RATED HIGHLY: Former Minister for Economic Monitoring Henry Banyezaki with other EALA contestants including Fred Mukasa Mbidde, Susan Nakawuki and Mathias Kasamba.
FormerMinister of State for Economic Monitoring Henry Banyenzaki has intensified lobbying amongst Members of Parliament, winning the hearts of the Buganda Caucus to have him elected among the 10 EALA representatives.
Political parties, independent MPs and special groups in Parliament are have busied themselves in efforts to fill the 10 positions reserved for Uganda.
Politicians intending to vie for those positions have started campaigns and among them is Banyenzaki who represented Rubanda West in the 9th, 10th and 11th Parliament.
Banyenzaki, who is well known for his strong opinions on public matters and led the ‘NRM rebel MPs’, says he is to champion trade, agriculture amongst the people of the East African region.
“I am convinced that EALA is a good platform for us to market what we are good at and in this case, we are better placed as Uganda to do trade and market our agricultural produce since we have an added advantage over other countries in the region. And basing on the above, I will champion trade and agriculture if elected to represent Uganda,” Mr. Banyenzaki exclusively told EageOnline.
EagleOnline understands that Banyenzaki, former Nyabushozi legislator Mary Mugyenyi, who also previously served as Minister for Agriculture and Animal Industry and former Makerere University Guild President Sarah Kagingo are rating high above other contestants in the Western Region.
A holder of a Bachelors Degree in Social Sciences and Masters Degree in Sector Planning and Management, Banyezaki has held several positions of responsibilty in Uganda and eslewhere on the globe including being a Board Advisor East Africa on the American Chamber of Commerce in Texas, USA.
Continental superstar Eddy Kenzo has scooped a collabo with renowned Jamaican American reggae singer and songwriter, Alaine.
We have learned the two have finished their recordings in studio and it’s a matter of time the song to hit the continent.
The song which has been titled ‘Addicted’ is set to come out in two days’ time.
Previously Alaine recorded a song ‘Nakupenda Pia’ with Kenya’s Wyre a couple of years back. The song is one of the biggest songs to have come out of East Africa.
Congolese music legend, Koffi Olomide is set to perform in Uganda soon.
But unlike his previous shows in the country that were open to the public, this will be at an exclusive party.
His services have been paid for by city socialite, Jack Pemba. We have learnt that the ‘selfie’ musician will perform in Uganda on Pemba’s 45 birthday set for February 3, 2017. Word has it that Pemba coughed Shs71million for Olomide’s services.
The last time Koffi Olomide held a show in Uganda was in 2014 at Lugogo Cricket Oval. The show was a sell-out. He was set to hold a mega show in Kenya last year though, he was deported shortly after arrival in Nairobi when he assaulted one of his dancers, an incident that attracted public outcry amongst Kenyans and human right activists.
He denied the woman having been part of his crew, maintaining she was an aggressor. He was briefly arrested and released a week later before being deported.
COMMENDED TEAM: Hon. Bazivamo with the Senior Management of the IUCEA
The Deputy Secretary General of the East African Community in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Christophe Bazivamo, has concluded a working visit to two EAC Institutions, the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) and Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO). The Deputy Secretary General also toured the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI).
As part of the Deputy Secretary General’s familiarization tour of the EAC Institutions based in Uganda, on the sidelines of the ongoing 5th Session of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) sitting in Kampala, Mr Bazivamo met the management and staff of LVFO, led by the Executive Secretary, Mr. Godfrey Mono.
Mr. Mono briefed the EAC official on the milestones LVFO has undertaken as the specialized institution of the community with the mandate to manage fisheries and aquaculture for food security and wealth creation within the region.
Hon. Bazivamo commended the staff for the impressive institutional achievements despite the challenges the institution was facing.
In winding up his visit to LVFO, Hon. Bazivamo was taken on a tour of Kamik Fish Factory (Unifood) in Gomba village in Central Division in Jinja Municipality, which was gutted and burnt down by fire on January 9, 2017.
As a specialized and autonomous institution of the EAC, the programmes and activities of the LVFO are in line with the vision and strategy framework for the management of the Lake Victoria Basin developed by the EAC in 2003, and the Protocol for Sustainable Development of Lake Victoria. The operations of the LVFO are also guided by the Administrative Principles embedded in the EAC Treaty especially Article 7 which spells out the principle of subsidiarity whereby decisions are proposed at national level, harmonized and agreed upon at regional level and implemented at national level.
Hon. Bazivamo(R) with Professor Alexandre Lyambabaje.
Meanwhile, at the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), Professor Alexandre Lyambabaje, informed the Deputy Secretary General that the Institution’s main mission is to promote strategic and sustainable development of higher education systems and research for supporting East Africa’s socio-economic development and regional integration.
