GOLDEN BOY: Uganda's double Olympic and World Champion Stephen Kiprotich. Photo credit/iaaf.org
The crave for even a single medal at the ongoing Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro has seen Ugandans go wild over a hoax went viral on the internet indicating that reigning Olympic Marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich had bagged a gold medal in the same discipline early today.
For all their lack of knowledge about even the miniscule matters around the globe the anxious Ugandans, craving for a podium position from Uganda’s greatest sportsman so far, did not even bother to check with the games’ schedules, provided daily on the internet, which clearly indicate that the marathon is the last discipline, to be held on August 21.
Kip, as he is fondly called by his fans, first came to the limelight when he won the 2012 marathon gold medal in London, UK, becoming the second Ugandan after John Akii-Bua (RIP) to win a gold medal at the summer games. Kip then went on to win the 2014 World Marathon Championship that was staged in Moscow, Russia.
FIRST GOLDEN BOY: John Akii-Bua celebrates his victory in the 110m hurdles at the 1972 Olympic Games in Germany.
The other Olympic gold medallist, John Akii-Bua won the 1972 110m hurdles race during the Summer games in Germany.
An accident scene involving a bus along the Masaka road
Following the recent spate of accidents along the Kampala-Masaka–Mbarara highway that have claimed the lives of over 30 people within a period of one month, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), has initiated a programme aimed at reducing the number of accidents.
The ‘Fika Salama’ programme that began early this week is being carried out in conjunction with the Uganda Police Force traffic department and the Ministry of Works and Transport, and has seen a number non-roadworthy vehicles being impounded and licenses revoked. Since its launch, UNRA officials have estimated that over 50% of drivers do not possess the required documents.
“It’s aimed at penalizing errant motorists while looking out for the following: vehicles in dangerous mechanical condition, speeding motorists, driving under the influence of alcohol, and those without driving permits,” an official of UNRA said.
The programme also strongly advocates for the participation of passengers, encouraging them to report any misconduct on the road in order to ensure their safety.
According to UNRA, props such as cameras and road blockades have been employed with new gadgets such as the ‘speed guvnor’ also being introduced to fight against the ‘bloodshed’ on the roads, starting with the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara Highway.
Gulu is preparing for the first female solo music concert dubbed the ‘Best of Jenneth Prischa’, by a recording artiste who has been at the forefront of major musical events in the region. Prischa is a household name and a darling to many youth and women who cherish some of her gender sensitive songs aimed at rebuilding shattered families and souls across northern Uganda. Her diversity in song writing and singing as exhibited in some of her songs with mixed genres ranging from hiphop, dancehall, afro, Zouk and gospel music makes her on top of her game regionally. With over 20 songs to her name, Pricha is geared towards the path of stardom. We caught up with her for an exclusive interview and share with you her full life story and career path
Who is Jenneth Prischa
My real names are Jenneth Amony but majority call me Prischa, a name I got from my granny. I am a self-styled female artiste based in northern Uganda who rose to fame in 2012 during a song competition organised by Save the Children International. Her song on the negative impact of domestic violence scooped an award and cash prize that encouraged her to record more hits thus her rise to be recognized as the best northern female artiste for the years 2013 and 2015, respectively. Prischa is passionate about family relations, community and love life as manifested in most of her songs.
Tell us briefly about your family and educational background
I am the second born in a family of seven kids, born on 13 March 1990 to Mr Darius Kalokwera and Mrs Adyero Rose all of Paluga in Lamwo district. My parents are farmers and so I stand to be a typical village girl.
As far as my education is concerned, I went to Padibe Boys for primary education then moved on to Padibe secondary school and completed my lower level education from YY Okot Memorial College in Kitgum in 2009. From there I could not continue with my education due to financial challenges and I opted for a vocational career joining the Northern Youth Development Centre Labora for a two year certificate course in garment making and cutting. I spend most of my time working on my sewing machine, designing cloths from my house and that’s how I am able to survive besides music.
Jenneth Prischa poses for the camera
When did you discover your music talent?
The first time I realized I could sing is when I was at primary school during the post primary music competition. My teachers checked my talent and helped groom me. I started to take it seriously by writing my own songs. However, during my senior four vacation I recorded my first hip hop song ‘Pe Itema’ meaning ‘Don’t try me’ to test the waters before joining professional music in 2012.
Who are your big inspirations?
My biggest music inspiration is my dad; he is one of the most talented traditional Bwola dancers, a royal kind of dance done specifically for the kings. I grew up seeing him as a real family man and I learned a lot from him. I am inspired by family life, love and adventure in general and that sets the tone for my music genres. However, there are some music personalities who have helped influence me into music like Roselyn Otim, a locally- based female artiste whom I used to listen to very much while I was still growing up. At national level I have quite a number notably Cindy Sanyu, Juliana (Kanyomozi) and Judith Babirye.
