KARUMA FALLS: once complete d will increase access to electricity
Uganda’s sole power supplier Umeme Limited plans to invest 270 billion shillings (US$80 million) this year in upgrading its network.
According to a financial statement, the company plans to spend the money on improving services, network growth and cutting on energy losses.
“The company continues to implement its investment programme to improve the customer experience and grow the electricity distribution sector in line with government priorities,” Umeme said in the statement.
“Upon the completion, the additional power from Karuma and Isimba Hydro projects coupled with our investments in the network will increase access to electricity in the country,” the statement adds.
Umeme says the country has a peak demand of 540 megawatts against generation capacity of 670 megawatts, while state-run Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) says that at least 15 percent of the Ugandan population has access to electricity.
Independent candidate Ishma Mafabi has been declared by Electoral Commission as the new Eastern Region youth Member of Parliament.
Mr Mafabi who is son of city businessman, Lumolo Mafabi of Kampala Modernity beat his closet rival Dorothy Okware. Mafabi got 770 votes against 300 for Okware.The elections were held yesterday at YMCA Jinja branch.
Elections for the Eastern region were postponed in February following a petition filed by Mafabi whose name was missing on the ballot paper.
Mafabi accused the Electoral Commission of disenfranchising him and consequently court issued an injunction ordering EC to halt the process until a resolution in reached.
The Electoral commission could not proceed with the election which was slated to take place tomorrow following an injunction that the court issued ordering a stay of the elections pending the resolution of the case.
According to the EC, eligible participants were supposed to possess introductory letters and documents, a national identity card, voter location slip and voter’s identity card.
Mafabi had earlier on participated in National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries and was controversially defeated by Ms Okware. He decided this time to contest as an independent.
Social media was recently awash with Ugandan music maestro Mowzey Radio’s new look. Donning a white Tee-shirt, shades and an unkempt goatee, Radio, real names Moses Nakintije Ssekibogo, snapped a selfie to show off his new clean-shaven look.
Dreadlocked Mowzey radio before becoming a ‘real father’
Apparently, the ‘Juice Juice’ singer removed the dreads to get a ‘gentleman’s look’, after realizing he needs to become a father figure to his children. It is not clear if his baby mama Lillian Mbabazi also influenced him, but a friend quipped that: “Radio has been shunned by fans for his Tubonga Naawe gig; he cut off his hair to make headlines and rebrand.”
Indeed, there are claims that Mowzey and his singing partner Weasel were stoned in Iganga and that some parts of his car were vandalized, following the release of the Tubonga Naawe song, sang in praise of Uganda President Yoweri Museveni. However, the two seem undeterred and are set to stage the ‘Omwana Wabandi’ concert in May this year.
Meanwhile, another friend who saw the now clean-shaven singer said the dreadlocks seemed to suck most of the blood and fat out of him and that no sooner had he removed the dreads than some weight set in for him.
NITA-U Executive Director James Saaka. Photo Credit/Chimpreports
The Government of Uganda through the National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U) will host the 7th African Conference on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and Digital Commons (IDLELO 7) in August this year.
Mr James Saaka, the NITA-U Executive Director said that FOSS would offer solid economic and developmental benefits. He cited opportunities for customising applications to suit the local business culture as some of the benefits.
“Ugandan software designers who would be able to sell and produce Ugandan products not only to the local Ugandan markets but also to the overall Ugandan international clients,” Mr Saaka said.
According to NITA-U, the conference aims to support uptake of Open Source in Uganda and the region to accelerate innovation and local content development. It’s also aimed at sensitizing masses about FOSS and it’s inclusion in national policies by all participating COMESA members.
Various key players will also raise awareness on the positive impact FOSS can have for development and how industry partners can work together to develop a sustainable FOSS model best practice in Uganda. The Ministry of ICT recently launched the FOSS programme to stimulate innovation.
The African Conference on FOSS is a biennial activity, and Kenya hosted the summit in 2014 where over 10 countries participated.
