The Electoral Commission has warned against the creation of militia groups ahead of the 2016 presidential elections.

The EC boss Eng Badru Kiggundu sounded the warning early today, in the wake of reports that a military officer and a politician are involved in the illegal recruitment of youths.

Over the past few weeks Major Roland Kakooza Mutale has been involved in the recruitment and training of youths under the Kalangala Action Plan (KAP), ostensibly to ‘protect’ President Yoweri Museveni’s votes in 2016.

Similarly, some time back the Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, also announced the formation of another ‘youth brigade’ code-named Truth and Justice, claiming it is to counter Mutale’s activities during elections.

But while launching a voter education module at Hotel Africana today morning, Kiggundu said enforcement of law and order is a preserve of the Uganda Police and that it is illegal for anyone to recruit militias.

Kiggundu said he would engage the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Police to ensure that such groups are disbanded and those responsible for their promotion prosecuted.

“I have been hearing about formation of youth brigades in the media but now that you have confirmed to me that they truly exist, I am going to engage the Police to ensure that this is handled once and for all,” Emg Kiggundu said at the launch of the 13^th module on voter education that was prepared by UPIMAK in collaboration with (CECU).

In his remarks, the UPIMAC CEO Steven Nyabango said there was need for the different stakeholders to carry out voter and civic education in order to enable the citizens make correct decisions.

“As we go for party primaries, we want the people to choose the right leaders who can effectively represent them at different levels,” Mr Nyabango noted, while the Head of Programmes at Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) Ms Helen Mealins applauded UPIMAC for its role in ensuring voter education takes place throughout the country.

Meanwhile, the new National Identity Cards will be used in the coming elections, the EC has said.

“When you get the identity card, please keep it safely because currently there are no replacements and even it is made it will be at a cost,” Eng Kiggundu stressed and hastened to add that all Ugandans who registered will have the IDs by election time next year.

Mr Kiggundu also lauded the civil society organizations for partnering with the Electoral Commission to ensure voter education is carried out and also urged the media to be independent and accurate while covering the election process. He also warned against announcement of results without official clearance by the EC.

The 2016 presidential elections have caused excitement in the country, with many citing the entry of former Prime Minister and National Resistance Movement (NRM) Secretary General John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, into the race.

Similarly, the endorsement of NRM Chairman Yoweri Museveni by his party as ‘sole candidate’ and the return of former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) boss Col Dr Kizza Besigye has also excited some Ugandans, making the 2016 elections a highly contentious, unpredictable and electrifying poll.

Already, the political tempo has been put to test, with Dr Besigye taking on FDC President Maj Gen John Gregory Mugisha Muntu in a live television debate last night.

The first of its kind in Uganda, the debate saw the two former ‘Bush War’ comrades exhibit both tough and light emotions as they campaigned to become the FDC flag bearer, a position that will be determined this Wednesday.

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The East African Legislative Assembly has adopted a report on climate change, with calls on the five partner states to promote proactive approaches to preparedness in light of climate change.

 The report is based on recommendations made during an EALA workshop held in the Burundian capital, Bujumbura in March this year.

The objectives of the workshop was to create awareness amongst Members of EALA on the critical cross-cutting subjects of climate change and gender; and to consider existing international and regional policies, strategies and regulatory instruments and frameworks on climate change and gender.

At the same time, the workshop sought to identify the role of Parliamentarians in implementation of Gender Sensitive Climate Change Policies and Practical measures.

Meanwhile, the Report, the Regional Parliamentarians Policy on Climate Change and Gender, that calls for the inculcation of approaches such as early warning systems and modalities for flood and drought management, was presented by the Chairperson of the Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources Committee, Christophe Bazivamo during a plenary session held in Kampala.

During debate Abdullah Mwinyi called for demarcation of specific areas for cattle keepers so that enough fodder is realized and sustainability is realised.

“Farmers are predominantly women while cattle keepers are predominantly men”, he said.  “There is need for a region-wide policy to deal with any imminent clashes that may arise”, he added.

