Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
28.7 C
Kampala
Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
Home Blog Page 1658

Uganda not fueling South Sudan conflict – MOFA

By
Julius Mwesigye
-
Adama Dieng, the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide

Uganda is not fueling the conflict in South Sudan, a senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has said, in respect to allegations made by a top UN official who oversees the war crimes docket.

MOFA spokesperson Ambassador Alfred Nam, who was reacting to remarks by Adama Dieng, the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, denied assertions to the effect that Uganda was a conduit for the proliferation of arms and ammunition used by South Sudan’s warring parties in a war that has seen thousands dead and over one million displaced.

“I have no comment to make since that assertion (Dieng’s) is not coming from Uganda,” Amb. Nam said, hastening to add: “Uganda in not in any way fueling conflict in South Sudan.”

Appearing VOA’s South Sudan in Focus programme on Monday, Amb. Dieng, also formerly the UN Chief Prosecutor at the Rwanda International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), said that both Uganda and Kenya were complicit in the South Sudan conflict, and called for targeted sanctions against the wheeler dealers.

“International partners have to start targeting the accomplices, intermediaries of the South Sudanese parties,” Amb. Dieng was quoted as saying.

Amb. Dieng was supported by the African Union chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, who was quoted as saying on Sunday that ‘the time has come’ to impose sanctions on individuals blocking peace in South Sudan.

South Sudan, the world’s ‘youngest’ country gained Independence in 2011, but two years later, in 2013, descended into a civil war ignited by differences between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his erstwhile Vice President Riek Machar.

In August 2015, Kiir and Machar, from the Dinka and Nuer tribes respectively, temporarily patched their differences after signing a ceasefire agreement in Addis Ababa, only for them to fall apart months later, culminating in the exiling of Machar in South Africa.

Meanwhile, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, (IGAD), is to meet between February 5-16 in Addis Ababa for talks on South Sudan.

Stories Continues after ad

Kenya radio, TV stations shut over ‘Raila swearing in’

By
Agencies
-
Raila Amollo Odinga

Kenyan authorities shut down private television and radio stations on Tuesday as thousands of supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga gathered in a Nairobi park where he was due to take the presidential oath in an act of protest.

Odinga’s supporters insist that he, not President Uhuru Kenyatta, is Kenya’s legitimate leader, and that Kenyatta’s election was neither free nor fair.

Kenyatta’s election victory in August was nullified by the Supreme Court over irregularities, but he then won a re-run, which Odinga boycotted, and was sworn in for a second term in November.

The attorney-general had warned that Odinga could be charged with treason if the event went ahead – an offense that can carry the death penalty.

As thousands of people gathered in Uhuru Park, near Nairobi’s main business district, authorities began to force independent television and radio stations reporting on the gathering off air, several outlets said – the first such closures for about a decade.

Many of the protesters were chanting pro-Odinga slogans, waving tree branches and blowing horns and whistles.

“Odinga is the one we recognize as the president and that is why we are swearing him in,” said hairdresser Benta Akinyi, 32.

Although the police had said they would prevent any illegal assembly, there were no uniformed police in the park and no anti-riot officers or vehicles were visible. On the edge of the crowd, a single tear gas canister was fired.

Nearly 100 people were killed over the prolonged election period, mostly in clashes between Odinga supporters and police.

The local radio station Capital FM reported that Odinga’s supporters had been granted permission to use the park, but police and government spokespeople could not immediately be reached for comment.

‘We intend to hold a peaceful event’, Odinga’s NASA alliance said in a statement late on Monday.

The statemenet added: ‘We nonetheless wish to put the (ruling party) Jubilee administration on notice that we will accomplish our mission, come hell or high water. We advise our supporters to come prepared to stay until our mission is accomplished’.

By 10.20am, a number of media outlets, including the independently-owned Citizen radio and television, NTV and KTN said that authorities had forced them off air. KTN had been showing a live video stream from the park.

A Communications Authority spokeswoman said its senior managers were in a meeting and would comment later.

“The Communications Authority of Kenya has switched off Citizen Television and Radio in most parts of the country over the coverage of the NASA ‘swearing-in’ plan,” Citizen said on its website.

