SOUGHT TO CHANGE DATE OF BIRTH: Justice Steven Kavuma
Uganda’s Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana has refuted reports that the state was prolonging the hearing of former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye’s defiance campaign ban case hearing after two of the judges required to constitute the quorum were unavailable.
The main opposition party FDC claimed that it received reports alleging that the Attorney General’s office was working tooth and nail to prolong cases for Dr. Besigye and keep him in Luzira prison thus two justices on the panel of five were prearranged to become indisposed on Friday and have the case at Court Of Appeal flop.
The Registrar of the Court informed the concerned parties that one of the Justices (Catherine Bamugemereire) on the panel had lost a relative and another Justice (Cheborion Barishaki) was away attending a conference in Nairobi Kenya.
The other justices on the panel include; Richard Buteera, Elizabeth Musoke and Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma the same judge, sitting as a single justice of Constitutional Court, had issued interim orders banning defiance activities for four weeks effective April 29.
In his statement to reporters outside court, the Deputy AG Rukutana said both parties had been informed that two judges on the panel were away and there were no such plans by government to prolong cases for Dr. Besigye or keep him incarcerated. The case was adjourned to June 23, 2016.
FDC lawyer Mr Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi argued that Dr Besigye who is currently on remand at Luzira prison on treason charges for allegedly swearing-in himself as the president of Uganda, can’t easily come to court by himself unless a production warrant is issued by the court to prison authorities.
Ethiopia has said that its soldiers deployed in Somalia killed 101 Shabaab fighters attacked an army base used by the African Union force fighting the Al-Qaeda linked group yesterday.
The Shabaab movement had earlier announced a major assault on the base in Halgan in the central Hiran region of the arid Horn of Africa nation, via its Telegram messaging platform, but the Ethiopian government spokesman Getachew Reda dismissed a claim by the Shabaab that they had killed dozens of soldiers, while losing just 16 of their own fighters.
“There was an attempt by al-Shabaab to attack our forces in central Somalia but … our forces killed 101 militants and destroyed heavy weaponry,” Getachew said.
“We are still assessing how many people got hurt on our side but their claim that they have killed 43 Ethiopian soldiers is an absolute lie. This is a figment of their imagination,” he added. “The Mujahideen fighters stormed the base and massacred many of the Ethiopians,” the Shabaab claimed on Telegram, putting the death toll among the troops at 60. Casualty figures from this type of attack are impossible to verify independently.
The Shabaab generally exaggerates, while the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) usually gives no details of losses among its ranks. On its Twitter account, AMISOM — comprising troops from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda — confirmed ‘an attempted Shabaab attack’ but gave no figures. “The enemy was successfully repulsed,” AMISOM said, claiming also to be ‘in pursuit’ of the attackers.
Residents in the area close to Halgan said the attack began when a vehicle driven by a suicide bomber exploded at the entrance to the base, after which jihadist gunmen fought their way in.
“There was a major attack this morning at Halgan. Violent elements tried to break into the base of the Somalian army and of AMISOM, but they were driven back and their bodies are everywhere,” senior official Guhad Abdi Warsame said. “They lost and now we have complete control of the zone, the situation is normal,” he added.
The Shabaab launched a similar ‘swarming’ style attack a year ago and have since overrun forward operating bases manned by Burundian troops in Lego in June, Ugandan troops in Janale in September and Kenyan troops in El Adde in January.
While the countries contributing soldiers to the peacekeeping effort refuse to confirm casualty numbers, it is believed that scores of AMISOM soldiers were killed in each attack.
A senior cabinet minister in South Sudan has accused his country’s customs officials at Nimule and Kaya border points of not remitting taxes to the centre in Juba.
New Interior Minister General Alfred Lado Gore said the culprits at the two busiest border points: Nimule across the border from Alegu, Atiak in Uganda and their counterparts at Kaya were not remitting the taxes because they were ‘connected to very big people’.
New South Sudan Interior Minister Gen Alfred Lado Gore
“I have just received a report that Nimule checkpoint has collapsed. The money there is going to individuals because they are connected with big people! Very big people who are untouchables,” said Gore, without giving names of the suspected “big people.”
Gen Gore said that an insignificant amount is remitted to government accounts and the officers take chunk of the revenues.
He vowed his ministry, which deploys senior customs officials to border points, will review promotion process to remove corrupt individuals.
Meanwhile, South Sudan said it loses millions of money in revenues to tax exemptions, with the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies ‘exploiting the generosity’.
Akok Noon Akok, the Director General of South Sudan Customs Services, said government officials also secure exemptions to import personal effects and dodge taxes.
