ASSISTANCE: State Minister for Animal Industry Joy Kabatsi, Alhaji Jallow, the FAO country and othe ministry officials at the function. representativeKafureka
The Food and Agricultural Organisation is to spend about US$ 500,000 through technical support project that is being developed in a bid to help National Animal disease Diagnosis and Epidemiology Center (NADDEC) in joint surveillance.
The disclosure was made by Alhaji Jallow, the FAO country representative, while handing over items worth US$ 45,729 to combat the outbreak of H5N8 in Uganda.
ADDRESS: The Director of Animal Resources in MAAIF Dr Juliet Sentumbwe
During the function the Director of Animal Resources in MAAIF Dr Juliet Sentumbwe lauded FAO for its assistance.
“This was additional aid from the funding FAO rendered to National Animal Disease Diagnosis and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC) in the Joint surveillance trip to Masaka and Kalamojja district which facilitated rapid risk analysis,” Dr Sentumbwe said.
She added: ”Other surveillance will be conducted in Kisoro, Wakiso and Budawa, and FAO will conduct more training to lab staff in advanced diagnosis of Avian Influenza, capacity training in bio safety and security.”
The Acting Commissioner Veterinary Diagnosis and Epidemiology Dr Anna Rose Ademun Okurut
On her part the Acting Commissioner Veterinary Diagnosis and Epidemiology Dr Anna Rose Ademun Okurut, revealed that samples from a bird that died at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) on January 3, contained traits of the H5N8 influenza, which affects both birds and humans.
She said the samples were sent to Italy and the initial results were positive “since we had managed to screen them to the maximum levels that are available in Italy.”
According to Dr Okurut, all neighbouring countries have now boycotted Ugandan poultry products.
“A team from Kenya is now in Uganda to find out if the flu has been eradicated and when they finalize with their visit all the rest will adopt the resolution taken by Kenya,” she said, adding however, that the flu has been contained in the infested areas.
In her remarks the State Minister for Animal Industry Joy Kabatsi Kafureka said all infested areas have already been contained and have clear protection.
She however, wondered why the neighbours were getting itchy.
“All our neighbours claim that they do not have any infections yet birds fly all over Lake Victoria, how is it possible that they only choose to die on Ugandan beaches,” she wondered.
She also raised an alarm about the ticks affecting the cattle corridor in at least 23 districts, saying it resulted from climate change.
“Government has prepared a drive to cleanse all the herds and a team was sent to Cuba to get vaccines against ticks,” she said.
TOUGH DECISION: OMPA members Giles Muhame (Chairman) and Nicholas Mwesigwa
The Online Media Publishers Association (OMPA) has today resolved to block all locally generated Google advertisements on all its members’ websites.
According to the OMPA Chairman Giles Muhame, the move is aimed at safeguarding the commercial interests of the online publications.
Below is the full statement by OMPA Chairman
The Online Media Publishers Association (OMPA) has today resolved to block all locally generated Google advertisements on all its members’ websites.
The association reached this unanimous decision in the interest of safeguarding members’ commercial interests in light of a growing trend by local companies to redirect digital advertising to ad serving operations, notably, Google Ads, leading to a loss of significant amounts of revenue for OMPA members. Similarly, however, all other alternative ad serving operations will also be blocked.
Local organizations henceforth will not be able to have their services/products displayed on Ugandan OMPA member websites if their advertisements are channeled through Google or other ad servers. Only foreign ads served by Google (and similar operations) will be allowed to display on members’ websites,’ the OMPA officials say.
They add that the move is aimed at encouraging Ugandan companies/institutions/organizations to make good use of local sites which enjoy a combined audience/reach of 8 million people to market their services.
It is our belief as an association that this will lead to a mutually beneficial relationship where indigenous websites are empowered to grow, thanks to the advertising revenue from local partners while at the same time delivering an even greater value for local advertisers by reaching wider audiences. Members will in future consider how to move forward with public relations stories.
Below are the OMPA members signatory to the decision:
A senior army officer could face a storm as information emerges that his closeness to a certain regional government is worrying his superiors.
