Former Presidential Independent candidate in 2016 race John Patrick Mbabazi has said he isn’t silent but busy.
Although Mbabazi didn’t reveal what has kept him busy said he happy his longtime political aide, Pt. Emmy Katabazi was finally out of military detention.
Asked by his follower on Twitter why he went silent Mbabazi replied “I am not silent. I am just busy”
On Katabazi he said he was the last of his strongholds who kept their promise of supporting him until the ‘struggle’ is fulfilled.
“Emmy Katabazi was the last bastion of the struggle for freedom and justice. He had devoted his life to this struggle. He has paid the price…Katabazi was obviously detained, for 9 months without trial, because of his historical role and his politics,” Mbabazi said on Social media.
Katabazi has been at Makindye military prison over what military officials say was misconduct contrary to army rules and regulations. He was also openly accused of participating in Parisian politics when he backed Mr Mbabazi.
Mbabazi has been silent since the disposal of his court case challenging the re-election of President Yoweri Museveni in February 18, general elections. His silence has left the population pondering on what his next move would be.
Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimović has confirmed that he will be joining Premier League side Manchester United this summer a deal he announced via his official Twitter account this evening. The 34-year- old was out of contract after four years at the French champions, PSG confirmed that he will joining England side this summer.
“Time to let the world know. My next destination is Manchester United,” he tweeted.
The Swedish striker will fly to England to complete the deal on Friday and has already agreed personal terms on a one-year contract and personal terms worth £220,000 a week. He will link up again with his former Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford. Mourinho and Ibrahimovic have worked together before, at Inter Milan in 2008/09 season.
Zlatan will now attempt to win a league title in a fifth major European league under Mourinho’s guidance. Manchester United, who will formally unveil Mourinho early next week, are also hopeful of securing the Borussia Dortmund play maker Henrikh Mkhitaryan, 27, after the German club admitted they had received “a much improved offer for the Armenian. Zlatan will become José Mourinho’s second signing for United, following the capture of Villarreal’s Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly.
WHAT NEXT? Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi with his wife Suzan at their country home in Rujumbura, Rukungiri district. Mr Muhwezi was addressing the press and said he was willing to serve in any capacity the appointing authority would assign him.
Rujumbura County of Rukungiri District, a region with a thought-provoking ethnic and religious mix, has produced several prominent persons who have served in Yoweri Museveni’s regime since 1986 among them (RIP) .General Robert Aronda Nyakairima, Lt. Gen. (rtd) Henry Tumukunde, Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye, Mathew Rukikaire, Athanius Rutaro, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, Dr. Alex Kamugisha, Maj. Gen. (rtd) Jim Muhwezi Katugugu, Priscilla Seezi Mbaguta, Secretary to Treasury Keith Muhakanizi, UNRA Executive Director Allen Kagina, the Commissioner General of Prisons Johnson Byabashaija, MP Paula Turyahikayo and political activist Charles Rwomushana.
Between them all the above persons have played an important role to ensure that Rukungiri, one of the most politically endowed regions of Uganda (only shrouded by Bugweri County), maintains the status quo. But some names stand out and one of those is that of Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi Katugugu, a man who has been the Member of Parliament for Rujumbura for 20 years.
With an impressive career that began with graduation as a lawyer from Makerere University, Gen. Muhwezi joined the Uganda Police Force as a Detective Assistant Superintendent of Police (D/ASP), stationed at Mbale Police Station.
At the time Milton Obote had just returned to power through a controversial election in December 1980, the precursor to Yoweri Museveni’s declaration of war against the regime. So, given his tribal background and perceived political inclination then, Mr Muhwezi and other future comrades including David Munungu Sejusa, then also ASP, were the subject of suspicion by the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) government, prompting them conjure survival instincts, that led them to stage a dramatic escape from the cells at Jinja Road Police Station that was partly facilitated by Engineer Winnie Byanyima, to join Museveni in the jungles af Luwero in mid 1981, this time round as rebels, wanted and hunted by the government.
