Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, has asked the Committee on Education and Sports to avail Shs52.9 billion in its new budget to renovate facilities at the Colleges of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.
According to Nawangwe, the university’s graduate students in veterinary medicine have been suspended from the Uganda Veterinary Board, owing to inadequate training facilities of the college.
He added that the Medical and Dental Practitioners Council recently warned that it would halt the registration of medical graduates due to among others, inadequate staffing at the colleges of medicine.
“The President gave a directive to avail funds to improve facilities at all medical schools in Uganda but the funding has not been realized. We request the Committee to pay special attention to these issues and help the University to resolve them,” Nawangwe said while appearing before MPs, on Monday April 17, 2023.
He said the funding can be phased in by providing Shs10 billion annually and maintaining the base for five years.
“We do not need all the money in one year, but we should be given some money to begin with so that these Councils can see that we are putting in some effort,” Nawangwe added.
The committee chairperson, John Twesigye, observed that funding to support the College of Medicine at Makerere University had previously been catered for.
“There is money that was appropriated by the 10th Parliament for the Dental School. Why didn’t the College of Veterinary Medicine come out to raise their concern?” Twesigye asked.
He tasked the university to set up an infrastructure sustainability plan to ensure that the renovated facilities remain well maintained.
Phiona Nyamutoro (NRM, Youth National Representative) asked the university to present a detailed utilisation plan for the Shs52.9 billion, to enable the committee to appreciate the task at hand.
“The Vice Chancellor mentioned that they do not need the money for the renovation of the medical colleges at once, so it would be proper if they provided a breakdown on the phases and how they intend to go about it,” she said.
Agnes Acibu (NRM, Nebbi District Woman Representative) alluded to the country’s economy, saying that the university ought to put forward priorities that need to be capitalised on while budgeting for the institution in the new financial year.
“When information reaches students, who fall under this docket that they cannot be a part of these Councils, they can get affected psychologically. I am calling upon us (MPs) to do the needful and arrest this situation before it is too late,” said Acibu.
Kashari County South MP, Nathan Twesigye, emphasised the need to carry out field visits to the university so as to appreciate the magnitude of the challenges faced by Makerere University.
He also queried the outputs of discussions from the Uganda Vice Chancellors’ Forum.
“How binding are your discussions and resolutions from this forum? We should have a copy of your resolutions because it is as if you only discuss your individual universities and do not look at these cross-cutting issues like budget cuts,” Itungo said.
While presenting the university budget estimates for Financial Year 2023/2024, the University Secretary, Yusuf Kiranda, called on Parliament to approve a budget of Shs367.8 billion and off-the-budget financing estimates of Shs187.37 billion.
He said this will enable an increase in the rate of food and living-out allowances for government-sponsored students, protection of university land, as well as promotion of academic staff.
Crown Beverages Limited, the franchise bottler for PepsiCo, Inc., in Uganda on April 5,2023, officially inaugurated its multimillion-dollar bottling plant at Kakungulu, Kajjansi Town Council, on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city.
The commissioned plant, built at a cost of $76 million, is the first phase of a $90 million expansion project that is being undertaken by the bottler in an effort to meet new demand domestically and in the region, as well as expand its product portfolio to meet new and emerging consumer tastes and preferences.
The second phase that is already underway is scheduled to be completed in November this year at a cost of $24 million.
The bottling plant was officially commissioned by the Vice President of Uganda, Rtd Major. Jessica Alupo, who represented the President of Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni. Also present, and leading a delegation from PepsiCo, was Eugene Willemsen, the CEO Africa, Middle East & South Asia (AMESA) region.
Left-Right: Eugene Willemsen, the PepsiCo CEO of the Africa, Middle East & South Asia (AMESA) region; Dr. Amos Nzeyi, the Crown Beverages Limited Executive Chairman; The Vice President of Uganda, Rtd Major. Jessica Alupo; Paddy Muramiirah, the CBL CEO and former Prime Minister of Uganda, Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda tour the newly commissioned CBL bottling plant. At the back is Major General Jim Muhwezi Katugugu, the Cabinet Minister for National Security and Hon. Mwebesa Francis, Minister of Trade Industry and Cooperatives
Several cabinet ministers and other government officials including Mwebesa Francis, Minister of Trade Industry and Cooperatives and his deputy, David Bahati as well as Major General Jim Muhwezi Katugugu, the Cabinet Minister for National Security.
