KAMPALA: The Minister of ICT Eng. John Nasasira is tomorrow June 16, expected to address on the country’s readiness to switch from analogue to digital TV broadcasting ahead of tomorrow’s deadline for all countries for Digital Migration.
The event had been scheduled for Monday June 15, 2015, but was swiftly called off after the chief guest; Information Minister Jim Muhwezi was sucked into an urgent security meeting. However the telecommunications regulator, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and Signet, the body in charge of signal distribution test piloted the switch off and TV stations went off air.
This means all TV consumers using antennas can longer watch their favourite channels.
Digital broadcasting is based on the use of use digital transmission technologies such as Digital Video Broadcasting -Terrestrial decoders (DVB-T) video and audio compression technologies such as MPEG 2/4.
This means all TV consumers have to use set top boxes and antennas. It also means TV broadcasters can no longer independently transmit signals on their own as it was the case. After the switch off it will be Signet to transmit signals for them to a wider spectrum.
UCC’S acting director for broadcasting Fred Otunnu, said yesterday that the switch off has commenced and will be conducted in phases. Phase one is already on and will cover Kampala and areas within the 65km radius. Phase two commencing on July 31st covering Arua, Kisoro, Mbarara, Mbale, Masaka and Masindi, and Phase three on August 30th covering Jinja, Ntungamo, Rubirizi, Fortportal, Guly, Kiboga, Lira, Kabale and Soroti.
In a statement issued yesterday, Signet said the Digital broadcasting Platform at Kololo has been running alongside the analogue system for last 18 months.
“The switch on today is a completion of Phase 1 of the National Digital Migration. Signet has also put measures in place to ensure signal availability in the shadow areas of Entebbe,” the statement said in part.
TV broadcasters in the country have however expressed halfhearted enthusiasm because it is going to affect their audience market owing to the fact that majority TV consumers cannot afford set top boxes.
Last Friday broadcasters also wrote to the Speaker of Parliament saying the country is not ready and requested the deadline to be extended.
Mr Otunnu, however, told Eagle Online that the June 17, deadline is an international target for the 198 countries of ITU and there is nothing they can do about it.
Nonsense Justice Bamugemereire chaired KCCA tribunal in 2013 which was tasked to probe fights at City Hall between executive director Jennifer Musisi and Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
KAMPALA: President Museveni has constituted a five member tribunal led by High Court judge Catherine Bamugemereire to investigate alleged abuse of office and mismanagement at the Uganda National Roads of Authority (UNRA).
The tribunal was announced today by Works minister John Byabagambi at a press conference at the ministry’s headquarters in Kampala.
The committee, Mr Byabagambi, said will among others investigate the cost of road works in the country, previous scandals, and methodology used to award contracts.
“The President in exercise of his powers established the commission of inquiry into the allegations of abuse of office, and corrupt practices in UNRA,” he said.
Lady Justice Bamugemereire is famous for the KCCA tribunal in 2013 which was tasked to probe fights at City Hall between executive director Jennifer Musisi and Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
The tribunal will comprise of Mr Ben Okello Luwum, Mr Abraham Nkata, Mr Patrick Rusongoza, and Mr Richard Mungati. Others will include Mr Andrew Kasirye as lead counsel and deputized by Ms Mary Kutesa, and Mr Charles Emuria as secretary to the tribunal and deputized by Mr Danile Ratiba.
Eng. Byabagambi, revealed that the committee will be multi-disciplinary in order to be able to cover a variety of issues.
The tribunal will also flash torch into financial management, supervision of roads construction, management of weigh-bridges in the country and methodology to compensate project affected persons.
It is not yet known when the tribunal will commence work but the minister said it produce a report with recommendations to the president. “Criminal proceedings will be taken accordingly on persons involved,” he added.
UNRA’s executive director, Allen Kagina, said the tribunal is timely for an audit because the works sector consumes a lion’s share of the country budgets. The roads sector has for the last four financial years been prioritized gy government and allocated the biggest percentage from the budget.
