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Minister Byandala remanded to prison

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Our Reporter
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Minister Abraham Byandala.

 

 

Minister Abraham Byandala.
Minister Abraham Byandala.da

Kampala-The former Minister of Works, Transport and Engineer Abraham Byandala has been arrested in connection with the construction and procurement irregularities of Katosi Road.

Eng. Byandala who currently holds the post of Minister Without Portfolio was remanded this afternoon by Anti Corruption Court to Luzira prison until August 11, when returns to same Court. Byandala was invited by Inspectorate of Government for a meeting and upon arrival, he was arrested and driven to Anti Corruption Court in Kololo.

The 74km multi-billion Mukono-Kyetume-Katosi-Nyenga road has since August 2014 been a source of controversy after reports that its construction was awarded to a non-existent company, Eutaw Construction Company of the United States.

Byandala, who was relieved of his works portfolio in a cabinet shake-up in March this year, also allegedly directed the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), to award the Shs165 billion contract to Eutaw without the completion of a due diligence. At the time of the intensification of the  saga, Eng Byandala blamed his predecessor Eng. John Nasasira, and Presidency Minister Frank Tumwebaze, for his woes.

Last year Eutaw’s local representative Apollo Senkeeto was arrested and given bond, and the case had since gone silent till today when Byandala.

 

 

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Kaweesi dropped as police operations boss

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NEW ROLE: Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi

 

Andrew Felix Kaweesi
Andrew Felix Kaweesi

The Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura  has dropped the Director Operations Andrew Felix Kaweesi in the latest changes announced Monday evening.

Kaweesi has been moved as the boss of Human Resource development.

He has been replaced by Hurana Isabirye, the commander Kampala Metropolitan.

Benjamin Namanya, the Human Resource Development boss, takes over from Isabirye as new commander Kampala Metropolitan.

Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga confirmed changes. “It is true, the changes have been made but this is a mini reshuffle” he said.

 

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Obama meets Museveni, Kenyetta and Ms Zuma over S. Sudan

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US President Baraka Obama and East African leaders meet in Addis Ababa over South Sudan.
US President Baraka Obama and Eastern African leaders meet in Addis Ababa over South Sudan.
US President Baraka Obama and East African leaders meet in Addis Ababa over South Sudan.

KAMPALA-President Yoweri Museveni is in Addis Ababa for African Union Summit where African leaders and American President Barack Obama discussed the South Sudan conflict.

The newly appointed press secretary, Ms Linda Nabusayi told Eagle Online on Monday President Museveni held a multilateral meeting with Mr Obama, Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and the Chairperson of the African Union commission, Ms Dlamini Zuma.

“He has so far held multilateral closed meeting with President Baraka Obama, Uhuru Kenyatta, Susan Rice, Ethiopian Prime minister and AU Commissioner Zuma,” Ms Nabusayi said.

Uganda deployed forces to prop up the beleaguered government of Salvar Kiir but the opposition has called for withdraw of Ugandans, saying Uganda is “illegally interfering” with the internal affairs of South Sudan.

But Ugandan government has insisted its troops would withdraw if the recently deployed regional force under Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is fully equipped.

Uganda’s Defence Minister Cripus Kiyonga said last week Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda had deployed troops but the force lacks logistics.

The Addis Ababa meeting comes at a time when top South Sudan officials and senior rebel commanders are facing sanctions if the warring parties fail to end the war that has displaced millions of people in the youngest country in Africa.

A U.S. official was quoted agencies saying sanctions or other penalties could be considered if the two sides failed to reach a peace deal by an August 17 deadline. Previous deadlines have been ignored, deepening the crisis in the world’s newest nation.

 

 

 

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GE sets eyes on US$2.5b deals across Africa

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GE to equip OPIC-financed 100MW Kipeto wind farm in Kenya.
GE to equip OPIC-financed 100MW Kipeto wind farm in Kenya.
GE to equip OPIC-financed 100MW Kipeto wind farm in Kenya.

General Electric has stepped up its investment portfolio in Africa after negotiating US$2.5 billion deals across the continent, with focus on transport, aviation, healthcare and the energy sectors.