Mumbi Ngaru (Kenya) said natural and man-made events both contribute to Climate Change.  “We have the Disaster Risk Reduction Bill pending before the House. It needs to brought forth immediately by the Council of Ministers”, she said.

Susan Nakawuki (Uganda) lauded the City Council of Arusha for greening the city by planting more trees.

‘We should all borrow from the successes of the city’, she said and called on the Partner States to ensure the EAC Climate Change Fund received funding.

Valerie Nyirahabineza (Rwanda) said the Assembly could champion the importance of the Climate Change Fund.  “As an Assembly, we can support the Fund in a symbolic manner”, she said.

Other EALA members including Dora Byamukama (Uganda), Dr. Odette Nyiramilimo (Rwanda) and Sarah Bonaya (Kenya) also supported the report.

In the past, EALA has passed several environmental Bills including Transboundary Ecosystems Management Bill (2010), the EAC Polythene Material Control Bill, 2014. The EAC Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Control Bill (2014) is under consultation, while work has also commenced on the EAC Climate Change Bill and a Climate Change Fund.

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A leading German biometrics manufacturing firm Dermalog has been awarded the ‘2015 African Biometrics Company of the Year Award’.

Dermalog Identification Systems is one of the world’s leading companies for biometric identification, offering its Automated Biometric Identification System services to governments and private organisations in Europe and other major markets like Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

So far Dermalog has delivered 150,000 fingerprint scanners to over 70 countries and also delivered over 130 ‘large ABIS’ installations that have helped in registration and immigration processes for governments around the world.

According to a release, Dermalog was given the award in recognition of its work in 20 African countries including Nigeria, where the Hamburg-based company is carrying out a US$50 million project secured with the Central Bank in 2013 and, also offers services to 23 other commercial banks in the heavily-populated West African country with a history of fraud.

And, since 2013 Dermalog’s ABIS has helped detect over one million individuals attempting to obtain double or multiple identities in Nigeria, thereby preventing fraud and money laundering in the financial sector. The company has also been able to register over 18 million bank customers in the vast African country.

‘Using Dermalog fingerprint scanners and software, all participating banks can ensure that for all transactions, the identity reliably matches the customer because the customer must always be physically present for the registration,’ the release states and adds that in the near future, registered bank customers in Nigeria will also be able to withdraw cash from ATMs and pay at cash machines using their fingerprints.

Other African countries where Dermalog operates include Angola, Ghana, Tanzania, Zambia and in South Africa, where the award issued by consulting company Frost & Sullivan, was handed over.

‘It contributes sustainably and decisively to solving local challenges such as identity theft, corruption, demography, and migration as well as the economic development of these countries,’ the release by Africa Press Organisation (APO) states in part.

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Non-teaching staff at public universities will not get a salary increase this financial year, President Yoweri Museveni has said.

Museveni, made the remarks recently as he met representatives of non-teaching staff of the six public universities at State Lodge, Mbale, and added that the government had prioritized infrastructure development after which it would address other pressing national issues. The delegation was led byJackson Betihamah, the chairperson of the Public Universities Non-teaching Staff Executive Forum (PUNTSEF), following a petition to the President to help them address the issue of salary enhancement and equity.

On August 3 non-teaching university staff from Makerere, Kyambogo, Mbarara, Busitema, Gulu and Muni went on strike, demanding that government enhances their salaries at the start of the new academic year this month.

In response the President assured the delegation members in Mbale that the government will increase their salaries in the next financial year.

“My proposal to you is in principle, we are not against you. We cannot increase salary this year because there are so many things to be done. Ministry of Finance may increase the salaries next year. We are not against the principle of equity but it’s only the timing. We began with the most urgent and later we shall support the rest,’’ he said.

He said while government now collects Shs. 12,000 billion per year, it prioritizes its spending according to the urgency and added that in the past government concentrated on paying salaries to civil servants and supporting the Army and in the process this led to dependency on the donor funding ‘which was too little to support all government developments’.

The President also disclosed that government spending on road repairs had risen to Shs3000 billion, up from Shs3 billion, after his intervention and added that many roads including the Tororo-Mbale-Soroti had been constructed using government funds.

