Makerere university football team and Nkumba University play to a one all draw in the Nile special university football league match played at Luzira.
Joshua Lubwama scored for Makerere from the spot but Nkumba’s Faisal Muwama leveled matters.
In group A Makerere university still tops the table and Nkumba University still in the second position. The last time the two teams met Nkumba knocked out Makerere from the league last season. Makerere University now advances for the knock out stages.
Pioneer buses parked near Namboole Stadium in Bweyogerere
Pioneer buses parked near Namboole Stadium in Bweyogerere
Pioneer Easy Bus Company Limited (PEBL) is set to hit the streets of Kampala on Saturday this week. The revival of the financially struggling bus company has caused anxiety amongst taxi operators but excitement among passengers.
The buses had been grounded at Namboole Stadium since 2013 over tax arrears totaling up to Shs8 Billion owed to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
The debt accumulated as a result of import and excise duty incurred from the importation of the 100 buses. Early this year, URA cleared the bus company after reaching an agreement on how to settle the debt it owes to the tax body.
Speaking to the Eagle, Mr Ben Nienaber, the Operations Executive of LARIMAR group, a South African company working with PEBL to offer advice, the bus company formalized a mutual agreement with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) which has seen them bounce back.
“KCCA agreed to reconstruct the shades and bus stops most of which were destroyed,” Nienaber said. Nienaber also noted that there will be 20 buses for each route.
According to the head of Business Operations, PEBL, Abubakerer Ochaki, the company will begin operations on two routes; between Bweyogerere and Kampala City Centre and Suburbs, and between Luzira and Kampala City Centre and Suburbs between 4:30am and 10pm every day.
The tickets will cost Shs1500 for off-peak hours and Shs1000 for peak hours. Tickets will be made available through selected ticket outlets or the PEBL.
Taxi operators and passengers react
Muhamud Kasirye, a taxi operator along Sir Apollo Kaggwa road is worried about where they will get customers now with the return of the buses.
He says, “We had got used to managing business without them and now that they are back, we are going to find it hard to cope with the situation. They should have informed us earlier so that we organize. Where are all the taxis on the streets going to get customers?”
Wako, an operator from the Kasubi stage says, “We proved that we can handle without them. We are going to lose customers. It is now clear KCCA and government do not care about us. We should go back to our villages and leave the city for the rich.”
However, though passengers are excited, they are not sure if the buses will reach their various destinations.
Sylvia Nabankema, a trader in Kikubo says, “I am happy the buses are back. I do not know whether they will reach our side. We are going to be relieved because the taxis have been over charging us.”
Henry Sseguya is concerned about the congestion in the buses despite their affordability. “Even if they are a bit cheaper, some of us find it hard boarding them because of too much congestion. Have they solved that problem this time?”
Recently, Ugandans were filled with grief over the death of Bbale Francis, Rose Mary Nankabirwa, renowned news anchors who succumbed to cancer at a time the public had responded to the call to raise funds for her medication.
In a similar situation is former Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Executive Director and Environmental Conservationist, Moses Wafula Mapesa. An operation code named “Save Moses Mapesa” to raise support funds for his medication has today been launched by a team of friends, colleagues, former workmates and family.
Mapesa urgently needs a bone marrow transplant as a result of Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a disease he has suffered for eight years now. Although he may be able to raise some funds towards his treatment, the required 100,000 US dollars is huge.
According to Sam Mwandha, a family member, it was first discovered that Mapesa had a problem with his blood in 2008. He had gone to South Africa for an operation when the doctors realized he did not have enough platelets to clot the blood.
“The length between the intervals he gets his transfusions have become shorter and shorter. Doctors have now advised that he gets a bone marrow transplant,” Mwandha said.
Mwandha says that Mapesa now needs a weekly blood transfusion which costs a sum of Shs600,000 in Kampala. Mapesa currently lives in Busia, Eastern Uganda; which means he has to travel to Kampala after every six days.
According to Eunice Mahoro Duli, the Chairperson of this noble cause, individuals of goodwill, institutions, companies, government and other concerned citizens should support and save the life of 49 year old Mapesa.
“We believe that Mr. Mapesa is a friend to many and has impacted on many people positively during his career with the organizations he has served and in his social life. This is the time for each and every one of us to respond to a friend and public servant by making a contribution towards his treatment,” Mahoro said.
