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Bemanya, Hamilton Telecom dealt blow, Anite triumphs in deal to award Mauritius Telecom stake in UTL

By
George Mangula
-
Twebaze Bemanya

Ministry of Finance has presented to Cabinet two bidders from which one must be selected to invest in the liquidated Uganda Telecom (UTL), but it has turned out that the Minister Kasaija favours Mauritius Telecom over Hamilton Telecom which has been complaining of alleged unfairness in the bidding process.

The government of Uganda and UCom hold 31 per cent and 69 per cent shares respectively in UTL, which is currently administered by Twebaze Bemanya, Uganda’s Registrar General and Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB).

A document to Cabinet has urged Bemanya to finalise the contract with Mauritius Telecom, seen to be the only credible potential partner with Government as recommended by the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) Executive Director Sydney Asubo.

President Museveni directed the FIA to carry out due diligence on the number of potential investors and the agency in its report, cleared Mauritius Telecom as the most credible and financially stable company to co-invest with government in UTL, much as it did not give the highest offer.

State Minister for Investment Evelyn Anite now on a study leave in the US had also held that Mauritius Telecom was the best bidder following the clearance by the FIA which analyzed the operational and financial records of all bidders.

But that decision did not go well with Hamilton Telecom and Bemanya as they accused the FIA of incompetence, bringing about the current scandal in UTL that brought about sharp differences between Bemanya and Minister Anite as the former fought to have Hamilton Telecom ahead of Mauritius Telecom.

the FIA had cautioned Cabinet against dealing with Hamilton Telecom, reporting that the company employs only 20 people and indicated an expected monthly turnover of Shs200 million, which was worsened by the fact that the company’s funds were originating from a one John Kamya but also that the company’ financial statement as well as that of Kamya were absent at the time of scrutiny.

Hamilton Telecom Limited, was incorporated in Uganda on August, 2016, with objectives of providing communication services, satellite services and cellular internet, among others
“It is therefore our opinion that it is risky for government to engage this company as a strategic investor,” read part of the FIA report, adding that the company lacks the financial capacity to be a meaningful strategic partner to government of Uganda.

However, in case Mauritius Telecom opts out, the ministry said it would consider Hamilton Telecom on grounds that it acquires UTL in a short period of time.

The company would have to make a non-refundable deposit of 10 percent of the offer within seven days of the date of the offer and a requirement to sign the agreement and to pay the balance of the proposed amount within further seven days. The company had made an offer of US $70 million (about Shs25.9 billion) in assets with capital investment of US$285 million (about Shs1.055 trillion) in three years.

Mauritius Telecom’s asset consideration is US$45 million (about Shs166.5 billion) and plans to invest $100 million (about Shs370 billion) in three years.
As it sources for the new investor, government plans to extend UTL’s license for 20 years, expand its frequency bandwidth to cover the whole country and give tax waivers on import duty for equipment, Corporate Tax, VAT and Excise duty on services for the initial of four years.

Government also wants UTL to become the sole provider of ICT services to Government and have access and use of the National Backbone Infrastructure.

That would be boosted by a starting customer base of 400,000 government employees who have been directed to install UTL lines.
Kenya’s giant telecom-Safaricom, which had shown interest in partnering with Afrinet Communications Limited, withdrew its interest.

As a result Afrinet Communications Ltd which had offered the second best purchase price of US$ $67 million (about 247.9 billion) has confirmed their withdraw, leaving Mauritius Telecom and Mauritius Telecom in the battle to the up the majority stake in UTL.
Government needs an investor who pays off UTL’s creditors. But no investor has offered US $80 (about Shs296 billion) required to take over majority shares.

Bemanya meanwhile proposes that government selects the best three potential partners and entice them to increase their offers. However given FIA’s recommendation that Hamilton Telecom is not financial vibrant, it would be difficult for the company to raise the offer and be accepted.

But the ministry stresses that for any agreement concluded in view of government incentives, the Attorney General approve it; and the Administrator must obtain proof of availability of funds from a reputable bank before making an offer to any partner.
Other firms.

