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One month after declaration of Ebola in Uganda

By
Our Reporter
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Since 20 September, 2022, the day the Ebola epidemic was declared in Uganda, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been working alongside the Ministry of Health to support medical care in the country.

Since the start of the outbreak and as of 23 October, 90 patients were confirmed with Ebola and 28 people were reported to have died from the disease. Another 32 people have recovered and been discharged from treatment centres.

Given the challenges posed by the lack of a currently licensed vaccine or treatment for the Sudan strain of Ebola, and based on experience from previous outbreaks, we’re focusing our response in three areas. Teams of doctors, nurses, logisticians, infection prevention and control specialists, and health promoters are currently working to limit the spread of the epidemic, reduce mortality, and facilitate epidemiological monitoring, research, and innovation.

Since 20 September 2022, the day the Ebola epidemic was declared in Uganda, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been working alongside the Ministry of Health to support medical care in the country.

Since the start of the outbreak and as of 23 October, 90 patients were confirmed with Ebola and 28 people were reported to have died from the disease. Another 32 people have recovered and been discharged from treatment centres.

Given the challenges posed by the lack of a currently licensed vaccine or treatment for the Sudan strain of Ebola, and based on experience from previous outbreaks, we’re focusing our response in three areas. Teams of doctors, nurses, logisticians, infection prevention and control specialists, and health promoters are currently working to limit the spread of the epidemic, reduce mortality, and facilitate epidemiological monitoring, research, and innovation.

They also provide medical and social support to people who have been forced to isolate themselves for 21 days after coming into contact with an Ebola patient through the distribution of basic necessities such as hygiene products, food donations, and communication equipment. This support is intended to compensate for the loss of income-generating activities and allow the person to isolate themselves in acceptable conditions.

MSF health promoters are also involved in identifying and monitoring contacts in order to quickly identify those at risk of carrying the disease and to raise awareness about how to prevent it and what to do if they develop symptoms. Finally, we’re preparing to support the affected health centres to help them provide free primary health care to the communities affected by the epidemic.

In parallel, MSF continues to support the Ugandan Ministry of Health in the medical treatment of sick people in Mubende district. One 40-bed Ebola treatment centre has been completed, and another 40-bed facility, which will have the capacity to provide intensive care, is under construction in Mubende town for confirmed patients. An eight-bed treatment unit in Madudu for those in the early stages of the disease is now up and running.

“In addition to the construction of the units, we have donated medicines and protective equipment, and provided training to medical staff working in the health facilities, particularly on how to care for patients but also on hygiene measures to be implemented, which is crucial to avoid nosocomial transmission,” says Denis BASDEVANT, project coordinator in Mubende.

“We have also provided the Ministry of Health with MSF staff experienced in managing cases of haemorrhagic fever, such as doctors and nurses,” he says.

In Kampala, the country’s capital, we will develop similar measures: health promotion activities, social support for contacts, support to health facilities in terms of prevention and infection control, and support for non-Ebola-related health care. MSF is also expected to become involved in patients’ care in the near future.

Finally, on the epidemiological side, Epicentre is collaborating with the Ministry of Health, in support of epidemiological activities, including surveillance and infection control and prevention. We also expressed interest and availability to participate in research that will begin in the coming weeks on vaccines and treatments for the Sudan strain of Ebola virus.

“The approval of effective vaccines and treatments for the Zaire strain of Ebola in 2018-2019 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the management of subsequent outbreaks have been crucial tools in controlling the spread of the virus,” says John Johnson, MSF’s vaccine and epidemic response expert. “While we know that these can be developed and tested in advance to determine their safety, their effectiveness can only be tested during an outbreak.”

“As such, and as was the case with the clinical trials conducted for the Zaire strain vaccines and treatments in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019, MSF is prepared to invest heavily in this research,” says Johnson.

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Princess Anne, husband Sir Timothy in Uganda for a four-day visit

By
Simon Kabayo
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Princess Anne (on the right) arrives in Uganda

Royal Princess Anne of the UK and her husband Sir Timothy Lawrence have arrived in Uganda for a four- day visit. They will check on key UK projects in the education and humanitarian sector. 

 In a program released by the British High Commission, the Princess was scheduled to visit Salama School for the Blind where 11 children have died in a fire today.

As a patron of Opportunity International, she will open the first commercial bank in Nakivale Refugee Settlement.

