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Locals drag Isimba contractor, gov’t to court over land

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Contested Land: A group nine has taken the Isimba contractor and government to court demanding compensation for the land where the damn is being constructed.

Kampala: Nine Ugandans have petitioned Mukono High Court challenging gov’t acquisition and subsequent donation of their land to a Chinese company, China International Water and Electric Cooperation, to construct on Isimba dam without prompt and fair compensation.

The move, they argue, infringed on their right to own property.

The petitioners are; Disson Nsubuga, Berenado Ssajjabi, Apoogo John, John Wafula, Okuni Owori, Adriano Owori, Ali Kagoda, Celina Etapu and Rose Acheing.

As justice, the nine petitioners want court to order both the Chinese company and government to pay them shs202billion, as the adequate and fair compensation, for the 27.852 acres in Nakalooke village Kayunga district.

Until the payment is done, the petitioners want court to block the contractor from excavating rocks and or doing any other work on the land.

“The respondents compulsorily and with use of force entered into the applicants land and started excavating rocks that were used in the construction of Isimba hydro power dam,” read in part of the plaintiff.

Applicants say that in 2014, when the ministry of energy started the multi-million Isimba hydro power dam, government compulsorily without authorization according to Ugandan land laws, government engaged Kagga and partners to access the parcels of land for compensation of applicants and other project affected persons.

Subsequently, they petition notes, the land was condoned off and a quarry was established and the contractor started blasting rocks yet it was not put under the accessed property. The owner of the hitherto land protested the development but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

Petitioners revealed that the purchase agreements and proof of ownership agreements were all retained by valuing company.

The Isimba case is not the first scenario where local fight with government over compensation.

The people round Karuma hydro power project had gone uncompensated for a similar rock till when high court HCCS No. 252 OF 2015 Etot Paul peter and other Vs attorney general and Sino hydro cooperation Ltd to compensate the applicants.

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NSSF beats six organisations to emerge best in corporate governance

By
Badru Kasadah
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The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has won the Corporate Governance Awards for outstanding practices in the category of public sector governance, beating six public institutions that participated in the awards.

This was at the inaugural awards which were organized at the Kampala Serena Hotel by the Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda (ICGU).

The awards are intended to shine a beacon of light on companies that uphold the best practices in corporate governance.

Even though most companies have governance structures in place, including board of directors, many of them don’t provide effective governance over their required mandates.

The Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda, therefore, launched the awards to recognise organizations with outstanding achievements in the governance, risk and compliance requirements.

“It is one thing to have the systems and structures in place but another to comply and adhere to these systems for the overall effective and efficient running of the organisation,” said Christine K. Kawooya the CEO of the Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda.

NSSF Deputy Managing Director, Patrick Ayota, who received the award on behalf of the fund said, “Over the last seven years, we have been on a transformation journey to make the Fund a reputable organization with working systems, processes and controls.”

Ayota explained that the growth of the fund to Shs9 trillion today is a testament that our governance structures and strategies are on the right track.

“We are proud that our hard work has been recognised and it is not surprising therefore, that member confidence has increased significantly and the fund now is regarded as one of the best run, effective & largest pension fund in the region,” he concluded.

The judging criteria was based on effective corporate governance processes, best corporate social responsibility practices, transparency in organization operations and financial and operation performance resulting from effective strategy and execution.

The National Social Security has continued to be recognised both locally and globally for various innovations and implementation of best practices in various categories.

Last year, NSSF won the Africa Pension Fund Infrastructure Investment Initiative of the Year Award and two International Social Security Association (ISSA) Good Practice Awards for the Friends with Benefits initiative and the E-collections platform.

The Fund was also recognized for good corporate governance in the Financial Reporting (FiRe) Awards in 2015 and 2016.

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Uganda Premier League Final Day 2017/18: What’s at stake?

By
Our Reporter
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Vipers need a win to seal the title.

The 2017/18 Uganda Premier League season comes to a close on Friday, May 25, 2018 with two major issues left to be resolved. Vipers or KCCA could win the title while the three clubs to be relegated will also be confirmed.

Who will win the League?

SC Vipers just need to win their game against UPDF to be confirmed champions. If they lose or draw, they’ll hope KCCA also draw or lose their game.

The Venoms lead the table by two points and they last won the title in 2015 under the guidance of manager Edward Golola.

If KCCA are to win the title, they must beat Police at Namboole stadium and hope Vipers lose or draw. A draw or loss for the Kasasiro boys means they miss out.

The champion will qualify for a qualification place in next season’s CAF Champions League.