Given his background as a detective, while in the bush Mr Muhwezi was assigned spying roles, a trait that followed him even after the war ended in 1986 when he was named the first Director General of the Internal Security Organisation (DGIS), where he served for 10 years.
But his dramatic life in government and politics was just beginning; during that time, precisely 1994, he contested for the Rujumbura Constituent Assembly Delegate (CAD) and lost to then youthful political activist and former Makerere University Guild President Charles Rwomushana.
MUHWEZI NEMESIS? Political activist Charles Rwomushana
With the Constitution-making process done in 1995, Mr Muhwezi was again to stand for political office in 1996, this time trouncing Rwomushana to represent Rujumbura County in the Sixth Parliament and also joining cabinet as the State Minister for Education in charge of Primary Education. Interestingly, at the time Mr Muhwezi held the rank of Brigadier in the National Resistance Army, while his boss Education and Sports Minister Nuwe Amanya Mushega, was a Major. Both men have since been retired by the army, with Muhwezi retiring at the rank of Major General while Mushega was promoted to Colonel and also retired.
BOSS? Former Education minister minister Nuwe Amanya Mushega, who was Mr Muhwezi’s boss
However, while serving as Rujumbura MP Muhwezi was censured by Parliament after it emerged he had acquired immense wealth, allegedly not commensurate with his earnings at the time.
After sometime in political oblivion, Mr Muhwezi was to bounce back in style, this time as minister of Health, where he worked with a cabinet colleague from Rukungiri, Dr Alex Kamugisha. The two were to be dropped for allegedly misappropriating the Global and Gavi funds that were purposely for fighting HIV/Aids and for immunization, respectively.
It was at this point in time that the President instituted a probe chaired by then High Court Judge James Ogoola Munange, that Mr Muhwezi made his most unforgettable quote, asking the judge where he (Ogoola) was when they (Muhwezis) went to the bush. But Mr Museveni would hear none of Mr Muhwezi’s threats and swear words; the President cracked the whip and dropped all the three ministers serving the health ministry then. Once again Mr Muhwezi found himself in political oblivion, going low and remaining MP.
‘Where were you’? Mr Muhwezi asked Justice James Ogoola. (pictured).
Then something happened internally in the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM); in February 2014 then female Youth MP Northern Evelyn Anite went for the party retreat at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi and, on bended knees, ‘begged’ Chairman Yoweri Museveni to offer himself for party flag bearer in the 2016 elections.
Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi was not very impressed with the youthful legislator from Koboko and initially resisted signing the ‘Anite petition’ till he finally relented, signing in at No.202. Obviously there was a crack in the party that has been running affairs of state for 30 years. And this disturbing dent in the cohesion of the NRM had to be plugged, most probably by ‘old hands’ who had withered storms.
Jim Muhwezi was one of those chosen to put to a halt the Mbabazi engine that seemed to have gained traction that was capable of destabilizing the party. Subsequently, in late 2015 Mr Muhwezi was appointed Minister of Information and National Guidance, a docket that was critical in mobilizing for the 2016 elections. The General was expeditious in executing the task, appearing on TV talkshows to explain the position of the party.
ANOTHER INSTRUMENTAL SON OF RUKUNGIRI: New Security Minister Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde
Indeed, the plot to engage the services of the likes of Mr Muhwezi and others like Lt Gen (rtd) Tumukunde seemed to work and, despite holding on to a spirited campaign trail, Mbabazi was deflated. He got one per cent of the vote, sinking further into political obscurity. The ‘Muhwezi magic’ had worked; he thus relaxed, awaiting the fruits of his expertise in neutralising Mr Mbabazi. But this was never to come; he lost the Rujumbura County seat to the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Fred Turyamyhweza and again, on June 15, 2016, slightly more than a month after swearing in Mr Museveni announced a new cabinet with Mr Muhwezi’s name missing! He was reportedly not happy about missing on the cabinet list but however, managed to maintain his deafening silence till his wife Suzan Kabonero Muhwezi let out an outburst: her husband, the doyen of politics in Rujumbura in particular and Rukingiri in general, had been ‘sidelined’ yet he had immensely contributed to the re-election of Mr Museveni.
