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Police blocks journalists from Kirumira trial

By
Geoffery Serugo
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A journalist who had gone to cover the trial of ASP Muhammd Kirumira being chased by a police officer

Police has this morning blocked journalist from covering the trial of the former Buyende District Police Commander Muhammad Kirumira.

As a result policer officers engaged in running battles with several journalists as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kirumira arrived at the Naguru-based police headquarters from Nalufenya Police Station, where the embattled officer is currently being detained.

The controversial ASP Kirumira is facing charges of extortion, corruption, bribery, unlawful arrest and excessive use of authority, leveled against him while he worked in Nansana, Wakiso District.

Meanwhile, the drama at police headquarters today intensified as Kawempe councillor Muhammed Ssegirinnya and a one Michael Wamala claimed they had come to stand surety for ASP Kirumira. However, the two were also sent scampering after being denied access to the hearing.

In a related development, last week, while appearing before the Police Tribunal chaired by Senior Commissioner of Police (SCP) Denis Odongpiny, ASP Kirumira applied for bail but it was rejected on grounds that the embattled police officer had to present three sureties above his rank.

Also, in the same week the suspect’s father Abubakar Kawooya dragged SCP Odongpiny to High Court-Civil division, contending that his son is protected by the Whistleblowers Act, and is therefore being subjected to illegal proceedings.

 

 

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DFCU, Land Registration boss on spot over Meera Investments properties

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Crane Chambers, formerly headquarters of Crane Bank.

The DFCU Bank and the Commissioner for Land Registration are on the spotlight after Meera Investments Limited went to court seeking declaration that the process through which the DFCU bank acquired possession of 48 properties of MIL was illegal and fraudulent.

Meera Investments Limited that dragged the two defendants to the High Court Commercial Division, is multi-billion real estate company owned by billionaire businessman Sudhir Ruparelia and his family.

‘The matter in issue in this suit is the illegal and fraudulent registration of the 1st Defendant as a lessee on the 48 properties forming the subject matter of the suit.

The Plaintiff as the registered proprietor of the Freehold/Mailo interest did not grant nor consent to the transfer of any of the leases in favour of the 1st Defendant, neither did it consent to the takeover of possession of the suit property by the 1st Defendant,’ a February 13 reply to a Statement of Defence filed by Meera Investments Limited against the DFCU Bank and the Commissioner for Land Registration, states in part.

Further, MIL, through its lawyer Ms. Magna Advocates, avers: ‘The issue in the current suit is not whether the Plaintiff is the owner of the Freehold/Mailo properties, but whether the 1st Defendant was illegally and fraudulently registered as lessee on the suit properties…’

Earlier, the 1st defendant ’through their lawyers Sebalu & Lule Advocates had contested the MIL plaint, in the process dragging in the Bank of Uganda, arguing that: ‘The transfer and handing over of possession of the 48 leasehold Certificates of Title was effected by BoU under the regulatory and intervention powers granted it by statute specifically Sections 95(1) (b) &(c) of the FIA…’

Last week Meera Investments Limited, through Magna Advocates sought to recover US$8, 660, 462 from DFCU Bank, money the plaintiff said had accrued from rent arrears of two prime properties on Kampala Road after the Bank of Uganda took over management of Crane Bank, in October 2016.

Crane Bank, now in receivership, was a tenant of Meera Investments Limited, and the latter is making rent arrears claim in respect of Plot 38 Kampala Road, covering the Basement, Ground, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 7th floor, and Plot 40 on the same road.

Since the takeover of Crane Back in 2016, businessman Sudhir Ruparelia, one of the shareholders in the CB and the Bank of Uganda have been engaged in a series of court battles, one of which saw the High Court Commercial Division bar city lawyers Timothy Masembe Kanyerezi of Ms. MMAKS Advocates, and David Mpanga of AF Mpanga Advocates from representing BoU.

In the ruling delivered by Commercial Court Registrar Lillian Bucyana on behalf of Justice David Wangututsi, the Judge said the continued representation of the BoU by Masembe Kanyerezi and Mpanga would defeat the importance of secrecy because both lawyers knew that there existed a ‘substantial relation between the applicant and them’.

‘A lot of information must have flown between them; conflict of interest may not exist but secrecy. Mr. Mpanga negotiated and drafted the Confidential Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement however, developed disagreements. The moment Mpanga drafted the agreement he should have known that this was part of the assignments with the applicant. And therefore his status as a potential witness is known’, Ms. Bucyana said.

