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UPDF advances in modern technology

President Museveni posing with the new machines

President and commander in chief, Yoweri Museveni has commended the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces Engineers for assembling armoured military vehicles.

The President made the remarks Wednesday 08 August 2018 at the commissioning of Nyoka Convertion Project in Magamaga Barracks in Mayuge District.

“Iam glad now after a long period of sleep, Africa is waking up because such work is a result of no sleep” Museven observed.

He added that” NYOKA” vehicles with a ballistic protection that can withstand a single anti -tank mine blast anywhere under the hull,are made from steel which Uganda has and that very soon a factory in Tororo will be making new steel from iron ore.

The President promised to look into the economies of making iron steel here as opposed to buying from Sweden.

He pledged to work tirelessly to see that other industries such as Luwero Industries can combine ideas for better output and form a bigger industry which can employ more Ugandans.

Impala Service and Logistics Limited of South Africa was commended for choosing to pattern with UPDF. The President urged them to maintain such a wonderful working relationship.

At the same function the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen David Muhoozi also commended the Commander in Chief for being such a guiding star for UPDF and doing a very commendable job towards the professionalization of the Army.

“We have skilled our soldiers and we hope to upgrade” he said.

The CDF also promised that the Army will soon construct a Marine.

The function was attended by the Minister of State for Defence incharge of Veterans Affairs Hon Lt Col (rtd) Dr Bright Rwamirama, the Minister of State for Transport Hon Aggrey Bagire, the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Defence and Veteran affairs Ms Rossette Byengoma and UPDF senior officers among others.

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NRM members ignorantly killing the party in Busoga – NEC Member

PLEASE RETIRE: NRM party National chairman, Yoweri Kaguta. Museveni.

During Tufumintirize, a political talk show on the Jinja based 87.7 Baba FM on Wednesday 08 August, 2018, National Executive Committee member of NRM, Hajji Abubaker Walubi accused members in Busoga of fighting and undermining their own party.

Walubi who is also the party chairman for Iganga district said the many bitter in-flights have done a lot of damage to NRM.

He was responding to word that members of his own District Executive Committee (DEC) were supporting independent candidates in the race for Bugweri Woman MP.

“It is true, two of my members of DEC who are supposed to be exemplary are instead fighting NRM in support of people who have quit the party. But of course I doubt whether genuinely one of those is our member,” he said.

Asked how a nonmember go such a big appointment, Walubi said: “Interest groups hold separate elections to get own league leaders. This is how we sometimes end with wrong people getting big positions.”

According to Walubi, the indiscipline of party leaders in the greater Iganga district is eroding the efforts of the top party leadership at organising free and fair primaries.

“There is need to build cohesion in the NRM. It is time to work together. Leaders should stop conflicts and embark on working for the party,

“But because our members especially the youth lack mentorship they have no respects for the superiors. Because, how could someone on a district exexutive belittle the secretary general?,” wondered Walubi.

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Gen.Owoyesigire orders Amisom troops to destroy Al Shabaab militants in Somalia

Williamson talkingt to AMISOM Force Commander Lt. General Jim Beesigye Owoyesigire.

The AMISOM Force Commander Lt. General Jim Beesige Owoyesigire has tasked his forces in Hirshabelle region to intensify joint operations with the Somali National Army (SNA) to wipe out the Al Shabaab militants.

Lt. Gen. Owoyesigire was speaking during a visit to Johwar, as part of the ongoing security assessment across all areas of AMISOM responsibility in Somalia.

He was accompanied by senior AMISOM staff officers met with the Sector five commander Brig. Leonidas Niyungeko, commending the effort and commitment of the AMISOM troops in Hirshabelle region.

Brig. Niyungeko said operations would be undertaken to improve the general security of the area, enhance free movement of the local population and enable an environment for trade to thrive.

The Force Commander tasked the forces to intensify the training and mentorship of their SNA counterparts through joint planning, coordination and execution of operations in line with the AMISOM transition plan.

Owoyesigire further urged the troops to strengthen relations with the local community through cooperation with the regional administration and undertaking of quick impact projects to address pertaining social infrastructural challenges.

