The elections commission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has petitioned the Constitutional Court for a postponement of presidential elections, formally confirming a poll delay that has created a dangerous political impasse.
President Joseph Kabila’s term in office in Africa’s top copper producer expires in December and he is barred by constitutional term limits to run again. However, the elections commission has said the overhaul of voter rolls will last until at least next July.
The opposition has accused Kabila, who came to power in 2001 following the assassination of his father, of manipulating a packed calendar of presidential, legislative and local elections to extend his rule.
His allies say, however, that he will respect the constitution.
The election period was meant to open on September 20, with the presidential vote scheduled for November 27.
“(Voter list revisions) being currently under way, the commission found itself faced with an impasse and referred itself to the high court concerning this,” said Corneille Nangaa, the head of the elections commission – the CENI.
It did not propose a new date.
The DRC has never experienced a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, and protests over Kabila’s perceived attempts to cling to power have led to deadly clashes with security forces on a number of occasions over the past year.
Opposition supporters clashed with police in Lubumbashi, Congo’s copper mining hub, on Friday, leading to the deployment of soldiers.
Diplomats and observers fear the political crisis could trigger a repeat of civil wars that killed millions of people between 1996 and 2003.
Kabila called for talks between his allies, the opposition and Congo’s civil society to discuss the elections as it became increasingly clear they would not be held on time.
This week, participants in the negotiations tentatively agreed to form an interim government that includes opposition members to govern Congo until elections can be held.
However, opposition figures involved in the talks rejected a proposal on Friday by the CENI that would have pushed the presidential vote back to the end of 2018.
“A transition of two years is unacceptable,” said Vital Kamerhe, one of the leading negotiators for the opposition.
A failure to agree on a new elections timetable would likely sink the talks, whose credibility was already struggling due to a boycott by most major Congolese opposition parties. They view the negotiations as giving Kabila a chance to justify what they say is his plan to stay in power.
DEADLY: Somali armed forces search the site where General Goobale was killed by a suicide bomber. Photo credit/yming.com
A Somali general and at least six of his bodyguards have been killed by a suicide car bomber, police say.
The attacker rammed a car carrying explosives into General Mohamed Jimale Goobale’s convoy near the defence ministry headquarters in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital.
Al-Shabab claimed the attack and accused the general of plotting against them.
He had survived several previous assassination attempts.
Witnesses in Mogadishu reported hearing a huge explosion.
“The suicide car bomb hit the car they were in. May God rest their souls,” police colonel Abdikadir Farah said.
A radio station linked to al-Shabab reported a “martyr” had killed the general.
Voting for a new parliament begins on 25 September in Somalia. Lawmakers will then choose a president on 30 October.
Al-Shabab opposes the government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is backed by Western powers and seeking re-election.
Cavendish University Uganda has been recognized by Uganda’s tax body; Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) as a role model for their taxpayer excellence in Uganda. This was revealed in a private meeting held between both parties at the Nsambya based University on Ggaba road
Speaking at the meeting, URA’s IT manager Charles Lugemwa, who led a team that represented Ms. Doris Akol, Commissioner General for Uganda Revenue said that; “We are here to say thank you for paying your taxes promptly.” “As part of our 25 years celebrations we are visiting compliant taxpayers to thank them for being exemplary and Cavendish University Uganda has emerged a role model taxpayer.” he advised.
It was further pointed out that in the last one year Cavendish University Uganda had contributed 2.8 billion Uganda shillings in Pay As You Earn fees. Pay As You Earn is the tax paid by the employee from income derived from employment. The duty to calculate an employee’s employment income and remit the subsequent Pay as You Earn tax to the Uganda Revenue Authority lies with the employer and failure to do so is an offence of which there are penalties.
The Cavendish University Uganda Vice Chancellor, Prof Koi Muchira Tirima thanked URA for the recognition and added that, one of their key values is to remain compliant to all our regulator stakeholders. “Meeting one regulators goal means we must meet every regulators goal and we are committed to taking higher education in Uganda to greater heights and establishing ourselves as the best to – go private university in the country,” she remarked.
