KINSHASA (Reuters) – Suspected Ugandan rebels killed at least 22 people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo late on Wednesday, local officials said, the third deadly attack on civilians in the region in the last week.
The attack took place near the town of Beni, an area in North Kivu province where more than 300 civilians have been killed in overnight raids since October.
The attacks, often carried out with machetes and hatchets, have mostly been blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan Islamist rebel group that operates on the Congolese side of the border.
North Kivu governor Julien Paluku said on Thursday that ADF fighters had attacked a location outside Beni, a regional hub, late on Wednesday afternoon, killing at least 22.
He said the massacre followed clashes between the Congolese army and ADF fighters, but that he did not yet know the name of the village where it had taken place.
Teddy Kataliko, a local civil society leader, said the attack had taken place in Mbutaba, 23 km north of Beni, and that his organisation had documented 28 deaths so far, although the toll was likely to rise.
The United Nations has said the ADF killed at least 237 civilians last year in what could amount to crimes against humanity.
Former Forum for Democratic Change party president Dr. Kizza Besigye and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago have been detained by police at unknowns destinations. Both men were picked at Nsambya sharing hall where the two had gone to address their following on the citizens reforms. Wait for more details .
Big League playoff/ Wednesday Results
JMC 1-0 Masaka LC
Kirinya Jinja (4) 0-0 (3) Water FC
Playoff Final@Namboole/2pm
JMC v Kirinya Jinja
Championship Title, 4pm
The Saints v Maroons
Eastern region (Jinja) will have three football clubs in the Uganda Premier League (UPL) next season.
With Jinja Kirinya battling Jinja Municipal Council (JMC) to determine the third team to join UPL, will make it three teams from Jinja, joining Bul FC and Sadolin Paints in the UPL next season.
While Kirinya needed shootouts to eliminate Water 4-3 after a goalless normal time, JMC edged Masaka LC 1-0 to setup a derby encounter at Philip Omondi Stadium, Lugogo on Saturday.
“Its not going to be easy for both teams, these are players that know each other well” said James Odoch, the JMC coach and former Cranes and Express midfielder.
Better Luck
JMC will hope for better fortune this time, having lost last year’s playoff final to KJT_Rwesahama.
“We’re not thinking about last season, that’s history” Odoch added.
Meanwhile the each group winners The Saints (Rwenzori) and Maroons (Elgon) will clash to determine the champion of the Big League at for 4pm at Lugogo both teams were promoted directly to the UPL.
The Saints won the Rwenzori group edging JMC 1-0 on the final day while Maroons beat Synergy by a similar score to topple Elgon group ahead of Kirinya.
The Seals Swim Club has landed a sh66m sponsorship from Centenary Bank towards the inaugural Invitational Swimming Championships due July 2-5 at Kampala Parents School pool, Naguru.
Currently the biggest competitive swim club in Uganda with over 150 swimmers between the ages of 2 and 22, Seals has invited participants from Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and South Africa ahead of 4-day championship.
The championship will be followed by a three-day swimming training camp conducted by one of South Africa’s national elite youth swim coaches Hilton Slack of Swimlab Aquatics, July 6-9. A camp wrap-up gala will then crown the Seals activities from July 10-12.
According to Seals Swim Club Chairman Tefiro Serunjogi participating clubs can opt to attend the invitational, the swim camp or the full program running from July 2 -12.
Centenary Bank Chief Manager-Business Development, Percy Lubega handed Seals Chairman Tefiro Serunjogi and Treasurer Irene Mudanye a sh66m cheque towards the organization of the event.
“The bank is glad to be sponsoring the sport for the third year running and is interested in supporting the youth in the country through a number of initiatives as part of its business through different products and services,” Lubega stated.
“This is part of our wider CSR activities, but we also believe in what the Seals are doing that is why we came out to give them a hand; we are a winning bank and we would like to identify with winners so we hope this sponsorship can inspire the swimmers and uplift the brand of the bank,” Lubega added.
The Seals will field 75 swimmers for the event that will have competition in the 12 and under, 13-14, 15-16 years and the open category for the 17 and over.
The events in neighbouring Burundi should serve as a clear warning to all those leaders who take people for granted, abusing the People’s rights in such wanton and arrogant manner, with the hope that the People will be cowed for ever – never to demand for their freedom and rights from the seemingly powerful dictators.