Since then Mr Muhwezi has maintained his loud silence, and possibly made his point by not attending the hand over of office to his successor Frank Tumwebaze, the former ‘Super Minister Jr’ who held the portfolios of the ministries of the Presidency and Kampala, concurrently.
And with that kind of suspense emanating from a spy of long-standing, what remains to be seen is whether Mr Muhwezi’s ‘thought-provoking silence’ will bear fruit and pave the way for his political return.
Joseph Nsubuga is set to join SC Villa from Bright Stars after the two clubs struck a 'special arrangement’
Uganda Cranes and Bright Stars right back Joseph Nsubuga looks set to join SC Villa from Bright Stars after the two clubs reached a deal, Jogoo fans attaché Perez Ngasirwaki revealed on Thursday.
Nsubuga, 22, is expected to sign a two-year deal for a transfer fee of some 10 million shillings.
Nsubuga got his full international debut during Uganda’s surprise 1-0 win over Nigeria last year
He joins SC Villa set for another massive player turnover with skipper Jonathan Mugabi, Nicholas Ssebwato, Misi Katende, Karim Ndugwa,Sulaiman Ochero and Isaac Muleme all leaving. Apart from Muleme, the other five players released have been under suspension since mid-last month for what the club describes as “indiscipline.”
Nsubuga got his full international debut during Uganda’s surprise 1-0 win over Nigeria in March 2015 which was met with astonishment around the continent.
Nsubuga’s rise to fame started when he turned out for the national under-23 side, Kobs against Mozambique recently in the All Africa Games qualifiers.
He is a regular figure on the national team. Here pictured celebrating at the 2015 CECAFA finals with Murushid Jjuuko, and goalkeeper Ismail Watenga
The former Lubaga boys defender honed his skills competing in the La-Mennais Cup that pits schools of the Brothers of Christian Instruction like St Mary’s College Kisubi, St Henry’s College Kitovu and Kasasa SS among others, against each other every year in football competitions.
It’s from there that he played for Kyadondo and Buwekula in the Masaza Cup between 2011 and 2013 and then later joined Bright Stars FC. Nsubuga is known for being a humble and disciplined young man, but very tough and tenacious in defence.
Observers said he doesn’t look comfortable as a right-back. He doesn’t move easily with the ball at his feet and has been criticized for playing so many back passes to the goalkeeper on top of his many long balls, some of which came as a result of unnecessary early crossing. He will need to work on that if he is to be a mainstay in the team.
Omer Dahab Fadul Mohamed (C), Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, and his deputy Hassan Hamid Hassan (left), at the Security council meeting on June 29, 2016 (UN Photo)
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has extended the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) until 30 June 2017, stressing that the situation in the western Sudan region continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security.
Despite Khartoum calls to withdraw UNAMID, the 15-member Council unanimously decided that UNAMID would maintain a deployment of up to 15,845 military forces, 1,583 police personnel and 13 formed police units of up to 140 personnel each in the Darfur region.
In its resolution 2296 (2016), the Council underlined that, in the context of limited progress on meeting benchmarks and ongoing insecurity, the mission must use its capacity and resources to protect civilians, deliver humanitarian assistance and meditate between the Government of Sudan and armed movements that had signed the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur.
The 15-member body, also, called on Darfur conflicting parties to immediately end the violence and commit themselves to a lasting ceasefire under the auspice of the African Union mediation team. Further it urged the Sudan Liberation Movement-Abdel Wahid to join the peace process without pre-conditions.
The resolution demanded the parties to create suitable conditions to allow the voluntary return of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. It also demanded the cessation of sexual and gender-based violence.
Regarding the Darfur administrative referendum of April 2016, the council noted concern about voter eligibility and timing, however it welcomed the plebiscite which maintained the region’s five-state structure.
The new element in this year’s text is related to the exit strategy. The resolution has requested the Secretary-General to make recommendations within four months of the adoption of the resolution on practical steps that can be taken by all Sudanese parties with the support of UNAMID to achieve the mission’s benchmarks.
