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Kadaga pushes for establishment of National Kiswahili Council

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Our Reporter
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Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga

The Ministry of East African Community Affairs is engaging the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to establish the National Kiswahili Council in Uganda.

According to the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, the council will champion Kiswahili development initiatives at national level.

“I wish to inform you that they have prepared a cabinet paper on this matter and it guided that an organisational structure of the National Kiswahili Council and its attendant cost implications be developed for consideration by cabinet before its approval,” said Kadaga.

She said this while making a statement to Parliament on Tuesday, 06 September 2022, on the implementation of the 21st East African Community Summit Directive on Uganda to adopt Kiswahili as an official language of the community.

The council is expected to focus on Kiswahili research, journal and manual publications, complement efforts to translate key EAC policy documents and execute out-reach activities to promote Kiswahili.

“There is need to enhance ability to communicate in Kiswahili by business persons engaging in cross-border trade, hence enhancing intra-regional trade and facilitating implementation of the Common Market Protocol,” Kadaga added.

Among recommendations by the EAC minister was for government to supply sensitisation material and make media broadcasts in Kiswahili as well as support professional translators to translate government documents.

Kadaga also recommended support for adult literacy teaching programmes for Kiswahili, establishment of Kiswahili focal persons in district and the encouragement of use of Kiswahili in offices.

“My ministry is engaging Kiswahili trainers to train cabinet and permanent secretaries,” she said.

“We coordinated development of a Kiswahili Training Manual for the Parliament of Uganda which was approved by the 16th Sectoral Council of Ministers responsible for Education and forwarded to the Clerk to Parliament for implementation,” Kadaga added.

Kadaga told the House that the East African Kiswahili Commission prioritised the Parliament of Uganda as a key entry point for Kiswahili to be taken up as an official language in the country.

She said this was attributed to the representative, legislative, budgetary and oversight functions of Parliament that are critical to the promotion and development of Kiswahili language in Uganda.

“The use of Kiswahili by Parliament would inspire other institutions of government as well as state and non-state actors on promoting the use of Kiswahili in both official and non-official domains,” Kadaga noted.

She also said that the EAC ministry is coordinating a programme to establish East African Community clubs in secondary schools that will promote the use of Kiswahili among students.

On 26 August 2016, the East African Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the 21st EAC Heads of State Summit to consider amendment of Article 137(2) of the Treaty, to consider Kiswahili as the second official language of the Community.

Consequently, the 21st Summit of the EAC Heads of State held of 27 February 2021 declared that Kiswahili be adopted as an official language of the Community.

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Cabinet approves pay rise for civil servants

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Our Reporter
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State Minister for Public Service Mary Grace Mugasa

Cabinet has approved an enhanced pay plan for all civil servants to take effect in the next financial year.

The State Minister for Public Service Grace Mugasa, made the revelation, without divulging further details, during a meeting with the Committee on Education and Sports on Tuesday, 06 September 2022 at Parliament.

Interfacing with the committee, Mugasa explained that the discrepancy in pay for science and arts teachers, for example, was due to the limited wage bill for teachers’ salaries under the Ministry of Education and Sports.

The minister said that the Ministry of Public Service approved the structures for the education ministry, adding that recruitment and payment of salaries for the structures, entirely depends on the wage bill.

“Every year, MDAs and Local Governments submit their wage bill analysis. You can have a wish but if Ministry of Finance does not give you the money, you cannot recruit all the positions you intend to,” said the minister.

“We do not intend to create disparities. If we had the resources to pay, we would have paid everybody the same amount of money. But we are doing it in a phased manner,” said Mugasa.

In the recent past, Tororo District Woman MP, Sarah Opendi, tabled a motion in Parliament on the exorbitant tuition and non-tuition fees charged by government aided schools.

In one of the prayers, Opendi prayed to Parliament that government posts sufficient teaching and non-teaching staff to government grant-aided schools and pays their salaries and wages.

Mugasa, whilst responding to some of the prayers in the Opendi petition, told the committee that 5,400 Education Officers and Assistant Education Officers have been recruited, with 2,170 already deployed and 3,230 awaiting issuance of appointment letters and deployment.

She added that 1,700 officers were promoted to Education Officer, 160 to Senior Education Officer, 120 to Head teacher and 120 to Deputy Head teacher.