Relegation battle

Five clubs; Masavu, Express, Proline, UPDF and Soana face relegation and three of them will be playing in the FUFA Big League come next season.

UPDF needs a win against Vipers to confirm safety while draw for them will work in their favour on when Masavu, Proline and Express all fail to win.

Masavu faces Express at Bugonga in what is arguably the Premier League Play off for survival. A win for Masavu takes them above Express and Proline (if they don’t win against URA) and also UPDF lose with a bigger margin at Kitende.

Proline is at home against Uganda Revenue Authority in Lugogo. A victory for Proline against the tax collectors will take them to 31 points, and they hope Express and Masavu draw while UPDF falter for them to survive.

Soana is the best positioned among the relegation threatened teams. A win will secure safety but also a draw against Maroons at Kavumba Recreational Ground will be enough for their survival. However, if they fail to win, they can still be relegated if UPDF defeats Vipers and Proline wins against URA by a margin of two goals.

Express on the way out?

Express is the oldest football club in the country and the Red Eagles have never been relegated to the second-tier in the history of Ugandan football.

However this season has been a difficult one for them and their survival solely depends on Vipers doing them a favour by beating UPDF and they must win against Masavu.

A draw will only be favourable for the Red Eagles if UPDF and Proline fail to win their games. They will be relegated if they lose.

Promoted clubs

Paidha Black Angels F.C joined the Uganda Premier League last Sunday after defeating Kitara FC 4-2 in penalty shoot-outs after a goalless at fulltime.

The west Nile based club joined Ndejje University and Nyamityobora who had earlier secured their places as direct winners of the Elgon and Rwenzori groups respectively.

Maroons, Masavu and Mbarara City are the teams that qualified from the FUFA Big league to the Uganda Premier League last season.

All the matches will kickoff at the same time to avoid syndicate.

Final Match Day fixtures:

Soana Vs Maroons, Kavumba Recreational Stadium
Masavu Vs Express, Fisheries Training Institute, Bugonga
Mbarara City Vs Kirinya-Jinja S.S, Kakyeka Stadium, Mbarara
Proline Vs URA, Star Times Stadium Lugogo
Police Vs KCCA, Mandela National Stadium, Namboole
SC Villa Jogoo Vs BUL, Masaka Recreational Stadium, Masaka
Onduparaka Vs Bright Stars, Green Light Stadium, Arua
Vipers Vs UPDF, St Mary’s Stadium,

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Pastor Kayanja on spot over youth funds

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Where is our money? Pastor Robert Kayanja (Right) with Papa Cidy aka Hamidu Sekyeru at a past event

Kampla: Youth groups have taken on Kampala senior pastor Robert Kayanja over lack of accountability for monies that were collected from formed youth groups on promises of funds to starting up their own business ventures.

Miracle center cathedral is one of the candid churches who convenes tens and thousands of people however it was on spot over allegations that it is becoming a den fraudsters where people have lost their property as they are told to saw seeds in various forms including cars, money among other property on grounds of blessings.

Through their layer of Rwakafuuzi and company advocates the youth groups led by youth organisation network has put the senior pastor on notice to explain the ongoing process about the subject matter or refund their monies.

“Under the code name Youth National Transformation, miracle center cathedral asked them to form tens of groups and each group contributed Shs500, 000 however no communication has been made since 2015,” Reads in part of the plaintiff.

Youth organisation network members revealed that over shs5billion was collected on basis of availing them with funds for youth self-employment to alleviate and eliminate poverty and bringing a stop to unemployment among youth.

“We wish to know why we have not received funds for self-employment as promised, alternatively we wish to be informed if the indeed preparations are in the process to have funds released,” they said.

When contacted, his known number was off.

Last year another senior pastor Samuel Kakande defrauded his congregant by offering them what he claimed as holy rice at cost of shs50,000 per kilogram leading to roaring up of voices of influential citizens pinning him of faking miracles.

Recently on a local television channel, the minister for ethics and integrity Father Simon Lokoda said most church leaders in Uganda lack moral authority, act against their preaching saying soon the country will establish law the will legalize them.

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Musician Cute Kaye caught stealing, rescued from mob

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Courtesy Photo: Singer Cute Kaye paraded with his stolen car indicators

Kampala-Natete: Rusty music artist Cute Kaye has been caught with smoking gun evidence stealing car indicators from a parked car in Busega on the outskirts of Kampala.

He had already removed other vehicle paraphernalia and was unscrewing the last indicator before sentries tapped his shoulder asking him what he thought he was doing. A crowd gathered and immediately descended on him before police were called.

