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US780m needed for South Sudan refugees

By
Agencies
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TO BE VERIFIED: Refugees at the Bidibidi Reception Centre in Yumbe, Northern Uganda.

The refugee numbers from South Sudan have hit the 1.5 million mark, with the world refugee agency, the UNHCR saying it needs about US$782 million for regional operations inside South Sudan and the neighbouring host countries, this year.

According to the UNHCR, an additional 2.1 million people are displaced inside South Sudan since conflict erupted in the world’s newest country in December 2013.

“We are appealing on all parties involved in the conflict for an urgent peaceful resolution of the crisis, without which, thousands continue to arrive in South Sudan’s neighbouring countries of Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the Central African Republic every day with the conflict now in its fourth year.

With this large-scale displacement, South Sudan is now Africa’s largest refugee crisis and the world’s third after Syria and Afghanistan – with less attention and chronic levels of underfunding,” the UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler says.

Intense fighting broke out in South Sudan in July last year following the collapse of a peace deal between the government and opposition forces. More than 760,000 refugees fled the country in 2016, as the conflict intensified in the second half of the year – on an average of 63,000 people were forced to leave the country per month. Some half a million had to flee in the last four months since September 2016. More than 60 per cent of the refugees are children, many arriving with alarming levels of malnutrition – enduring devastating impact of the brutalities of the ongoing conflict.
Recent new arrivals report suffering inside South Sudan with intense fighting, kidnappings, rape, fears of armed groups and threats to life, as well as acute food shortage.

‘As the global displacement trends reflect, those fleeing South Sudan are being hosted by the poorest communities in the neighbouring countries, under immense pressure with scarce resources,’ Mr Spindler adds.

The majority of the refugees are being hosted by Uganda, where some 698,000 have arrived. Ethiopia is hosting some 342,000, while more than 305,000 are in Sudan and some 89,000 in Kenya, 68,000 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and 4,900 in the Central African Republic.

UNHCR is encouraged by the welcome South Sudan refugees have received in the neighbouring countries… we are working with authorities in South Sudan’s neighbouring countries to provide life-saving support and look after the basic needs of those arriving in desperate conditions. However, our relief efforts are being hampered by severe underfunding.

We are renewing our call on donor countries to step up support to the humanitarian efforts for the South Sudan crisis situation. Response capacities are over stretched in host countries and chronic underfunding is affecting life-saving efforts like the provision of clean drinking water, food, health facilities and sanitation. The 2016 UNHCR funding appeal of US$649 million was funded a merely 33%,’ according to the UNHCR.

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Somalia to resume printing currency this year

By
Agencies
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TO BE REVITALISED: The Central Bank of Somalia

Somalia intends to resume printing banknotes this year for the first time since the government collapsed in 1991.

The governor of Somalia’s central bank, Bashir Issa Ali, said in an exclusive interview that all technical preparations are complete, and his government is confident it can assemble a financial aid package within three months to fund the printing program. Further work would take another four months.

Asked if Somalia will print and distribute banknotes during 2017, Ali answered: “Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely!” He pledged the new currency would include “good, reliable security features.”

Pre-1991 banknotes have disappeared from Somali markets, replaced by either Western currencies, including dollars, or privately printed notes, most of which are worthless fakes.

Ali said international institutions, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as the US Treasury, have been helping Somalia reform its financial sector and train central bank staff.

Outgoing Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met a key demand of the international community last year by signing into law parliament-approved legislation to outlaw money laundering and ‘financial terrorism’.

The Somali government needs $60 million to be able to begin printing banknotes. Ali said he expects to obtain pledges for that sum at an international donors’ conference for Somalia in London in May.

“We expect the international community to assist us with that issue,” the bank governor said.

Hardship and the scarcity of trustworthy currency has created opportunities for some innovative strategies in the private sector, Ali said, and Somalia has made some progress in establishing private banks and mobile money systems.

Many transactions in Somalia now take place using “electronic mobile money,” Ali added.