The East African Community (EAC) has formed a network to promote the exchange of information between criminal justice and law enforcement counterparts among Member States of the East African Community on issues pertaining to the fight against cybercrime, the Monitor reported.
Under the arrangement, Uganda Kenya and South Sudan as well as Ethiopia and Somalia formed the Eastern African Cybercrime Criminal Justice Network to create a network of focal points for law enforcement agencies, prosecution services, and central authorities in order to facilitate informal and formal modes of cooperation in criminal matters involving cybercrime and electronic evidence.
The Eastern African Criminal Justice Network on Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence seeks to facilitate and promote formal and informal international cooperation among member states against cybercrime and exchange information on best practices, harmonisation of national laws and technical assistance needs in the field of international cooperation to combat cybercrime.
The network is charged with establishing a database of cybercrime cases and compiles information on patterns and trends of cybercrime in the region; facilitate and coordinate training and capacity building activities for the member states, cooperation on legal issues pertaining to cybercrime, including the use of electronic evidence. It is envisaged that the network will promote and facilitate any other form of cooperation as may be beneficial to the needs of member states and the functioning of the network itself.
MTN Uganda is offering special discounts on different smart devices and related data gadgets in an on-going Easter promo dubbed ‘Enyongeza’. The Easter Enyongeza promotion, which started on 18 March, will stretch through the Easter period, offering smartphone discounts of up to 30 percent. With every purchase, customers will get free data bundles, hence the theme “Enyongeza”.
In addition to the Nyongeza device deals, customers can also choose and buy from a wide range of smart devices, which include the newly launched 4G Samsung Galaxy S7 and the S7 Edge. Another recently launched Samsung, the S6, is being offered at a 9 percent discount. Other devices on offer include the MTN Smart Series – the range of MTN branded, low budget data enabled phones.
Under the same umbrella campaign, MTN is also offering best 3G device deals that come with Free bundles and competitive prices. These include brands such as LG, Google, Alcatel, Huawei and ZTE.
The devices on offer can be found in all MTN service Centres all over the country.
The ‘Enyongeza’ range of smartphones on offer include: LG G3 now at UGX 1.29 million from UGX 1.85 million; LG Google Nexus5 now at UGX 870,000 from UGX 1.25 million; Alcatel Idol Alpha now at UGX 730,000 from UGX 1.05 million; Huawei g7 now at UGX 800,000 from UGX 1.05 million; ZTE Switch V796 now at UGX 105,000 from UGX 150,000; Samsung Galaxy Tab s8.4 now at UGX 1.04 million (from UGX 1.48 million; Samsung galaxy a3 now at UGX 630,000 from UGX 900,000; Nokia lumia 1520 phablet now at UGX 890,000 from UGX 1.28 million; and Nokia Lumia 920 now at UGX 720,000 from UGX 780,000.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has hailed the role of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for its efforts in trying to stabilize Somalia.
Currently, AMISOM has a contingent of about 20,000 peacekeeping troops drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.
‘The Council (also) paid tribute to the bravery and sacrifices made by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Somali National Army personnel fighting against Al-Shabaab’, a release by the UN states in part.
The development comes in the wake of the UNSC extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) to March 31, 2017.
The 15 members of the Council unanimously adopted an extension of UNSOM’s work, underscoring the provision of UN good offices to support the Federal Government’s peace and reconciliation process, including preparation for an inclusive, free, fair and transparent electoral process in 2016 and universal elections by 2020.
Last month, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman and Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Somalia Michael Keating, met with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the speaker of the Federal Parliament Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Mr. Feltman reiterated the UN’s support to the Somali people for agreeing on an electoral process for this year.
In its resolution, the Council encourages UNSOM to enhance its interaction with Somali civil society, including women, youth, business and religious leaders to ensure that different points of view are incorporated in the political process.