The achievement of the benchmarks is seen as a prerequisite for UNAMID’s exit, which Sudan continues to call for.
The benchmarks include an inclusive peace process between the government and the holdout armed groups; the protection of civilians, unhindered humanitarian access and the safety and security of humanitarian workers; and the prevention or mitigation of community conflict.
Further, the Council requested that the Secretary-General report on the political, humanitarian and security situation in Darfur, on violations of the status-of-forces agreement, and on progress towards the attainment of UNAMID’s strategic priorities.
Sudan’s supporters, like Russia and China worked to amend the draft resolution which was prepared by the United Kingdom (UK). The Russian Ambassador described the adopted text as a balanced outcome of intensive consultations. While the Chinese envoy praised the successful holding of the referendum, and said the Government was promoting peace and security in Darfur.
On the other hand, United States welcomed the Sudanese government’s steps on the cessation of hostilities and acknowledged the progress made. However, Washington underscored that tribal fighting and violence against civilians continued, with approximately 80,000 people newly displaced in 2016.
UK Ambassador stressed that the resolution was much more than a simple mandate renewal. “It was, in fact, a recommitment to the people of Darfur. By striking a balance, it sought to deliver progress on benchmarks that would ultimately allow UNAMID to leave Darfur,” he said.
UNAMID NO LONGER NEEDED
Sudanese envoy to the United Nations Omer Dahab Fadl Mohamed told the Council that the security situation in Darfur is improving, adding that there were no rebellions or armed movements in the region.
“UNAMID is no longer needed,” he further stressed.
“The resolution adopted today was replete with contradictions and did not reflect facts on the ground. In fact, Darfur had witnessed the return of 800,000 IDPs and an improvement in the humanitarian situation,” he said.
Mohamed recalled that the Sudanese government had requested that UNAMID begin its exit strategy in 2014.
“The Joint Working Group had provided proof that the situation in Darfur supported the mission’s drawdown, but some Member States refused to accept that recommendation.”
He reaffirmed the importance of allowing the Joint Working Group to continue its work. Citing “procrastination and delays” on the part of the United Nations. Also, he reiterated that UNAMID’s exit strategy must be promptly formulated, and called for an end to “delaying tactics”.
The Government is ready to carry out an assessment, or accept an assessment mission that would provide evidence of the facts that some sought to ignore, he said.
At least 100,000 people have fled South Sudan in recent months to the neighboring countries of Kenya, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, and UN agencies say this number is set to rise to 150,000 by the end of June.
This comes in the wake of fighting in northwestern South Sudan between government troops and a newly formed rebel group, and as food shortages in the country hit their highest levels in two years.
The Medical aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said that nearly 70,000 people have fled their homes in the town of Wau since Friday, with about 10,000 of them taking shelter at a United Nations base in the area, where streams of displaced continue to arrive.
“We don’t yet know how many people were killed, but dead bodies are still lying in the streets,” said MSF deputy medical coordinator David Kahindi.
The government has blamed the violence on a new hardline rebel group that includes former government troops, fighters from the Ugandan-led rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and a Sudanese militia known as the Janjaweed.
Government spokesman Michael Makuei said Tuesday that the rebel group was being led by Muslim veteran politician Ali Timi Fartak. Fartak has not yet commented on the government’s claims.
The United Nations warned on Wednesday that up to 4.8 million people in South Sudan face severe food shortages in the coming months, the highest level since conflict erupted more than two years ago.
Meanwhile, clashes between warring factions in South Sudan have continued to flare despite a peace deal signed in August last year aimed at ending violence that began in December 2013.
The deal has been slow to take hold, allowing the country’s economic crisis to steadily worsen. Heavy rains and ongoing conflict mean that many of South Sudan’s farmers have been unable to access their crops.
“The deteriorating situation coincides with an unusually long and harsh annual lean season, when families have depleted their food stocks and new harvests are not expected until August. The level of food insecurity this year is unprecedented,” three UN agencies said in a joint statement.