Prof. Lyambabaje noted that the demand for higher education in East Africa has been growing tremendously since the last decade with the number of public and private university institutions increasing exponentially. For example, the number of IUCEA member university institutions has grown from 33 in 2000 to 115 at present (2016/7). At the same time, IUCEA had experienced considerable institutional growth within the same period, which has led to expansion in activities.
The Executive Secretary disclosed that IUCEA was continuously setting policy strategies and developing appropriate interventions so as to ensure that it (IUCEA) remains relevant and effective in serving the Community.
Mr Bazivamo commended Prof. Lyambabaje and his team at IUCEA for developing a resource mobilization strategy to mitigate financial challenges being faced by the EAC Institution.
The Deputy Secretary General also visited the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI), and held discussions with the management led by the Executive Director, Prof. Charles Kwesiga. UIRI, among others, engages in applied research and other activities (such as value addition) to steer rapid industrialization in Uganda. The East African Community has recognized the Institute as a Regional Center of Excellence in Research and Development (R&D).
UIRI traces its roots to the East African Federation of the 1970, as a precursor of the then East African Research Services Organization (EARSO), which was headquartered in Nairobi and served as a regional Research and Development institution for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Upon collapse of the East African Federation, the EARSO was disbanded in 1977, and later transformed into the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute. Tanzania followed with establishment of the Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization. It was not until 2002 that Uganda fully established and legally sanctioned UIRI.
NEW CHAIRPERSON EAPP COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: Eng Irene Muloni (seated, third from right) poses for a group photo with seated (L-R) EAC Secretary General; Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, H.E. Dr. Eng. Seleshi Bekele; Minister of Water Irrigation and Electricity from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Hon. Dr. Tabitha Boutros; Minister of State for Electricity and Dams from the Republic of Sudan, Hon. Prof. Sospeter Muhongo; Minister for Energy and Minerals from the United Republic of Tanzania, Managing Director of Energy Utility Corporation Limited in Rwanda and H. E Eng. Tarek El Molla; Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources from the Arab Republic of Egypt, with (standing) members of the EAPP Steering Committe and other stakeholders present at the meeting.
Ugandan Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Eng. Irene Muloni will chair the East Africa Power Pool (EAPP) Council of Ministers for the next year.
Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko; EAC Secretary General giving his opening remarks at the 12th Council of Ministers opening session.
Eng. Muloni, who replaces Tanzanian Minister for Energy and Minerals, Prof. Sospeter Muhongo, was elected at the weekend during the 12th EAPP Council of Ministers meeting in Arusha, presided over by the EAC Secretary General Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko.
The meeting was attended by five Ministers: Dr. Eng. Seleshi Bekele (Minister of Water Irrigation and Electricity, Ethiopia); Eng. Tarek El Molla (Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Egypt); Hon. Dr. Tabitha Boutros (Minister of State for Electricity and Dams, Sudan), Eng. Muloni and Prof. Muhongo, who also chaired the Ministerial Session.
In his remarks, Amb. Mfumukeko emphasized the importance of the EAPP in contributing to socio-economic growth in East Africa.
“The provision of adequate, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy services is a key priority area in our energy sector for realizing the vision we have for East Africa as well as electricity interconnectivity across borders to promote the broader EAC objective of attracting investment and promoting competitiveness and trade,” he said.
Amb. Liberat urged EAPP to engage with the EAC Secretariat and its Partner States in the formulation of the 10-year Strategic Action Plan which will address the underlying challenges within the energy sector across the region.
EAPP’s main objective is to optimize development of energy resources in the region and to ease the access to electricity power supply to all citizens of the countries in the Eastern Africa Region through the regional power interconnections.
Member countries of the region have actively been implementing power generation and transmission projects. Most of the interconnection projects are now progressing so fast that before 2020 all of EAPP’s members, except Libya and Egypt, will be interconnected by power exchange (trade). Libya and Egypt are already connected but the proposed link between Egypt and Sudan is now at feasibility study stage.
Present at the meeting were senior officers from the member countries’ energy sectors, Independent Regulatory Board members and Development Partners including the World Bank, Power Africa, Sweden, African Development Bank, Norway and China.
As part of the milestones EAPP has so far achieved is development of a detailed process and principles documents that provides a step by step stakeholder process (simulates regulatory process) and technical guidance. This is to support transmission of firm power sale from Ethiopia to Tanzania (200 MWs) for 20 years.
At the closing session, Prof. Muhongo cited that EAPP was also looking to standardize willing charges among its member states in order to facilitate smooth exchange of power within the region.