The Princess Royal has been president of Save the Children since 1970 and worked with organisations for people with disabilities across the United Kingdom.

She will then visit Kyangwali Refugee Settlement as Patron of Save the Children UK.

Before their return to the United Kingdom on October 28th, Princess Anne and Sir Tim will conclude their tour by watching female students complete the ‘Safe Way, Right Way’ HGV truck driver training programme as part of her work with Transaid.

The Princess Royal co-founded the organisation providing safe and sustainable transport with Save the Children and The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) 25 years ago.

The busy four-day tour will see the couple undertake their first public engagements together since the Queen passed away at the age of 96 on September 8th. 

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Museveni urges IGAD member states to put up measures to ensure protection of environment

By
Our Reporter
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President Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni has urged the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states to establish measures to ensure the protection of the environment.

 Museveni said during the high-level conference aimed at discussing interventions on effective land management, climate change and other land-related issues affecting the region.

 “It is important that we put in place measures to ensure sustainable land use to prevent encroachment on protected areas like wetlands, forest reserves, etc. It requires adequate and inclusive land laws and policy frameworks; capable and legitimate institutions for allocating land and resolving disputes; access to justice for those seeking to protect their land rights; empowered communities and spaces for dialogue to allow civil society and other stakeholders to voice their views and concerns,” he said.

Museveni said Uganda has made progress in documenting tenure rights through massive land titling initiatives, under the mailo, customary and freehold tenure. The Land Information System has been a basis for propelling efficiency and curbing fragmentation which is a big problem in Uganda.

He said it remains crucial to us in the region to devise measures towards reducing land conflict and improve on securing land rights so as to spur sustainable development. Tenure security supports sustainable economic development, by allowing for productive land investments. It is an enabling factor for improved agricultural production and increasing food security.

“The government has instituted strategies geared towards increasing public awareness and vigilance of the legal provisions of the land laws. These laws are meant for the good of the citizens of Uganda and should be used to protect them,” he said.

He commended the neighboring countries of Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan and others for maintaining a cordial relationship with Uganda, noting that it has aided harmony and limited transboundary and cross-border conflicts in IGAD and EAC member states.

“I urge you all to commit to promoting the security of tenure for all citizens, regardless of their status, religion or ethnicity, so that they feel safe to invest in their countries,” he said.

 IGAD was established to promote joint development strategies on macro-economic policies and programs; to harmonize policies on trade, customs, transport, communication, agriculture, natural resources and environment, as well as promotion of free movement of goods and services amongst member states.

IGAD also promotes programmes aimed at achieving regional food security and sustainable development of natural resources and environmental protection and encouraging member states to collectively combat drought and other natural and man-made disasters and their consequences.

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Police probe disruptive and violent conduct during Jakana Nadduli’s burial

By
Our Reporter
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Chaos at Jakana Nadduli funeral

Police in Savana region and Nakaseke, have instituted inquiries into the ugly incident of violence, which occurred during Monday’s burial of Sulaiman Jakana Nadduli, at their ancestral home, in Kadunda village, Kisimula parish, Kapeeka Sub-county, in Nakaseke district.

According to police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, the burial process which was progressing well with tributes in memory of the late Jakana, was disrupted by NUP activists chanting party slogans at the funeral.

“Their actions escalated into a violent attack and assault on Mpologoma Majjambere, an NRM political activist, who attempted to stop them from politicizing the funeral. The victim was roughed up and repeatedly hit with chairs and blunt objects, before sympathizers came to his rescue. Several video clips showing how the victim was violently beaten, have been retrieved,” Enanga said.

“We have noticed that such violent and disruptive behaviours during funerals majorly by opposition activists is becoming common. And it is against this background, that we call upon individuals and political groups, to stop such inhuman behaviors at funerals.”

Enanga stated that burials should be handled with the utmost respect and not motivated by politics of hate and discrimination. “We want to warn all individuals and groups that continue to glorify and instruct their radical supporters, into creating violence at funerals and other public events, that we shall pursue and bring them to justice.”

He added that police will not rest until those who perpetrated violence during the funeral are brought to book.

“For those who perpetrated violence during the funeral, we wish to inform them that their actions were unjustified and uncalled for. As a result, a serious manhunt for all of them has begun. We shall not rest until when they are brought to book.”