Telecel Global, a company incorporated in Lebanon but with other offices in South Africa, United Kingdom and the Dominican Republic, the FIA reported that it had not seen financial records to facilitate assessment of its financial strength much as there were no reports of involvement in money laundering and terrorism.

Afrinet Kenya Limited, Bayliss Consortium, and Neubacher Montage LLP were also bypassed by the FIA after failing to access information on their operations including audited financial statements.
FIA’s investigations revealed that Teleology Holdings Limited is a private equity firm incorporated in Gibraltar with 12 international and eight Nigerian shareholders.

But the the company was disqualified because it was in the process of acquiring 9mobile, one of the major telecommunications companies in Nigeria, which is also has to repay a loan of US $1.2 billion that it obtained from 13 different banks.

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Secrets that forests have been keeping from you

By
Our Reporter
-
Mabira Forest

The world’s forests have secrets that you may not be aware of. They are to be found in supermarkets, water fountain. Discover as you read on. That’s the thing about forests. They keep secrets.

For too long we have seen trees as purely functional or ornamental, objects in the backdrop or on the sideline. They decorate city streets. They give us shady spots for resting and relief from the sun. They provide us with paper and fuel, fruit and nuts. These benefits are fairly obvious.

However, some of their other benefits are almost invisible to the naked eye. Forests are quietly working in the background, secretly cleaning our water, filtering our air and protecting us from climate change. They are guardian angels for more than a billion people, providing food, medicine and fuel to those who might not have access to these resources from anywhere else. They house more than three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and are homes to many of the world’s poorest people.

Forests play a key role in our lives that we don’t even recognize. Here are 7 ways how and some of their best kept secrets:

Supermarkets – More than the occasional apple or orange that we pluck from a tree, forests are veritable food markets. Almost 50 per cent of the fruit we eat comes from trees, not to mention the nuts and spices that we also get from these food baskets.

Life insurance – Some communities rely almost exclusively on forests for their food sources. Around 40 per cent of the extreme rural poor – around 250 million people – live in forest and savannah areas. For these communities, vibrant forests and trees are their lifeline and insurance against hunger.

Water Fountain- Forests provide a large part of the drinking water for over 1/3 of the world’s largest cities including New York and Mumbai. Many rivers and streams have their sources in forests. Trees act as filters and provide us with the clean water that is vital for life.

Energy – Around one-third of the world’s population use wood as their source of energy for necessities such as cooking, boiling water and heating. Wood from forests supply about 40 per cent of global renewable energy – as much as solar, hydroelectric and wind power combined. Trees grow back, but we need to place more emphasis on using these resources sustainably to protect our forests from degradation.

Superhero- Forests and trees may look inconspicuous like Clark Kent, but they are like Superman in many ways. They are our heroes in the fight against climate change. They make our cities more sustainable by naturally cooling the air and removing pollutants. They safeguard our health by giving us places to retreat to and relax in. They tackle land degradation and stand up against biodiversity loss by providing plant and animal life with habitats.

Carbon sinks – As a force for good, our forest superheroes act as carbon sinks, absorbing the equivalent of roughly 2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. Like any superhero though, they have a flaw. Deforestation is their kryptonite. When trees are cut down, they release this carbon dioxide back into the air. Deforestation is, in fact, the second-leading cause of climate change after burning fossil fuels. It accounts for nearly 20 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions — more than the world’s entire transport sector.

Recreation – Trees are stress relievers. Nature-based tourism is growing three times faster than the tourism industry as a whole and now accounts for approximately 20 per cent of the global market. Studies even link green spaces and tree cover in cities to reduced levels of obesity and crime. As one example, the obesity rate of children living in areas with good access to green spaces is lower than in those who have limited or no access at all.

Forests have been our quiet helpers. They have been secretly playing a bigger role in our day-to-day lives than we realize. We cannot lead the healthy, productive lives that we would otherwise without them and we cannot hope to have a ZeroHunger world without enlisting their help, the help of the governments, agencies and bodies that protect them and your help in respecting them.