The Force Commander, accompanied by the Sector five commander also paid a courtesy call on the president of Hirshabeelle state, H.E Mohamed Abdi Ware at the presidential palace in Jowhar town.

Discussions focused on the security situation in the region, the need to secure the Mogadishu-Johwar supply route and the necessary stabilization efforts.

The Force Commander has undertaken similar visits to Baidoa, Beletweyne and Baledogle as part of the ongoing assessment of the AMISOM forces and their operational environment.

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Stanbic Bank’s before-tax profit rises, sees credit growth

Stanbic Bank Chief Executive Patrick Mweheire

Stanbic Bank said on Wednesday its half-year profit before tax jumped 4 percent, compared to the first six months of 2017, helped by higher non-interest income.

According to the results published, the bank earned Shs133 billion compared to 128.5 billion for the first half last year.

“The slight uptick in profit is largely attributed to growth in non-interest revenues supported by growth in customer transactions,” the statement said.

Earnings from fees and commissions were up at Shs71.7 billion, from 66.4 billion.

Patrick Mweheire, the bank’s chief executive, said in comments published with the results that there was a rebound in private sector credit flow after a slow growth in the last couple of years.

Credit uptake was rebounding for a range of sectors including agriculture, manufacturing and service.

Uganda’s central bank-Bank of Uganda cut its policy rate to 9 percent in February, the lowest since policymakers began using inflation-targeting monetary policy in 2011.

BOU is keen to accelerate faster credit flow and revive economic growth which has drifted around 4 percent in recent years, compared to the potential of 7 percent as the central bank says.

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DP’s Bigirwa donates fumigation material to Kamuli cells after 10 day residence

Bigirwa preparing to fumigate prison cells in Kamuli

Uganda Young Democrats deputy chairman for Eastern Region, Moses Bigirwa has today donated pesticides and a spray pump to Kamuli prison to kill the bedbugs and other parasites which are in the prison cells.

Bigirwa was infested on by the parasites in the cells for almost 10 days when he was last month remanded to Kamuli prison for inciting violence when he was arrested during the protests against taxes imposed on mobile money and social media.

Mr Bigirwa carrying a fumigator can to Kamuli Prison

While delivering the pesticides this evening, Bigirwa said he was fulfilling a pledge he made to the inmates.

“When I was here [on remand] last month, I was tortured by the sucking parasites and I promised to come back and kill them. Today I have come to fulfill the pledge,” said Bigirwa as he handed over the chemicals to the prison authorities.

At the time, no prisoner was outside to maybe appreciate Bigirwa save for the wardens who applauded his gesture.

“This is very good. Those parasites are a problem not only to the prisoners but even to us,” one warden said on condition of anonymity.

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Amos Nzeyi quizzed for his ‘dubious’ role in Temangalo land saga

Justice Bamugemereire

City businessman Amos Nzeyi was interrogated by the land prob commission over his ‘dubious’ transaction in the sale of land to National Social Security Fund.

The probe unearthed evidence that suggests the deal could have been an empty transaction since the purported land titles given to NSSF turned out to be fake.

However, Mr Nzeyi denied any wrong doing in the Temangalo land scandal which he sold to the fund in 2008 at the exorbitant Shs11 billion shillings.
Last month Asian Family led by Nazim Moosa filed complaint before the Land Commission claiming to be holders of the original title of the land comprised of Block 296 plot 20 in Busiro, on which it operated a Tea Estate -Temangalo Tea estate – before the expulsion of Indians by former President Idi Amin in 1972.

The family testified that they acquired 79 year lease on the disputed land in 1924, from the family of a one Daniel Mugwanya Kato contending that the land was sold without noticing them yet they had ownership about the disputed land.

Nazim said upon return in 1993, they applied for repossession of their land from the Departed Asians Custodian Property Board and they were told that government had no claim over their land since it was never declared upon expulsion.

Appearing before commission, Mr Nzeyi said no one approached him for the more than 10 years he spent on the land in question. Nzeyi said he acquired the land in question from the family of Daniel Mugwanya that sold it to him in pieces due to financial constraints.