H.E. Dr Kenneth David Kaunda with the Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon Daniel Fred Kidega and Hon Makongoro Nyerere (left) during the meeting held at the Office of the First President of Zambia in Lusaka, Zambia
Former Zambian President Dr Kenneth David Kaunda wants the continent to strengthen regional integration and keep tabs on Pan-Africanism to stimulate progress and development.
According to Mr Kaunda, there is hope for the continent with the young people at the helm in their quest to build Africa.
Mr Kaunda made the observations while meeting the EALA Speaker Rt Hon Daniel Kidega who paid a courtesy call at the former president’s office in Lusaka, Zambia.
H.E. Dr Kenneth Kaunda receives a brief from the EALA Speaker, Rt Hon Daniel Fred Kidega
“When I see progress in Africa, I feel happy that we continue to adhere to the solid foundation laid by Their Excellencies, Milton Obote, Julius Kambarage Nyerere and Jomo Kenyatta among others,” Mr Kaunda said.
On his part Rt Hon Kidega assured Dr Kaunda that the integration process was very much on track, and briefed him on the progress realised so far at the EAC in general and the EALA in particular.
He remarked that the Founding Fathers of the EAC had envisaged a strong bloc of the partner states and that the region had continued to intensely benefit from integration and that the bloc was today bigger.
“Your Excellency, the region today boasts of a stronger GDP and now has six countries. The Republic of South Sudan just joined the EAC at the recent 17th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State. They now join the Republics of Burundi and Rwanda as well as the three original Partner States in strengthening the bloc,” the Speaker said.
He also noted that African democracies were progressing although the path was not necessarily smooth.
The meeting was attended by EALA Member Hon Makongoro Nyerere and Senior Public Relations Officer, Bobi Odiko.
Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, fondly known as KK in Zambia, served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991. Hitherto, Dr Kaunda was a leading figure in his country’s independence movement.While in power he hosted many of the movements fighting for independence or black equality in other countries around the region, including South Africa’s African National Congress.
After ceding power in the first multi-party elections in 1991, Dr Kaunda regained stature as one of Africa’s political giants, helping mediate crises in Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Dr Kaunda was also a campaigner in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
The population of Uganda has risen by four million people over the last fourteen years, pushing the figure to 34 million people, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has announced.
However, according to a census report by UBOS, the country’s population growth has declined from 3.2 to three per cent, over the same time.
The shillings 200 billion National Census was carried out in 2014 but the delayed results have been released two years after, and speaking at the release of the census report today President Yoweri Museveni noted that population growth was a major factor within the region.
“The bigger population in the region is the bigger our quest is in attaining market,” he said at the function held today at the Serena International Conference Centre. Mr Museveni also urged the respective ministries to prioritise immunisation and provision of clean water.
According to the 2014 Census findings, the number of females was dominant at 51% out of the total population, while the fertility rates in the country dropped from 7% to 5.8%.
Further, the report indicates that the infant mortality rate has reduced, with fewer children dying before the age of one, while life expectancy increased from 50 to 63 years.
The report placed Wakiso as the most populated town with a total of two million inhabitants, while Kalangala district was ranked least populated with a mere 54,000 inhabitants.
It notes that 10% of the entire population has not attained an education and that 10% of the children under ten years are not in school.
It further revealed 8% of households still lack toilets, while subsistence farming remains the highest source of income at 69%.
Meanwhile, although the report establishes that there has been an increase in electricity distribution from 8% to 20 percent, there are many who still use candles/tadobas in rural areas.
Former Sunderland and England winger Adam Johnson has been sentenced to six years in jail.
Johnson was found guilty by jury of one charge of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl earlier this month at Bradford Crown Court – he lodged an appeal against that conviction on Thursday – having already pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and one of grooming on the opening day of his trial on February 10.
Johnson, whose contract was terminated by Sunderland following his guilty plea, ran into court to avoid the media scrum and then listened to a statement from the victim in which she detailed the impact the case has had on her personal life and schoolwork.
The prosecution also highlighted the way Johnson’s supporters had continued to harangue the victim on social media.
