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Transport paralyzed in Jinja as residents protest over shoddy, slow road construction

Transport along Main Street in Jinja town was paralyzed after the residents held a protest over the shoddy road works by a municipal council-hired contractor.

Former Jinja district vice chairman, Moses Batwaala led the protest, carrying placards demanding for reasons why the road is being constructed in such a manner.

The protestors accuse Jinja Town Clerk, Francis Byabagambi and UB consulting Engineers – a firm contracted to construct the new Jinja Main Street Road of tampering with the initial “beautiful road design” the major eastern town.

Police swung into action after close to an hour of the protest when the angry group approached Jinja town hall. An officer who never wanted to be named told us that they had to disperse them for prevention of endangering officials at the town hall.

Tuesday last week Byabagambi and UB Consult Engineers narrowly survived being beaten by a rowdy group of residents who had gathered at the town hall to be briefed on the progress of the works and why the change of design. These were stakeholders invited by the Town Clerk for a meeting to discuss the matter.

The stakeholders who included local leaders and business owners became bitter and attempted to beat the officials after they were told that the design was final.

This prompted the Town Clerk and contractors to flee for safety as they advanced towards them in anger.

They locked themselves in the Town Clerk’s offices as police came to their rescue.

Since the construction started, residents have been opposed to the new architectural design of the road, saying it was poorly planned and that they were not consulted.

Residents contend that if they go by the changed design, the road will generate traffic jam and make some streets like Katchi, Alice Mulooki and Nizamu inaccessible.

The road is being constructed under the Uganda Support Municipal Infrastructure Development [USMID] programme which is funded by the World Bank.

Eng. David Kaddu from UB Consulting Engineers firm, laboured to convince residents to accept the new design in vain.

According to the original design of Jinja, the main street road has 10 turning points connecting to different roads.

“Closing the turning points at Katchi, Nizam and Alice Muloki roads will divide the town into two, making it almost impossible for someone to cross from Jinja East to West. This will kill people’s business,” says Moris Bizitu the speaker of Jinja Municipal council. Bizitu says the design being used by UB Consulting Engineers has never been approved by council but only the town clerk, Byabagambi and mayor, Majid Batambuze knew about it.

Reached out for a comment, Jinja district NRM vice chairman Majidu Dhikusooka, says the town is among the well planned cities in the country and changing the designs will disorganise the entire setting.

But Byabagambi who was not in office at the time of the protest, later told this writer by telephone that it was parliament and the ministry of finance delaying the completion of the construction of the road.

Asked whether they would change to the original design, the Town Clerk was not committal.

Last month, the council speaker, Moris Bizitu, wrote to the World Bank complaining about the same issues raised by the protesting residents.

The construction of the 2.5 kilometers road which cost Shs11.6 billion, was supposed to kick off in October 2017 but started in December after the cancellation of the first contractor.

The construction should have been completed on July 17 but the Town Clerk says all this was hampered by heavy rains. The deadline was then been extended to September 16, but by this cannot be met.

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I warned Museveni on becoming Amin or Obote, now see where Uganda is-Gen. Sejusa

Gen. Sejusa.

The former Coordinator of Intelligence, Gen. David Sejusa aka Tinyefuza has said he warned President Yoweri Museveni as early as 1996 not to downgrade into past regimes of Idi Amin and Apollo Milton Obote.

In an interview with Eagle Online, Gen. Sejusa said during a 1996 heated high command meeting of the army, he challenged Mr Museveni to quit power in that same year but Museveni didn’t adhere to him. Gen.Sejusa says he instead ‘I told him to rather relegate himself to past presidents’.

“I asked him to pave way for Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere in that meeting because I said sir, why don’t you take this chance of turning Uganda back to democracy and leave Mzee Ssemogerere to takeover so that we retrieve back and help him from the back? However, I didn’t know that my suggestion angered him and few colleagues.” Gen. Sejusa said.

Mzee Ssemogerere had served as Internal Affairs Minister in the earlier cabinet of President Museveni but had resigned in 1995 to contest 1996 elections.

“After my suggestion, he said he had annoyed him by comparing him to Amin and Obote and before, I knew Pecos Kutesa had jumped up asking me to withdraw or to apologize but I remained firm” Gen. Sejusa said in reference to the events unfolding in the country.

