Bombardier Commercial Aircraft on Tuesday celebrated the delivery of the first two of four CRJ900 aircraft ordered by Uganda National Airlines Company in July 2018. The new airline has selected Bombardier and the CRJ900 regional jets fitted with the ATMOSPHÈRE cabin for its upcoming debut, making it the first operator in Africa with this enhanced cabin experience.
The CRJ900 delivery ceremony held at Bombardier’s Mirabel, Québec facility, was attended by executives of both Uganda Airlines and Bombardier Commercial Aircraft as well as several shop floor employees who build the CRJ900 aircraft.
“We are thrilled to commence our operations with the world’s leading regional jet, and we look forward to providing the most modern passenger experience in regional aviation to the people of Uganda and across Africa,” said Ephraim Bagenda, CEO, Uganda National Airlines.”
“We congratulate Uganda Airlines for taking delivery of their very first CRJ900 jetliner fitted with the ATMOSPHÈRE cabin in a dual-class configuration with 76 seats, including 12 first class seats. The CRJ Series is recognized for its superior economics and efficiency and I am confident that it will be the stepping stone for the development of Uganda’s regional air travel”, said Fred Cromer, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.
Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 bil
UNBS Executive Director Dr. Ben Manyindo addressing the media
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) said on Tuesday that it had picked samples of Pearl Salt for testing to establish if it suitable for human consumption.
The latest development follows media reports attributed to the Member of Parliament for Kilak South Constituency Gilbert Olanya who had reservations about the quality that brand.
“… UNBS does not take the allegations lightly and we have picked samples from the market to carry out further laboratory analysis to ascertain whether the salt meets the requirements of the standard for fortified food salt (US EAS 35:2012),” it said in a statement.
UNBS said the salt brand in question bears the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Standardisation Mark as evidence that it has been certified for compliance with standards.
The salt brand was cleared for importation into Uganda based on valid certification permits from KEBS as part of mutual recognition of certification permits issued by Standards bodies in EAC Partner States. “This measure was designed to facilitate trade among EAC countries,” UNBS said.
As a quality assurance measure, UNBS routinely picked samples for further laboratory analysis and the tested samples passed.
“UNBS will continue to perform its mandate of enforcing standards to protect the health and safety of consumers and the environment against dangerous and sub-standard products, the statement said.
Justice Catherine Bamugemereire’s land probe was duped into listening to the Garuga land matter which court settled on December 22, 2017 as 19 plaintiffs won the case in Justice Andrew K. Bashaija’s ruling.
The civil case 207 of 2014 had 19 plaintiffs who included individuals and companies sue defendants Getrude Nakiyimba, Faridah Namirembe Nalumansi Alias Princess Bwanga, Joseph Kanaabo and the Auditor General who was dragged into the case due to the actions of the police on the said suit land.
The court ruling of some of the people in Ntende whom Caster Ssemwogerere rushed to the land probe, claiming the land is part of the estate of the late Daudi Kasimbazi who died in 1959. He is a grandson to the late.
The land was originally registered MRV 152 Folio 12 registered in the name of Daudi Kasimbazi before it changed hands as beneficiaries took up their shares, meaning it could not remain as one block as claimed by Ssemwogerere.
In the judgement by Justice Bashaija, Nakiyimba who claimed to be the administrator of Kasimbazi’s estate assumed that role after the said land had been distributed to various beneficiaries. She was not the beneficiary in the distribution of the said land, according to the will left behind by her father Kasimbazi.
According to the Administrator General land MVR 152, was sub divided and as such claims by Ms Nakiyimba that she is the administrator raises questions of how she assumed that role given the subdivided land.
The judgement shows that Ms Nakiyimba admitted to have trespassed on one of the subdivided plots that was sold to a new person.
“After carefully evaluating the evidence as a whole on this issue, it is clear enough that the 1st (Nakiyimba) – 3rd defendants committed the acts…or were privy to the acts of trespass complained of on the suit land,” reads part of the judgement.
According the judgment, Ms Faridah Namirembe Namusisi alias Princess Bwanga Bwamirembe (second defendant), also admitted entering the suit land on a number of occasions without the consent of the plaintiffs who bought the plots of the sub divided land. She said she had no interest or claim of right in the suit land and that her role was only to take care of cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Buganda.
