Tiwa Savage’s Roc Nation career has been off to a promising start so far. She’s been well aligned with artistes who only enhance her sound; Wizkid, Young Paris and Busy Signal for singles and now it looks like she’s about to drop her most adventurous song since signing with the label.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Nigerian singer shared a picture of herself in studio with Congolese musician, Awilo Longomba.
Awilo Longomba is one of the musicians whose music won him a cult following in Nigeria; Nigerians just can’t have enough of him. He has previously recorded songs with Nigerian musicians like P Square and Yemi Alade among others.
The Cabinet has directed Attorney General’s chambers to ensure that the stand-off between Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Justice Steven Kavuma of the Constitutional Court is resolved expeditiously.
The directive by cabinet follows an ugly spat that spiraled and negatively impacted on the image of government when Kadaga and Justice Kavuma disagreed over a restraining order issued by the latter, barring Parliament to debate an issue regarding Shs6 billion, shared out between 43 senior government officials.
As a result of the stand-off between the two, the Speaker, who referred the Judge’s order as ‘stupid’, has since adjourned parliamentary sittings till the order, brought before the House by Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana, is vacated.
The controversial money that has put a cog in the wheels of government is part of the US$434 million won by Uganda following a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) case against two oil prospecting companies, Heritage Oil and Gas and Tullow Oil Uganda, after several court battles in Uganda’s Tax Appeal Tribunal, High Court of Appeal and High Court of London, Court of Appeal of UK and two international tribunals.
The money, now dubbed ‘presidential handshake’ or ‘oil cash bonanza’ that has since caused a public outcry was shared by officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA); the ministries of finance and justice, and the Attorney General’s chambers, with the highest beneficiary getting UgShs262 million and the lowest getting UgShs90 million.
STILL AROUND: Embattled Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh
Embatled Gambia President Yahya Jammeh has made a desperate bid at the Supreme Court to stop President-elect Adama Barrow from being sworn-in pending the outcome of his election petition.
Mr Barrow is due to be sworn-in next Friday as the Gambia’s third president after he was declared winner of last month’s presidential election by the country’s electoral commission.
Mr Jammeh had initially conceded defeat and praised the electoral system as rigged proof. He changed his mind a week later and declared the results null and void citing huge and unacceptable mistakes by the electoral commission.
He later filed a suit at the Supreme Court asking judges to determine that Adama Barrow was not duly elected or returned as president, and that the said election was void.
But the court is unable to hold a hearing until May – as most of the judges come from neighbouring countries – and Mr Jammeh’s mandates ends on January 18.
He has since filed another motion asking the Supreme Court to issue an order restraining Mr Barrow from presenting himself before the Chief Justice of the Gambia or any judicial or quasi-judicial officer or any person in whatever capacity whatsoever for swearing-in or inauguration as president of the Gambia on January 19, 2017 or any other date pending the determination of the election petition.
The suit which was prepared by Mr Jammeh’s lawyer, Edward Gomez and supported with the sworn affidavit of Seedy Njie, a nominated member of the National Assembly, minister of Information and spokesman for Mr Jammeh’s APRC party, also wants the court to make an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Mr Jammeh, his government, agents, servants, workers, employees or any person acting in whatever capacity from preparing, arranging, organising, conducting, partaking or participating in any manner or form in the swearing-in and/inaugurating of Mr Barrow.
The Gambia’s Supreme Court has not been properly constituted since May 2015 following the unexplained dismissal of two justices by Mr Jammeh. And it is not clear whether a single justice of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Emmanuel Fagbenle, will be able to hear Mr Jammeh’s motion.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is spearheading regional (ECOWAS) efforts to persuade Mr Jammeh to stand down, and yesterday Nigerian MPs in the lower house of parliament voted to grant Mr Jammeh asylum if he gave up power.
NO NEED FOR PEACEKEEPERS: South Sudan Defence Minister Kuol Manyang Juuk
South Sudan has announced it will no longer accept the deployment of an additional 4,000 United Nations peacekeepers, saying the security situation in the county has improved.
The regional protection force, authorised by the UN Security Council in August 2016 after renewed fighting in the capital, Juba, is meant to strengthen the 13,500-strong UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.
The government’s move is a reversal of its earlier decision in November to accept the troops’ deployment.”The government of South Sudan has the ability to provide security and stability for the country and for its citizens without the deployment of a … protection force,” South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Mawien Makol Ariik said.
Defence Minister Kuol Manyang Juuk also said there was no need for the regional protection forces to be deployed in South Sudan.