The flamboyant General is said to be in good books with the regional State House and is reported to be making endless journeys there in the name of work-related activities.
However, what is giving the Kampala establishment sleepless nights is that this very General is close to the powers that be. However, other senior players and observers say although the ‘Old Man with the hat’ has previously been confiding a lot in this very officer, his reliance on him could be dwindling, given the latest briefing about his blue-eyed boy.
Sources say the reports about this individual could further be complicated by the fact that the officer himself and his wife are linked to the said country.
'SEEN FIRST MIRACLE': Amarula Family comedian Kapere
Amarula Family comedian, Kapere became a born-again Christian last week at Pastor Robert Kayanja’s church in Rubaga.
But unlike singer Qute Kaye who got his ‘miracle’ immediately when he was given a brand new Mitsubishi Pajero, Kapere would have to wait for more days for his miracle to happen.
The good news is, his ‘miracle’ finally arrived too, and he will soon be back on our screens after landing a job with Kayanja’s TV station, Channel 44. The show is said to start airing this week.
The news was given to the comedian by Kayanja himself before a congregation of hundreds of faithful. The ‘man of God’ promised that more miracles were still on the way for Kapere.
Kapere is the third ‘celebrity’ to see ‘Kayanja’s miracles’ after musician Qute Kaye and faded socialite Bad Black aka Shanita Namuyimba, who was given money after she told the ‘Pastor’ that people had turned her into a laughing stock, saying she had remained broke despite getting saved.
“I will send you some money on mobile money so you can share with those laughing at you. No person gets saved and remains poor. Am I poor? No… I am not poor…” Kayanja repeatedly told Bad Black.
UNDER ATTACK! Kampala minister Beti Kamya and the KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi
“I thought the Kampala Minister had given the traders in Park Yard thirty days ultimatum to vacate the place,” Joel Kamadhi started off, feigning a stern look at lawyer Rebecca Kagada, aka Rebecca K.
Kamadhi added: “Now that they have demolished the market, what will happen? Can’t the traders sue government for any breach?”
PARK YARD DEMOLITION: Kampala minister Beti Olive Kamya
Then in reply lawyer Rebecca K went legal. “Well, it depends, if the Minister communicated about the ultimatum to the traders in writing, then that is a commitment and the traders can sue government and the Minister as an individual if they can link her to the events surrounding their eviction.”
Then Chairman of the club Bonnabagaga Akalyamaggwa weighed in, saying the Park Yard traders and the government at one time ‘enjoyed’ cordial relations, with the President offering them one billion shillings when the market first caught fire in 2011.
“But what happened to the former friendship between the traders and government? Is it possible that just a few years down the road government can now turn around and treat them the way it did?” Akalyamaggwa wondered.
“By the way, this matter of Park Yard is not a ‘joking subject’, now the no-nonsense Speaker of Parliament has asked government to provide a report about the eviction, and who knows, she may also institute an inquiry. Have you seen what my son who heads the Committee on Statutory Agencies is doing with those people of the handshake? We may soon see more people wipe sweat off their faces using the back of their bare hands,” Kamadhi interjected in support of the chairman’s contribution.
DISTANCED HERSELF FROM PARK YARD DEMOLITION: KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi Semakula
“Actually, the Kampala City Executive Director and her deputy have already absolved the institution they head of any wrongdoing; that leaves the Kampala minister in a tricky situation,” Insect Professor Ogeng Ladit said.
He was supported by the usually-laid back Yorokamu Bwambale, who said Minister Beti Kamya was ‘overzealous’.
“I think the Minister wants to show the appointing authority that she is worth the job and much more; do you remember when she assured him that she would ensure that he gets over 80 per cent of the vote in Kampala?” Bwambale asked.
He quickly hazarded an answer: “I wonder how she will now pull that off since she has rubbed the electorate the wrong way.”
Then enter Chairman Bonabagaga Akalyamaggwa, theorizing about ‘the invisible face behind the eventual takeover of the market’.