“Given the evidence adduced by plaintiffs and in view of the admissions made by both the 1st (Nakiyimba) and 2nd (Namusisi)…, each of the defendants trespassed on the suit land,” reads part of Justice Bashaija’s ruling on the matter.
In the ruling Justice Bashaija awarded plaintiffs special damages of Shs160 million and general damages worth Shs200 million as compensation. The special damages comprised illegal excavation of sand and stones, cutting down trees and fences, destroying crops and threatening violence against plaintiffs.Shs200 million was to cover loss and inconvenience caused by continuous actions of trespass on plaintiffs’ land by defendants (Nakiyimba and Namusisi).
All the 19 plaintiff bought their land from former owners, presenting sales agreements, and would later acquire land titles for their plots. For instance Garuga Musinguzi, the Managing Director of Incafex Limited, says he bought part of the land in 1990 from Evaristo Nyanzi and Andrew Ben Ssengooba, who were the former registered proprietors.
The ruling says each of the plaintiffs is the duly registered proprietor of his or her respective plot of land that they did not have to follow any while buying.
The ruling also quashed actions of the Uganda Police Land Protection Unit who supported Nakiyimba and Namusisi as they trespassed the suit land.
The ruling also required Nakiyimba, Namusisi and Kanaabo to deliver duplicate certificate title of MRV 152 Folio 12 within 21 days from the date of judgement to the Commissioner of for Land Registration for cancellation. The judge warned that failure by the trio to do so would lead to the Commissioner would be directed to recall and cancel the said duplicate certificate title.
Trouble is not yet over at the under fire Dfcu bank as another top manager resigns.
Eagle Online has reliably learnt that Denis Kibuuka Musoke, the head of consumer banking has officially left the bank. Dfcu is lately in the storm which has seen it down size its employees.
The bank was also heavily criticized on how it lazily acquired Crane Bank from Bank of Uganda without doing much background checks as it was revealed during the Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE).
Just last month, Dr. Winifred Tarinyeba Kiryabwire, who had been a director on the board of Dfcu bank resigned and left the board of the bank.
According to an internal memo, Dr. Winifred resigns due to commitments she is due to undertake in another entity. She had been a non-Executive Director since September 2013.
“The Board of directors of Dfcu (the company) informs its shareholders and general public of the resignation of Dr. Winifred Tarinyeba Kiryabwire as a director in the company with effect from the 27th March 2019.
“Dr. Winifred Tarinyeba Kiryabwire joined and has diligently served the since September 2013 as a non-Executive director. She resigns due to commitments she is due to undertake in another entity. The Board takes this opportunity to appreciate the commitment and invaluable contribution made by Dr. Winifred during her tenure and wishes her the very best in her future endeavors.” Read the internal memo.
The exodus of top officials from Dfcu Bank continued the same month as Agnes Tibayeyita Isharaza who is now head of legal services at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) quit.
Ms Isharaza was days ago appointed to that position by the Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija who supervises NSSF.
Sources at Dfcu say Mr Musoke had resigned due to internal fights at the bank and for that reason, he quit to join Top Finance bank.
Dfcu bank posted its 2018 profits indicating a sharp fall from its 2017 results. The results indicate a decline in the deposits, the bank registered 0.4 per cent decline from Shs1.987 trillion registered in 2017 to Shs11.979 trillion in 2018.
Liquidity squeeze curtails lending; lending grows by a mere 4 per cent from Shs1.334 trillion to Shs1.393 trillion in 2018.
The bank also registered assets decline by 4.6 per cent from Shs3 trillion to Shs2.88 trillion and as a result, Dfcu in 2018 experienced a 21 per cent decline in income from Shs519.8 billion to Shs410.6 billion.
Mr Auditor General Mr. John Muwanga in his report on defunct banks faults Dfcu Bank for engaging in transactions that did not follow proper guidelines as it bought of Crane Bank Limited assets at Shs200 billion, paid in installments. Dfcu bank also bought the assets of Global Trust Bank without following guidelines as laid in the Financial Institutions Act, 2004.
The sourcing of Dfcu bank as a buyer of both banks happened over telephone, according to Ben Sekabira, a senior banking officer at BoU. Former director of bank supervision Justine Bagyenda was at the forefront of selling the two banks to their rival Dfcu bank.