Speaking to deputy police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, he acknowledged the detaining of the Binkese hit maker saying they are working on his file for him to face courts of law.

“The suspect was nabbed as he was disbanding vehicle registration number UBA 482K Toyota Premio that was in the parking, however police was alerted and setup to rescue the culprit that was that was yet to be lynched by the hungry mob,” he said.

However the suspect who recently converted to Christianity during the 77 days of glory (77DOGS) at miracle center cathedral headed by Pastor Robert Kayanja pulled out a “first offender” plea and blamed everything on Satan accusing him of misleading him into stealing.

He sought mercy and more prayers but the crowd was already charged continued beating him until police came to his rescue.

Before taking him to Natete police station, was heard saying that although he got saved, the church is not making the juices flow making him look for ways to survive. He noted that he was subjected to staying at church yet it can’t meet all his basic necessities.

Cute Kaye broke onto the music scene in 2007 with his first album Ginkese that took the airwaves in nightclubs and bars by storm however he career started fading-out on allegations that his success is blocked by the Jose chameleon.

His songs include: Ginkese, Gwendota, Njagala Omuwala, Osindise Asitamye featuring Iryn Namubiru, and Gyetwasokela with Priscilla Kalibala, among other songs.

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Bebe Cool preaches happiness in his latest ‘Up & Whine’

By
Badru Kasadah
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Bebe Cool

Gagamel boss, Bebe Cool has yet again released a new single for 2018; UP & WHINE.

Both the audio and video of ‘Up & Whine’ go on air on all entertainment channels across the world today.

“I promised my fans worldwide that each and every month of this year (2018), I shall be dropping a new jam. The media is full of politics and problems affecting our people from all corners of life and as a people we need to be happy as well. How about listening to this club banger and forget about the too much politics and problems affecting us as people,” Bebe Cool.

“Up & Whine’ is another of those club bangers by Bebe Cool that will make you go wild whether on the dance floor, at home at work place during that time when you just need to have fun to the fullest.”

This song was written by ‘Black Skin’, Produced by ‘Eno Beat’ of Eno Beats Studios and the Video directed by Top Nigerian Video maestro ‘Sesan’.

This is Bebe Cool’s 8th song this year.

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Total partners with Google to develop Artificial Intelligence for oil & gas

By
Badru Kasadah
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Mr. Florentin de Loppinot, Managing Director of Total Uganda at a recent event

Kampala: Total and Google Cloud have signed an agreement to jointly develop artificial intelligence (A.I.) solutions applied to subsurface data analysis for oil and gas exploration and production.

The agreement focuses on the development of A.I. programs that will make it possible to interpret subsurface images, notably from seismic studies (using Computer Vision technology) and automate the analysis of technical documents (using Natural Language Processing technology).

These programs will allow Total’s geologists, geophysicists, reservoir and geo-information engineers to explore and assess oil & gas fields faster and more effectively.

Under this partnership, Total geoscientists will work side-by-side with Google Cloud’s machine learning experts within the same project team based in Google Cloud’s Advanced Solutions Lab in California.

“Total is convinced that applying artificial intelligence in the oil and gas industry is a promising avenue to be explored for optimizing our performance, particularly in subsurface data interpretation. We are excited to work with Google Cloud towards this goal. This builds on the strategy being developed at Total, where A.I. is already used, for example, in predictive maintenance at facilities,” said Marie-Noëlle Semeria, Senior Vice President, Group CTO at Total.

“We believe that the combination of Total’s geoscience expertise and Google’s artificial intelligence skills will ensure the project’s success. Our ambition is to give our geoscience engineers an A.I. personal assistant in the next few years that will free them up to focus on high value-added tasks.” said Kevin McLachlan, Senior Vice President Exploration for Exploration & Production at Total.

“We are thrilled to welcome Total in our Advanced Solutions Labs for the development of A.I. solutions,” said Paul-Henri Ferrand, President of Global Customer Operations Google Cloud.

“We are keen to engage our best A.I. engineers to work with Total’s geosciences’ experts.”

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Police Chief Ochola urges calm

By
Richard Wanambwa
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Police Chief Okoth Ochola

Kampala: The inspector general of police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola has urged Ugandans to remain calm on top of the shooting numbers of kidnaps manifested in the country noting despite making various arrests, the situation is under control there is no cause of alarm.

His statement follows the recent shooting numbers of kidnaps, torture and trampling of victims to death in various areas across the country as assailants demand for ransom, citing the disbanded frying squared, police pokes person Emilian Kayima said some security officers are involved in the mass rooming kidnaps.