At the time of the court ruling the BoU had paid out over Shs 6 billion to the two law firms.

 

 

 

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COPA Coca-Cola’s Kawooya for World Cup Trophy Tour

By
Badru Kasadah
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TO TRAVEL WITH WORLD CUP TROPHY: Andrew Kawooya

Dynamic S.S striker Andrew Kawooya will be part of the 12-man team that will travel to Cape Town on March 4, 2018 to take part in the World Cup Trophy Tour activities and return to Uganda on March 5, with the coveted prize.

 

Kawooya displayed unmatched talent during the 2017 COPA Coca-Cola tournament, specifically in the Mukono region qualifiers final which saw Dynamic S.S thrash Namagabi S.S 3 – 0.

Dynamic met their end in the 2017 championship when they lost to St. Mary’s Kitende in spot kicks that ended 4 – 3.

COPA Coca-Cola is held in more than 60 countries with the aim of creating the world’s largest and most inclusive football grassroots programme.

It currently has over one million participants annually and in Uganda, former COPA Coca-Cola players make up more than 50% of Uganda’s national football team, the Uganda Cranes.

According to the Coca-Cola Uganda Brand Manager Ms. Miriam Limo, this trip is very important, especially to talented and young football players, such as Kawooya.

“We believe such an experience will encourage and motivate the young Ugandan youth football players to excel in sports and aim to play at the world’s most prestigious sporting event in the future,” she commented.

She said Kawooya along with the rest of the team will leave on March 4 and return on March 5 with the trophy. They will also take part in the different activities in the course of the 2-day Trophy Tour visit to Uganda.

Nicholas Muramagi, the National Council of Sports General Secretary thanked Coca-Cola for their unequaled investment in Uganda grassroots football.

“The ripple effect of taking a COPA player to Cape Town for the Trophy Tour activities will be felt for years to come. The opportunity given to Kawooya will motivate the rest of the players to excel not only in their football career but also in their academics,” he commented.

“Just being on the same plane with the original World Cup Trophy is more than I ever dreamt of. Thank you Coca-Cola – this is something I will treasure for the rest of my life,” exclaimed Kawooya.

As part of the Trophy Tour activities in Uganda, more than five COPA Coca-Cola teams will get an opportunity to take pictures with the World Cup Trophy at the public viewing in Lugogo Cricket Oval on March 6, 2018.

 

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Kisamba Mugerwa replaces Bagyenda as Microfinance board chairperson

By
Our Reporter
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NPA CHAIRMAN: Dr. Kisamba Mugerwa wants more effort for Uganda to gain middle income status by 2020.

Dr. Kisamba Mugerwa, has been appointed as new chairperson of the board of Microfinance Support Centre replacing Justine Bagyenda.
Until recently, Bagyenda was the board chairperson where she represented Bank of Uganda interests. Bagyenda was replaced by entire board.
She is a former Executive Director in charge of Supervision at BoU.

“The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has approved and appointed Dr. Kisamba Mugerwa as chairperson of the Microfinance Support Centre Limited. Kisamba Mugrewa and his team replace five former board members whose term of office expired on January 18, 2018” reads the statement

Kisamba Mugrewa is a former Minister of Agriculture for a longtime and currently he is the board chairman of National Planning Authority.
According to its website, the Microfinance Support Centre has a dual mandate to provide affordable credit and business development services to microfinance and other registered business organizations. MSC’s overall goal is to increase the incomes at household level. MSC loan terms are affordable with no added costs such as insurance, processing fees, management/monitoring and inflation adjustment.

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First East African European convention focuses on trade, housing and tourism

By
Badru Kasadah
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Caption: EAfEC President Beatrice Kayanja and Charly and Nina Manager Muyoboke Alex signing contract.

East Africans living in the Europe will this year be treated to the East African European convention (EAFEC), one of the biggest social gatherings in Europe.

Happening for the first time, the theme for the event is based on promoting trade, housing and tourism for the community.

According to the organizers, the convention aims at bringing together the diverse East African Communities living in Europe along with friends of East Africa.

This is aimed at promoting the East African Community (EAC) and its puts special emphasis on benefits of the customs union, immigration and labour.

The convention’s president Beatrice Kayanja said that the event also intends to promote and encourage investment in property back home, East African tourism, create a platform for business; especially those with a target audience of East Africans living in the diaspora to promote their business, promoting bilateral trade between East African businesses and European businesses.

