Recent reports indicate Nigerian star singer Davido is currently hospitalized in an undisclosed hospital.
A photo of him on the hospital bed with drip strips attached to his hand which he shared on Snapchat has gone viral.
The Aye crooner is presently at the center of a paternity scandal which he is yet to clarify.
The ‘superdad’ was on January taken and discharged from hospital over psychological stress relating to his baby mama drama.
The remains of two UN investigators and their Congolese interpreter who went missing two weeks ago have been found in DR Congo’s Kasai-Central province, the government and the UN said.
American Michael Sharp, Swede Zaida Catalan, interpreter Betu Tshintela, driver Isaac Kabuayi, and two motorcycle drivers disappeared in the restive province on March 12.
In a statement issued in New York, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed that the remains of the two investigators had been found and said the world body would conduct an inquiry.
“Michael and Zaida lost their lives seeking to understand the causes of conflict and insecurity in the DRC in order to help bring peace to the country and its people,” the UN chief said.
The UN researchers were looking into recent large-scale violence and alleged human rights violations by the Congolese army and local militia groups when they went missing.
Guterres said the United Nations would cooperate with Congolese authorities in searching for the four Congolese nationals who accompanied the UN officials.
“In case of criminal acts, the United Nations will do everything possible to ensure that justice is done,” the UN chief said.
Government spokesman Lambert Mende said one of the bodies, that of the woman, had been beheaded.
The confirmation came a day after Sharp’s father, John Sharp, wrote on his Facebook page that the bodies of two Caucasians had been found in shallow graves in the search area, saying there was a high probability the dead were his son and his son’s colleague.
The disappearance is the first time UN experts have been reported missing in DRC, Human Rights Watch said.
The Kamwina Nsapu militia has been fighting security forces since last year, with the violence increasing after security forces killed the militia’s leader in August.Parts of DRC, particularly the east, have experienced insecurity for decades, but violence in the Kasai region in central Congo represents a new expansion of tensions.
More than 400 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced since then, according to the UN.
Militias have been blamed for atrocities and government forces are accused of targeting civilians.
The militia reportedly killed more than 40 police officers in an ambush on Saturday and only spared those who spoke their local language. They were reportedly beheaded.
The UN has almost 19,000 troops deployed in DRC, its largest and costliest peacekeeping mission.
Barcelona’ super star Lionel Messi will miss Argentina’s World Cup qualifier in Bolivia on Tuesday night after being handed a four-game ban by CONMEBOL and FIFA.
The FIFA disciplinary committee, pursuant to articles 77 A) and 108 of the FIFA disciplinary code (CDF), took the following decision regarding the case of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi after an incident that occurred during the qualifying match of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 played between Argentina and Chile on March 23, 2017.
The Barcelona superstar was also fined 10,000 Swiss Francs (£8,111) this came after a foul-mouthed outburst at an assistant referee during last week’s 1-0 win over Chile.
This came when Messi, 29, was angered by a decision given by official Dewson Silva during the first half, and was caught on camera verbally abusing the official, reportedly declaring: “f**k off, the c**t of your mother.
“It continued as the official joined the rest of the officiating team in the centre of the field at the end of the game. Messi was again avoided shaking the hand of Silva. Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci subsequently pointed Messi towards the tunnel as the five-time Ballon d’Or turned shaking his head at the assistant.
Police has Tuesday arrested two senior officials from the Ministry of Finance over soliciting bribe from investors, prompting a cordon at the ministry’s headquarters.
On arrest of Commissioner Geoffrey Turyamuhika and Economist Michael Ogwal, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) General Kale Kayihura briefed President Yoweri Museveni, who in turn commended the security agencies for ‘swift action’ and warned public servants to desist from corruption.
“I have been briefed by the police about the arrest of two senior officials in the Finance Ministry who were taking bribes from investors,” Mr. Museveni tweeted, adding: “I thank the security agencies for acting swiftly. This is Kisanja Hakuna Mchezo and we shall be harsh on public servants guilty of corruption.”
Sources said the two officials will be charged soon.
Kenya’s Environment and Natural Resources Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu has announced a ban on the use of plastic bags in the country.
‘It is notified to the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources has with effect from 6 months from the date of this notice banned the use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging,’ Ms. Wakhungu was quoted as saying.
“Over 100 million plastic bags are distributed by supermarkets in Kenya, and many of them end up in huge piles at dump sites and litter the streets of Nairobi, the country’s capital.” this shows Kenya is taking decisive action to remove an ugly stain on its outstanding natural beauty,’ a release indicates.