Somali shillings account for a small portion of the payments system, he said.

“Most of it is done through dollars and electronic money, which is a great thing for … saving costs and effort and very convenient, also.”

Remittance companies that relay payments from Somalis working abroad operate in many parts of the country Ali noted, but a large part of the nation does not have access to electronic funds or dollars, so there is an urgent need for a reliable national currency.

Meanwhile, in the short term, the peaceful election of a new Somali president appears to have helped the nation’s economy. The Somali shilling rose in value compared with the US dollar over a two-day period; US$1 brought 22,000 shillings before the election in Mogadishu but by Saturday it was trading at 16,000 shillings.

In a related development the new President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajohas temporarily suspended withdrawals from accounts of government departments until the incoming cabinet is formed.

According to Sources, he has issued an order to suspend withdrawal from the accounts in central bank and private banks in Mogadishu.

The suspension of central bank withdrawals came following a meeting between President Farmajo and central bank governor Bashir Isse Ali on Saturday night.

“All government accounts at the central bank and private money transfer companies were temporarily frozen after an executive order from the new President,” said an official who asked not to be named.

This comes as the new President is set to be inaugurated next week in Mogadishu and take over the office from his predecessor Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has been in power since 2012.

The move is reportedly aimed at preventing embezzlement and assets misappropriation during power transfer period. In the past four years, a colossal amount of money was reported to have been stolen from the central bank of Somalia.

 

 

 

 

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Gravity Omutujju hits back at King Saha

By
Badru Kasadah
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Singer Gravity Omutujju

Gravity Omutujju has hit back King Saha over claims that he is behind the former’s success.

Through Facebook, Gravity reminded Saha that he was there before him let alone being a success way before the two met.

“Sebo, just remember I was there before you were there. I made two mega hits that’s walumbe zaaya and Malangaja before u had no even a single good song. So my brother 1st think before u open your mouth to say something. Respect,” he wrote on Facebook.

While appearing on NTV De Beat on Friday, Saha claimed to have made Omutujju through the various collabos they had together.

King Saha

 

Among the collabos they have together include; Winner, Vimba and Batima.

Whereas Omutujju accuses Saha of disrespecting him yet he made a breakthrough before him, fans advised him to respect others if he wanted respect.

Nkwanjule Richy Richards TheGladiator: If you want RESPECT you should also respect others……When u hit the music Industry….You Disrespected GNL ZAMBA….u talked much and u know it very well that he was there before you…nawe wetetereeze!

 

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Studio belonging to Besigye’s man, ‘Toka Kwa Bala Bala’ burnt

By
Badru Kasadah
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At a mention of the name Adam Mulwana, you’ll hardly get anyone’s attention but mention ‘Toka Kwa Balabala’ and everyone will abandon what he is doing.
Mulwana was the person of the popular hit that FDC presidential flag bearer, Kizza Besigye used for his campaigns.

However, less has been heard from him since the end of the campaigns. Finally, there is some news from him. Unfortunately, it’s sad news.

Unknown people burnt down the music studio in Makindye from where he has been recording his songs. The incident happened on Thursday night.

By the time of the incident, he says he was recording an album that he was set to release soon. He adds that majority of the songs on his upcoming album were pro-opposition songs, just like his hit song ‘Toka Kwa Bala Bala’.

 

 

 

 

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Former owner of Kampala Parents, Kasole speaks out

By
Badru Kasadah
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Mr. Kasole Bwerere during an earlier interview with Eagle Online at his Buloba home on Thursday February 9, 2017.

Former owner of Kampala Parents School, Kasole Bwerere has spoken out on how the school ended up in Sudhir Ruparelia’s hands.

In an exclusive interview with EagleOnline, Mr. Edward Bwerere Kasole who is a former Member of Parliament for Buwekula country in Mubende district says he has never complained about the manner in which City tycoon, Sudhir took over the school. And dismisses the social media messages are fake and untrue. He says he was surprised by such messages and warns that unless regulations are put in place for internet users, many are to suffer at the hands of mischievous people.