Over the past several months, Cavendish University Uganda has been working to accelerate its evolution into a market-leading private university. The University is committed to providing quality education by offering a comprehensive range of accredited courses covering market-relevant subject areas such as business, information technology, health sciences and law. In addition, Cavendish has been investing actively to strengthen its university operations to enhance the learning experience of its students. Recently, the University inaugurated two state-of-the art facilities in the Acacia/Bukoto neighbourhood to accommodate law and health sciences students.
Work without play makes John a dull person! How about having your leisure at the latest premium hangout joint in town? If VIP is your thing, then finally here it is.
Space Lounge Club, which is an exclusive VIP club is opening this Friday. Formerly known as Rouge, the joint has undergone renovations and has a completely new look from the previous one.
But before it opens to the public, the media were the first people to enjoy its cool ambience and flashy seats. They were hosted Friday by the club’s management, where they were treated to an open bar.
Addressing the media, the club’s manager, Keneth Ndejjo said that the club will be open seven days a week, with entrance for some days being free. The only days on which one will have to pay are Fridays and Saturdays. Entrance fee is Shs30k.
After the address, journalists who are football fans enjoyed a football match between Chelsea Fc and Liverpool Fc on the club’s giant screen.
The grand opening is on this Friday and will see performances from Winnie Nwagi while on the disks will be NBS Tv’s DJ Mercy among other DJs.
When NBS TV and CBS Radio presenter, lady Titie real names Tendo Tabel left Denis Katongole popularly known as Katongole Omutongole’s home, many thought it was a public stunt to promote their shows that had been lined up.
She soon hooked up another guy, a one Deo Serunjogi.
This was followed with an introduction last month but still many took it a stunt, however, we can authoritatively inform you that the two lovebirds have formalized their marriage.
The wedding is ongoing at a church that is still kept a secret at the moment for fear of Katongole spoiling the event, as he threatened a few weeks back.
This is the second time that Titie is walking down the aisle with the first having been in 2010 when she married Katongole.
Their wedding, which took place at Pastor Simeon Kayiwa’s church, Namirembe Christian Fellowship Church is still in the books as one of the cheapest weddings in history.
The Beat FM and Delta TV presenter said the wedding cost him less than Shs2 million.
The wedding had no more than 50 guests – all relatives to the bride and groom.
“The challenge to keep the marriage is between you as we are the witnesses,” the pastor said as he issued the marriage certificates to the couple.
“This wedding is purely spiritual; that is why we didn’t want people to know about it because as an aspiring politician [Katongole was contesting for Bbale County Constituency I have a lot of accountability to make to my financiers and the electorate,” Katongole said.
But just like his wedding was kept a secret, even Deo has kept his a secret. We shall keep you informed.
Christopher Aine is a man who made news for most part of the Presidential elections campaigns between June 2015 and February 2016. The son of Bush War Hero Lt. Col. Julius Aine, the younger Aine, a security aide to former presidential candidate John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, displayed heroics, providing a captivating story that makes for a film script. From forcefully removing the pips of a police officer to escaping arrest, Aine immediately became a prize fighter’s bull, attracting the media attention and that of the powers that be.
With Shs20 million on his head, the man in his mid-30s was once ‘declared’ dead. But hardly a month later he resurfaced and behind all the hullabaloo surrounding his return there is a woman who claims to have done so much. That lady is called Ali Alwi and she talked to EagleOnline in an exclusive interview.
Below are excerpts:
At the onset of the campaigns I met John Patrick Amama Mbabazi through a friend who linked me to him. I worked on his team as a general purpose person, monitoring security and the campaign trail. John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, the Go Forward presidential candidate, trusted me, called me his daughter and I always had advance knowledge about his itinerary including the time of soliciting for voters’ signatures across the country.
It is during one of those times with that Christopher Aine, the head of Mr Mbabazi’s security team, was arrested in Jinja after he fought with a police officer, removed the officer’s epaulettes and tossed them away.
Ms Alwi’s passport showing travel details to Tanzania.