According to GE, in Kenya it will partner with Kipeto Energy Limited to build a 100MW ‘wind farm’ in Kajaido County, with the company as the sole equipment supplier for the project.

The US$155m Kipeto project was announced during President Barack Obama’s July 24-26 visit to Kenya, and GE is expected to provide 60 high capacity wind turbines, with a 15-year service agreement.

According to a release, the deal made during the US-AfricaLeaders’ Summit in Washington DC comes in the wake of GE’s commitment made in 2014 to invest US$2 billion in Africa by 2018 to spruce up facility development, skills training and sustainability initiatives.

“GE has made significant progress against the investment commitments made last August,” said Jay Ireland, president and CEO of GE Africa. “Skills training and capacity building are critical, not only for developing African economies, but also for growing GE’s footprint in the region. We consider this a major priority.”

TheKipetoproject will be financed by Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) as sole lender to the project. OPIC is the US government’s development finance institute and is part of the Power Africa Initiative, the brainchild of President Obama.         

Kipeto Energy Limited shareholders include Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), Craftskills Wind Energy International Limited, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Maasai community of Kipeto, 50 kilometres from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Meanwhile, in February this year GE was contracted by the Kenyan Ministry of Health as a key technology partner for a US$ 420m infrastructure modernization programme to transform 98 hospitals across the 47 counties in the country.

“The radiology modernisation contract awarded to GE Healthcare is the largest of seven tranches of Kenya’s ~$420 million health development plan, aimed at delivering sustainable healthcare development, in line Kenya’s Vision 2030 Plan,” the release states.

Elsewhere on the continent GE will by the end of this year begin supplying US$850 million oil and gas equipment to Eni in Ghana, and the company will also supply 100 locomotives to the Angolan National Railways (INCFA). Other GE in Africa projects include a manufacturing and assembly plant and, the biomedical equipment training (Nigeria); Graduate Engineering Training Programme (Mozambique); Garages skills building programme and a Healthcare Training Centere (Kenya) and Round 3 of the Power Africa Off-Grid Energy Challenge.

‘This third round of the challenge is open to entrepreneurs and energy companies in Uganda, Rwanda and Zambia with a sum total of up to $1.1 million in grants to be awarded. The three-year initiative has extended $5 million and 50 awards to energy entrepreneurs in eleven African countries across the Continent,’ the release indicates.

 

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Otile seals tough maiden Open

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Otile

Final Leaderboard/Gross

  1. Otile – 297
  2. Baguma – 299
  3. Kagyenzi – 300
  4. Mwanja – 301
  5. Rugumanyo – 302
  6. Lugya – 303
  7. Ainemani – 304
  8. Muhumuza – 305
  9. Happy – 307
  10. Bukenya – 308
  11. Okwong – 308
  12. Kiyembe – 309
  13. Baguma – 310

With face telling, Ronald Otile calmly putted for a par to etch his name in history of the Uganda Amateur Open.

However Otile didn’t have it easy, as he had to withstand a late charge from Toro golf club member Richard Baguma to claim the 2015 Tusker Malta Uganda Amateur Open at the par-72 golf course, Kitante on Saturday evening.

In an Open where golfers struggled on a brown, bone dry with sand everywhere on the course, Otile returned a gross score of 297 two strokes ahead of Baguma.

“These have been four tough days, the course and field (players) it’s been super competitive; I thank God for this title,” Otile told gathering at Uganda Golf Club (UGC).

Otile who led from day-one, returned a gross score of 297 (70, 75, 76 and 76), the lowest of the previous winners of the Open since 2012 as golfers and officials attributed appalling scores, emphasizing just how dry and hard the course is, deeming it excessively difficult.

“The back-9 was too fast and hard felt like a stroll across a concrete parking lot, it can pass for law-tennis court” said course greensman Gideon Kagyenzi, who posted a gross score of 300 (71, 74, 74 and 77) to finish third.

The top eight golfers at the ongoing Open will carry Uganda’s flag during next month’s East African Golf Challenge in Kigali, Rwanda.

“The Union technical team will always pick golfers based on form and consistence, the top-ten over these four days will form the national team” said Amos Kamya, the national team coach.

