Government has declared Monday, September 12, a public holiday.
Through the Minister of Public Service, government says “The honorable Minister of Public Service informs general public that Monday 12, September, 2016, is Eid Adhuha and will be observed as a public holiday throughout Uganda” reads the statement.
THE Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has said that the department is ready with evidence against city businessman Desh Kananura, who together with others reportedly beat a waiter to death.
DPP Deputy Spokesperson Irene Nakimbugwe told EagleOnline that their side is waiting for the High Court to fix the hearing date of the murder case against the persons accused of beating to death bar man Badru Kateregga, a waiter at Kananura’s Naguru-based Panamera Bar in 2012.
“We are waiting for court to tell us (DPP) when the case will be scheduled. Otherwise, for us, we are ready with the file” Ms Nakimbugwe said.
At the time of Kateregga’s death one of the workers at the bar who preferred anonymity, told the media that the deceased and five others were arrested after they were searched by a security guard who found him with money at 3am.
“Workers are searched before and after entering the premises. It so happened that one of the bar attendants was found with Shs30, 000. They took him behind the bar in the internal cell and beat him using sticks and a gun butt,” he said.
Before he met his cruel death, Kateregga had just completed Senior Six in 2011 but lacked money to continue with school and got the bar job to raise school fees.
Asked why it has delayed court to reschedule the Kananura case, Solomon Muyita, the spokesperson of the Judiciary said that there has been scarcity of funds to handle criminal cases.
He further revealed that government has released Shs6 billion, and that all criminal seasons are to resume, among them that of Kananura.
“We had challenges with the funds and usually, a judge will handle 40 criminal cases and each case will require a million shillings but now that funds, have been released, the criminal season will start and the selection of cases will be done by representatives of DPP and the court and this is where Kananura’s case will be rescheduled,” Mr Muyita said on phone.
Following Kateregga’s death, police arrested and interrogated Kananura, after which he was remanded to prison. He was subsequently produced before court and given bail.
In February this year High Court judge Justice Wilson Masalu Musene set March 15, 2016 as the date for commencement of the hearing of the murder case against rally driver and city socialite Kananura, but up date, the case hasn’t taken off.
Appearing before Justice Masalu Musene, State Attorney Samalie Wakooli, holding brief for Jane Okuo Kajuga, informed court that being that plea-taking in this case was done, she wanted court to set a hearing date on any date after March 15, when the trial prosecutor will be available.
Once effected, the hearing of murder charges against Kananura will follow another high profile case of senior police officer Aaron Baguma, who is also facing murder charges.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Baguma, a former Division Police Commander (DPC) at the Central Police Station in Kampala, with others, allegedly murdered businesswoman Ronah Betty Katushabe.
The deceased woman allegedly owed city businessman, Pine Car Bond owner Muhammad Sebuwufu Shs9 million, a debt incurred after she bought a car at Shs17 and reportedly paid Sebuwufu an advance of Shs8 million.
One of the prime suspects, SP Baguma was today released on bail.
How police discovered Kateregga’s death
Acting on a tip-off by a one Mr Kirenzi, who was dropped at Kira Road Police Station by unknown people, officers rushed to Panamera and picked the body of Kateregga.
The body was then taken to Mulago Hospital for postmortem and later buried at the deceased’s ancestral home in Kamonkoli in Budaka district.
By Simon Nabende Wamoto
There are complaints that I was too harsh in my Voice Of America (VOA) Swahili programme a few days ago regarding the success our national team, the Cranes to AFCON-Gabon and 10th Parliament MPs’ demand for disbandment of Resident District Commissioners and Presidential Advisors with the reason that a lot of money is spent on the latter and that their (RDCs + Advisors) roles to Ugandan society are marginalized.
Laughingly, the MPs’ former colleagues in the 9th Parliament who failed to make it back (lost elections) are the ones hopelessly and desperately lobbying left, right and centre to be appointed in the same positions.
I commented thus “MPs’ who are fighting for a 50kgs sack of sugar and a 1 million shillings bribe are surely more important to the population!!!.
If the President made a mistake and removed District Security chairpersons even for just six hours the country would collapse together with our so-called Honorable Members of Parliament.
I speak from an experienced front because I was there and what I saw is that all leaders in elective positions are baby sitters of voters and so any serious matter of conflict within communities cannot be solved by elected leaders for fear of stepping on their voter’s toes.
My interview, therefore, was a candid opinion regarding leaders who lack mission, vision, focus and who talk without thinking.