At the time Dfcu Bank bought Global Trust Bank in 2014, William Kalema was both on the board of BoU and the board of Dfcu Bank.
Every January, the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) releases the results for the Primary Leaving Examinations for the previous year. Screaming headlines on Uganda’s news dailies, television and radio stations is a show of education might with photos, videos and sound bytes of pupils who performed well as schools’ scramble for the top positions as the country’s best.
This excitement is only short lived because after a week, the results are no longer in news as the country’s focuses on new stories and waits in anticipation for the senior four results to be released a few weeks away. It’s then that the hunt for placements in secondary schools start as all parents cross their fingers for a vacancy for their child. Those lucky to join the country’s Crème de la Crème secondary schools rejoice at the opportunity while others are less excited having to make choices that would not be their preferred option.
However, after the excitement of the results are over and the scramble for secondary school places finishes what happens to the children who were for a brief moment the country’s school stars? Do they go on to fulfill their potential, does their success continue or do they get swallowed up? Very few have chosen to follow up on the performance of the country’s stars when they get to secondary schools. Very few have seen whether the PLE litmus test is accurate and does it indicate how successful a child will be at secondary school – or is it just a moment in time? So, I decided to follow up one of the names that appeared in the newspapers in January 2018. Jane Dada Nabutere scored eight aggregates leading her class in Bridge School Malaba. She was also waved the district flag as the best pupil scoping several awards. Daughter to Gertrude Nambuya a teacher and Charles Wabwire, a civil servant, Jane comes from a humble background in the impoverished backyard of the busy town of Malaba. Jane strikes you as a quietly brilliant girl who talks little. Following her PLE success, Jane was given a place at Nabisunsa girls secondary school – one of the best schools in Uganda – it was her first choice. However, like many parents, Jane’s parents couldn’t afford school fees at Nabisunsa Secondary school. Jane was lucky to get a sponsor, someone who had seen her excel during her primary years.
Nearly a year later, I followed up on her academic performance at the prestigious school. “Jane continues to surprise us. She is doing great. Her performance is really good. In fact she scored eight aggregates at the end of term with a class average mark of 83.9 per cent” said the Headteacher Hajati Aisha Kibirige. Last term, Jane was proud to be announced as one of the schools giants at the end of term assembly. School giants commonly known as “Sunsas Kadala” are Nabisunsa’s top pupils in senior one.
“I like Nabisunsa girls secondary school because the academics are great. We have academic mentors and teachers that keep monitoring us and motivating us to work harder. It’s like still being in the Bridge community even though I am growing up” Jane says.
Traditionally, Nabisunsa only selects the country’s top cream who excelled in the Primary Leaving Exams only taking pupils who scored 6 aggregates or less. Despite the fact that Jane scored eight aggregates, the head teacher decided to take a gamble on her considering her academic success despite her poor background. She has not been disappointed. Jane is being given special attention as one of the school giants whom the school believes will bring back eight aggregates in eight subjects when she gets to senior four. It’s an incredible journey.
“I am very happy because of the firm foundation that Bridge gave me during my primary education. I am still founded on the values of hard work, commitment and discipline. I know that if I continue like this, I will be a doctor one day. This has been my dream. I will be a doctor” the impressively ambitious Jane says.
In order to nurture her dreams, the school makes sure that she interacts with older girls who passed through the institution and who are now practicing medicine. Giving pupils the opportunity to spend time with those who have fulfilled their dreams, enabling their pupils to see what is possible is important. “She has a one on one with several doctors who encourage her to keep going. I believe that this motivates her even to work harder to achieve her dream.” Says the Headteacher
While we celebrate Jane’s academic progress, I inquire from the head teacher why some of the best pupils in PLE, the stars, do not perform as well as they are expected to when the reach secondary school. Jane Dada Nabutere and her teacher.
“When these girls join schools, they often lose focus on their academics and form social peer groups basing on their social status. Since many come from rich families, they often become proud and can lose the ambitions and dreams, the bigger picture. But here we do not allow that, we ensure that all children are judged only on their academic merit and their determination to succeed” Says Hajati Kibirige.