Sejusa further elaborated that “At the time, I asked both Museveni and Kutesa what they would do if Ssemogerere defeated them? Fail to handover, call the army to beat citizens or hike power from Ssemogerere? And off course they all agreed that they wouldn’t handover power. And that to me indicated the situation was headed for worse”.
Sejusa says he is now vindicated by events as situation is likened to both regimes of Amin and Obote.

“We didn’t have to get here, and yes, Museveni was a good man who used to listen and was never corrupt because he was idealistic but I don’t know what went wrong? Corruption is at the peak and the country is bleeding and yet leaders aren’t listening and so who will rescue Uganda?
Gen. Sejusa is known for his frankness and he has fallen out with the establishment several times with the latest being in 2013, when he authored a document to Internal Security Organisation (ISO) Director General asking him to investigate allegations that there was a plot to assassinate those against the ‘Muhoozi Project’.

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President Museveni’s address answered many questions

Sam Evidence Orikunda

By Sam Evidence Orikunda

The President of Uganda on Sunday evening took time to host journalists at State House Entebbe and explain a number of issues that have been raised over time. Some people had used the president’s silence to peddle lies and spread propaganda as it has been their way of doing work and their trusted tool.

Propaganda can work and mislead for a short while but when truth is discovered it gets back to the lines hence the carrier of propaganda losing.
The president categorically put it that NRM hasn’t been so much into propagandizing since its birth. We were so much of working and speaking less. That’s why the opposition has solely enjoyed media coverage and of late they trick the media with a number of things in order to keep their names, pictures and videos run on different televisions.

Museveni also answered the question of insecurity which was so much contested and yearned for. It’s very unfortunate that we have lost a number of lives but the president instructed the recruitment of 24,000 LDU’s who will be deployed in the districts of Kampala and Wakiso as the cameras are being installed.

He at the same time accepted the fact that our police is still using old methods to curb down crime, however, he says we are in transition from old ways to having modern ways of running after these criminals and arresting them.

The foreigners who have turned themselves into our decision makers and guiders are collaborating with a number of people to have our peace disturbed. The youth who are given Shs100, 000 to burn tires on streets and those who had been given Shs300, 000 to burn the petrol stations are all misled by these characters through civil society organizations.

They take an advantage of unemployment in the country to have these youth lied to. However, the idea of having these youth empowered and given skills that will help produce a number of things that will be sold and they get money both for the country and themselves is very good.
The President has always valued the good youth of Uganda and that’s why we started from immunizing them during birth, educating them through different levels and now they need jobs. This has helped to increase on the percentage of Literacy which is good for Uganda as a country.

I so much agree with the Museveni that Uganda’s issues can be solved by Ugandans themselves. There’s no foreigner who will say that he is super human and can know our problems more than we can know them. Therefore, these things of involving themselves in our issues make us suspicious as it is said in the Runyankole Rukiga proverb that “Owakunda Omwana Kukira nyina naba nayenda Kumurya”

Building the rehabilitation centers for the youth who are already into drug abuse will help most youth. It’s very shocking to discover that most patients admitted in Butabika are youth and the biggest cause of this is drug abuse and too much alcohol drinking.
Rehabilitation centers will help decrease on a number of youth that still see life in drug abuse and drinking alcohol.

The mentality by the opposition to scare and threaten supporters of NRM who sometimes get scared and don’t show up on the polling day will be put to end and the opposition will get back to the level. NRM winning the recent Local council elections with 90 per cent should have been their assurance that we are strong.

On democracy and calling Uganda a failed state yet we have the national parliament, parliaments in all districts and parliaments at sub county level is a cheap talk which isn’t backed by facts and therefore, it should be dismissed. It’s a fact that Uganda has built a strong army even when we’re using fewer funds, an army that is able to protect Uganda. The UPDF has protected Ugandans for all these years and the bad elements that have joined our society and now focusing on killing innocent Ugandans will be hunted down and captured.

Infrastructure development which is the primary factor for every nation to do or to have before development has been realized. We have electricity at almost every district headquarters and now moving to the sub county level. We have built tarmac roads which the criminals are now using to shoot people and run off. The education as the Museveni put in today’s presser would have been free but the local officials have subsidized it.

Museveni says though media doesn’t want to report about it or talk about it has of recent fought with an iron hand the characters of corruption. In different government institutions, different officials have been suspended and some dismissed permanently. The president at the same time appointed a three people committee that will ensure that all corruption cases are reported and solved. This will be added on the land commission of inquiry that has worked hard to have land wrangles settled.