Kenya has tried to ban polythene bags twice before, the first being In 2007 where the government issued a ban against bags below 0.3 millimetres in thickness, (0.11 inches) which failed. Then in 2011 the National Environmental Management Agency declared a ban on bags below 0.6 millimetres in thickness but it too was not widely implemented.
Fifteen other African countries have either adopted or proposed such bans including Rwanda, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mauritania and Malawi.
Joseph Kanyamunyu, the elder brother to city businessman Mathew Kanyamunyu who is accused of killing social worker Kenneth Akena, has been granted bail by the High Court today.
Kanyamunyu, facing murder charges, was granted bail together with lady friend Cynthia Munangwari by Justice Yasin Nyanzi.
Last week the judiciary assigned Justice Nyanzi to hear the bail application after the first judge, Lady Justice Elizabeth Kabanda, denied the trio bail in February. Prosecution avers that on November 12 last year, Mathew Kanyamunyu, in the company of lady friend Munangwari, fatally shot Akena.
The Kanyamunyus, who have been on remand in Luzira since November last year, are from Western Uganda and the death of Akena, an Acholi, polarized those concerned on both sides along ethnic lines.
In early February the differences on both sides escalated and even drew in Members of Parliament from the deceased’s ancestral home including Aruu County MP Samuel Odonga Otto, to protest against Winnie Byanyima, an aunt of the two brothers, who sought to stand surety for them.
As a means of trying to re-organise the security sector, a senior army officer is destined to head the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Directorate (CIID).
According to sources, Colonel Ndahura Atwooki, who has hitherto been the Director of Crime Intelligence (DCI) in the Police, is destined to replace Grace Akullo at CIID. Col. Ndahura is serving in the police assignment by the Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces, President Yoweri Museveni.
Recently President Museveni ordered the Inspector General of Police General Kale Kayihura to ‘clean up his house’ following the murder of the late Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi, who was killed by assassins on March 17.
In the ensuing days the Uganda Police made changes in its command structure, with Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Asan Kasingye named Chief Political Commissar and police spokesperson. In the latter appointment he replaced the late AIGP Kaweesi.
The also saw AIGP Fredrick Yiga named the Director of Interpol and International Relations, replacing AIGP Kasingye.
EagleOnline has reliable learnt that despite attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola has further applied to police council for a contract. Ochola’s application follows that of Gen. Kayihura who is reported to have applied for a fourth term.
Renowned musician and founder of Afrigo Band, a band that has been in existence for close to 40 years, has spoken out on the ‘decay in Uganda’s music industry’.
Matovu, who was speaking during the launch of The Uganda Music Awards (TUMA) which were launched yesterday at Serena Conference Center, Kampala, said that during his time any aspiring musician had to be talented before going to studio. However, today’s musicians are made from studio, he added.
“For anyone who had a dream of becoming a musician, you had to first learn about music before becoming one – at least you had to be in position to play a particular instrument so that by the time you went to studio, you had some knowledge about music,” he narrated.
On the contrary, he said, majority of today’s ‘Musicians’ can’t play a single instrument. “With the current technology, anyone can sing. Most of our musicians are made from studio. They can only sing in studio but when handed a microphone on stage, they can hardly sing,” Matovu said.
He added that the current breed of artistes lack originality and instead mimic Nigerians or Jamaicans, something that has affected them and the whole industry.
“We should avoid being incompetent; avoid singing like Nigerians. We need to professionalise our industry. Somebody should first learn before going to studio. We should look for quality and professionalism before going to studio,” he advised.
He also pointed out corruption as one of the major hindrances to the development of Uganda’s music industry.
“Unlike before, corruption is too much. A musician with money will use the money to bribe media to write about him or her and play his or her songs instead of investing such money in coming up with good works. They are investing more in publicity than their works. When we started music, a fan would come to stage and tell you that what you were singing was rubbish. We never took it for a quarrel. This pushed us to go back and make more rehearsals until when we came up with something they appreciated. On the contrary today’s musicians take criticism for a fight,” Matovu said, adding that the musicians’ reluctance to learn has indeed greatly affected them.
“We should call a spade, a spade; we don’t have quality music. Whereas they are called celebs all over Uganda, they are totally nothing when they leave Uganda. Nigerians and Jamaicans come and hold mega shows here but no Ugandan musician can hold any such show outside Uganda….. nobody knows them,” he charged.