“I never had any loan with Sudhir nor did I own any account in his bank at the time. I only got to know Sudhir through Kasagga who brought him to me as a buyer of the school and he fully paid me.” Mr. Bwerere said at his Buloba home.

Adding “Unfortunately the key witness (the late Zzimwe) is no longer around. However, his friends; Kirumira (Godffrey), Mudunga is close friends are all aware. I don’t demand anything from him. In fact he saved me because I had loans that I had failed to pay the loans.”

Mr. Bwerere faults a section of parents and some teachers at school led by Mr. Peter Nyombi, (Former Attorney General) who was then a parent at the school. Bwerere says Nyombi championed the breakaway of City Parents from Kampala Parents School hence curtailing Mr. Bwerere from moving students from Namirembe road to the new location in Naguru and this was this was the main reason, he failed to pay loans and opted to sell it.

“Twelve of the teachers I had been using the other side (Namirembe Road) one is Nyombi (Peter), a former Attorney General) and the other is now a Bishop were paid and grabbed my pupils I had the other side (Namirembe road). In fact, they just made a few changes to my former school. They replaced ‘Kampala’ with ‘City’ to make it City Parents Primary School from Kampala Parents Primary School.” He said.

Below is the interview

How did you start Kampala Parents School?

I started Kampala Parents School in 1975, and it was the first private school and this alone landed my in prison for a week when President Idi Amin questioned how a Ugandan could start a first private primary school.

How did you manage to succeed then after all the trouble?

When in power, President Milton Obote (II) had appointed me as a custodian of the land along Namirembe Road in appreciation for my contribution towards Uganda’s education (Kasole was the first Ugandan to start up a private school). I didn’t pay any rent. He told me that if time came to sell it off by its owners, I would be given priority to buy it.

I constructed three flats on the land. Unfortunately, when government changed with the arrival of the NRM government, the laws changed and properties were returned back to the Indians.

What happened after the custodian properties were returned to the owners?

Following this incident, I had to shift my school. At the time I had over 1850 pupils. Preparing to relocate, I reached an agreement with my friend, Andrew Kasagga (the late Zzimwe of Zzimwe constructions) who had seven pupils in the school. He was to help me construct another school in Naguru. I got a loan from Greenland Bank and East Africa Development Bank.

However, the money was still not enough. But this didn’t stop him from going ahead with the work. He agreed to construct the school and I was to pay him his balance later. The would be interest on his balance was that his seven children were to study for free till completion. It was a good deal. We agreed he was to complete constructing the school in 12 month but it was finished even a month earlier. It was completed after just 11 months.

After making my assessment, I came to a conclusion that I was likely to lose 500 pupils out of 1850 because of the change in location of the school. I intended to use the cash flow from the remaining pupils to pay off the loans I had borrowed from East African Development Bank but I was mistaken.

What followed after the transfer of location of the school?

Twelve of the teachers I had been using the other side (Namirembe Road) and a section of parents and one is Nyombi (Peter), a former Attorney General) and the other is now a Bishop were paid and grabbed my pupils I had the other side (Namirembe road). In fact, they just made a few changes to my former school. They replaced ‘Kampala’ with ‘City’ to make it City Parents Primary School from Kampala Parents Primary School.

They even never changed the school uniform save for slight changes on the school badge. For the Bishop, if he were to enter church when I am inside, I would get out. He is a treacherous man.

When they took away my pupils, those I had (Naguru) could not settle the loans like I had acquired. The interest on the loans was accumulating yet I had no other option. Around the same period Greenland Bank was embroiled in problems. I knew by delaying to pay the loans, I was risking.

How did you come to meet Sudhir and did you have a loan with him as it is alleged that he grabbed the school from you after failing to repay?

