The first elements of the Reconnaissance Company of the Mechanised Infantry Battalion heading to Juba in South Sudan left Rwanda on July 30 2017, by road through Uganda.
Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) sources said the Reconnaissance Company’s main body is expected to be airlifted from Kigali International Airport to Juba on August 5, 2017.
According to the RDF, the deployment follows a United Nations Security Council Resolution number 2304 (2016) adopted on August 12, 2016 that decided the deployment of a Regional Protection Force (RPF) to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
Its mandate is to provide a secure environment in and around Juba. Following the United Nations’ request, Rwanda accepted the deployment of a Mechanised Infantry Battalion and the proposal to first send in a Reconnaissance Company as an Advance Party to the near future deployment of the Battalion.
Rwanda maintains two Infantry battalions in Juba and Malakal and one Aviation Unit.
Following the commencement of the 9th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting (CYMM) that started yesterday with the 2nd Stakeholders Forum and the Youth Leaders Forum, reports indicate that many of the exhibitors were denied meals which they had actually been promised.
“They promised to give us meals but when lunchtime reached, we were denied any lunch coupon hence not getting meals yet they had promised to give us meals,” one of the exhibitors confided in us.
The exhibitor said when some of her colleagues tried to ask for a reason as to why they were not being given meals, one of the commissioners from the Ministry of Gender apparently told them to ‘pack and go’ if they wished.
The CYMM is a high-level summit held every four years and focuses on the youth, with pressure on governments to do more for their young citizens with fewer resources, and to grow aspirations by young people to contribute to their societies.
The theme of Uganda at the meeting held at the Commonwealth Resort in Munyonyo, is ‘Resourcing and Financing Youth Development: Empowering Young People.’
Entebbe is one of the most beautiful parts of Uganda. Set right beside Lake Victoria, it’s peaceful, serene and scenic nature makes it a common getaway destination. With the airport, beach and wildlife centre in Entebbe, it is a favourite local and foreign tourist location. The people are very warm and calm and it’s a short drive from the capital Kampala. Combine all these things with a top star hotel experience and you are in for a beautiful, unforgettable time.
Quality is one of the things most people look for in a product, service, relationship and more importantly a restaurant or hotel. If you live in Entebbe or like to take trips there to get away from the hectic life of Kampala then you should definitely check out Best Western Premier Garden Hotel. Just as it’s name suggests, if you get the opportunity to head there you will be sure to receive nothing but premier five-star treatment. Located at Victoria Mall Entebbe, right in the heart of the ever so beautiful and quiet town, Best Western Hotel has a striking garden area outside that catches your attention as soon as you arrive. With a concierge at the entrance to greet you and help you with any luggage and a valet service for your car, immediately you feel important and special. Walking in you are greeted with a very spacious, well lit lobby that has great artistic pieces hang all around.
The Dining Area
On your right, there is a cute looking dining area at the Jacaranda restaurant where you can have lunch or dinner depending on the time you arrive. From Monday to Sunday they have a buffet spread that has quite the wide selection of food ranging from local to fancy delicious desserts. If you are the kind of person who prefers to order straight off the menu that too is possible and the it has quick-to-go-bites as well as main course dishes. One thing that is outstanding about the menu is that the drinks section is rich with so many options that you would definitely not fail to treat yourself. From Champagnes, to wines, vodkas, whiskeys and cocktails, they definitely have you sorted in that department from the fully stocked bar.
Guests can also unwind at the terrace bar-also known as The Ark Bar.
Three different conference rooms with capacity of between 25-350 guests are available for hire, travel desk to offer car hire and travel advice, complimentary Airport shuttle, an open gym, business centre, ample parking lot are available onsite. The premises are also guarded by security personnel supplemented by CCTV cameras. The fact that this hotel is strategically located at a mall means that you have access to other services like a Salon option, a bank and soon to be opened supermarket.
Saving the best for last, the rooms. The rooms at Best Western Hotel are absolutely breathtaking. Each with great additions depending on your preference (for example a balcony and a spa) if you like long relaxing baths.
Uganda Zaabu and this one of the many reasons why! To book your stay at Best Western Hotel Entebbe head to (travel.jumia.com)
The writer is the PR Manager at Jumia Travel Uganda
MEETING: US Rapper French Montana and Uganda's Ambassador to the US Adonia Ayebare in talks to help Ugandan mothers and children
In addition to helping the ‘Ghetto Kids’ fly to the US to perform at the BET awards, US rapper French Montana donated Shs350 million to a Ugandan charity organization, Mama Hope Africa.
Further still, the ‘Unforgettable’ hit maker wants to be involved in improving the health of mothers and children in Uganda, and last week Montana met with the Ugandan Ambassador to the US Adonia Ayebare, over the issue.