IRENE NTALE LEFT ON MUTUAL CONSENT: Swangz Ave boss Benon Mugumbya
Fast-rising musician Irene Ntale went public on Monday about her departure from Swangz Ave, and immediately announced her kid sister Sandra Ntale as her manager.
Well, Swangz Ave boss Benon Mugumbya has also spoken out about Irene Ntale’s departure, saying it was by mutual consent. He also clarified that it was Irene who requested for the separation though no reason has been given yet.
Irene Ntale
“Swangz Avenue and Irene Ntale have parted company by mutual consent. We would like to bring to record our thanks to Irene Ntale for the hard work, integrity and honesty she put forward during our four years of work,” says Mugumbya.
He added that Irene Ntale is the biggest artiste to have emerged from Swangz Ave for the nine years that they have been in existence.
“All at Swangz thank Irene for her immense contribution since we signed her in March of 2013. Her numerous awards and numerous chat topping hits in just 4 years make Irene the most successful female artiste in our 9 year history. Irene asked to leave the label and we believe it is in the best interests of both parties.”
“Swangz wishes to make clear Irene leaves us on good terms and will always remain a much-loved, respected and significant figure at Swangz. Her legacy at Swangz and the country at large has long been guaranteed and she will always be warmly received. We wish Irene all the best in her endeavors.”
Irene Ntale officially parted ways with Swangz Ave yesterday breaking the news of her exit through social media. According to sources, the ‘Sembera’ hit maker has not been at ease with her management since her first concert.
It’s said she was not pleased with the way the proceeds from her massively attended concert were shared. She had actually planned to quit immediately but later opted to hold on. Others sources say she quit because Swangz Ave had systematically started sidelining her with all attention turning to Winnie Nwagi.
The Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu PF) youth league has equated President Robert Mugabe to Jesus Christ, saying his birthday should be celebrated as if it is Christmas Day, because to them, the 93-year-old leader is ‘The Messiah’.
“To us, February 21 is not just a day. To us, it is a special day we treat in the same manner Christians treat December 25, the birthday of Jesus Christ. I don’t want to be blasphemous, but in my humble view, President Mugabe is second to Jesus Christ. He is our saviour, so his birthday means a lot for us the youths of Zimbabwe,” the ruling party’s national youth leader, Kudzai Chipanga said in an interview.
Chipanga further said Mugabe, approaching 93, was also blessed with divine wisdom and was the only person capable of steering Zimbabwe from its current economic mess.
“We will not allow those plotting to take over his post, saying he is old to do so. Look, this is not an age contest that we have at hand, but dealing with wisdom, not just wisdom, divine wisdom for that matter,” he said.
However, his declarations have been met with scorn by civic society and opposition parties.
Political commentator, Blessing Vava said Chipanga’s thinking reflected the ‘dead end’, which Zanu PF had found itself in relying on a man, who was past the afternoon of his life.
“It has gone beyond bootlicking. It, however, shows Zanu PF has reached a dead end. They can’t even see beyond Mugabe. There is nothing divine about Mugabe and it’s actually sad that you have a young man celebrating and idolising a very old man, who is now incapacitated. Zimbabwe is bigger than Mugabe and any other individual,” he said.
MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said Chipanga should not be taken seriously, as the 34-year-old Zanu PF youth leader was singing for his last supper.
“Chipanga is a lost cause. He is singing very loudly for his supper. Let me tell him straight in his face, that Robert Mugabe is the biggest and most lethal problem that Zimbabwe has ever faced on both the political and socio-economic fronts since the country attained independence in April 1980,” he said.
“It is not only blasphemous, but also downright daft and degrading to compare Jesus Christ with a cruel, corrupt and intolerant dictator in the mould of Robert Mugabe,” Gutu added.
MDC spokeperson, Kurauone Chihwayi said: “Kudzi Chipanga is a badly groomed G40 gang member growing up among merciless vultures and jackals. That is a blasphemous statement by a misguided trainee Zanu PF bully. The young man is too blunt to know, learn or see the difference between the two.”
Qalaa Holdings, a leading investor in energy and infrastructure in Africa is holding talks with several prospective local and international investors for the sale of its stake in the Rift Valley Railways (RVR), a company jointly-owned by Kenya and Uganda.
Qalaa’s indirect ownership in RVR stands at 73.76% and the company has been classified as a discontinued operation on Qalaa’s financial statements since the first quarter of 2016.
The decision to divest from RVR comes in the wake of management’s conclusion that additional capital is required to complete the company’s transformation programme, which has already yielded positive results on RVR’s operational performance.
Until such time a sale agreement is reached, Qalaa will continue to provide operational and managerial support to RVR, all while pushing ahead with the railway’s three-point turnaround strategy, reads a statement on the company’s website.