So in the process of trying to settle the loans, I went out as a willing seller and Mr. Sudhir (Ruparelia) came out as a willing buyer. Among the three possible buyers, Sudhir had the best offer. He was to pay all the money at once unlike the other two who wanted to complete payment after years; possibly from the fees from my pupils. We sat down (myself and Sudhir) and agreed on terms. He paid me cash… cash down. So all these saying that Sudhir grabbed my school I just don’t have any idea of where they are getting that from.

I never had any loan with Sudhir nor did I own any account in his bank at the time. I only got to know Sudhir through Kasagga who brought him to me as a buyer of the school and he fully paid me. Unfortunately the key witness (the late Zzimwe) is no longer around. However, his friends; Kirumira (Godffrey), Mulenga is close friends are all aware. I don’t demand anything from him. In fact he saved me because I had loans that I had failed to pay the loans.

Do you exist the school immediately after selling or you remained with some shares?

On selling off the school to him, he requested me to stay and continue as his employee, saying he was a businessman and had no knowledge about education. I told him that if I was to stay behind, all the team I had been working with was also to stay behind. I signed a one year contract as chairman board of directors of the school. It was actually in that year that I opened an account in his bank since all his employees were paid from that bank (Crane Bank). I used to chair all of the meetings and also used to train him. Upon completion of my contract, I quit to concentrate on my constituency (Buwekula, Mubende). I left in good faith and actually some the teachers I left there, one is still there while another just left last year. We are friends up to today.

So is it true that you made complains about the school as being portrayed on social media?

Actually when I heard rumours claiming that had told the press that he grabbed my school, I was the first person to call him to apologise for I hadn’t talked to any media. You are actually the first press people I am talking to.

How is life outside politics?

Life outside politics is nice….because when you get out of politics you enjoy

How is Mubende Parents, the school you started after selling KPS?

It is doing well but I have left the management to my children because as you can see, I can’t be in the running of day to day affairs.

I am professional teacher and I enjoyed my work and that could explain how the schools I have managed have been successful.

What occupies you at the moment?

I am into agriculture and if you had come to Mubende, you would return with full sacks of maize because this season alone, I harvested over 250 bags. However, I came here at my residence (Buloba) to check on the construction of apartments and do a medical checkup with my doctors. We have left the city for you young people.

 

 

 

 

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Irene Ntale in grand return after Swangz Ave departure

By
Badru Kasadah
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GRAND RETURN: Irene Ntale entertaining fans

Fast-rising songstress Irene Ntale might be out of Swangz Ave but she isn’t out of music.

On the heels of her departure from the record label that ushered her to the entertainment world, she has released a new song, ‘Twelageko’.

The song is not only her first in 2017 but also her first song since leaving Swangz Ave.

“I will be premiering my brand new song!! #twelageko #twelageko!!! This song goes out to all my super supportive fans!!! Mutuwagira mubulunji,” she posted on Facebook Friday morning.

But as you read this, the song is already out. “I am officially departing from Swangz Avenue! I have made my intentions known to my record label and we have both come to an understanding that this is the best move forward,” reads her statement on her departure from Swangz Ave late last month.

Going by her song ‘Twelageko’, indeed this could be the best move forward!

 

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NSSF recovers over Shs1.8b employee contributions

By
Isaiah Mwebaze
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WE DID IT! Head-of-Marketing-and-Communications-Barbra-Arimi

The ongoing whistleblower campaign by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has recovered over Shs1.8 billion through information provided by over 140 whistleblowers, figures from the Fund show.

Last month, the NSSF unveiled a new web-based whistleblower platform for aggrieved employees to report employers who fail to remit their contributions to the Fund, as required by the law.

“Up to 90% of the cases received were through the NSSF Whistleblower platform, hence proving that it is one of the Fund’s most effective tools to increase compliance levels and recover billions of employees’ contributions meant for their retirement,” said Ms Barbra Teddy Arimi, the NSSF Head of Marketing and Communications.

