As they prepare for their performance in Uganda, Morgan Heritage is also preparing its upcoming album, which has a cover of Jimmy Cliff’s Reggae Night, produced by DreZion who also makes a guest appearance on the track.
“We love to pay tribute to our legends and Jimmy Cliff is one of Jamaica’s unsung heroes. He has done many songs to heal the world, and this is one of those feel-good songs that makes your spirit happy and brings you to a happy place. It’s a great song. Bless up to Mr Cliff,” says Gramps Morgan, a group member of Morgan Heritage.
He was tight-lipped about the album, which is scheduled for release mid this year. It is the follow-up to 2015’s Grammy-winning Strictly Roots which sold over 4,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Music.
“The name of the new album is a secret for now. We are not giving away the name until a later date, but the keyword for now, just know that it will be magic,” he said.
Originally recorded in 1983, Reggae Night is from Cliff’s album The Power And The Glory, which was released by CBS/Columbia Records. Co-written by Amir Bayyan and LaToya Jackson, it has also been covered by Jackson for her 1991 album
Cliff’s version topped Jamaican charts and entered several European tables as well as Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. It peaked at number 89 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart.
The royal family of reggae, Morgan Heritage is set to perform in Uganda for the first time in April.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSBILITY: Mr. Joseph Zheng Biao (C), the Ag. Country Manager CCCC Uganda receives a Certificate of Appreciation from Mr. Louis Apenya (L), the Program’s Director SOS Children’s Village Uganda. This was during the hand over a variety of basic needs (Assorted food stuff, mattresses, mosquito nets and scholastic materials) donated by CCCC to SOS Children’s Village in Entebbe Municipality, in an effort to improve the welfare of up to 900 children at the village.
China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Uganda, has donated a variety of basic needs to SOS Children’s Village in Entebbe Municipality, in an effort to improve the welfare of up to 900 children at the location.
The items which include; assorted food stuff, mattresses, mosquito nets and scholastic materials were handed over by CCCC to SOS Children’s Village in Abayita Ababiri at a handover ceremony graced by the Mayor of Entebbe Municipality Vincent De Paul Kayanja.
Speaking at the ceremony, Joseph Zheng Biao, the Acting Country Manager CCCC Uganda noted that the donation was part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme through which it delivers social value to the communities in which it operates.
“At CCCC, our mission is to build a connected world, by constructing world-class transport infrastructure including; roads, railways, and bridges. This mission, however, cannot be complete without society and people. We are here today because, we believe people deserve to live in the best conditions of life to achieve their full potential. The humble contribution we are making is therefore, towards the good welfare of the Children in this Village. It is also testament to CCCC’s commitment to the people of Uganda and a win-win relationship,” said Mr. Biao.
CCCC Uganda is undertaking the construction of the 51.4 km Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, as well as expanding the current Entebbe International Airport, to make it a world-class and competitive international airport.
Receiving the items, Louis Apenya, the Program Director, SOS Children’s Village Entebbe, commended CCCC Uganda for the good gesture extended to the children.
“I wish to express our sincere gratitude to CCCC for the support to the Village. The food stuff will help nourish our children, while the scholastic materials will help promote academic excellence at school by inspiring the pupils to learn. On the other hand, the mattresses and mosquito nets will provide comfort to the children while they sleep and protect them from malaria,” Mr Apenya said.
SOS Children’s Village runs two programs namely; Family Based Care (FBC) for 152 children who are without parental care and Family Strengthening Program (FSP) for 748 children at the risk of losing parental care.
As part of its CSR programme, last year, the company built and handed over walkways worth shs320 million to St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK), to facilitate a good learning environment for over 1,000 students at the school.
Over the last decades SOS Children’s Villages Uganda has grown to realize proficient child-centered community programs in Kakiri, Entebbe, and Gulu and Fort Portal and has supported the provision of comprehensive care to over 10,000 of vulnerable children in vulnerable communities.
TALKS: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni interacting with the UN Secretary General HE Antonio Guterres at the African Union conference centre on Sunday 29th January 2017.
President Yoweri Museveni and the new United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres have engaged in a series of discussions ranging from the security situation in Somalia to South Sudan to Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo and pledged to strengthen efforts to develop sustainable peace and development in the region.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni interacting with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres shortly before their meeting at the African Union conference centre on Sunday 29th January 2017.
