army,” She said at Parliament in 2017. The words came to pass when the Army stormed parliament, injured and evicted opposition MPs as they debated age limit bill that advocated for removal of presidential age limit that would bar Museveni to stand in 2021.

Time has now defined her actions following the ongoing feud between her and the Administrator of UTL, Twebaze Bemanya after she secured an order calling for auditing of the company.

Recently a whistleblower asked the Inspector General of Government to conduct a thorough investigation into what he described as secretive dealings by Anite over the management of UTL.

“I am writing to the IGG to invite her investigate me on how I am doing my job. I want to make it clear, I have no travel ban against me. I am the minister for privatization and my mandate is to bring in foreign investors,” she said in response to the whistleblower.

Currently it is not well at the minister’s office after she alleged to have received death threats from what she called mafias operating in the currently government.

Earlier today, she has said there is a group of mafias who plans to kill her for causing an internal audit in Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL).

“There is a plan to kill me just like former MP Ibrahim Abiriga. The Mafias are real. The same people who claim to love Uganda are the country’s worst enemies,” she said.

Koboko Municipality legislator said the mafias are currently tapping her phones and their meetings sit at Uganda registration services bureau (URSB) and Kampala club.

 

 

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