According to Ms Arimi, more than 25,000 employers are meant to pay NSSF contributions. However, 12,000 of these are not complying and of the 13,000 who are complying, only 8,900 are consistently remitting NSSF contributions for their employees.

“These figures show that a significant number of workers are being cheated out of their benefits by their employers,” she said.

A total of 149 cases received over the last 4 months, January recorded the most cases at 55, followed by October (27).

She added that this is a continuous campaign, urging employees to continue being vigilant and speak out to ensure that their employers remit their savings to the Fund.

“We have taken all the necessary steps to ensure that the identity of whoever reports cases of non-compliance is not revealed to the public, in line with the Whistleblower’s Act,” she said, on the safety of those that report.

According to the NSSF Act 1985 Section 11 (1), all employers with five or more employees are required to remit monthly contributions for their employees within 15 days, following the last day of the month for which the relevant wages are paid.

The employers deduct 5 per cent of their workers salary and top it up with a 10 per cent contribution and remit the 15 per cent to the Fund for every employee.

Last financial year, the Fund’s contributions increased by 14% from Shs785 billion in 2014/15 to Shs816 billion in 2015/16.

The Fund projects that contributions will reach the Shs900 billion mark this financial year ending June if the compliance levels are improved, among other things.

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FDC to launch rights campaign

By
Hussein Musisi
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DEFIANT: Former FDC presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye addresses media at his Katonga Road offices today. He was flanked by the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and party stalwarts..

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is to launch a nationwide campaign to educate Ugandans on their rights, the party’s former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye has said.

Dr. Kizza Besigye addresses the media at his Katonga Road offices.

Speaking at his Katonga Road offices Dr. Besigye also said he did not expect police to interfere with the FDC’s scheduled activities. “We have no proof that the police has changed but I know that they will try not to indulge in activities that will lead them to courts of the law just like their colleagues who were demoted and had salaries deducted,” he said.

Asked about the success of FDC’s previous campaigns, Dr Besigye said:  “We have challenged the government for over fifteen (15) years now, our success cannot be judged by us but the public.”

Besigye also expressed concerns over the handling of land issues saying, “land is the foundation of existence that is why the landless are increasing in urban centres like Kampala.”

And, citing a recent programme on NTV, Dr. Besigye also said the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government was intent on dividing regime opponents and blackmail them.

“I was surprised with NTV’s talk of amending the FDC Constitution to have me come back to party leadership; I called my FDC leaders and they did not have any idea about it. When I sent a tweet to Morris Mugisha, the producer of NTV news, he has not yet replied. I take this as a deliberate effort by the regime to blackmail me and divert people,” he said.

The former presidential candidate later joined Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, and FDC stalwarts Wafula Oguttu and Wasswa Birigwa Sekyondwa for a meeting.

 

 

 

 

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Journalist Mwenda sued over TVO Facebook post

By
Badru Kasadah
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'CHEERLEADER'? Journalist Andrew Mwenda

Renowned city journalist-cum businessman Andrew Mwenda has been sued over anonymous online government critic, a one Tom Voltaire Okwalinga, also known as TVO.

Through Odokel Opolot & Co Advocates, cyber security expert Robert Shaka has dragged Mwenda to court accusing him of defamation.

“We act for and on behalf of our client Robert Shaka, on whose behest and stern instructions we address you as herein under; it is well within your knowledge that our client is a person of great repute as information security expert. It is also well within your knowledge that on 29th January, 2016 you purported to disclose the identity of a one Tom Voiltaire Okwalinga, TVO, an anonymous and or pseudonymous internet blogger who utilizes Facebook as a forum to criticize the Government of the Republic of Uganda,” reads part of the plaint sent to Mwenda.

“That this was through your Facebook account where you alleged that it’s not rocket science to establish the persons behind TVO. That without any incline of truth or justification you maliciously, unlawfully and illegally mentioned our clients name to be among the persons behind TVO. In the said publication on your Facebook account you defamed our client and in particular you described him as a ‘radical extremist and demented psychopathic maniac’. The above description to the person of our client had the effect of causing public scandal, public odium, shame, contempt, hatred, mistrust and ridicule both locally and internationally.”