“Despite the constraints of the wage bill, government is committed to filling all vacant positions in post primary as well as primary schools,” the minister added.

Legislators on the committee tasked the Ministry of Public Service to expedite the establishment of the Salary Review Commission.

Soroti West Division MP Jonathan Ebwalu alluded to Minister Mugasa’s commitment to the Public Accounts Committee that a committee to look into salaries disparities in the country would be set up.

“These are questions that need answers. Some of our teachers are opting to get out of class and go ride bodabodas because of the salary disparities. Education in this country is not getting a good face,” said Ebwalu.

The minister assured the committee that members to the Salary Review would soon be appointed to enable it kick-start its work.

Arua District MP Lilian Paparu raised concern about teachers who have been deployed to school but are not receiving their salaries.

“Some of them stay for nine or so years without getting their salary. Those are the teachers that get frustrated and at times do not enter the classrooms, yet it is the responsibility of Ministry of Public Service to put them on the payroll,” Paparu said.

In response, the minister said: “We want to promise that if Ministry of Finance avails the money, we as [Ministry of] Public Service are ready to put the teachers on the pay roll.”

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Stop badmouthing MPs, you also inflated privileges – Speaker’s aide tells off Kabushenga

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Our Reporter
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Robert Kabushenga

The war over Nyege Nyege has escalated with an aide to the Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Sabiti telling off former New Vision CEO Robert Kabushenga to stop intimidating and badmouthing them over their decision to block the function.

Parliament yesterday directed for the cancellation of Nyege Nyege, a controversial festival over concerns of sexual immorality. The festival that is scheduled for Thursday, 15 September 2022 for three days at the Source of the Nile in Jinja district was first held in 2015.

“It is common knowledge that Parliament is itself a #NyegeNyegeFestival that runs in five year cycles. And using taxes to irregularly buy ultra-luxury Benzes at inflated prices while denying ordinary folks an opportunity to earn a little money from an event is a moral hazard!” Kabushenga commented on Parliament’s decision.

Joseph Sabiti replied to Kabushenga; “How did it feel enjoying the luxury rides and all the inflated privileges that came with being CEO of an entity funded by the taxpayer for all those years?”

The Minister of Ethics and Integrity Rose Lilly Akello said that government has been working together with the Uganda Police and the event organisers and hat the latter have been summoned for a meeting in which they will have to agree to certain terms and conditions for the event to proceed.

Martin Mugarra, the Minister of State for Tourism, said Nyege Nyege is a huge tourism opportunity that has so far attracted over 8,000 tourists flying into Uganda and have bought entry tickets and booked hotels.

“As we speak now, around 8,000 foreigners have already paid tickets and have booked to come and sleep in this country,” he said. He agreed that there was need to set conditions for the event to happen.

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Parliament blocks Nyege Nyege festival

By
Our Reporter
-

Parliament has blocked the ‘Nyege Nyege festival’, an annual social event scheduled to take place next week in Jinja over allegations of sexual immorality.

During a plenary sitting on Tuesday afternoon, Speaker Anitah Among said they are not going to allow this function to take place for the morality of this country.

“We are talking about morality of this country; we are talking about our children. You are trying to promote tourism at the expense of our children? We are not going to allow this function to take part,” the Speaker said.

Tororo Woman MP Sarah Opendi said the event is a breeding ground for sexual immorality.

Efforts by the Minister of State for Tourism, Martin Mugarra to defend the event as a hub of tourism met resistance from the House. Mugarra said over 8,000 foreigner tourists have already booked tickets for the event.

This year’s event was to be held on the Nile River’s banks at Itanda Falls from September 15th to 18th.

The Nyege Nyege Festival happens once a year in Uganda. Since 2015 it has fulfilled its mission of supporting emerging and alternative scenes from across East Africa and beyond, promoting music, culture, art and tourism.

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FUFA relieves Lutalo, technical team of Crested Cranes duties

By
Simon Kabayo
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Coach George Lutalo

FUFA has made a move to relieve all members of the Uganda Senior women’s National football team, the Crested Cranes technical team of their duties.

They are; Head Coach George Lutalo along with his entire backroom staff which included; Edward Kaziba (assistant coach), James Magala (goalkeeping coach), Paul Ssali (team Manager), Mable Kabatalindwa (Team doctor) and Prossy Nalwadda (Equipment Manager).