Part of the groups that took part in the BET awards 2017 pose for a photo with French Montana
However, the response from Ugandans might make him think twice about the move as many think French Montana’s funds are less likely to reach the mothers and kids if they are channeled through government. Instead, they advise him to deal with NGOs if he really wants to help Ugandans.
Comments
Joseph Armstrong Lukomu: When I saw the name of the ambassador you’re dealing with my heart just melted. Those guys have stolen everything in our country to the extent of forcefully taking our land now many are homeless because of those guys. I bet that charity won’t reach we’re it’s supposed to
Mutebi Robert Brown: Hunks Wrong move Mr French Montana ,anything wired through the Uganda government officials as funds to help the poor Will only be swindled to those fools accounts and it will all be stolen before it reaches its intended destination..
Luciano Myles: If you want to know how to improve health for moms and kids and the ‘underprivileged’ in Africa, don’t go to/through the Gov’t leaders/Politicians. Go directly to the people, hospitals, schools, villages, etc. Cuz we all know whatever help you render (esp’lly financial) through those so called gov’t pple more than half of it will get “LOST” along the way. Bitter truth.
Sebunya Martial Herera: Mr. French Montana anything involving funds never trust Ugandan officials. That guy laughing in front of u will deliver nothing to mums and suffering kids. He will instead buy houses and send you fake vidoes that he’s promoting the project..# Belive me am a Ugandan.
Tindyebwa Nebert: Thanks but the people You’re dealing with will betray you.
Heavens Rey Kalyango: Anytime you want to be our president the office is open, the one we have is useless.
However, some applauded him for his big heart and love for Uganda.
Matovu Muusa: Thanx for loving our country unconditionally. May the good Lord bless the work of your hands.
Dr-Arnold Deus UG: Seriously may God bless u ,French Montana we all Ugandans we appreciate what u are doing to words us in teams of development.
Bryanhills Kyobe Soo proud of being from #africa @montana thnx for that loveng and caring heart.
French Montana has previously been involved in so many charity projects all over the globe, and a reasonable portion of his money goes towards charity.
In December of 2015, his boss, Diddy gave him a bonus of $1 million dollars (about Shs3.5billion)! Instead of buying a crazy expensive car or going on a luxurious trip, Montana decided to donate that money to a charity that will help educate children.
In 2003, French Montana was a victim of a shooting when he was shot in the head.
Fortunately enough, this incident did not take the young rapper’s life. He was able to recuperate before bouncing back to his regular self. “Situations like that make you realize that he was truly put on this earth for a reason,” he was once quoted to have said by BET TV.
A recent report indicates there were 420 million unique mobile subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa as at the end of 2016, equivalent to a penetration rate of 43%. The region continues to grow faster than any other region; the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% over the five years to 2020 is around 50% higher than the global average.
The report by the Global System Mobile Association (GSMA), an association that represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, estimates that the region will have more than half a billion unique mobile subscribers by 2020, by which time around half the population will subscribe to a mobile service. The total number of SIM connections in the region reached 731 million at the end of 2016, and will rise to nearly 1 billion by 2020.
Less than a fifth of under-16 year-olds (who account for more than 40% of the population in most countries in the region) have a mobile subscription, while women were 17% less likely than men to own a mobile phone in 2016.
The uptake of mobile services by these underserved groups will, in large part, drive subscriber growth in the future. Four of the most populated markets in the region – DRC, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania – will account for nearly half the 115 million new subscribers expected by 2020.
Mobile broadband and smartphone adoption gain momentum
The number of mobile broadband connections will reach half a billion by 2020, more than double the number at the end of 2016, and will account for nearly two thirds of total connections in the region. 3G will remain the dominant mobile broadband technology for the foreseeable future, but 4G adoption is rising rapidly following increasing network rollout. As of March 2017, there were 97 live 4G networks in 39 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Smartphone connections in Sub-Saharan Africa have doubled over the past two years to nearly 200 million, accounting for a quarter of mobile connections in 2016. Key factors supporting the growth of smartphone adoption in the region include the increasing affordability of new devices and a growing market for second-hand devices. This trend, along with the uptake of mobile broadband services, is driving demand for digital content and, consequently, an increase in mobile data traffic. Traffic is forecast to grow twelvefold across Africa as a whole over the next five years.
Around 270 million people in the region access the internet through mobile devices, while the number of registered mobile money accounts reached 280 million as of March 2017.
Tech Hubs in Africa
The report further noted that there are more than 314 active tech hubs in 93 cities in 42 countries in Africa as of March 2017. South Africa has the highest number at 54, followed by Egypt at 28 while Kenya follows closely with 27 hubs.
Major (rtd) Edward Rurangaranga, the former Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister under the Obote II regime, is dead.
Rurangaranga, a prominent Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) stalwart, who hailed from Bushenyi, collapsed and died at his home.
One of the fighters in the 1979 war that ousted Idi Amin, Rurangaranga served as the first post-Amin District Commissioner of the then Rwenzori district.