“Police blocked the roads and was beating people. Aine was incensed and had an altercation with police after which they wanted to arrest him. There was Haruna Isabirye and the then DPC Jinja but we managed to beat their detail to temporary safety,” Ms Alwi said.
According to Ms Alwi the first hotel they went to rejected them, but they managed to secure accommodation at the Nile Resort hotel, from where Ms Alwi called Nina Mbabazi to help and spirit Aine out of Jinja.
“We made a decoy and NM (Nina Mbabazi) did not take Aine out but instead we got another car that carried out the mission of smuggling him out of the hotel,” Ms Alwi says.
After the Jinja saga Aine called me and expressed fear for his life, it is then that I advised him to be careful and restrict his moves,” Ms Alwi says, adding that a few days later Aine was knocked down by a vehicle and the occupants arrested him.
Consequently, Ms Alwi says, they mounted a search for Aine in almost all police stations in and around Kampala. This was after holding a series of meetings Mbabazi’s son and daughters.
All during this time I would call the Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura to inquire about the safety of Aine. Also, at the time Aine’s relatives were incessantly calling me to ask about the whereabouts of their son, making me restless.
It is about the same time that IGP suggested I work with him; he referred me to an officer whose name I never got to know, but whom he said would assist me in my search for Aine.
“I then got a call to Jinja to go and see if Aine was there in the cells, but on arrival I was asked to produce a letter from Police Headquarters, which I obviously didn’t have. But before I could embark on trying to get it, Aine was produced in the Magistrate’s Court in Jinja. I got wind of this and quickly mobilized members of my team in Jinja, three of who agreed to stand surety for him. We paid US$100 (about Shs350.000). I also mobilized Shs2 million to have Aine released, money which was sent to my mobile phone after I made calls to Nina Mbabazi and Rachel Mbabazi,” Ms Alwi says.
After the release of Aine, Ms Alwi says they hit the Old Kayunga-Jinja road, trailed by a car whose occupants they didn’t know.
“Again, we had to summon our brains to work and branched off in someone’s backyard till dark, at about 9pm before setting off for Kampala again,” Ms Alwi says, adding that all during that time Mbabazi, his wife and lawyers Fred Muwema and Severino Twinobusingye were calling them to ensure they were safe.
On arrival in Kampala, we held a meeting at our headquarters in Nakasero where a lot was deliberated upon and Aine cautioned to ‘be careful’ with his movements. She however, said that the Go-Forward campaign operations were undermined by a ‘mean’ Mbabazi family that was not so adept at parting with money for the various assignments.
“Earlier in the meeting Aine had also complained that he had been ‘injected in the back’ and that it was aching. As a result, he was given ‘some money’ by Jacqueline Mbabazi for treatment. I don’t know how much was given to him, and have never established whether he recovered or not,” Ali Alwi says.
Asked about her other communications with Aine, Ms Alwi says that he told her he wanted to buy his mother a plot of land in Jinja, near Ms Alwi’s home.
Ntungamo beckons, Aine warns of chaos
Around that time we were set for campaigns in Ntungamo, where the Go-Forward candidate was scheduled to address a rally in the centre. By then I had committed to working with the IGP but my Go-Forward colleagues did not know about this hitherto discreet arrangement. And that explains why Aine called to inform me of the impending chaos. Also, at about the same time I received information that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters had been given T-shirts and Shs10,000 to disrupt Mbabazi’s rally.
However, I relayed the information about the impending confrontation to the IGP, but this was not before warning Aine to avoid any situation that could lead to a confrontation. I also sought the DPC, who said his team was ready for any eventuality. This however, did not deter the chaos as shortly after the two groups were at each other; it all started earlier when a young boy who was allegedly being sent by the NRM supporters was beaten up by Aine’s group, sparking off the altercation.
According to Ms Alwi, she recorded all the incidents for her car rooftop, after Mr Mbabazi sending Aine to warn her against leaving her vehicle.
According to Ms Alwi, the next day they had a rally in Kampala, prompting her to leave for the city, leaving Mr Mbabazi heading to his hotel.