According to Western intelligence sources, it is Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni who had encouraged Burundi’s Nkurunzizato defy the population and break the law. This, therefore, is a warning to Museveni himself because he is not immune from what is going on all around. His intervention in South Sudan has caused more deaths than would have been the case. So his invisible hand is quite destabilising that it is high time the region stopped him.
Inside Uganda Mr Museveni continues to violate the country’s constitution and to abuse the rights of the citizens, without realising that the People’s patience has been exhausted after nearly 30 years of undemocratic governance and corrupt dictatorship.
It is still possible for Mr Museveni to voluntarily leave power and stop pursuing continued presidency over the country through force and incessant violations of the constitutional rights not just of traditional anti-regime opposition forces, but increasingly even of those who are members of the NRM party.
The incredible misuse and abuse by the Museveni regime of the nation’s institutions, particularly the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), the Uganda Police Service, all other security services, as well as the Electoral Commission, the parliament, the judiciary and the country’s financial centres has gone beyond the acceptable.
Ugandan People are now preparing to resist the continued unlawful imposition of undemocratic governance over the Ugandan nation through uncalled-for legislation, and so-called ‘sole-candidacy’ political manipulations. Ugandans will not allow any further obliteration of the constitution and the regime is put on notice that every effort possible will be actualised to disrupt and stop the already rigged 2016 elections, thereby bringing to an end decades of blatant misrule and undemocratic governance.
The People of Burundi are resolute in standing up to defend their constitutional rights. Ugandan citizens are as determined to end the decades’ long impunity and bad governance in their Motherland. The time when African dictators had free reign in their destructive political gameplays has gone. The time for the People Power is here with us. Free Uganda Statement. (Issued by Dr Vincent Magombe, Free Uganda Press Secretary and Head of PRU Diaspora Mobilisation. May 13, 2015)
Kampala-The East African Community Secretariat in Arush last evening called for the postponement of elections in Burundi and also condemned the attempted coup.
The regional leaders say that current upheaval in the country cannot allow for free and fair elections and as such, elections can be postponed to permit both government and opposition time to prepare.
“The Heads of State consulted on the situation in Burundi. At the time they were consulting there were new developments in Burundi. The Summit condemns the Coup in Burundi and calls for the return to Constitutional order.” Reads the statement from Arusha.
It further continues, “Given the situation in Burundi, conditions are not conducive for elections in Burundi and the Summit calls upon the authorities to postpone the elections for a period not beyond the mandate of the current government.”
President Nkurunziza who had been attending the EAC summit attempted to return home last evening but failed to land at Bujumbura Airport as it had been taken over by coup plotters who resisted his landing forcing him to return back to Tanzania.
Eagle Online understands there are conflicting reports indicating State Broadcaster and State House in Bujumbura suburbs are under control of President Nkurunziza loyalist forces while forces loyal to Gen. Niyombare forces claim control of parts of the city and Bujumbura International Airport and central bank. There is confusion as the population seems not to understand who is in charge. Army chief of staff who pays loyalty to Nkurunziza says the coup by Gen. Niyombare has failed.
Below is the EAC statement on Burundi
East African Community
13TH EXTRA ORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE EAC HEADS OF STATE
STATE HOUSE CONFERENCE HALL, DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA
MAY 13, 2015
The Heads of State consulted on the situation in Burundi. At the time they were consulting there were new developments in Burundi:
Summit condemns the Coup in Burundi and calls for the return to Constitutional order.
Given the situation in Burundi, conditions are not conducive for elections in Burundi and the Summit calls upon the authorities to postpone the elections for a period not beyond the mandate of the current government.
As the region continues to consult with all stakeholders to make sure that the situation in Burundi normalizes and elections can be held in a free, FAIR and peaceful manner in respect of the constitution of Burundi, the laws of Burundi and the Arusha peace and reconciliation agreement; The summit condemns violence and calls on all parties to make sure that violence stops.
The region will not accept nor will standby if violence does not stop or escalates in Burundi.The Summit reconvene soon to review the situation in Burundi.
