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Alcohol and drug abuse lead in causing mental illness- Butabika Boss

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
Ministry of Health PS, Diana Atwine

Kampala: The executive director for Butabika hospital Dr. David Basangwa has revealed that drugs and alcohol abuse, cerebral Malaria, Psychological Trauma from accidents and kidnaps is among the leading Causes of Mental illness in Uganda.

In monthly media breakfast meeting held under theme “Embracing prevention: The status of Mental Health in Uganda” Dr. Basangwa said young people fancy smoking shisha, weed and the sundry of catastrophic drugs that negatively influence their thinking and reasoning capacity has greatly contributed to metal illness among youth.

“Government has adequately invested in training of health workers in mental health to ensure adequate care, general health workers at various health levels are now in position to recognize patients with mental illness, offer treatment, and if need arises, refer the patients in time,” he said at ministry of health headquarters in Kampala.

He noted that due to influence of drugs among other causes, Butabiika hospital admits over 9,000 patients per year however 30,000 patients are handled in outpatient department (OPD).

“One of our achievements as an institution is the reduction of the stigma attached to mental disorders, ministry of health has started to recognize the role Mental Health in the development of the country, this is a step in the right direction,” Dr. Basangwa said.

According to Dr. Basangwa, financial crunch with a highly indebted population, Gender based Violence, Conflicts, Low education, Poor health care primary causes contributing to poor mental Health in the country.

Subsequently Dr. Hafsa Lukwata revealed that in 2009, with support from African development bank (ADB) government invested $25million for improvement of Mental Health Facilities and training of health workers.

Currently Uganda has 30 psychiatrists and 700 psychiatric nurses actively engaged in mental health care, the number is inadequate, “During the doctor’s strike, its only mental health workers who did not participate and didn’t neglect patients” she added.

The meeting was concluded by the incineration of a 40ft container full of shisha pots and related apparatus that were picked from different bars and restaurants during the police raids.

Consequently the permanent secretary for ministry of health called upon government to put in more effort to enforce laws against smoking and drug abuse.

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FIA on spot over failure to apprehend Bagyenda

By
George Mangula
-
Embattled former Executive Director in charge of Supervision at Bank of Uganda Justine Bagyenda.

All is not well at the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) following the establishment by investigators grilling Bank of Uganda that the Authority has not instituted an inquiry into Justine Bagyenda’s bank accounts. Bagyenda is a former director of supervision at BOU who was only sacked months ago.

In March this year, two banks- Diamond Trust Bank and Barclays Bank apologized to Ms Bagyenda over the leaked details of her fat accounts she holds at the banks.

“The bank regrets the unlawful act leading to disclosure of our said customer’s information in the media and sincerely apologies to Ms Justine Bagyenda for the inconvenience this regrettable incident may have caused,” read the March press release by Barclays Bank.

The leaked bank documents show that Ms Bagyenda’s bank accounts in the last six years had a balance of Shs20 billion which FIA was supposed to investigate but have not done so.
Also in March this year, former chairperson of Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, Nathan Nandala Mafabi (Budadiri West), while addressing the media at parliament requested that Bagyenda be charged with money laundering. According to sources, FIA board Chairperson Leo Kibirango is reportedly against the authority investigating Bagyenga and is said to have warned officials at FIA.

Nandala said despite her status as the in charge of Supervision, Bagyenda could have aided money laundering given that the fact that she has lot of money in her accounts which she cannot legally explain how she earned it.

“We are going to carryout investigations and we are going to deal with those banks because they have been doing illegal things with Bagyenda. Actually those banks should be closed because they have been involved in money laundering. That lady Bagyenda has been the head of Anti-Money Laundering committee and the law we passed, states that whoever participates in anti-money laundering has to face prison for 20 years and that is why Bagyenda should have been in Luzira and the law accepts that the money she stole, should be returned,” Nandali said on March 19.

FIA’s head, Sydney Asubo, in March told Eagle Online that they had got sufficient information from whistleblowers which they were working hard to corroborate.

Bagyenda has been on the board of Financial Intelligence Authority which is overseeing anti-money laundering law.
On March 21, Ms Bagyenda was grilled by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) Irene Mulyagonja over illicit accumulation of wealth and unexplained fat bank accounts. Bagyenda was asked to explain the source of a staggering wealth in city banks that is said to be amounting to billions of shillings and millions of dollars. However sources at IGG said Bagyenda could not furnish decisive evidence on the sources of the money.