Share these messages with friends and think about the part they play in your life. Forests and trees should get some recognition too. It is time to spill their secrets

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Gov’t to carry out country wide vaccination against cholera

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
Health Minister, Dr.Ruth Aceng making a point during a past. presentation. She is reported to be against the idea by government to have companies process Marijuana here.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Acheng says government will carry out country wide vaccination against cholera a disease that is brought about by poor sanitation.

The development of oral cholera vaccination come in awake of sporadic cholera outbreak in areas of Kyotera and Bulambuli districts.

The minister who was reacting to concerns that were raised by legislator said, that the exercise will start from eight districts of Bulambuli, Kampala, Wakiso, and Jinja among others. She said that the vaccines will soon be availed and distributed to the rest of the districts in the country.

She noted that cholera vaccine has already been administered to refugees because over allegations that were affected by the disease at the time they entered the country. She implored residents in cholera prone districts to maintain good hygiene for curbing of the disease.

Earlier Kyotera district MP Robinah Ssentongo remarked that the outbreak of the epidemic has been worsened by absence of health services in the district. She revealed that most affected area is Nongoma village where residents have to cross to Tanzania for health services.

“I have received reports that two children have died of cholera related symptoms and several others are suffering. Unfortunately, the Health Centre II has no medication,” said Ssentongo.

Bulambuli County MP Alex Burundo said one person died of cholera and 20 people have been affected in Bulambuli district, “We need government to increase the water sources in Bulambuli district and ensure the water is disinfected,” he added.

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Job scam: Man remanded for conning Shs 212million

By
Geoffery Serugo
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The proprietor of Miracle Recruitment Services International Limited, Ayebazibwe Everest(in suit) being escorted to a waiting prison bus

The proprietor of Miracle Recruitment Services International Limited, Ayebazibwe Everest has been remanded to Luzira prison over allegations of conning Shs212million from people promising jobs abroad.

Appearing before Law Development Centre (LDC) magistrates Court, Everest was charged with obtaining money by false pretense C/s 305 of Penal Code Act and operating a recruitment agency without a license C/s 38(1) of Employment Act of 2006, Regulation of 4 & 85(a) of Employment (Recruitment of Uganda Migrant Workers Abroad) Regulations 2005.

The suspect was first charged on 6th July 2018 of 25 counts, convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment.

The investigating officer told the magistrate that several complainants have come forward and that the police are taking their statements with a view of laying additional charges.

Amendment of the file comes after 70 reports of obtaining money by false pretenses were registered at Old Kampala Police Station vide CRB.628/2018The suspect recruited several people, claiming that he could link them to the in charge of a Canadian employment Programme

Victims told court that the suspect has set standard charges basing on the country where you want to work from. Witness said in one was required to pay Ushs10 million to work in Canada, Qatar Shs4.5m, Dubai Shs5m and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Shs5m.

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Ugandan appointed Comesa director of human resources

By
George Mangula
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Internet Photo: Marth Elimu speaking to the press at a past function.

Ugandan Ms Martha Elimu is the new Director Human Resource and Administration at the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Secretariat in Lusaka Zambia.

Ms Elimu was formally Chief of Human Resources and Management Services at the same institution.Before Ms Elimu joined COMESA, she head of HR at Monitor Publications Limited/Nation Media Group (NMG), Uganda.

Ms Elimu was appointed as Comesa heads of state summit 2018 on Wednesday elected its first woman secretary-general, Zambian Chileshe Kapwepwe, a former alternate director at the IMF, She replaces Sindiso Ngwenya, who worked at the regional body for 34 years in various capacities.

At the time of her appointment, Ms Kapwepwe was serving as chairperson of the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).

The new changes come at the time when membership of Comesa has risen to 20 following the admission of Tunisia as a member of the regional bloc at the ongoing Summit of the COMESA Heads of State and Government. Tunisia was admitted after having fulfilled the COMESA terms and conditions of accession to the COMESA Treaty.

Tunisia first applied for observer status in COMESA in 2005 but the matter was not concluded. In February 2016, the country formally wrote to the Secretary General making enquiries on joining.

Meanwhile Comesa has adopted internship programme whereby graduates from tertiary institutions in the COMESA region are now expected to be absorbed into employment much faster following the adoption of a Youth Internship Volunteer Programme.