On Monday, Linus Kaikai, chairman of the Kenya Editors’ Guild, said editors had been summoned by the authorities and warned that they could be shut down if they covered the event.

 

Stories Continues after ad

Zambia ordered to pay US$380m to Libyan investment arm for repossessing telecom

By
Agencies
-
Zambian Secretary to Cabinet Dr. Ronald Msiska

The London High Court has ordered that Zambia compensates Libya $380million for nationalizing Zamtel.

This is a matter in which the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), the investment arm of the Libyan government dragged the Zambian government to court for abruptly reversing the sale of Zamtel without compensation.

The Libyan company owned a 75 percent share of Zamtel while the Zambian government owned 25 percent.
According to the Financial Times of London, the Libyan Investment Authority reportedly pursued similar action against Chad, Rwanda and Niger.

In the report, the LIA claims that the four countries took advantage of ‘Libya’s political turmoil to nationalise assets belonging to the country’s $66 billion sovereign funds’ following the eight-month long conflict that brought a brutal end to Muammar Gaddafi’s 40-year rule.
At the beginning of 2011, LAP Green Networks, a subsidiary of LIA, held stakes in nine telecoms operators across sub-Saharan Africa, including Chad’s Sotel Tchad, Oricel in Côte d’Ivoire and Gemtel Telecom in South Sudan.

On 2 May, Niger’s parliament voted to nationalise telecoms asset Sonitel, pulling back from a privatisation agreement to sell a 51% stake to LAP Green for $62.16m.

In January, then President Michael Sata seized a 75% stake in telecoms company Zamtel that LAP Green had purchased for $257m during a privatisation exercise in 2010.

LAP Green challenged the government’s actions in court and was asking for $480m in compensation.

The Financial Times quoted Hassan Bouhadi, chairman of the LIA as saying the legal action related to technology assets in the four countries named.

“The LIA is determined to regain what was squandered from the Libyan people,” Bouhadi Mr. said recently.

On Friday, Zambian Finance Minister Felix Mutati told Parliament in a ministerial statement that the court had ruled that Zambia should compensate LAP Green for seizing Zamtel from the Libyan sovereign fund in 2012.

Mr. Mutati did not give details over which court made the order nor payment timeline.

The company was sold in 2010 by the Rupiah Banda administration for US$394 million on grounds that it had failed to recapitalise the business.

In 2012, the PF administration under President Michael Sata forcefully took over Zamtel’s operation from LapGreen Network claiming that the 75% shares the company owned were corruptly sold by the previous administration.

Lap Green Networks denied any wrongdoing in the manner it acquired the company and said it would challenge the country’s authorities in the courts of law.

LapGreen Network then took the matter to the Lusaka High Court, where the government failed to defend its decision to repossess the company.

Instead, officials decided to enter a consent judgement to compensate LapGreen Network its initial investment in Zamtel amounting to US$252 million plus interest, calculated at 8%, and other charges.

The total amount payable to LapGreen Network came to US$382 million.

According to the settlement agreement, the government was supposed to make an initial payment of US$114 million in November 2016, followed by biannual payments of US$35 million in February 2017 and August 2017 respectively.

The opposition, the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) issued a statement through its spokesperson Antonio Mwanza demanding the government inform Zambians why it has failed to pay LapGreen Network and how it plans to settle the issue.

Almost three years ago, a Zambian High Court allowed Lap Green Networks to take the matter to the London Court as it was considered neutral ground after the Libyan company expressed concern that it would not be given a fair hearing in Zambia.

The court’s decision came after all foreigner directors of Zamtel were deported from Zambia.

In 2012, President Sata constituted a commission of inquiry to investigate how Zamtel was sold to the Libyans.

The Zambian government has failed to make public a report by the Commission of inquiry into the sale of Zamtel.

However, a leaked copy of the Commission Report however shows irregularities in the manner in which Zamtel was sold, alleging that Lap Green and RP Capitals, which was appointed as financial advisor, bribed senior Zambian government officials.

The Zambian government has repeatedly said it can only compensate Lap Green Networks for its investment in Zamtel, but that it will never surrender back the company to the Libyans.