FUFA released a statement saying that the decision is one of the many agreed upon during the 27th FUFA Executive Committee meeting. The meeting sat last week on Wednesday at FUFA House in Mengo.

“The FUFA Executive Committee declared that the positions of the technical team of Crested Cranes have fallen vacant following the completion of their assignment for which they were appointed that ended with the WAFCON Finals in Morocco,” reads part of the statement.

Lutalo took over reigns of the team in September last year. This came after the expiry of his employment contract at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) as an assistant coach. He replaced Farida Bulega at the Crested Cranes helm.

“FUFA will declare as and when the application process for the vacant positions starts,” the statement concludes.

During the one-year tenure, the technical team guided the Cranes to the 2022 CECAFA Senior Women’s championship glory in Njeru.

It however failed the immediate task when the team did not make it out of group stages of the COSAFA Women’s championship in South Africa.

Their final task happened this year in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The team garnered just one point from three group games to bow out of the competition with one point in group A.

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Minister Bahati exposes BoU on rising CBR, tells banks to cut interest rates

By
Our Reporter
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Bank of Uganda Deputy Governor Michael Atingi-Ego

The State Minister for industry, David Bahati is not happy that commercial banks in the country continue to raise their prime lending rates blaming it on the ‘rising’ inflation, which he said, is just one of unjustifiable excuses they are using to deny Ugandans credit.

“Commercial banks are having a lot of excuses. The excuses are running out. It is time you consider lowering excuses interest rates,” he said in what seemed to be a warning to the bankers.

Bahati spoke against the continuous increase in interest rates while speaking at the launch of Equity Bank Group revolving fund under its Africa Economic Recovery and Resilience Plan to finance the private sector.

Indirectly, Bahati was speaking to Bank of Uganda (BoU) which has been increasing the Central Bank Rate (CBR) to now 9 per cent in August, 2022, encouraging banks to increase their rates, sending away the would-be borrowers.

According to Bahati, banks should consider lowering interest on loans as well as providing patient capital to support private sector investment. But the banks can only lower their interest rates if only BoU stops increasing the CBR, upon which banks also base on to determine their interest rates at which borrowers take money.

He said there is a need for banks to create a window for patient and affordable capital to support private sector growth.

Bahati says one of Uganda’s biggest problems is lack of patient capital, which is important in value addition that enable the country to export so that it can earn some foreign exchange.

Following the BoU continuous increase of CRB commercial banks have also copied and increased their interest rates, meaning Ugandan enterprises are disadvantaged, even though BoU says the rise in the CBR is meant to put inflation under control.

Unfortunately, economic institutions in the country like BoU and others have failed to show Ugandans alternative sources of capital to fund their businesses, as banks continue to claim that lending in Uganda is risky, coupled with rising inflation, the reason they say for the increase in interest rates.

BoU in August projected that the Ugandan economy would grow at 2.5 percent in 2022, but that is because the rise in CBR is indirectly denying for example local SMEs money for production, especially for export.

On the hand, BoU says higher domestic prices for food would continue if the drought continues. However, there are SMEs in agriculture that deal with supply of irrigation systems so that farmers can grow food crops even in the dry seasons.

The increase in CBR therefore hinders such SMEs from getting bank money, as it is expensive, and worsened that banks consider investment in agriculture as risky in Uganda.

An analyst when asked, said that now that a government Minister has spoken against increase in bank interest rates, BoU should not encourage the banks to increase further, and that is by cutting the CBR.

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Meet Omara who opted for Security Guard job due to lack of tuition to pursue a Bachelor’s degree

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Our Reporter
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Morgan Frank Omara

Morgan Frank Omara is no ordinary private security officer. He’s astute, confident, fluent, respectful, and hard-working. He completed S.6 at Mengo SS in 2015 and excelled.

Omara is the first-born child of her mother’s six children. “My peasant mother had to raise us single-handedly because dad has a mental health problem,” he said with his characteristic soft-spoken demeanor.

Omara’s father started experiencing mental health breakdowns when his brother was abducted by the LRA rebels from Alebtong and news arrived that he had been killed.

Despite excelling at ‘A level’, he didn’t secure a government sponsorship to advance to the University or College. Unfortunately for him, his uncle who had supported his education from primary school and was still desirous to privately pay his tuition lost his life in a fatal accident.

