The news that local musician Harriet Kisakye Who is best known for the hits song “Gyenvudde” and “Kinigeria” has passed on. We just got confirmation from our sources that the story which was a Hoax earlier has come out to be true. The rumor seemed to have originated online with a mock tribute page making the rounds on Facebook and other social media about her death.
She has been hospitalized at Mulago Hospital battling a rare type of tumor for the past two weeks and has been in a very critical condition up to the time she passed on.
Our team reporters investigated and found out that she got a small injury on her arm which doctors believe was cancerous and might have led to her death.
KCC FC misses a chance to go top of the Azam Uganda premier league table as two own goals from goalkeeper Yasin Mugabi and defender Joseph Ochaya gifted high flying Vippers’ FC the points in the first half of the match.
The frustration of today’s evening to KCCA players is still clearly seen on the faces of Ochaya and Mugabi. Losing to the Vippers’ resulted into KCC’s side dropping to the third place and the visitors moving into spot ahead of all other teams in the league.
KCCA defender Joseph Ochaya reacted after conceding the second own goal during the match at Phillip Omondi pitch home of KCCA. He tried to attack the opponents to clear his mistakes bit all in vein.
The loss leaves KCCA facing up to the probability of having to take the play-off path with their three top places already confirmed. Ochaya, who had bombed forward to join his outfield teammates in trying to force late equalizers against vipers, was determined to remain upbeat about his team’s promotion prospects though.
“There are more positives than negatives to take out of the match and like I said, we have given our selves every chance, if we had won this match, we would be toping the table. Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but we still have other games to play. We need to win those games and see what else happens. Football is a funny game, anything can happen”, said Ochaya.
The hosts were more frustrated by the persistent time wasting by Vippers’ goal keeper, James Alitho which led to awarding him a yellow card.
Vipper’s coach Golola admitted his joy for frustrating his opponents saying: “It is obviously frustrating for both KCCA players and fans but they shouldn’t forget that it is a game where there is always a winner and loser.
Vippers FC now tops the Azam Uganda Premier league table with 56 points followed by Sc villa 54 points and then KCCA in the third place with 52 points.
The classified budget of Ministry of Defence has exponentially increased from Shs342b to Shs607b amid concerns that the money might be diverted to finance campaigns for President Museveni and candidates for the ruling National Resistance Movement(NRM) during next year’s General Elections.
According to Ministry of Defence 2015/16 budget estimates presented before Parliament’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee today, the bulk of the expenditure will be used to finance operations of the UPDF mission in South Sudan, unspecified expenses on the Land Forces and purchasing what is listed as Special equipment.
But the spring in the classified cash run into trouble after Butambala County MP Muwanga Kivumbi and Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo raised suspicion that the Defence Ministry may be using the classified expenditure scheme as a cash cow to secure campaign financing for the NRM.
The MPs latched on to revelations made by Bank of Uganda Governor Tumusiime Mutebiile-who in December last year, admitted that elements in the regime misled him into indirectly funding electioneering activities in the 2011 elections, throwing the economy into unmatched chaos.
Governor Mutebile’s revelations were lent credence by last month’s Parliament report that pinned several senior government officials over diverting a Shs10 billion fund meant for market vendors and small business operators to bankroll President Museveni’s 2011 election campaign.
“We have heard a confession from the bank of Uganda governor that there have been problems with money coming from Bank of Uganda during a campaign period. Can you assure the country beyond reasonable doubt that the Ministry of Defence is not a conduit for campaign finance and you are using the military,”Kivumbi asked.
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo accused the Defence Ministry of dishonesty- contending that money allocated under classified expenditure is later used to bankroll ordinary operations-making the scheme open to abuse.
But Defence Minister Kiyonga insisted the classified expenditure is for purchasing special equipment- and not financing campaigns.
Meanwhile, the Army is in the final stages of taking punitive action against Gen David Sejusa if he does not change his ways. Defence Minister Kiyonga said today “definite action will be taken “against the former spy chief for participating in politics, in violation of Army rules.
“If you are in a disciplined Force, you must follow the code of conduct. You must conduct yourself in accordance with the rules that govern a disciplined institution. It was correct that General Sejusa should leave Parliament because of the way he conducted himself. I want to assure you that definite action will be taken,” Mr Kiyonga said.
