Cervical cancer screening. Credit: Rosebell Kagumire/IPS
An estimated 266,000 women die every year from cervical cancer, with over 85% of the deaths occurring among women in developing countries.
This number is expected to rise almost twofold to 416,000 by 2035 in developing countries if changes in prevention and control are not effected, leading global healthcare provider Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD)/Merck, says.
The exposé was made during the World Immunization Week, a global awareness campaign launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2012, and commemorated in the last week of April, that aims at promoting the use of vaccines to help protect people of all ages against disease.
The theme for African Vaccination Week 2016 is ‘Close the immunization gap. Stay polio free!’ focusing attention on the need to attain universal immunization coverage in the African region. The theme also marks the celebration of the important polio eradication milestone that has been reached in the African region.
For the second year running, the Close the Immunization Gap campaign will be celebrating the achievements to date with an emphasis on the unmet need amongst adolescents and adult vaccine uptake.
“Vaccines are one of the greatest public health success stories in history. For more than 100 years, our scientists have been discovering vaccines that have been impacting lives. By helping healthy people stay healthy, vaccines remove a major barrier to human an economic development,” said Farouk Shamas Jiwa, sub-Saharan Africa director for Policy and Corporate Responsibility at MSD/Merck.
‘Despite recent progress within African countries, there are still significant opportunities provided by immunization, particularly to help protect against human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer,’ a release by Africa Press Organisation (APO) on behalf of MSD/Merck states.
EAC Speakers: second right is the Speaker of Uganda Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga
Speakers from the EAC Parliaments (National Assemblies/Senates) and EALA will meet tomorrow in Arusha for the 11th Meeting of the EAC Bureau of Speakers.
According to a release, the delegates will deliberate on weighty issues relevant to the integration process.
‘The meeting is expected to revisit and make amends to the Rules of Procedure of the Bureau of EAC Speakers that guide the Forum. The meeting will also see the handover of the Chair of the Bureau of Speakers from the Parliament of Tanzania to the East African Legislative Assembly’ the release reads in part.
The one day meeting shall be preceded by a two-day meeting of Clerks on April 27th and 28th, 2016, which among other things shall review the mandate of the Bureau, discuss modalities of operationalization of the East African Parliamentary Institute (EAPI) and a number of topical issues on emerging challenges in legislature in the region. The report of the key meeting will feed into that of the Speakers’ Forum for consideration.
The Bureau of the EAC Speakers is the umbrella body that EALA and the National Assemblies utilise to champion the cause of Parliaments in the region, that of enacting legislation, oversight and representation and plays a key advisory role to the Summit of the EAC Heads of State.
The Bureau holds meetings annually under the guidance of a Chairperson who is elected under the principle of rotation. The inaugural meeting of the Bureau of Speakers was held in May 2008.
Dr Stella Nyanzi, a Research Fellow at Makerere University Institute of Social Research (MISR) has sued state owned media house New Vision Printing and Publications Company LTD which wrongly infringed on her family’s privacy including her late father and their family graveyard.
Nyanzi who is now so popular for undressing before students and academic staff, is pretty annoyed that New Vision desecrated the burial grounds of her family.
A complaint filed in the Civil Division of the High Court read: “The publications gave unsolicited and unauthorized publicity in its newspapers, radio, television and online publications to inherently private information about Dr. Nyanzi’s parents, home and childhood.”
Dr. Nyanzi and her two sisters claim the publications infringed on their nuclear family’s fundamental human rights and freedoms protected by Article 24 and 27 of the Constitution.
She added that she wants the court to order New Vision to publish “a full and unreserved apology” to her and her family considering her father was an important leader in the Mbogo Clan of Buganda Kingdom thus the publications violated cultural norms and customary values protected by Article 37 of the Constitution.
A fortnight ago, Dr Nyanzi stripped, protesting being locked out of her office by her boss Prof. Mahmood Mamdani who accused her of refusing to teach MISR’s doctor of philosophy (PhD) students.
LUSAKA-Leading Zambian opposition party, the United Party for National Development (UPND), has to written the country’s Electoral Commission body asking it not to award a ballot printing contract to Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Limited of Dubai, one of the companies which printed ballot papers for the recently concluded elections in Uganda.