Martin Ochaya pulled out of the Open due to malaria after Day-One, Lawrence Muhenda was disqualified for returning a doctored score-card, while Robert Oluba missed the cut are the victims from the Africa Zone VI Championship triumphant team.

In comes Baguma (R), Daniel Baguma from the junior team, Abrahm Ainemani, Hassan Kiyemba and Titus Okwong.

 

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Kampala’s Shopping Malls: mixed fortunes for tenants

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Our Reporter
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Malls such as this one have taken over Kampala skyline for the last 20 years.

 

 

Malls such as this one have taken over Kampala skyline for the last 20 years.
Malls such as this one have taken over Kampala skyline for the last 20 years.

A visit to any mall or shopping centre in Kampala is a stark revelation of the type of clientele that buy or obtain services there.

Over the past 20 years this city has acquired hundreds of shopping centres and malls, that decent rental space is no longer a challenge for a budding entrepreneur, hell-bent on providing topnotch services. The structures, a good number not wholly complete, accommodate a number of businesses ranging from supermarkets, banks, bakeries, forex bureaus, beauty boutiques and cosmetic shops. Others accommodate furniture marts, hairdressing parlours, pharmacies telecom company outlets and entertainment places such as cinema and video halls.

Among the shopping malls and centres are Garden City Complex, Game Lugogo, Oasis, Acacia, Forest Mall Lugogo, Ham Shopping Centre, Haruna Shopping and Mukwano Arcade, all owned by local business moguls like Amina Hersi, Godfrey Kirumira, Hamis Kiggundu, Amirali Karmali aka Mukwano among other tycoons.

But all is not glitzy at these malls that are owned by ‘loaded’ fellows, their tenants will tell you.

“We have different experiences but one common denominator is that clients a few, mostly because they think the products on offer are expensive,” says one Sulaiman, a salon owner at Haruna Shopping Mall in Ntinda.

Edith Amanya, who runs a restaurant on the same premises, says their prices are competitive, almost similar to those in other shopping centres. However, both Sulaiman and Edith say not enough has been done by management to popularize the place, for people to know that it is just like any other outlet, with good prices and services.

“It is a new building so it needs to be advertised,” Sulaiman and Ms Amanya say.

At the Acacia Mall in Kamwokya, a gentleman who preferred to be referred as Paul, who operates a tattoo design business called Angels Tattoo said he was enjoying the benefits of locating his business in a plush setting.

“I am able to get good numbers,” he says. And, just like Paul, a lady who operates a Bata shoe outlet says her sales are good. She however, laments that the rent is high, making their products expensive.

It was a different story for David, a businessman operating a boutique called Fashion Statement in Ham Shopping Mall opposite Makerere University Main Gate in Wandegeya, who said that customers are sometimes seasonal. And for David, the dust and noise are bad for his business.

“This is a dry season and we are affected by dust and there is also too much noise because of the many people and cars passing by,” he says. A lady who runs a photo studio on the same mall said her business is disrupted by intermittent power outages.

“The type of business I do cannot go on in the absence of power,” she says.

At Tuskys Supermarket in Ntinda, attendants, there said business was running smoothly with no hardships apart from one employee who said she was uncomfortable because of the heat.

Such is the situation at most shopping malls and centres in Kampala, that tenants and the owners do not know whether to smile or put on a grim face!

 

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Punish errant judicial officials, reward the good ones

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Our Reporter
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At a recent Entebbe Magistrates Court Open Day, there was a message of hope for the ‘wretched of the earth’ delivered by the Principal Judge Justice Yorokamu Bamwine. According to the topmost administrative official at the High Court and the Magistrate’s courts, he will crack the whip against corrupt and errant judicial officials, in a bid to clean the image of the judiciary.

According to the Inspectorate of Government, over the past few years the judiciary has been competing with the Uganda Police Force, for the two top positions in regard to corruption in this country.

The corruption in the justice system in Uganda is manifest in various ways, among them delayed rulings, absenteeism, missing files for the litigants and, outright demanding and taking of bribes in form of money, and, despite the warning coming a tart late, Justice Bamwine deserves a pat on the back.