The haters of development and the unpatriotic Ugandans will always create situation that will make Uganda look as though it’s crumbling but these will not win. That’s why most people have shunned reporting real news to promoting and doing serious campaigns for individuals. This is very dangerous to us as citizens and the country because we shall not have a uniform voice against fighting poverty and developing our good country. Museveni in a short time he spent answered a number of questions and I say that am satisfied by his address.

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Police foils demo of striking Makerere students

Makerere University Administration Building

Police has disrupted the procession of Makerere University students who are striking over the 15 per cent Increment on tuition fees for freshers.

In July, students elect committee led by Polly Bandora made recommendations for increment after they allegedly held a number of consultation meetings from various stake holders and students at the university.

Bandora contended that the 15 per cent increase will only be paid by new students for only one semester and the process will be examined in a period of five years.
Basing on the recommendations university council approved the proposal to enable the institution’s management to enhance service delivery and undertake major improvements on university infrastructure for the good of our students and staff.

Being the bleeding place for industrial actions, this website established that there were messages written on placards putting students on notice that on Monday they will be expressing their grievances over the proposed increase on tuition fees.
Poor sanitation and luck of water in bathrooms were among the key issues that led to protests in the might learning institution.

The strike started from halls of Mary Stuart and Lumumba as students chanted this ‘15 per cent must go’. However police deployed in and around the university premises as hostel shuttles ferried students back to their rooms.

They interfaced at the round bout that is adjacent to the main gate as police fired bullets and tear gas to disperse protesters. In the scuffle, 12 students were arrested and taken to Wandegeya police station.

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Kyabazinga concludes bugabula BB tour, promotes unity

The Kyabazinga of Busoga at the end of his Bugabula BB tour

His majesty William Wilforce Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV on Sunday concluded his three day tour of Buzaya constituency in Bugabula BB chiefdom with a massive gathering at Kisozi Sub county headquarters in Kamuli District.

The tour also coincided with the 18th Coronation anniversary of Busoga’s 4th King as the (chief prince) – Gabula of Bugabula BB chiefdom. In Busoga, each of the 11 hereditary chiefdoms has a chief Prince. It is from them that a Kyabazinga is elected.

Prior to marking the Gabula Day celebrations yesterday, the King toured various farmers and different groups including investors and guests from Canada to emphasize the tour’s theme dubbed “Kyabazinga mu bantu be”.

Gabula encouraged and advised his subjects to work harder by engaging in mechanized agriculture for both commercial and home consumption as well as educating their children.

The King also visited institutions such as Bupadhengo primary School, St Mary’s Nawanyago primary school, Kamuli girls college school and Kamuli skills development centre.

During the tour, several investors promised to offer employment to the youth.

The King climaxed the tour with an address to his subjects at Kisozi sub county headquarters where he encouraged his subjects to promote peaceful co-existence.

“We need to work together as the people of Busoga because it’s our shared responsibility to promote it and have peace coupled with development”, the Kyabazinga said.

Gabula said that unity and having one voice is the only way to go for Busoga to rekindle it’s past glory.

The enthusiastic and energized subjects of the King who visited Wankole, Bugulumbya, Mbulamuti, Nawanyago, Kisozi Sub-Counties during the tour, donated several presents to the monarch which included cows, goats, chicken, turkey, sheep, bunches of Matooke among others.

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Minister Musumba, nemesis Muzaale turn Kyabazinga visit into political rally

State Minister for Urban Development, Isaac Musumba and his political nemesis, Martin Muzaale have used the three day tour of Busoga Kyabazinga, William Nadiope IV to their Buzaaya county to each show the other that he has the people power (support).

The Isebantu Kyabazinga tour which started on Friday with Wankole and Bugulumbya sub-counties is part of the activities to commemorate the 6th Gabula Day, a brain child of Kamuli & Buyende Districts.

But at Buwala Primary School where Kyazinga addressed his first rally to teach the subjects on farming and education, the event was disrupted when the crowd demanded that Minister Musumba cuts his speech short and hands over the microphone to Muzaale.

Muzaale was MP in the 9th Parliament after winning the seat from Musumba who had occupied it for three consecutive terms but in 2016 Musumba (again) trounced Muzaale to regain his seat.

Musumba was the first to arrive at the venue but the crowd remained steel even when the master of ceremony pleaded with them to welcome the minister with applause.

