VISITED: Indian VP Muhammad Ansari and his host President Yoweri Museveni.
The Indian government has announced a donation of assorted drugs worth US$2 million and medical equipment worth US$ 1 million dollars.
HULLO: Indian VP Muhammad Ansari shakes hands with President Yoweri Museveni shortly before the two held talks.
The announcement was made by the Indian Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari while on a two-day visit to Uganda, during which he held diverse talks with President Yoweri Museveni, Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi and Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda.
Among the issues discussed was combatting terrorism, Uganda’s steering of the 69th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA69) under foreign affairs minister Sam Kahamba Kutesa, and Indian military assistance to Uganda through which the Asian giant offered military personnel to train UPDF officers at the Senior Staff College at Kimaka.
And in his speech President Museveni invited additional private sector investments from India, highlighting the progress achieved so far by the Indian community in Uganda numbering about 26,000 in a wide range of important sectors such as agro processing, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing.
Both sides also noted that India had made tremendous strides in the development of its renewable energy capacity and therefore would be in position to enhance mutual cooperation in the energy sector.
In this regard, Uganda was encouraged to become a signatory to the International Solar Alliance Treaty whose primary objective is to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels by working towards efficient exploitation of solar energy. Both sides also agreed to work together towards signing an MoU in the area of cooperation in renewable energy.
During his visit the Indian Vice President also addressed a business event jointly organised by the Private Sector Foundation of Uganda and Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
VP Ansari also visited the Source of the Nile in Jinja and paid floral tribute at the bust of Mahatma Gandhi.
IN ETHIOPIA: South Sudan President Salva Kiir and the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalgn
South Sudan President Salva Kiir is in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, for talks on the implementation of border control and security cooperation deal signed last year.
President Kiir and Ethiopian Hailemariam Desalegn signed a series of cooperation agreements on Friday,
During his three day visit, the South Sudanese president will hold talks with the Ethiopian prime minister today, that include a security arrangement to stop hosting armed opposition groups in their respective countries.. Also, the two leaders are expected to sign a number of bilateral cooperation agreements including security issues in line with a memorandum of understanding signed last year.
Last October, the two leaders signed an agreement on border control and security cooperation but it seems that the implementation conditions had not been included in the deal.
“It will be something good for us, South Sudanese and Ethiopians, should these two leaders put into action what they will agree on. It’s our hope that the two agree on security issues. We don’t want any negative force to use another country’s territory to launch hostile activities on the other. Borders are really important to a country and having a good relationship with the bordering country is always the goal for both countries to progress together,” said Presidential Spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny.
“South Sudan-Ethiopia borders are not safe and this is what has prompted the two to meet,” Ateny stressed.
The Nuer in Ethiopia’s western region of Gambella, have kept their tribal links with the South Sudanese Nuer across the history.
Since the eruption of hostilities between the government army loyal to President Kiir and troops loyal to his former First Vice President Riek Machar in December 2013, many rebels crossed into the Ethiopian territory of Gambella where the South Sudanese army cannot hunt them.
Juba government was suspicious for the tolerance that Addis Ababa had shown towards the South Sudanese rebel presence in Gambella.
It further went to object the participation of Ethiopian soldiers in the regional protection force. However, in November Kiir declared accepting their participation and pointed to the security deal signed with Desalegn.
XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS: South Africa perpetrators of violence
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has given an ultimatum to all South African companies in Nigeria including giant Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) to relocate over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
The students gave the ultimatum at a peaceful demonstration at some South African companies in Abuja.
During the march the students carried a banner, which read: ‘NANS Against Xenophobic Attacks on Nigerians’.’
While the students marched, the security men stood and watched to ensure law and order.
The president of NANS, Kadiri Aruna, said in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at DSTV office, a South African company, in Wuse 2, Abuja, that Nigerian students had resolved to condemn the attacks.
Aruna said that the protest would also serve as a warning to other countries trying to underrate Nigerians.