The two leaders who were meeting at the sidelines of the 28th Ordinary Summit of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia agreed on the need for the building of a national political ideology and national army in Somalia, and a need for the leaders in South Sudan to embrace democracy and fight sectarianism for the sake of peace in the newest nation and the importance of dialogue for all stakeholders in Burundi.
The UN Secretary General Antonia Guterres hailed President Yoweri Museveni’s influence and role in ensuring peace and security in the region and for his efforts as mediator in the Burundi conflict to ensure dialogue by all stakeholders.
The President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni interacting with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres
He pledged to push for reforms at the United Nations as more countries rally to see a more reformed world body.
Uganda used its presidency of the UN General Assembly at the 69th session to push the African agenda on the reform of the United Nations.
President Museveni said then, that Africa and individual African countries can form credible partnerships beyond the continent’s shores and that reforms as will be agreed by all, will strengthen the United Nations not otherwise.
During the meeting, President Museveni urged the United Nations to help Uganda deal or handle the refugee situation, which is posing growing challenges each day. Uganda is the second largest refugee hosting country after Turkey in the world.
The two leaders agreed to host a solidarity conference on refugees in March with both Uganda and the United Nations as conveners.
President Museveni also urged the United Nations to support Uganda’s efforts on environment reclamation if its to meet SDG 15 of the United Nations development goals to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of the terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
President Yoweri Museveni has called on regional leaders engaged in the fight against the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency in the Central African Republic to commit themselves and allow military commands to jointly work out a plan to flush out remnants of the LRA and put an end to the suffering of the civilian population.
“It is true the capacity of the LRA has been reduced. In the past they would ambush our troops and try to fight, they no longer do that. Are they attacking troops in camp? No. Are they attacking troops on the move? No. The LRA no longer has that capacity. What they do is attack soft targets. That is not a strength; it is a weakness but it embarrasses governments because then they are not protecting their people enough. This is dangerous because it still attacks civilian populations,” President Museveni said during a meeting of regional leaders held at the sidelines of the ongoing 28th Ordinary AU heads of State and government Summit at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
President Yoweri Museveni meets with South Sudan President Salva Kiir on the sidelines of the 28th AU Summit in Addis Ababa.
The meeting was chaired by President Yoweri Museveni and included the President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadéra, the President of the Republic of South Sudan Gen. Salva Kiir, Ministers from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan and representatives from the United Nations, European Union, USA and African Union among other delegations.
“They (LRA) have been downgraded. Our concept of counter insurgency is for mobile forces to go in to hunt the terrorists by foot and chopper. Once we receive credible intelligence information, we must move in day and night and hunt them down. After, we must have a zonal force which remains there. The force must be disciplined…not killing, looting, raping women or talking badly to the people. This will give confidence and security to the people,” Museveni said.
Delegates attending the meeting on LRA that was chaired by President Yoweri Museveni.
The regional leaders are frustrated that despite a strong regional effort to deal with Joseph Kony and his LRA, the lack of a decisive action to deal with the remnants has led the insurgency force to continue wrecking havoc among the civilian populations and in the process prolonging the war.
Ambassador Smail Chergui, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security said the humanitarian situation caused by the LRA has worsened despite the elimination of the LRA from CAR leading to a secure country.
“The elimination of the LRA has led to a secure country and the insurgency force has been reduced to about 150 – 200 men including their dependants. The 120 armed fighters frequently move between the DRC, CAR and South Sudan with their main source of livelihood in Garamba forest in the DRC where they hunt down animals for ivory and loot gold and other minerals from miners. The LRA has made it impossible for communities to do their daily activities,” he said.
President Salva Kiir said the LRA coupled with negative forces have forced populations from his country to flee into northern Uganda causing a humanitarian crisis.
The President of the Central African Republic is Faustin-Archange Touadéra said since the operation in Garamba forests, the LRA broke out in several groups creating havoc in the region. He said despite their capability being reduced due to the presence of the regional force, essential activities of the LRA still happen in CAR and the embargo on CAR arms has made it difficult for the country to reinforce its security.
President Museveni urged the international community to support the regional force to flush out the LRA remnants and put an end to the war by supporting their efforts through reinforcements of multiplier forces like helicopters, airlifts, a disciplined army, relief and aid support and infrastructure for both populations and army to move.