The IGG also quizzed Bagyenda about a hard-hitting non-compliance report by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) that indicates that her tax accountabilities could be Shs7 billion.

AGAINST THE AUDIT: Leo_Kibirango.

In March, leaked documents from telecommunication giant, MTN revealed that former Executive Director in charge of Supervision, Justine Bagyenda made mobile money transaction of close to Shs500 million on her number in three years.
The documents showed that Bagyenda and her son, a one Robert Muhumuza both could have transacted to Shs500 million although most of the transactions on their numbers where deposits from other number. Much of the money didn’t last as it is immediately dispatched to other accounts.

Eagle Online early reported that in two years, embattled Bank of Uganda Executive Director Justine Bagyenda wired Shs683 million to an account in Centenary Rural Development Bank held in the name of Kenny Muwonge.

According to the documents, ‘Kenny Muwonge’s’ account in Centenary Rural Development Bank is SA 2120011273 (Mukwano Arcade branch/Ben Kiwanuka Street) and details indicate Ms Bagyenda used to send the money in tranches of Shs20, 000,000 using the bank’s real time gross system (RTGS). RTGS is a system of payment made online from one bank to another and the payment goes through Bank of Uganda. It is real time because it takes two hours- you just make payment instructions to your banker instead of issuing cheques.

The Bank details in possession of Eagle Online cover the period 2014 to 2017. Ms Bagyenda, according to the documents, however, started making the electronic transfers to Kenny Muwonge on September 10 2015, with an initial Shs20, 000,000 transfer from her Barclays Bank (Kampala Road Branch) Account. Similar transfers went on into 2016 where she was more less the only creditor to the Kenny Muwonge account. Anyhow, between 2014 and 2017, the account had seen Shs2 billion pass through it, in 37 transactions with Mr. Muwonge.

Bagyenda, whose contract at BoU was supposed to end June 2018, was in a reshuffle announced by BoU governor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, retired. In her place Mutebile appointed Dr Tumubweine Twinemanzi.

Financial Intelligence Authority is a government agency established by the Parliament of Uganda to monitor, investigate, and prevent money laundering in the country. It is also responsible for the enforcement of Uganda’s anti-money laundering laws and the monitoring of all financial transactions inside the country’s borders.

Kibirango worked with Bagyenda at BoU. Other board members of the board are, Grace Akullo, Patrick Ocailap and Patricia Mutesi

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Economic recovery and equity rally swell public sector assets by $2.5tn

By
Agencies
-
Bars of gold.

The global economic recovery and upturn in equity markets boosted central banks, sovereign fund and public pension fund assets by US $2.5 trillion in 2017 according to Global Public Investor (GPI), published annually by the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF), the London- and Singapore-based think tank.

The US $2.5trillionn surge, representing a 7.3 per cent rise from 2016 to US $36.2trillionn, is the largest such increase in the five years since OMFIF began tracking the assets under management of the 750 institutions covered in GPI 2018.

GPI assets grew across all types and all continents, with one exception: there was a US $32 billionn decline in Middle East central bank holdings.

The largest percentage increase in assets was among European public investors, whose holdings rose by US $7.6 trillionn, 12 per cent higher than the previous year. Central banks led this performance. The Swiss National Bank added US $133 billion, bringing its total assets to US $812 billionn, 20 per cent higher than the year before. As with other investors, the SNB profited greatly from large gains in its foreign equity holdings.

Asia was the second-best performing region after Europe, as assets grew by US $950 billion. With US $13.7 trillion in holdings, it remains the world’s most important GPI hub and is home to the world’s three largest public investors: the People’s Bank of China, Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund and the Bank of Japan.

Central banks around the world benefited from the rise in the price of gold, reflecting the precious metal’s significance in their reserves. They added more than 371 tonnes of gold during 2017, bringing total holdings to almost 31,800 tonnes, the highest level since the 1990s.

On currencies, 18 per cent of public investors surveyed by OMFIF intend to increase their exposure to renminbi over the next 12-24 months, and none plan to decrease. This is the highest response for all currencies, which illustrates the renminbi’s growth as a critical trade and investment currency.

Data shows that institutions are also adjusting their investment strategies to reflect their commitment to responsible ownership. They are increasingly investing in sustainable assets, with 36 per cent of public investors responding that they plan to increase their green bond investments over the next 12-24 months, with the equivalent figure at 18 per cent for green equities.