Next financial year 2015/2016 which starts in July works and transport was allocated Shs3.3 trillion representing 18 percent of the total budget.
UNRA’s board chairperson Agnes Kiryabwire said they will accord support to the tribunal in all ways during its course of work.
Uganda Cranes Starting XI against Botswana on Saturday.
Saturday
CHAN qualifier
Tanzania v Uganda
Uganda Cranes Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic praised his team and claimed
they were on the right path following their 2-0 win against Bostwana.
The Cranes produced a solid performance in their 2017AFCON qualifying
Group D opener at Namboole stadium on Saturday.
Second half goals from Geoffrey Massa and Brian Umony gave Cranes a 2-0 win.
“I am extremely pleased,” Micho said. “In nine days we have managed to
achieve truly important things.
“Of course, we must improve and, especially, continue to get to know
each other.” He added.
The Uganda Cranes players who featured in the 2017 AFCON qualifier
against Botswana on Saturday left camp a happy group.
The players’ efforts for picking up a 2-0win over Botswana landed them
a reward of $ 1000 each as promised by the FUFA President Eng. Moses
Magogo last week when he met the players at Sky Hotel in Nalya.
The promise was fulfilled by the federation on Saturday when the 18
man squad received $18,000 while the remaining seven players who were
in camp but never made the final squad got $500 each.
“This is a marathon campaign. We have five more games to play. You
need to report back on time as required by your club rules. Let’s not
have issues with the clubs that did a good job of releasing you for
national duty” said Magogo.
Meanwhile Micho will be back to business with a collection of home
based players in preparation for the first leg first round of the
Orange African Nations Championship in Zanzibar this Saturday.
The players minus those from KCC FC and SC Villa (preparing for the
Uganda cup final) and Cranes players will be excluded from training
session until Tuesday when Micho will take his squad to the FUFA
Technical centre, Njeru for a residential camp and also to acclimatise
with the artificial turf.
illa’s Steven Bengo (white) and Tom Masiko of (yellow) are set for a midfield battle
SC Villa v KCC FC
Another 90 minutes will be required to determine the winner of this year’s Uganda Cup.
After back and forth meetings to reach a settlement to have the abandoned final in Ntungamo, SC Villa and KCC FC agreed to replay the game at Namboole Stadium, Tuesday.
Villa president Ben Misagga had earlier said that his team will won’t play 90 minutes but only 18 minutes, with KCC furious saying they can’t play with a red card awarded to their midfielder Hakim Ssenkumba standing.
However KCC players Hakim Ssenkumba, Joseph Ochaya and Owen Kasule will miss the game after being red carded in the aborted match played in Ntungamo.
According to the match referee report compiled by referee Robert Donney the three players were given matching orders for misconduct.
The federation considered referee’s report to disqualify the three players.
Villa head coach Ibrahim Kirya however said that his team is in good shape and ready for KCC regardless of the fracas which has surrounded the final.
“Since Tuesday last week we have been training. The negotiations haven’t caught us unaware and we think we shall play well. Our target remains the same. We want to win the title,” Kirya said.
“We have been playing good but defending was bitter that is why we conceded goals during the league unnecessarily. This will be another chapter on Tuesday,” said Kirya.
While the absence of Ssenkumba, Ochaya and Kasule might be looked at a disadvantage that weakens KCC FC, their coach, Abdullah Mubiru is confident he has a pool of players who can fill the void left behind by the suspensions to lift the title they last held in 2004.
To tighten the security around the stadium, a security meeting was held on Monday at Central Police Station in Kampala to ensure that there is no more chaos.
Referee Alex Muhabi has been handed the responsibility to handle this game as center referee.
Record TV presenter Jonathan Jaxta has thrown in the towel at the Industrial Area based station.
The reason for leaving is still unknown but according to sources close to Jonathan, he quit due to low pay.
“He was loaded with many duties that included production and presentation, yet his salary was low,” the source intimated.