“I can say 99% [ of exemptions] are going to UN, NGOs and Humanitarian agencies. So you can say whatever we collect monthly can be [half] by what goes on exemption,” said Akok, speaking at a reception organized in Juba for new Interior Minister, Gen Gore.
He said the remaining “one percent of exemption goes to government agencies.”
South Sudan relies on oil revenues for up to 98% to fund its budget. But the 21 months of war and lowering oil prices has pushed the country to the verge of economic collapse and demands collecting taxes from non-oil sources. Customs duties are one such source.
Minister Gore said tax exemption should be narrowed to ensure that it is not exploited.
“All over the world, there are exemptions but we are too generous and people tend to abuse this generosity,” he said, speaking to senior customs officials in Juba.
He said anyone applying for customs exemptions should be scrutinized to ascertain the significance of the item being imported in order to minimize misuse of exemptions.
“They [people seeking exemption] bring all sorts of things, asked for exemption and the money just goes to the [UN] agencies, not the country of [origin],” said Gen. Gore, the minister without mentioning any UN agency by name.
There was no immediate response from UN and Humanitarian agencies. Some junior customs officials told Sudan Tribune that UN officials misused letters of exemption to import beverages and tobacco – items that taxed highly and not for humanitarian purposes.
Other agencies extend the exemption letters to companies importing fuel to South Sudan and therefore dodge taxes at the borders despite those companies being owned by businessmen.
One positive note, he said, is the likely reopening of South Sudan – Sudan border.
“They (Sudanese) have accepted the corridor; so this is where you people will now move to establish your offices because those are very important areas for trade, and within the next two weeks the four agreements will now be finalized so that we collect revenues from traders who will now move from there and here and this will add to your revenue collection,” he said.
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (L) and First Vice President Riek Machar exchange documents at a past function in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The United States says it is disappointed by South Sudan leaders’ suggested decision to abandon hybrid court which was initially set-up by the African Union (AU) with support from the international community to prosecute those who committed war crimes in a more than two-year old civil war, adding that it rejects any attempt to scrap the proposed court.
The announcement came just days after a joint letter allegedly written by South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar appeared in the New York Times.
According to US State Department’s deputy spokesman, Mark Toner, the American government is disappointed and upset at Kiir and Machar’s call to scrap the court.
“We’re disappointed; we firmly support the African Union’s efforts to establish this hybrid court. And we expect the parties to fulfill their responsibilities,” Toner said.
The troika countries, namely Norway, the United States (US), and United Kingdom (UK) were instrumental in the formation of the court.
Machar and Kiir’s letter has been met with fierce criticism from South Sudanese as well as international rights organizations with the Human Rights Watch (HRW) accusing the two leaders of ‘self-serving’.
“Their proposal to scrap trials is a self-serving attempt to evade justice,” HRW international justice associate director Elise Keppler said.
In their opinion piece published on Tuesday, Kiir and Machar argued that South Sudan only needs reconciliation not trials, adding that they intend to create a “national truth and reconciliation commission” which will be based on Northern Ireland and South African previous models.
Reactions from South Sudanese around the world indicate that Kiir and Machar’s case against hybrid court is not popular and could backfire.
Meanwhile, the office of VP Machar has issued a statement, saying the letter was a fraud and accused unnamed individuals of fabrication.
Machar’s office is distancing itself from the letter while Kiir’s supporters insist that the joint letter was in fact written by President kiir and First VP Machar. It is not clear which side is telling the truth.
UN human rights investigators accused Eritrean leaders of crimes against humanity including torture, rape, murder and enslaving hundreds of thousands of people and called for the case to be referred to the International Criminal Court.
Atrocities had been committed since the country’s independence in 1991 and were continuing, the UN Commission of Inquiry said in a report that was immediately rejected by the government.
“Particular individuals, including officials at the highest levels of State, the ruling party – the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice – and commanding officers bear responsibility for crimes against humanity and other gross human rights violations,” the report said.
“We probably think there’s 300,000-400,000 people who have been enslaved,” Mike Smith, the Australian diplomat leading the inquiry, told a news conference, referring to people drafted into military service and sent away for years to remote areas.
Eritrea’s poor treatment of its own people has motivated many thousands to flee the country, according to the UN refugee agency. Smith said he believed the country still had a ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy on the borders to stop them. However, it seemed the policy was not being rigorously enforced, he said.
The inquiry has compiled files on key suspects to assist future prosecutions, but Smith declined to give details or to say if President Isaias Afwerki was among them.