“There are so many theories about who actually is behind the who issue; some people are saying it is a certain youthful city tycoon, while others are saying he is being fronted by a top official so close to the centre of power,” Chairman Akalyamaggwa said, quickly reminding the members, most especially Bwambale, about the club policy: ‘no mentioning of names’.
An image showing the location of Kasokoso
The Gaudensia Mbaroraburora interjected; telling the members that next place to be ‘raided’ might be the neighbouring locale of Kasokoso.
A photo of the sprawling Kasokoso slum area
“You see government gets whatever it wants; matters of that land in Kasokoso have been an on-and-off affair but one day the people there will just find themselves in the same situation like those others in Park Yard; in fact I believe if Kasokoso was not a residential area, those people would have been displaced long ago,” she said, prompting an aggressive interruption by Hitler Eregu, the former rebel-turned ruling party cadre.
“On that one things will not be easy; I cannot imagine losing my small house there, that is all I have to show and it is my livelihood,” Eregu said.
Eregu then reminded the members about the resistance they (people of Kasokoso) put up against the Police and then Kira Mayor, adding: “I lost all my property during the Teso insurgency and if I also lose the Kasokoso house then I will be finished; in fact you will never see me on the malwa pot again since I will have no home in the area anymore.”
As the evening grew deeper Chairman Akalyamaggwa drew our attention to the just-concluded East African Legislative Assembly, telling the group of how hid Democratic Party stalwart had outwitted the electors.
MADE TACTFUL MOVE: DP Vice President Fred Mukasa Mbidde
“You lawyers are very brilliant,” he told Rebecca K, adding: “When one of our DP people went to Masindi for the NRM Liberation Day celebrations, many of you castigated him, saying he was a ‘sell out’. But that man is clever and among all the opposition candidates he stood out,” Chairman Akalyamaggwa bragged.
And before anybody made a comment about his one-sided observation, he dispersed the meeting claiming it was late!
FIRE! FDC Iron Lady Ingrid Turinawe while appearing on NBS TV show ‘Morning Breeze’ early today. Pic/NBS TV
“Dictator! Dictator! The FDC – Independent lady was a better candidate,” the members shouted in unison, adding: “she managed to expose our MPs’ nativity.”
It was at this point that the Chairman brought the sitting to an abrupt end.
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Uganda has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in a bid to ensure the city remains clean.
Speaking on behalf of CCBA, Norah Odwesso, the Group Director Public Affairs and Communications expressed excitement at signing the partnership with KCCA, which will also help create jobs for many urban poor.
“As a responsible company, we focus on constantly reducing the impact of our packaging on the environment through the light weighting of our packaging material and supporting recycling efforts,” Ms Odwesso said.
“In Uganda, we were the first Company to construct PET collection centres across the entire country when we first launched plastic packaging in 2010. Right now, our recycling plant in Nakawa collects between 7- 10 tonnes of plastic per day, ridding the environment over 300 tonnes of plastic per month,” she added.
Through the recycling efforts, she said, the company has been able to create employment for over 1500 Ugandans, especially the urban poor, with 80% of the plastic containers’ collectors women who at least earn about $17 per week.
Speaking during the MOU signing event, the KCCA Executive Director Mrs. Jennifer Musisi said the authority will take all collected plastic waste using their trucks to the Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Plastic Recycling plant in Nakawa.
Celebrated news anchor Patrick Kazaalabwana Mukasa last month resigned from NTV, where he has been working for over three years.
In the resignation letter, Mukasa stated that he was going to concentrate on his business.
To the shock of many, Mukasa was on TV yesterday (Thursday) presenting NTV’s weekly news segment ‘Yogera Naffe’.
However, we have learnt that his u-turn wasn’t out of his wish but rather he was duped by conmen.
At the time of writing his resignation letter, in January, he was planning to travel to Sweden for kyeyo. His sold off his car and motor cycle to raise funds for the trip but sadly, it later turned out that the people he had trusted to pursue his travel documents were conmen.
It is said that on getting Mukasa’s money, they disappeared in thin air! Left without almost nothing, Mukasa reportedly returned to the station and apologized to management was given a ‘second chance’ by management.