“The Kakungulu plant has an installed production capacity of 116,000 bottles per hour. It has the ability to produce 80,000 bottles of carbonated soft drinks and 36,000 bottles of water per hour,” Mr. Amos Nzeyi, the Executive Chairman said.
“We still have a new site that we have embarked on at Kakungulu. The lines have been bought, and are to be installed in the under-construction buildings. The buildings will be finished in three months and the two new lines installed starting September this year and will start operating on November 1,2023,” he added.
The expansion has been financed by shareholder contributions, Citibank and Stanbic Bank, as well as PepsiCo.
“I would like to thank my fellow shareholders and directors, Chris Kayoboke and Dr. Maggie Kigozi for their commitment to Crown Beverages Limited over the 30 years. I would also like to express our gratitude to the management and staff of CBL for standing by us over the years. We couldn’t have done this without you,” Nzeyi reiterated.
Armed with a franchise from PepsiCo, Crown Beverages purchased the assets of the then government-owned Lake Victoria Bottling Company on February 28, 1993 and has severally invested and reinvested in the business, growing it from a small bottler reliant on government subsidies to produce just 1.8 million cases of a few soda brands annually, to now a robust bottler, producing 65 million cases, distributed across the region.
The company employs up to 10,000 people directly and indirectly across its distribution chain and paid Shs200 billion in taxes in 2022.
Crown Beverages Limited bottles Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Mirinda Fruity, Mirinda Orange, Mirinda Pineapple, Mirinda Green Apple, Evervess Tonic, Sting Energy Drink and Nivana Water. Nivana comes in two varieties, namely; still and sparkling. In November 2022, CBL unveiled Aquafina, its new brand of bottled drinking water. Aquafina, enriched mineral is a brand of PepsiCo, Inc.,. Uganda is the third country to be allowed by PepsiCo International to bottle the Aquafina brand, after Nigeria and Egypt.
“Our products are available in well over 100,000 retail outlets such as kiosks dukas, groceries, supermarkets, restaurants, canteens and depots countrywide. The company has witnessed continuous growth for the last six years and is currently the market leader of the Ugandan carbonated soft drinks industry,” said Paddy Muramiirah, the Chief Executive Officer.
The phenomenal growth of a respected Ugandan-owned and run businesses
President Museveni led a number of stakeholders who hailed CBL’s shareholders and management for the phenomenal transformation of the company into one of Uganda’s most successful and impactful businesses.
“The success of CBL and other formerly government-owned companies vindicates the NRM government’s privatisation strategy. At the time of privatisation, LVBC was only producing only 1.8m cartons of Soda annually. I am happy to note that CBL now produces and sells over 65 million cartons of soda annually. This has made soda products available for everyone in Uganda and regionally,” Mr. Museveni said.
“Before privatisation, the government used to subsidise LVBC which means Ugandans were supporting the company with their taxes. We are happy to note that the company is now supporting Ugandans by providing Shs200 billion in taxes annually. We congratulate Amos Nzeyi, Mzee Chris Kayoboke and Maggie Kigozi upon this achievement,” said Museveni, in a speech read for him, by the Vice President.
“The factory that you have just opened this morning that is costing $90 million is testimony that Nzeyi, Mzee Chris Kayoboke, and Margaret Kigozi and their partners have confidence in our government. I commend them for this investment which will provide employment to over 10,000 Ugandans directly and indirectly,” added Mr. Museveni.
On her part, the Vice President lauded the directors and management for leveraging the stable political and economic environment to invest in Uganda as well as “investing and completing the facility in record time⏤7 months and 2 days”, moreover during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“I wanted the CEO, PepsiCo AMESA, to know that you have quality in the person of Dr. Amos Nzeyi, in the promotion of Crown Beverages/PepsiCo in Uganda,” she said.
Mr. Eugene Willemsen, the CEO Africa, Middle East & South Asia (AMESA) at PepsiCo also lauded the shareholders and management of CBL for building one of the most progressive PepsiCo partners in the AMESA region.
“We at PepsiCo are extremely grateful for the phenomenal partnership with Amos Nzeyi and his fellow Board of Directors, Maggie Kigozi, Chris Kayoboke, Paddy Muramiirah and the entire Crown Beverages team,” he said, adding: “It is a partnership that has lasted 30 years; a partnership that started with humble beginnings”.
“Over the last two years since I started presiding over this region, I got to know Amos Nzeyi as an absolute gentleman and as a phenomenal, phenomenal business partner; someone who puts his people first, but is also very very competitive. He and his team have grown the business from a low single-digit market share to a business that has over 70% market share. That is extremely outstanding,” he said.
