Legislators have questioned the move by government to introduce the new international East African electronic passport to replace the current ones.

The Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Mario Obiga Kania, said that following an East African Community (EAC) directive by Heads of State, the government intends to roll out new passports on 20 January 2019.

He said that passports were to be rolled out in three regional centres in Mbarara, Mbale and Gulu and seven issuing centres abroad.

“These passports have chips that are easier to read by the micro-processor reader at border points; [and have] safety measures like biometric data which makes it hard to forge,” Obiga Kania said at parliament.

The Minister said the old passports will be phased out over a period of two years from launch of the new passport and will become invalid after 9 January 2021.

The ordinary passport (called a passport) with 48 and 64 pages will cost Shs250,000 and Shs300,000 respectively, the official passport (called a service passport) will cost Shs400,000 while the diplomatic passport will cost Shs500,000, while Shs150,000 will be charged as the express fee.

“The application process of the passport will be manual and online, the latter including filling out an online form. Applicants must have a national identity card,” Obiga Kania noted.

However, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga and Members of Parliament raised concern over the entire process from its legality, ease with administration and costs.

Kadaga asked whether there is a country recognized as East Africa for it to be able to issue passports. She also wondered whether the Presidents’ directive was ever brought to the attention of Parliament.

“The protocol has not yet been read here, where is the legal authority changing the Ugandan passport to an East African passport?” Kadaga asked.

Isingiro South MP, Alex Byarugaba asked for the legal basis of action to adopt the East African e-passports. “I thought that these decisions and protocols need to be ratified and approved by Parliament. There is no need and hurry to migrate to the new passports especially without the consent of Parliament,” he said.

West Budama South MP Jacob Oboth said that the idea of introducing new passports was not well thought out and is not sensitive to the concerned of citizens.

“My passport goes up to 2028 and I will sue you for making me get a new passport as I just paid for what I have. The passports are expensive to acquire and now you want someone to pay the extra costs?” he said.

Minister Obiga Kania said that the e-passports will be issued by each of the EAC Partner States in their own names.

“The East African bit of the passport is in the design and a chip which are common across the member states,” he said.

He promised to present to Parliament the supporting documents responding to all the questions raised including the legality of the proposal to introduce the e-passports.

ADJUMANI– South Sudanese refugees living in Nyumanzi, a refugee camp in Uganda’s North-western district of Adjumani have been urged to co-exist peacefully with their host communities.

About 43,000 South Sudanese refugees live in Nyumanzi, officials say.

Speaking at an essay award giving ceremony for primary school pupils who excelled, Daud Gideon, the Executive Director for Remembering The Ones We Lost, lauded all those who participated in the contest, which attracted 89 pupils drawn from four schools.

“Involving pupils from the different schools enhances unity and togetherness,” said Daud, before he handed prizes to the winners.
The competition, managed by an essay organizing committee, covered various topics, ranging from the causes as well as effects of early marriage practices to the impact of conflict on peoples’ lives.

Bior Lual Bior, a primary six pupil of Nyumanzi II primary school emerged winner of the essay contest, followed by Deng Kuir Ariik. Others were Nyantich Abui Diing, Dau Abui Dau and Achol Mading.

All the recognized essay winners got cash prizes that ranged from Shs200,000 ($55) to Shs50,000 ($15), story books as well as novels.

Daud appreciated the essay organizing committee members, teachers and camp leaders for allowing the organization carry out its activities in support of the refugees in Nyumanzi settlement camp.
Moses Nyang, the Refugee Welfare Council (RWC) secretary, said the essay writing completion not only enhanced pupils’ learning ability, but further consolidated the reading and writing skills in them.

Gabriel Ajak, the chairperson of the essay writing competition, said the exercise promoted harmony, unity and peaceful co-existence.
Meanwhile, the host community defeated refugees in a football tournament Remembering The Ones We Lost organized in Nyumanzi.

The winning team won a new trophy, a cash prize and a set of soccer uniform. Prizes also went to the runners up and the third placed team.