Moments later, Muzaale arrived, sending the crowd into endless cheering and chanting.

Some of the youth and women accused Musumba of betraying them on the matter of age limit. Last year voters told Musumba not to support the amendment of Article 102b which he went against while on the floor of parliament.

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“Our hero yaaaya our man yaaaya” chanted the youth who carried Muzaale on their shoulders from the main road up to the venue.

The same thing happened in Bugulumbya, Mbulamuti and Nawanyago sub counties.

Kyabazinga toured several places that included schools, farmers who mainly deal in coffee, bananas, oranges, rearing of animals like improved breeds of cattle, piggery and goats.

He put emphasis on embracing mechanised systems of farming like irrigation, large scale farming which yield more income in order to improve on the standards of living in their homesteads.

The schools visited include Bugulumbya Primary School, Luzinga Secondary School where the King, who holds an MBA with a bias in Management emphasized the need for parents to continue educating their children, improvise career guidance, and embrace girl child education to cub early marriages, teenage pregnancies among others.

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Who are these people killing us-Muslims ask gov’t

RIP: Muhammad Kirumira

The Muslims have demand for equality and justice in Uganda saying they are being treated as secondary citizens.
The highly charged mourners that attended the prayers at Old Kampala national Mosque questioned it is ‘always’ them being targeted in assassination.

The question on every Muslim’s mind is who is next, the Muslims have been attacked from all angles, the high profiled Muslims are the target, we need an action programme, and Your Eminence, and we can’t wait. We demand that we are treated like equal citizens of this country. We should not lose hope. Allah knows the secret why these things are happening. We cannot forget the killings in Mbarara” said Muhammad Ali Waiswa, the 2nd Deputy Mufti.

On his part, the Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubajje praised late Muhammad Kirumira for being peaceful and respectful saying his last message was wishing people well.
He was peaceful, respectful, I have been following him and his last message was wishing people well and this was his last and farewell message.” He said before restoring back to Kirumira’s parents “You never made any mistake giving birth to Kirumira, we have lost many and those where heavyweights of ours. Most of those killed are Muslims”

Mubajje also used the occasion to task government to explain what went wrong as far as the safety of Muslims and the deteriorating security situation in the country.
“We ask the president and the government and actually people where happy that now they sleep but now bleed is pouring. What went wrong concerning Muslims? Blood will lead to more blood. In Uganda we are all Baana (children) but Muslims are now regarded as Ebyana. Sheikh Mubajje said before Introducing troubled for Deputy Commander of Kampala Metropolitan Police Siraje Bakaleke, whom he said is another person facing persecution.

“Others when arrested with guns, they are told to move from civil court and charged there but to us Muslims, what happened. Look at Kitata. We ask government to treat us equally. We want explanations? Who are these people killing us? I am declaring that all Muslims declare national prayers, we want a country of peace” he said

Former Forum for Democratic Change party leader,Dr. Kizza Besigye implored Muslims to remain focused despite provocations like the killings that seem like targeting people of Islam faith.
Too sad for Kirumira who isn’t here with us, he has been a pillar for telling the truth. It is sad for the voice that was raised but now silent. The power isn’t with us but with the creator, we also see what is going on but be strong. All of us, will perish and however much they do much, you can kill someone but not his good deeds and his resolve.
Kirumira was assassinated last night together with a lady identified as Resty Nalinya whom he had given a lift.

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Lukwago wants Bamugemereire Investigated for the allowances

Justice Bamugemereire

Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago has ordered for investigations into his 2013 impeachment process and the allowances that were paid to Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.

Lukwago also wants City Hall probed for the acquisition and running of Usafi and Wandegaya markets. He wants details made public for allowances to Justice Bamugemereire, the venues (Metropole Hotel and Serena Hotel), legal fees paid to the lawyers hired by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) among others. He also wants to establish who determined allowances for Justice Bamugemereire.

In a letter dated September 5, Mr Lukwago instructed the KCCA Director of Internal Audit, Moses Bwire, to submit two reports to his office within one month.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Section 11 (1) (e) and (f), read together with Section 72 (2) (b) of the Kampala Capital City Authority Act 2011, you are hereby instructed to carry out a special value-for-money audit of all matters concerning the aforesaid botched impeachment of the Lord Mayor of Kampala, 2013 to-date,” Mr Lukwago’s letters reads.