I went to Bulambuli district where people had been displaced by both land grabbers and Karamojong raiders but there were politicians all along but who would not recommend the army’s intervention because they didn’t want to annoy any of their voters.
I directly engaged the Commander in Chief who deployed a battalion (Btn 33) and up to now land which was at zero value in the year 2010 is now almost 4 million shillings per acre.
Can’t anyone see that as a major contribution to the community economically, socially, politically and stability wise?
+256-789-268488 / +256-776-658433 / +256-752-658433 / +256-703-038510
Over one thousand students in public and private universities and other tertiary institutions in Uganda have received scholarship loans to facilitate their educational aspirations.
The students’ loan scheme was established under the Parliamentary Act No.2 of 2004, which paved the way for the Higher Education Students Finance Board.
The Board, which started with awarding 1201 undergraduate student scholarship loans in the 2014/15 academic year, is entrusted with a mandate of providing loans and scholarships to all eligible Ugandans to enable them access higher education at affordable rates.
In the two ensuing academic years, the Board has since awarded scholarships to 1276 and 1191 students, respectively, and this figure is expected to rise to 1334 after awarding loans to diploma students pursuing their studies at other tertiary institutions.
This year the board received a total of 3575 applications through Centenary Bank including 2700 males and 875 females, with the exception of applicants from the districts of Amudat and Kaabong.
For this academic year, 834 applicants representing 70 per cent are male, while 375 applicants, representing 30 percent, are female.
“I am happy that to report that all the districts from which we received applications have successful loan applicants thus the results represent a national outlook and regional balance,” the Board chairperson Rev. Fr. Prof. Callisto Locheng, said today while addressing the media at the Uganda Media Centre.
He however said the Board was trying to engage the district leadership and other stakeholders of the districts without applicants to rectify the anomaly.
Speaking at the same function the State Minister for Higher Education Dr. John Chrysestom Muyingo attributed the failure to have applicants from Amudat and Kaabong districts to lack of ‘assistance’ from the education ministry, local leadership and the media.
The beneficiary public institutions include Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Busitema University, Gulu University, Muni University, Kabale University, Lira University, Soroti University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST).
The private chartered universities include Ndejje University, Nkumba University, Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), Uganda Christian University (UCU), Bugema University, the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), Kampala International University (KIU), Bishop Stuart University and Kampala University (KU).
The social and economic conditions of the applicants and their parents, equity, gender and interest expressed through application, are some of the considerations while awarding loans.
Kampala, Uganda, 9 September, 2016 with the recently launch of SAMRT Pesa (SMARTs mobile money solution) SMART Uganda has today launched a new promotion to enhance customers user experience.
SMART Pesa Cash Back guarantees customers will receive 20% of any amount they load of airtime back in the form of e-float (mobile money), when using SMART Pesa.
The bonus cash can be used for other SMART Pesa transactions or physical cash withdrawn.
SMART recently launched its mobile money platform with a promise of delivering affordable mobile financial services to all Ugandans. “We have received very good traction on the platform since launch just over a month a go, with over 20,000 subscribers signing up to the services. This promotion is aimed at rewarding those currently on the platform for their support thus far and encouraging others to join us” commented Brenden Kachenje SMART Uganda’s Acting Chief Operating Officer.
“We know that financial inclusion is very important, not only to our customers, but to all Ugandans. From being able to send and receive money to family and friends, topping up airtime as well as bill payment; SMART Pesa will support people’s everyday needs, with robust systems that offer unparalleled reliability” continued Mr. Kachenje.
In Uganda, the amount of money transacted through all mobile money payments platforms or mobile banking grew by Sh8.5 trillion in the year 2015.This demonstrates that the platform is now the fastest growing means of payments and Ugandans have continued to embrace it over the years.
SMART is majority owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
FMU President Dusman Okee has issued a stark warning to Ugandan rally fans that they could jeopardise the sport’s future with unsafe behaviour.
In an open communication while announcing Hima Cement Ltd a USD25, 000 (Ush84million) sponsorship of the 2016 edition of the prestigious Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally slated for September 16 – 18, 2016, Okwee outlined his concerns for spectator safety, prompted partly by improper driver etiquette.
The event, which is the 6th round, counts towards both Africa Rally Championship (ARC) and NRC titles. It will take place from September 16-17.
Mr Okwee lauded the cement maker’s timely contribution saying that road safety was one of the aspects of the sport that the federation was looking at strengthening.