According to Dr. Henry Ddungu of Uganda Cancer Institute, the cause of this ailment is medically unknown. He says a bone marrow transplant is not a simple procedure and that is why it is expensive.
“Mapesa is in a category of high risk. That is why we need to intervene immediately before it progresses,” Ddungu said.
For any financial assistance, please use mobile number 0700 754182, which belongs to Sylvia Mapesa (his wife); or call Sam Mwandha on 0776 890424.
Who is MosesWafula Mapesa?
49 year old Mapesa is a husband to Sylvia Nafula Mapesa and together they have seven children. He is currently into private consultant in the areas of tourism and conservation management. Mapesa is also volunteering at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) where he is serving as the Vice Chairperson in charge of the East and South African region.
He started work as a researcher in 1988. He joined Uganda National Parks as a research officer in 1996. He was deployed as a warden for Queen Elizabeth national Park, Chief Warden for Kibale and Kidepo national Park, from where he moved on to head Mt. Elgon as the Chief warden.
In 2000, he was promoted to coordinator Planning Monitoring and Research. In 2002, he was directed to deputy Director, Field Operations. In 2005, he was appointed Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Authority where he served up to 2010 when he left.
While at UWA, Mapesa served as board chair for Bwindi trust fund to support the conservation of Bwindi and Gahinga national parks. He also represented UWA globally in the IUCN.
Zuku University Basketball Tournament (ZUBL) kicks off
Zuku University Basketball Tournament (ZUBL) kicks off. The big match which will feature Makerere taking on Ndejje at Lugogo.
The Zuku University Basketball League which kicked off on March 8, is now at quarter final stage with big teams like defending Champions Ndejje, UCU, Makerere, making it to the semi finals. The teams gave it all their best with worst performance coming from Nkumba University. In the last match in their century, they almost outperformed the defending Champions forcing an extra time play for Ndejje to beat them with only two baskets.
The games however, did not have many baskets with all the games recording less than 70 baskets. This shows how the teams were prepared for the much anticipated knock out stages. The interesting match was between Makerere University and Busoga University who were being taken as underdogs. However, the efforts they pulled out required commendation. They gave Makerere a run of their money with god blocks, defense which did not allow the likes of Tonny Ileba to pull out the shots.
Nevertheless Makerere qualified to the semi finals. Thanks to the wonderful performance from the captain Ileba and Martin Ojong who managed to juggle through the Busoga University defense to give Makerere the win they needed. Ileba who left the coat quite happy with the win is confident that they will do anything to beat the defending Champions Ndejje University.
“I am very happy with the win, and I am positive that we will beat Ndejje to secure our place in the finals. They are the defending Champions and I expect it will be a big match,” says Ileba.
On the side, the Busoga University captain Benard Ojong was happy with the performance which the exhibited against Makerere University. He however hoped that they will reach go further than that in the next season. “I am happy we have reached the knock out stage and the performance we had against Makerere. In the next season am confident we shall reach the finals,” says Ojong.
All eyes are now focused to the semi finals on Friday especially the big match which will feature Makerere taking on Ndejje at Lugogo.
Performing arts in Uganda are growing in leaps and bounds with more and more people appreciating the arts. With festivals like Bayimba, contemporary arts festival and theatre festival gaining momentum with each passing year, it is evident that the country’s artistes are doing all they can to promote the sector and that the public is appreciating their efforts.
It is this need to promote and develop the arts that led to the birth of the annual DOADOA East African performing arts market, a professional networking platform for both regional and international industry stakeholders in the performing arts business.
It showcases and promotes a thriving, diverse arts sector and stimulates dialogue, collaboration and exchange between local artists, producers and their international counterparts to grow the export of East African performance. It gives stakeholders in the music industry (e.g. musicians, music producers, music promoters, managers and music festivals), but also of other performing arts professionals (such as drama and dance) the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience, to network and learn.
Stemming from the Swahili word, “doa”, which means a spot in a cloth, DOADOA was adapted to mean “spotted” which serves the purpose of the event – spotting East African talent. This was after they doubled the word “Doa”.
The event which was created in 2012 is a partnership initiative by some of the major performing arts stakeholders in the region – Bayimba International Festival in Uganda, Sauti za Busara festival in Zanzibar, Sawa Sawa Festival in Kenya, KigaliUp in Rwanda, Caravan records in Tanzania, Ketebul Music and Kenya Music Week in Kenya and Selam Music and Jazzamba in Ethiopia.