The plaint further states that Shaka wants Mwenda to immediately pull down the said post from his Facebook account. He also wants him to write a written apology in a newspaper ‘of wide circulation and finally pay our client Shs300million for the damages caused’.

“We also demand that you pay our legal fees of Shs5million so far. Failure to heed to the foregoing within 5 days shall leave us with no option but to commence a suit against you at your own cost, chagrin and perpetual regret.”

Reacting to the plaint, Mwenda says he just can’t wait to appear in court.

“By suing for defamation Shaka is admitting that to be known as TVO would cause ‘right thinking members of society’ to see him with contempt, ridicule and hatred. Only radical extremists supporting opposition presidential candidate for life, Besigye, cannot see TVO for the demented psychopathic maniac he is. I cannot wait for that day in court to cross examine this psychopath,” he responded Friday through Facebook.

 

 

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Trump loses appeal court bid to reinstate travel ban

By
Agencies
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US President Donald Trump

A US federal appeals court has rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to reinstate his ban on citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals said it would not block a ruling by a Seattle court that halted the order.

Mr Trump responded with an angry tweet saying national security was at risk and there would be a legal challenge.

It was unclear whether he intended to file an appeal to the Supreme Court or keep fighting the case in Seattle.

In its 3-0 unanimous ruling on Thursday, the appeals court said the government had not proved the terror threat justified reviving the ban.

The  ruling means that people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen with visas can continue to enter the US, and refugees from around the world, who were also subject to a temporary ban, are no longer blocked either.

However, the ruling does not affect one part of Mr Trump’s controversial Executive Order, a cap of 50,000 refugees to be admitted in the current fiscal year, down from the ceiling of 110,000 established under his predecessor, Barack Obama.

They accepted that the US president had sole discretion to set immigration policy but added that courts could still assess the order’s compliance with the constitution.

They discussed whether the ban violated the constitution by targeting a religious group (Muslims) but did not reach a conclusion.

The judges also found ‘no evidence that any alien from any of the countries named in the order’ had committed a terrorist attack in the US.

However, the judges said both sides had made compelling cases: “On the one hand, the public has a powerful interest in national security and in the ability of an elected president to enact policies.

“And on the other, the public also has an interest in free flow of travel, in avoiding separation of families, and in freedom from discrimination.”

The appeal judges did not rule on the constitutionality of the order, just on the question of ending the temporary ban.

Mr Trump responded to the ruling by tweeting his dissent, and then gave an audio statement saying it was a political decision.

The justice department, which made representations to the appeals court on behalf of the White House, said in a statement it was ‘reviewing the decision and considering its options’.

Washington State Attorney-General Bob Ferguson, who had sued over the ban, said it was a complete victory for the state.

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio said: “Here in New York – the safest big city in America – we will always protect our neighbours, no matter where they came from or when they got here. Those are our values.”

Donald Trump’s lawyers did not make their case. In fact, according to three 9th Circuit judges, they did not even really try to make their case. Rather than explaining why the temporary travel ban was needed, the administration argued that the president’s authority on immigration was so sweeping that they did not have to explain why the order was necessary.

According to the court, the government was unable to say why Mr Trump’s ban addressed a pressing national security threat that a temporary stay of the order would worsen. The lawyers for the challenging states, on the other hand, convinced the judges that re-imposing the order at this point would create further chaos by infringing on the due process rights of those on US soil, regardless of their immigration status.

By issuing a unanimous, unsigned opinion, the judges avoid accusations of partisan bias, as one of the three was a Republican appointee.

Mr Trump tweeted a sharp ‘see you in court’ following the decision – but which court? An appeal to the Supreme Court seems likely, although a better move for the president may be to fight in the lower court until Judge Neil Gorsuch joins the top court, establishing a conservative majority on the bench.

 

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