“Most of the people abroad still believe that there is fighting in Juba and around the country … but Juba is now secure,” Juuk said.
Juuk’s remarks contradict reports of recent fighting in the north and south of the country.
The South Sudanese government had warned in August 2016 that the deployment of more UN forces would marginalise its sovereignty, but later gave its consent amid the threat of an arms embargo.
In December, a UN human rights commission urged a rapid deployment of the additional peacekeepers amid reports of ethnic killings.
A political split between President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his former deputy Riek Machar escalated into a military conflict in December 2013. Tens of thousands have been killed and more than two million displaced.
A unity government was formed in April, but fighting broke out again in July, sending Machar into exile.
The UN’s top human rights official has previously blamed South Sudanese government troops and rebels loyal to the president of ethnically targeted violations, including extrajudicial executions and sexual violence incidences in August 2015.
Former Kenyan UNMISS Commander Lt Gen Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki.
In early November, Ban Ki-moon, the former UN secretary-general, dismissed the commander of the UNMISS force, Kenyan Lt. Gen. Johnson Kimani Ondieki, following a damning report that accused the peacekeepers of failing to protect civilians during the outbreak of violence in July.The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has previously faced criticism for failing to fully protect civilians facing violence.
The report from a UN special investigation found that a lack of leadership in the UNMISS ended in a “chaotic and ineffective response” during the heavy fighting in the capital, Juba, from July 8 to 11 that killed dozens of people.
South Sudanese government has regretted the hoisting upside down of her national flag during President Salva Kiir’s visit to Cairo, Egypt.
The national flag is usually hoisted in a way that places up the black side, which represents the people of South Sudan but this black colour was seen hoisted upside down during President Kiir’s arrival at the Egyptian airport and in other main streets through which the president and his entourage passed.
The upside down display was also in the background of the handshake of President Kiir and his host and was hoisted on a stand next to Egyptian flag.
A South Sudanese diplomat at the ministry of foreign affairs said that the hoisting was ‘a human error’.
“Sincerely speaking, this was not a deliberate act on our side. It was a human error and we regret that the incident has caused inconveniences to our people, which is their right, because the flag is the symbol of the nation”, the top diplomat said.
The official was reacting to protest by South Sudanese outraged by the incident in which some described it as disrespect of the country by displaying dozens of South Sudan flags upside down during the visit of the President.
Eyewitness including South Sudanese in Egypt took to social media to express their anger; some described the incorrect display of the flag as a disgrace and demanded the Egyptian authorities to issue an apology.
The Egyptians ambassador to South Sudan, Ayman El-Gammal is yet to comment.
Joel Kamadhi arrived early enough, just to take up a seat next to Gaudensia Mbaroraburora aka Club Belle. As usual, Kamadhi looked every inch the naughty man he is, touching Club Belle in a manner suggesting he was up to some mischief. In fact, the ‘house’ was full, given that all the 43 members had gathered to ‘share the end of year party’, a ritualistic get together usually held in the first week of a new year for members to celebrate and also reflect on the group’s ‘successes’ in the past year. At the end of the fete, the members then share out money, far less than Shs6 billion, which the group saved in the last year, according to one’s contribution.
“Since the year ended about three weeks ago, I want to suggest that the group reviews the past year and also a few developments that have taken place in the last two weeks since the year began,” Kamadhi said, looking cynically at Joseph Lakony P’Orach, Hitler Eregu and Yorokamu Bwambale who were engaged in another conversation altogether with the other members. But perhaps what he did not foresee, and which was of import to note is that this time round the group had been joined by its two leading academics, controversial city lawyer Rebecca Kagada aka Rebecca K and ‘Insect Professor’ Maurice Ladit Ogeng, both of who warned Kamadhi to have his ‘facts ready for today’s steamy session’.
“It has been discovered that during our absence you tend to concoct a lot of stories, telling the group members about issues you cannot substantiate. So today since we are here, expect fireworks,” lawyer Rebecca K started off with a seemingly stern notice to Kamadhi.
“You said you worked for government for almost 40 years and even claimed that you are a cadre of the Movement, whatever that means,” Ladit Ogeng serenaded Kamadhi, in support of lawyer Rebecca K.
Professor Ogeng added: “Today we are here not to joke about; we have an important annual ritual to carry out; that of selecting the group’s ‘Best Ugandan Employee of the Year’.