Through their lawyers, the UNPD wrote to the Zambia electoral boss Pricilla Isaac to exclude the Dubai-based publishing company on grounds that it provided printing services in petitioned elections.
“Our clients categorically object to the award of the contract to Al Ghurair Printing Company for the following reasons: 1. Procedural Impropriety – Due Diligence and Litigation Status: our clients posit that ECZ did not conduct due diligence on this printing company because if you did, you know that this company, together with two other printing companies namely Paarl Media (South Africa), TALL Security Print Limited (United Kingdom) – provided printing services in the petitioned elections that saw the impugned victory of President Yoweri Museveni in the elections held in that country on February 18, 2016. Whereas the Supreme Court of Uganda upheld the outcome of the election results, the judgment of nine justices, read out by the head of the Supreme Court, Bart Katureebe, said they had found valid evidence of several malpractices including late delivery of polling materials…,” read part of the letter.
Zambia is headed for polls on August 11 and according to the UPND, the party does not want participation by a firm that was involved in the Ugandan presidential elections.
“Our clients object to subject the process of preparing and delivering ballot papers- for the forthcoming elections in this country – to any firm that participated in the just ended Uganda elections, which include Al-Ghurair Printing and Publishing Limited of Dubai,” the letter adds.
Al-Ghurair Printing and Publishing Limited of Dubai has been shortlisted on a list of companies to supply voting material in the oncoming Zambia national elections.
However, contacted for comment Uganda’s Electoral Commission (IEC) spokesperson Jotham Taremwa dismissed UPND’s assertions as speculative and inconsistent, devoid of any meaningful ground?
According to Mr Taremwa, the alleged late delivery of ballots in Uganda has nothing to do with the printing in Dubai.
The UPND is Zambia’s second leading party. Established in 1998 the party fielded Anderson Mazoka in the 2001 elections and he came second behind Movement for Multi Party Democracy’s (MMD), the late Levy Mwanawasa.
Maroons confirmed their relegation to the 2016/17 FUFA Big League after losing narrowly 3-2 to Soana at Kavumba
2012-13 Uganda champions Maroons’ relegation from the Premier League has finally been confirmed by yesterday’s results.
Their only other two league titles came in 1968 and 1969 – then as Prisons – won the gong with two games to spare.
Under Asaph Mwebaze, Maroons SC ended a 44-year wait for silverware after winning the 2012/13 Bell Super League title
Fans, administrators and players alike have admitted that the club’s torrid season has reduced them to tears and a return to the Fufa Big League is all but certain.
The Luzira Prisons side are now rooted to the bottom of the league table having amassed just three wins all season and a 24th defeat of the season sealed their fate.
They had gone into the game against Soana fully aware that anything short of victory would relegate them despite having three games still to play.
They gave their all against the hosts but like it’s been the story throughput the season, it wasn’t good enough after labouring for a 3-2 defeat at Kavumba Recreational Stadium.
“I’ve said since Christmas that we’re going down and for me it’s so unbelievably sad, so difficult to put into words,” said 27-year-old James Olupot who was raised by a Uganda Prisons warden father inside Luzira .
“Forget the Uganda Super League chaos, Maroons will be the biggest club to ever be relegated that way, in my mind. It’s been my life for such a long time and it’s breaking my heart to see. I won’t shed a tear now because I did that at Christmas. We’ve just got to accept it and get on with it.”
“The coaches made a grave mistake selling the best players and not replacing them for sustained results. The team that won the Big League was too good to be relegated. It breaks my heart to see our club going down in such fashion.
Needless to say, this Tuesday was a miserable day for Maroons supporters and everyone involved with the club, but it’s also a sad day in Uganda football history.
One of the ever-presents of the league since it’s the late 1960s, it’s surreal to think of a club of this size now playing in the lower league where they emerged champions last year to earn promotion to the Azam Uganda Premier League.
