There is a heavy security presence at opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) 2016 presidential flag bearer Dr Warren Smith Kizza Besigye’s home in Kasangati.

However, it turns they are guarding an ’empty’ house; the person who they intended to restrain from leaving his house is hundreds of kilometers away.

“So what are these police guys guarding here at Kasangati when Dr (Besigye) is over 300km away from them? Just pity them,” said former Leader of Opposition in parliament, Wafula Oguttu, a few minutes ago.

Actually, Besigye is several kilometers away from his home, attending the burial of fallen Makindye Chief Magistrate, Richard Mafabi.

This is not the first time Dr Besigye is beating security to leave his home: following the presidential elections in 2001 Dr Besigye beat a 24-hour security surveillance at his home in Luzira and went to exile in South Africa, where he stayed until his return in 2005. Also, in 2013, Dr Besigye beat heavy security at his home to attend the burial of former 1^st Deputy Prime Minister and one of the founders of FDC, Eriya Kategaya.

Magistrate Mafabi died mysteriously last Sunday at Nsambya Hospital.

Magistrate Mafabi came into limelight in July when he issued criminal summons against the Inspector General of Police General Kale Kayihura and seven other officers for allegedly torturing supporters of former presidential candidate Dr Besigye.

Judiciary Spokesperson Erias Kisawuzi said that the judiciary has missed a committed judicial officer who was determined to execute his duties under any circumstance.

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Father John Scalabrini, the departed foster father of singer Jose Chameleone’s wife Daniella Atim Mayanja is to be laid to rest today at 2pm at a cemetery at St James Catholic Church, Biina.

Fr John, who died on Tuesday morning at St Francis Hospital, Nsambya in Kampala, had been admitted to the hospital last Thursday. Popularly known as Father John, the deceased clergyman had been battling cancer of the bone for the last five years.

Before his burial today, Fr John was eulogized by many including church leaders, politicians and parishioners, who all paid glowing tribute to the larger-than-life Italian missionary who came to Uganda in the 1960s.

Meanwhile, mourners from the Catholic parishes of Bbina, Butabika, Luzira, Kitintale say he will be greatly remembered for founding kindergartens, schools and colleges, including Bishop Cipriano Kihangire Primary School and Bishop Cipriano SSS in Luzira, on the outskirts of Kampala.

Similar sentiments have also been expressed by Catholics from Northern Uganda, where Fr John served as a missionary for close to three decades.

Indeed, members of the Catholic fraternity in Bbina Parish and Gulu Diocese say he was a benefactor to thousands of needy children, especially orphans, including Jose Chameleone’s wife, Daniella Atim.

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Troubled Burundi plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, a deputy to President Pierre Nkurunziza said on Thursday, six months after the court’s prosecutor said it will investigate violence which killed hundreds of people.

Burundi slid into political crisis last year when Nkurunziza announced his intention to seek a third term in office, which he went on to win in an election boycotted by opposition parties.

The Hague-based International Criminal Court’s prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said in April the court would investigate incidents of violence in Burundi that have killed at least 450 and forced hundreds of thousands to flee abroad since the crisis erupted in April 2015.

“We have sent to the national assembly a draft law for adoption … to withdraw from the ICC,” First Vice President Gaston Sindimwo said after a cabinet meeting.

“We found that it was necessary to withdraw from that organization so we can really be free,” he said in comments broadcast on state-run radio.

A notice of a cabinet meeting held earlier in the day in Gitega, some 100 km (60 miles) from the capital Bujumbura, said among the items to be discussed were a draft law revising a 2003 law that Burundi ratified to be a signatory of the Rome Statute of the ICC.

Opponents say Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term violated the constitution and a peace agreement that ended a civil war in 2005. The president and his supporters cite a court ruling that said he could run again.

Preliminary examinations at the ICC, based mainly on publicly available information, can last months or years before leading to a possible full investigation. Only then can criminal charges be brought against individuals suspected of war crimes or crimes against humanity.

On Tuesday, Burundi dismissed a UN decision to establish a commission of inquiry to identify perpetrators of killings and torture, saying it was based on a one-sided account of events in the African nation.