As one of the three arms of government, the judiciary in Uganda is supposed to play an important role in promoting democracy and good governance by ensuring the rule of law is upheld. It also supposed to champion equity and justice by promoting human rights, failure of which an anarchical situation is born, mostly affecting the less privileged who are unable to buy their way out.

Indeed, so many people have lost time, property and even life at the expense of capricious judicial officials, something that has put a blemish on the judiciary as an institution.

However, not all is lost as there other judicial officials who still carry out their work with zeal and dedication, and these should be commended and where possible, rewarded with promotions.

Lastly, since we are headed for elections next year, it is important that the judicial officers take cognisance of and play their role as impartial arbiters as this will save the country from acrimonious litigation.

 

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Whitney Houston daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown dies aged 22

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Our Reporter
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Bobbi Kristina in her last days.
Bobbi Kristina in her last days.
Bobbi Kristina in her last days.

 

Bobbi Kristina Brown, daughter of late singer Whitney Houston, has died aged 22, a family representative has said.

Kristen Foster said she passed away on Sunday surrounded by her family and was “finally at peace in the arms of God”.

Brown was discovered unresponsive in a bathtub on  January 31 and placed in a medically induced coma. She never regained consciousness.

She was moved to a hospice in the city of Duluth, Georgia, a month ago after her condition deteriorated.

Brown was the only daughter of Houston and R&B singer Bobby Brown.

Whitney Houston was found dead in a hotel bath in Los Angeles in 2012.

“Bobbi Kristina Brown passed away July 26 2015, surrounded by her family,” Ms Foster said.

“She is finally at peace in the arms of God. We want to again thank everyone for their tremendous amount of love and support during these last few months.”

Singer Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston’s cousin, described Bobbi Kristina as “a sweetheart”.

“She will be missed, that’s for sure. She was a good girl. She was a good little girl. She really was,” she told Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live.

Other stars paid tribute on Twitter, including Selma director Ava DuVernay, who said: “She seemed to be caught in the web of celebrity upon arrival. Twenty two years. A sad end. May the sister have peace now.”

The BBC’s Regan Morris in Los Angeles says Brown had dreamed of carrying on her mother’s legacy as a singer and actress, and had a few small TV roles – but her career had not yet taken off.

In January, police said Brown was found face down in a bathtub in the suburban Atlanta home she shared with Nick Gordon, the man she called her husband. A police report described the incident as a “drowning”.

Mr Gordon said at the time she did not appear to be breathing and lacked a pulse before emergency services arrived.

Brown was placed in a medically-induced coma and has been breathing with the aid of a ventilator.

 

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Mirundi appointed Presidential Advisor as Nabusayi becomes Press Secretary

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Our Reporter
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Tamale-Mirundi (1) uganda

Kampala-President Yoweri Museveni has made changes in his press team at State House where he has dropped controversial Press Secretary Tamale Mirundi and appointed him Senior Presidential Advisor on media.

In the same changes, Mr Museveni has replaced Mirundi with his deputy Linda Nabusayi as the new Press Secretary.

Speaking to Eagle Online, Mr Mirundi confirmed his reappointment as a Senior Presidential Advisor but said he was the happiest man because of the intrigue at State House.

“I am a happy man because of the problems I have been undergoing in State House and even if the President was to sack me , I would have slaughtered a cow to celebrate my exit.” Mr Mirundi said. Adding “In the last 25 years I have not been praying but tomorrow I am going to Church”

Mirundi has of late been very vocal at employees of State House alleging that some are too corrupt and use the president’s name to amass wealth. 

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Police are not brutal, we are just too strong for those we arrest–Enanga

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Our Reporter
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fred-enanga

Fred Enanga is the Police spokesperson who has shot to a lot of infamy or fame or both for going beyond the inexplicable while speaking for his appointing authority and the institution that pays his salary. We surprised him with a call to his office for a chit-chat and things nearly turned on us.

Frying Pun: We are going to record this interview, is that okay with you?

Enanga: What difference does it make? I can deny everything you recorded as and when I want if you publish anything I said that I won’t like. That includes if I feel like I shouldn’t have said what I said… I will deny it and deal with you.

