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DRC urged not to extradite Burundi journalist

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Our Reporter
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The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo not to extradite Egide Mwemero, an exiled Burundian radio journalist who has been in custody since October 13.
Bob Rugurika, director of independent Burundian station Radio Publique Africaine where Mwemero also worked, told CPJ he fears Mwemero will be killed if he is sent back to Burundi. According to reports, Burundian authorities this month requested the extradition of at least four other journalists who fled into exile.
“We urge President Joseph Kabila and authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to show compassion and release Mwemero so he can return to his family who are living in exile in Rwanda,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Sue Valentine. “Given the growing tensions in Burundi and the ruling party’s antagonism towards the press, to send Mwemero back to his country would place him in grave danger.”
When Mwemero was detained in October, minister for communications and media in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lambert Mende, told CPJ the journalist had been arrested for broadcasting foreign radio without prior authorization, and for exercising professional activities without a license. 
The CPJ and the Burundi Union of Journalists say at least 100 journalists have left Burundi since protests in April and an attempted coup in May. Many of the journalists who left said they had been threatened or feared persecution.
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SPLM-IO to deploy in Juba by mid January

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Thousands of components of the would-be joint integrated forces from the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) may deploy in the national capital, Juba, by mid-January, says opposition’s spokesperson.
In accordance with the peace agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan which President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar, signed in August to end 21 months of violent conflict in the world’s youngest nation, joint police and military forces including national security and presidential guards were to be deployed within the 90 days of pre-transitional period.
The pre-transitional period, which started from the signing of the peace agreement, has however elapsed since 26 November 2015 and the deployment of joint forces in Juba has not taken place due to obstacles and delays faced in the implementation of the peace deal.
The two main rival factions of government and SPLM-IO have wasted a lot of time due to misunderstandings and violations of security and political provisions in the agreement, delaying establishment of institutions to kick off the implementation.
An advance team of the opposition faction finally arrived in Juba on 18 December 2015 after government lifted its objection to their return in “huge” numbers, but no significant steps have been taken by the peace parties in order to pave way for deployment of forces in the capital and formation of a transitional government of national unity.
The top leadership of the SPLM-IO is yet to return to Juba, pending resolution on main provisions of the peace agreement, as the implementation runs behind the schedule.
Spokesman of the SPLM-IO leadership said that although the designated First Vice President Riek Machar was eager to return to Juba, this would not happen until major provisions required for his return to the capital are first implemented by the advance team with the other stakeholders including the government.
“Our chairman and commander-in-chief will return to Juba any time soon. But this will not happen until major provisions in the peace agreement required for formation of a transitional government of national unity are implemented,” said James Gatdet Dak.
He said among the provisions required first for implementation include amendment of the transitional constitution to incorporate the peace agreement, adding that this will also be based on the 10 states in accordance with the peace deal.
A transitional national legislature will also be reconstituted, he said, with membership from the opposition groups as stipulated in the peace agreement, adding this new national parliament will have to endorse the new transitional constitution after its amendment by the parties and signed by the president. This new constitution will then become the basis for formation of a transitional government, he said.
The opposition faction, he reiterated, does not recognize the recent unilaterally decreed 28 states by president Kiir and endorsed by “his faction’s national legislature.”
He also said there is need to withdraw government forces from Juba to 25km as stipulated in the peace agreement and for the joint forces to be deployed inside the capital.
“SPLA (IO) components of the joint police and military forces may reach Juba by mid-January. However, there is need for the government to first withdraw its excess forces from the capital as stipulated in the peace deal,” he said.
In October, government officials said they had withdrawn only 250 soldiers from Juba, but several thousands more are still in the capital.
Senior military sources from the government earlier admitted the existence of a split of opinion in the government over whether to fully implement the security arrangements or not, with some including the current chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan, and other senior military commanders allegedly refusing to withdraw forces from Juba.
According to the peace agreement, the government should withdraw its forces and then each side in the conflict will deploy in Juba 1,500 well equipped police forces, making the total of 3,000 to provide the security in the capital.
Also the opposition will deploy another military force of over 1,400 troops in Juba, while the government will deploy over 3,000 military forces.
Out of the total 8,000 armed police and military forces that should be deployed in Juba, the government would have a total of about 5,000 while the opposition would have about 3,000.
Dak said the opposition forces to be deployed in the capital were coming from Upper Nile and Bahr el Ghazal regions and will team up in Juba with other components from Equatoria region.
He said as soon as such constitutional amendments and deployments of the joint forces are completed, including other necessities, Machar would then travel to Juba to form a government of national unity with President Kiir.
The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), which has been established under the peace agreement with membership from representatives of the peace parties and regional and international bodies, and chaired by former president of Botswana, Festus Mogae, is expected to convene a meeting soon to start to resolve on pending issues.
A government of national unity will run the country for the next 30 months from formation at the end of which elections will be conducted country-wide.
Machar, according to the agreement, will become a first vice-president, with a quota of 10 ministerial positions allocated to his faction, a number of states to govern, as well as command a separate army for at least 18 months before unification of the two rival armies into one national army.
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Al Shabaab-hit Garissa University reopens