Maroons ended a 44-year wait for silverware by winning the 2012/13 Bell Super League titleMaroons gave their all against the hosts but like it’s been the story throughput the season, it wasn’t good enough
How Maroons’ trouble started
In mid-2013, Maroons SC ended a 44-year wait for silverware after winning the 2012/13 Bell Super League title. Their joy was short-lived though because they were unceremoniously relegated.
Prior to the champagne popping and just a week or so to the league kick-off, local football governing body Fufa had banned the new season’s start, saying some conditions like all 16 clubs being registered as directors and USL presenting the clubs’ share certificates to Fufa prior were not met.
The USL went ahead with the kick-off amid comedy our entertainment industry would have had help with. Officials from Fufa were allegedly paraded at different venues with orders to ensure games did not take off on September 9. Fufa all season maintained that the played games were illegal since match officials were never sanctioned by them.
Maroons anchored by controversial but brilliant coach Asaph Mwebaze won the SuperSport bankrolled Uganda Super League. Kampala City Council were also crowned winners of the parallel Fufa Super League in the same top-level football calendar.
After three months, the High Court in Kampala then temporarily stopped the 2014/15 Uganda Premier League from commencing. Maroons, one of the aggrieved clubs had raised a red flag after being unfairly excluded from taking part and yet it has never been relegated to a lower league.
Maroons’ petition against Fufa and its officials was as a result of alleged breach of the contract it had with them to play in the top flight football but the team was instead excluded from the new fixtures under unclear circumstances.
Further in its complaint, Maroons stated that in the football season of 2012/13, two parallel football leagues were created and that a deed of adherence was signed by it to play in the Uganda Super League and indicating how clubs would be relegated to the lower league.
It’s unclear why the court never bought any of this, but it has been more evident this season that Maroons SC has paid for its past sins.
Police in Malawi is holding two suspected Ugandans for allegedly stealing a vehicle, a Noah registration number DA3875 from the capital city, Lilongwe.
Media reports indicate Lilongwe Police Public Relations Officer Inspector Kingsley Dandaula identified the two as Godfrey Kisame, 39 and Jackson Chikume 33, both residents of Lilongwe.
IP Dandaula said that the two attacked a home at around 6 in the morning and waylaid the owner at the gate.
“As he was about to drive out the suspects pulled out a pistol and told him to get out of his car and managed to get another vehicle and drive away,” said the officer.
He added that the victim managed to get into another vehicle and chase the two, who however, tried to stop his pursuit by pointing a gun at him.
“Coincidentally, there was a police patrol vehicle within the vicinity which blocked and stopped the suspects,” IP Dandaula said, adding that police found them with four rounds of ammunition.
The two have been charged with robbery with violence contrary to Malawi Penal Code and are currently in police custody awaiting to appear in court.
Dr Besigye speaks to a supporter outside the Kasangati magistrate's court
The Kasangati Grade one magistrate Fred Egesa has this morning adjourned a ‘disobeying of lawful orders’ case against Dr Kizza Besigye to May 27.
Dr Besigye is accused by police of disobeying police directives on April 5 when his convoy was intercepted at Mulago roundabout as he made his way for the weekly ‘Free my vote’ prayers at the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party offices, just a day after police had withdrawn from his home.
The four time presidential candidate, clad in a blue shirt, arrived at court at 10:15am in the company of his lawyer Fred Mpanga.
State witness Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) David Ulama, 46, from Naguru barracks said that Dr Besigye rejected police orders to use a different route as directed and to deter the procession accompanying him.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines defence lawyer Fred Mpanga told journalists that they are waiting for the state prosecution led by Joseph Kyomuhendo to conclude submission of evidence at the next hearing to determine their next move.
Police on several occasions have blocked Besigye from accessing the city centre especially in company of his supporters; he has on most of these occasions been arrested, detained and released later without charges.
Recently, after a brief agreement with police, Dr Besigye’s movements have not been hampered on condition that he doesn’t move with a procession and that in case a crowd starts to build around him, they either get beaten or arrested as witnessed yesterday at Kibuye as Dr Besigye left FDC offices .
The Administration Block of Mbarara University of Science and Technology
The Ministry of Education has released the admission list for government sponsored students at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST).