According to Christine Apiot, an educationalist, there are cases where many of the children who excel in PLE never carry on to become the best performers in senior four. “There are a lot of things that are done by different primary schools to ensure that their children pass and get good places. This may include cheating in exams, or it may be a case of using money and influence. Nevertheless, there are the geniuses who work hard and make it to the top. As children go up the education ladder, the system starts to isolate them and success depends on discipline, commitment and hard work – a good work ethic and not only raw talent, and there are very many parents who actually get disappointed.” Says Ms. Apiot.
Apiot says that primary schools need to start focusing on real learning and behaviours that will create a foundation for the children as they move forward – in their education and in life – rather than just helping them to pass exams.
It’s not just schools, many of the parents focus on their children scoring highly rather than nurturing the child’s performance and character. Julian Nakate, a parent at one of the prominent schools in Kampala is a classic example. “At the end of the day it is the primary results that speak. “If my child scores four, five, six aggregates, then they qualify for a good school. I will break the bank to pay the high school fees to ensure that they can go to that school. That is what matters most.” Says Nakate.
It is indeed a debate of whether it should be learning or just passing exams which matters most to parents. But, we should also ask whether the education assessment system is designed to sacrifice the development of a child because of the way it prioritises exam results. If the stars of the PLE do not stay stars because of the way the system is designed, what we should do about it? Look at Jane. She is excelling because she was taught to be committed, hardworking and disciplined – she has a foundation that will allow her star to continue to shine.
COSASE Chairman Mubarak Munyagwa who is to appear before anti-corruption court
Parliament’s Committee of Statutory and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Tuesday three out officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) after the tax body commissioner General Doris Akol failed to attend.
Committee Chairperson and Kawempe South MP Mubarak Munyagwa said that Akol was the right person to answer all the queries and so the sitting wouldn’t go on without her.
The Committee is meeting URA officials over queries in the 2013/2014 Auditors General’s report which among others include the disappearance of 9000 litres of fuel that were in their custody.
In their first meeting, the MPs discovered that Government lost over Shs800 million due to URA’s poor storage of seized goods like cement and fuel.
The sitting has now been postponed until May 7, 2019.
On the other hand, Opposition Chief Whip called for strict punishments for Government officials that snub committees arguing that sittings cost tax payer’s money and so should be taken seriously.
Munyagwa said the MPs on COSASE plan to visit customs points countrywide to establish what really go on there.
Cameroon have been awarded the hosting rights of the 2020 African Nations Championship.
The West African country replace Ethiopia who were the initial hosts, in a decision taken during a CAF Executive committee meeting.
Ethiopia were originally officially appointed to host the tournament on 4 February 2018, after the final of the previous tournament in Morocco. They did not meet the required standards set by CAF.
The Ethiopia Football Federation (EFF) had also admitted it doubts it will be ready to host the 2020 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).
According to the CAF President Ahmad Ahmad the decision to award CHAN 2020 will enable Cameroon to be better prepared for the African Nations Cup.
Cameroon were stripped of hosting this year’s Africa Cup of Nations due to take place in Egypt and were awarded the 2021 edition.
Ethiopia became the second CECAFA nation to fail to host the tournament after Kenya were stripped of the 2018 CHAN hosting rights in 2017.
The 2020 tournament will be the 6th edition of the African Nations Championship, a biennial football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) exclusively featuring players from the respective national championships.
It will be hosted between January and February 2020. Morocco are the defending champions.
Meanwhile, Uganda will play against South Sudan in a doubleheader of the first round of the qualifiers. The first leg will be played between July 26th, and 28th with the second to be played between August 2nd, and 4th in Kampala.
The aggregate victor over the two legs will have to face the winner between Rwanda and Somalia in the second round of the qualifiers to book a place in the Chan 2020 group stages.
Uganda Cranes will be seeking for their fourth straight appearance at the 16-team tournament.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United will use their famous PSG comeback as motivation to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Barcelona in their Champions League quarter-final second leg.
Solskjaer says their triumphant victory over the French champions in the last 16 would help them in their bid to recover from a goal down at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night.
“That memory from PSG will help the players,” Solskjaer said at his pre-match press conference. “It will help us as a team to try and turn things around.” said Solskjaer according to Sky Sports.
“We know Barcelona at the Nou Camp is a difficult prospect, but the memory from that night will live with the players. It’s not that long ago and we are one goal better off.”