“We are happy that Hima Cement has come on board to support not only the rally but also FMU’s road safety campaign. As you may know, Uganda is ranked in the top ten countries in the world with the highest number of road accidents; most of them attributed to over speeding and reckless driving. We have taken it upon ourselves to sensitize road users on proper driver etiquette; for drivers to check their vehicles before every journey, to have enough rest, plan their journeys and take regular breaks, to wear seatbelts, lookout for other road users and most importantly not to over-speed. This contribution from Hima Cement and their expertise in Road safety will help us in taking the road safety message even further,” Okee stated.
He added that FMU was happy that companies such as Hima Cement had agreed to bolster the image of the Pearl of Africa Rally; a move he said would help the event regain its past glory as one of the best organized events on the continent.
“Hima Cement is an organization that is keen on road safety. Now that we are sponsoring rally, a prestigious sport which both directly and indirectly influences behavior on the road, we thought it wise to have a stand on road safety alongside our sponsorship. The campaign will run until the end of the year,” Allan Ssemakula the Marketing Director disclosed.
Adding: “We are proud to support FMU which has a longstanding tradition of carrying out road safety campaigns in partnership with the Uganda Police and Ministry of Works; most recently on Masaka Road; which is one of the areas of concern for the whole cou ntry. Hima is glad to partner with FMU in this regard because Health and Safety, on and off the road, is a core value of our organization.”
The two-day event organised by the FMU will start with as spectator stage at Busiika before the cars move to Mubende district.
Hima Cement Limited is the sponsor of rally driver, Ambrose Byona also known as ‘Omunyetto’. Byona in his Mitsubishi Evo 9 and navigator, Derrick Lubambula will be taking part in the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally 2016. Hima Cement has also in the past sponsored legendary rally ace, Chipper Adams.
The Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally is one of the main motorsport events in the country. It is part of the National Rally Championship and the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC).
During the 2015 edition of the Rally, Hima injected Ush20 million into the event. has been part of the sport for many years having been the title sponsor of the Pearl of Africa Rally between 2000 and 2004.
The nine foreigners are led by three drivers Don Smith (Subaru) from Kenya who controls the ARC race and the Zambian duo of Muna Singh Jr (Subaru) and Ismail Shermohamed in a Ford Fiesta. The three along with Ugandan Hajji Abdul Ssempebwa (Subaru N11) are tussling for ARC points.
Other foreigners include veterans Giancarlo Davite (Evo X), Valary Bukera (Subaru), Isa Amwari (EvoX), Mohammed Abassa (Subaru), Sultan Kalura (Subaru) all from Burundi and Tusail Tusail (Subaru) from Tanzania. Vivo Energy is fueling the event to the tune of Shs100m.
Following Sunday’s qualification of the National Football team, Uganda Cranes, for AFCON, the public has joined the national coach, Micho ‘Milutin’ Sredjovic in pressuring Fufa to pay all arrears owed him, estimated at over Shs230 million.
Dejected, Micho shared his frustrations with the public on social media shortly after the qualification.
“I know one country you steal trillions from peoples roads and you eat big enjoying life or u make millions happy and proud trough football and you eat nothing,” Micho tweeted Tuesday.
This was to be followed with another tweet threatening to take legal action FUFA. Micho hasn’t received his salaries for the last five months and the money that FUFA owes him at the moment stands at Shs235 million.
But the Serbian tactician’s rants have rubbed the football governing body the wrong way, and speaking out on Micho’s frustrations, Fufa boss Moses Magogo had a stern warning. According to Magogo, Fufa is indeed indebted to Micho for some months but the top football administrator in the country has advised the coach to keep ‘mum’ as per the contract he (Micho) signed with the body.
‘Finally, details of the ongoing contract between Fufa and Cranes coach remain confidential, Magogo wrote in a letter that was ostensibly supposed to clarify on Micho’s arrears’ saga.
However, despite the concealed threats, Magogo acknowledges that the coach has not been paid according to the terms of his contract.
‘Fufa indeed owes Milutin Sredojevic unpaid salaries and shares his frustrations over the delay. During the costly AFCON 2017 qualification campaign, Fufa prioritised all the meagre resources at its disposal to facilitate requirements for the success of the team and campaign’ Magogo wrote.
He added: ‘Fufa is committed to ensuring all his salary arrears are cleared and we are confident this will be handled. Coach Micho’s unpaid dues are currently Fufa’s number one priority and the federation is doing everything in its means to raise the funds needed to clear the outstanding amount. Fufa and Micho have held meetings in regard to this matter’.
Nakifuma Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Kafeero Sekitoleko has threatened to drag his Kilak North counterpart Anthony Akol for libel.