Government sponsors 2,500 students in the five public universities of Makerere, Kyambogo, Mbarara, Gulu and Busitema, with Makerere University taking the lion’s share of 2,000 students while 500 students are shared amongst the four other public universities.
Government has two programmes where it sponsors bright but needy students and these are; the quota system that targets students that are bright but can’t afford university tuition.
The second is a loan system, where government avails loans to bright students that qualify for entry into university but are unable to pay tuition.
Those enrolled under the loan scheme are supposed to repay the fees spent on their tuition two years after leaving university.
Energy ministry Permanaent Secretary Kabagambe Kaliisa
A whistleblower has written to the Inspector General of Government, claiming that the process to recruit the Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda National Oil Company is fraught with irregularities.
According to the complainant, several people who applied for the post and had the requisite qualifications were omitted from the shortlist, in preference for those working in the Petroleum Department of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.
‘Your Lordship, the UNOC advertised for several (position) sic including the CEO of the company. We applied according to the criteria laid out in the advert attached hereby,’ the petition dated April 20 and copied to the Ministry of Finance and that of Energy and Mineral Development reads in part. The petition was received by the three addressees on April 25.
According to the petitioner, candidates for the job were required to have a Masters Degree in Engineering, Economic(s), Law, Business Administration, Finance and Petroleum Geosciences, with a minimum of 15 years’ experience, ‘ten (10 years) of which must have been in a senior position in a busy or successful company or organization. Experience in the petroleum industry is an added advantage.’
The petitioner further imputes that the set criteria was not followed and also seeks to know whether the UNOC Board of Directors approved the final shortlist.
Efforts to get comment from the energy ministry Permanent Secretary Kabagambe Kalisa were futile by press time as he was attending a meeting.
The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), also known as the National Oil Company of Uganda, is a limited liability petroleum company owned by the Uganda Government and established under the Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Act, 2013 of Uganda. Its board of directors chaired by businessman Emmanuel Katongole was inaugurated on October 23, 2015 by President Yoweri Museveni.
Other Board members include Francis Nagimesi, a former chief executive officer of the defunct Coffee Marketing Board of Uganda; Francis Twinamatsiko, a principal economist in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development; Grace Tibwita Bagaaya, a physical planner; Irene Pauline Batebe, a chemical/refinery engineer in the Petroleum Directorate of Uganda; Godfrey Andama, a senior geoscientist; and Stella Marie Biwaga, a lawyer.
UN High Level Panel on Illicit Outflows chairperson Thabo Mbeki
The amount of money leaving Africa through illegal and criminal means every year has hit the 90 billion dollar mark, the UN has established.
Making the revelation Monday, the Chairman of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) High Level Panel on Illicit Outflows Thabo Mbeki said this figure had risen from US$50 billion a few years ago.
According to the findings of the Mbeki panel, the commercial sector in Africa was responsible for two thirds of the illegal outflows that ‘could be used for development’, while the remaining third is derived from criminal activities including human trafficking, corruption and drug dealing.
A report, the ‘Illicit Financial Flows and the Problem of Net Resource Transfers from Africa: 1980–2009’ indicated that Africa lost between US$1.2 trillion and US$1.4 trillion over the 29 year period, amounts that by far surpassed foreign aid during the same period.
Over the years several African leaders and their political cronies have been cited in illicit dealings involving millions of dollars, the most notable being Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbaso
Africa’s richest President Jos Eduardo Dos Santos
go of Equatorial Guinea, whose properties in the US were sanctioned. Another leader who is under the spotlight is oil-rich Angola’s long-serving President Jos Eduardo Dos Santos, whose billionaire daughter Isabel Dos Santos is reportedly the richest African woman, with a fortune that is largely stashed away in the West.
Former DRC/Zaire President Mobutu Sese Seko
In 2013 Isabel’s wealth was estimated at US$3 billion by Forbes magazine, while that of her father, also said to be the richest man in Africa, is valued at over US$20 billion.
Other Presidents in Africa include:
Mohammed VI of Morocco – US$2.1 billion
Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo Nguema of Equatorial Guinea – US$600 million