Prischa poses with her award after being announced the ‘best-female-artiste-of-the-year’
Do you write all your songs?
Yes, I write most of my songs because then the lyrics flow easily. I am inspired by what I see, so I feel I am better-placed to envision what I see than recording what I have been given by another person. My Dad has personally written for me two songs which I am yet to work on but this will be the first time I am taking on a divergent angle to my music career.
What is your best instrument?
My best instrument is a guitar but unfortunately I have no skills to play it but as my music career spans on its one thing I want to practically learn.
What does the future hold for Jenneth Prischa in 2016?
The release of my album dubbed ‘The Best of Jenneth Prischa’ slated for Friday, September 2016 will be a night to share all my music with my fans that have been with me since my breakthrough in 2012. They have been there to see me grow with a lot of love and support that made who I am today. It’s candid to say I am not alone but with all who have been an exciting part of my musical career.
This maiden solo music performance and one of its kind, where a female artiste like me plans to put up such a mega show in the region should to enable me sell my music to a wider audience. It’s not a mere album launch as said, but a moment to give my fans a variety of my music genres. I will perform all my songs right from ‘Tim Gero’ that scooped me an award from Save the Children International for its concept on domestic violence. I will move on to showcase some of my latest (2016) releases including gospel, dancehall and afro beat hits like ‘Atimango’, ‘Pa Pore’ and ‘Super Glue’. With over 20 songs to my name I anticipate the ‘best of the best’ for my fans.
After the concert I plan to get back to the studio and work on some of my new and pending projects for 2016; invest in the production of quality music videos, intensify promotions of my songs and then secure a part time job with a charity organisation working for the less advantaged girl child in the region.
What advice do you have for young artistes who want to join the music industry?
Music is a long term investment or career option and it requires patience so that you can master the trade fully. Those joining it to make instant money with single releases can never go far. Concentrate on giving your fans all your best always.
What are some of the challenges you have faced as a female artiste?
The fact that I am based upcountry is already a challenge; some of us do really good music but lack a basic platform to promote our songs. I am hopeful one day we can take on the music scene by storm as we struggle to meet standards in this highly competitive industry.
The aspect of promotion and look out for competent promoters needs to be checked too. To me a promoter should be someone who understands music as a business and not just showbiz. He or she should be able to as well do media relation work in a bid to bring out the unseen but potential talents. Whereas the people look at me as a star in Gulu or across northern Uganda, I feel this is not enough in this dynamic world of competition.
ANNOUNCED EVICTIONS: Kampala minister Beti Kamya says Lord Mayor does not attend scheduled meetings. Photo credit/elections.co.ug
The Minister of Kampala Beti Olive Kamya has called upon government to amend the law governing Kampala Capital City Authority.
According to Minister Kamya, the amendments will help settle the leadership wrangles that hinder service delivery in the city. She cited examples where the Lord Mayor has on occasion declined to attend scheduled meetings.
Kamya said the Article 5 of the Constitution which states Kampala shall be governed by the central government, contradicts KCCA Act that mandates the Lord Mayor to be the political head of Kampala.
Kamya was accompanied by the two KCCA spokespersons, an indicator that the city executive clearly cooperates with the ministry as was the case during the Frank Tumwebaze’s tenure as Kampala minister.
Efforts to contact Lord Mayor Lukwago on the issue were futile by press time.
Since the creation of the KCCA the relationship between Executive Director Jennifer Musisi, Lord Mayor Lukwago and the two Kampala ministers Frank Tumwebaze and Beti Kamya, seems to be rocky, with all of them juggling for supremacy.
ATTACKED BY ODOI: Major General (rtd) Kahinda Otafiire
Leading politicians and public figures in Uganda have attacked the Inspector General of Police for allegedly instigating demonstrations aimed at thwarting his appearance before court, where he was summoned in connection to the beating of opposition kingpin Dr Kizza Besigye’s supporters on July 12 and 13.
Appearing on the NBS’s Front line talk show panelists including Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafiire, Democratic Party (DP) President Norbert Mao, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Francis Gimara and human rights activist Miria Matembe, all castigated Gen. Kayihura for the actions of the rowdy mobs at Makindye magistrate’s court on Wednesday, August 10.
The IGP General Kale Kayihura and ten senior officers are currently facing private prosecution for allegedly failing to supervise their subordinates
“I don’t encourage people rioting around court and if all us are going to bring to court our supporters whether to be tried or not to be tried, then it is going to be (rule) of the jungle. Those who were rioting there, they were acting illegally and I don’t approve what they were doing,” Gen. Otafiire said.
He added: “We must observe rule of law that has been the hallmark of society by the National Resistance Movement. Nobody should stop courts from doing their work. Supporters or no supporters, we should all go to court to plead our innocence, this hooliganism is unacceptable.”