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Kenya’s Garissa University College has reopened – some nine months after the killing of nearly 150 people by militant Islamist group al-Shabab forced its closure.
A police post has been established on the campus, in north-eastern Kenya, to guarantee the safety of students and staff. 
Staff reported to work today while students are due to return to classes next Monday.  
In April last year armed Al Shabaab attacked Garissa University College in Kenya’s north eastern province and also kidnapped 700 students in the second deadliest attack since the 1998 bombings of the US Embassy in Nairobi.
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Embrace wealth creation message, Museveni urges youth

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The President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni posses for a picture with some of the beneficiaries during a pass out ceremony of a total of 11,735 youths that have been empowered with bussiness and entrepreneurship skills across Ntungamo district on Sunday 3rd 2016.

 

President Yoweri Museveni has called on the youth to take the wealth creation issue seriously saying by acquiring skills that are marketable; they can create employment for themselves and for others.

“We have taken time to tell people about wealth creation but people think it is cheap politics and mere talking. Wealth is found in four sectors: commercial agriculture, factories, services and the Information Communication and Technology sector. Wealth for one person means jobs for other people,” he said.

Some of the beneficiaries cheers the President as he addressed during the pass out ceremony of a total of 11,735 youths that have been empowered with bussiness and entrepreneurship skills across Ntungamo district on Sunday 3rd 2016.
Some of the beneficiaries cheers the President as he addressed during the pass out ceremony of a total of 11,735 youths that have been empowered with bussiness and entrepreneurship skills across Ntungamo district on Sunday 3rd 2016.

Mr Museveni was yesterday speaking at the pass out of youth entrepreneurs from Ntungamo district. A total of 11,735 youths under the ‘Free and Rich program’ were passed out at the function held at Kyamate Secondary School. The youth have been empowered with business and entrepreneurial skills by coordinators through workshops held daily in every Sub County, parish and cell in Ntungamo district.

Free and Rich Uganda is an initiative that was started by the First Lady and Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mrs Janet Kataaha Museveni to help the youth in Ntungamo acquire entrepreneurial skills and start businesses to create employment opportunities and also fight poverty.

The President cautioned the youth against waiting for public service jobs saying those are few and that public service sector could not employ them all. “The public service sector has no wealth and there are few jobs,” he said.

He said that government would increase funding to the wealth funds so as to chase poverty in the country and advised the youth to task their elected Members of Parliament to promise to increase funding to the wealth creation funds.

“There are four wealth creation funds: NAADS, Women Fund, Youth Fund and Microfinance fund. You should ask the MPs to promise to increase the funding to the wealth funds before they start asking for salary increases, “he said.

The President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni posses for a picture with some of the beneficiaries during a pass out ceremony of a total of 11,735 youths that have been empowered with bussiness and entrepreneurship skills across Ntungamo district on Sunday 3rd 2016.
The President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni posses for a picture with some of the beneficiaries during a pass out ceremony of a total of 11,735 youths that have been empowered with bussiness and entrepreneurship skills across Ntungamo district on Sunday 3rd 2016.

President Museveni said he would prioritize the wealth funds in his next term of office.

“We are going to prioritize the wealth funds as we did with the electricity and road funds. We are going to put 1000 billion shillings in NAADs from 200 billion shillings. The youth and women funds will each get 234 billion while the microfinance fund will get 180 billion shillings,” he said.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs. Museveni thanked the youth in Ntungamo for embracing the program.