The game marks Solskjaer’s return to the stadium where he scored United’s injury-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
“Of course it’s a fantastic memory for me,” he said. “It’s the only time I’ve been on the pitch, but I don’t really look back on that night too often. My job now is to make us play better than in the first game.”
Alexis Sanchez could feature against his former club at Camp Nou after recovering from a knee injury.
Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde said Lionel Messi is fit to play after taking a knock from Chris Smalling in the first leg.
Messi and several other first team players were rested for the Catalans’ 0-0 draw at La Liga bottom side Huesca on Saturday.
“Messi is fine after the blow he received and has no problems ahead of tomorrow’s game,” said Valverde.
Key Stats
Of the 70 previous occasions a side has won a Champions League knockout tie first leg away from home, just four have been eliminated (6 per cent). However, two of those instances have been in this season’s competition, including once by Manchester United.
Barcelona have never lost a home match against Man Utd in European competition (W2 D2), with their last such meeting finishing 0-0 in April 2008.
Barcelona have progressed from 39 of their 41 European ties in which they won the first leg away from home – the exceptions were against FC Koln in the 1980-81 UEFA Cup, and against Metz in the 1984-85 Cup Winners’ Cup.
Manchester United have progressed from one of their four previous European ties in which they lost the first leg at home, although it was in the last round against Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcelona are unbeaten in 30 Champions League home games, the longest such run in the competition (W27 D3). They’ve also not conceded more than once in any of those 30 games (15 goals in total) since a 0-3 loss to Bayern Munich in the 2012-13 semi-finals.
90 per cent of Manchester United’s Champions League goals this season have come away from home (9/10). However, the Red Devils have won just one of their last five away knockout stage games in the competition (D2 L2).
In their first leg defeat, Manchester United failed to register a single shot on target for the first time in a Champions League game since March 2005 (0-1 vs Milan).
Manchester United have lost 49 Champions League games – they could become the ninth different club to reach 50 defeats in the competition, and just the second English side (Arsenal, 53).
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has scored 22 goals in 31 Champions League games against English opponents, more than any other player in the competition. 13 of those strikes have come in his last nine against English sides at Camp Nou, including hat-tricks vs Arsenal (April 2010) and Manchester City (October 2016).
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has had more shots without finding the net than any other player in the Champions League this season (33).
ACP Namaye Polly Deputy Public Relations Officer, Uganda Police.
The Police has come out to alert the public on the recent attacks on mobile money agents in Mbale, Wakiso and Kakumiro districts.
Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Uganda Police, Polly Namaye mentions says: “There are increased reports of attacks on mobile money operators.”
She says of the case on April 9, 2019, at around 11pm, where two unidentified people who were travelling in an unidentified motor vehicle armed with a rifle waylaid one Magoma Isma, a mobile money agent at Nakaloke Central Cell, Nakaloke Town Council in Mbale District and robbed him of Shs 5,840,000, five mobile phones and three Matrix machines. They shot and injured him as well as the boda boda rider, Muzamiru Maasa who was transporting him home. The victims were taken to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.
On the same day at around 10pm, unidentified armed thugs attacked one Nampira Betty, a mobile money operator in Nansana West I Village, Nansana Division, Nansana Municipality and robbed her of Shs3.3 million. The suspects shot in the air to scare off approaching residents.
On April 9, 2019, at around 9pm, two unidentified people attacked Mugisha Moses, a mobile money operator at Mpongo Trading Centre, Mpasana Sub-county, Kakumiro District and robbed him of Shs1, 370,000. The suspects also shot and injured two people who were part of the group trying to pursue them. The injured were taken to Hoima Hospital for treatment.
Web-based sales company Jumia has finally listed on the New York Stock Exchange after fulfilling all the requirements.
The chief executive officer of Jumia Uganda, Ron Kawamara says the listing of the company of the New York Stock Exchange affirms the great strides the company has made over the recent years.
Addressing the media in Kampala hours ago, Kawamara said this move will motivate the company to become more innovative.
“This shows a level of trust that the international global sector has in Jumia and we appreciate our customers, clients and all that have supported online marketing with Jumia,” he said.
He said this trust will enable them grow more.
“Being listed on the stock exchange buys a lot of trust in Jumia which calls for credibility to attract customers and retain top talent as a fast growing company.’’
This year, Jumia started off on a good note after MTN invested in it.
Kawamara said they employ over 5000 people in Africa.