RILED BY MOB CONDUCT AT COURT: ULS President Francis Gimara. Photo credit/uls.or.ug
For ULS’ Francis Gimara, Gen. Kayihura must appear before the court on the scheduled date, August 29.
“If what happened repeats itself on August 29, lawyers will sit down and agree on what to do. I can’t anticipate that,” he said, adding: ‘Government should ensure that subsequent appearances are devoid of what happened this week’.
According to Gimara, the police should explain why they opted to allow a demonstration within court premises, a thing he said, is ‘unprecedented and illegal’.
“How come this mob had a license to act the way they did? They even asked the magistrate why he was trying a General!” the ULS boss wondered.
WHO IS KAYIHURA? Human rights activist Miria Matembe asked.
And when Ms Matembe weighed in on the issue, she had no kind words for the IGP, saying he is not above the law.
COURT SIEGED: DP President Norbert Mao
“Kayihura has defied Parliament, the court… Who is Kayihura that he defies the law?” a charged Matembe asked, while DP’s Mao said the mobs at Makindye threatened the lives of the officers of court. “They were besieged,” he said.
The Uganda Peoples Defence Forces will not look on as its officers and men trample on the rights of Ugandans, the Chief of Defence Forces General Edward Katumba Wamala has warned.
Gen Wamala’s stern warning comes in the wake of the UPDF seeking to punish the men who took part in beating bystanders and supporters of the opposition’s Dr Kizza Besigye, who were lined up along the streets to welcome him from Luzira prison, where he had been incarcerated for two months on treason charges.
And now Gen. Wamala has cracked the whip against impunity in the army and directed the Military Police to investigate and bring the errant soldiers to book. The said soldiers were deployed alongside the police to escort Dr Besigye to his Kasangati home after he granted bail by the High Court. And instead of carrying out their assigned duties diligently, some of the soldiers were captured on video beating up people, an oversight that has attracted vicious criticism from the public and the opposition in Parliament.
Indeed, the first victims of the public ire were the police, whose boss IGP General Kale Kayihura and ten senior officers are currently facing private prosecution for allegedly failing to supervise his subordinates.
This Wednesday Gen Kayihura was supposed to appear before the Makindye magistrate’s court to answer to the charges but he did not turn up. Interestingly, his absence was overshadowed by the presence of rowdy demonstrators, who caused chaos and brought activities at the court to a temporary standstill.
In a related development the officers being charged with the IGP, six constables and a ‘crime preventer’, one Dan Tandeka, are appearing before the police disciplinary court to answer to charges ranging from failing to supervise their subordinates to the physical beating of Dr Besigye’s supporters.
The Issue that caused the closure of Mseto.Photo credit/tanzaniatoday.co.tz
A Kiswahili weekly tabloid, Mseto, has been suspended for three years after the government accused it of running stories with the intention of inciting hatred against President John Magufuli.
This is the second newspaper to be banned this year after Mawio, a Kiswahili weekly tabloid that was banned permanently this year. The tabloid invoked the wrath of the authorities in an article published on August 4, this year, headlined “Waziri amchafua JPM”(literal translation, “Minister tarnishes JPM image” John Pombe Magufuli) the president.
It should be noted that president Magufuli has become the country’s favorite after changing a number of policies in the government ever since he assumed power and especially policies that look at cutting costs of expenditure by the government bodies and switching of the funds into infrastructural development of the country.
In a statement, Information, Culture, Arts and Sports minister Nape Nnauye said the story was seditious. The story was about former acting managing director of State Mining Corporation (Stamico), currently the deputy minister in the ministry of Works, Transport and Communications, Mr Edwin Ngonyani, and President Magufuli.
According to the article, Mr Ngonyani reportedly received financial support from foreign businesspersons to facilitate campaigns during last year’s General Election. It was reported in the story that some of the funds were used by Dr Magufuli during his presidential campaign, the claims the Head of State categorically denied. Early this year, President Magufuli said he never received financial support from both local and foreign businesspersons for his campaigns.
Mr Ngonyani considers the story to be seditious, saying it was aimed at creating misunderstanding or conflicts between him and the President.
According to the statement, the decision to suspend the publication of the newspaper, which started effectively on Wednesday, is under Government order No. 242 which calls for newspapers and tabloids to be truthful in their reporting and dissemination of information.
EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge (right), flags off the 14 cyclists who are participating in a two month tour of the EAC Partner States at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
A group of fourteen adventurous cyclists who are on bicycling tour of the East African Community region were flagged off on another five-day leg of their long journey from the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania by the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge.
The cyclists who left the Ugandan capital, Kampala on July 1, 2016 on a two month tour of the five EAC Partner States are on a mission to sensitize ordinary East Africans in addition to creating awareness on the EAC integration process.