According to Phillip Masembe, the DOADOA media coordinator, the event is gradually becoming a regional hub.
“The past three editions have registered a growing number of attendances of performing arts professionals, helped to facilitate collaborations, exchanges and booking of artists to perform at festivals across the globe. It is due to this success that more stakeholders participate and support the market but also tap into the opportunities that come along,” he says.
And indeed, a record breaking number of 1,500 professionals and audiences attended the third edition of DOADOA.
For the performers, it could mean more international recognition and bookings for festivals, concerts, tours and other events; there are opportunities for artist collaborations with the help of the live recording studios that are set up during the market.
“Sarabi Band received various bookings as a result of their showcase at last year’s DOADOA, Joel Sebunjo also benefited massively from DOADOA, Milege (band) also has a success story to share when it comes to their benefits from the market,” Masembe proudly says.
He says that there are various benefits to attending DOADOA depending on the position one holds within the performing arts industry. Through the various conferences, lots of knowledge and information is shared. Everyone gets exposed to other professionals and can directly connect through the speed networking sessions.
The greater and lasting excitement at DOADOA is simply the unique chance to meet one’s peers from so many different countries, cultural, social and professional backgrounds.
Besides the artists, the market has also created awareness about Jinja and the various activities that run within the district thus boosting its tourism marketability.
The fourth edition however promises to go beyond this. The event which has been held in Jinja for the past three years is, this year, set to have its opening night on 6th May at the Uganda National Theatre with Annet Nandujja and The Planets showcasing their famous kiganda dances. This gives chance to those who can’t make it to Jinja to meet the visiting delegates. Kampala, being the capital city, is also the best focal point for each and every performing artist, professional and stakeholder within the performing arts industry.
A Ugandan artist on stage to entertain and educate
The activities will then continue to Jinja from May 7th to 9th.
This year’s programme is segmented into three parts; The day programme that is set up for co-learning through conferences, workshops, networking and exhibition fair. It is tailored to address the current challenges in the performing arts business – like copyright issues, mobility of artists, freedom of expression and others. This will be held at Crested Crane Hotel.
The showcase/evening programme that will be held at Jinja Cultural Centre (CEPAC) is open to the public. Here, the audience will experience first-hand some of East Africa’s best bands including The Octave Band(Kenya), Abeneko (Tanzania), Jemima Sanyu (Uganda), H_art, the band (Kenya), Moutcho (Burundi), Leo Mkanyai and Swahili blues band(Tanzania), among others.
Masembe explains that the artistes (many of whom are unknown to most Ugandans) set to perform were selected for a reason.
“The fact that they are unknown, is the reason DOADOA exists: to expose them to not only Ugandans but to each and everyone around the globe,” he says.
In addition to that will be the DOADOA fringe events (DJ after Parties) mainly with DJs coming from East Africa and Europe. These will showcase each night from May 7th to 9th at Queens Palace, Bourbon and Bax Bar respectively.
Masembe says that staging DOADOA in Jinja will ensure that artistes and delegates are dedicated to the event.
“We observed with other events organized around Kampala, most artists keep walking in and out of session because they are close to every day work relations. Jinja is a distance away from the daily routine and when delegates and artists come to attend, they stay for the days of the event.”
High Court in Jinja today orders all bank accounts for Iganga district local council frozen for failure to pay Shs1.6bn to its former employees who were illegally terminated in early 2000.
High Court in Jinja had issued an April 16th 2015 ultimatum to Iganga district to clear the debt. However, the district local government was unable to beat the deadline.
At least 94 former parish chiefs in Iganga district dragged their former employer to court in 2005 for wrong dismissal. Court ruled in their favour in 2011 and ordered the district to pay Shs1.6bn of which Shs600m would be legal expenses.
The district since then has been remitting Shs100m every financial year but the former parish chiefs complained to court about the delay.
District Chairperson Shaban Nkuntu told Eagle that court’s action will affect service delivery.
Bishop Isaiah Mbuga, a pastor, a prophet, musician and one of the greatest demonstrators of the power of the spirit to perform live in Kampala with a mega worship concert dubbed ‘Join the City’ at the MTN arena Lugogo on May 16, 2015.
Bishop Isaiah Mbuga is a senior pastor at Christ’s Heart Ministry international in Mukono. The ministry is the mother church of the renowned Phaneroo and Koinonia fellowship (at MTN ARENA Lugogo every Thursday and Bativa every Friday respectively). Christ Heart has affiliates in Masindi, Jinja, Entebbe, South Africa, Kenya, USA, Spain, India and China.