The Programme, which was adopted by the 38th meeting of Council of Ministers held from 14 -15 July 2018 in Lusaka, Zambia, seeks to increase youth employment, particularly for young women and men graduates who join the labour market every year. It was developed in collaboration with the United Nations Volunteers.

The Council meeting was attended by Ministers and their representatives from Congo DR; Egypt; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Eswatini; Kenya; Libya; Madagascar; Malawi; Mauritius; Rwanda; Seychelles; Sudan; Uganda; Zambia; and, Zimbabwe.

The Youth Internship and Volunteers program is expected to raise youth employability through practical skills. It is also expected to provide job opportunities (in key economic sectors) through the provision of information and facilitation of networks and resolve the mismatch between labour market demands and the supply of qualified personnel from institutions of higher education.

According to the United Nations, 226 million youth aged 15-24 lived in Africa in 2015 representing almost 20 per cent of the continent’s population. This represents one-fifth of the world’s youth population. It presents a huge opportunity for the program to empower the continent’s youthful population and enhance their contribution towards economic development.

In its decision, the Council urged Member States, through Ministries responsible for youth, to facilitate the implementation of the Youth Internship and Volunteer Program. In line with chapter 25 of the COMESA Treaty, which focuses on development and utilisation of human resources, the newly adopted program will include among other aspects, training and skills development of the youth.

The Programme will be piloted in four countries: Comoros, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Zambia, before replication to other member States and secretariat has been directed to engage more development partners to support the program to enable coverage of more Member States.

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What next for distressed banks like DFCU now that BoU won’t give them loans?

By
Isaiah Mwebaze
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dfcu bank

The Bank of Uganda Governor Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile while addressing delegates at the Annual Uganda Bankers’ Conference on July 17 in Kampala, categorically stated that his bank will not give loans to distressed commercial banks in the country.

“The BoU has no obligation to bail out a distressed bank by providing it with liquidity support, in the hope that it will somehow be restored to financial health. Such an option would be extremely dangerous,” he said. That warning did not go well with some bankers who were hoping to rush to the central bank for rescue. They will now have to look elsewhere for bailout.

As Mutebile was delivering his speech, Uganda’s Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda and the Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija were so attentive because government wants commercial banks that are financially stable. This is so because stable banks boost the economy by lending to the private sector and government. On the other hand, distressed banks can end up costing government and impacting negatively on the economy as they have no ready cash to lend to borrowers.

Before Mutebile gave his address, Patrick Mweheire, the CEO of Stanbic Bank and Chairman of Uganda Bankers Association (UBA), had in his earlier speech hinted that about six commercial banks of the 24 under the supervision of BoU were loss making, something he said was of a great concern. That means such banks are distressed as their debtors are not making payments on their debts; hence the banks are losing money for future business.

Mweheire also cried out that commercial banks in Uganda are not being helped by courts of law as they take a long time than to dispose of the civil suits. And that this impacts negatively on their investments such as limiting on their liquidity and growth of their loan portfolio.

In Uganda, most of the court cases involving banks arise of debtors failing to pay back the loans as agreed. However some banks are careless when giving out loans especially to tricky borrowers who exploit the loopholes. Other losses are a result of syndicates between borrowers and the staff in the banks.

But the governor in his statement pointed out that mismanagement of the money leads to the situation of distressed banks. And he sees no value in giving a mismanaged bank a bailout which could create losses at the taxpayers’ expense.

Question is whether Mutebile is watching such distressed banks and whether he intends to close them to save depositors money which he said s one of the major considerations for the closure of any bank. He mentioned he closed five such banks at different periods. Those included National Bank of Commerce, Greenland Bank and recently Crane Bank among others.

But as that happens, DFCU, a major commercial bank that acquired the other in January 2017 is in a liquidity crisis even as it earned in excess of Shs20 billion as net profit that year. Insiders say that bank was recently denied a loan request from BoU, a proof that the local banking industry is weak. That could explain why that bank failed to reach out to fellow banks but instead wanted BoU to loan it taxpayers’ money at a cheap rate.

