It is unfortunate that Ugandans have come full circle in espousing hatred as can be seen on social media, following the death of George Agaba, in a motor accident.
About four years ago, Agaba, then working as the Director of Physical Planning in the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), was involved in a tiff in the city suburb of Luzira, and the standoff led to the death of some people there.
Naturally, he was condemned and that is as it should be. However, seeing the comments that have been made on social media since Agaba died on Saturday, one is left with a bitter taste, with the lingering question: ‘when did we Ugandans arrive at such a station’?
It may be that those ‘celebrating’ Agaba’s death are disillusioned with the government, an institution they think was protective of the deceased at the time they were baying for him to face justice.
It is quite probable that those celebrating Agaba’s death may never have come in physical contact with him, only basing on the Luzira incident to judge him. They never knew his other side and their actions now do not hurt Agaba because he is dead; their actions now only help to hurt the relatives: his wife and children who have lost a bread winner, plus other people who benefitted from him.
That said, there is no justification for any such inglorious actions because death is an ever-present feature in our lives, one that offers no warning, and this is the more reason we should not take pride in the death of any human being, even those we ‘hate’.
Whatever your travesties while you lived on earth, now that you are a servant of God, rest in Peace George Agaba.
BIGGEST IN EAST AFRICA: The Soroti Solar Power plant
The Minister of State for Energy Simon D’Ujanga Simon, Minister of State for Energy, together with representatives of Access Power EREN RE and donors have inaugurated a US$19 million solar power plant in Soroti.
Comprising 32,680 photovoltaic panels, the new 10 megawatt facility is the country’s first grid-connected solar plant and will generate clean, low-carbon, sustainable electricity to 40,000 homes, schools and businesses in the area.
The project was developed under the Global Energy Transfer Feed in Tariff (‘GET FiT’) , a dedicated support scheme for renewable energy projects managed by Germany’s KfW Development Bank in partnership with Uganda’s Electricity Regulatory Agency (ERA) and funded by the governments of Norway, Germany, the United Kingdom and the European Union. The GET FiT programme helps renewable energy sources become more affordable and therefore more accessible in Eastern Africa.
The plant is in part funded by the European Union – Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund through the GET FiT Solar Facility equivalent to 8.7 million euros in the form of result-based premium payments per kWh of delivered electricity.
According to a release by the Africa Press Organisation (APO), the project is financed by a mix of debt and equity with the senior debt facility being provided by FMO, the Netherlands Development Bank, and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF).
The project, whose tender was launched in March 2014 and the procurement process managed by Germany’s KfW Development Bank, is owned by Access Uganda Solar Ltd, a partnership between Access Power and EREN Renewable Energy. The tender was awarded to Access Uganda Solar Ltd in November 2014.
The partners involved in the Soroti solar power plant , the biggest of its kind in East Africa. Photos/courtesy of APO.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by ambassadors from the EU, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as key stakeholders from Access Power and EREN RE; TSK, the contractor who built the plant; FMO and Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) company; The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) as financiers, and other key officials.
“Uganda is a good place to invest in solar energy. The regulatory framework is conducive and Government rightly recognises Uganda’s energy future must be renewable. It is great that this is now triggering private sector interest in solar power generation. The European Union is proud that our grant contribution ensures the realisation of the Soroti Solar Plant, and I hope this is only just the beginning for many more to come,” Ambassador Kristian Schmidt, the European Union Head of Delegation to Uganda said in his speech.
In his speech the ERA Chief Executive Officer Eng. Ziria Tibalwa noted, “that the Access Solar Uganda 10MW grid connected solar P.V project we are launching today is so far the largest in the East African region. We are so proud of this outcome of our stable and favorable regulatory environment that has produced such a leading project in the East African Region. We congratulate Access Solar and the people of Uganda upon this milestone.”
David Corchia, CEO, EREN RE, stated:“Soroti solar plant is an excellent textbook example of how collaboration among key local and international stakeholders can result in the successful execution and completion of such a ground breaking project and in tangible progress in the spread of renewable energy across Africa. We wish to express our gratitude and thanks to the organizations and individuals who made the construction of the largest solar power plant in East Africa possible. As a global renewable energy Independent Power Producer we take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the African power sector and we look forward to replicating this model in many other African countries in other districts in Uganda and across the region.”
Located on a 33 acre plot of land in Soroti District, the power plant has the potential to increase its net output capacity by a further 20MW of solar energy. At peak construction the plant had over 120 local workers involved, including engineers recruited and trained by Access Power and EREN RE.