Presidential Adviser Yemane Ghebreab said the report was biased and based on false evidence and failed to take into account Eritrea’s achievements and the ‘continuing state of war’ with neighbouring Ethiopia.
The central accusation of crimes against humanity was ‘laughable’, he said, and compared the shoot-to-kill allegation to the claims of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction that preceded the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, which later proved false.
Eritrea was a ‘low crime society’ with only one or two rapes a year in a population of almost 4 million, he said. “Crimes in general are very rare in Eritrea. Anyone who has been to Eritrea will tell you that this is the case.”
The report said visitors should not be fooled by the “general sense of calm and order” in the capital Asmara, because abuses were carried out in military training camps and detention centres.
“The facade of calm and normality that is apparent to the occasional visitor to the country, and others confined to sections of the capital, belies the consistent patterns of serious human rights violations,” it added.
Eritrea’s government did not allow the inquiry team to visit the country, although its diplomats met the investigators at the UN headquarters in New York and in Geneva.
The inquiry said there had been no improvement since a year ago when it published a 484-page dossier describing extrajudicial killings, widespread torture, sexual slavery and enforced labour. At the time it did not have a mandate to recommend referral to the ICC.
The UN Human Rights Council will debate the report on June 21, and Eritrea will be the subject of a resolution brought by other African countries. Diplomats say Eritrea lacks allies who will defend it.
“It’s early days at the Human Rights Council,” Yemane said. “The mood is much different now and people are much more aware.”
President Museveni, his younger brother, Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho alias Salim Saleh and former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were among the 650 individuals who were decorated with medals during the 35th national Heroes Day celebrations at Ssi Town Council, Ssi Sub-county, Buikwe District on Thursday.
Gen. Museveni and Col. Gaddafi received the Order Katonga, which is highest military decoration in Uganda while Gen. Akandwahaho was recognised with the Kabalega Star, the second highest honour in the country for his role in saving Mr Museveni from an ambush in Kireka in November 1980.
The ‘Order of Katonga’ a medal is named after the decisive battle at Katonga river during which National Resistance Army broke the back of UNLA forces was also awarded to Tanzania former President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere (rip).
General Elly Tumwine, the Chairman of the National Awards Committee also said the late Yvonne Namaganda (10-year-old girl) deserved a Rwenzori Medal for she perished while trying to rescue her colleagues from an inferno that gutted Nassolo dormitory of Budo Junior School, on April 14 2008, killing 19 other girls.
” Today, we celebrate Heroes Day as we have done annually over the years since NRM took over leadership of this country I congratulate all those persons who have been awarded medals of all categories,” President Museveni said at the colourful function.
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) FC forward Robert Ssentongo is on the verge of joining Vipers SC after turning down a move to KCCA, according to a club insider.
The Lugogo side were initially keen on resigning Ssentongo as URA coach Kefa Kisala had decided to allow last season’s Uganda Premier League topscorer to leave the club alongside eight other senior players in what was believed to be a player-revolt against the coach.
By the close of the season, Ssentongo and coach Kisala were no longer seeing eye to eye and all indications pointed to an acrimonious separation at the end of the season.
Since Kisala replaced his hitherto boss Moses Basena in November last year, he suspended Ssentongo on more than four occasions and has masterminded the departure of other senior players Saidi Kyeyune (midfielder), Brian Bwete and Sulait Luyima (both goal keepers) among others.
But Vipers’ coach George Nsimbe who Sentongo helped win the league twice at KCCa will not be paying the full price of his Shs50m release clause, of which the player is expected to be given a sign-on fee.
Vipers fell short of defending their league trophy because of rely on goal-shy strikers; John Semazzi, Julius Malingumu and Mike Mutyaba thus Ssentongo’s enviable scoring proficiency being a four-time league top scorer will bring glory to Lawrence Mulindwa’s side.
This is an unedited speech read by President Museveni during the national Heroes Day celebrations at Ssi Town Council, Ssi Sub-county, Buikwe District.
Indeed, it takes heroes to make change in society and to create visible impact. Uganda was liberated from the rule of tyranny in 1986, after a protracted struggle against the dictatorships that ruled then. The heroes of Uganda are not only those who took to the battlefront but the many supporters of the struggle, mostly peasants. The people who sacrificed their lives in the struggle had a vision that transcended personal gain; with discipline, that saw us liberate Uganda.
I wish to salute all those that have made a contribution to the removal of the fascist dictatorships which tried to thwart our freedom by using the gun to monopolize power over society.
The dignity of Uganda and her people was restored. Uganda is no longer the pariah state we inherited in 1986. Thanks to that sacrifice. The National Resistance Movement secured the sanctity of human life and shall jealously protect it.