“I want to thank the project leaders and coordinators for providing a good example to their colleagues and empowering them. Let Ntungamo be known for such development programs and not bad things,” she said.

Aijuka Rodgers, the Director Free and Rich Uganda thanked the First Lady for choosing him to lead the program and for supporting the youth to start income generating projects. He said the program would expand to other parts of the country and teach the youth how to start income generating projects and grow them into big enterprises.

Later, the President presented certificates to the youth that were passed out.

The function was also attended by the Bishop of South Ankole Diocese Nathan Ahimbisibwe, the national coordinator for patriotism in the office of the President Lt Col Henry Matsiko, Gerald Karuhanga, Youth MP Western Uganda and Stephen Tashobya, MP Kajara County, Ntungamo District.

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Former Mbale bishop denounces Mbabazi

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Our Reporter
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Retired Bishop of Mbale Diocese Samwiri Wabulakha has denounces independent Presidential candidate John Patrick Amama Mbabazi.

Samwiri

The Go Forward team had included Bishop wabulakha’s name on Amama Mbabazi’s campaign task force for Bugisu sub region.

However the retired Bishop has since rejected his inclusion on the task force saying he was not ready to work for the Mbabazi team.

When Eagle Online talked to the Bishop, he confirmed that his name was the fifty sixth on the list but wondered why they included his name without his consultation.

“I am not going to be part of the Go Forward campaign team in Bugisu because I belong to a political party called Yesu Yeka which does not allow me to participated in partisan politics.

He also added that he is an old man who has served God diligently and was not willing and ready to indulge himself in the current dirty politics that Uganda is faced with.

“I am peaceful in retirement and I am in any way interested in stressing myself by working any Presidential candidate,”

He is the second cleric after retired Bishop of Soroti Diocese Charles Bernard Obaikol Ebitu, denounced his inclusion on the list and demanded an apology from Mr Mbabazi.

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South African tribal king begins prison sentence

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A South African traditional king from Nelson Mandela’s Thembu ethnic group has begun a 12-year prison sentence for arson, kidnap and assault of his subjects, after a long battle to stay out of jail.

King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo reported to the Mthatha correctional centre in Eastern Cape province on Thursday, after failing in an 11th-hour bid to evade incarceration by seeking a retrial or a presidential pardon.

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In 2009, the king was convicted of manslaughter, arson and assault charges for offences committed more than two decades ago. He was sentenced to 15 years in 2009, but in October the supreme court dropped the manslaughter charge and reduced his sentence to 12 years on appeal.

This week he sought to further extend his bail, but a high court judge in Mthatha, the largest city near Mandela’s rural home of Qunu, threw out the request. “We confirm that King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo handed himself to the head of Mthatha correctional centre,” the justice ministry said in a statement.

He is expected to serve his sentence in Wellington prison, outside Mthatha. The 51-year-old, a self-confessed marijuana smoker, was found guilty of torching dwellings that housed some of his subjects and tenants who had resisted eviction.

He was also convicted of publicly assaulting three young men who had already been brutally beaten by his henchmen, and of kidnapping a wife and children of one of his subjects whom he considered a dissident.

The supreme court concluded that the king ruled with fear and trepidation and that “his behaviour was all the more deplorable because the victims of his reign of terror were the vulnerable rural poor”. It also accused him of “obstructive” action for changing his lawyers 11 times, causing 34 postponements of the case.

Dalindyebo became king of the Thembu, a Xhosa ethnic group that boasted Mandela as its most prominent clan member, in 1989. The royal family will meet next week to discuss whether a successor should be chosen due to their monarch’s imprisonment.

Kings have no official power in modern South Africa, but still command loyalty among millions of people. They are recognised in the constitution as traditional leaders and receive government funding.

Two years ago the king publicly disparaged the president, Jacob Zuma, an ethnic Zulu, but later apologised.

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Fire engulfs Dubai hotel ahead of New Year celebrations

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Our Reporter
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A huge fire has engulfed a 63-storey hotel in central Dubai ahead of a New Year’s Eve firework display.

Despite the blaze at the Address hotel, the display at the nearby Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, started as planned at midnight.

Officials say the fire has been brought largely under control and 16 people suffered mostly minor injuries.

It is unclear what caused the blaze, which broke out as large crowds had gathered to ring in the New Year.