Tangerine, a new Internet Service Provider (ISP) has stormed the Ugandan market, enticing clients with free introductory offers ranging from15GB to 50GB upon purchase of their MiFi.
According to officials at the Kamwokya-based company, their services include reasonable internet speeds compared to what they found on the market that is dominated majorly by telecom companies.
Further, the Tangerine officials say they are quickly enlisting both individual and corporate clients and hope that by the year end the company would have positioned itself as the Number One 4G Broadband provider in the country.
Tangerine’s monthly plan comes with 15GB, 30 GB and 50GB for payment of Shs50, 000, Sh90, 000 and 150,000 respectively.
“The entry of Tangerine with its fast and cheaper 4G broadband has caused shock amongst its competitors at the time when the companies are operating unstable internet services, and cheating the Ugandan public of their hard-earned cash,” some clients talked to, said.
The clients further said that despite promising quality internet services as outlined in their operating license, most internet service providers have reneged on the commitment. Further, the clients said, no day goes by without private individuals or corporate entities complaining about unexplained internet breakdowns and fees increments, estimating the losses in millions of Ugandan shillings over time.
“I have suffered and decided to leave one of the key internet service providers in this country. The service they advertise is totally different from what they offer us and I would want the regulators to follow such cheating companies,” says a Kampala executive who has had trouble accessing the 4G Broadband Internet, despite paying monthly fees for connection.
“I have now opted for Tangerine and hope that they will continue to give us best services because so far their Internet is fast and yet cheaper compared to the rest on the market,” he adds.
As Tangerine captures more clients, those already on its network praise the company for its customer care service.
“The company is always in touch with its clients, which helps it improve its services. Other companies rarely do this, they will only respond when a client calls, worse still they never fulfill their promise to rectify the bad situation,” another client said.
Meanwhile, a sales official at Tangerine revealed that due to exceedingly high and unanticipated demand for their products, the MiFi stock has been depleted.
“However restocking plans have been fixed and clients can place orders at any Tangerine outlet which will go into the back order queue,” the official said.
Uganda’s top artist Jose Chameleone has released his latest video titled Mshamba.Chameleone has been silent as compared to Bebe Cool who has released about five hits this year.
IEBC Commissioner Roseyln Akombe mourns the death of Mr Musando at the City Mortuary on July 31, 2017.
Kenya’s Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission Director of ICT Chris Musando, who went missing on Friday, is dead.
Police on Monday said his body and that of an unidentified woman were found in Kikuyu, Kiambu County, and taken to the City Mortuary.
Attendants at the mortuary told the Nation that the two bodies were brought in on Sunday at 11am.
The bodies, they said, were brought in by police in their vehicle and Mr Musando’s was booked as that of “an unknown adult”.
Members of Mr Musando’s family went to the mortuary and positively identified him.
Many burst into tears, with attendants and friends having a hard time calming them down.
The bodies were found hours after Mr Musando’s vehicle was found behind Thika Road Mall, off the Thika Superhighway in Nairobi.
Police said they found the grey Land Rover Discovery near the mall’s parking and towed it to Kasarani Police Station.
Nairobi County Police Commander Japhet Koome said the vehicle was dusted for fingerprints early Monday morning.
Mr Musando’s family reported his disappearance at the Embakasi Police Station on Sunday.
IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati and CEO Ezra Chiloba were among the commission’s top officials who rushed to the mortuary on getting the sad news.
Mr Musando was one of the few people with crucial information on IEBC election preparedness and technology, including knowledge on the location of the commission’s servers.
He had reported to Central Police Station in the capital Nairobi about death threats to him.
His death comes a week to Kenya’s General Election, scheduled for August 8.
COACHING TRIO: Micho with his two deputies Moses Basena and Fred Kajoba
FUFA has appointed Moses Basena and Fred Kajoba as interim coaches after the departure of Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic.
At a press conference held in Mengo on Monday afternoon, Fufa president Eng. Moses Magogo confirmed that the duo will manage the Uganda Cranes as the Football Association searches for Micho’s replacement.
Basena and goalkeeping coach Kajoba are expected to take charge of the national team as it faces Egypt in back-to-back World Cup qualifiers in August and September.
The duo will also lead the charge on Rwanda in the CHAN qualification match in an away and home encounter in a bid to book a place in the tournament scheduled for next year in Kenya.
Uganda beat South Sudan 5-1 to advance to the CHAN final qualifying round in Micho’s final game. They take on Rwanda in the first leg August 12.
Both the technical men are familiar with the team as they have been deputizing the Serbian Micho.
The Serbian coach guided the team to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, ending Uganda’s 38-year absence from the continental high table, but announced on Saturday that he terminated his contract with Uganda due to the federation’s failure to honour his contract.
The Cranes have not had a local coach since 2004, when Mike Mutebi was replaced by Egyptian Muhammed Abbas, with seven of the last nine national team bosses being foreigners.