After opening in January 2014, Nyumanzi has become the largest refugee settlement in Adjumani district in terms of population size. Despite their relatively recent arrival, residents are already well-established and a strong community has emerged in which refugee households actively collaborate with each other to share resources.

However, although many of the refugees are resilient, gaps in critical sectors, such as education and water, health and sanitation, persist and undermine refugees’ ability to cope with their displacement.

Two Bank of Uganda (BoU) security officers have been charged with negligence of duty which caused the disappearance of documents related to the liquidation of some of the seven commercial banks.

Ms. Beatrice Kyambadde and Charles Mollo appeared before City Hall Court in Kampala on Tuesday and charged with negligence of duty before they were remanded to Luzira Prison until December 6, 2018. This was after prosecution told court that police investigations into the matter was not yet complete.

Ms Kyambadde and Mr Mollo were keeping the access gates that the former BoU executive director for Supervision, Ms Justine Bagyenda used to take out bags suspected to be carrying bank documents. They were arrested last Thursday on orders of MP Abdu Katuntu, the Chairman of parliamentary committee investigating the closure of commercial banks.

The two security assistants were arrested alongside Bagyenda’s bodyguard Juliet Adikot and her driver Job Turyahabwe on orders of the Abudu Katuntu, the chairman of parliamentary committee probing BoU over the closure of commercial banks.

Ms Adikot and Mr. Turyahabwe last week gave contradicting testimonies to the committee in relation to Ms Bagyenda’s movements on the day three bags were returned. The two were captured by CCTV cameras felling out bags into Bagyenda’s car. Ms Adikot caused drama in parliament when she said police’s standing orders do not permit her to give any information to any authority.

Parliament will next week host the second Science, Technology, Innovation and exhibition that is intended to identify creative ideas that require government interventions and funding.

Under the theme ‘Transforming the country through Ugandan innovations,’ the exhibition will be held at the Parliament Ground parking from December 10 to 14, 2018.

Over 800 local innovators are expected at the exhibition, which is being organized by the Parliament Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation.

According to Kigulu North MP and Committee Chairperson of Science, Technology, Fred Bwino Kyakulaga said exhibition and entrance are free of charge, government will support innovators so that Uganda can match the pace of developed nations, where innovation, science, and technology are the primary pillars of economic growth.

“The objectives of this exhibition is to empower and support the innovators, enhance social economic transformation of the country through application and use of local materials and finally identify innovations that require government interventions and funding,” he said Parliament.

“We did not get any funding because there was no framework governing the use of the fund. The innovation fund was to be drawn from the Consolidated Fund and since its public resources, the guidelines are necessary,” He said.

He revealed that the Ministry of Science and Technology is currently carrying out countrywide consultations to draft guidelines before the next budget reading.

He implored innovators to come and exhibit new ideas, creative thoughts and imaginations in form of new devices, methods and procedures and value additions, in the various fields.

Mr Bwino said, the institution of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau would attend the exhibition so as to provide important information to innovators on the need to protect their intellectual property rights from what he called ‘intellectual thieves and pirates’.

Internal Affairs Minister Gen Jeje Odong has revealed that over 24,000 passports are ready for collection in the first step towards transiting from paper to electronic passports.

Recently Uganda joined the two East African countries of Kenya and Tanzania using electronic passports compelling president Museveni to direct for phasing out of paper passports to electronic come January 2019.

“We are not in line to fulfill that directive, we are due to receive the initial batch from Uganda security Printing Company who are our suppliers, electronic Passport is significantly different from the current passport, it is going to improve the security of the document and delivery of service,” he said at his office in Kampala.

The EAC electronic passport are printed in three coolers, red for diplomats, green for officials and sky blue for ordinary people. The minister said those with old passports have up to 2021 to acquire the current ones.

He said passengers bearing electronic passports will be quickly processed through cross boarder points through self-service point or a counter manned by an individual.

He said a national identity card can be used as a travel document through East African member states of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

Uganda is now part of the family of the over 150 countries travelling using electronic passports.