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Women MPs have asked the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to channel the Shs 53billion meant for women in the country through them.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting at Imperial Royal Hotel organised by Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Fund (UWEP) where all women MPs had been invited, Kiryandongo woman MP Hellen Kawunde kicked off the clamour, expressing fears that the funds could be misused.
“Since no certificate is needed, how are you selecting the beneficiaries of the fund,” she inquired from the State Minister for Gender and Culture, Peace Mutuuzo.
Butaleja Woman MP, Milly Mugeni weighed in on the question, asking, “Who is registering those receiving these funds?”, a query that was shared by her colleague from Gulu, who also called for the training of the women before being given the funds.

“How will it be given out without ladies being trained?” she asked, before both demanded that as elected representative of the intended beneficiaries, they were better placed to distribute the funds to women in their respective constituencies ‘because they know all the leaders there’.

“We call for (Women) MPs to be involved in the activities of women,” Kawunde requested.

However, while responding to the MPs, Minister Mutuuzo said that government was not targeting experts but the people who have been ‘left behind’.

She expressed fears that the funds would be ‘politicised’ if channeled through MPs. “Everyone would go back to their constituencies and tell the locals; this is from FDC…this is from NRM…this is from DP…This is what we are trying to avoid,” she said.

She, however, tasked them to monitor the enterprises to ensure compliance with the established rules and procedures.

“MPs are expected to undertake regular political supervision of the programme to ensure quality results. Parliament is also expected to advocate for increased funding for the programme,” she added.

On how the beneficiaries are selected, Minister Mutuuzo said it is done through a community participatory process that involves LC1 officials and Women Council leaders.

It has been established that the selection of Women Groups under UWEP is undertaken by the beneficiary selection committee chaired by the sub-county chief with members including the chairperson of the sub-county women council and the Community Development Officer.

This financial year government released over Shs43billion to support women in the micro, small and medium enterprise subsector through provision of interest-free credit, technical advice for appropriate technologies, value addition and market information.

The funds are accessed through the women groups with membership of 10 to 15, with the major focus on unemployed women and vulnerable groups such as single young mothers, widows, the disabled, women living with HIV/Aids and slum dwellers.

So far 19 districts have benefited from the project and it is scheduled to cover the whole country in the near future, the ministry says.

The districts that have benefited from the project include Otuke which got Shs 67.1 million for 8 women groups; Kamuli  (Shs 60.5 million for 15 women groups); Kisoro (Shs 70.9 million for 21 groups) and Nakasongola , Shs 45.8 million for 19 groups.

Others are Kiruhura (Shs 68.5 million for nine groups), Mayuge (Shs 56.8 million for 14 groups) and Kaliro Shs 51 million for 8 women groups.

Kaliro in particular will receive an extra Shs 30 million to bring the total allocation to Shs 81 million.

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President Yoweri Museveni has warned ministries and government agencies to desist from lavish and inconsiderate spending while carrying out procurement of essential government stores like furniture.

Mr Museveni said this while presiding over the official opening ceremony of the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) 24^th Uganda International Trade Fair (UGTIF) at the Lugogo show grounds, running from October 2-10, a day after Uganda’s 54^th Independence Anniversary.

According to Mr Museveni, there are several products made in Uganda that can favourably compete with the imported ones.

“Uganda Prisons makes very good furniture. I will not tolerate any government department that imports furniture from China,” Mr Museveni said, adding: “I’m wearing an army uniform made by Nytil (Picfare, a local garment manufacturer). I don’t want to hear of importation of army and nurses’ uniforms anymore.

Mr Museveni also assured the nation that he would ensure the cost of electricity in the country decreases from seven to one shilling for the benefit of manufacturers, adding that Uganda has enough electricity to satisfy its manufacturing processes.

“We have enough power for manufacturers. What we don’t have is enough power for ‘ebikeesa’ (discotheques) and pastors who conduct the business during the night,” Mr Museveni said, adding however, that manufacturers should exploit night time and use electricity when it is surplus and cheaper.

The president also talked about the bailout of businesspersons, saying government will only bail out those who export to ‘risky external markets’.

This year’s trade fair is being attended by hundreds of exhibitors drawn from countries in the region including Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, among others.

The best woman exhibitor was Lydia Nakigwa of Rwanda, who won the best country pavilion, best private exhibitor was Sulfo products of Rwanda, best small scale industries was Aloesha products, while the best foreign exhibitor trophy went to Sulfo Products of Rwanda.

Movit products of Uganda emerged overall best exhibitor.

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