The former Deputy Secretary General of the East African Community and former Member of Parliament for Kabarole District, Beatrice Kiraso, has been unscrupulously edged out of the race for the Clerk to the Pan African Parliament. The position was advertised in September 2016.

While presenting before the plenary for debate the appointment process for the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Pan African Parliament, the First Vice President of the PAP, Hon. Eduardo Joaquim Mulembwe, informed the House that the successful candidates were Vipya Harawa (Malawi) for Clerk, while the post of Deputy Clerk was taken by Gali Massa Harou (Chad).

The endorsement by the plenary of the successful candidates was not without chaos with sections of the legislators claiming foul play. Members started questioning the criteria used for selection of successful candidates, and why the third best candidate was given the job for Clerk.

“If you want anarchy, we can create anarchy,” PAP President Roger Nkodo told the rowdy House. He then proceeded to quote Rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure where it states that the Presiding Officer shall be responsible for conducting debate and that his decisions cannot be appealed. After reading the Rules, he put the matter to a vote. The report was adopted amid disagreements from MPs. The House could not conduct any business and was adjourned.

According to Hon. Rachel Shebesh (Kenya), while the Bureau gave reasons as to why it did not give the job for Clerk to the best candidate from Sierra Leone, it gave no reasons as to why it could not give the job to the second best candidate, from Uganda, but instead went ahead to give to the third best from Malawi.

It was such unclear procedures that raised the angst in the eastern region Members.

“In Africa, everything is about regional balance and inclusivity. We cannot be a region that is being silenced simply because another one can marshal support from other regions. That kind of politics in the PAP is cheap,” Hon. Shebesh said adding “As the Eastern region, we are disappointed because this lady is highly qualified.”

The Bureau, which comprises the PAP President and four Vice-Presidents, is charged with the administration and management of the Assembly.

“You don’t shift selection criteria when you are confronted with a candidate. You define that criteria in the advertisement. So to suggest that Hon. Beatrice Kiraso was a former Member of Parliament and therefore could not be selected yet she was second best is unacceptable,” Prof. Ogenga-Latigo said.

The aggrieved legislators have vowed to challenge the decision of the House in the courts of the law.

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Vodafone has contributed Ushs10 million towards the NSSF Kampala Hash Run which is aimed at collecting funds to renovate public schools in the city.

Organisers said the second edition this year targets to raise Shs200 million which will go towards the renovation of three primary schools – Makerere Primary School, Summit View Army Primary School and completion of works at Nakivubo Settlement Primary School.

The selected schools are in dire need for an overhaul, they are characterized with leaking roofs, mud floors, dilapidated walls with no windows, and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is mandated to provide and support them with quality learning environment.

The City authority is challenged with a limited budget coupled with Land compensation for schools sitting on land owned by private individuals which leaves a lot of these schools in a vulnerable state, with the children studying in a less than desirable learning environment.

KCCA this year has budgeted Ushs500million, an amount which can only facilitate refurbishment of one school out of the six neediest, however, 90% of the 79 city schools remain in need of refurbishment.

“Education is one of Vodafone Uganda’s key focus areas and ‘Next Generationers’ are a key segment in our business. We partnered with the NSSF as our contribution to the transformation of a generation we foresee as tomorrow’s leaders, and providing a conducive learning environment is critical to building this nation,” Ms. Progress Chisenga noted.

Last year’s Hash Run raised about Shs65 million which went into the renovation of Nakivubo Settlement Primary School and the construction of a water facility at St. Ponsiano Kyamula Primary School.

The Hash Run is set take place on March 12, 2017 – starting from Pearl Africa Primary School, Nsambya, and covering 21Kms around the seven major hills of Kampala city (Nakasero, Kibuli, Old Kampala, Namirembe, Rubaga, Lubiri and Nsambya). It is expected to draw around 1,000 runners, all driven by dedication to improving the lives of children in schools managed by KCCA.

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Controversial academic Stella Nyanzi has spoken out about her interrogation today, saying the police told her President Yoweri Museveni is the complainant in her case. Apparently, she says Mr. Museveni was offended by one of her posts.

“Offended? I laughed because the president has been offending very many us for a very long time. If a poor woman like me decides to speak out about what I spoke about, he shouldn’t take offence because he has been offending us. For how long shall we remain silent?”  the outspoken Makerere University academic told journalists after the interrogation.

Asked by the journalists whether she was seeking attention, Dr. Nyanzi said: “Attention from who? Seriously I am an aggrieved Ugandan because the people who are supposed to be leading my country are not leading us. We have a leadership deficit in this country. The media has been gagged out of fear. Parliament, silent. Judiciary, you saw what happened to the vote…you saw what happened in the judiciary. Attention for what? I have ample attention on Facebook.”

“If I am using the only skill I have; my body and language…allow me to speak. Does attention bring back my dead parents? Does attention put medicine in hospitals? Does attention deal with the rot in UPE? Does attention Scr** the government the way I am Scr**ing it. He ordered for my arrest because I spoke in the language he understands?”

Dr. Nyanzi further vowed not stop with her criticism, saying shutting her up can only be achieved by killing her.

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