Uncertain of what to do after his uncle’s death, Omara who always wanted to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication went back to Lira and started doing odd manual jobs. After a while, he was unsatisfied as the jobs had no growth prospects. That’s how he decided to return to Kampala for better opportunities.

He requested his Old Boy (OB) from high school who is currently studying at a university in Kampala to accommodate him in his hostel room. Shortly, he joined the G4S security firm, hoping that maybe if he worked hard and diligently, he would grow in rank.

According to Ojok Okello, the Founder and CEO Okere City, it’s now two years, and the ranks are yet to come, however Omara wants to do something alongside his security job and this time round something more ambitious. Something he always loved studying. To become something he always dreamt of; a journalist.

“How can I become a journalist? Omara asked me. I had known him for four months already and our friendship had grown from the day he recognized my dirty motorbike and requested to wash it for me without pay.

“I told him you must start by doing certificate training. And maybe later, a university degree if you have a senior four certificate. “But I have a senior six certificate” he interjected. I felt ashamed. I had misjudged him. I asked him questions about his educational and family background and at once, I knew I had to help,” he said.

“I requested him to search online for universities in Kampala offering journalism degree courses and the following day, he told me he had, among others, identified, and already inquired to know more about the BA in Journalism and Media Studies offered at Victoria University.”

The tuition fee per semester at Victoria University is Shs1.9 million. “Let’s at least see him through school this semester which starts on 19th Sept 2022.  I am truly counting on all of us! Let’s support Omara, together,” Ojok said.

He was told the documents he needed to submit to apply for the programme, including a Shs240,000 fee for admission, and other related costs. But he didn’t have the money so I paid for it. I told him, “let’s first get the admission letter and maybe a miracle shall happen”.

“I am very sure of one thing; that my network of supportive friends shall not hesitate to donate even one dollar to make sure that Omara goes to the university and studies something he loves so that he can become the storyteller and change maker he deserves.”

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Godfrey Kiwanda declines Ambassadorial offer from Museveni

By
Simon Kabayo
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Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi

Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi, the former state minister for Tourism, has said he is going nowhere after rejecting a big offer from his boss President Museveni to become Uganda’s new Ambassador to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Information from the State House indicates that a cabinet meeting sat on Monday and approved 7 names of individuals to be appointed as ambassadors. These were to represent Uganda in various countries and Kiwanda happened to be on this list.

Kiwanda, on his side, said he is not yet ready to leave the country as he still has a lot to do as the NRM Vice Chairperson Buganda region. And therefore, if he dares leave to go take on the new job, it would interfere with his duties here.

“I’m not going anywhere. Am not leaving Uganda to go work elsewhere. There is still a lot to do here,” Kiwanda said.

However, regarding the matter, Kiwanda said he hasn’t received any calls from the general himself.

He additionally vowed to disregard the offer even when the president calls him because he feels it’s not right at the moment.

Apparently, an ambassadorial job is a polite way of government retiring you from active politics. One is taken far away from their would-be electorate and from the media.

In December 2021, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni appointed new ambassadors and their deputies. While he appointed them, he retained some old ones but also replaced a number of them across the world.

Kiwanda becomes the second to reject the ambassadorial job after former Internal Security Organization Boss Col. Kaka Bagyenda who was deployed to Angola at the uganda consul but turned it down and opted to stay running his palm oil investments in Kalangala.

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How signal from stolen iPhone led to recovery of robbed items, money from Sipapa’s home

By
Our Reporter
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Sipapa

Police is investigating a robbery that occurred at the home of Jacob Arok, a South Sudanese National, of Kawuku zone, in Bunga, on the night of 28-29th August 2022. The task team managed to locate the home of the suspects, where they recovered exhibits of evidential value.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said that on the night of 28-29th, August, a group of thugs broke into the home of the victim, applied suspected chloroform, on the occupants who were asleep. The thugs then ransacked the home and robbed cash US Dollars 429,000, 4 iPhones, 2 Apple laptops, a DELL laptop, gold Jewellery for his wife, a 65” Sumsung TV among others.

During the subsequent investigations, detectives from Kampala Metropolitan Police, tracked down an iCloud signal, from one of the stolen IPhones, that led them to the location in Kityo close, Buwate in Kira Division.