EAC SECRETARIAT
ARUSHA TANZANIA
MAY 13, 2015
New jobs minister Priti
Priti Patel, 43, has been revealed as the new jobs minister in PM’s re-shuffle
Married mother-of-one is daughter of Ugandan shopkeeper Sushil Patel, 64
Mr Patel moved his family to Britain in the 1970s to flee dictator Idi Amin
Stood for UKIP in 2013 but claimed to step down 90 minutes into candidacy
Britain’s new jobs minister is the daughter of a Ugandan shopkeeper who fled east Africa in the 1970s and joined UKIP after arriving into the UK.
Priti Patel, 43, was revealed as the new jobs minister in Prime Minister David Cameron’s latest re-shuffle which came as part of a bid to shed his image of being out of touch.
Ms Patel, a married mother-of-one, will be only the second Asian woman to sit in the Cabinet, after former Foreign Office minister Baroness Warsi.
She is the daughter of Sushil Patel, 64, who stood for UKIP two years ago and caused a furore after trying to withdraw his candidacy for the party just 90 minutes after it was announced.
Married Priti Patel, 43 (right), who has been revealed as the new jobs minister, is the daughter of Ugandan shopkeeper Sushil Patel, 64, (left) who fled east Africa for Britain in the 1970s and briefly stood for UKIP
As a Eurosceptic, she is a believer in low taxes and is outspoken about the need for welfare cuts. She has also hit the headlines for saying she supported the death penalty for the most serious crimes.
The mother of a six-year-old son fled to Britain with her parents when dictator Idi Amin persecuted the Indian community and ordered them out within 90 days.
‘My parents were kicked out of Uganda,’ she said in an interview. ‘They came to the UK with nothing, worked hard and set up a successful shop business.
‘There was a desire to work hard and to be successful so you didn’t have to rely on anybody else. Coming from a country where you’re persecuted means that you want to work hard and to contribute to the society where you end up.
Ms Patel
Ms Patel
Ms Patel (pictured outside Downing Street yesterday), who has been an MP for five years, was made Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury last year and has now been revealed as the new jobs minister by the PM
‘You become patriotic because you make your new country your home, and, as a result, you live and play by its values’.
Educated at a grammar school in Watford and Keele University, Ms Patel joined the party under John Major and her first job was at the Conservative Research Department.
The new Employment Minister is deputy to Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, with responsibilities including jobseekers’ allowance and youth unemployment.
Although she is not a secretary of state, Mr Cameron confirmed she will attend Cabinet, as did her predecessor Esther McVey.
The role is likely to involve overseeing controversial cuts to welfare benefits, in efforts to slash £12billion in this area while protecting pensions.
Ms Patel wrote in a blog last year that under Labour the welfare system ‘bound people to dependency’. She expressed concern that ‘claimants who have never worked … enjoy a lifestyle that many other households could not afford.’
The Witham MP has been a leading critic of soft sentencing and votes for prisoners, and said in 2011 that the death penalty should be reintroduced for the most serious crimes.
She defected from the Tories in 1995 to James Goldsmith’s Referendum Party, but returned to the Conservatives two years later when William Hague became leader and promised not to join the Euro without a referendum.
Ms Patel pictured with Prime Minister David Cameron in front of the Shah Sayyid Tomb in the Lodi Gardens in Delhi, India in November 2013. Mr Cameron has re-shuffled his Cabinet in a bid to shed his out of touch image
Kampala– Opposition Uganda Peoples’ Congress has lashed at the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon’s choice of picking President Museveni as peace broker in the ongoing Burundi political crisis.
UPC party Spokesperson, Okello Okello says it wouldn’t be Museveni as a perfect choice because he has maintained power through change of the Constitution to granting himself life presidency a project Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza is trying to implement.
″Mr.Museveni has no moral authority to intervene in the Burundi matters because he and Nkurunziza are not any different, ″ said Mr.Okello.″ Take Rwanda for example after the genocide, Museveni acted partisan and we all know who he supported, his army and the Rwandan army massacred Hutu refugees in Congo forests and we all know that.″ added Mr.Okello.
In the recently concluded United Nations High level Thematic Debate on strengthening co-operation between the UN and Regional Organizations in maintenance of peace, security, Human Rights and Development, the UN secretary General Ban Ki Moon, is reportedly having asked President Museveni to intervene in the ongoing political turmoil in Burundi.
However, Presidential Press Secretary, Tamale Mirundi dismissed UPC’s augment as narrow that can’t be compared to that of the UN. Mirundi further revealed that what many political players have forgotten is the role that was played by Museveni in pacifying Burundi in the accord that was signed in Arusha.