People were asked to leave the area around the Address Downtown Hotel, which was evacuated.

dubai

As I watched the flames engulf the massive building, I knew right away it was the Address Hotel in Dubai’s downtown district that overlooks Burj Khalifa. I also knew that it was fully booked five years in advance.

There were also thousands of people in the streets below and in the adjacent buildings, all waiting to view the highly anticipated New Year’s Eve fireworks display, among them my youngest sister.

After checking on my sister, I hastily decided to head out to downtown Dubai in the hope of seeing the scene on the ground for myself.

As I approached downtown, I realised that the normally brightly illuminated Burj Khalifa was only half-lit and I could barely see the imposing structure amid the black smoke from the Address Hotel.

I did not expect to spend the next four hours right outside the downtown area, in one of the worst traffic jams I have ever encountered.

As the clock struck midnight, I resigned myself to ringing in the New Year among thousands of strangers, all gazing out of our cars towards Burj Khalifa’s spectacular fireworks display, alongside a burning hotel.

It started on the 20th floor, officials said, and had not spread inside the building, they claimed.

The Dubai government tweeted that 14 people had suffered minor injuries, one moderate injuries and there was one “heart attack case” due to “overcrowding and smoke”.

Irish singer Anita Williams, who was performing at the hotel when the fire began, told the BBC that people left in a “stampede”.

“We left everything. There was debris falling down. It [the fire] just shot up through the entire hotel.

“Everybody was screaming, everybody was running… I thought: ‘This is a film’.”

The fireworks display went ahead as smoke continued to billow from the hotel.

Alternative accommodation would be offered to evacuated guests, the Dubai government said.

The BBC World Service Middle East editor, Sebastian Usher, says the display is a huge prestige event for Dubai, and authorities want the images that people look back on next year to be of the fireworks – and not of the blaze.

Tom Stroud, from London, who is staying near to the hotel, said: “It happened so quickly. There was smoke billowing everywhere and people running away.”

A tourist, Michelle Duque told the BBC: “All of a sudden we saw this huge black plume of black smoke coming between the Khalifa Tower and the hotel.

“The flames burst out really big and before we knew it the whole of the Address Hotel was covered in orange flames.”

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Besigye thanks Ugandans for support ahead of elections

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Our Reporter
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The Forum for Democratic Change flag bearer Dr Warren Kizza Besigye has thanked Ugandans for the support and love they have shown him during the ongoing presidential campaigns.

In his New Year message to Ugandans posted on his twitter page, Besigye thanked the Ugandans who have welcomed him and his team wherever they have gone since the campaigns started in November.

Besigye together with seven other candidates including incumbent president Yoweri Museveni and former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, are contesting for the topmost office in Uganda and have been engaged in countrywide campaigns for the past two months.

“I take this opportunity to thank the millions of Ugandans who have welcomed wherever we have been since campaigns started,” Besigye wrote.

Besigye said the year 2015 has drawn to a close and for some Ugandans it has been a good year but for most it has been difficult.

He further stressed for those directly involved with the campaigns the last few months have been trying.

“You have shown incredible courage and for that I thank you,” he said.

He also appreciated the financial and material support that has been rendered to him wherever he has been in the campaigns.

“You have given sacrificially to my campaign, a sure sign of your support and trust. I thank you. You have shown incredible courage, and for that I thank you. I applaud you and thank you most sincerely,” he said and lauded those on his campaign trail ‘for resisting bribery and corruption and moving on empty stomachs and empty wallets’.

“I thank you. I commend the FDC team, every man, woman and youth that is working under the blue flag,” Besigye said.

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DP ‘regrets’ supporting Mbabazi

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A section of members of the Democratic Party that supported Go Forward candidate John Patrick Amama Mbabazi have expressed regret at their decision.

Betty-5m

Speaking in Masaka town earlier today the Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament Betty Nambooze Bakireke, who was participating in theBulungi Bwa Nsi, said they erred in supporting the former Prime Minister and are ‘to reverse their stand.’

Bulungi Bwa Nsi is a clean-up activity common in Buganda and according to the DP, the party wants to use it as one of its platforms for recruitment of members.

The outspoken Nambooze was in the company of Bukoto East MP Florence Namyanja, Joseph Sewungu of Kalungu East and EALA MP Fred Mukasa Mbidde, all of who had opted to back Mbabazi against the FDC’s Dr Kizza Besigye as opposition joint candidate in the 2016 presidential elections.