That bank is in the situation where major shareholders want to exit and top managers resigning as well as high deposit withdrawals. It appears shareholders want to share the profit and go instead of ploughing back some of the proceeds. It would be illogical therefore for BoU to give such a bank a loan which comes with a low interest rate compared to that obtained from a fellow commercial bank. That bank was aware of that difference before tempting BoU.

We are now waiting to see if BoU will act to wipe out distressed banks in the industry like it has done in the past. A distressed bank is as good a failed bank and one of the measures to arrest the situation is to sell them, merge them or sell its assets, transfer its liabilities or liquidate them.

This is what some of the defunct banks went through as BoU erased them from the local banking industry. However, on the recommendation of parliament, BoU is being investigated by the Auditor General for selling and liquidating some of the banks without writing any report.

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A regulatory approach to fintech: We must guard against emerging risks without stifling innovation

By
Guest Writer
-
Christine Lagarde

By Christine Lagarde

In the 19th century, when Alexander Graham Bell was awarded a patent for the telephone, the only way to communicate rapidly over long distances was by telegraph. The dominant company in that market dismissed Bell’s invention as a useless toy and rejected an opportunity to buy his patent. The rest, as they say, is history.

This anecdote illustrates the disruptive and unpredictable nature of technological innovation. Today, some enthusiasts say crypto assets may represent the beginning of a similar breakthrough. Others condemn crypto assets as little more than a fad or a fraud. We should not dismiss them so lightly.

Crypto assets are just one example of how new technologies are being used to deliver financial services—Fintech for short. In Kenya and China, mobile payment systems have brought millions of previously “unbanked” people into the financial system. In Latvia, Brazil, and elsewhere, peer-to-peer lending has opened up a new source of credit for small businesses that have trouble borrowing from a bank.

Around the world, advances in artificial intelligence promise to extract more value from data that is ever more abundant and ubiquitous. Its applications in the realm of financial services include enhancing fraud protection and regulatory compliance, potentially expanding access to financial services, and deepening financial inclusion.

Fintech offers considerable promise, but it also poses risks. Consider distributed ledger technology, which underpins crypto assets. It can enable faster and cheaper transactions, from trading securities to sending money to relatives abroad. It can be used to securely store records such as diplomas and real estate deeds and to automatically execute so-called smart contracts. But clearly the technology has also been used for illicit purposes.

How should regulators respond? Their task isn’t an easy one. On the one hand, they must protect consumers and investors against fraud and combat tax evasion, money laundering, and the financing of terrorism, ensuring that risks are thoroughly understood and managed. They must also protect the integrity and stability of the financial system.

On the other hand, they must beware of stifling innovation that responsibly and sustainably benefits the public. By constructively engaging with market participants at the center of financial innovation, regulators can stay abreast of the benefits of new technologies and quickly identify emerging risks. Developing a forward-looking regulatory framework calls for creativity, flexibility, and new expertise.

Crisis lessons
As I see it, the experience of the financial crisis and its aftermath yielded three important lessons that can guide us as we seek answers.

Lesson number one: trust is the foundation of the financial system, but it is a fragile foundation that can easily be shaken. How can we reap the benefits of the new technologies while maintaining trust?

Lesson number two: risk accumulates in unexpected places. The years preceding the global financial crisis saw the emergence of financial instruments, such as collateralized debt obligations, that were poorly understood by investors. Will a more decentralized financial system be more stable, or less? Will risk be more dispersed? Will the diminished role of traditional intermediaries mean that emerging risks are more likely to go undetected?

Lesson number three: in a globalized world, financial shocks quickly reverberate across national boundaries. Responding to a crisis requires concerted action on a global scale; in other words, we are all in this together. Will the evolving global financial system transmit shocks more quickly? How can resilience be strengthened? What can be done to enhance international cooperation?

Global action
So far, national authorities have reacted with varying degrees of regulatory stringency. If this uncoordinated response continues, activity will simply migrate toward more lightly regulated jurisdictions in a “race to the bottom.” Because crypto assets know no borders, a global approach is vital.