And, as if in self-defence, a now seemingly cowed Kamadhi denied he had ever told the group any lies since he joined two months ago, insisting that he was always ‘misunderstood’. Meanwhile, the attack on Kamadhi by lawyer Rebecca K and Prof. Ladit Ogeng had sent Bwambale, Eregu, Lakony P’Orach and the other members into uncontrolled laughter, seeing as it is that Kamadhi usually likes riding roughshod over them.
Intriguingly, after being satisfied that Kamadhi had been ‘reduced to size’, the Chairman Richard Akalyamaggwa Bonnabagagawale aka ‘Sir Rich’ then called the ‘house’ to order, asking Lakony P’Orach to ‘set the ball rolling’.
“Please, listen to me carefully,” Lakony P’Orach begged the members before ‘tabling recent issues’ he said had had great impact on the country.
“As Bwambale will tell, in November last year his King’s palace was attacked and the King himself arrested but the country is moving on. Then, it emerged that 43 patriotic Ugandans, some of the most highly paid people in the country, beseeched the President to ‘gift’ them billions of shillings because they had helped save Uganda a loss of US$434 million. The praises from all quarters are reverberating,” Lakony P’Orach said, before pausing for effect.
Soft-spoken Bwambale joined him, telling members that ‘all was okay’ and reminding them that his King had applied for bail at a time when his mother, wife and brothers were signing a ‘peace pact’ with government, meaning that they had taken responsibility for all the messy things that happened in Kasese.
“I think that was an indictment against the other members of the royal family; can you believe that even one of them is a cabinet minister who, it is thought, is supposed to know implication of their actions?” Bwambale asked, before suggesting that “the five go to Luzira and the King be released.”
All the while club Chairman Bonnabagagawale, lawyer Rebecca K, Prof. Ladit Ogeng, Kamadhi and the other usually-laid back members listened intently, before Lakony P’Orach reminded the members that he still ‘had the floor’.
ANNOUNCED INVESTIGATION INTO OIL CASH BONANZA: The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I was still telling you about the government officials and the billions; there are murmurs that those patriotic Ugandans lied about their actual roles but I don’t see a chance that they over-hyped their role in ‘saving’ the billions for Uganda, seeing as it is that a foreign firm was also paid tens of billions to do the same work,” he said. “I think that is why they are not even afraid of an investigation announced by the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga,” Lakony P’Orach added.
Then Chairman ‘Sir Rich’ Bonnabagagawale sought the members’ attention, to introduce ‘an annual club practice’; that of voting for the ‘Best Ugandan Employee of the Year’, a preserve for those public servants who have exhibited the worst ethical conduct while in pursuit of their duties. The Chairman then called for suggestions.
“Brigadier Peter Elwelu,” Hitler Eregu, the former rebel-turned-ruling party cohort from Teso shot up, supported by the emotionally overwhelmed Yorokamu Bwambale. The two were, however, overruled by Chairman ‘Sir Rich’ Bonnabagagawale, who advised that traditionally soldiers are not part of the group’s evaluation of public servants. “Any other suggestions?” The Chairman asked. This prompted Kamadhi to come to the fore, mentioning six names of the officials who, among several others, shared between them 6 billion shillings after they had saved Uganda by ‘winning’ a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) case involving US$434 million against two oil prospecting companies, Heritage Oil and Gas and Tullow Oil.
ASKED FOR REWARD: URA Commissioner General Doris Akol
“I propose we debate the following names of the outstanding patriotic Ugandans before zeroing in on the best among them: Deputy Chief Justice and Court of Appeal Judge Justice Steven Kavuma; Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner General Doris Akol; Finance and Economic Planning Permanent Secretary and Secretary to Treasury (MoFEP PS/ST) Keith Muhakanizi; former Attorney General Peter Nyombi, former URA CG Allen Kagina and the KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi, in no particular order; nominations closed,” Kamadhi braggingly declared, before asking lawyer Rebecca K and ‘Insect Professor’ whether they had any objections to his ‘list of candidates’.
First to respond to the challenge was lawyer Rebecca K, who supported Kamadhi, albeit with an amendment. “I wholly agree with the names you have suggested, however, you should have mentioned all the 43 public servants and then enjoined Justice Kavuma to the list. That way the group would acquit itself better against accusations of having selective memories. But still my choice for overall winner is Justice Kavuma who, I think was justified in issuing the restraining order against Parliament or any other sections from debating what has now come to be known as the ‘cash bonanza,” lawyer Rebecca K said. And, weighing her words carefully, she added: “You see I have a Masters Degree in law, obtained from Zimbabwe University, an ‘African Ivy League’ university in the 1980s before Zimbabwe went to the dogs; Anyway, I don’t know whether the learned Judge also has a Masters, but surely his ruling was superb, to say the least! And to understand my stance better, you have to read a statement released by the Uganda Law Society regarding the matter; the law society pronounced itself on a public interest matter, an issue to which which Justice Kavuma paid due attention to before issuing the restraining order to Parliament.”