The quartet alongside other DP stalwarts and other oppositionists were part of The Democratic Alliance formed mid this year, where the DP members formed the largest chunk of Mbabazi’s backers.

Indeed, it was DP party president Norbert Mao who declared  Mbabazi as the TDA flag bearer.

Early this week Kawempe North MP Latif Ssebagala also said he was abandoning his alliance with the Mbabazi ‘Go Forward’ team.

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2015: Year in Review

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The year 2015 has come and gone. With it, Ugandans have enjoyed, and prospered, while others have grieved and vacillated. However, it is through resilience that the country will be able to develop, with its citizens being able to enjoy the fruits of their sweat and in that respect the EagleOnline is pleased to be associated with the vision of a better Uganda.

2015

Below Staff Writers  take our readers, both at home and elsewhere, through the year with notable events and incidents that made headlines in 2015.

Deaths/Politicians/Top Public Servants

On March 30 the Principal State Attorney Joan Namazzi Kagezi, the lead prosecutor in a case in which over 70 people were allegedly killed by the Al Shabaab, was shot dead by two men riding a motor cycle as she drove home.

Before the country could come to grips with Joan Kagezi’s death, death beckoned again, this time claiming the life of the affable former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) 56-year old General Robert Aronda Nyakairima onSeptember 12.

Gen Aronda, who at the time of his death was the Minister of Internal Affairs, died of cardiac arrest while aboard a flight from South Korea, transiting through Dubai. The General was also a UPDF Representative in Parliament from 1996.

Barely a month after Gen Aronda’s shocking death, a giant figure from eastern Uganda, the State Minister for Industry James Shinyabulo  Mutende also passed on. Reports indicate that Dr Mutende, aged 53, he died in his sleep at his home in Makindye.

Another public figure who failed to make it past 2015 was the Bukomansimbi Woman MP Susan Namaganda. Namaganda, a wife to Uganda’s East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Fred Mukasa Mbidde, perished in a road accident along the Kampala-Masaka highway on December 11.

Celebrity Deaths

The year 2015 will be remembered by most readers as one that took the most celebrities. Between February and May, the media fraternity felt the first blow. In February, veteran Akaboozi radio news anchor Dan Kyazze succumbed to cancer aged 67. He was followed by another veteran radio news anchor Bbale Francis who had served at the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) for over 25 years. Like his colleague Kyazze, the 61-year old Bbale died of cancer at Mulago Cancer Institute. As the world was still grieving the demise of Kyazze and Bbale, news came in that former NTV news anchor Rosemary Nankabirwa was undergoing cancer treatment at Nakasero Hospital. The media fraternity and well wishers joined efforts to contribute to Ms Nankabirwa’s treatment but unfortunately she passed on April 12 at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, aged 37.

The media industry also lost in photographer Papa Opae, who died in a road accident last week; NTV journalist Resty Namawejje, who died in an accident together with Miss Tourism (Northern Uganda) Norah Atim.

The country also lost prominent businessman Crescent Baguma Rusoke, proprietor of BCR Construction Company and the famous Win a Classic clothing boutique. Also dead this year is Elias Bugembe aka Kasiwukira, self-made billionaire who made most of his fortune selling music.

The Grim Reaper also claimed The She Cranes Harriet Apako, a Police Netball Club centre player who succumbed to typhoid on October 16. Apako was a member of the highly regarded She Cranes team that sent tongues wagging at the Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

Death then made a sojourn to the entertainment industry, snatching Team No Sleep crew member Emmanuel Mayanja aka AK47, a young brother to celebrated music crooners Joseph Mayanja aka Dr Jose Chameleone; Weasel and Pallaso.

AK47 was found unconscious in the washrooms of Club Dejavu, a pub in Kansanga, on the outskirts of the city. He was rushed to Nsambya hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.

Other celebrity artistes who couldn’t make it through the last 365 days include 35-year old Harriet Kisakye and Cornelius Oloya aka ‘Master Blaster’ aka ‘Teacher’ of the Embooko fame, who died just two days shy of 2016.

But not all was gloom in the entertainment industry in 2015: Rising Ugandan musician Edirisa Musuuza aka Eddie Kenzo stormed the global stage in style when he won the BET Awards with his hit single ‘Sitya Loss’.