Such an approach is taking shape. The Financial Action Task Force, a global standard-setting body, has already provided guidance to its members on how they should address money-laundering and terrorist-financing risks associated with crypto assets. The Financial Stability Board (FSB), which coordinates financial regulation for the Group of 20 (G20) largest advanced and emerging economies, is studying ways to monitor the growth of crypto assets with an eye toward identifying emerging threats to stability.

In March, I flew to Buenos Aires to participate in a meeting of G20 central bankers and finance ministers. The G20 agreed with the FSB’s assessment that crypto assets do not currently pose a threat to stability. They also agreed that crypto assets could pose a threat at some point in the future. They asked the FSB, along with other standard-setting bodies, to continue their work on crypto assets and report on their progress.

IMF’s role
Here at the IMF, we can serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and a catalyst for forging consensus. It is our job to monitor the economies and financial systems of our 189 members, help them build institutional capacity, and offer advice on improving policies and regulatory structures. That gives us a unique global perspective.

To do our jobs properly, we must understand the innovative technologies, learn from them, and perhaps even adopt some of them to improve regulation, supervision, and surveillance. In some cases, it will be enough to apply existing regulations. In others, new approaches may be required as new risks—including cybersecurity—emerge and as distinctions between entities and activities break down.

One thing seems certain: we shouldn’t put off action until the answers become completely clear. Instead, we must begin to consider the regulatory framework of the future. We must do so in a manner attuned to the rapid pace of change, and with the awareness that unexpected new opportunities and risks may emerge. One approach, undertaken in Hong Kong SAR, Abu Dhabi, and elsewhere, is to establish regulatory “sandboxes” where new financial technologies can be tested in a closely supervised environment.

Above all, we must keep an open mind about crypto assets and financial technology more broadly, not only because of the risks they pose, but also because of their potential to improve our lives. When in doubt, just think of Alexander Graham Bell and his telephone.

Christine Lagarde is managing director of the IMF

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93.6 per cent of Uganda’s cattle are indigenous

By
George Mangula
-
The Ankole Long horned cattle

Uganda has potential to improve its cattle herds as 93.6 per cent of the animals are indigenous, the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) in the latest statement it released in partnership with the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB).

According to the statement, 70.4 are Zebu/Nganda, 29.6 per cent are Ankole, while only 5.6 per cent are dairy exotic/crossbreeds and 0.8 per cent are beef exotic/crossbreeds.

Meanwhile NAGRC&DB has restocked 30 per cent of the centre farms mostly with indigenous cattle and goats and has in the last ten years trained over 600 artificial insemination technicians who have carried out 125,000 inseminations throughout the country.

“A high capacity liquid nitrogen plant was purchased and is fully operational. A semen and embryo transfer laboratory was rehabilitated and is newly equipped,” the statement reads in part.

However, the statement says there is an urged need to restock all the center farms across the different agro-ecological zones in the country as well as rehabilitating the centers’ dilapidated infrastructure.

The agency (NAGRC&DB) says it has introduced over 1000 new breeds of pigs to improve the litter-size and pork qualities in the country. It has also availed to farmers with 4000 pure female Boar goats and bucks.

NAGRC&DB, according to the statement, has so far distributed over one million day-old chicks and distributed the brooded birds to over 5000 households and farmers across 1000 districts of Uganda.

The agency also imported 125 pure dairy cattle aimed at improving dairy productivity and increase on the numbers of exotic dairy breeds.

It has also upgraded gene bank to serve the Eastern and Central African regions.

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Mobile Money amendment bill referred to finance committee

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
Speaker Jacob Oulanyah

Excise Duty (Amendment) No.2 Bill 2018 that is seeking for reduction of one per cent tax levied on withdraw of cash using mobile money, has been referred to the Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development for consideration.

Before presenting the bill for first the reading, the minister for finance planning and economic development Matia Kasaijja given in and apologized to August house over allegations that he was disguising that he doesn’t know about the one per cent mobile money tax yet he signed the proposal endorsing it to Parliament.

“I did not say that the House passed the taxes in error, I applauded Parliament for passing the budget and apologies for the statement by the media attributed to me,” he said in parliament.