A senior rebel commander of the Ugandan rebel group Allied Democratic Forces has dismissed reports that their leader, Jamil Mukulu was arrested three weeks ago in Tanzania.
The commander, who does not want to be named for security reasons, told Eagle online that Mr Mukulu, who is on the Interpol wanted list of criminals, was “free and secure”.
“Those are stories fabricated by our enemies. Our leader is secure and free,” he said.
There were media reports that Mukulu had been arrested in Tanzania and that Uganda government was working with Tanzania to extradite him to Kampala.
ADF rebels launched an attack on Uganda in 1996 and killed hundreds of people including the infamous attack on Kichwamba in which about 80 students were burned to death in their dormitories.
Mukulu is also blamed for a spate of bomb attacks in Kampala in the late 1990s before his cells were burst by Ugandan intelligence and security agencies.
The ADF group was later weakened it withdrew back to DR Congo where it has allegedly been killing civilians. Between October 2014 and January the rebel group had massacred over 100 people in Beni.
In 2007, the ADF made incursions into western Uganda along the Muzizi River, near Semliki National Park in Bundibugyo District. But the Ugandan the Ugandan military counter-attacked and over 100 rebels were killed.
Last year, the Congolese government forces, FARDC and the UN forces launched a military offensive against ADF bases. In retaliation, the rebels massacred civilian population in Beni.
Amama Mbabazi says he's still an NRM member and no body can push him out.
Amama Mbabazi says he’s still an NRM member and no body can push him out.
The Member of Parliament for Kinkizi West and former Prime Minister of Uganda has said he is still a member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) with no intentions of leaving.
Mbabazi, who said he did not want to seem partisan, made the remarks in response to Makerere University Students who kept chanting Mbabazi oyee! and twagala Mbabazi (we want Mbabazi) while holding his pictures.
Mbabazi said this while at the Makerere University 81st Guild speaker hand-over held at the College of Engineering Design at Technology (CEDAT) conference hall. He was invited as the chief guest to deliver a key-note address on the role of student leaders and youth in development.
“I belong to NRM and I have absolutely no intentions of leaving it. It’s me who started it together with my colleagues, why should I leave it?” Mbabazi said.
Towards the end of his speech, Mbabazi reminded the excited students about what he termed a “contention” of somebody he retweeted today; saying intelligence is knowing the right answer to say. This statement sent an uproar of excitement amongst the students to which he later added; “and wisdom is knowing when to say it”.
Before he was diverted into talking about his Party stand, Mbabazi called upon the students to ensure self-development as a critical point for young people to achieve national development.
“Your life is in your hands. Whether you succeed or not succeed, it is up to you. It’s a decision you make,” said Mbabazi. He also added that “When I was your age, history imposed on me and my contemporaries a duty to liberate the country and we did…”
According to the in-coming guild speaker, Jotham Tamurebiire Burobutu, Mbabazi was invited not only because of the position he holds in the country but also because he is an Alumnus and former member of the Makerere Students’ guild.
Burobutu received the instruments of office from former guild speaker Chark M. Benson of the 80th guild. The out-going deputy speaker, Stella Namulindwa who was also a guild candidate on Democratic Party’s (DP) youth wing; Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) card, also handed over office to the in-coming Martha Mulerwa.
0ver 90 students of the former guild council were awarded with certificates, medals and trophies of various achievements amongst which included physical smartness and eloquence.
The Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy (CCEDU) which sponsored the event was represented by Charles Mwangushya, a journalist and Law students at Makerere, who also handed over their materials including hand bans and T-shirts to Mbabazi for endorsement.
Uganda Railway old wagons which were bought by Rift Valley raillway
The Ministry of Works and Transport has announced that works on the first phase of the Shs12 trillion ($8 billion) Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) will commence this year in May on the Eastern and Northern routes.
The Eastern route stretch will run from Malaba to Nimule through Tororo, Mbale, Kumi, Soroti, Lira and Gulu with a branch from Gulu to Pakwach.
The announcement was made today in Kampala at a ceremony to start sensitisation workshops on the SGR around the country most notably in the districts in which the railway is going to stretch.
Minister for Works, John Byabagambi, speaking at the event said the time is now that Uganda to start witnessing the construction of a landmark infrastructure undertaken since independence in 1962.