Music critic Eddie Sendi blamed this on inferiority complex. “Ugandans suffer from low self-esteem. We have a problem from times immemorial of having been brainwashed into thinking that everything good has to be foreign. Not until we got over this inferiority complex that’s when we shall start appreciating our own (sounds),” he said.
One of the musicians present, veteran reggae artiste, Ras B Ssali was in agreement with Sendi. Isaac Rucci from celebrated gospel music group, Limit X said that even though it has taken us a long time to come up with a distinctive sound, we are soon getting there.
“It’s heard to come up with a distinctive sound because unlike elsewhere like the Jamaicans, Uganda is made up of several tribes. We’ve been hearing it (sound) but it had taken us time to come up with that distinctive sound. But we are finally there,” he said.
According to the organisers, the awards will recognise the most creative musicians and not for their ‘number of nudes and sex tapes’, said Rucci.
Further, the fans’ votes only account for 40% while the 60% will be from the academy which wasn’t revealed to the media for fear it could be compromised by artistes.
Nominations started today and fans can nominate their artistes by downloading the TUMA app or sending nominations through SMS to 8384 at zero charge. “This is the first awards where fans will nominate artistes via SMS at zero cost.”
The academy will then go through the fans nominations, polishing them; making additions and removing some. “Hope these awards won’t be influenced by sponsors. They’ve killed all of the other awards,” Ras B raised his fears.
In response, the organisers said the awards were about the passion they had for Ugandan music and not money.
Among the other artistes in attendance was Irene Ntale, Kyle, Kaz and Kasozi.
The Publicity Secretary of the Democratic Party Alex Wasswa has warned party stalwart Betty Nambooze and advised her to call off the meeting of select DP leaders from Buganda region that she had scheduled.
Last Friday Nambooze, the DP Vice President for Buganda and Member of Parliament for Mukono, in the company of singer Ronald Mayinja, convened a meeting at the Cardinal Nsubuga Leadership Centre, and launched the ‘Bad DP’, a parallel faction opposed to party president Norbert Mao and his deputy Mukasa Mbidde. Nambooze’s faction later scheduled a meeting for March 31, a matter that has threatened to divide the DP.
“The Constitution of Democratic Party doesn’t avail her with powers to call leaders meeting. Therefore, party members are willing to drag her to the disciplinary committee if she doesn’t obey President’s commands,” Wasswa said today, adding that Nambooze’s actions are aimed at polarizing the party along ethnic lines.
According to Mr. Wasswa, in a bid to foster cohesion, the party president (Mao) went to MP Nambooze’s home on Sunday for mediation talks, which bore no fruit.
“I call upon all Ugandans who believe in the party to stand and defend the party against its diminishing challenges among which is the planned overthrow of lawfully elected party leaders by the so called Bad DP,” Mr Wasswa added.
Meanwhile, the DP has sent congratulatory message to the Ugandan team that participated in just-concluded IAAF World Cross-Country Championships on Sunday, with particular mention of teenage sensation Jacob Kiplimo, who clinched a gold medal in the Under 19 category.
Mr. Wasswa however, decried the reluctance of the government to honour the youngster, who he said, ‘just’ boarded a bus back home after the competitions.
“The state should not only use helicopters to carry caskets of dead bodies but also this medalists who put our country on world map of athletics,” he said, making the scant inference to the late Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi, whose body was flown by helicopter to his ancestral home in Lwengo for burial last Tuesday..
“Kiplimo boarded a bus at 3pm heading home as if he had not been performing on behalf of the nation; we are only waiting for updates from the media to see whether he has reached home safely,” Mr Wasswa said.
A Rwandan court has released a pregnant woman from the United Kingdom who was accused of involvement in a plot against Rwanda’s government.
Violette Uwamahoro appeared last week in court in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, charged with spreading state secrets.
A judge said there was no evidence to warrant the detention of the expectant mother and released her on bail.
Mrs Uwamahoro, from Leeds, was arrested in February after going to Rwanda for a family funeral.
The prosecution has a window of five days to appeal against the court’s decision, Mrs Uwamahoro’s lawyer Antoinette Mukamusoni said.
She was immediately freed after the court’s ruling but she is not allowed to leave the country, pending the appeal.
Beyond the issue of bail settled on Monday, prosecutors must prove their case against Mrs Uwamahoro within 30 days or all charges will be dismissed, Mrs Mukamusoni said.
The arrest of the Leeds youth worker had caused an uproar among rights groups with Amnesty International saying she was illegally held without access to lawyers or her family.
Her husband, Faustin Rukundo, an opposition activist, feared she would be denied a fair trial.
He had appealed for the intervention of the British government to secure her release.