He said that after 48 hours, if nothing was done, messages would be sent to students in all university campuses to bring down MTN masts all over the country.
Aruna said that DSTV and Shoprite would also be affected as the union had put adequate strategies in place to make the action effective.
“All the South African business empires in Nigeria and their collaborators in Nigeria will be affected.
“I don’t want to say we will be barbaric but we will not be lawful in our actions, we will do it and face the consequences, enough of this rubbish,’’ he said.
Aruna stressed that the poor treatment being meted out to Nigerians was particularly insulting given the role Nigeria played in ending the apartheid regime in South Africa.
He said: “Nigeria contributed 80 per cent of the freedom the South Africans are enjoying today because we saved them from the jaws of apartheid.
“Who is South Africa to humiliate Nigeria? So they forget things so soon, let them go back to history and records to see how much financial assistance and what the country did to save them”.
The union president said that the situation was inhuman and for this reason all reasonable Nigerians must react.
“In science they say you use malaria to cure malaria, now you use madness to cure their madness, and that is why we are advising them to leave Nigerian soil before 48 hours.’’
He said that the Federal Government should not wait till the dying minute before evacuating Nigerians from South Africa.
Aruna said it was time for government not to only condemn the attacks but take a firm stand by summoning South Africa’s high commissioner and if possible cut diplomatic ties with that country.
He said that the last time the xenophobic attack happened nothing was done, no action was taken and no arrest was made and that was why South Africans repeated the attacks.
Aruna said it was so unfortunate that during the attacks the South African Government refused to take up its responsibility of securing Nigerians and their properties.
“The government of South Africa is criminally quiet and they say silence is consent, and their police are folding their hands while they are killing Nigerians, this is conspiracy, enough is enough,’’ he said.
He said the peaceful rally would continue and spread across the country.
Mr.Rujugiro who the Kigali authorities want the Ugandan government to freeze his asserts.
Rwanda is unhappy with the appointment of Colonel Abel Kandiho as Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces Chief of Military Intelligence, military sources have told EagleOnline..
According to the sources, in the late 1990s and early 2000s Col. Kandiho was deployed in Rwanda and also at Uganda-Rwanda border and reportedly gave Rwandan operatives on espionage hard time to enter Uganda.
Even when Rwandan security operatives were colluding with individuals in Uganda Police to abduct Rwandan refugees and take them back to Rwanda, Col. Kandiho was against it, the sources said.
This angered Rwanda and his appointment as the new military boss has ruffled feathers in Kigali.
Meanwhile, Rwanda is also reportedly pushing Uganda to freeze the investment of Mr. Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa whom the Kigali regime accuses of being a rebel collaborator with those training anti-Kigali regime fighters.
Businessman Rujugiro has investment in Arua, West Nile region, but is alleged to be a threat to the security of Rwanda and therefore, the authorities there want his investment in Uganda frozen.
The relationship between the two countries has just normalized after a decade of bitter affairs and this was after the two countries clashed in the Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo) leaving hundreds of soldiers dead on either side.
According to Rwandan refugees in Uganda, there are many refugees fleeing Rwanda to South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia because of political persecution.
Meanwhile, last Saturday, Rwandan refugees in Southern Africa converged in South Africa to commemorate the death of Col. Patrick Karegyeya who was killed in South Africa three years ago. Also, exiled Rwandans in Australia and Europe also gathered in Brussels to commemorate the death of the Colonel, who was a former Director General of External Security in Rwanda.
Factions of the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) are in court fighting for the control of three accounts in the Orient Bank, a matter that is coming up for hearing tomorrow in the Court of Appeal, before Justice Steven Kavuma.
According to documents seen by the EagleOnline, on February 18, 2017, James Michael Akena’s UPC faction represented by Magna Advocates, sought reprieve from the Court of Appeal and wants Orient Bank to allow it operate Account Numbers 11876202020101, 11876202030101 and 11876202040101, which are currently frozen on instructions by a faction led by Joseph Bbosa.