“As I headed from Mbarara to Masaka, the IGP called me at about 1am in the morning and asked me to return to Mbarara where he had camped but I told him I had to be in Kampala. I also told him that it was risky because my boss could easily find me heading back yet I had already told him (Mbabazi) that I was going to Kampala,” Ms Alwi says, adding that Mr Mbabazi knew her car, making a turnaround a suicidal undertaking.
She however, said that on arrival she changed cars, and headed back to Mbarara where she met the IGP the next day, who asked her for a report on the Ntungamo incident. It was during our meeting that the IGP received two important calls: one from Muhoozi (Major General Kainerugaba, the Commander of the Special Forces) and the other from the First Lady Mama Janet Museveni.
According to Ms Alwi, the IGP asked her to make him a report, which she did and handed it over to him, together with a CD. At the time all the members of my team who were on the list of those wanted for the chaos in Ntungamo had been arrested, save for Aine.
“But then after returning to Kampala I got information from our (Go-Forward) other members that Aine had been arrested. They then directed me to his brother’s place on Bombo Road in Kampala, where I went only to find that he was actually ‘there’” Ms Alwi says.
But before that, she added, the other members had secretly told her that Aine was a ‘mole’, planted by the NRM to spy on Mbabazi.
“I have never established whether the claim was genuine or not,” she noted.
‘Aine dead’
Then the bombshell: A photo of ‘Aine’ appears on social media, indicating that he was dead.
“I won’t delve into the details and the subsequent troubles this caused for Go Forward and the government. But suffice it to say that about a month later I received a call from Tanzania, of someone purporting to be Aine,” Ms Alwi says, adding that after she had confirmed he was the one, they talked and that Aine asked her to call the IGP and inform him that Aine intended to resurface. He also reportedly said he asked her to request the IGP not to cause his arrest should he return.
“I first called the IGP but he did not pick my calls, then I called his Personal Assistant (Jonathan Baroza), who in turn informed him and after about 5 minutes he called me saying ‘tell me the good news you have’.
“I gave him all the details of the communication between me and Aine including the telephone number (+255-692-090-778) Aine had used to call me,” she says adding that after that the IGP called Aine and later called her to say ‘thank you’. He also asked me to meet him the next day at Lugogo, where he goes for exercise. I did go as instructed and after a short interaction he told me I was to travel to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
According to Ms Alwi, she didn’t even go home; she just called her relatives who delivered to her the necessary items needed for travel including her passport. This, she says, was after responding to Aine’s SOS for help assistance, which she complied with by sending Shs700, 000.
According to Ms Alwi, the police facilitated her travel following another Personal Assistant, a one Naluswa, who reportedly booked her ticket.
According to Ms Alwi, she set off for Dar on March 29, met Aine, and the two planned on how he would enter Uganda. Ms Alwi then says she returned through Entebbe Airport on March 31, after the two had agreed on the modalities for Aine’s return by road through the Mutukula border post. According to Ms Alwi, after arriving in Uganda, she then headed to the border to wait for Aine, who had reportedly left Dar immediately after their interaction and assurance that he was ‘safe’ on return.
“I tried to call the IGP to brief him about the mission but he did not pick the call, but all the same I met him at the border,” she says. Adding that it was while there that security agents who reportedly said they had been sent by Gen. Salim Saleh, speedily moved in and took Aine to a destination not known to her.
Asked how the operatives got to know about their arrangements, Ms Alwi is at a loss.
“I don’t know how they got the information, but police hadn’t realized he was the one because of how he had dressed,” she says.
Asked why she was releasing the information at this particular moment, Ms Alwi said she wanted to be paid for her services rendered, and also hinting at the ‘bounty of Shs20 million that the IGP put as a reward for anyone with information leading to the arrest of Aine’.
Further probed on how she intended to deal with Mbabazi in order to get paid, Ms Alwi said: “That is another story and it will soon come out also. However, for now I just want to have this one (of Police) settled,” Ms Alwi says.
She added: “I have not communicated with Mbabazi for a long time now but I hear he is okay, looking after Mama (Jacqueline Mbabazi), who is not feeling well.”
As proof of non-communication Ms Alwi said the last time the Go- Forward team talked to her was during the presidential elections petition in the Supreme Court, when Mr Mbabazi’s sister-in-law asked her to give evidence, a request she reportedly turned down if not paid.
