A delegation from Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) top and senior management team, led by the Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Samuel Akena visited the Naguru JLOS house to assess the progress of the new UPS headquarters construction. The team included heads of directorates and departments.

The visit aimed to evaluate the project’s completion timeline, inspect the allotted space, and discuss customization of UPS needs, costs associated with shared utilities and services, and other concerns.

The construction works, being done by Seyani Brothers Co. (U) Ltd, a leading construction company in the country, have reached approximately 70% completion, with the technical team optimistic about meeting the January 2025 deadline.

The state-of-the-art new JLOS house tower will accommodate all institutions in the Criminal Justice System, including the Judiciary Ministry of Internal Affairs, Uganda Prisons Service among others with a close proximity to Uganda Police head offices. The UPS office space will occupy the basement, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors, covering 3840 square meters.

The team identified areas requiring customization, including safety and security, ICT, and medical facilities. Heads of relevant departments will be engaged to address these needs during the partitioning phase.

During a walk around tour the facility concerns were raised regarding shared utilities, services, security, and environmental cleanliness, with questions about cost responsibilities. The team was informed that a policy is being drafted to address these concerns.

The Chairman of the Contracts Management Team, JLOS house, expressed gratitude for the UPS delegation’s visit and valuable input, which will enhance client satisfaction and customization.

The new Prisons headquarters is expected to provide a modern and secure environment for UPS operations, alleviating pressure on the current headquarters building.

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The Minister of lands and properties in Buganda Kingdom, David Mpanga has warned the public against the sale of all land housing cultural sites, royal tombs and known historical sites in the kingdom, citing that it belongs to the Kabaka and is managed by the Buganda Land Board on behalf of the kingdom.

“The kingdom of Buganda has received reports of unscrupulous individuals that are purporting to buy and acquire sub-dividing, selling and building on land housing cultural sites, royal tombs and known historical sites,” Mpanga reported.

Mpanga urged the public to be aware that Buganda land is not for sale and is legally not capable of sale without the consent of the Kabaka of Buganda.

“Take note that the custodians entrusted with this land have no right to sub-lease, sell, part with the possession or alienate the land in any way. Anyone who transacts on this land does so illegally and at his or her own risk,” Mpanga guided.

He therefore informed the public the section 64(2) of the Registration of Title Act protects such historical cultural sites which are found on any registered land and whoever holds or acquires title to land where there cultural sites holds the same subject to Buganda Kingdom and community cultural rights and interests on that land.

Mpanga further advises the public to be very cautious not to conduct or be involved in any transactions on such land to avoid being cheated and held liable for possession in the Courts of Law.

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Six people have been confirmed dead, while three others sustained injuries in a road crash that occurred this morning on June 12, 2024 at Kakiika along Ntungamo-Rukungiri Road in Ntungamo District.

Michael Kananura, Public Relations Officer Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety revealed that the crash involved motor vehicles UBN 337H, a Toyota Hiace, and UAP 385U, an Isuzu bus belonging to Kasaaba Bus Company.

Kananura said that according to the initial report, motor vehicle UBN 337H, which was coming from Rukungiri to Ntungamo, got a tyre puncture and parked on the right-hand side of the road, leaving part of the vehicle on the tarmac while attempting to fix the tyre, with full lights on.

“Unfortunately, the bus, which was coming from Kampala and heading to Rukungiri, veered off the road and collided head-on with the parked omnibus, instantly killing six people, including the driver, the turn man, and a police officer attached to Nsangi Police Station, and injuring three others,” Kananura said.

He confirmed that the traffic police responded to the scene immediately and transported the victims to Devine Health and Ntungamo Specialist Medical Centres for medical attention.

He added that the dead bodies have been conveyed to Rwashameire Health Centre IV for post-mortem examination, while the motor vehicles have been towed to Ntungamo Central Police as inquiries commence.

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Lwemiyaga Member of Parliament Theodore Ssekikubo and Tororo Woman MP Sarah Opendi have released a list of legislators who signed the censure motion to censure four commissioners of parliament who allocated themselves Shs1.7 billion.

Last month, a section of legislators led by Ssekikubo embarked on the process of collecting signatures to censure Parliamentary Commissioners including the former Leader of the Opposition Mathias Mpuuga. 

According to the list, at least 142 MPs of the 177 needed to table the motion have appended their signatures.

The Parliamentary Commission’s leaked documents show how in May 2022 the former Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Mathias Mpuuga, commissioner Solomon Silwany, Prossy Akampurira, and Esther Afoyochan met and shared the money.

According to these documents, Mpuuga was awarded a one-off service payment of Shs500 million, while three commissioners from the National Resistance Movement each received Shs400 million. The biggest opposition party in Parliament, the National Unity Platform (NUP), resolved to recall Mpuuga as the Parliamentary Commissioner but failed because according to the parliamentary procedures, it’s majority in parliament who can censure a commissioner

The commissioners are faulted because proposal was supposed to first go through the legal and parliamentary affairs committee before it is tabled before the whole House for debate and approval. Every individual who gets retirement benefits, be it the speaker, vice president, or others, has to have it discussed and passed by parliament.

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Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has asked parents and cultural leaders to put an end to teenage pregnancies and child marriages, saying the vice is encouraged by the unfortunate practice of viewing girls as a commodity.

Launching the Parliamentary Forum to End Child Marriages and Teenage Pregnancies, where she was named its patron, Speaker Among sounded a call to action to parents and cultural leaders, who she said carry the magic wand to end the scourge of teenage pregnancies and early marriages.

In her emotional story as someone who almost fell prey to the practice, Speaker Among said the girls, too, should put up a fight and not easily give in to early marriages.

“The issue of eliminating teenage pregnancies is a reality; I happened to be a victim of this particular practice; the challenge is that the moment a parent sees a girl developing breasts, they say she is ready for marriage,” she said.

Adding “I was going to primary seven when I almost got forced into a marriage; I took off from home, went and became a house girl, stayed in some other people’s homes, and managed to pay for my own education,” she said.

She blamed poor parenting for the increase in the vice and offered her support to the forum in creating awareness to end the practice and put the girls to school.

“One of the causes of early marriages and child pregnancy is an issue of parenting, but it also comes back to you: what do you want in life? You can be taken through all that, but the resilience to move on is very important,” she said.

Speaker Among thanked the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and development partners for supporting efforts to eradicate the practice, saying it is time to take the fight to parents and cultural leaders, who should end practices that encourage the vice.

MP Ronald Olema Afidra (NRM, Lower Madi Constituency), who is the chairperson of the forum, said society should not give up on the victims but still extend to them an opportunity to go back to school.

“Let us give them [the girls] the opportunity to go back to school where they can; we need the girls growing up to be girls, not to prematurely become mothers,” he said.

He added: “The girls who get married early have limited education opportunities; they will also not be able to deliver well, which sadly contributes to maternal deaths in Uganda.”

Laura Criado Lafuente, who represented the UFPA Country Representative, Gift Malunga, pledged support for the new forum, saying their intervention will be evidence-based, using demographic statistics to mount a laser-focused challenge against teenage pregnancies and marriages.

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