Willemsen said that the expanded state-of-the-art plant, “marks what excellence is about”.
“As we are gearing up for the next chapter in Uganda. We at PepsiCo are extremely proud of what has been accomplished so far and we look forward to a great future here in Uganda. With this facility, we hope to further expand our portfolio and we have started doing so with the addition of Aquafina, which was launched a couple of months ago (in November 2022) and is already beginning to get good market share in the water market,” he said.
Willemsen added that with the growth of PepsiCo presence and impact in Uganda, the company was also reinforcing its commitment to its sustainability agenda in the country that among others covers corporate social investments, the environment, water usage, healthier products with reduced sugar and reducing the composition and weight of plastics in packaging.
“We firmly believe that the success of our business lies in a thriving community. Therefore we are committed to working with CBL to ensure the communities in which we operate in Uganda are thriving,” he reaffirmed.
Other stakeholders who commended CBL for its progressive impact on the socio-economic development of Uganda included the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Francis Mwebesa; the Chairman of Private Sector Foundation Uganda, Mr. Humphrey Nzeyi and the Chairman of Uganda Manufacturers Association, Mr. Deo Kayemba.
President Yoweri Museveni who doubles as the Commander in Chief of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces has commissioned the first-ever overhauled and upgraded Russian Type helicopter in sub-Saharan Africa.
The function took place April 18, 2023 at the PRO Heli Plant International Services Limited at Nakasongola Air base.
While speaking at the function President Museveni observed that the commissioning was another example of Uganda’s excellent and longstanding relations with Russia, based on a convergence of interests that continue to bear logical dividends for Africa.
President thanked the Russian government for not objecting Uganda’s cooperation but decided to support it and also thanked National Enterprise Corporation and Luwero Industries for enthusiastically taking advantage of this good will to build their capacity.
“In 1986 I sent the late Kategaya to buy MI 17 from the Soviet Union, but soon after the Soviet Union collapsed during the time of Gorbachev and Yeltsin there was chaos. When Putin took over, he stabilized the country. I want to congratulate President Putin for stabilizing Russia and strengthening it again,” President Museveni said.
On arrival at the facility President Museveni toured one of the hangers at the facility led by, the Chief Executive Officer of PRO Heli International Services Ltd, Valari Copcin and said that there was no contact with the Russian partners so offered he to travel to Russia as a tourist to revive the relationship with the Russians.
“You couldn’t get anything from Russia, there was no contact. I worked with the UN office on a private visit. I said I want to revive this relationship. I went as a tourist and met the current Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the former Prime Minister. That is when I bought the SUKHOI,” he disclosed.
General Museveni also commended the Managing Director of National Enterprise Corporation Lt Gen James Mugira for the initiative to follow up the project noting that many ideas are always conceived but end up getting aborted because they are not supported.
The President further said he has often indicated in writing to the Western partners on how the world should be run not through rivalry but through cooperation.
General Museveni disclosed the genesis of the relationship between Africa and Russia in terms of support in the field of military hardware saying it dates back to the time of President Abdel Nasser who in 1955 first bought equipment from the Soviet Union as there was no Independent African country except for Ethiopia, Egypt and Liberia and noted that Russia therefore has been Africa’s partner for the last 100 years and had been supporting anti-colonial movements.
He therefore stressed that the partnership with PRO Heli is a healthy one and described it as that of common sense. He said there is a big demand in Uganda that has helicopters which need maintenance, overhaul and upgrading.
President Museveni welcomed and supported ideas fronted by the CEO PRO Heli to have the SUKHOI also overhauled and upgraded at the facility, to work with other countries in Africa and Latin America as well as Brazil adding that it is convenient for everybody in terms of proximity. He said these countries can also benefit from the services of the facility.
General Museveni however noted that the facility serves for better economics as it employs highly trained Ugandan Engineers whose remuneration is lower than their counterparts in Europe and welcomed the idea of the general Electronic Counter Measures for self-protection when in the air.
General Museveni further supported all the measures and plans Pro Heli proposed to have other commercial aircrafts serviced and maintained at the facility and urged Pro Heli to get other investors in other areas that are non-military like was done with the Chinese investors.
The Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs Hon Vincent Ssempijja thanked General Museveni for his wise and wonderful leadership that has enabled Ugandans to see what is happening today in the forces.