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UNRA enforcement officer charged with murder

By
Our Reporter
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Handcuffs

The Directorate of CID in coordination with Kampala Metropolitan Police, has charged a police man with murder, after a shooting that claimed the life of a mother and also inflicted minor injuries on her 4-year-old son.

According to spokesperson Fred Enanga, on the 28th September 2022 at around 4pm, at Bukasa trading centre in Wakiso district, two Counter Terrorsim police officers attached to Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) namely; Police Constable (PC) Elisah Muhumuza and PC Evaline Akello, while on daily routine motorised patrol, aimed at the protection of road infrastructure, and while in the company of a UNRA Enforcement officer, took interest in an Isuzu Elf registration number UAJ 758D, that had parked at a roadside parking area.

The truck was being driven by a one Eriya Tamale Twase, who was in the company of his wife, Viola Nansereko and their 4-year-old son, Kawuki Louis, a pupil at Hope Children Centre Temangalo.

The UNRA team followed the Isuzu truck, where it had parked and PC Evaline Akello, disembarked from their van a Toyota Hiace under registration number UBJ 885Q and moved towards the Isuzu Elf. Out of fear the driver Twase Tamale quickly drove off and brushed the police officer, who it is alleged, fell down. Her colleague PC Muhumuza Elisah, fired several bullets towards the Elf truck causing injury to Nansereko on the right eye/side of the head.

In addition, their 4-year-old son, Louis Kawuki, sustained minor injuries on the right arm. The female victim was rushed and admitted at Mulago National Referral Hospital, where she died on October 10, 2022.

“It is so devastating that an innocent life was lost and two others threatened, by police officers who were supposed to ensure their safety. The death of the female victim and injury of their son has really impacted the family, friends and relatives. We acknowledge the impact of this tragedy, and do extend our sincerest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones,” Enanga said.

“Instead of pursuing the truck, the suspect fired several shots into the cabin of the truck, without any justification or act of provocation. We strongly condemn the act and also issue a very stern warning to all police officers, against shooting at moving vehicles, if they do not pose an imminent threat. We pledge to aggressively pursuing officers who are reckless and use excessive force in the course of their duties.”

After several weeks of perusal, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) determined that there was sufficient evidence to charge the suspect PC Elisah Muhumuza with murder, since the death was not justified or excused by self-defense. His colleague PC Akello was not charged and released on bond.

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Bank of Uganda orders use of National IDs in bank loan applications

By
Simon Kabayo
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Dr. Tumubweine Twinemanzi the Director of Supervision in the Bank of Uganda

Bank of Uganda has directed that all individuals seeking to borrow money from commercial banks and other financial institutions will now be required to present their National Identification Cards instead of the financial card.

According to the BoU circular dated October 21, 2022, all new individual Credit Applications (CAPs) of Ugandan citizens must be supplied to the Credit Reference Bureaus (CRBs) with a National Identification Number (NIN) as a mandatory identifier.

The Executive Director in charge of Bank Supervision, Dr Tumubwine Twinemanzi, revealed that this is intended to promote financial inclusion and broaden credit information sharing.

He explained that whereas financial institutions have been giving Financial Card Numbers for all Credit Applications (CAP) and Credit Borrower Account (CBA) records, this limits access to financial services to a large proportion of the population.

“To promote financial inclusion and broaden credit information sharing, Bank of Uganda is with immediate effect revoking the above circular. Accordingly, all participating institutions shall commence a transition from the Financial Card Number to a NIN as the mandatory identifier for Ugandan citizens and other identifiers,” the circular reads in part.

Dr Twinemanzi explained that in the interim, all credit records of non-Ugandans shall be supplied to the CRBs with a combination of either a Refugee Number, or Passport Number or Work Permit Number until such a time when National Identification Regulatory Authority (NIRA) starts issuing the Alien Identification Numbers.

“Effective 1st December 1, 2022, all loans to Non-Individual Borrowers or corporate entities licensed to conduct business in Uganda shall be reported to the CRBs with a unique registration number issued by the relevant registration authority in accordance with the laws of Uganda,” the circular reads.

“To avert the risk of losing historical borrower profiles, there shall be a transition period that shall expire on 31st December 2022. During this transition period, Participating Institutions are required to update the profiles of individual borrowers or consumers of credit with existing unretired credit facilities, with the applicable unique identifier or registration number earlier prescribed in this Circular,” he added.