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UIA licenses over 190 projects in 2018

By
George Mangula
-
To leave Office: UIA ED, Jolly Kaguhangire

The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) in its latest report says it has licenced 193 projects during the first three quarters of financial year 2017/18 against a target of 225 projects representing 85.8 per cent of the target.

According to the report, local investors registered the highest value of planned investment of US $387 million which accounted for 52 per cent compared to foreign investors at US $357.7 million, accounting for 48 per cent of all the licensed projects in 2017/18.

The top four sectors were manufacturing at 56.5 per cent, Mining & Quarrying (11.4 per cent), Electricity, Gas and Water (10.7 per cent) and Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing (4 per cent).

The report highlights top five source countries for investment as; Ethiopia (US$ 227 million), Uganda ($28.8 million), India (US $21 million); USA (US $9 million) and China (US $4.8 million).

Meanwhile during the period under review, UIA says it facilitated 483 investors to access work permits, tax related services, business registration services, and environment related issues against the target of 150 companies. An estimated 108 companies were provided aftercare services against the target of 105 as at end of March 2018.

UIA monitored 643 projects, with the majority covered under the Investor Census 2017 which focused on projects located in Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso districts.

Employment
According to UIA, The total planned employment is 19,072 jobs, with THE manufacturing sector accounting for 49.6 per cent, Agriculture at 14 per cent, Electricity, Gas & Water at 9.3 per cent and Community & Social services at 7.8 per cent.

UIA in its report adds that the distribution of employment by source of investment shows that direct domestic investment (DDI) will account for 62 per cent of the total planned employment as compared to Foreign Direct investment (FDI) which will account for 38 percent of the jobs.

Current status of KIBP
According to UIA, the 2,200 acre Kampala Industrial and Business Park (KIBP) located 11 km East of Kampala in Namanve, has been al¬located to 291 prospective investors for development in various sub-sectors such as agro processing, mineral processing, ICT, logistics and freight, warehousing, general manufacturing as well as Tourism promotion activities.

Data shows that 30 industries are currently in operation within the KIBP directly employing 15,000 Ugandans within the park while 82 projects have commenced construction creating an additional 17,000 indirect/ short term/ contract/ technical jobs during this period.

While 129 companies are still in the pre-start stages thus; surveying, processing deed plans and titles, environmental impact assessment certificates, architectural designs, geotechnical and hydrological studies. “These too create employment to the various white collar professional job opportunities for Architects, physical planners, Environmental Consultants, Civil Engineers, Quantity Surveyors etc,” says the UIA report.

The report shows that 50 investors were allocated land in 2017.However, since 2013, 164 companies have had their approvals withdrawn from the facility for non-performance.
They include; MK Publishers, Kibao Ltd, Nutrimix feeds, Oscar Industries, Meera Investments, Surgipharm, Rwenzori, Dott Services, Wina Classic, Shumuk, Fang Fang, Nationwide properties, Akright, National Housing and Construction Corporation, among others.

Other business parks
Luzira Industrial and Business Park located in Nakawa Division in Kampala covers 70 acres with 10 investors, eight of whom are operational. One of the key investors in the Park is Quality Chemicals Ltd sitting on about 15 acres of land.

Bweyogerere Industrial Estate located in Wakiso District covers 50 acres of land and has 10 investors, four of whom are operational; three are under Construction stage while three are doing pre-start phase studies. One of the key investors in the Park is Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) sitting on about 15 acres of land.

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Reply to comment on fakes and kidnaps article

By
Guest Writer
-
Mr Muwema

By Fred Muwema

Dear Editor,
Eagle online.

Just when Angelo was penning his response to my article on fakes and kidnaps where he tried to discount the menace of counterfeits, the Government of Uganda was declaring three days of mourning due to a nasty road carnage caused by fake brakes that left 22 dead in Kiryandongo District.

I say fake brakes because I watched with dismay on TV when one of the lucky survivors lying in pain on a hospital bed narrated that the driver of the bus had tried to stop the bus but the brakes failed. A 2016 report by the Ministry of Transport indicated that 95 per cent of road accidents are caused by human error and mechanical condition of the vehicles. This is where counterfeits in the form of fake driving permits and fake vehicle parts lurk. This is the savage image of counterfeits that most people choose not to see.

Angelo’s views may appeal to many people who pay scarce attention to the immense devastation that counterfeits are causing to whole communities and economies in Africa and to those who may not understand it as a causative factor of heinous crime. As a person who has endured a 10 year knowledge sojourn traversing the counterfeit wilderness here and in other countries with a hand luggage of more than 20 years in criminal law practice, I know better than to join Angelo in finding a false equivalence between counterfeits and the tragedy of kidnaps.