“Whoever said we cannot, the time is now to show them that we can,” Engineer Byabagambi said. “The Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract was signed by the President on March 30th in China which paved way for the start.”
Works on the two route will be undertaken by China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC). Another Chinese firm China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) will undertake construction on the Western and South Western.
The SGR project line is expected to be complete by March by 2018 and China recently agreed to inject $3.6 billion into the first phase—the 609.3 kilometers section from Mombasa-Nairobi. Construction is ongoing.
The SGR line will run from Kenya, Uganda, DR Congo, Rwanda and South Sudan. It was envisioned to provide effective and least-cost rail transport for both freight and passengers.
The guest of honor, the deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah, praised President Museveni for his reflection that Uganda needs such an important infrastructural project.
“The SGR is the most single influential infrastructural project that should have been implemented yesterday,” Mr Oulanyah noted. “But we are glad that it is starting in May.”
The Chipolopolo ladies of Zambia have joined the She Cranes of Uganda to represent
The Chipolopolo ladies of Zambia have joined the She Cranes of Uganda to represent
She Cranes netball team is not pleased at the moment with the existing training sessions ahead of the Netball World cup which due in August this year. She Cranes moved an appeal to the National council for sports, (the Sports governing body in Uganda) to help them secure improved training facilities.
The players refused to use Nakivubo training grounds and were later moved to Namboole stadium but according to Atino Suzan, one of the players, the change was irrelevant.
Atino says that Lugogo indoor stadium would be a better training facility for the forthcoming 14th Netball World cup to beheld between 7-16 August in Sydney Australia.
“The state of facilities we use for training is for poor for example, Nakivubo is sub-standard at the moment compared to what we are going to use at World cup. So I argue the National council of sports to allow the team train from Lugogo since what we are doing is for our good” said Suzan.
She Cranes team qualified for the Netball World cup after crushing Swaziland 51-38 in the Netball world cup qualifiers for Africa in Gabon, Botswana September last year.
The team which is financially constrained began with a win over Zambia then saw off Botswana, to qualify for World cup is scheduled to have trial games in South Africa and United States.
Malaria Clinic in Tanzania helped by SMS for Life and IBM LotusLive.com cloud computing.
Malaria Clinic in Tanzania helped by SMS for Life and IBM LotusLive.com cloud computing.
2014- 2015.
The prevalence reduced due to increased supply of Insecticidal Treated Nets (ITN) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) in the country. Both pregnant women and Children who were using ITNs were (84% and 80% respectively) malaria free from 2011 to 2014 according to UMIS.
Thursday was the first day of the World Malaria day scientific colloquiumcommemoration focused on the prevention and control of malaria at Hotel Africana. The Guest of Honor, Dr. Jacinto Amandua, the Commissioner for Clinical services stood in on behalf of the State Minister of Health, Chris Baryomusi, who lost a mother.
The commemoration was under the theme “Invest in Future and Defeat Malaria” that emphasized the achievements and plans for defeating Malaria in terms of Human resource, commodities and infrastructure.
“Malaria is at the top list of morbidity and mortality henceforth we should focus on how to prevent it. Besides the continued financial assistance given to districts fromGlobal Alliancefor Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI), we should deal with it on a personal basis,”said Amandau.
The results highlighted by Dr. Denis Rubahika from the Ministry of Health showcased higher prevalence rate in rural areas at 22% compared to urban areas at 6%. The children with fever after a blood test increased from 17% to 36% since 2009, and the percent also increased among those children who took antimalarial the same day from 36% to 49%.
However SANOFI Aventis, French company that deals in pharmaceuticals, has designed a pilot project committed to fight against malaria especially in primary schools. The project will be launched in kaberamaido district on May 9th in recognition of the World Malaria day for the national celebrations.
Bob Okello, Key Account Manager at SANOFI says,” the Moski kit training tool is a comprehensive set of playful and educative tools that involves giving solutions to problems about malaria”.
The tool facilitates in understanding the key messages on how to fight mosquitoes, how to recognize and treat malaria amongst the 9 to 12year olds.
“With the establishment of malaria clubs, the teachers identified as patrons will train the children so that they can learn and play about malaria,” Okello added.
Besides the emphasis on evidence generated based on WHO guidelines, a strategy of test, treat and track will be used to report on malaria control.