‘Join the City concert shall be a great night of praise, worship and fellowshipping with one another in God, I shall perform songs like Saba busabi and I rather be on my knees’, says Bishop Isaiah Mbuga.
‘I encourage Ugandans to come because it shall be a night of healing through worship, come dance and sing your problems out’, he adds.
This concert is sponsored by Christ’s Heart ministries, Phaneroo, Spirit FM, Hipipo Uganda and Atonga Entertainment. It shall also host various men of God like Apostle Grace Lubega, Sseku Martin, Brian Lubega, and Julie Mutesasira among others.
Messaging services including Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter
Messaging services including Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter
Messaging services including Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter and Tango have been cut off in Burundi amid protests over the president seeking a third term.
The regulator ordered telecoms operators to block mobile access to certain sites, reports AFP.
The government has banned protests, deployed the army and shut down the main independent radio station.
There have been days of protests over President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to stand for re-election in June.
Social media messaging services have been used to coordinate the protests which are the biggest in Burundi since the civil war ended in 2005.
African Public Radio, known as “voice of the voiceless”, is one of three radio stations whose live broadcasts have been stopped. The government said the radio station was disrupting the peace.
The BBC’s Maud Jullien in the capital Bujumbura says people are defying the ban on protesting for a fourth day.
Mr Nkurunziza, a former rebel leader, has warned that anyone who wants to create problems for the governing party would find himself “in trouble”.
At least three people were killed on Sunday as police dispersed crowds with live ammunition.
Under the constitution, presidents can only be elected to two terms in office but Mr Nkurunziza’s allies say his first term does not count as he was appointed by parliament.
Burundi’s senate has announced that the constitutional court will examine the legality of the bid.
Mr Nkurunziza has been in power since 2005, when a 12-year civil war officially ended.
More than 300,000 people died in the conflict between the minority Tutsi-dominated army and mainly Hutu rebel groups, such as Mr Nkurunziza’s CNDD-FDD.
The United States has condemned the president’s bid for a third term in a press statement. Top US official Tom Malinowski tweeted that he is on his way to Burundi and “disappointed” that the president has violated the peace accord.
Recently the opposition chief whip, MP Cecilia Ogwal lashed out at the executive, questioning Parliament’s authority where the Executive never takes House resolutions ‘serious.’
“We have passed resolutions, recommendations and asked Government to supply a copy of all land owners in the Albert oil region in Bunyoro, but this request hasn’t been fulfilled,” said MP Ogwal
Among the resolution passed by Parliament include the recommendations of the Investigative committee report on NSSF.
Plenary carried the committee recommendations to hold the Fund’s Managing Director Richard Byarugaba and Board Chairman Ivan Kyayonka accountable for irregularities in handling the workers’ savings.
The irregularities included buying shares in power distributing company Umeme without consulting the Solicitor General.
The story on the issue ended with the high fives and stamping that happened when the House passed the resolution.
The Executive, there after went silent.
In a hybrid system of parliament that Uganda is, the case is that when Parliament passes a resolution, the Executive moves with speed to either implement or give its position on the passed resolution.
On many such resolutions, however, the Executive has been choosing the simplest, but illegal route—Silence until people forget about the matter.
Take for example the resolutions on the famous oil and gas investigations.
The MPs had among other things resolved that there should be a moratorium on executing oil contracts and transactions pending the passage of the necessary laws by Parliament.
That the ministers that were accused of taking bribes from oil companies step aside pending investigations by the appropriate agencies and the ad hoc committee that had been set up and that the government joins the Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative on top of withholding the consent of the transaction between Tullow, Total and CNOOC.
What did the Executive do?
It let the politics around the subject take precedence, until the resolutions were overtaken by events.
None of the resolutions were observed as none of the implicated ministers- former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa and then Internal Affairs minister Hilary Onek left office.
Some of the officials incriminated in Parliament reports were not only given medals by the executive (Mainly the president) some were transferred.
The most famous one is the report of the ad hoc committee that was set up in 2011 to investigate the electricity sector.
The report recommended among others the termination of the contracts of power generating Company Eskom and distributor Umeme, the interdiction of Ministry of Energy Permanent secretary Kabagambe Kaliisa and the interdiction of the Managing Director of Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited Erias Kiyemba.