The relatives of the victims of the bus carnage are in as much grief and pain as the relatives of the victims of the kidnaps so much so that they are all inconsolable, not because the deaths are different, but because they amount to the same thing. It may not be easy to explain the equivalence of two complex subjects in a few lines and I don’t claim to do so now, but let me give some hints.

In a May 23, 2018 NTV interview, the Minister of Security Gen. Elly Tumwine made a statement linking the recent increase of kidnap cases in Uganda to terrorist activity. It is possible many people dismissed the Minister’s talk because he did not elaborate. Those who know will tell you that worldwide, counterfeiting business is a major source of terrorist funding. Kidnaps are an active ingredient of terrorism, and therefore, it is not false to juxtapose counterfeiting with kidnapping.

It would have been nice for the Uganda Police to fully investigate this nexus between counterfeit and kidnaps but alas, only two per cent of the 4000 murder cases (many a result of kidnap) have been investigated and successfully prosecuted in the last four years. This neglect of duty by the Police is also counterfeit behavior which we have come to accept as normal.

In my article titled “Counterfeits, a Security Threat” which was published six years ago in the New vision of May 23, 2012 at page 10, I quoted a report by the international Anti – counterfeiting Coalition which stated that drug traffickers, money launderers and terrorists find it safer now days to raise and clean their money through counterfeit businesses because this business is easy to set up without the risk of suffering harsh punishment under drug trafficking or money laundering laws. I still identify with this view and maintain that fighting fakes will help in the fight against the kidnaps.

Like they say, what you do not know does not hurt you. Most Ugandans do not know much about counterfeits in terms of its dangerous effects that is why they may not think of it to be as dangerous as the kidnaps we all dread. We are losing the war against counterfeits and paying the price with our lives because we tend to trivialize the issue.

When I was growing up, there was no children’s section at the Cancer Institute in Mulago. Today the Children’s section is as big as the section for adults and behold the sight of little children fighting for their lives can move even the most hardened soul to tears. But amidst all this, we are not alarmed by recent media reports that some criminals are importing and selling fake cancer drugs on the market neither are we outraged by the fake Hepatitis B vaccine which is now incubating in the bodies of millions of Ugandans.

Business continues as usual and we continue to choke on the fake medicines and yet we remain unaware of our conspiracy in the grave consequences like death, which may greet us as a result. I admit that it may not be fair to compare the mortalities caused by fake drugs to those of kidnaps since they all represent a tragic loss of human life. No death can be sanitized because its cause is more popular than the other and for me I think that it is worse when we try to reduce this issue to an academic exercise.

Angelo appeared to be slighted by my use of statistics of kidnaps and those of fake products when he accused me of “atomizing the victims of crime as statistics for reference.” I don’t know how anyone can get a correct equivalence between any two fields of study without comparing their statistics. What I know is that it is statistics which breathe life into what we call facts on any subject.

Angelo made an impassioned reference to his coverage of the LRA insurgency as a Journalist but I think he needed statistics to put this disaster in its true context. It is the statistics of the 60,000 to 100,000 children who were abducted by the LRA in four African countries between 1987 – 2012 that raised World outrage leading to the indictment of Dominic Ongwen in the ICC for the massacres and kidnappings.

We need to face the reality sooner rather than later. Counterfeits may not sound as fashionable as kidnaps but that is just semantics. They are both killing us, we need to stand up and stop them.

Fred Muwema
Director Legal & Corporate Affairs
Anti-Counterfeit Network Africa
28th May, 2018

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Barclays Group becomes ABSA in July

By
Agencies
-

Shareholders of Barclays Africa Group Ltd have given approval for the entity’s name to be changed to Absa Group Limited in July, setting in motion the start of one of the largest rebrand projects in Africa at this time.

“The vote in support of our name change in July marks another milestone in our separation from Barclays PLC to become an independent African bank with global reach,” said Wendy Lucas-Bull, Chairman of Barclays Africa Group Ltd.

“This is the start of a brand journey that will galvanise our operations across Africa behind a single brand and purpose.”

According to the press release, as part of the process, the new name must be registered by South Africa’s Companies and Intellectual Property Commission.

In accordance with the timetable shared with shareholders, the name change is expected be effective on July 11, 2018.

The group’s share code on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) will change from BGA to ABG on 11 July.

The group name change will not affect functionality of Absa or Barclays products and services in Africa.