The UN World Food Programme said it was planning to assist 3.3 million people this year with emergency food assistance, life-saving nutritional support and other aid.
“We are very worried to see that food insecurity is spreading beyond conflict areas as rising prices, impassable roads and dysfunctional markets are preventing many families, even those in towns and cities, from accessing food,” said Serge Tissot of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Following a visit to Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a senior United Nations humanitarian official has called on the international community to pay more attention to the dire needs of its residents.
“These two countries are most definitely not in the political and funding spotlight in the way they need to be,” John Ging, Operations Director of the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told journalists at the UN Headquarters in New York.
In the DRC, the humanitarian community has appealed for $690 million for this year, which is only 22 per cent funded, he added. Without additional funding, the capacity of aid organizations to operate will be hampered.
Meanwhile, some 1.8 million people are displaced from their homes, and 7.5 million people are in need of critical life-saving assistance, according to the latest UN figures presented at the briefing.
In addition, about half of the population lacks access to safe drinking water on a regular basis, which means greater exposure to water-borne diseases, such as cholera. While about 4.5 million people are food insecure, with about half of all children under the age of five malnourished.
Insecurity is another key concern in the country, for the 12.4 million people living in conflict-affected areas, and for the aid workers trying to assist them. The DRC has one of the highest numbers of security incidents against aid workers in the world.
Despite these challenges, there is a heightened sense of responsibility for ownership on the part of Government and local authorities, Mr. Ging said.
In Angola, 1.4 million people have been directly affected by El Niño, Mr. Ging said, adding that malnutrition is going up at an alarming rate.
On the yellow fever outbreak, the country is struggling to get the disease under control due to the limited vaccination coverage, he said. “This is a disease that should not affect anyone in 2016 because there is vaccination,” he said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Angola’s Ministry of Health are conducting a campaign to vaccinate 19 million people, but only 12.7 million doses are available, he said. The yellow fever can be transmitted by mosquitos, he said, noting that China reported cases from some migrant workers who returned home.
The country also needs help as it is dealing with El Niño effect, yellow fever and the falling prices of oil, whose export accounts for a large portion of the country’s income, he said.
NATION BUILDING: It houses the headquarters of the Nation Media Group (NMG).
The Nation Media Group, the largest media organization in East and Central Africa that also has interests in Uganda, is closing the operations of KFM in Kigali, while also scaling down on the operations of Kenya-based Nation FM and QFM.
In a release dated June 30 titled ‘transforming for a stronger future, nation media group embarks on implementing a new direction’ the NMG says it is changing strategy to meet 21st century standards, by concentrating on the digital component of media.
‘In the past few months we have embarked on a new strategic direction that ensures we secure our current business and position the organization in future,’ the release signed by Clifford Machoka, the NMG Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, states in part.
According to Mr Machoka, all employees that have been affected by the changes will be remunerated in accordance with the law.
‘We do recognize that today’s announcement will be difficult for the affected employees and their families. The exercise will be carried out with due respect to our employees and within the Kenyan laws. We will strive to provide all the necessary support to help them manage through this transition,’ the NMG release adds.
The Nation Media Group is owned the HH Aga Khan and in Uganda it owns the Daily Monitor, KFM and Dembe media outlets, where its radio stations are/were popular for shows like Andrew Mwenda and Patrick Kamara’s Hot Seat running from Monday to Friday, and the defunct Hard Talk on Saturday that was hosted by Chris Obore, the current Director of Communication in Parliament.
NRM publicity secretary Rogers Mulindwa (R) speaks to the Secretary General, Ms Justine Kasule Lumumba, during a meeting with NRM leaders in Masaka Town last year. (Net Photo)
The ruling party NRM secretariat has called on its members who have been kicked out of the August House after losing petitions to appeal to the higher courts of law.
About eleven National Resistance Movement MPs in the 10th Parliament have lost their seats in recent election petitions on various grounds including lack of academic papers, voter bribery, and noncompliance of the election rules.