He disclosed that there is a lot of savings to his ministry from the facility as transporting one helicopter alone to and fro for hauling and maintenance abroad costs over $2 million dollars and said many dignitaries who include Heads of State have visited the facility and expressed their interest to bring equipment to the facility for service and overhaul.
The Chief of Defense Forces Gen Wilson Mbadi pointed out the major benefits of the facility that include among others self-reliance, combat readiness and employing 200 Ugandan Engineers and added that the facility will also promote Defense Diplomacy as other countries will be utilizing the services of the plant.
The Commandant of the Air Force Gen Okidi was represented by Brig. David Gonyi who highlighted many advantages the plant is to offer that include giving the Air Force short time of service and will also support Industrialization policy and the country’s economy.
While speaking at the same event, the CEO of PRO Heli International Services, Valari Copcin said their aim is to make the facility a one stop center for all aviation needs.
The Managing Director of National Enterprise Corporation Lt Gen Mugira outlined the achievements made within one year of the establishment of the plant naming the building of capacity transfer of technology and skills as one of them.
The Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development Matia Kasaija has returned the iron sheets to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) stores in Namanve.
This comes at a time when two ministers have been charged and remanded ministers who include; Karamoja Mary Goreti Kitutu and State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development Amos Lugolobi for mismanaging roofing sheets that were meant for the impoverished people in Karamoja.
The State minister for Karamoja, Agnes Nandutu is currently before Police CID, Kibuli over the same issue. Speaker Anita Among returned her sheets but he was meant with resistance from CID operatives who later collected profiled them as evidence.
Appearing before the Presidential Affairs Committee of Parliament, Kasaija said he received the 300 iron sheets but he didn’t know that they were meant for the impoverished people in Karamoja. “I have never applied for iron sheets. I got them. Some called me and said that the office of the prime minister is donating iron sheets and we have some which I will bring you to sign and the next thing is iron sheets were delivered,” he said. “Even now, I have a bundle of 300 iron sheets and I don’t know if they were delivered to my home in Kampala. They are in my compound. The other ones I took, I was told that they were meant to support my constituency and I gave 450 iron sheets to a school and the balance is still in my store in Kibaale and I am looking for who else to give,” he said.
He pleaded innocence saying ” please crucify me knowing that I am innocent. The iron sheets found themselves in my compound. I follow the Constitution. These questions should be focused on the Office of the Prime Minister. We are victims. I never asked for these iron sheets”.
Kasaija is among the top ministers who benefited from the iron sheets which were allegedly meant for people in Karamoja. The ministers involved in the scandal include; Rebecca Kadaga, Jacob Oboth Oboth, Hamson Obua, Amos Lugolobi and sundry.
Mumba Kalifungwa, Managing Director, Absa Bank Uganda.
Absa Bank Uganda has reported Shs141 billion profit after tax for the year ended December 2022. The growth in profit is attributed to a 12.5% growth in revenue by Shs46 billion driven by sustained customer and business recovery to near pre-#Covid-19 levels.
“Despite an uncertain operating environment, I am pleased to report that it was a year of growth for us at Absa. This performance is underpinned by the resilience of Uganda’s economy which grew by 4.6% in the face of a global economic downturn and tighter financial conditions. We anchored our focus on supporting our customers to navigate these tough times,” said Mumba Kalifungwa, Managing Director, Absa Bank Uganda.
The bank reported a significant drop in impairment, 94% driven by sustained business recovery and the improved post pandemic economic environment.
“We are pleased to report that impairment reduced substantially, resulting from an improvement in the construct of our loan book. It is a further reflection of our efforts to help customers regain and improve their ability to meet their credit obligations. Through sustained customer engagement, providing the necessary business and financial advisory, we were able to support our customers’ businesses, most of which were in distress, to recover from the lockdown impact,” Kalifungwa added.
The bank also reported a 19.8% growth in customer loans to Shs1.6 trillion mainly as a result of increased demand for credit following the resurgence of the economy from the effects of #-Covid-19.
“Despite the macro-economic challenges affecting the business and operating environment, we supported the economy’s growth trajectory financing key sectors including agriculture, trade, construction and real estate and manufacturing. Our total lending to the agriculture sector currently stands at Shs158 billion, reflecting a growth of 40% from 2021, trade at Shs 306 billion growing by 25% from 2021 and manufacturing at Shs196 billion growing by 14% from the previous year,” Kalifungwa said.