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The US has said it is “deeply disappointed and concerned” at the three-year jail sentences passed in Egypt on three al-Jazeera journalists.

Echoing criticism from the UK, Canada and Australia, the US state department urged Egypt to “redress the verdict”.

The reporters, Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy, Egyptian Baher Mohamed and Australian Peter Greste, were convicted of “spreading false news”.

Mr Greste was deported to Australia this year and was tried in absentia.

State department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement: “We urge the government of Egypt to take all available measures to redress this verdict, which undermines the very freedom of expression necessary for stability and development.

“The freedom of the press to investigate, report, and comment – even when its perspective is unpopular or disputed – is fundamental to any free society and essential to democratic development.”

Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop said she was “dismayed” by the sentences.

Ms Bishop said she had spoken with Mr Greste and would “continue to pursue all diplomatic avenue with my Egyptian counterpart” to clear Mr Greste’s name.

Reaction: Peter Greste speaks to the BBC

The UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Tobias Ellwood said: “I am deeply concerned by the sentences handed down today against journalists in Egypt.

“These sentences will undermine confidence in Egypt’s progress towards strong long-term stability based on implementing the rights granted by the Egyptian constitution.”

Canada demanded Mr Fahmy’s “full and immediate release”.

Mr Fahmy’s lawyer, Amal Clooney, called on Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to issue a pardon to the journalists.

“The verdict today sends a very dangerous message in Egypt,” she told reporters. “It sends a message that journalists can be locked up for simply doing their job, for telling the truth and reporting the news.”

She said she would push for her client, who has given up his Egyptian citizenship, to be deported to Canada.

The three journalists are accused of aiding the banned Muslim Brotherhood group but they strenuously deny the allegations.

They were originally sentenced in July 2014, with Mr Greste and Mr Fahmy receiving seven years and Mr Mohamed getting 10 years.

But their convictions were overturned in January this year and they were freed in February to await retrial.

Mr Greste’s lawyer, Chris Flynn, said the men’s re-trial “was a sham and was miscarried at every step”.

He also urged President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to intervene.

Giving the verdict on Saturday, judge Hassan Farid said the three men were not registered journalists and had been operating from a Cairo hotel without a licence.

He handed three-year sentences to Mr Greste and Mr Fahmy but gave Mr Mohamed an additional six months.

It is unclear how long Mr Fahmy and Mr Mohamed will now serve. They were in prison for about a year before being freed.

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The East African Legislative Assembly sitting in Kampala has adjourned debate on the EAC Electronic Transactions Bill 2014 to pave way for stakeholders to make additional input.

The Chair of Council of Ministers, Dr. Abdallah Saadaala requested for deferment of the debate, and the EALA Speaker Daniel F Kidega directed that the private members bill initiated by Dr James Ndahayo be included on the Order Paper during the next Plenary in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr Saadaala said he supported the bill but hastened to add that there was need for more time for the consolidation of further inputs and comments by stakeholders including among others the East African Communications Organisation (EACO) in Kigali, Rwanda and the EAC Monetary Affairs Committee (MAC).

The EACO brings together a number of consumers of e-transactions, MAC focuses on electronic payments and settlements systems in the EAC region.

‘The Electronic Transaction Bill, 2014 seeks to meet the need of exploiting electronic transactions in the modern day business transactions. The Bill further wants to promote technology neutrality in applying legislation to electronic communications and transactions and to develop a safe, secure and effective environment for the consumer, business and the Governments of the Partner States to conduct and use electronic transactions’ an EAC release states in part. The Bill received massive support, with among others EALA MPs Mumbi Ngaru, Martin Ngoga, Pierre Celestin Rwigema, Mike Sebalu and Abdullah Mwinyi all weighing in in its favour.

The debate on the Bill was preceded by tabling of a report by the Committee on Communications and Trade Investment which undertook public hearings on the Bill.  Other stakeholders consulted included the ministries responsible for ICT, finance and, trade and commerce; ICT regulators and the e-government agencies; Offices of the Attorneys General, including the Law Reform Commissions; law societies and law enforcement agencies as well as the East African Business Council and Private Sector Federation.

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