One of the first Ugandan musicians to win a big entertainment award like BET, Kenzo beat South Africa’s Casper Nyovest to the ‘New International Artiste’ accolade. However, it is not only Kenzo who held our flag high overseas. Moses Ssali aka Bebe Cool aka Big Size won the ‘International Reggae/Dancehall category at the African Entertainment Awards (AEA) that were held in Canada in September, after beating Burna Boy and Patoranking to the award.

Similarly, Uganda’s most decorated artiste, Dr Jose Chameleone won the ‘Writer of the Year’ award at All Africa Musica Awards (AFRIM) and as Ugandans we look forward to having a ‘riddim’ packed 2016. Also, Comedienne Anne Kansiime, one of the few Ugandans to meet Queen Elizabeth II, became the first Ugandan to make one million likes on Facebook.

 

OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS

 

1.

The former Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Allen Kagina is appointed as the new Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) boss by President Yoweri Museveni on April 27.  Famed for turning around URA into a professional body, on September Kagina, on advice of the Board fired the entire 900 UNRA employees and called for new applications.

2.

On April 29 Uganda’s most wanted man Jamil Mukulu, the leader of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), is arrested in Tanzania. International Police (InterPol) had placed him on its most wanted list for murder, terrorism, and treason, among other crimes. The Uganda Police was hunting for Mukulu for crimes linked to the mysterious death of Muslim clerics in Eastern Uganda. Jinja Grade One Magistrate Isaac Kintu issued arrest warrants against Mukulu and Australian based doctor Aggrey Kiyingi. After losing the extradition battle, Mukulu, referred to as Uganda’s Osama Bin Laden by the Inspector General of police General Edward Kale Kayihura, was finally extradited to Uganda, where he is in detention, after appearing in court on July 22.

3.

On 2 June, a Judicial Commission set up by President Museveni to inquire into abuse of office and corruption within the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) starts inquiries. Chaired by Justice Bamugemereire, the Commission has to date seen some jaw-dropping revelations. It has also grilled the former Minister of Works Abraham James Byandala for his involvement in the Katosi road scandal and also queried the overpayment of contractors like Dott Services among others. The Commission finally handed their findings to the President on October 9.

4.

On 15 June, former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi declared he was standing for presidency, introducing ‘Go Forward’ to the political dictionary in Uganda.

At the time Mbabazi said that he wanted a fresh Uganda; he wanted to see end to all the corruption. But save for his words, his actions dubbed ‘consultations’ but termed ‘early campaigning’ by the electoral authorities seemed not to resonate well with the police, which arrested him on July 9as he headed to the eastern town of Mbale, as he tried to canvass for support. On the same day, the Forum for Democratic former leader and party flag bearer for the 2016 elections Colonel (rtd) Dr Warren Kizza Besigye was arrested for holding a rally without police authorisation.

But while Mbabazi’s arrest was peaceful and calm, Besigye’s wasn’t as police fired teargas and arrested some FDC supporters including Members of Parliament.

Besigye was declared the FDC flag bearer for 2016 presidential race onSeptember 3, after winning party leader Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu by over 400 votes. Muntu conceded defeat.

Other parties also chose their leaders; the NRM chose party Chairman Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as it’s presidential flag bearer for the elections in 2016. The Democratic Party (DP) elected Norbert Mao in a vote disputed by embattled Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who went on to form Platform for Truth and Justice, while a section of the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) declared Hon Jimmy Akena party president but Olara Otunnu ran to court, challenging the party founding president’s son.

Shortly after, several opposition members allied under the umbrella of The Democratic Alliance (TDA), in a joint effort to dislodge Museveni and his NRM party from power, come 2016.

In pursuit of that objective, on October 3, Amama Mbabazi, Dr Kizza Besigye and Olara Otunnu among others flew to Kenya to meet the country’s opposition icon Raila Odinga.

This was just before cracks started emerging, pitting Mbabazi against Besigye, in the quest to stand against Museveni. The two top contenders alongside other oppositionists later met in United Kingdom but still failed to agree.  Consequently, Dr Besigye declared that he was out of TDA and that he would seek election under the banner of the FDC.

5.

On October 12, Fatuma Naigaga, one of the leaders in the FDC hierarchy hit the headlines after images of her allegedly being undressed by police surfaced.