Still the weapon of silence was applied and now no one wants to discuss the subject.
When the Public accounts committee report called for the interdiction of former Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Pius Bigiramana, over the loss of over shs50 billion, the president chose to, instead, transfer him to a different ministry, and eve praised him as the biggest fighter against corruption.
The money was meant for the redevelopment of war ravaged areas in Northern Uganda.
The last time a report of parliament has had an impact is in 2011 when then minister for Gender Syda Bbumba and then minister in charge of General duties Khiddu Makubuya resigned after the Public Accounts Committee implicated them in a shs.162b dubious compensation to Haba group of companies.
Some in government say the duo only resigned because President Museveni probably no longer wanted them in his cabinet since the same report recommended that Bank of Uganda Governor Tumusiime Mutebile be interdicted but Museveni refused.
When the leader of Gov’t business the Prime Minister Rugunda was contacted to explain why government perennially ignores Parliament resolutions, he forwarded the issue to the Government chief whip, who never answered the phone calls
However, Attorney General, Fred Ruhindi, says the executive ought to give the house feedback on all its reports and recommendations whether mandatory or not.
Regularly, he says, the executive is supposed to report to parliament what action it has taken on its recommendations.
A while back, Mr Ruhindi told the Independent News Magazine that giving feedback to Parliament is a practice that must be complied with even if there is no compulsion.
“The urge to do it is a necessity,” he said.
He added, “It is simply good practice that government reports to the house and tells them the recommendations that have been implemented, those that haven’t and why.”
Grave issue
Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Ssegona says that the issue of ignoring Parliament’s recommendations is grave enough to warrant a President’s impeachment in other countries but here business continues as usual.
“Those that are blaming us are right,” he said. “We have failed to put our feet on the ground. We should assert our position and know the power we have as parliament.”
Ssegona, who also doubles as the shadow minister for constitutional affairs, further argues that even when Parliament is ignored, it cannot crack the whip because most of the MPs look up to President Museveni for survival.
However, other MPs say it is unfair to blame them for the way the executive disregards other arms of government.
Opposition Chief Whip Atim Cecilia Ogwal says Parliament’s recommendations are ignored because the NRM government simply doesn’t respect the principle of separation of powers.
“The NRM regime has been trying to swallow up the powers of not only parliament but also the judiciary,” she said.
She said that the NRM caucus has frustrated the key decisions of Parliament, which it takes on behalf of the people it represents.
Not mandatory
Government always hides under the argument that most of the recommendations are not mandatory leaving the executive at liberty to either recognise them or not.
Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah categorises them as; resolutions directed by the constitution, financial resolutions and resolutions in the wisdom of parliament.
While the resolutions directed by the constitution and the financial resolutions are mandatory, Oulanyah explains, the resolutions with in the wisdom of parliament are simply advisory and the Executive can choose to implement them or not.
On the financial resolutions, government is required to table treasury memoranda detailing what action has been taken on the recommendations of parliament arising from the Auditor General’s reports.
Although the treasury memorandum is required to be tabled every year, the last memorandum was tabled in 2011.
The memorandum is required on the recommendations of all the committees that handle the Auditor General’s reports which include the Public Accounts Committee, the Local Government Accounts Committee and the Committee on Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE).
The only treasury memorandum submitted by the executive on Parliament’s decision in 2011, cannot be found in the Parliament’s library. The copy is nowhere to be seen in Parliament.
When Speaker Rebecca Kadaga threatened that Parliament won’t approve the budget if the treasury memoranda aren’t tabled, Minister of finance Matia Kasaija tabled a memorandum on only the reports of the Local Government Accounts Committee.
So should Parliament resort to threats?
Ssegona says a civilised government ought to observe any recommendation that is aimed at advancing the country,” he said.
He is, however, more concerned with the resources that are wasted on doing the work that is never recognised.
“We do this work with tax payers’ money, if government doesn’t want to recognise that work, it should do away without parliament,” he said.
Parliamentary committees spend time and resources travelling in and outside the country to do their work.
Take for example.
When the committees are sitting at parliament, each MP on each committee gets shs50, 000 as sitting allowance every time a committee sits; the chairpersons get shs60, 000 while their deputies get 55,000.
When doing the work outside parliament, Parliament foots each members transport and accommodation costs plus allowances meanwhile, there is a high likelihood that whatever comes from all the work done using those resources may never be considered or implemented by government.