In the ‘Notice of Motion’ by Magna Advocates dated February 9 and received by the Registrar Court of Appeal on February 10, the law firm avers that Orient Bank, which is the 1st Respondent, has refused to comply with an Interim Order issued on December 9, 2016 in respect to Civil Application No. 020 of 2016, to ‘unblock, defreeze or lift the freeze’ on the three accounts in contention.
The standoff has pitted James Michael Akena, the ‘UPC’ and the Electoral Commission against Orient Bank, Joseph Bbosa, Ambassador Olara Otunnu, the ‘UPC’, the latter which had also filed a case in the Commercial Court through Ms Kavuma Kabenge and Company Advocates on February 3, 2016, challenging Orient Bank in respect to the management of the operations of the three accounts, from which Akena reportedly withdrew Shs570, 019, 320 between July 21, 2015 and January 14, 2016.
‘The defendant is a Limited Company operating as a commercial abnk, incorporated under the laws of Uganda with capacity to sue or be sued in its own names…the plaintiff’s claim against the defendants for recovery of a sum of Shs570, 019, 320 withdrawn unlawfully…’ the three-page plaint drawn by law firm Kavuma Kabenge and Co. Advocates reads in part.
In the plaint the lawyers also want their client, the ‘UPC’ to manage Shs234, 130, 346, which is remaining on account, and ‘an interest on the total sum of monies unlawfully withdrawn from its bank accounts (by Akena) and costs of the suit’.
TO HEAR CASE: Head of the Court of Appeal Justice Steven Kavuma
Interestingly, both parties went to court under the umbrella of the UPC, with one of the factions alleging that Justice Kavuma has ‘refused to determine the rightful party president’ in a case that is before the Court Appeal.
It is pertinent to note that Mr Akena withdrew the said 570 million after former Electoral Commission Chairman Eng. Badru Kiggundu wrote to Orient Bank, confirming him as UPC president.
It is against that background that the contesting party went to court, seeking that Akena or any of his agents be stopped from managing the three accounts in Orient Bank.
Background
On June 18, 2015 Peter Mukidi Walubiri, writing as the UPC National Treasurer, informed Orient Bank Manager about the status of the three accounts. In the letter he introduced the signatories to the three accounts and warned the bank against dealing with ‘a stranger’. The said stranger was Patrick Mwondha, who at the time Walubiri said, was holding out as the ‘Chairman, Transitional Committee’.
‘The so called Transitional Committee is an illegal entity and a stranger to the party Constitution. It has no powers to interfere with the operations of the Party’s Bank Accounts including withdrawing funds or sanctioning the withdraw of funds’, Walubiri wrote to Orient Bank.
According to Walubiri, the duly recognized signatories to the three contested accounts were himself, Secretary General Fr. Jacinto Ogwal and one David Baliraine, who were copied in the letter alongside Ambassador Olara Otunnu and Mr Mwondha (RIP).
Mr Walubiri would then, in a February 6, 2017 ‘Witness Statement’ write to the bank, reminding it that Mr Baliraine was replaced as signatory by Mr. Okello Lucima, a communication Amb. Otunnu had made earlier on June 21, 2015.
But earlier, a day after Mr. Walubiri’s 2015 letter Fr. Ogwal, writing as the Secretary General, had also asked the Manager Orient Bank to desist from dealing with Mwondha.
‘The Office of the Secretary General of UPC at the National Secretariat has received some informal information to the effect that a one, Mwondha Patrick, claiming to the Chairman, Transitional Committee, a post my office is not aware of, neither does it enjoy any authority recognition in the UPC Party constitutional arrangement, is said to have written to you to block any bank business transactions between my office and the bank’, Fr. Ogwal wrote.