Justice Bamugemereire was named by President Yoweri Museveni to head the KCCA tribunal and carryout an inquiry into whether the complaints that councillors had brought against Lukwago then held water and established that there was a prima facie case for the indictment process to proceed.
The expenditures of the commission that paved the way for the botched impeachment process of Lord Mayor Lukwago were not made public.

Lukwago wants the impending special audit to capture issues related to their management and administration of the markets, allocation and tenure of lock-ups, kiosks and open spaces; court cases; and the revenues generated since inception. The audit will also look into the court cases relating to the acquisition, administration and management of markets.

In its November 2013 report, the commission reported that the councillors would proceed to impeach Mr Lukwago on grounds of incompetence and failure to convene Authority meetings. On November 25, 2013, the councillors voted to remove Mr Lukwago from office in a process that court later ruled was void because the voting proceeded despite the presence of a court order stopping it.

Justice Bamugemereire has so far chaired two commissions of Inquiry and these are the Uganda National Roads Authority commission and now heading the Commission of Inquiry into land matters. Given the hefty allowances that come with chairing such commissions and tribunals, Justice Bamugemereire could probably be the richest judge as she is entitled to her monthly salary as a judge of Court of Appeal.

Bamugemereire who has asked for extension of the commission’s time into land matters two times has also faced it rough with Ministry of Finance officials led by Permanent Secretary Keith Muhakanizi who has on several occasions accused her of extravagance. She is on spot for busting investigating land related wrangles.

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Kadaga flags off Busoga Consortium to Shenyang, sister cities conference

Minister Mbayo and Kadaga.

Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has flagged off a 13-person delegation of the Busoga Consortium to attend the 18th edition of the World Shenyang Sister Cities Conference in China.

The Speaker, who is the patron of the consortium, said the team led by Minister for Presidency Esther Mbayo, will sign a letter of intent to establish friendship city relationships between Jinja city and Shenyang city in China, among other memoranda of understanding.

“The delegation will sign an academic exchange agreement between Jinja School of Nursing and Midwifery and Shenyang Medical College… a Memorandum of Understanding between Busoga Consortium and Shenyang Construction University to promote scientific research,” said Kadaga.

She added that the consortium is working with government to secure over 500 acres of land in Iganga as well as 380 acres of land in Jinja for setting up an industrial park.
“We have identified 450 acres of land in Kige, Kamuli district for possible development of an industrial park and the land is ready for investors, so please inform our Chinese friends,” Kadaga told the delegation.

Mbayo said that at the World Shenyang Sister Cities Conference, they would promote Busoga’s tourism and business potential and that of Uganda so as to attract more investments into the country.
“We shall venture into discussions in areas of the industrial park, tourism, culture and health; we seek your commendation as our patron,” Mbayo told the Speaker.

The Busoga Consortium was initiated by Vice President, Edward Ssekandi in 2017 following a MoU signed by 10 District Local Government Chairpersons, intended to rally the people and friends of Busoga to unite and steer socio-economic development.

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SG Lumumba mourns slain police officer Muhammad Kirumira

RIP: Kirumira, former Buyende District Police Commander (DPC).

Secretary General of the ruling National Resistance Movement, Justine Kasule Lumumba has joined the rest of peace lovers in the country to mourn slain police officer, ASP Muhammad Kirumira.

The Assistant Superintendent of Police was shot by unknown gunmen as he entered his home in Bulenga, a suburb of Kampala on Sunday evening.

He was killed alongside his neighbour, Resty Narinya who had sought a lift from him on their way from a function.

Police and other security agencies have embarked on a hunt for killers who were reportedly using a motorcycle.

“I learnt with shock the assassination of ASP Mohammad Kirumira and the female occupant in the car last evening,” said Lumumba in a text message released by the NRM communications chief, Rogers Mulindwa.

Kirumira, Lumumba said, is known to have been an open minded and committed young police officer whose service especially in fighting crime will greatly be missed within the Uganda Police Force and the entire security circle.

“NRM continues to strongly condemn these brutal murders and call upon the President of the Republic of Uganda, and Commander In Chief to task the security team to bring such incidents to zero level,” she said.

Praying for his soul to rest in peace, Lumumba said that Kirumira has gone too early leaving behind a young family.

“Condolenses to his parents, relatives, the people of Busega and the entire Ugandan Community for this great loss,” a shocked looking Lumumba said.

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