In 2014, the Zambian government agreed to repay the US$103 million loan that Lap Green Networks obtained from China’s ZTE in 2011 for the expansion of Zamtel network.

The loan was obtained by Lap Green Networks in 2011 from ZTE in order to implement Zambia’s Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) phase IV and Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) projects.

The repayment of the $103 million loan was considered to be the first step in compensating Lap Green over its investment in Zamtel.

Secretary to the Cabinet Rowland Msiska instructed the Secretary to the Treasury to secure a loan from China’s Import and Export Bank (EXIM) to pay back the loan to ZTE on behalf of Lap Green.

Dr. Msiska however, refused to discuss why the Zambian government decided to pay back the loan, and why it has decided to do so while the case was still in court.

“Government does not discuss its plans and programs in the media,” Msiska had said.

Meanwhile, the development in Zambia comes at a time when the Uganda government announced a UgShs200 billion recapitalisation of Uganda Telecom (utl), a parastatal in which a Libyan telecommunications company, Ucom, had interests.

Earlier, in March last year, finance minister Matia Kasaija announced the takeover of utl, and assured stakeholders that the government would support the company.

 

Stories Continues after ad

How China spied on the African Union’s computers

By
Agencies
-
AU headquarters

China built and paid for the African Union’s computer network – but inserted a backdoor allowing it access to the continental organisation’s confidential information
In January 2017, the information technology unit at the African Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa noticed something strange, according to a stunning investigation in French newspaper Le Monde.

Every night, between midnight and 2 am, there was a strange peak in data usage – even though the building was almost entirely empty. Upon further investigation, the technicians noticed something even stranger. That data – which included confidential information – was being sent to servers based in Shanghai.
The African Union’s shiny new headquarters was built and paid for by the Chinese government, as a gift to its “African friends”. But when the building was officially opened in 2012, China left a backdoor into the African Union’s computer network, allowing it to access the institution’s secrets at will.
“According to several sources within the institution, all sensitive content could be spied on by China,” wrote Le Monde. “It’s a spectacular leak of data, spread from January 2012 to January 2017.”
The Chinese mission to the AU did not respond to Le Monde’s request for comment.
Once the problem was discovered, African Union officials acted quickly to fix it. The organisation acquired its own servers, and began encrypting its communications. In July 2017, a team of experts from Algeria – a country with a notoriously efficient intelligence community – along with cybersecurity experts from Ethiopia combed the building from top to bottom, looking for hidden microphones and other potential weaknesses.
China would not be the first supposedly friendly superpower to spy on the African Union. A separate investigation in December 2016, conducted by Le Monde and The Intercept, revealed that African Union officials were targeted for surveillance by British intelligence.

Stories Continues after ad

NTV ‘The Beat’ team axed in restructure

By
Our Reporter
-
JOIINS 'THE BEAT': Producer Sheilah Gashumba

Nation Media Group last week made changes in its two flagship companies in Uganda, naming Anthony Craig Glencross as the overall Group Managing Director, heading both the Daily Monitor and NTV.

AS Group MD for Uganda, Glencross oversees the entire NMG platform in the country, while NTV’s outgoing Managing Director Johnson Omollo was named as a General Manager in charge of television.

Both companies began restructuring last week with a couple of senior editors at Monitor being shown the exit. And now we have learnt that last week’s sword was so pointed that it stretched from Namuwongo to Serena Hotel, the home of NTV.

According to the news on our desk, the biggest victim at NTV was NTV the Beat, where almost the entire team of the show was fired.

The show’s producer Shawn Segawa has reportedly been shown the exit along with presenter Douglas Lwanga.

Sources said Lwanga is to be replaced by former T-Nation presenters Sheilah Gashumba and Chrystal Panda.

 

The gap left by Ssegawa has been already filled with a new producer, Isaac Kugonza.

 

Stories Continues after ad

Kayihura fighting me because of Tumukunde – MP Kasozi

By
Steven F Mandu
-

Makindye East MP Ibrahim Kasozi has faulted IGP Kale Kayihura for witchhunting him due to the police chief’s ‘differences’ with Security Minister Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde.

According to the legislator, his support for the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) budget last week rubbed the police chief the wrong way.