“Burundi was pacified by UN with the assistance of late President, Julius Nyerere first before late President Nelson Mandela came in. After Mandela, it is Museveni who came and with that he can’t be any wrong choice for another peace initiative.” Mirundi said.
He added “Museveni is best suited to handle Burundi because he was part of the medical team that prescribed the medicine for Burundi then and even now he will find solutions to the current crisis.”
Lucima said his party (UPC) disagreed with the UN Secretary General’s choice sighting events that brand Museveni as the ″wrong man″ for the job.
Addressing journalists at the party headquarters this afternoon May 13, 2015; Mr. Lucima expressed their disappointment with the UN. He went ahead to point out that from the East African Community, the potential candidate for this job should have been Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
″We as UPC support that the UN should choose a person with credibility and from a democratic country like Tanzania and Jakaya Kikwete would be the ideal person.″ Mr. Okello said.
At the UN general assembly, Museveni, in his keynote address said that African Problems require African interventions and not from the west.
But Lucime despised the above statement saying such words coming from a leaders whose citizens’ rights are abused is basically a shortcut for impunity.
“There are no rights categorical for Africans and Whites, they are all the same and universal.″ Mr.Okello said. He added, “This is a bid to find sanctuary to international standards against the brutality and promotion of impunity.”
President Museveni this morning joined other East African Community (EAC) leaders in Dar es Salaam for EAC extra ordinary summit on the crisis in Burundi.As the meeting was underway, an army was reported to have staged a coup against Nkurunziza
A Burundi army general says senior officers are “dismissing” President Pierre Nkurunziza, amid unrest over his bid to be re-elected to a third term.
Maj Gen Godefroid Niyombareh announced that a national salvation committee had been set up to run the country.
However, it is not clear how much support he and the other officers have.
President Nkurunziza is currently in Tanzania meeting other East African leaders to discuss the crisis. His aide dismissed the coup claims as “a joke”.
President Nkurunziza has rejected calls to postpone next month’s election.
Latest Burundi and Africa updates
Gen Niyombareh, in a statement read to reporters in a military base, said he did not recognise the leadership because the president’s bid for a third term violated the constitution.
Soldiers have surrounded the offices of the national broadcaster in the capital, Bujumbura.
Pierre Nkurunziza
Gen Niyombareh’s “national salvation committee” comprises at least five other army and police generals.
One eyewitness told Reuters that crowds who had earlier been out on the streets of the capital protesting against the president were now cheering and celebrating his apparent dismissal.
The unrest began on 26 April and has led to the deaths of more than 20 people.
Tens of thousands of Burundians have fled to neighbouring states in recent weeks.
Protesters opposed to the president were out on the streets again on Wednesday
FUFA President Moses Magogo right, FUFA CEO Edgar Waston middle & FUFA Finance Director Decolas Kizza
FUFA President Moses Magogo right, FUFA CEO Edgar Waston middle & FUFA Finance Director Decolas Kizza
LOCAL soccer governing body, FUFA, needs sh7.5bn ahead of a busy international football schedule.
With the Under-23 side hosting Rwanda on Saturday May 23, 2015 for the first leg and the reverse fixture a fortnight later in Kigali.
The home based players’ visit Tanzania in the first round and, first leg of the 2016 CHAN qualifiers in Dar es Salaam on June 20, and the return leg is on July 4, at Mandela National stadium, Namboole.
While the senior side, Uganda Cranes play their first group game of the 2017 AFCON qualifiers on June 13, 2015 against Botswana at Namboole.
“From the Finance department, Shs7.5billion is needed for the three qualifying campaigns” said Decolas Kizza, the FUFA Finance Director.
Before adding, “The budget proposal to government was done and sent; now we call upon all leading corporates and individual fans to come on board”.
Uganda Cranes Team
Gambia Test
Meanwhile FUFA have also secured a friendly match against West Africa side Gambia on 9th June before the Cranes’ first 2017 AFCON qualifier game on 13th June against Botswana at Namboole stadium.
Uganda Cranes were drawn in Group D against 2013 finalists Burkina Faso, Botswana and the Comoros for the continent’s football ultimate showpiece that will take place in Gabon.
The group winners and two best second placed teams join hosts, Gabon for the final tournament.