Jonathan is among the many that have trekked away from the station, reportedly due to low payment by the management.
The young personality posted on his Facebook page;
“Wats up Friends its been quite a while no see, I luv to officially announce that my days on Record TV are over. That meanz no more Katogo or Record Tv but I luv to inform all ma friends that Another Tv has harbored me I dont wish to disclose its details for now but ill be hitting yo screen in a week luv s time.
I wish to say thank you all guys for all yo support during my years at Katogo,trust me they were so amazing.U guys gave me a chance that has taken me to places we’ve won awards and so much more..For now my studio is keeping me busy (Heaven Records) ..Feel free to Come and chek on me in Kiwatule..Keep supporting Jaxta, i promise i wont disappoint..24th June New staff on New Tv !!!just watch me!! thanks A lot t i luv u!!!”
Former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi faces summons if police establish that he is behind a load of electoral campaign materials found with two men.
Former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi faces summons if police establish that he is behind a load of electoral campaign materials found with two men.
Kampala- Former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi faces summons if police establish that he is behind a load of electoral campaign materials found with two men who were arrested this morning.
“We are going to charge them under the urban authority rule after finishing with our investigations,” Mr. Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson said adding: “We shall have to establish where they got this material from and if we discover that Mr Mbabazi has a connection to this, we shall call him in for a statement.”
The arrest of the two men, who were found driving a car with several banners, flyers and posters of Mr Mbabazi, follows another arrest earlier this morning of Robert Kabagambe, a resident of Kabale Municipality who was arrested for ‘illegally’ putting up posters of Mr.Mbabazi along the streets of Kabale town.
The campaign material was confiscated and the two men whose names were not readily established are being held at the Special Investigations Division headquarters in Kireka.
These arrests come in the wake of police warnings against ‘the planned demonstration of Mbabazi’s supporters in Kampala’, which was contained in a police statement issued yesterday.
Police said the demonstrations were illegal because they (police) were not informed as it is supposed to be, in line with the Public Order Management Act.
After a year and four months of public speculation, Mr.Mbabazi finally came out this morning to clear the air and announced his desire to stand for presidency in a YouTube video.
A long time ally of President Yoweri Museveni, Mr Mbabazi has served in high-profile government positions since 1986.
He, however, reportedly fell out with his boss at a retreat in Kyankwanzi after he belatedly signed a petition by Northern Youth MP Evelyn Anite, urging for the sole candidature of Mr Museveni as the NRM flag bearer in the 2016 elections.
And now the declaration of Mr Mbabazi’s presidential bid has caused excitement, sending the political tempo in the country to a new high.
Earlier in the week he had also caused anxiety when he delegated his vociferous sister-in-law Hope Mwesigye Ruhindi, to represent him at the formation of an opposition coalition, the Democratic Alliance, a loose coalition that is currently engaged in plans of finding a suitable joint candidate, to take on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party flag bearer.
Police warns
Meanwhile, police has warned all political aspirants to desist from all forms of early campaigns before the Electoral Commission pronounces itself on the matter.
“The Electoral Commission came up with a clear roadmap and we want all candidates to follow the programme,” Mr.Enanga said adding: “We are asking candidates to get proper campaign plans and managers because we shall go after them when they get out of the line.”
Over 3000 literature students will today, June 15, be able to watch one of the most interesting and popular literature plays, The Lion and the Jewel performed live at the Uganda National Theatre.
The 1959 play written by Nigerian writer Wole Sonyika is among the books prescribed by the Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) as part of the O’ Level literature syllabus.
It will be performed by The Foursum, a theatre group that is dedicated to holding practical life skills workshops and highly interactive theatrical shows in primary and secondary schools since last year.
According to Rogers Williams Mpaata-Otako, an actor and creative director with the Foursum, staging this play will help the students understand the play better.
“Watching it performed live will help the students visualize the text and understand it deeper to enable them answer their final literature exams,” he said.
The play chronicles how Baroka, a wealthy village man fights with Lakunle, a poor but modern teacher over the right to marry a beautiful, yet somewhat egotistical village girl called Sidi, the titular Jewel.