The team – whose trip is dubbed Tour D’EAC passed through left Nairobi on 8th July, 2016 where they visited the State Department of East African Integration headquarters in Nairobi. They then came to Arusha via Namanga after several stopovers including Kajiado.
The group members who embarked on the trip without sponsorship do not spend the night in hotels but in public places including police stations, schools, churches and camps. They also prepare their own food. They endeavour to spend time with communities while educating and informing them about the integration process.
East African Bicycling Expedition Team Leader John Balongo speaking when they were received by the Deputy Secretary General (Political Federation), Mr. Charles Njoroge (seated right) at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Briefing Mr. Njoroge on their itinerary, the group’s leader, Mr. John Balongo, said they had embarked on the trip after realizing that most East Africans including critical groups such as the media, police and students at all levels were ignorant about the EAC integration process.
Mr. Balongo said they had noted that knowledge about the East African integration was limited to a select group of top government officials but not the people at the grassroots who have no information on what the integration entails.
“We have come across security personnel and students who don’t know what the EAC is all about. Many do not even know what the EAC Partner States are. We therefore need to actively involve communities in the integration so that they can own the process,” said Balongo.
EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge (fourth right, front row), with the 14 cyclists before he flagged them off on the next phase of their journey to Bujumbura, Burundi. All photos/Courtesy of EAC
He said their ambition is to make the event biannual in addition to involving cyclists from the other four Partner States to make participation in the event fully regional.
Receiving the group, Mr. Njoroge described their initiative as novel, brave and inspiring saying it would go a long way in marketing the EAC integration to the people at the grassroots.
The DSG said the initiative was in line with various directives by the Summit of EAC Heads of State to the EAC Secretariat and Partner States’ governments to educate the ordinary folk on the integration.
Mr. Njoroge said the EAC would look at ways of supporting the initiative including financing making it an annual event in collaboration with other stakeholders. Mr. Njoroge later on flagged off the group whose next destination is Bujumbura, Burundi.
The team is expected in Bujumbura on Sunday, August 21, 2016 and Kigali, Rwanda on Thursday, August 25, 2016. From Kigali, the group will travel through Kabale, Mbarara, Masaka in Western Uganda before arriving at the Sudanese Embassy in Kampala on August 31, 2016.
Thursday, September 1, 2016 will be the grand finale of the tour with a Closing/Awards Ceremony in the Ugandan capital city.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir with his deputy General Taban Deng Gai.
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) has echoed the call by IGAD for the newly appointed First Vice President of South Sudan, Taban Deng Gai, to step down for his embattled predecessor Riek Machar.
The resolution passed at the 616th meeting of the AU’s PSC in Addis Ababa stated that Machar, who was First Vice President until July 24 this year, should be reinstated upon his return to the national capital Juba. It
The AU body expressed concern over the ongoing fighting around Juba and in other parts of the country which sparked on July 7 when rival soldiers clashed in Juba and also called for deployment of a third party protection force to take charge for the security in the capital.
NEW VP: Gen Taban Deng Gai. Photo/sudaneseonline.org
“The decision encouraging Dr. Riek Machar to re-join the peace process and the commitment by General Taban Deng Gai to step down upon the return of Dr Machar with a view to returning to the status quo are in line with the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS),” partly reads the communiqué.
The statement called upon the parties to the August 2015 peace agreement to embrace mutual trust and to implement the accord and supported the IGAD ‘call for the UN Security Council (UNSC) to extend the Mission of UNMISS with a revised mandate including the deployment of the Regional Protection Force’.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the IGAD Regional Chiefs of Defence Staff is scheduled to take place today in Addis Ababa. The meeting comes in the wake of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) announcing it will meet today to decide on the deployment of a 4,000-strong peacekeeping force to Juba, a position strongly opposed by the government of South Sudan.
NO TROOP DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTH SUDAN: Chief of Defence Forces-Gen.Katumba Wamala.
Uganda will not send peacekeeping troops to South Sudan, the Chief of Defence Forces General Edward Katumba Wamala, has revealed.
While appearing before the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee of Parliament chaired by Judith Nabakooba, Gen Wamala also revealed that Sudan, the northern neighbor, will not send troops to the country that attained Independence just five years ago.
During the 27th African Union Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, it was resolved that five countries, namely Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia contribute troops for the South Sudan mission, but according to Gen Wamala, Uganda was now only ready to provide logistical support to the other troop-contributing countries.
Also, during the IGAD Heads of State summit held in Addis Ababa last week, it was reiterated that the bloc deploy a ‘third party regional force’ to the South Sudan capital, Juba.
However, Uganda and Sudan are considered to have interests in South Sudan, with the former having sent troops to the troubled country in December 2013, when troops loyal to rivals President Salva Kiir and then Vice President Riek Machar, went to war.