Radio was valued at 82%compared to other media,as the most effective channel to communicate information regarding malaria prevention because it would accommodate a wider audience.
Police today deployed at Katwe market playground to stop embattled Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago from holding a rally there. Police say the rally was blocked because Lukwago and his colleagues didn’t seek permission from the LC1 chairperson of the area.
The police, led by Kampala South Police Commander, Hajji Siraje Bakaleke stormed the playground at around 2pm in the afternoon, the time the rally was supposed to begin. Police patrol vehicles sealed off entrances to the playground and no vehicle was allowed to pass except those from media houses. Police also tried to stop people from accessing the playground.
Bakaleke said the rally was called off because the organizers didn’t get permission from the area chairperson. “I informed them (organisers) that according to the Public Management Bill, they didn’t have permission from the owner.”
He said the area chairperson approached him today morning and informed him of some politicians that were organizing a rally at the playground without his knowledge. Bakaleke claimed that the chairperson told him that the organizers have never approached him to talk about holding a rally.
“The players have told us they already made a program and said if anyone interrupted their activities, things would not go well, we didn’t want blood to be spilled,” said the commander. “We have terror threats that are on and off, we are always on alert, “
“We harmonised and agreed that they need to reorganise themselves, give us a program and secure permission and then the rally can go on.”
When contacted on telephone, Lukwago brushed off Bakaleke’s allegations saying that the play ground was a community place and that they had written a letter to the commander informing him of the rally that was to be held at the play ground.
“We informed all the relevant authorities, Bakaleke had no grounds to stop our rally,” said the lord Mayor. “We will sit and organize another rally.”
This is not the first time Lukwago has been stopped by police. Earlier this month, he was barred from attending Etofaali fundraising drive at Kampala City Council Authority(KCCA) headquarters on grounds that he was not a KCCA technocrat.
When Frying Pun seeks an interview, no one says no. Even the dead allow us time in the purgatory, an Indian will abandon a meal of okra and spaghetti to attend to us and a woman in labour will postpone her tribulations for a few minutes. But not these suspects. From e-mails to Facebook and then Whatsapp and calls, the journalists faceless blogger Tom Voltaire Okwalinga names in the pensions scandal chose to behave like they were too engrossed with stabbing Mozambicans in Durban, South Africa, to care.
All we were begging for is just a few minutes in our searing pun but Stanley Ndawula, Muherereza Kyamutetera, Chris Kiwawulo and Simon Masaba would have none of it. But trust a Musoga man to come up with a brilliant idea: Henry Mbago suggested we book into Golf Course Hotel and call these guys from therein, that they would come running. We did. The rest, as they say, is the pun.
Like expected, Ndawula was first. He charged in like a Nigerian evil spirit, darting his eyes from corner to corner and within 0.006 seconds of walking into the suite, his eyes had scanned the entire room. It was written all over his face that he was disappointed there were no Benjamins (the green banknotes you call US Dollars) around.
“Relax, mate,” The Frying Pun extolled. “The money has been sent to First Street Industrial Area for someone to exchange.”
“So you are not giving us dollars, but the Uganda Shilling that is germinating mold from loss of value against the Dollar like some fertile farmland in Kibaale?” Ndawula charged. “Have you heard of Cairo International Bank? It’s trending dollars and you are talking about shillings.”
We were at pains to explain that it was Obey’s father who sent the money there because that is where he preferred to channel dollars to be taken to the forex. Just when he was relaxing, we broke the real bang: “It’s not about money, just some clarification we need on the allegations flying around like UFOs in Russian military airspace.”
Kiwawulo and Masaba showed up like Siamese twins. The sweat on their brows meant they were nervous. Like Ndawula before them, they scanned the room before settling in seats. Then the man who would pass for a pimp in a dingy Mexican alley because of his burly size stomped in. Kyamutetera, aka Kyamu, smelt of a mixture of both Johnny Walker and an aftershave, He was suave in a beige jacket atop a brown corduroy pants. The man exuded confidence.
“You have all read the TVO expose. It’s damning enough for any right thinking member of the public. What did not happen, really?” The Frying Pun said.