Leader of opposition in parliament (LOP) and Kasese woman MP Winnie Kiiza demanded that Kasaijja produces a written apology however the house chaired by Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanya said his apology is admitted.

The Deputy Speaker asked the Committee to conclusively consider the different petitions that were filed by Mobile money vendors and Makerere University students before deferring it for the second reading.

Kawempe north MP Latif Ssebaggala asked the Speaker to give a time frame in which the committee will handle the bill saying the House cannot wait for the 45 days. However Oulanya said the matter will be handled quickly as possible.

In an effort to have self-sufficiency in budget, Excise Duty Bill, 2018 was passed by Parliament on May 30 with Social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, Viber and Skype among others were subjected to a daily levy of Shs200 as mobile money transaction were subjected to 1 per cent excise duty.

Following various protests against both taxes, Last week President Museveni said 0.5 per cent of the tax incurred while transacting on Mobile money will be refunded to all people who were deducted one per cent on mobile money transaction. Museveni contended that he mistakenly ratified the law without proof reading.

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Mandela was a true symbol of Pan Africanism— Busoga Kyabazinga

By
Our Reporter
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The Kyabazinga of Busoga (In black Suit) being welcomed to Mvezo by the Chief of Mvezo, Zwelivelile "Mandla" Mandela(Right)

By Maria Nassiwa

The Kyabazinga of Busoga has hailed the late South African leader, Nelson Mandela as a true icon of Pan Africanism.

Speaking from South Africa where he is attending celebrations commemorating 100 years since Nelson Mandela’s birth, His Royal Highness, William Nadiope IV said, it was worth being a part of the contrary celebrations because Madiba represented not only the African traditions as a royal but the true spirit of Pan Africanism.

“Mandela was a global icon as manifested in his deeds. No wonder the UN General Assembly, in appreciation of what he did for humanity, declared July 18 an International Mandela Day.

“He managed his own lane at a pace worth pursuing. He lived true to his word and his legacy will live forever,” the Kyabazinga told Eagle Online.

The King of Busoga, HRH William Nadiope(Right) meeting up with South Africa’s President, Cryil Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the Mandela Centenary Celebrations in Mvezo, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

The Kyabazinga was invited to the celebrations by the head of the Royal House of Mandela, the Royal Highness Nkosi Mandela.

The celebrations in Mvezo in Eastern Cape, the birth place of Mandela were done by the royal house of Mandela and the Universal Peace Federation under the theme, “ The Liberation, The Icon, The Stateman, The Humanitarian The legacy.”

His Royal Highness Mandela said his grandfather did what was of his duty as he advocated for peace, progress, and prosperity for all.

“When a man has done what is considered to be his duty to his people and his country he can rest in peace,” he said, encouraging South Africans, Africa and the entire world to carry on his grandfather’s message of freedom.

“We are duty bound to carry such message to the entire African content to which we owe our freedom and the entire world,” Nkosi said.

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa narrated Nelson Mandela’s journey from the time he was in prison till he came to power.

Earlier on, in Johannesburg, former USA president Barack Obama delivered the 16th Nelson Mandela Lecture where he considered him as an icon despite the heavy burdens he carried.

“It is important to remember nelson Mandela as an icon because of his humor despite the heavy burdens he carried, he loved Africa and we learn so much from him,” Obama said.

The King of Busoga, HRH William Nadiope(Right) meeting up with former South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma on the sidelines of the Mandela Centenary Celebrations in Mvezo, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Also as part of the celebrations, Kenyan Law Scholar Patrick Loch Othieno Lumumba delivered a Nelson Mandela Lecture at Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha, South Africa.

“I want to remind us that nelson Mandela was an icon and icons never die. He was larger than life and larger than death itself,” Lumumba said of Mandela.

Nelson Mandela was South Africa’s first black president having ascended to power in 1994 after serving 27 years at Robben Island jail for fighting against apartheid.

He died in 20013 aged 93. This year makes 100 birth years of Africa’s liberation icon and different activities, including opening a Nelson Mandela museum in London, have been organized around the world to commemorate his life.

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