“Accurate intel both human and technical is critical. Kony cant use satellite or mobile phones, not even radios, we can locate them. We need cross-border cooperation and aid and relief for the affected people,” President Museveni said, adding that he supports the lifting of the arms embargo on CAR to allow its forces build its capacity.
“I agree in principle, the joint regional effort has been critical but efforts are not enough and not complete. We still have a big problem because there are gaps we leave behind. 120 armed people are still dangerous,” he said.
The meeting agreed that the Minister of the DRC be allowed to consult President Kabila on cross border cooperation in the Garamba forest. They also agreed that the AU commissioner follows up with the respective governments on the military command of each country to work out a plan to make a final push and end the LRA insurgency.
CORDIAL TIES: President Yoweri Museveni-meets-Uhuru-Kenyatta
President Yoweri Museveni has held a series of bilateral talks with African leaders at the sidelines of the ongoing 28th Ordinary AU Heads of State and Government leaders summit at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, taking time off to introduce Uganda’s candidates at various international platforms to Heads of State.
According to a release, Mr Museveni introduced Dr Warren Namara and Lady Justice Solome Balungi Bbosa to among others the President of Equatorial New Guinea Theodreo Nguema Obiang and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.
Uganda is fronting Dr. Namara, currently UNAIDS Resident Representative in Tanzania for the post of Commissioner Social Affairs at the AU, while Lady Justice Bbosa is a candidate for the post of judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) whose elections will be held in December 2017. Justice Bossa’s name was submitted to the AU Commission for an early consideration to allow her adequate time to campaign. Justice Bossa is competing with two other candidates from Lesotho and Benin.
Meanwhile, the President also rallied leaders for a stronger joint effort to end the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) operations in the Central Africa Republic (CAR); to push for dialogue in Burundi and a peaceful resolution of the conflict in South Sudan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
FLOATED FOR AU CHAIR. Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Amb. Amina Mohamed
The 28th ordinary summit of the African Union is underway in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, where leaders are expected to elect the new commission chairperson to replace outgoing leader Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Five candidates are in the running to replace Dlamini-Zuma, a former South African minister and first female AU leader.
The candidates in the race are: Kenya’s foreign minister Amina Mohamed, who is representing the East African region; Senegal’s Bathily Abdoulaye, special UN envoy for Central Africa; Botswana’s foreign minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi; Chad’s foreign minister Moussa Faki Mahamat and Equatorial Guinea’s foreign minister Agapito Mba Mokuy.
Both Mokuy and Dr Venson Moitoi competed for the post last July alongside Ugandan candidate Dr Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe but none won an outright majority, leading to the current re-run.
Meanwhile, during the summit, Morocco could return to the African Union after more than a three decade absence from the continental body. The request to rejoin made by the North African country is expected to be deliberated by member states.
This year’s summit is being held under the theme: ‘Harnessing Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth’.
It seems to be a battle for supremacy in Tororo district as National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi and State Minister for Health General Duties Sarah Opendi take on each other in a chicken fight laced with acerbic pecks.
The new feud follows the Minister’s allegations that Dr Tanga Odoi is spreading rumours linking her to the death of the former Tororo district chairperson Apollo Jaramogi, who passed on early this month.
While addressing crowds in Tororo over the weekend Minister Opendi said Dr. Tanga Odoi is a ‘mental case’, prompting a vile response from the former history lecturer, who said he rejected the Minister’s advances to seduce him during her youthful days.
“I have social differences with her since she was a girl. I didn’t want to take her as a girlfriend,” Dr Tanga Odoi said while appearing on a TV talkshow.
In July last year, the minister, who lost in the contest to become Tororo Woman MP, accused Dr Tanga Odoi of frustrating her ambitions to retain her seat.
At the time she said “Dr Tanga Odoi hates me because he wants to be the only bull in Tororo politics and that’s why he was sponsoring rivals against me” and also called the vitriolic former lecturer a ‘stupid dog’.
British Prime Minister Theresa May with US President Donald Trump.
Hours after British Prime Minister Theresa May announced that President Donald Trump may attend a state visit to London this year, Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor and the first Muslim mayor of a major western city, has demanded cancellation of the planned state visit.
Meanwhile, calls were also growing for protest marches like those that took place in Washington DC and around the world last weekend on behalf of women’s rights, with many branding Trump a ‘racist’ and ‘bigot’ on social media.
A number of Twitter users added their voices to the growing dissent and by Saturday afternoon, several events had been posted on Facebook, including by the organisers of last week’s successful Women’s March on London.