“Promoting the culture and benefits of saving back home through the purchase of bonds and securities or through the creation of saving and credit cooperative organizations (SACCO’s). Create and maintain a feel of togetherness among East Africans in the diaspora, especially the younger generations, irrespective of country of decent, race, religion, gender or age through the promotion of joint cultural and tradition activities, sports” reads the statement.
Meeting for three days of economic, cultural and social interaction, the delegates will be treated to expo and networking, boat dinner cruise, pool party, grand dinner, a London tour bus for visitors and entertainment from East African artistes.
To this effect, Kayanja has signed a contract with Rwanda’s singing duo Charly and Nina as the main performers. The duo’s hit ‘Owooma’.
According to Kayanja, they anticipate around 3,000 delegates and participants to attend the event over the three days. The convention is scheduled for August 24 between and August 26 at the Intercontinental Hotel, London.

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Court adjourns treason case involving Muslim clerics

By
Geoffery Serugo
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High court Judge Wilson Masalo Musene has adjourned the hearing of treason case against 19 Muslim suspects to February 28, 2018 after the fourth prosecution witness contracted diarrhea.
Appearing before court, the principal state attorney Lino Anguzu informed court that another key witness whose name was withheld, was round court but could not attend session because the witness had diarrhea.
According to counsel Lino, the witness asked for three days for him/her to receive treatment and that prompted the presiding judge to give February 28, 2018 as the next date for hearing.
Before adjourning the matter, justice Musene implored Director of Public Prosecution to always bring two or more witness for prosecution to thrive.
The first key witnesses include the Director of Health Services in the Uganda Police Moses Byaruhanga and medical Clinical officer practicing at Mayfair and Dennis Asiku a clinical officer.
Prosecution alleges that the suspects plotted to overthrow the government by use of arms, between January 2013 and June 2015 in various parts in Uganda and outside including Dubai, Kenya and Tanzania. Prosecution further alleges they expressed the said plot through utterances, training and recruitment of rebels.
The suspects include among others Sheikh Multa Mudde Bukenya who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for killing Muslim clerics in Uganda, Aggrey Amir Kinene, and Hakim Kinene.

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Go and carry own cross Museveni tells Bagyenda

By
Our Reporter
-

All isn’t well with outgoing Executive Director in Charge of Supervision Justine Bagyenda.
According to sources Ms Bagyenda is said to have travelled to Nakaseke after she secured an appointment with President Yoweri Museveni. It is alleged that Bagyenda made appointment with the head of state through one of the presidential aides whom she informed that she had information to share with him. Upon reaching the Kawumu presidential farm, she was kept waiting for close to three hours and upon completion of the tour of the farm with journalists, the president went and met her. Straightway she narrated her ordeal why she thinks she was treated unfairly when Bank of Uganda made changes and opted to drop her. It is rumoured that president told her promptly that she should carry her own cross. “Go carry you own cross, I have nothing to do with Bank of Uganda restructuring”. And the meeting ended.
There is tension in BoU after the restructuring with camps emerging.

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Decline in performance and enrollment as UACE results are released

By
Steven F Mandu
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There has been a decline in the performance of Uganda Advance Certificate of Education as indicated by the results which were released on Wednesday.
According to Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) Executive Secretary Daniel Odongo, the failure rate increased from 1.3 per cent in 2106 to 1.5 per cent in 2017
He also revealed that 101296 candidates registered for 2017 EACE from 1918 centers compared to 104243 candidates from 20076 centers.
UNEB’s chairperson Prof. Mary Okwakol said the examinations were conducted very successfully and in accordance with the UNEB regulations.
It should be noted that when compared to 2016 UACE results, there are fewer candidates who have attained three principal level passes (34819 candidates, 34.7 per cent), increasing the failure rate from 1.3 per cent in 2016 to 1.5 per cent in 2017.
However, the minimum two principal passes required for university admission were 60941 candidates (60.7 per cent) qualify.
Female candidates performed better than their male counterparts at all levels. The failure rate among female candidates is also lower at 0.7 per cent than for the males at 1.5 per cent.

According to the UNEB chairperson, results for only 79 candidates from 24 centres were withheld in the 2017 UACE examinations.
“Following the challenges experienced the first set of examinations, the board took deliberate steps to increase the level of security at all storage facilities, “Prof. Okwakol said.
In the 2017 UCE exams, results for 4525 students were withheld by the examinations body but the number has reduced greatly in the senior six exams, which according to UNEB officials is a commendable job.