The group’s Barclays-branded banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, will continue to trade as ‘Barclays’ even after the group name changes to Absa in July.

The Barclays-branded banks in these countries will be rebranded at a later stage, subject to regulatory approvals in those markets.

Following the sell-down by Barclays PLC of its majority shareholding in Barclays Africa Group to a minority position in 2017, the two companies are separating.

As part of the separation agreement, Barclays Africa Group, will cease using the Barclays brand in Africa in 2020.

“We will in the future have a brand that is reflective of our African identity – this as an enormous opportunity as we create a banking group that Africa will be proud of,” Lucas-Bull said.

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Flags at half-mast for accident victims

By
Richard Wanambwa
-

Kampala: Uganda flags at various public offices flies at half-mast as the country mourn victims who perished in a tragic motor accident that occurred in Kiryandongo district along Gulu high way.

According to police report 22 people including juveniles died on Friday when a Gaagaa Bus registration number UAK 562 L collided with a cargo lorry and a tractor registration number UAU 872 M.

Carnage: The Gaaga bus in which was involved in accident where 22 people perished.

When contacted, Deputy Spokesperson for Uganda police Patrick Onyango said the basis of the tragic accident has not been established however the injured persons among other survivors were airlifted to Mulago and Nsambya hospital for treatment.

“So far the survivors of the accident are okay and doctors are working to see that they get well” he said in a phone interview.

Over the weekend, president Museveni declared three days of national mourning and vowed to contribute shs5million to families that lost their loved one as shs3 millions goes to everyone who sustained injuries.

Flags flying at half-mast at Uganda Parliament in memory of the 22 who perished in a road accident.

However according to an anonymous source in state house, state House Comptroller Ms. Lucy Nakyobe has set out to deliver President’s donation to victims of the Kiryandongo accident starting with patients at Mulago Hospital and later Nsambya Hospital.

Consequently this website paid a courtesy visit to parliament, police headquarters Naguru and sundry to establish whether president’s directives have been implemented. We established that at both places flags were flying at half-mast however at the time we reached various places like Kira road police stations among some schools, flags had not been raised.

At Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) the three days of mourning of the victims of the road accident in Kiryandongo have been observed as flags fly at half-mast.

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Museveni commissions  Sembabule School of Nursing

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
President Museveni

Kampala: President Museveni has commissioned Sembabule School of Nursing and Midwifery, Anifa Vocational and Entrepreneurship Skills Training Institute that were put up by Sembabule legislator Anifa Kawooya.

Speaking at the function, Museveni commended Kawooya for being influential and foresighted leader in establishing educational institutions that will produce professionals whose skills are on demand in and abroad.

“Starting a technical institute, Kawooya has ensured us that youth will be equipped with practical skills that will serve as quota pins to employ themselves thereby reducing the shooting rates of unemployment in the district and sundry,” he said.

He lauded both the legislator and the people of Sembabule and vowed to render a hand for thriving of both institutions for the betterment of the community and the country at large.

He assured Ugandans that government will decisively defeat hard core criminals indulging themselves in various kidnappings and gruesome killing of people, “work with security agents, especially by doing timely reporting of criminals, so as to receive quick response from security” he appealed to citizens.

According to president Museveni, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) is strong and has managed to pacify the country however there have been weaknesses in ensuring urban security as urban centres and their population have drastically expanded.

Consequently Mrs.  Kawooya lauded Gen. Museveni for the good leadership he has offered in a bid to transform the country as she commended him for honoring her invitation to grace thanksgiving ceremony.

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Dreaming big: Abdul Katete warns the big guns

By
Our Reporter
-
Bring it on: Katete standing next to his Subaru N10 has vowed to clinch the next challenge

Kampala: Subaru N10’s fast talking driver, Abdul Katete, has put to notice fellow drivers that he will overcome his rally misfortunes and finish in the top 5 come the UMC Challenge rally in Fortportal this weekend.

Katete, who is yet to finish an event this season says he has rebuilt his engine, improved his mechanical and management team and undergone some practice all in a bid to sharpen his skills and prove that he is worth being considered among the big guns.

The Shufurah Transporters and Comat Lab sponsored driver navigated by Rahma Mohammed was however reminded of his lack of grit by the on-form sensational Unisan Bakunda.

“You can even be beaten 3 minutes in a 20km stage with the way you drive, you are still upcoming,” Unisan told him while trading banter over the weekend.