Among the interesting cast are actors Sharon Besige, Joel Okuyo Atiku, Felix Bwanika Baale and Rogers Williams Mpaata-Otako. The play is directed by Louis Muhereza, a script writer with NTV’s Deception TV series. Over 90 schools are expected to attend.
The students will also be given a keynote introduction of the set-play by Patience Itah, a literature teacher at Kings’ College Budo.
Otako urged the public to support theatre because it compliments education.
“The public should know that there is a need to build interests and capacity of Ugandan nationals to start to use theatre as a mode of education. Through this, we will improve on our educational performances in schools. In the end we shall have not only improved theatre but also individual creativity in schools. Therefore aiding the formation of a holistic student and learner,” he says.
According to Otako, “by engaging in such productions, we create a platform to share theatrical works and trainings in school.”
The play will also be staged at the National Theatre tomorrow and also at the Centre for Performing Arts and Culture (CEPAC) in Jinja.
Sudan President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir is once again in the news, for the wrong reasons. The man who has ruled Sudan for over two decades was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for Genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in 2009, for his ruthless activities for over ten years that have led to the death of over 300.000 people in the restive Darfur region in the west of his country.
And now, in a bold move and show of the rule of law, early this week on Sunday a South African court had issued a temporary order, barring the Sudanese President from leaving the Rainbow State. Bashir, the first sitting President to be indicted, was in SA for the African Union Summit and the ICC immediately swung into action, demanding that he be arrested. South Africa is a party to ICC treaty and is bound by the rules to arrest any indictee who sets foot on its soil. But some African leaders and the Government of South Africa are arguing that indicted leaders cannot be arrested while attending the AU summit.
Indeed, a lot about the operations of the ICC has been said by some African presidents, with castigation that it only focuses on ‘unfairly’ arresting African leaders (and some African warlords). There is a degree of truth in that claim. But there is also reason to further interrogate their claim because, as it turns out, majority of the oppressive regimes and leaders are to be found in Africa. Also, it is important that these guys who run ruthless governments that torture and butcher citizens with impunity must be brought to book and punished.
This is not the first time Bashir is tempting the international community in regard to his warrant of arrest and his AU antics. In 2013 human rights lawyers in Nigeria sought his arrest as he was in the country to attend the AU summit. He fled!
But in a show of defiance, and in order to travel, the reclusive leader has since been hiding behind the cover of the AU, something that should not be allowed to gain currency. It is also time the ICC seeks amendments, and strengthens its rules of engagement with members of the Assembly of State Parties (ASP) and make changes, including sanctions, to its enforcement programme.
Former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi has broken the loud silence on his presidential ambitions
Finally. The bombshell.
Former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi has broken the loud silence on his presidential ambitions, and announced that he intends to contest for party leadership in the National Resistance Movement and as its flag bearer in the forthcoming 2016 elections.
Mbabazi’s announcement comes in the wake of rife speculation by Ugandans that the former blue-eyed boy of President Yoweri Museveni had cowed from challenging his long-time political ally.
“ I come before today, to tell you that I will be seeking your vote, first within my party the NRM as its flag bearer; and later on in the whole country for President in the 2016 presidential elections,” he states.
In the typical Mbabazi flamboyance, the former premier released a statement on ‘you tube’ saying the current government under Museveni had become inept, and that the coming elections should mark the turning point in Uganda’s history.
‘It is about breathing new life into our system of government – a system that has become weak and inefficient,” Mbabazi states and adds: “This is the most important election in a generation; as a people we must choose between achieving success in the new global economy or nursing a tired nation – yesterday’s story.”
Mbabazi’s cracks with his boss started surfacing in February last year, when the former Premier hesitantly signed on a petition by Northern Youth MP Evelyn Anite, suggesting that the NRM endorse Museveni as the sole flag bearer for the party in the 2016 elections. Mbabazi, who was then Secretary General, was not impressed; he signed the petition as number 202, sparking off a bitter fall out involving Museveni’s and Mbabazi’s NRM supporters.