The march in London took place as one of many sister marches to that in Washington DC marking Trump’s inauguration, which was organised by women’s rights activists.
The campaign group Stand Up To Racism – of which British Labour MP Diane Abbott is the President – had also posted an event page on Facebook, which it said had the backing of the Stop the War Coalition, People’s Assembly Against Austerity and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
Though no date has yet been given for the visit, the post said it would organise ‘protests to oppose Trump’s racism, sexism and bigotry’.
The news follows a number of controversial orders signed by Trump during his first week as US president, including one to restrict the entry for nationals of seven countries in which the population is predominantly Muslim. The order caused Google to issue an urgent recall of staff outside the US on Saturday, amid fears they would be denied re-entry.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir has belatedly issued an order removing Lam Akol Ajawin from the ministry of agriculture, several months after his resignation from the position.
Akol, an influential opposition leader, resigned his position August 2016 from the unity government formed in line with the 2015 peace agreement which the government and armed and non-armed opposition signed to end the over three-year destructive war.
He described the agreement as ‘dead’ following renewed rounds of fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and former First Vice President Riek Machar, in the capital Juba in July 2016.
“Since the agreement is dead and there is no free political space in Juba, the only sensible way to oppose this regime so as to restore genuine peace to our war-torn country is to organize outside Juba,” Akol told journalists in the capital of neighboring Ethiopia, Addis Ababa,
Akol was one of two ministers in the unity government that was neither part of Kiir’s SPLM nor Machar’s opposition, known as the SPLM-In-Opposition (SPLM-IO). He was representing the alliance of non-armed opposition parties in unity government. When he left, the group was expected to convene a meeting at which they would deliberate on who should be the replacement.
His deputy, who hails from the alliance, has been acting and the new order from the President effecting removal of Akol from the position did not elevate him to full ministerial capacity and did not appoint a new official, continuing to create an administrative vacuum at the ministry.
South Sudan was plunged into civil war in December 2013, when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup to overthrow him, resulting in the eruption of war in which tens of thousands were killed and more than 2 million displaced in the civil war, with sporadic outbreaks of fighting even after a peace agreement was brokered in August 2015. Machar returned to the capital to re-take up the post of First Vice-President in April.
Last July, the rival forces clashed in Juba, resulting in the loss of more than 270 lives and tens of thousands of residents fleeing to neighbouring Uganda. Machar fled the capital with his forces as a result and Kiir issued a 48-hour ultimatum for him to return. When Machar failed to show, Kiir swore in Taban Deng Gai, as the new First Vice-President until Machar returned. The appointment was rejected by Machar as illegal.
Upon his resignation, Akol said he would to align with ‘like-minded compatriots’ in order to build a national coalition, saying the South Sudanese would no longer tolerate a ‘callous, totalitarian and ethnocentric regime that seems to thrive on the suffering of its own people’.
He later formed a national democratic movement which pledged to work with other opposition forces to remove the government under the leadership of President Salva Kiir from power.
The Gambia’s new President Adama Barrow has removed ‘Islamic’ from the official name of his country pledging more reforms in the tiny West African nation. In his first press conference since taking over as leader, Barrow said he would soon be overhauling government institutions to make the administration more effective.
“The rule of the law, that will be the order of the day,” Barrow, a Muslim himself said, adding that The Gambia, where Muslims constitute 90% of the population, would no longer be an ‘Islamic Republic’. The word ‘Islamic’ was added to the country’s name in 2015.
Calling on the nation to unite, the 51-year-old former businessman promised to develop the country by implementing a series of democratic reforms.
“The field will be level for everybody, and in total reconciliation, if people reconcile, that will unite everybody, and we want to hold that line… My government will look at all areas and there will be a complete overhaul of the system,” said the new leader.
A political crisis gripped The Gambia after Barrow’s predecessor, Yahya Jammeh, the autocratic leader who ruled the African nation for 22 years, refused to step down despite losing the polls in December 2016. Jammeh faces a series of human rights abuse allegations forcing him to go into exile as soon as Barrow took oath from neighbouring Senegal.
Barrow swore by a free media under his rule. He said the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) would soon be reformed and renamed.
Barrow said he would not hesitate to seek other nations’ assistance if needed. He said: “In the army, if we need technical aid, we will contact countries that are willing to help us.”