“I also hear he wants to reduce his age and has sworn an affidavit indicating he is four years younger than originally declared; he should be allowed so the country continues to benefit from extraordinary judicial decisions,” lawyer Rebecca K said and added. “Also, we need to highly extol the others like Muhakanizi just like we do with Ugandan pensioners, seeing as it is that the finance PS ensures that they get their pension money intact and on time, just like he ensured the oil cash got onto the beneficiaries’ accounts in record time.”
After her submission, Prof Ladit Ogeng also shot up, first on a ‘point of order’. “Mr Kamadhi, I would first of all like to correct you; I am not an ‘insect professor’, the correct title is Entomologist. Having said that, I want to agree with you and the immediate pre-current speaker,” Prof Ogeng roared, reminding the members that his English was ‘fine-tuned’ after being spotted as a ‘good debater’ by teachers during his high school days at Layibi College in Gulu.
He added: “I also think Justice Kavuma deserves the overall winner’s plaque, but for purposes of recognition, we should also nominate ‘the Executive’ which gave a green light for the money to be shared out. Surely, the Executive should be recognized for rewarding people for hard tasks well executed!” Prof Ogeng volunteered.
After heated debate and hearing from lawyer Rebecca K and Prof Ladit Ogeng, the two most educated members of the group, Chairman Akalyamaggwa Bonnabagagawale put the matter to a vote, by show of hands.
And, by acclamation members voted Justice Steven Kavuma as the ‘overall winner of the Mutungo Malwa Club Best Ugandan Employee of the Year’ award, something that was followed by huge celebrations.
Anyway, after the vote Chairman Bonnabagagawale declared the dance ‘open’, and lawyer Rebecca K and ‘insect professor’ Ladit Ogeng took to the floor, dancing the paka chini style to the Congolese music, to the amusement of the members, who demanded they also be paid their ‘share of savings’.
The chairman decreed as such, and members were paid, with the biggest beneficiary from the group getting Shs262.000, one hundred times less than what the biggest patriotic beneficiary in the cash bonanza got.
All of us then hatched plans to retreat to our places of abode, but this was not before lawyer Rebecaa K and ‘Insect Professor’ Ladit Ogeng contesting how the ‘club dividends’ were arrived at.
The two accused Chairman Bonnabagagawale of favouritism, arguing that they should at least have gotten more than what the patriotic Ugandans got.
The party then came to an unceremonious end, with no one wishing the other ‘goodnight’. In short, club members, mostly lawyer Rebecca K and ‘Insect Professor’ Ladit Ogeng, were left disgruntled and divided over a topic that usually unites them at the beginning of every New Year.
This is a burlesque column that runs every Friday.
DIV 2 COMMANDER: Brigadier Paul Lokech, who replaces CLF Maj Gen Peter Elwelu
Long-serving Defence and Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Paddy Ankunda has been dropped, and replaced by Brigadier Richard Kalemire, the first-ever General to hold that post.
The latest reshuffle, carried out just days after the Commander-in-Chief General Yoweri Musevewni dropped the Chief of Defence Forces General Edward Katumba Wamala, has also seen former Div 2 Commander Peter Elwelu replaced by Brig Paul Lokech, a veteran of the Somalia war against the Al Shabaab insurgents. Brig Elwelu was two days ago appointed Chief of Land Forces (CLF) and promoted to the rank of Major General.
Major General Proscovia Nalweyiso, the highest ranking UPDF female officer
Others appointments include that of Brig. Proscovia Nalweyiso, the highest-ranking UPDF female officer, who has been promoted to Major General and retains her job as Gen. Museveni’s advisor attached to State House; Brig. George Igumba is the new Chief of Personnel and Administration (CPA);Brig Sam Kavuma Magaiga is now deputy Commander, Airforce. Others are Col. Henry Matsiko who is now promoted to Brigadier and appointed the UPDF Chief Political Commissar (CPC), replacing Col. Felix Kulaigye; Brig Chris Bbosa, who now becomes deputy Commandant of the Senior Staff College at Kimaka, Jinja, and Col. Michael Kabango, who now becomes Brigadier and is transferred to Div 5.