On Tuesday in separate court rulings, NRM lost four more MPs after the High Courts in Jinja, Mbale, Kampala and Lira nullified the February 18 election of Hajat Rehema Watongola (Kamuli municipality), Annet Nyaketcho (Tororo North), Edward Ssembatya (Katikamu South) and Col Charles Okello Engola, the minister of state for Defence and NRM MP for Oyam North.
NRM secretariat’s communications officer Rogers Mulindwa said all losers appeal the High court rulings at the Court of Appeal and once the rulings are upheld, it (NRM) will find other candidates to field.
He exonerated Prof. Tanga Odoi led the October 2015 NRM primaries and piled the blame for the current chaos on inefficiency at National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) whose mandated is to verify the candidates’ academic papers before they are endorsed to stand by the national Electoral Commission.
“We have also seen incidents where people have been rejected over academic documents and they turn around and come back. The Secretariat is talking to our members who were removed from Parliament because of the recent election petitions across the country to be ready to file appeals as we seek to overturn the results,” Mr Mulindwa said.
Citing the case Defence state minister Charles Okello Engola Macodwogo who Lira High Court Justice Night Percy Tuhaise ordered alongside the National Council for Higher Education to pay half of the cost of the suit to the petitioner, Mr Mulindwa fired shots at the Kyambogo based state body for its negligence.
“Most of these petitions were poorly handled because first of all the NRM EC did its job well before letting them stand in the general elections and secondly no Court of law has the obligation of verifying academic papers because that’s the job of NCHE,” he said.
Election laws in Uganda demand that for one to become a member of parliament, he/she must have attained a minimum level certificate of education of senior six or its equivalent.
“The party will help them all the way through the appeal process and if there any who fail to reclaim their seats, we shall go back to the drawing table and get new candidates to take up the empty slots,” Mulindwa added.
Vocalist, song writer, guitarist, teacher and artist, Davis Ntare’s skills seem to have no limit in the field of the arts. The multi-fusion Zouk musician, who combines his art of Jazz, Afro fusion and an element of Reggae, is set to have his debut performance at the 13th Edition of Blankets and Wine on 10th July 2016.
Davis Ntare’s rise to fame is a story of hard work and persistence. He first came to the scene when he auditioned for the Tusker Project Fame Season 3 but failed to make it. He later returned for the fourth season and through his multi-talent and diligence, he won the support of the fans and was voted as that season’s winner.
Famously known for songs such as; Sheka Sheka, Rise, Wanna Make love and Sisinkana- Ntare is an ace to watch and listen to. Davis will be performing for his first time at the 13th Edition of Blankets and Wine, Kampala.
Even though he will be among the many acts who have performed at the events before, Davis promises to give a performance to remember. “Performing at Blankets and Wine is one of the most formidable stages on the Ugandan scene and for me to be a part of it is a dream come true. For it going to be a great achievement for me. The revelers are the people that love and understand my music. I will be performing for an experience of a lifetime.” Said Davis Ntare.
Commenting about the opportunity of having some of Uganda’s best afro-fusionists and fast rising stars performing at the Blankets and Wine, Tusker Malt Lager Brand Manager, Alex Tusingwire said, “Having Davis Ntare at Blankets and Wine is long overdue. We all know about his potential and his ability to get crowds up on their feet is unquestionable. We shall be expecting nothing less. He is a great singer and even better performer. He defines what Blankets and Wine is all about, and that is; outstanding musicians in the emerging genres of afro-based music.”
Davis will join Uganda’s multi-talent female sensation, Mo Roots, African contemporary and urban music performer, Jackie Akello, top saxophonist Kirya Kuti alongside South Africa’s multi-award winning house band Mi Casa.
A quarterly, picnic style music festival, Blankets and Wine is East Africa’s premier music experience, designed to showcase outstanding musicians in the emerging genres of afro-based music.
Entrance fee is 100,000 UGX at the Uganda Museum and gates open at 12:00pm on Sunday July 10, 2016.
In line with its support for responsible drinking, Tusker Malt Lager will be maintaining a strict ‘over 18 only’ policy for sale of alcohol.
