The High Court in Masaka City has set dates for the hearing of MPs Allan Ssewanyana and Muhammad Ssegirinya’s bail applications.

Judge Lawrence Tweyanze set dates after prosecution led by Richard Birivumbuka informed the court that they were not ready for hearing of the bailing applications and asked for another date.

This prompted the trial judge to adjourn the matter to 13th, 14th and 15th February 2023 for hearing of the application.

Counsel Lukwago told court the one of the suspects Ssewanyana is ill and admitted to Mulago hospital. Court however directed the Uganda Prison service to accord him specialized treatment.

In October 2021, through their lawyers led by the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Ssewanyana and Ssegirinya filed their applications seeking to be released on bail. They contended that they have been on remand for over Six months without trial and therefore they should be released on bail. Citing medical complications, the two said that they were mishandled before and during arrest and they want to access thorough treatment.

The two MPs and four other suspects have been in Jail for over a year on charges of terrorism contrary to sections 7 (1) and (2) (d) and (d) of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2002 in count one, aiding and abetting terrorism contrary to section 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2002 in count two, murder contrary to sections 188 and 189 of the Penal code Act in Counts three, four, five and attempted murder contrary to section 204 (a) of the Penal code Act.

Prosecution states that the two legislators together with other allegedly killed Joseph Bwanika, a resident of Kisekka Village in Kisekka Sub County in Lwengo District.

It is further alleged that on August 23 at Ssettaala Village in Masaka City, the MPs and their co-accused persons killed Francis Mugerwa Kiiza aka Nswa, Sulaiman Kakooza and Tadeo Kiyimba .

The MPs are also accused of attempting to kill Ronald Ssebyoto, a resident of the same area. They are also accused of financing the killings in the Greater Masaka region.

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Prison Authorities have dismissed claims by Nakawa West Members of Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi that jailed Makindye West legislator Allan Ssewanyana was critically sick and bed ridden at Mulago Hospital.

Sources at prison say that although Ssewanyana is sick, he isn’t in critical condition as alleged.

Yesterday Ssenyonyi made the allegations claiming prison authorities had refused to transfer Ssewanyana to a better hospital.

However, Prison officials say Ssewanyana is better and will be appearing at Masaka High Court via Video conferencing.

“Just treat the allegations by Ssenyonyi as baseless and he is aimed at seeking publicity. Ssewanyana is okay and he will be appearing before court,” a source at Prisons said.

Ssewanyana was arrested in August 2021 with Kawempe North MP Muhammad Ssegirinya together with other suspects -some on remand and others still at large – and they have spent more than a year in jail for several charges including murder, attempted murder, aiding and abetting terrorism. They are also accused of financing the killings in the Greater Masaka region that left 26 people dead.

The International Crimes Division of the High Court set their bail application hearing for February.

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On January 23, 2023, it marked one year since the demise of the Governor of Bank of Uganda-BoU, Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile. Mutebile died at Aga Khan Hospital where he was admitted over diabetes-related complications.

Since his death, President Yoweri Museveni has not appointed a substantial economist to take up the position of Governor.

The BoU has since been steered by Deputy Governor Michael Atingi-Ego, but his leadership has been criticized despite tremendous strides taken to revive the country’s economy which was hit by Covid-19. He is criticized for a steady increase of the CBR rate from 6.5 per cent to ten percent as businesses struggle to recover from the effects of Covid-19.

Interest rates stayed on an upward trajectory in the three months to November 2022 reflecting the tight financial conditions. Both Treasury yields and lending rates rose. The growth in private sector credit remained below historical averages owing to the tightening of monetary conditions. Total private sector credit growth averaged about 10.5 per cent, year-on-year, in the three months to October 2022.

Excluding the exchange rate changes and capitalized interest, private sector credit declined to 8.2 percent in the three months to October 2022 compared to the growth of 8.6 percent in the three months to July 2022. The growth in the Shilling loans, nonetheless, has increased to 12.2 percent from 9.6 percent over the same period.

As of November 2022, total public debt stock continues to increase from Shs 73.2 trillion trillion to Shs 79.7 trillion. The increase was due to a 5.2% increase in external debt and a 14.9% increase in domestic debt. External debt maintained the dominant share of 60.4% of the total public debt.