Kayihura, who is a General heads the Police while Tumukunde, a retired Lieutenant General is in charge of the security ministry, and there are widespread theories among the populace that the two are at loggerheads.

“Having supported the budget of ISO last week little did I know I was annoying someone,” MP Kasozi said in a telephone interview this afternoon, adding: “It is a fight between Tumukunde and Kayihura.”

According to Kasozi, the IGP sanctioned a letter that was forwarded to the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, imploring her to ask the MP to record a statement in relation to allegations of murder, treason and terrorism, against him, allegedly committed between 2014 and 2015.

In the letter Kasozi was directed to appear before the Commandant CID Kampala Metropolitan on January 24, but did not and now says he will report next Monday.

However, Kasozi says he is surprised that the IGP is summoning him yet there is the Directorate of CID which is responsible for issuing criminal summons.

Last year over Shs80 billion supplementary budget for the police was rejected by Parliament and instead the budget for the ISO was passed, something which reportedly did not augur well with the Police leadership.

Previously, there have been reports of friction among powerful government officials.

Stories Continues after ad

Chameleone ‘steals’ money from Bryan White

By
Our Reporter
-
Chameleone (in blue) after reportedly picking the money

iPhone 8 is one of the most expensive phones on the market right now.

But even after being gifted with an iPhone 8, this never stopped veteran musician Jose Chameleone from reportedly stealing from the person who had just given him the costly phone and unspecified sums of monies.

In a video clip that has gone viral, the husky-voiced musician dressed in blue is shown picking money from socialite Brian Kirumira alias Bryan White, with cameras recording everything as it transpired.

Chameleone, Bryan White and other wannabes were reportedly on their way to Case Clinic to visit ailing singer Mowzey Radio, and after helping himself to the money from the socialite, Chameleone is shown hurriedly pocketing it in his pair of trousers and pretending as if he had done nothing wrong.

The clip has since drawn widespread condemnation.

 

Stories Continues after ad

Envoy, Congolese arrested with 40 kgs of gold at Entebbe Airport

By
Our Reporter
-
IN THE NEWS FOR THE WRONG REASONS? Entebbe International Airport

Authorities at Entebbe International Airport are investigating an envoy of a Western Europe country in connection with the illegal possession of about 40 kilogrammes of pure gold.

Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Eagle Online that together with three Congolese nationals, the envoy whose names have been withheld, was reportedly intercepted while trying to sneak the gold into Uganda illegally.

The sources further said some Ugandan police officers attached to the Airport are being held over the same allegations.

By press time efforts to contact police spokesperson Emilian Kayima were futile as he did not pick his phone.

It should be recalled that of recent Entebbe Airport has come under scrutiny, with claims that it is a transit point for illicit stuff including narcotic drugs, and several people have been arrested for trafficking.

This prompted President Yoweri Museveni to issue a directive to police at the Airport to tighten their grip to curb the vice.

 

 

Stories Continues after ad

Bazebo’s retail online shopping goes live in Uganda

By
Badru Kasadah
-
The Bazebo outlet

Ugandans can now shop directly from worldwide renown stores such as Amazon, eBay, Macy’s, Victoria Secrets, Zappos and Dash, with the entry on the market of  Bazebo, East Africa’s premier online retail shopping and selling brand.

The Ugandan-based Bazebo platform entered the market on January 27as a replacement for Nigerian-based Goods Express, which closed shop in November last year.

Previously, the Goods Express online platform and partnership had reportedly been tainted with increased purchase returns, inability to track products in real-time and delayed deliveries compelling the Ugandan counterpart to terminate the partnership and seek a more superior system as compared to what Goods Express Uganda was offering.

Moses Ihoza, the Chief Executive Officer of the Acacia Mall-based Bazebo states: “As promised we are excited to have landed a Superior online retail platform to Uganda’s market and we have laid ground in the rest of the East African markets to allow instant cohesion when we launch in a big way.

He added: “The website is now open for our customers to purchase all they can and enjoy the experience – I believe the best online experience there is in Uganda today. Our customers can browse and evaluate from over 400,000,000 goods/ brands available and give us feedback. We have partnered with stores such as Amazon, Macy’s, eBay amongst many other in order to meet and exceed our customer expectations in the shortest time possible.”