I am better: Abdu Katete( R) with Unisan Bakunda (L stripped T shirt) at the latter workshop where they exchanged banter about who is better than the other.

During the SMC rally last Month, Katete suffered an electrical problem in the last stage after overcoming a 10 minute penalty for delay in service on day one.

” My car engine ceased while I was posting good speeds after overcoming an off-road miss in the morning stage because of the rains, but after that I was posting very good times and even met and passed some cars in the stages,” said Abdu from his workshop in Sonde.

“I am going to unleash the dragon in Fort portal and these top guns should watch out for team 444 coming behind them” he added.

Katete has been driving for the last 6 years starting in a Subaru GC8 and after upgrading to the Subaru N10 late last year, embarked on a serious challenge this season.

Katete’s four children, Talha, Shamie, Shadia and Sharifah are competing in the national Motocross championship under Team 444

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Panic in Kamuli as thugs drop anonymous letters demanding for breasts, private parts

By
Trevor S Baleke
-
Sort Out The Mess: Security Minister Gen Tumwine has a security issue on his hands.

Jinja: Tension is high in Kamuli district because of anonymous letters dropped by thugs threatening to attack residents any time this week.

The letters have been recovered by Busoga north regional police operatives on a tip off from the residents of Naibowa village in Butansi sub county.

In the anonymous letters, the thugs have threatened to raid this village and chop women’s breats, hair and private parts of men.

The thugs have warned the residents not to take their letters for a joke but to actually get ready for the attack.

The regional police spokesman, Michael Kasadha has confirmed this report. He said it is true the police have recovered the letter.

“But if everyone is vigilant, we shall arrest this thugs. They are amateurs according to this letter and I believe they are from within,” he said.

Scare: One of the letters dropped in Kamuli threatening attacks on elderly women and men.

The anonymous letters have triggered panic among residents. A 60-year-old Jane Nabirye, says they are spending sleepless nights for fear of fresh attacks.

Nabirye wants police to deploy to hunt down the thugs.

“As civilians we shall not manage. We do not know the weapons they (attacker)will come with yet we cannot know when exactly they will raid us,”

Last weekend similar leaflets were dropped in Mafubira sub county in the neighbouring district of Jinja.

The leaflets were reportedly dropped in five villages; Wakitaka, Kaitabawala, Namulesa, Lwanda and Sakabusolo demanding for two things – money and women.

In some of the anonymous letters the demand was money and in other letters they demanded for a total of 540 women.

“We shall come for 120 young women from both Namulesa and Wakitaka Villages,” read one leaflet recovered by police from Namalesa trading centre while another similar letter found in Lwanda village was demanding for 20 breasts of elderly women.

In Kaitabawala village, two letters recovered from there said the thugs were soon coming for 400 wives from that village.

Amisi Kiganyira the LCIII chairman said on Tuesday that the leaflets, which have been circulating in the area since Sunday, are targeting him as well and have triggered fear among residents despite police intervention.

According to Kiganyira, attacks on the residents started prior to the dropping of these leaflets.

“We have so far arrested two suspects for their alleged attack on a resident of Wakitaka Village only identified as Majid who was found in a shop and cut with machetes. The suspects are currently being detained at Jinja Central Police Station,” he said.

Other anonymous letters were last Friday reportedly dropped in Kifirira and Wantunda Villages located in Busedde Sub-County, Jinja District, specifically ‘wanting’ the Sub-County Security Officer (GISO), Rahman Badaga and his wife, Abul Noor Buwabe and his wife and the LCIII Chairperson, Abu Kibita.

While Buwabe is an influential businessman owning over 250 acres of sugarcane and was solely responsible for the construction of the area Mosque, residents suspect Kibita is being targeted because his son allegedly deserted from the UPDF. This reporter could not verify these reports by press time.
Suleiman Musoga, a resident of Mafubira, is worried for the safety of his family, calling upon the government to put a curfew in place.

“They should pass a resolution that nobody should loiter around the Villages at a specific hour of the night or else that person will be arrested. Hopefully, we shall be safe,” he said.
Another resident who declined to be named asked for reinstating of ‘Operation Wembley’, a security outfit that fought urban crime countrywide in the 90’s.

“Also, I have noticed an influx of vehicles with tinted windows. I don’t think we are safe with these vehicles in our area especially during the rampant kidnappings,” he said.

The Kiira Region Police Commander (RPC), Onesmus Mwesigwa, on Wednesday told this writer that police are in control and have beefed up security in the areas to prevent any danger to residents by the purported thugs.

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