Despite criticisms, recently, Atingi revealed that inflationary pressures are losing momentum, driven mainly by the declining crude oil prices, easing supply-side challenges, a stable exchange rate on account of the prudent monetary policy actions by the Bank of Uganda (BoU), softening domestic demand, and diminishing base effects associated with higher prices of imported commodities.

“On a month-on-month basis, headline and core inflation was 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively, in December 2022, down from a peak of 1.5% and 1.2% in September 2022. On an annual basis, headline and core inflation was 10.2% and 8.4% in December 2022, down from 10.7% and 8.9% in October 2022,” Atingi said.

Food crop inflation remains elevated, edging up slightly in December 2022 to 29.4% from 27.8% in November 2022 because of the effects of the drought. Nonetheless, our assessment shows that food crop price increases are temporary and expected to fade in the coming months.

The exchange rate has however continued to be stable, gaining by 1.6% in the three months to December 2022, supported by the prudent monetary policy and the recent declines in the global crude oil prices, which somewhat eased the pressure on the deteriorating terms of trade, increased personal remittances, and foreign direct investment inflows to the oil sector.

Mutebile served as Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Uganda from 2001 till his demise in 2022.

A seasoned professional economist and reformer, he spearheaded the design and implementation of the Economic Reform Program that restored Uganda from the economic crises of the 1970s and 1980s to sound economic performance during his service as the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury in the ministry responsible for finance, planning, and economic development.

He worked as a consultant for multilateral and regional organizations including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of East and Central Africa, UK Department for International Development, the North-South Institute in Canada, and for the governments of Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Eritrea, and Nepal.

He was a member of the High-Level Panel of the UNDP for the production of the Human Development Report of the UNDP; the Management Group for overseeing the evaluation of the implementation of the Comprehensive Development Framework of the World Bank in 2001; and the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons to advise the President of the African Development Bank on the strategic future of the African Development Bank in 2006.

He held Fellowships from the World Bank Institute and Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. He was educated at Makerere University, Durham University, and Oxford University.

He was an Honorary Professor of Makerere University, an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy of Nkumba University, a Companion of the Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management (CPTM), and a Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) of Bishop Stuart University.

Makerere University honored him with the establishment of the Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile Chair of Monetary Policy, Banking and Finance; and the Tumusiime-Mutebile Centre of Excellence.

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The Select Committee finds prima facie evidence confirming that the conduct of Persis Namuganza Princess breached the standards of behavior and conduct expected of a Member of Parliament.

Earlier this month, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa named a seven-member select committee to scrutinise and identify prima facie evidence on the censure motion against Persis Namuganza, the State minister for Lands.

The Select Committee was chaired by Mwine Mpaka. Other members of the committee include Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East), Mpindi Bumali (PWD), Charles Bakkabulindi (Workers), Nancy Acora (Lamwo District), Betty Naluyima (Wakiso District) and Godfrey Ekanya (Tororo North).

The censure motion against Namuganza, follows after the latter’s handling of the controversial Nakawa-Naguru land giveaway.

The ad hoc committee in their report recommended that Namuganza steps aside for falsifying a presidential directive that saw the Uganda Land Commission allocate the said land to a section of investors.

Namuganza is reported to have said Parliament is powerless and unable to censure her in relation to her involvement in the Naguru-Nakawa land allocations.

The MPs launched the censure motion following Namuganza’s refusal to apologise to Speaker Anita Among and MPs for her handling of the matter.

While presenting the select committee report, Mpaka said Namuganza failed in her duty to at all times conduct herself in a manner which will maintain and strengthen the public’s trust and confidence in the integrity of Parliament.

“Namuganza did not appear before the select committee for a fair hearing despite several attempts yet she was duly served with letters inviting her to appear before the committee. She ought to have used proper channels of challenging the composition of the Ad hoc Committee that investigated her involvement in the Nakawa-Naguru land allocation,” he said.

The select committee found that her conduct brought Parliament and its members into disrepute and breached the Code of Conduct of Procedure of Parliament.

Following the presentation of the report, Agago North MP John Amos Okot moved a motion to censure Namuganza. The motion was supported by Nathan Byanyima, Barnabas Tinkasimire and other legislators. The house is scheduled to vote against the motion.

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