The ensuing period was to become one of anxiety, drawing in the two principals, Museveni and Mbabazi. The fallout out also drew in Mrs Jacqueline Mbabazi and her daughter Lanina Mbabazi, both vociferous political activists.
Not surprising then, in September last year Museveni swung the axe, firing Mbabazi from the post of Prime Minister. And in December the same year, Mbabazi was to be humiliated further when the party dumped the former premier as Secretary General, replacing him with Ms. Justin Kasule Lumumba, the then NRM Chief Whip in Parliament.
Not to be outdone, Mbabazi put on a resolute aura, charming crowds with his recalcitrant attitude. A hitherto reclusive man, he now began attending almost all functions he was invited to, sending his political rivals in overdrive, which has now culminated in the NRM threatening to take disciplinary action against him.
Mbabazi, 66, is the Kinkiizi West Member of Parliament, and has been engaged in Uganda’s politics for over four decades, at one time playing ‘hide and seek’ with the post-Independence governments of Iddi Amin, Milton Obote II and Tito Okello Lutwa. And when the NRM came to power in 1986, he was to become the first Director General of the External Security Organisation. A lawyer, previously Mbabazi has also served in cabinet, first as State Minister for Regional Cooperation, Attorney General, and later for Defence; as the first ever Minister full Minister of Defence in Yoweri Museveni’s government and, later as Minister for Security. It is from Security that Mbabazi was made Prime Minister after the 2011 presidential elections.
“As most of you know, I have dedicated many years of my life to serving the people of Uganda. My loyalty is absolute. It is to the people and Constitution of Uganda. It is to the founding principles of the NRM and the values for which I fought as a young man and for which many lost their property, liberty and even their lives,” Mbabazi, states.
It is not entirely clear when Museveni, Mbabazi and the NRM started parting ways, but in the not so distant past the former Secretary General played a leading role in trying to purge rebellious members from the party, notably making him cross paths with Lwemiyaga county MP Theodore Ssekikubo, Buyaga MP Barnabas Tinkasimiire, Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko and Kinkiizi East MP Dr Chris Baryomunsi. Dr Baryomunsi has since been ‘rehabilitated’ and was recently named State Minister for Health in Charge of General Duties in the last cabinet reshuffle on March 1.
According to Mbabazi, there are eight pillars on which his presidential aspirations are hinged; reviving democracy, economic transformation, promoting equitable development, creating jobs, ensuring accountability, respect for rule of law and security of person and property, providing good health care and, enhancing quality education.
He also says that much as a lot has been gained since independence in 1962, and there is need to consolidate those gains.
“We have too much to be proud of to allow anyone to belittle those gains,” he states, in apparent reference to the leaders and system which he served for 43 years.
Mbabazi timeline
Born January 1949 in Mparo village, Rukiga County in Kabale district. He is 66 years old
Went to Makerere University and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Law (LLB) in 1975 and later joined the Law Development Centre (LDC) for his post-graduate diploma in law obtained in 1976.
Married Jacqueline Ruhindi Mbabazi, a daughter to Canon Ruhindi and together they have six children
Worked as State Attorney during Iddi Amin’s regime
Served in Cabinet under different portfolios from 1990s to 2014
Member of Parliament for Kinkiizi West in Kanungu District
Kampala-Former Prime Minister Patrick Amama Mbabazi is to address a press conference this morning at Kampala Serena Hotel.
Mbabazi is expected to launch his presidential bid but is likely to commence with the bid for the post of National Resistance Movement NRM party Chairman to challenge President Yoweri Museveni who was endorsed as a sole candidate at Kyakwanzi by his party’s Parliamentary caucus last year.
Mr Mbabazi was dropped last year after he was accused of habouring presidential ambitions. However, Mr Museveni told the BBC in London that he sacked Mr Mbabazi because he was a divisive person causing divisions in the party.