The bank realized a marginal growth in customer deposits to Shs2.5 trillion attributed to an increase in the active customer base as a result of New to Bank acquisitions and reactivation of inactive accounts. Additionally, there were increased customer engagements due to the capabilities built by the bank across its various alternate channels.
“Our total assets grew by 5.6% to Shs4.23 trillion maintaining a 7.3% cumulative annual growth rate. This growth is largely attributable to a strong increase in customer loans as we continue to support our individual, SME and commercial customers in their personal and business endeavors,” Michael Segwaya, Executive Director and CFO said.
Going into 2023, Absa’s strategic priorities remain centered around improving customer and digital experience, delivering, and protecting returns, developing people, and ensuring a sustainable control environment.
“A 12% increase in total equity denotes our ability to finance economic expansion across all strategic sectors. We are very well capitalized, financially stable, solid, and growing. Over the near and medium term, we project that economic growth will be supported by developments in the oil sector and a rebound in agricultural output on improved weather conditions. We are already seeing a reduction in inflation which signals better days ahead. We intend to put sustainability at the centre of everything we do to deliver shared value within our community,” Kalifungwa said.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has asked Parliament to provide an additional Shs80 billion required to conduct Women Council elections whose term of service expired in 2022 and the Local Council elections due for July 2023.
The money is part of the Shs542 billion the electoral body tabled before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, to cater for activities that are either underfunded or not funded, as per the approved budget estimates of the 2023/2024 financial year.
“The term of office for Local Councils I and II will expire on July 14, 2023. The Commission has planned to conduct the elections in the 2023/2024 financial year but no appropriation was made in the budget,” said EC Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama.
He said that failure to conduct the elections has legal and administrative implications, and asked Parliament to appropriate an additional Shs60.88 billion.
“It is imperative that the Women Councils’ election which was to be held in August 2022 but suspended due to lack of funds be considered in the next budget. The cost of running these elections is Shs20 billion,” Byabakama said.
The EC Secretary, Leonard Mulekwah, asked Parliament to further provide Shs7.29 billion to operationalize electoral offices and stores in the 10 newly created cities and Terego district, also left out in the approved budget estimates.
“The EC is required to operationalize electoral offices in those new creations by recruiting a district election administrator, assistant district election administrator, secretary and driver for each electoral district,” said Mulekwah.
He added, “Currently these new creations are operating as desks in the mother districts with borrowed skeleton staff and logistics. This mode of operation has hampered service delivery both in cities and mother districts”.
The committee chairperson, Robina Rwakoojo said the Women Councils’ election were critical since they form part of the Parish Development Model teams.
MPs recognized that EC’s request was to fulfill its statutory obligations amidst limited funding and asked the Commission to consider funding their top priorities.
“Given that we all know we have limited resources, we advise you to consider activities that are adversely affected by non-funding. I for example suggest that you spend Shs11 billion to remunerate your staff and let political parties survive from their members’ contribution,” said Fox Odoi Oywelowo (NRM, West Budama North East County).
MPs recommended that EC should prioritize paying sub-county and parish election supervisors who they said were much aggrieved by delayed payments.
“I have been receiving complaints from parish supervisors complaining that they have some pending payments which have not been undertaken by the EC,” Bosco Ikiror (NRM, Usuk County).
Rwakoojo asked EC to payout the temporary electoral team that EC hires during elections, saying those in her constituency have often complained of non-payment.
The Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and Prime Minister Robinah Nabajjanja might face another round of police interrogation after investigations revealed new information in the ongoing probe against the misuse of iron sheets meant for Karamoja sub-region.
According to security sources, the investigators are getting new and useful information about the scandal which has rocked the country. ” We can’t rule out speaking to all officials mentioned in the probe including the Speaker and the Prime Minister,” the source said.
The Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga didn’t respond to our repeated calls. But the source said the speaker, Prime minister, Vice President Jesicca Alupo, former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, Third Deputy Prime minister Rukia Nakadama were interrogated from their offices two weeks ago unlike other ministers who reported to police.
The decision to interrogate the top five government officials involved in this iron sheets scandal was ordered by President Museveni to avoid embarrassing them.
The other ministers mentioned in the scandal are Karamoja Minister Goretti Kitutu who is out on bail, State minister for Planning Amos Lugoloobi currently on remand at Luzira Prisons and State Minister Minister for Karamoja Agnes Nandutu who had snubbed the police summons but later turned herself in on Tuesday.