Orient Bank reacts
In a cautionary letter of January 15, 2016 addressed to both contesting parties referenced ‘OBL/OPS/007/2016: Operations on UPC account(s) 11876202020101, 11876202030101 & 11876202040101’, the Orient Bank wrote to the Uganda Peoples Congress Leadership’, urging them to sort out their differences and to give the bank operational direction.
‘The above subject refers and all our correspondences thereto expressing our intention to streamline operations of UPC accounts domiciled at Orient Bank Limited… Further, the Bank is aware of the recent court ruling whereof all the current signatories to the account were declared by court not to have been validly elected, therefore, operations on the said accounts are BLOCKED effective immediately until you avail the Bank with the individuals duly authorized to operate the said accounts duly sanctioned by court and advise us where to transfer the funds’, Orient bank wrote in the letter signed by Barbara Mwanja, the Service Manager and Pankaj Sharma, the Head of Operations.
The Bank’s letter was buttressed by another one by its lawyers, Ms Shonubi Musoke and Company Advocates dated December 15, 2016, in which the defendant law firm shot down Magna’s intention to sue for contempt.
‘We act on behalf of Orient Bank Limited and make reference to your letter to our client…we have the benefit of perusing the Order issued by the Court of Appeal, as forwarded with your letter to sue our client and take the view that the Order in no way compels our client to defreeze the accounts in question for the reasons hereunder…’ the two-page letter signed by Andrew Kibaya of Shonubi Musoke and Co. Advocates state in part.
And, as the haggling continues, tomorrow afternoon the Court of Appeal headed by Justice Kavuma will hear the matter and probably put to a temporal end to saga that has paralysed the activities of the UPC since James Michael Akena, Amb. Olara Otunnu and more recent Joseph Bbosa, started haggling over the UPC leadership about four years ago.
Meanwhile, theruling today barring a single judge from hearing and making rulings in respect to the constitutional court will not hinder Justice Kavuma from hearing Akena’s case, it has emerged.
“The ruling is about constitutional interpretations and not cases before the Court of Appeal, the two are different,” a constitutional law expert told the EagleOnline on phone after the ruling that many were arguing, had brought an end to the era of a single judge making rulings in the Court of Appeal.
CONCERT IN MAY: Musician Rema will be 'battling' Jose Chameleone for the Ugandan music audiences in May.
Renowned singer Jose Chameleone cancelled his concert last year for fear of the anti-Tubonga Nawe campaign that came up shortly after elections.
However, he was among the first people to announce a date for his concert this year; initially scheduled for March 17, he pushed the concert to May 17. But now it turns out he will be battling fellow singer Rehema Namakula aka Rema, who has also decided to stage her concert in May.
According to an announcement made today, Rema will hold her concert on May 5 at Hotel Africana, 12 days earlier than Chameleone’s concert.
It ought to be remembered that Eddy Kenzo, the husband to Rema, usually holds his concerts in May, so it’s not yet known if he will also join the ‘May battle of Concerts’.
Meanwhile, musician Bebe Cool has already confirmed he won’t be having any concert this year but promised to bounce back in 2018.
OATH: General Edward Katumba Wamala at his swearing in today. Photo credit/NBSTV.
The former Chief of Defence Forces General Edward Katumba Wamala has this today been sworn in as the State Minister for Works.
The swearing in at State House, Entebbe, comes about a month after the President and Commander in Chief General Yoweri Museveni made changes in the army leadership, replacing Gen. Katumba Wamala with Gen. David Muhoozi.
Gen. Kayumba Wamala becomes the second serving officer to join cabinet, after his predecessor Gen. Robert Aronda Nyakairima was named Minister of Internal Affairs in 2013.
At the time Gen. Aronda’s appointment to cabinet raised eyebrows, with many arguing it was in contravention of the 1995 Constitution that bars serving army officers from being partisan.
HAPPILY MARRIED: Dr Aggrey Kiyingi with his wife Mayimuna Nakayiira.
Mayimuna Nakayiira , the wife of Australian-based Ugandan cardiologist-cum-politician Dr Aggrey Kiyingi, has scoffed at critics of her marriage.