Frying Pun: Are you saying you must be right and politically correct at all times?

Enange: Can’t you ask in simpler English? Kati, tuyogeere luganda, okay?

Frying Pun: What did you just say?

Enanga: Which media do you work for? How can you live in Kampala and not know Luganda?

Frying Pun: So you just spoke luganda? I am not a muganda and I write in English. Now, onto other things, Brig. Kasirye Gwanga spoke of you with a lot of disdain, like a war hero telling the world that you are just another of the refugees born after the floods and without umbilical cord.

Enanga: So who exactly is Kasirye Gwanga? What does he do now? Times have changed and that man is clinging to the past. We no longer speak with guns, we use words or…

Frying Pun: or tear gas, huh?

Enanga: Watch your tongue, young man. I was saying, Gwanga is stuck in the past. He is irrelevant to the present situation because the game plan now is not like that of 1980s. The same applies to these other generals holding ceremonial titles that can’t even stop me from arresting them. You get it?

Frying Pun: Talking of today’s game plan, besides tear gas, does it include things like interpreting the law as and when it suits you like you earlier said about this recording?

Enanga: I don’t know about that. What do you mean interpreting the law as…

Frying Pun: For instance, your boss says the Police Act and NRM constitution are superior to the national constitution. And this Immaculate lady in the protocol office actually defended such utterances.

Enanga: By ‘boss’ you mean the IGP? Oh, the IGP is a professional lawyer, a professional soldier, a committed citizen who is willing to lay his life for the safety of this country. The Constitution is there to help citizens and courts of law, but it provides for other statutes like the Police Act. In the execution of our laws, why should we be held back by a civilian law?

Frying Pun: Do you actually mean what you just said or…

Enanga: Oh what?

Frying Pun: Or… I hear you guys arrested one of your own for the disappearance of drugs seized from traffickers. Perhaps you guys consume these drugs.

Enanga: What you just said, do you know you can end up in trouble?

Frying Pun: But why would anyone fear trouble considering that the current Police Force sees trouble in everything that is not bowing to their breath?

Enanga: That is a terrible misconception I must say. We serve the interest of the…

Frying Pun: of the party… NRM party. First and foremost, Police under the cadre Kayihura serves NRM

Enanga: Have you ever seen any of us wearing NRM shirts? We serve the people and the law. But if you are going to jump around like Besigye and Lukwago, then we shall arrest you.

Frying Pun: Arrest and charge them with “preventive arrest”. Fred, like for real, how did you come up with such a charge? Since when did ‘preventive arrest’ become a charge?

Enanga: Where was that? This is a new one

Frying Pun: You arrested Amama Mbabazi and charged him with ‘preventive arrest’. You also released him on Police Bond after detaining him under the pretext of executing preventive arrest.

Enanga: Like I said, I am not aware of that. I signed communication of that bond… and the charge sheet… yes, I did, but preventive arrest as a charge? What we did was to merely issue the charge of preventive arrest and later a police bond and let him free. Issuing the charge of preventive arrest is not the same as charging you with preventive arrest.

Frying Pun: Afande, can I play back your voice so you hear what you just said while denying that Police charged Mbabazi with ‘preventive arrest’?

Enanga: What for? By the way, what is your name? Why don’t we end this interview? Just make sure you don’t write anything that can tarnish my budding reputation even if I said it.

Frying Pun: This is going to be verbatim, Afande

Enanga: Okay, verbatim is better than when you just reproduce the whole interview. You do that.

Frying Pun: The image of Police is that of brutality. Every day, you effect arrest of opposition supporters in brutal manner. What happened to civility in the force?

Enanga: We are not brutal. I think what is happening is that our force is well trained and the boys are just too strong compared to those they are arresting. Naturally, if you put Tyson and Olara Otunnu in the same ring, one will bleed in the a**s and we know who that will be.

Frying Pun: So when NRM loses, where do you see yourself?

Enanga: I don’t work for NRM, I will be here or anywhere I am posted as a professional constable. Now, I should be stepping. What is your name again?

The Frying Pun is a parody column.

 

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