Dr Twinemanzi said effective 1st January 2023, all individual Credit Borrower Account (CBA) records shall be supplied with a NIN or other unique identifier duly issued by the relevant registration authority in accordance with the laws of Uganda.

“Detailed guidance on borrower identification and reporting shall be included in the revised Data Submission Manual and Data Validation Rules,” he added.

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EU provides Uganda Shs37 billion to support most vulnerable hit by food crisis

By
Our Reporter
-

The European Union (EU) has allocated €10 million (Shs37.2 billion) to Uganda to finance food production and resilience of food systems. The funding is part of a €600 million allocation from the EU to support the most vulnerable African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries to cope with the unjust consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, notably the current food crisis and related economic shock.

Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen stated: “The EU’s swift and comprehensive response to the current food insecurity in several vulnerable partner countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific area demonstrates our strong solidarity towards our partners, in particular in Africa. It helps shoulder the consequences felt worldwide of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In the short-term we are helping families with food and nutrition assistance and helping countries to buy the food they need; we also work on solutions to address current and future risks by investing in local sustainable food systems to enhance resilience.”

Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič added: “The newly allocated funds will help those in a dire situation meet their emergency food needs. The EU remains committed to support the most vulnerable. However, humanitarian aid cannot substitute efforts needed to increase resilience of most vulnerable populations. Sustainable development-oriented solutions to end hunger are key.”

The decision to swiftly redirect €600 million to food security in ACPs was announced by European Commission President Von der Leyen in June 2022 and the allocation received green light from EU Member States last month.

This new support will fund actions to contribute to increasing the EU contribution to the Agricultural Business Initiative (ABI) to support competitive, profitable and sustainable agriculture and agribusiness sectors. Through this additional support, ABI will be able to provide financial and technical assistance to agri-businesses, small holder farmers and farmer associations to help them improve their systems, increase their production and productivity and their access to markets.

It will also scale up a programme to increase resilience to food shocks of chronic and acute food insecure households living in Karamoja. Since 2016, food insecurity in Uganda has progressively increased, driven by conflict and insecurity, including in neighbouring countries; delayed and erratic seasonal rains; and the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19.

The world is facing a global food crisis, aggravated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The recently published mid-year update of the Global Report on Food Crises estimates that up to 205.1 million people currently face high levels of acute food insecurity in 45 countries covered by the Global Report on Food Crises 2022. The Team Europe Response to Global Food Insecurity includes four strands of action to be implemented jointly with the EU Member States: 1. Solidarity: emergency relief and affordability; 2. Sustainable production and resilience; 3. Trade: facilitating food trade; 4. Effective multilateralism.

With the additional €600 million, the EU envisages to allocate for food security and food systems programmes in partner countries €7.7 billion until 2024 worldwide. This also includes an estimated €2.2 billion in immediate humanitarian food and nutrition assistance for the most vulnerable countries and a further €5 billion to invest in the medium to longer term in sustainable food systems.

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Rishi Sunak becomes UK Prime Minister, pledges to fix mistakes

By
Agencies
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Rishi Sunak becomes UK Prime Minister

Rishi Sunak on Tuesday became the U.K.’s third prime minister of the year following a meeting with King Charles III.

The tradition sees the monarch invite the leader of the party with the highest number of MPs to form a government, which since the 2019 general election has been the Conservatives.

In a speech outside 10 Downing Street after the meeting, Sunak said: “Our country is facing a profound economic crisis. The aftermath of Covid still lingers, Putin’s war in Ukraine has destabilized energy markets and supply chains the world over.”

He paid tribute to his predecessor Liz Truss, who he said was “not wrong” to want to improve U.K. growth. But, he continued, “some mistakes were made,” not “borne of ill will or bad intentions” but “mistakes nonetheless” — and he had been elected “in part to fix them.”

“I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of the government’s agenda. This will mean difficult decisions to come. But you saw me during Covid doing everything I could to protect people and businesses with schemes like furlough. There are always limits, more so than ever, but I promise you this. I will bring that same compassion to the challenges we face today.”

He then indicated he would implement the manifesto on which the Conservatives were elected in 2019.

The British pound was trading 0.4% higher against the dollar following the speech, at $1.1321. Sterling has failed to get a significant boost from Sunak’s appointment, but has recovered from the lows below $1.1 it reached earlier in the month.