Burundi peace talks mediator President Yoweri Museveni talks to the facilitator Benjamin Mkapa, the former President of Tanzania
For the second time in few weeks, opposition groups in Burundi have indicated they lost trust in the Inter-Burundi Dialogue Mediator, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and the Facilitator, former Tanzanian President Benjamin William Mkapa.
The development follows Mr Mkapa’s weekend endorsement of Pierre Nkurunziza as the ‘legitimate’ President of Burundi. According to Mr Mkapa, president Nkrunziza is in office legally following the 2015 controversial elections and “there is no reason for the legitimacy of Nkurunziza to be questioned.”
“Legitimacy is lent by Burundians and those who think I am the one that is lending legitimacy, are absolutely out of mind,” he said. The 78-year-old added: “Ambassadors come in Burundi and present their credentials to President Nkurunziza. Isn’t it a way of recognising him as a President of this country? So what is this foolishness?”
But opposition leaders and some civil society activists in Burundi have repeatedly questioned Nkurunziza’s controversial third term following what they called the violation of the Burundi constitution and the Arusha peace Agreement.
And in a statement by the National Council for the Restoration of the Arusha Accords and the Rule of Law, CNARED, the main opposition coalition made of people in exile, said it didn’t ‘believe in the mediation any longer’, and rejecting both Mkapa and mediator Museveni.
But responding to the acuusations levelled against Mr Museveni, his Senior Principal Press Secretary Innocent Don Wanyama said last week that the President was performing his roles in accordance with the EAC timelines. And, just like Mr Mkapa, Mr Wanyama said President Museveni believes peace in Burundi can only be guaranteed by the Burundians themselves.
Meanwhile, Mr Mkapa has said that his roadmap includes starting peace talks in January and concluding them by June.
ANNOUNCED RECALL: Burundi's foreign minister Alain Nyamitwe
Burundi’s foreign minister says the country’s ambassador to Belgium has been told to return home amid diplomatic tensions related to political violence in the central African nation.
Alain Aime Nyamitwe said that Burundi’s embassy in Brussels remains open despite the recalling of Ambassador Jeremie Banigwaninzigo.
Nyamitwe says relations with former coloniser Belgium “are not really good. We have called our ambassador to assess relations between the two countries.”
Burundi’s government has persistently accused Belgium of backing the exiles who opposed President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision last year to seek a third term. Hundreds of people have been killed in political tensions since then.
Many protests have been staged outside the Belgian embassy in Burundi by demonstrators who accused Belgium of supporting opponents of Burundi’s government.
FINANCES TO BE PROBED: Former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh
The loser in the Gambian Presidential elections Yahya Jammeh must hand over power after defeat in elections, the UN Security Council has said.
President Jammeh initially conceded to Adama Barrow in last week’s vote but has since refused to accept the end of his 22-year rule.
Mr Barrow said he was sure the military supported him as the country’s new leader.
The UN added that a handover should come without condition or delay.
President Jammeh first seemed to accept the loss but then backtracked and said, on Friday, that he ‘totally’ rejected the result.
In a unanimous statement, the UN’s 15 council members called on him to ‘respect the choice of the sovereign people of The Gambia’.
The president’s U-turn was condemned by The African Union (AU), who described his statement as ‘null and void’.
His reluctance to step down has also been criticised by the US and neighbouring Senegal.
A heavy military presence has been reported in the Gambian capital, Banju, but the streets have remained calm.
The media says the main question now is whether President Jammeh has managed to split the army, retaining a faction ready to back his announcement.
According to the electoral commission, as a result of the vote on 1 December, Mr Barrow won 222,708 votes (43.34%); President Jammeh took 208,487 (39.6%); A third-party candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 89,768 (17.1%)
Mr Barrow, a property developer, is due to take office in late January.
The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, with a population of fewer than two million.
In his 22 years in power, Mr Jammeh acquired a reputation as a ruthless leader.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir has appointed Dr Renish Achieng Omullo, a Kenyan national, as his country’s special envoy to Germany.
The appointment is detailed in a December 8 letter, which was signed by the South Sudan leader.
“This Decree shall be cited as “The Republic Decree No.324/2016 for the Appointment of the Republic of South Sudan Special Envoy to the Federal Republic of Germany 2106 A.D.” shall come into force on the date of its signature of the President of Republic,” it noted.
Omullo, in a separate letter, will reportedly take charge of South Sudan’s international and regional affairs on the same capacity.
The special envoy reportedly brings lots of experience in international trade and diplomacy affairs, having worked as the Business Development manager for Africa for Celle Brunnenbau, GmBH.
Over the years, however, the Kenyan national has been engaged with issues of South Sudan in trade and diplomacy for a long time.