After some awkward silence that made Frying Pun fidget like a man with a boil in the groin trying to take up a seat, Kyamu came first, thumping his chest and announcing: “I always eat money… my money.” Kiwawulo excused himself to the toilet, and Masaba feigned a phone call and walked out to ‘pick’ it. Ndawula picked at whatever hair he had on his chin for a while before asking why Andrew Bagala and the many others named by TVO are not in the room, but only them.
“Bagala is as broke as village policemen deep in Adjumani who have not received salary but dry ration of posho and beans for the last six months,” The Frying Pun said. “His own toilet complains that he serves them poor feeding with lack of balanced diet. Such a man cannot have received dollars. Besides, TVO does not name him in dollar bracket, but rather as a double agent, which we also dispute because if he were an informant, he surely would be earning from it. Let’s leave him out of his for now.”
“So what you believe is that we, that is, Andrew, Chris, Simon and I received bribes?” Kyamu asked, laughing rather loudly. “I’m surprised you guys suddenly now think TVO is an authentic source. He who alleges must prove.”
“Kyamu, we might be forced to add fire so the pun is hotter than this if you keep this up,” The Frying Pun said.
“Are you threatening me? I am Kyamu, who are you to threaten me?” Kyamu was not in good moods. “If I had pocketed the $130,000, I would be happily waiting for another crisis. But since when did dog biting man become news? Again, is it the $130,000 causing excitement? In PR, I would see these guys as clients. I don’t moralise about my clients, I don’t take sides. I help them to tell their story. Besides, they would be mere suspects.”
“So, Kyamu, you pay journalists to write favourable stories about your clients, is that what you imply, huh? A mere admission that you picked a hefty envelope to pay journalists or whoever else involved in the scandal would make you an accomplice before a fact should the law prove there was bribery involved.”
Kiwawulo walked back in. Masaba was still on his phantom call.
“I did not say that I took money, nor that I pay journalists at that, and it seems you are desperate to find us guilty,” Kyamu said. “We are being accused by a faceless nincompoop and now everyone has bought into it. But for me, my philosophy is that when people scratch you over and again, think of them as sandpaper. It can scratch you and it will pain, hurt real bad, but when all is done and dusted, you emerge shining while the sandpaper becomes useless.”
“Oh, Kyamu, so you are happy to play the fat sow that lures white ewes to roll in the mud with it but you don’t care about teachers who served this country diligently for decades but on retirement have never received a coin of their pension because their file disappeared without a trace? Imagine their misery, helped by a bunch of greedy chaps masquerading as journalists who help thieves loot with impunity…” Frying Pun broke off as Masaba walked in. Kiwawulo was wiping what seemed like sweat or tears or both. He looks an emotion kind, so he must have been weeping. What we can’t tell, though, is whether it is because of the harrowing conscience or just drama.
“Waiting for the next client as I laugh at a hoard of pretenders like you. I can actually represent Ndawula Stanley. Sometimes when the odds are against you, when burden of proof is on the accused instead of the reverse, when some faceless TVO has your name in the dock, when you are being mob-justiced by everyone, you need an Olivia Pope. You need a voice. And that’s when I come in and boy-oh-boy. I don’t come cheap.” Obviously, Kyamu was enjoying himself.
That is when we remembered Teddy Ssezi Cheeye. The former publisher of Uganda Confidential is serving a ten-year jail sentence for misuse of Shs120 million meant for Global Fund activities. Cheeye was convicted by the Anti-Corruption Court on April 8, 2009, and also ordered to refund Shs100 million to the Global Fund. Tell all this to Kyamu made him soften his stance and Ndawula muttered something inaudible about his lawyer. Kiwawulo was by now weeping freely like a child buying time between hunger and a game. When he managed to say something between the sobs, it was: “I did not take any money… I’m a product of my hard work.”
To save us more of Kiwawulo’s dummy, we decided to shift to the battle-hardened Kyamu and the pensive Ndawula instead. “Ndawula, for your case, it is easy to nail. A Mercedes Benz and four other cars that you parked in your compound in Kisaasi when you had just bought the palatial residence about three years ago, you did invite me there and regale me in some yummy tales of how you were chilling in a suite at this very hotel for two months as your house was being dusted up…”
“My lawyers are studying the developments for better advice on how to respond to any formal allegations against me, not through you or the faceless TVO. By the way, TVO, is the most wanted creature in Uganda, why don’t you go interrogate him instead?” Ndawula asked.