At the time Naigaga was part of the entourage that had escorted Dr Besigye to a rally in Rukungiri, but Police rebutted the ‘undressing’ claims, instead saying she tried to block them from doing their work and that she undressed herself. Nonetheless, the Police was faulted by many women rights activists, who condemned the way in which Ms Naigaga was handled by police.

6.

Then, on November 4 and 5 all roads led to the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole for the nomination of eight presidential candidates by the Electoral Commission. The road from Spear Motors junction to Namboole was blocked, causing massive traffic snarls. All candidates received huge numbers of supporters, paving the way for campaigns to start.

7.

The biggest event in Uganda in 2015 is the three-day visit of His Holiness Pope Francis, who was in the country from November 27-29.

The Catholic prelate, who was welcomed at Entebbe International Airport by several dignitaries led by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, received a humbling reception from Ugandans.

On November 28 Pope Francis said Mass at the Namugongo Matyrs Shrine, held in commemoration of 50th anniversary of the Uganda Martyrs canonization. At the same ceremony, president Yoweri shook hands with Dr Kizza Besigye and former Prime Minister and now presidential rival Amama Mbabazi. The Holy Father later addressed youth at Kololo Airstrip where he advised them on various issues.

During this year’s pastoral visit the Pope also visited neighbouring Kenya and the Central African Republic (CAR).

A GREAT SPORTING YEAR

Football/Soccer

The Uganda Cranes won their 14th CECAFA title in late November in Ethiopia after beating Kenya 1-0.  The Cranes will also represent Uganda in the CHAN tournament next year in Rwanda.

* Farouk Miya ends the year on spectacular form after scoring crucial goals for the Cranes.

* Former Uganda Cranes first choice goal keeper Dennis Onyango will end the year smiling after South Africa club Mamelodi Sundowns made him first goalkeeper dropping Zambian star Kennedy Mwene.

* The Azam Uganda Premier league ended successfully with  Vipers Football Club lifting the trophy. Sports Club Villa lifted the Uganda Cup.

* Uganda ends 2015 atop the AFCON 2017 qualifiers table ahead of Burkina Faso, Comoros and Botswana.

Other Sports

* City Oilers carried home their third consecutive national basketball title.

* Hima Heathens lifted the rugby league and Uganda Cup.

*Uganda National Pool team bagged Silver in Lesotho, while locally Amos Ndyagumanawe and Angella Busingye emerged winners in their respective categories.

*Golfer Ronald Otile was crowned Uganda Open Champion, while soldiering Sergeant Flavia Namakula won the Women’s category.

* The performance of the She Cranes at the Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia, where the team surprised many by emerging 8th out of 16 countries.

*World Body Building champion Ivan Byekwaso made Uganda proud by winning big.

* Arthur Segwanyi was spectacular on the chess board.

 

Social Media/Media

The year 2015 has seen a growth in the usage of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instragram, with the entertainment industry adopting a method through which fans would vote for their best actors and musicians through social media with a specific hash tag.

Politicians led by John Patrick Amama Mbabazi of ‘Go Forward’ also took social media by storm, using it as a strong tool to announce their arrival in the political arena. All others have since stepped up their ante, and Social Media use in politics is now at its peak, with the only female candidate Faith Maureen Kyalya Walube the most ardent user of them all.

On the downside, many Ugandans have used social media to unfairly attack their opponents.

Variuos trends have also taken Twitter and Facebook by storm, with  the hilarious ‘Twitter fight’ between Ugandan and Kenyans under the hashtag #UOTvsKOT;  the outcry of Ugandans calling for an end in police brutality #StopPoliceBrutality; the fuzzy #IfAfricaWasABar and the recent whirlwind #WhatwouldMagufuliDo, which surfaced after the new Tanzanian President John Joseph Pombe Magufuli started making headlines for his candid governance approach.

MEDIA/NEWS INDUSTRY

In the media industry NTV launched Spark, its Luganda version targeting female viewers, while NBS TV launched its Luganda station programming ‘Extra’. Others stations that have launched this year are: Face TV, ABS TV, Delta TV and the Buganda Kingdom-owned BBS TV. On continental scene, the Independent Media launched the African Independent, a weekly magazine ‘the leading provider of news and in-depth analysis in print and digital platforms across the African continent’.

Last but not least, 2015 is the year EagleOnline made it debut on the social media/news stage, providing readers with reliable and timely news posts.

 

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