Omullo welcomed her appointment by President Kiir and pledged to serve diligently to the benefit of the citizens of South Sudan.
“I am fully focused to do my best to serve well. I take the opportunity to thank President Kiir for the confidence and trust he has bestowed on me,” Ms Omullo was quoted as saying.
George Agaba, the former Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) Director of Physical Planning is dead.
Sources told EagleOnline that Agaba died in an accident in Ibanda district. He was reportedly travelling in the same vehicle with Dr. Violet Kajubiri a member of the Education Service Commission and a sister to President Yoweri Museveni.
In 2012 Agaba and his bodyguard Santos Komakech Makmot were involved in a shooting in Luzira, where they had gone for an eviction exercise.
Subsequently, Mr Agaba and Komakech were cleared of the murder charges by Justice Faith Mwondha.
A controversial figure, Agaba was involved in the 2010 National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries that pitted Lwemiyaga county legislator Theodore Sekikubo against foreign affairs minister Sam Kahamba Kutesa.
EALA Speaker Dan Fred Kidega poses-for-a-picture-with-the-EALA-and-Uganda-teams
The Uganda Parliamentary teams for football and netball have qualified for this year’s EAC games finals following a crashing defeat of the East African Legislative Assembly and Tanzania in the two sports, respectively.
Parliament of Uganda beat EALA 3-0 in the football semi-finals at Mbaraki Sports grounds Thursday with two goals from Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko and one by Brian Arinaitwe.
Uganda will play Burundi in the final on Sunday, after the troubled central African country eliminated Tanzania 1-0 in the first semi-final.
Meanwhile, the Uganda ladies team defeated Tanzania Parliament with 35 points to 25 goals in a heated netball encounter played out at Makande gymnasium in Mombasa. MPs Sarah Babirye Kityo and Suzan Amero led the scoring.
Earlier in the day MP Maureen Osoru won gold while her compatriot Anne Ebaju Adeke walked away with the silver medal in the 4x400m relay.
The ladies team also won gold and silver in the 1500meters race at the Mbaraki Sports grounds. Uganda Parliament Men’s team bagged silver in athletics but lost the volleyball semi-final 2-0 to Rwanda.
The Democratic Party National Executive Committee has endorsed Fred Mukasa Mbidde as their sole candidate for the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) 2017 elections.
Mbidde, who has been a legislator with EALA for the past five years was proposed by the DP Party President Norbert Mao and seconded Mr Paul Sembajjwe and a one Mugambwe, who are also NEC members. The NEC meeting took place at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel, Ndeeba.
Paul went ahead to post on his face book wall about the development that the party had reached adding that ‘’ Go and win as you have always done’, Mr Ssembajjwe urged the DP nominee.
A lawyer by profession, Mbidde, a member of the third EALA, is a DP Vice President and was elected to the regional legislative assemby in June 2012.
Meanwhile, Wakiso DP youth leaders Lillian Ndagire and her deputy Brian Stephen Kaggo, a councillor of Nasana westward zone urged the youth to converge at One Love Beach Busabala, for a sports gala.
The youth are participating in activities including football, volleyball, boat racing, and swimming.
Ugandan popstar, Maurice Kirya is eating big in Tanzania. The ‘Mwoyo’ singer has been lined up among the performers at the prestigious East Africa Television (EATV) Awards. He is the only Ugandan artiste to perform at the inaugural awards.
He is to share the stage with some of the biggest musicians in East Africa including Vanessa Mdee, Alikiba, Shetta, Lady JayDee and Wahu from Kenya.
EATV and radio are arguably the biggest stations in the region since their inception in 2003 as a music channel and radio station in the region; the first of its kind in East Africa.
According to the Tanzania based stations, the awards that aim at rewarding artists’ music and film from East Africa countries will be an annual event.
“The introduction of these awards is intended for artistic appreciation and bring competition to this sector of the art in this region of East Africa,” the station says.
“This year, there will be a total of ten components including six elements of music and artists; three aspects of the film and one aspect of honour.”
Among the music categories to be awarded in the awards is Best Male singer, Best Female singer, Musician best sprout, Video of the year, Song of the year and Best group of the year.
Ali Kiba, Shetta, Gnako, Ben Pol and Mwana FA are tussling it out for the Best Male Singer of the year award while the Best Female singer of the year category includes our own, Lillian Mbabazi.
Lillian faces competition from Linah, Vanessa Mdee, Ruby, Lady Jaydee and Linah. Navio’s song, ‘Njogerezza’ has also been nominated among Best Video of the year.
On the other hand, the categories for films include Best Film of the year, Best actor and Best Actress of the year.