Mukasa rose to fame at Bukedde TV where he used to anchor and voice their popular ‘Agataliko Nfufu’ news. His unique voice prompted NTV to poach him from Bukedde in 2013.
He had since then been working at NTV as a reporter and news anchor of the 7pm news ‘NTV Akawungezi’.
SAFE? Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been acquitted of 2012 charges
Six years after the uprising that ended his rule, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been acquitted over his alleged involvement in the killings of hundreds of protesters in 2011.
The Court of Cassation’s final ruling could see Mubarak walk free.
After an all-day hearing, Judge Ahmed Abdel Qawi announced: “The court has found the defendant innocent.”
The Cairo-based court rejected demands by lawyers of the victims to reopen civil suits, leaving no remaining option for appeal or retrial.
Mubarak was accused of inciting the deaths of nearly 900 protesters in an 18-day uprising that ended when he stepped down on February 11, 2011.
He had been sentenced to life in 2012 but an appeals court ordered a retrial, which dismissed the charges two years later.
Mubarak, 88, has spent most of his time in a military hospital since his arrest in 2011.
He arrived to court on Thursday on a stretcher.
In January 2016, the appeals court had upheld a three-year prison sentence for Mubarak and his two sons on corruption charges.
But the sentence took into account time served. Both his sons, Alaa and Gamal, were freed.
Most of the charges brought against Mubarak’s government members have been dismissed while the country still recovers from the aftermath of the uprising.
Mubarak’s successor, democratically elected Mohamed Morsi, served for only a year before the military ousted and detained him in 2013, launching a deadly crackdown on his supporters.
Morsi and hundreds of his supporters have been sentenced in mass trials, although many of them are appealing the verdicts.
A former air force chief and vice president, Mubarak became president after fighters who had infiltrated the army shot dead president Anwar Sadat during a military parade in 1981, also wounding Mubarak.
FLASHBACK: Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi (L) talks to an unidentified person. Photo/Reuters
Democratic Republic of Congo’s largest opposition party said it had named the son of its late leader Etienne Tshisekedi to succeed him, but some within the opposition rejected the choice.
Felix Tshisekedi was chosen to lead the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), which was thrown into crisis by the death of his father in Brussels last month, aged 84.
Tshisekedi led Congo’s main opposition bloc during negotiations in December that resulted in a deal obliging President Joseph Kabila to step down after elections that must happen this year.
His death sparked clashes between supporters and security forces in the capital Kinshasa, but it also left opposition to Kabila divided, which has played into his hands.
Kabila, the country’s leader since 2001, remained in power when his constitutional mandate expired on Dec. 19, sparking unrest that stoked fears of Congo sliding back into the anarchy and civil war of the turn of the century.
“It’s Felix who is the president of the movement,” Jose Endundo, a leader within the coalition, said by telephone.
But Endundo said that at least two of the nine political platforms represented in the party did not accept the process which led to the choice of Felix Tshisekedi as leader and former Kabila ally Pierre Lumbi as president of the bloc’s political bureau.
Martin Fayulu, a prominent opposition leader who was competing with Lumbi to lead the political bureau, said that the posts were supposed to be decided by consensus but instead ended up being determined by majority rule.
“The population is not going to be happy when they learn that,” Fayulu said.
FINANCES TO BE PROBED: Former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh
Gambian police are examining the bank accounts of former President Yahya Jammeh and his family.
Mr Jammeh who ruled the Gambia for 22 years, went into exile in January following his defeat by Adama Barrow in December 2016 presidential elections.
Mr Barrow’s government have since accused him of looting from state coffers and leaving the country’s economy nearly bankcrupt.
Acting on presidential directives, police have contacted the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of the Gambia to go after Mr Jammeh’s various accounts where he may have to stashed over US$50 million he allegedly looted from the state.
As part of investigations, police will forensically examine key data including the dates the accounts were opened and statements.
Mr Jammeh was the richest Gambian. During his long reign, he was able to accumulate a personal wealth which was more than the Gambian state.