Buikwe was chosen to host this year’s festivities because of its historical contribution to the liberation struggle. Without delving much into the chaotic years, Uganda is now a proud beneficiary of the unprecedented revolutionary leadership of its liberators, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) who planted seeds of political and economic recovery that brought the country back to a better position of global competiveness. Uganda can now negotiate her position with key global players with dignity and respect.
I, therefore, wish to emphasize that, concretizing the gains of our Heroes is a duty for every Ugandan and it begins with you.
Throughout the country, there are numerous road and electricity projects that are being executed with Government funding. We are grateful to friends from the USA, EU, China, India, etc. that have been funding or offering to fund various infrastructure projects. These projects include Karuma, Isimba, Ayago, Oraba Rd, Nimule Rd. etc. With discipline and the greater resources at our disposal, the future is bright.
We should discourage the thinking that all problems can be solved at one go. Our time-tested way of solving problems is “kamu-kamu gwe muganda” ─ one by one makes a bundle.
Most of our production in Africa relies on manual labour instead of intellectual labour. Cognizant of this fact, the National Resistance Movement Government aims at providing literacy and skilling. Focusing on strategic sectors with promising employment prospects, Government is encouraging skills-development in order to fight poverty. In addition to providing free education at primary and secondary school level, Government is laying emphasis on the study of sciences and practical skills.
In conclusion, the peace and stability that the country continues to enjoy was hard earned by alot of sacrifices and bloodshed. The last thing we need now is indiscipline and insecurity in the country. We shall suppress anybody who tries to bring insecurity in Uganda. We paid a lot of sacrifice to reach where we are now. Anyone who deceives himself by disturbing our peace will be wasting his own time and ours because the results will be the same, we shall defeat him.
Uganda has come afar! It is unstoppable. Those who attempt to preach violence should be considered as enemies of this country and should be isolated and where possible be made to face appropriate justice.
Vendors rush with roasted beef to a customer in a car.
When traveling sometimes you fall off your usual routine, be it workout, sleep or diet due to unforeseen circumstances that come up in your new locations as you move. We have some tips to keep you on track as you travel.
Have Faith In Yourself
Nothing matters if you do not believe in your own ability to do something and withstand whatever hurdles that will come your way during that stage of your life. Self belief is that warm blanket that gives you hope of something better coming ahead of you in your darkest time and nothing seems harder than staying on diet in a foreign land. The urge to eat from several restaurants and exploring is almost irresistible.
Set Up A Schedule
It might not seem like much but having a well defined schedule for your workouts and food is quite important, it helps you train your body. This helps you maintain a certain discipline while moving about on the road or in a different country.
Workout Apps
Most people do not know that there are several apps that were made just to help you stay fit and eat well. These apps are usually designed according to the off workout routine you usually do. The apps come in handy when you are not near gyms or stuck in conferences all day; you can rush straight to your hotel room and utilise all the space there is and keep up to date with your routine.
Restaurants
When planning for your journey, look up potential restaurants that have a menu that compliments your current dieting plan that will keep you on the right track even if you are away from home.
Roadtrip
It is very easy to cheat when on a road trip as you move from place to place with several roadside food kiosks that serve mouth watering dishes; the best way to counter this is to pack your own food. Once you pack, those pesky roadtrip cravings will be kept at bay.
Mini Fridge
If you feel that the hotel might not have a diet friendly menu, you can call ahead and request for a mini fridge to be placed in your room for the duration of your stay where you can keep several belly friendly snacks and fruits for the late night cravings.
Cocktail Hour
You know how during cocktail hour you throw down several drinks as you meet new people? Well, most of the drinks help top up on your calorie count and might cloud your judgement as you network making you order foods that are off the diet plan.
Stay Active
Do not just sit in the hotel room channel surfing, stay active and explore your new destination. Walking is a good form of exercise that might save you from indulging on what is on the room service menu; it keeps you occupied as you learn new things about the surroundings of your hotel as well as you burning calories.
Exercise
You might get very cramped with work here and there or maybe you are too busy exploring that you forget to stick to your workout plan, but remember what you started in the first place and why you started it. Exercise with every chance you get. You can throw some of the workout routines in your vacation routine; for example before you sit by the poolside to sunbath, do a number of laps in the pool and enjoy sipping some juice afterwards while you soak up in the sun.
Evelyn Masaba is the Public Relations Manager at Jovago Uganda an online hotel booking service with offices in Kampala (Uganda) Lagos (Nigeria), Nairobi (Kenya) and Dakar (Senegal)