Speaking to journalists at police headquarters Naguru Ochola said in the last four months, 42 cases have been reported and investigated however Of the 42 cases, 15 were involved in murder, 10 cases were of self-kidnap he added that eight victims were rescued alive as seven victims went missing.

“We have established a 24/7 emergency Centre in which cases of kidnap must be reported immediately, the toll free numbers which the public can call when someone is kidnapped, they are 0800199990, 0800199991and 0800199992,” he revealed.

He revealed that some of the captured suspects have connections with anonymous terrorists groups working around to destabilize peace however said suspects will be suffocated by Ugandan laws.

He noted that police has increased patrols in the country with stepped up joint operations to pursue these suspects and we have improved intelligence to avoid any further incidents.

He subsequently urged Ugandans to take action against police officers who arrest suspects without arrest warrants.

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MP Otto puts Minister Amongi on censure notice

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Aruu South county legislator Samuel Odong Otto

Kampala: Aruu County legislator Odonga Otto has written to Speaker of Parliament a notice to move motion to censure Oyam South MP Betty Amongi over allegations of abuse office and illegal disposal of properties under departed Asian custodian board.

Recently, Ms. Amongi who doubles as the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development was summoned and grilled by the commission of inquiry in lands matters on how AMOBET company she co-own with Cate Odongo came to acquire property on plot 29 Acacia avenue.

“Pursuant to rule 108 (1) of the rules of procedures of parliament of Uganda, I notify you of my intention to move a censure motion against Betty Amongi for abuse of office and willful violation of the oath of allegiance and oath of a minister,” reads in part of the notice.

Otto further avers that the minister of land used her position to forge land titles and grabbing of peoples land.

His notice follows various insults hurled to the chairperson of the commission of inquiry Justice Catherine Bamugemereire averring that she insulted lands minister where she referred to her as a ‘young lady’ at the time they interfaced her (Amongi) at archive center in Wandegeya.

A copy of the letter MP Odonga sent to the Speaker notifying her about the censure motion.

When contacted about legislator’s (Otto) move Minister Amongi said Otto is simply keeping to what he is known for, “playing politics of blackmail and drama.”

“AMOBET doesn’t own any property of the custodian board, we were allocated as tenants and when we discovered disputes, we rejected the allocation and requested for our rent to be paid back,” she added.
They agreed to refund and notified AMOBET that they will process and refund.

However when contacted, speaker’s office acknowledged the receiving of MP’s letter and promised to decide on the subject matter in time to come.

Abuse of office cases have led to impeachment of various government officials, others as a few of them resigned under pressure as majority of them survived.

If Mr Otto successfully goes through with his move, it wouldn’t be the first time Parliament impeaches a minister.
In the sixth Parliament, Minister Jim Muhwezi was impeached over misuse of Global Fund money when he served as Health Minister.

In the eighth parliament, Ms Kabakumba Mastiko was defenestrated from the information ministry docket after confessing to misuse of office and corruption.

Ministers Matia Kasaijja (Finance), Frank Tumwebaze (ICT), Persis Namuganza (Junior Lands) survived being impeached just recently.

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Support Somalia to end sophisticated terrorist activities— Amb. Madeira

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Ambassador Madiera address the press in Entebbe

Entebbe: The Special Representative of African Union (AU) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Jose Madeira called for continuous support of Somalia in a bid to overcome rooming sophisticated terrorist activities claiming lives and crippling of business ventures.

Speaking In the fifth meeting of heads of intelligence security service, Madeira revealed that lack of neutral grounds for implementation of various peace agreements to resolve has led to shooting numbers of South Sudanese and Somalis seeking for asylum in Uganda and the neighboring countries.

“Terrorists groups such as al-Shabab have too used social media as a viable alternative to provide services to people. These groups are go ahead to provide food in Somalia, water for irrigation to farmers as a way of hood winking them, yet the hated for disruption of peace, government to react to overcome these activities,” he said at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel Entebbe.

He implored security operatives to embrace artificial intelligence and dissemination of information through social media among other mode communication to track down mass rooming crimes against humanity.

He emphasized that militarized leaderships across the world has greatly contributed to terrorism on top of blocking democratic practices.

Subsequently the Minister for security Gen Elly Tumwiine said for Africa to build bridges for the peace and security of the continent, every person should feel free to always share information with security operatives for stepping up a reactive actions.

Further revealed that the fusion and liaison center that was opened up in Entebbe earlier in the day, will make information exchange easier and faster among the intelligence services of Africa.

“We should embrace peace and security for integration of the region, threats will arise far and within individual countries however we must work to contend them,” he noted.

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