The commission however, retrieved documents that indicted that the case about that land October 26, 1994 where court adjourned it to be settles out of court. Since then Nzeyi didn’t act as court directed them. Nzeyi said he has no clue about allegations.

He revealed that he owns multiple land titles on the land in question. He owns land tiles on Plot 12 63 hectares at Temangalo registered in 1992, Plot 16 block 296 8.78 hectares 1991, Block 296, plot 21, 1992, Block 277 plot 191 and other titles.

The inquiry established that despite owning mass titles at Temangalo, Nzeyi owns other pieces of land Plot 613 Kigoma a distant place from the land in question. Commission revealed that Nazim said they have always tried to reach Nzeyi and they have always failed.

“I got some media clips when he was in the commission of inquiry, he said am a big person who can’t be taken to court, unapproachable, a big size west 34,chest 38, am not big , I had 70 kilograms for the last 30 years, such statements annoyed me,” said Nzeyi.

He said the transfer of land to NSSF was done by Joseph Byamugisha and Gilbert Nuwagaba on behalf on his behalf.

He acknowledged that the complaints lodged a case in 2016 and went into arbitration. He said the mediation on his behalf was handled by Fred Muwema and of one his unrevealed son.
When he appeared before the land probe in July, the Managing Director of NSSF Richard Byarugaba said he no clue of the whereabouts of the documents indicating the transfer of land titles from Nzeyi’s names to the fund.

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Uganda on Ebola alert, Kampala and Wakiso among high risk districts

HEALTH PS: Dr Diana Atwiine

Kampala and Wakiso are among 23 high risk districts in the country that could fall victims to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), a haemorrhagic fever that has hit the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), province of North Kivu that shares a borderline with Uganda.

“There is confirmed Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo putting Uganda at high risk. Ebola is a serious disease that kills within a short time. The general public should be calm and be alert to report suspected cases at the nearest health facility,” says the alert posted on Twitter by the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine.

Atwine listed other districts at the high risk as; Kabale, Kisoro, Kanungu, Rubirizi, Rukungiri, Bulisa, Bundibugyo, Hoima, Kabarole, Kakadi, Ntoroko and Kasese. Others at the risk of catching the deadly disease are; Adjuman, Arua, Koboko, Maracha, Moyo, Nebbi, Yumbe and Koboko.

According to the Alert signs and symptoms include; bleeding through the eyes, nose, gums, ears, anus and other private parts. Other signs are; sudden fever, feeling tired, muscle pains, headache, sore throat, vomiting blood, diarrhea and rash.

Spread: Ebola spreads through human-to-human transmission via direct contact, through broken skin or mucous membranes, blood, secretions such as urine, faeces, sweat of a person infected with Ebola, vomit, saliva and coming into contact with a person who has died of Ebola. Contact with surfaces and materials like bedding and clothing contaminated with the fluids also spreads the disease from person to person.

“To avoid Ebola, avoid direct contact with body fluids of an infected person, avoid contact with persons who have died of Ebola, avoid contact with/eating bats and monkeys, wash with soap, water and jik. Pour jik and water on vomit feaces of those infected,” reads the Alert.

Yesterday, the acting director of Health Services Dr Henry Mwebesa on Monday issued a notice directing all district health officers in the country to be vigilant.

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on August 1, announced preliminary laboratory results indicating a cluster of cases of Ebola virus in North Kivu province. The announcement was issued little more than a week after the Ministry of Health declared the end of an outbreak in Equateur Province in the far western part of the country, some 2500 kilometers from North Kivu.

North Kivu hosts over one million displaced people. The province shares borders with Rwanda and Uganda with a great deal of cross border movement due to the trade activities. Who said last week it would work with neighbouring countries to ensure health authorities are alerted and prepared to respond.

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Kabila chooses Emmanuel Ramazani as party candidate as he steps down

DRC President Joseph Kabila

Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila will not stand in December’s presidential election, a spokesman said on Wednesday, announcing that former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary would be the ruling coalition’s candidate.