“I told her pay my money and I provide evidence,” she added.
Ms Ali Alwi
On her post-return communication and relation with Aine, Ms Alwi says they have since fallen out after he failed to link her with Gen Saleh to listen to her plight.
Such is the story of Christopher Aine, the man on whose head Uganda’s biggest bounty of Shs20 million was placed by police chief Gen Kale Kayihura; Christopher Aine, the son of Bush War hero Lt .Col. Julius Aine who, since his return, reportedly stays with Gen Saleh, another Bush War Hero and brother to President Yoweri Museveni.
City make-up artist and Bukedde TV presenter, Fyona Kirabo has today introduced her man to her parents at Ntinda Ministers’ village.
The function that is still ongoing has been graced by only a selected few close friends and family members.
Apparently she had lined up her close friend, singer Rema Namakula as her matron, however, things didn’t go as planned since the ‘Muchuzi’ hit maker left the country for Nairobi a few days back. She is attending the Coke Studio.
Nevertheless her absence hasn’t affected the party in anyway. We got you some of the photographs from the function.
Kirabo is the official make-up artist for both New Vision and Bukedde staff. She also presents ‘Muvubuka Weyogerere on Bukedde TV.
Mention ‘White Party’ and the first name to pop up in a person’s mind will go to Kampala socialite, Zari who is also the wife to Tanzania’s multi-award artist, Diamond Platnumz.
She is the person famed for the ‘Zari All White Party’, having hosted similar parties every December for the past four years.
However, this year’s party hangs in balance after someone registered it as his trademark.
At the moment, he is the only Ugandan with the right of hosting any party under the name of ‘White Party’ is a one Yoweri Munamasaka. Anyone who wishes to do so has to seek his permission or risks going to jail.
This year has seen him host a couple of ‘White Parties’ across the country. Among the places he has been to include Mbale, Lyantonde and Masaka. His next destination is Entebbe.
Muhamood Masaba seen here directing NRM supporters. Photo credit New Vision.
The showy National Resistance Movement (NRM) party chairman for Mbale district, Muhamood Masaba, has distanced himself from allegations that he has amassed a lot of wealth from unexplained sources.
Masaba told EagleOnline that he is not ‘a poor person’ but that allegations he recently dubiously got over Shs10 billion are mere assertions brought against him by his political detractors.
“I am yet to find out why this this smearing campaign that I am rich and that I got money from unexplained sources. I am seeing those that I defeated in our local politics here (Mbale) involved in it but I cannot rule out that certain individuals especially from opposition are unhappy with me because of what I did to them as far as our party is concerned,” he said.
Sections of the media last week ran stories that Masaba had recently accumulated a lot of money through land deals and also from an unknown Asian rich tycoon.
Masaba was among the key people Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi relied on to penetrate Eastern Uganda and more especially the Elgon zone. He indeed gave NRM and security apparatus hard time but was finally persuaded to rejoin the NRM party.
Mathias Walukaga is bitter again. Not with a fellow artiste or Salongo Michael Kasawuli aka Samona this time; the singer has been angered by an unnamed radio station that has ‘consistently’ refused to play his songs. Among the songs he claims have been binned by the station include Namboole, Tuleppuke, Bwiino w’omutembeeyi and Referee.
“Lwaki olowooza nti njakuggwa kuba oweze okuzanya enyimba zange ku radio? Loosely translated as ‘Why do you think I will fail simply because you don’t play my songs on your radio station?” he rants. Walukaga, a renowned Kadongo Kamu singer adds: “Omuyimbi aggwa butayiiya nakubulwa kyebetaaga, meaning ‘a musician only fails due to lack of creativity and failure to come up with what fans want’.
Though he is yet to mention the name of the station, his fans have been quick point accusing fingers at Central Broadcasting Services (CBS), the Buganda kingdom semi official station. Apparently it’s the station that doesn’t play his songs.
Will he win this battle like he has done in the previous ones?
Meanwhile, we will keep you posted on all the developments about the story.