Brig. Sam Kavuma Magaiga. Photo credit/Alamy
Brigadiers Kavuma and Kabango have previously served as contingent Commanders in the Central African Republic, where they were engaged in pursuing the Lords Resistance Army rebels led by Joseph Kony.
Major General Nakibus Lakara has also been deployed as the Commandant of Uganda Rapid Deployment Centre (URDC) in Jinja, while Col. Patrick Mwesigye who has been at the National Leadership Institute at Kyankwanzi, is now the head of Patriotic Secretariat.
The house in which Omulangira has been evicted from and below it is him and ex-girlfriend.
Celebrated musician, Omulangira Suuna also known as OS is currently homeless.
This is after he was evicted from the house he has been renting over failure to clear his dues. We’ve learnt that his monthly rent is Shs700, 000.
However, his debt had accumulated to a tune of Shs3.5million. He was thrown out of the house with some of his property being retained to cover up for his debt.
Everything appeared to be moving in the right direction for Suuna popularly known for his songs like Nakudata with Radio and Weasel, Nakutamani and Tewali Mbeera until when he broke up with his girlfriend, Aisha Nantaba.
The Dubai-based lady used to inject money into suuna that the latter willingly converted to Islam, Aisha’s faith without any hesitation.
His separation did not only break his heart but his wallet as well. Nothing has ever been the same again with him both financially and musically. He is yet to recover from the gap left behind. Hopefully everything gets better for him.
With less than 48 hours to the 2017 AFCON Gabon, African countries are yet to know their fate in the 2019 AFCON Cameroon.
The 32nd edition of the African Cup of Nations is scheduled to be hosted by Cameroon in January 2019.
This followed announcements made by CAF executives after the January 24, 2014 meeting where six candidates including Algeria, Cameroon, Guinea, Ivory Cost and Zambia.
Draws will take place today at Radisson Blu, Libreville a Gabonese Capital.
The Qualifiers will begin after the 2017 edition and are expected to commence in June and last for four months then Finals to be conducted between January and February as the usual trend.
MajorGeneral Kahinda Otaffiire is the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, a ministry in the eye of the storm, whose top leadership received part of the now controversial Shs6 billion, shared out among 43 top public servants last August.
However, much as Gen. Otafiire is the line minister, he didn’t partake of the ‘oil cash bonanza’ like his deputy who at the time doubled as Deputy Attorney General Fred Ruhindi and Attorney General, Peter Nyombi did. Otafiire reportedly advocated for salary increments for the officials.
Indeed, EagleOnline has reliably learnt that whereas discussions were going on soon after the Ugandan government won the case against Heritage Oil and Tullow Oil companies, and the US$434 million proceeds deposited in the government coffers, a rift erupted over how to reward those that had participated in the process.
A source said different options were put forward on how to reward the officials and among them was that instead of rewarding individual persons, there was a proposal to construct either schools or hospitals in localities where such individuals hail from and such facilities be named after their sons or daughters. However, this proposal was flatly rejected.
Gen. Otafiire and Eng. Muloni miss out on booty
Another impeccable source said Gen. Otafiire, who is the political head of the Justice and Constitutional docket, is reported told have suggested that instead of rewarding a few top individuals, the reward should instead be given in form of salary increment for all in the ministry. This line was equally rejected and this marked the end of Otafiire attending meetings, the source said.
“Gen. Otafiire shouldn’t lie to you that he was opposed to the oil cash bonanza but what I remember is that his argument was that instead of giving a few (people) money and yet majority had participated, all people in the ministry and other departments involved in the negotiations should instead get salary increment,” the source told this website.
Further, the source said that soon after Otafiire abandoned the meetings, discussions were left to the Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary Keith Muhakanizi, former Attorney General Peter Nyombi and the Commissioner General of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Doris Akol, all of who are reported to have okayed the Shs6 billion ‘presidential handshake’ for the ‘chosen few’.
“We as heads of units that were very vital in this process attended but we were surprised to see a few ‘chosen ones’ being rewarded. This was the work of Nyombi and the two because those who were opposed to their line of thinking were left out and it is good that they are facing the wrath of the public and they should vomit the money” said a source who sought anonymity.
Asked for his comment and why he missed the booty despite being the line minister, Otafiire said: “That is nonsense and I am not bothered whether I got or I didn’t get because I will not die.”
Another official who was reportedly sidelined and ‘never knew anything until the scandal broke out’ is the Energy and Mineral Development minister Eng. Irene Muloni.
According to another source that spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, Eng. Muloni was sidelined by the top bureaucrats at finance ministry and URA.