Others
The investigative teams had to move to the locations of these top officials. But the source said there is a lot of information being picked from the field and new lines of inquiry are being established by the investigative team.
Others include State minister Jacob Oboth Oboth, government Chief Whip Hamson Obua, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija and Ethics and Integrity Minister Lucy Akello, State Minister for Finance (General Duties) Henry Musasizi among others.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ramathan Ggoobi, has urged the government of Uganda to concentrate on mobilization of local domestic revenue, citing decline in the international funding. Ggoobi said he has been attending the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC from where countries were informed that donor taps are drying and hence they must endeavor to generate their own revenue locally.
“I have concluded with the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC. International funding is declining and non-concessional sources are getting more expensive. So, we must step up collection of domestic revenue, and keep fiscal deficits at the bare minimum,” he said on Monday. Ggoobi, who is the Secretary to the Treasury, said the little money available (both concessional and non-concessional) is slowly moving to financing mainly climate-smart investments.
“So, we must reform our fiscal frameworks to provide clarity, incentives and capacity building,” he said. He also urged the government to reduce the risk of debt stress by cutting expenditure. “Bottom line, we must reduce the risk of debt distress by increasing revenue collection, cutting government spending and protecting only growth-enhancing spending, and providing incentives to attract climate smart financing,” Ggoobi said.
In East Africa, Kenya and Rwanda have recently seen their debt levels climb to more than 60 per cent of the economies, while Burundi, Uganda and Tanzania also recorded ratios just above 40 per cent. Uganda’s total debt in 2022 was estimated at $21 billion US Dollars as opposed to revenue collections of just $6 billion.
The Spring Meetings are usually attended by approximately 2,800 delegates from World Bank affiliated member countries, 350 observer organization representatives and 800 members of the press. Approximately 550 accredited civil society members also participate in the Meetings.
President Yoweri Museveni has summoned the Notational Resistance Movement- NRM legislators to discuss the just passed Anti Homosexuality Bill 2023.
“The purpose of this letter is to invite you for the meeting of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus which will take place on Thursday at State house Entebbe. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss among others the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023,” Denis Obua, Government Chief Whip said.
Last month, parliament unanimously passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 which aims at among others protecting traditional families by prohibiting sexual relationships between people of the same sex, strengthening that country’s capacity to deal with emerging threats to the traditional family, protecting the cherished culture of Uganda and protecting children and youth who are vulnerable to sexual abuse.
It also seeks to criminalise same-sex relationships with a liability of imprisonment of two to 10 years for homosexuality, aggravated homosexuality, attempted homosexuality, aiding and abetting homosexuality, conspiracy to commit homosexuality and other related practices.
The Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014 was passed by Parliament on December 20, 2013 with life in prison substituted for the death penalty. Whereas it was signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni on February 24,2014, the Constitutional Court on August 1,2014 annulled the law citing that it was passed without the required quorum in the House.
The Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs Hon Agnes Nandutu has handed herself over to Police for investigations on the Karamoja iron sheets scandal, Eagle Online reliably confirms.
Nandutu is currently detained at the Criminal Investigations Directorate in Kibuli where she will first face charges of snubbing police summons before being arraigned to court over the Iron Sheets scandal.
The Bududa Woman MP becomes the third minister to be charged in the widening scandal following ministers; Amos Lugoloobi (Planning) and her boss Mary Goretti Kitutu (Karamoja Affairs) who have since been charged before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kololo over the mismanagement of the Karamoja relief items.
While addressing the press yesterday, police spokesperson Fred Enanga told journalists Nandutu had not responded to the summons issued for her to appear last week and risked being arrested if she didn’t hand herself to the forces.
“Last Friday, we summoned Agnes Nandutu, to reappear at Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters to clarify certain additional areas of inquiry but she did not turn up,” Enanga said.
“We would like to inform all persons subjected to investigation to please cooperate with the task team of investigators. The information that we require can help either prove the allegations against you or disprove the allegations that have been put against them,” he added.
Enanga said although most of the investigations have been completed, there are still questions arising out of the constant consultations between investigators and the office of the DPP, which is why they are still summoning suspects.
“There are some of the suspects that we interviewed from the beginning and we re-invited them to appear at CID headquarters but some of them did not appear,” he said.
“The cases are being handled on a case-by-case basis, we opened individual case files for each and every one whom we feel is involved in the iron sheets investigation and we submitted several of those case files. As the police, we only respond where charges are sanctioned against the suspects,” he added