The announcement by spokesman Lambert Mende at a news conference puts an end to years of speculation about whether Kabila would defy term limits to run for a third term.

The selection of Ramazani, however, represents a defiant move by Kabila. A former Interior Minister, he is under European Union sanctions for alleged human rights abuses, including deadly crackdowns by security forces on protesters.

Even so, the announcement that Kabila will not run again will ease fears in the region and beyond that a Kabila candidacy would drag the country back into the civil wars of the turn of the century in which millions died, mostly from hunger and disease.

The December, 23, 2018, vote should now herald Congo’s first democratic transition of power following decades marked by authoritarian rule, coups and deadly conflict.

Mende said that Ramazani was on his way to the electoral commission headquarters in the capital Kinshasa to file his candidacy.

Several opposition candidates, including former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba and the president of Congo’s largest opposition party Felix Tshisekedi, have also registered to run.

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Gov’t seeks Shs100 billion to buy farmers’ maize

The price of a kilogram of maize has dropped sharply in Uganda that government has pledged to buy at Shs500.

The Ministry of Finance Matia Kasaijja has said government intends to mobilise Shs100 billion to be given in loans to grain traders and cooperatives willing to buy and stock farmers’ excess maize that is currently going at between Shs150-250 per kilogram.

Minister Kasaija said on Wednesday at the Uganda Media Centre that government has in the meantime sourced Shs5 billion that the dealers can borrow at an interest rate of 15 per cent per annum to buy farmers’ maize at Shs500 per kilogram.

The money will be accessed b through the Agricultural Credit Facility (ACF) set up years ago by the government in partnership with commercial banks, Uganda Development Bank Micro Deposit Taking Institutions (MDIs) and Credit Institutions.

Eligible projects under the ACF include; acquisition of agricultural machinery, post-harvest handling equipment, storage facilities, agro processing, mechanization and any other related agricultural and agro-processing machinery and equipment.

Matia said government in partnership with the Central Bank, The Grain Council of Uganda and commercial banks would work to ensure that all the excess maize on the market is bought off and stocked by the buyers.

“The intervention will enable farmers across the country to sell existing maize stock at not less than Shs500 per kilogram,” the minister said, adding that the measure would also enable famers to prepare for the new season which has in some areas of the country.

Following good rains experienced after an extended drought in 2017, government offered hybrid maize seeds that enabled farmers to produce about five million estimated tons of maize last season, experts said.

After incurring losses, some farmers have vowed never to grow maize again, accusing government of failing to find market for their produce. Some farmers had to use loans to pay labourers, buy fertilisers and pesticides as well as paying for other operational costs such as security.

In Uganda is commonly produced in Kapchorwa, Iganga, Masindi, Mbale, Kiryandongo, Lira, Mubende, Kasese, Kamuli, Jinja and Kabarole districts.

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Denis Onyango on head injury: I feel much better

UGANDA CRANES TALISMAN: Goalkeeper Denis Onyango in action

Uganda Cranes team captain Denis Masinde Onyango has posted a message saying he feels better following the head injury he sustained when his club Mamelodi Sundowns played against Polokwane City last evening in the Absa Premiership.

Onyango was involved in a nasty collision with Polokwane City’s striker Mbulelo Wagaba as he jumped into air to collect the ball in the 51st minute.

In a social media video published by Mamelodi Sundowns on twitter, Denis said he feels better now than he was when being taken off the pitch. The club said he will have further multiple tests done following the serious injury.

“Hi, this is Denis, am feeling much better, there is nothing major. Thanks for win and good hard fought game,” he said.
The 2016 African Player of the year was stretched off the pitch, lifted into an ambulance and taken to the hospital for further medical attention. He was then replaced by Zambian goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.

Team head coach Pitso Mosimane also said the football star will very soon return to action saying it wasn’t a serious injury in the post-match interview.

Mamelodi edged Polokwane City 2-0 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, in a victory that took the Brazilians to second spot in the league standings while Rise and Shine moved down to 16th place.
The goals were scored by Ricardo Nascimento in the 17th minute and Lebohang Maboe in the 53rd minute.

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