According to Eng Kafeero Sekitoleko, MP Akol recently ‘misled’ Ugandans by imputing that the Nakifuma man ‘dished’ out 27 bags of sugar and one million shillings each to 27 MPs, ostensibly to support his ‘private members bill’ to amend the Constitution, to have the age cap for judges increased. The Nakifuma MP also wants the two-term limit for commissioners of the Electoral Commission (EC) removed.
On August 23, shortly before departing for the Uganda North America Association (UNAA) convention in Boston, USA, Eng Kafeero allegedly took the 24 National Resistance Movement (NRM) and three opposition MPs including Akol to Mayuge, where he allegedly gave them 25kg bags of sugar that were labeled with a 50kg tag.
According to Akol, the tokens, allegedly from the Parliamentary Food and Security Forum, were supposed to influence the MPs to support Sekitoleko’s bill.
But appearing on a TV talkshow earlier today, Sekitoleko turned his guns against Akol, saying he would drag him to court over the allegations that surround a bill that was first tabled last month before Parliament chaired by Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.
‘I was in Mayuge during the time I am being accused of bribing MPs. I even have evidence,’ he said, adding: ‘Hon Anthony Akol has 48hrs to withdraw his statements or I seek legal redress.’
He added: ‘MP Akol is confusing Ugandans. I’ve never distributed sugar’.
By press time efforts to contact Kilak MP Akol were futile.
The bill tabled by Kafeero Sekitoleko has elicited a lot suspicion from the public, with many saying it is meant to pave the way for the amendment of the Constitution in order to remove the 75 year ‘age limit clause’, purportedly to leverage President Yoweri Museveni.
Currently 72, under the 1995 Constitution Mr Museveni cannot offer himself for president again, unless the law is changed.
Twelve primary school students have today received prizes after their essays received top scores for the children’s essay writing competition.
The competition, organized by Spark TV and NTV received more than 200 entries from Primary school students in Uganda.
According to Theopista Sekitto the business Manager of Spark TV, students were asked to write an essay under the theme, “The Uganda I want to see.” The winning students received certificates and hampers that included scholastic materials, body grooming products among others.
Ms Sekitto called on other students who have the same passion for writing to keep on participating in such competitions to not only improve their writing skills but also expand their knowledge and horizons
Faith Sentongo, one of the essay winners said her passion for writing and encouragement from her parents pushed her to enter the competition.
More than 100 fighters loyal to South Sudan’s sacked vice-president have been found ‘in extremely bad shape’ by the UN in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They were discovered near the border and have been evacuated by helicopter to receive medical treatment.
Fighting between rival forces in July left hundreds of people dead less than a year after a peace deal was signed.
Mr Machar, who had joined a unity government, fled – and was also aided by the UN in DR Congo a few weeks ago.
South Sudan has suffered more than two years of civil war since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.
Political differences between Mr Machar and President Salva Kiir ignited a civil war in December 2013 – and they only agreed to settle their differences under intense international pressure, signing a peace deal in August 2015.
Mr Machar returned to Juba in April but battles then broke out between his bodyguards and presidential guards in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, in July.
Mr Machar fled Juba in the wake of the July clashes and was later dismissed as vice-president.
After receiving medical treatment in DR Congo in August, he was flown to Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, where he remains after being discharged from hospital.
His soldiers, who had crossed into DR Congo, were found in an area around the Garamba National Park by UN peacekeepers, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
He said they had suffered mostly from walking in difficult terrain and having no access to food.
Many were in critical condition and were helped ‘on purely humanitarian grounds so that they can receive urgent medical assistance’, Mr Dujarric said.
An internal Congolese army report indicated 500 fighters were evacuated to Goma in the middle of August – a mission that involved three flights a day over three days.
Following UN pressure last week, President Kiir has now agreed to the deployment of a 4,000-strong regional protection force for Juba which would have a more robust mandate than the 12,000 UN soldiers already in the country, however the mandate and size of the force still have to be agreed.
This was a key request of Mr Machar, who said he wanted a neutral force to guarantee his safety.
But US officials are now saying that they do not believe Mr Machar should return to his post.
“Given all that has happened, we do not believe it would be wise for Machar to return to his previous position in Juba,” US special envoy Donald Booth told a congressional subcommittee.
“But this cannot become a justification for President Kiir to monopolise power and stifle dissenting political voices,” he was further quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, the UK is to send an extra 100 troops to South Sudan, joining the 300 already serving in the UN peacekeeping force there.