She said there have concerns of late that generated a heated debate on the decision by the examinations body to punish parents and students through withholding their exams.
Okwakol however, said that the criticisms will not deter the body from performing its mandate and responsibility as provided for by law.
She said that UNEB is responsible for safeguarding the quality of education in the country and among the ways they can perform this is through withholding results for candidates suspected to have engaged in exam malpractice.
“Allowing malpractice in examinations will eventually lead to low quality of the products of our education system to the disadvantage of the nation and the consequences are dire” she said.
Adding “We shall have incompetent teachers in charge of the education of our children; doctors whose patients die on operation tables, judicial officers who cannot dispense justice and engineers responsible for collapsing building among others.”
Prof. Okwakol emphasized that as a board; they can sit back and watch this go on. It should be noted that people including MPs recently accused UNEB of neglecting it’s duty of safeguarding the exams to avoid leakages but the body’s chairperson said the duty is for everyone to ensure security for exams.
The State Minister for Higher Education John Chrysestom Muyingo emphasized the need to improve on the registration and performance of science subjects.
He revealed that the reduction of the number of students registering for UACE does not mean that students are dropping out of school at UCE level.
“Some of our children opt for alternatives like technical and vocational training, nursing, primary teaching in order to get hands on skills,” he said.
He warned science teachers on the methodology of teaching theory as they harry to finish the syllabus before handling practical at last emphasizing that the two should be handled concurrently.
Muyingo also encouraged students not limit their choices on going for humanity courses at university but also try out technical and vocational institutions to acquire skills necessary for employment.
What the decline in performance means is that there will be fewer students joining universities around the country as compared to last year.
Taking an example of Makerere University, the cutoff points for some of the government sponsorship for last year were; Bachelor of Dental Surgery was 44.7, Bachelor of Architecture was 45.3, Bachelor of Business Administration was 47.6, Bachelor of Science in Business Statistics, Bachelor of Science in Population Studies was 47.4.
This means that given the poor performance at UACE this year much as the cut- of points are likely to go down there will be less students joining university.
Failure to join university will leave many with the option of either repeating or joining other institutions available.

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UNHCR to start verification of refugees

By
Agencies
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TO BE VERIFIED: Refugees at the Bidibidi Reception Centre in Yumbe, Northern Uganda.

United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is set to start the verification program of people seeking for asylum in Uganda after misappropriation of refugee funds, aid relief and falsification of refugee numbers.

The data verification exercise is scheduled to start in March and end in September, with the aid of biometric machines that have been tried in over 45 countries registering over 4.4 million refugees.

Introducing biometric checks at food distribution sites among other departments, nation-wide re-enrolment and verification process will help Ugandan government in fixing discrepancies in refugee data.

According to Assistant High Commissioner for Operations in UNHCR, George Okoth Oboth, UNHCR’s independent Inspector General’s Office is in Uganda  carrying out investigations over several serious allegations received in 2017 on fuel embezzlement, one allegation of sexual exploitation and abuse, irregular tendering of water trucking, and fraud in procurement and food distribution.

Despite the initiation of a probe in January by Ugandan government over alleged corruption and grave misconduct by government officials, UNHCR said they have zero tolerance for misconduct, abuse and exploitation.

He however said the agency’s investigations aim at supporting the probe that was commissioned in January by the office of the Prime Minister.

Mr. Okoth noted that UNHCR is strengthening its monitoring and oversight to prevent a reoccurrence of the events, adding that they will deploy of more senior staff to help put in place additional safeguards.

Last month government suspended the Commissioner of Refugees Apollo Kazungu and three other senior staff from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) over misappropriation of refugee funds and aid relief in 2017.

 

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Results of 79 candidates withheld as UACE are released

By
Our Reporter
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Prof. Mary Okwakol, UNEB Chairperson releasing 2017 UACE results.

Uganda National Examination Board has released the 2017 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education results.
UNEB announced that it has withheld results of 79 candidated from 24 centres due to suspected malpractices.
A total of 101, 269 candidates registered for 2017 UACE examinations but 100, 066 appeared for exams. UNEB Chairperson, Prof. Mary Okwakol said the candidature had decreased by 2.9 per cent as compared to 2016. She explained that the results indicated a slight decline in performance especially in physics and biology. The results have shown overall improvement in performance by female candidates. Okwakol attributes poor performance on poor mastery of English language to have affected science subjects

Details will be in the main story shortly.

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