SET: Hon Mukasa Mbidde is set to introduce the EAC Cross-Border Trade in Professional Services Bill, 2016
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) sitting in Kampala, Uganda has granted members leave of absence to introduce three key bills including the EAC Youth Council Bill, 2017, the EAC Mining Bill, 2017 and the EAC Cross Border Trade in Professional Services Bill 2016.
SUPPORTIVE: Hon Nusura Tiperu rises in support of the EAC Youth Council Bill, 2017
The EAC Youth Council Bill, 2017 is to be moved by Hon Susan Nakawuki, and will provide for the establishment of the EAC Youth Council. Members who supported the motion said the Bill is timely in its quest to mainstream youth issues in all EAC development policies and programmes.
The EAC Youth Council among other things anticipates provision of unified and integrated system through which the youth may communicate and co-ordinate their ideas, and encourage them (youth) to consolidate their role in development in the economic, social, cultural and educational fields.
Hon Mukasa Mbidde also got the green light to introduce the EAC Cross Border Trade in Professional Services Bill, 2016, that will pave the way for professionals to crisscross the region as they render their services in line with the Common Market Protocol. The Bill also takes into cognisance the exceptions with respect to movements, the threshold of the Common Market Protocol with respect to the freedoms and rights, the mutual recognitions in place as well as the Principle of variable geometry.
Hon Abubakar Zein contributes to the debate in the House
On his part, Hon Abdullah Mwinyi said Partner States need to harmonise their laws in line with adoption of common approaches as envisaged under Article 120, while Hon AbuBakr Ogle however cited a similar Bill brought to the floor of the House by Hon Dora Byamukama.
At the moment, architects and engineers are among the professions that have completed their Mutual Recognition Agreements while that of Lawyers is still pending.
The House also granted leave to Hon Chris Opoka to move the EAC Mining Bill 2016, premised on the EAC Vision 2050 and to operationalize Article 114(2)(c)(iv) of the Treaty which specifically calls for the harmonization of mining regulations to ensure environmentally friendly and sound mining practices.
The Bill is also to provide a transparent and accountable mechanisms for the reporting of mining and mineral related activities in the Community. Ultimately, this Bill is to reduce the differences in the operating environment for the mining industry among the member countries of the region.
Last week, the House also granted leave to Hon Dr Odette Nyiramilimo to introduce the EAC Sexual and Reproductive Health Bill, 2017 which shall provide for matters relating to sexual and reproductive health, to protect children, adolescents and young children from sexual abuse and other forms of exploitation and to provide for assisted reproductive technology and for related matters.
Pursuant to the provisions of Article 59 (1) of the Treaty and Rule 64 (1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, it can grant leave for introduction of Private Members’ bills.
A photo of one of the youthful agricultural entreprenuers
More than 300 global and African thought leaders and youth agripreneurs will converge on the Rwanda capital Kigali for The MasterCard Foundation’s second Young Africa Works Summit on February 16-17.
According to the organisers, the event will spark new thinking on how Africa’s growing youthful population can transform the agricultural sector. Fifty young people will also attend to share their perspectives on employment and self-employment in the sector.
“Africa is home to the world’s youngest population with enormous potential to improve agricultural productivity and make the sector a viable source of employment for youth across the continent,” Ann Miles, Director of Financial Inclusion and Youth Livelihoods, The MasterCard Foundation, says.
“The 2017 Summit will highlight the contributions being made by young people to transform the agricultural sector from subsistence farming to a modern, competitive, sustainable, and equitable business,” she added.
With 11 million young Africans entering the job market annually and the rapid expansion of the continent’s agricultural sector, young people are driving the modernization of agriculture through the use of innovative technologies and production systems.
The need for agricultural transformation on the continent, however, has never been more pressing. The increasing severity of climate change is already amplifying existing stress on water availability and food security in many African countries. And a growing youth population means this group will be particularly vulnerable.
Despite economic growth over the last 10 years, the continent has yet to experience the levels of agricultural productivity that historically paved the way to modernization and industrialization of middle and high-income countries. The agricultural sector, already the largest sector for employment in Africa, is expected to create eight million stable jobs by 2020 and offers tremendous promise for catalyzing prosperity and creating sustainable livelihoods for young people.
“Agricultural transformation is a clarion call for us, the youth of Africa,” says Pilirani Khoza, Founder of Bunda Female Students Organisation at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“For decades, agriculture has continued to operate using the same static methods and technologies adopted by our forefathers. We must adopt the new technologies that are available to us. Youth are technological doers and thinkers, they are energetic and hungry for knowledge and they should be actively involved in transforming Africa,” Khoza adds.