Meanwhile, yields on short- and long-term U.K. sovereign bonds, known as gilts, dropped sharply Monday as it became clear Sunak would take office, and continued to move lower Tuesday. Yields move inversely to prices.

He was elected party leader by fellow Conservative lawmakers on Monday following the resignation of Truss on Thursday last week.

Sunak is now expected to begin appointing new cabinet figures in yet another reshuffle at the top of British politics.

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Housing Finance Bank launches “Bwepwa” remote account opening via the HFB Mobile Banking App

By
Our Reporter
-

Housing Finance Bank Uganda (HFB), the leading mortgage provider and one of the fastest-growing financial institutions in Uganda, has officially launched their account opening service available on their Mobile Banking App, in a campaign dubbed “Bwepwa”.

The HFB Mobile Banking App is a self-service platform which enables customers to send and receive money, track bank account activity, pay bills, load airtime and now, open a Housing Finance Bank account instantly without visiting the branch. This offers the customer a faster, more convenient way to start banking with Housing Finance Bank, hence the name “Bwepwa”. The app can be downloaded from the app store on any smartphone and is available for both new and existing customers.

“We are ever improving our customers’ banking experience. Today, we take another stride on this journey through the launch of our new account opening service. Customers can now open an account with us from wherever they are, whenever they want by simply downloading the HFB Mobile Banking App.” Michael K. Mugabi, Managing Director at Housing Finance Bank said.

Peace K. Ayebazibwe, the Executive Director at Housing Finance Bank added that; “Customers who open their account through the Mobile Banking App can opt to get a MasterCard to enable them make payments at a point of sale, as well as withdraw money from the ATM or agent locations.”

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ZTE awarded “Most Innovative Network Slicing Use Case” and “Most Innovative Private Network Project” at Network X 2022

By
Our Reporter
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Network X Awards

ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a global leading provider of information and communication technology solutions, today announced that it has won the “Most Innovative Network Slicing Use Case” Award and the “Most Innovative Private Network Project” Award at Network X 2022 held in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 

China Mobile and ZTE’s SPN (FGU) Fine Granularity Unit and Commercialization awarded “Most Innovative Network Slicing Use Case”

The industrial verticals production service and high-quality private line slices ask for small bandwidth but high performance, requesting deterministic latency, hard isolation and high-reliability transport. However, the traditional Ethernet using Best Efforts forwarding cannot meet these demands. 

China Mobile has partnered with ZTE to propose SPN (Slicing Packet Network) to introduce the hierarchical hard slicing into Ethernet for the first time. With the granularity being reduced from 5Gbps to 10Mbps, the SPN supports forward compatibility as well as scalable fine-granularity transport pipe. At the same time, it binds to MPLS VPN and SRv6 services to guarantee end-to-end zero packet loss and provides forwarding with deterministic latency and circuit-level physical isolation, so as to build one network for different purposes. This network provides differentiated service transport with flexible bandwidth, physical isolation and deterministic latency for 5G private networks and enterprise private lines.

ZTE, China Mobile and NR Electric’s E2E 5G TSN for Green Grid awarded “Most Innovative Private Network Project”

In the power grid field, efficient use of clean new energy such as wind and solar energy is an effective means to achieve green and low carbon target. However, wind power and solar energy are easily affected by the weather and regions, and they are unstable. Accurate measurement, control, and real-time interaction are required. Conventional mobile network mechanism cannot meet the strict network requirements of the power industry.

ZTE has released the Time Promised Communication solution, which integrates 5G TSN/5G LAN/URLLC/SLA accurate control related to time-sensitive networks as defined by 3GPP Release 16. TPC solution combines software and hardware to effectively solve the network latency and jitter caused by traffic conflicts and communication interference. It is combined with the slicing technology to reduce 5G end-to-end latency, which guarantees the determinacy of the communication network. Instead of optical cables, TPC solution enables flexible access to the last mile, greatly reducing communication network construction costs. It accelerates the deployment of new energy such as solar energy and wind energy, and helps the power industry achieve the strategic goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. 

The Network X Awards 2022 is held by Informa, a leading international events, digital services and academic knowledge group, to recognise achievement, innovation and excellence across the telcom industry. This year Network X is combining 5G World, BBWF (Broadband World Forum) and the newly launched Telco Cloud to bring together fixed and mobile markets in one place.

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