From clothing to medications and supplements; technology to home furnishings and car accessories almost anything imaginable can be bought at Bazebo online and shipped right to customer’s preferred location.

For emergency and quick deliveries like medicine and perishable items, Bazebo has installed drones, maybe the first in Uganda, that are meant for deliveries in areas of rural and remote places. Uganda will have followed Rwanda and Tanzania among East African countries to launch a drone delivery programme.

Customers can choose from a range of payment methods, including both Airtel and MTN Mobile money.

Bazebo promises a 4-10 day delivery period, instant refund policy, free international return policy, and a product quality filter which shows how new the product is and different prices available on a product type.

“Our primary mandate is to give our customers the best deals, solutions and support for the ultimate online shopping and selling experience. We will guarantee you quality brands, affordable prices and the best online shopping experience you can get,” Ihoza concluded.

As the internet becomes more affordable and accessible, online shopping is expected to grow as Ugandan shoppers begin to realise the benefits of online shopping.

 

Stories Continues after ad

Coca-Cola to bring historic FIFA World Cup trophy to Uganda

By
Badru Kasadah
-
NCS General Secretary Nicholas Muramagi (in suit) with officials from Coca-Cola during the press conference

The fourth FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will arrive in Kampala on March 5, 2018, giving Ugandan fans chance to get the feeling of football’s most coveted prize.

The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will give millions of people around the world the opportunity to get ready to taste the feeling of the world’s largest, most anticipated sporting event – the 2018 FIFA World Cup™.

In hosting this momentous international tour, Coca-Cola and FIFA invite fans to get up close and personal with the same trophy that is presented by FIFA to the winning country of the FIFA World Cup™.

For thousands of fans, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the most iconic symbol in football and share their passion for the game.

“We are proud to welcome the FIFA World Cup Trophy to Uganda for the second time. This recognition and honor attests to the country’s undying love for the game. The Trophy is only visiting 10 countries in Africa and this attests to the great pride Coca-Cola has for Ugandan people,’ Coca Cola states. Football is the most popular sport in the country and millions of fans follow and watch both local and international matches.

Coca-Cola Uganda Brand Manager Ms. Miriam Limo addresses the guests during the press conference

“The FIFA World Cup finals brings the country to a virtual standstill as many, young and old, join the world in cheering for their favourite teams. Football has a strong unifying power across culture, religion and politics and we as Coca-Cola are excited to share with Ugandans the rare chance to view the FIFA World Cup Trophy,” said Miriam Limo, Senior Brand Manager – Uganda.

Over the years, through COPA Coca-Cola, several talented footballers have been groomed, among them Farouk Miya, Godfrey Walusimbi, Shaban Muhamad and Khalid Aucho.

Meanwhile, the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola kicked off in September 2017 in Russia and will visit more than 50 countries across six continents, travelling 126,000 kilometers in the nine months leading up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup™.

Within Russia, the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will visit 25 cities – the longest host country tour in history – with one out of every three Russians having the opportunity to see the trophy in person.

“In the world of sports, no symbol stands stronger than the FIFA World Cup Trophy,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Everyone recognizes the significance of the Trophy as a unifying force. We are extremely happy to partner with Coca-Cola once again to bring the Trophy to football fans around the world.”

The Uganda Tour in brief

FIFA World Cup 2018 fans in Uganda will have an opportunity to witness the world’s most loved sport Trophy tour the country in a number of ways. First, the trophy will arrive in Uganda from Cape Town on Monday, March 5.

Twelve lucky Ugandans will have an opportunity to travel to Cape Town and come back with the trophy. Activation details are on press and posters with lucky winners being unveiled on February 12, 2018. The Trophy will be received by the President on March 5.

Secondly, the Coca-Cola Company has organized a fans and consumers viewing opportunity at Lugogo Cricket Oval on March 6, 2018 where there will be exciting and engaging activities as consumers get a chance of a life time to view the World Cup Trophy in Uganda.

Stories Continues after ad
1...1,6571,6581,659...2,400Page 1,658 of 2,400

© Eagle Online. All rights reserved.

About Us

Popular Category

Editor Picks