According to Ms. Nakayiira, marriage shouldn’t be decided by age but by a raft of virtues that include among others ‘love, commitment, loyalty, trustworthiness, respect, security, perseverance, endurance and tolerance’.
She adds: ‘But above it we all know marriage can’t happen if Allah doesn’t allow it; so, make it your goal to create a marriage that feels like the safest place on earth. You know what they say, “the relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have or create’.
In 2009, Kiyingi, 61, married Nakayiira who is almost half his age at a private ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya, and the couple is now blessed four children together.
The couple’s wedding came four years after the grisly murder of Dr.Kiyingi’s first wife, Robinah, then a prominent Kampala lawyer and rights activist. She was killed in 2005 by unknown gun men at their Buziga residence. Dr. Kiyingi was prosecuted for the murder but was found innocent. They had three grown up children at the time of her murder.
Meanwhile, regarding his second marriage, social media just can’t stop having fun following Nakayiira’s statements.
Michelle George Williams Kay You are just waiting for his death, so that you can also be rich you pretending here so that people don’t judge you later, it’s a good plan though.
Nakayiira: No offence naye nga abawaala abaava e Rwanda ogwo omuze mugukozeseeza nnyo ku bannyina ffe (It’s you ladies from Rwanda that are fond of doing that) Kati you think it’s the way for all of us.
However, some came out to her defence saying that what matters most is the couple being happy.
Grace Buns But any way about age i support you. go go go sweet. It doesn’t make sense marrying young boys and suffer. I rather go in for a mature man who makes me happy. It’s not your problem to be in love, God is the one to be blamed that made it happen not you. Because when God says yes no body can say no. Haters should take some panadol extra.
EFFECTED CHANGES OF COMMITTEE CLERKS: Clerk to Parliament Ms Jane Kibirige
The Clerk of Parliament Jane Kibirige has rejected the withdrawal of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Secretary for Mobilisation Ingrid Kamatenesi Turinawe, from the race for the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), by her party.
In a letter written to Ms Kibirige by FDC President Major General (rtd) John Gregory Mugisha Muntu, he said the party was fielding only one candidate, Florence Ibi Ekwau.
‘ This letter is to notify you that as a party, we are withdrawing candidate Kamatenesi Ingrid Turinawe and retaining one candidate, Ekwau Ibi Florence effective the date of this letter. We thank you for your urgent action on this matter,’ Maj. Gen. Muntu wrote to Ms Kibirige.
However, a day the Clerk wrote back to Gen. Muntu, bringing to his attention the ‘Rules of Procedure’ in respect to ‘withdrawal or death of a candidate’.
RESPONSE: The letter from the Clerk to Parliament Ms. Jane Kibirige.
‘I would suggest that the withdrawal of candidate Ms. Kamatenesi Ingrid Turinawe (FDC) as a candidate for the East African Legislative Assembly representing Uganda be done in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Uganda,’ Ms Kibirige wrote.
Political parties in Uganda with representation in Parliament are supposed to send 9 representatives to EALA, and already the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has finished its nomination exercise, electing six representatives.
Other candidates are expected from the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC), the Democratic Party (DP) and the FDC.
Wema Sepetu, a model and movie industry personality, formerly linked to Tanzanian crooner Diamond Platnumz.,
Diamond Platnumz ex-girlfriend Wema Sepetu, has appeared in court for the second time for the trial of her drug case.
Initially released from central police station in Dar es Salaam on February 6after spending six nights in police custody, Ms Sepetu returned to court yesterday for her trial.
However, the case was adjourned after prosecution asked the court to be given more time to conclude investigations. The court then set 15 March 2017.
Sepetu, a former Miss Tanzania, was arrested after she was found with a stash of ‘weed’ in her house during a raid by the police.
Others arrested in the said raid included Diamond Platnumz brother, singer Ray C among others.