“They interviewed the occupants, who told them that the home belonged to a one Olimu Charles SIPAPA, who was not at home and had travelled to Tororo. A thorough search was conducted in the home, in the presence of Nakiyimba Shamira, the wife to SIPAPA and exhibits of evidential material, allegedly stolen from the home of Arok Jacob, recovered,” Enanga said.

These include; USD 70,000, 4 IPhones, 3 laptops, gold jewellery, an iPhone charger, a mac pro charger. Also recovered were two registration number plates, UBG 025B and UBA 023U, in addition, an assortment of car accessories were recovered which include; 2 amplifiers, 6 tool boxers, 4 sports vims, a rear car seat, 12 head lights, indicators, jeep bumper, V8 bumper, V8 rear boot doors, bonnet, 3 radiators, 4 inner door shutters, V8 rear boot doors, 7 grills, two cars a jeep and Audi, without registration plates, had been resprayed with a red colour and found in the compound.

“So far 4 suspects are in custody including the wife. A serious manhunt for SIPAPA who is urgently needed for questioning, in in place. His last locations were in Nagongera, Soni and Nawire sub counties, where he was distributing money in the company of bouncers,” Enanga said.

“We are therefore, appealing for information that can lead to the whereabouts or arrest of SIPAPA over the alleged Aggravated Robbery. He is aware of the police efforts and is evasive. We also want to warn the bouncers in his company, whom we shall find with him, that we shall arrest them for abetting crime and harbouring a wanted criminal suspect,” Enanga added.

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Central Buganda Diocese enhancing self-sustainability, Archbishop Kaziimba says

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Our Reporter
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Central Buganda Diocese enhancing self-sustainability, Archbishop Kaziimba says

Formed in 1995 after the sub-division of West Buganda Diocese with headquarters and Cathedral in Kasaka, Gomba District, Central Buganda Diocese has been commended by the Archbishop of Church of Uganda, The Most Rev Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu as a fast growing Diocese championing the self-sustainability agenda.

The Archbishop lauded the Diocesan Bishop, Rt Rev Michael Lubowa for offering strategic leadership to the Diocese since his consecration on 29th January 2017.

“Bishop Michael Lubowa is very good at public and state relations. That’s why in every development registered under his leadership, he credits the President of Uganda, the government, Christians and friends of the Diocese of different political and religious affiliation. He is very good at lobbying and providing accountability,” Archbishop Kaziimba said.

He added, “I have toured a number of projects including the coffee and banana projects, commissioned the construction of the pension house, dedicated St Michael Chapel at the Bishop’s residence, addressed Clergy and Lay Readers, visited the Bishop’s retirement home, maize mill, inspected and dedicated the Diocesan tractors given to them by the government, commissioned the construction of St. Peter’s Church Buyala Archdeaconry headquarters among many other projects but most profoundly, I preached the gospel and won souls for the Lord.”

Archbishop Kaziimba made the comments while concluding his official pastoral visit in Central Buganda Diocese at the last station, St Peters Church of Uganda, Buyala on Sunday evening.

Addressing the Clergy and Lay Readers at St John’s Cathedral, Kasaka on Saturday, the Archbishop charged them to be faithful stewards, protect Church land, save for retirement, help the Church establish income generating projects, monitor Church founded schools, join insurance and saving schemes, do regular exercises and be accountable to Christians and other funding streams.

He expressed gratitude to the Christians and friends of Central Buganda Diocese for building a magnificent residential house for the Bishop and addressing the welfare of clergy and other Church ministers.

“I slept in the Bishop’s house for the days I spent in the Diocese for my pastoral visit. It’s a beautiful place to sleep in. I thank the leadership of the Diocese for caring for clergy welfare and accommodation. The way you sleep and the means of transport you use some times determine how you minister. I know this by experience because I am a trained Lay Reader,” Archbishop Kaziimba said.

Bishop Michael Lubowa commended President Museveni for playing a critical role in the development of the Diocese.

“His Excellency, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is my number one Christian. He is very positive and has largely contributed to the establishment of all our projects. We owe our fast growth to him, his family and government of Uganda.” Bishop Lubowa said.

He added, “We now have a number of tractors with ploughs, planters and trailers which cultivate people’s gardens irrespective of their religious and political affiliation, 15 acres of coffee, 40 acres of matooke, instructed all parishes to have a minimum of 2 acres of coffee, Kasaka Maize mill, re-stocking our health facility and began plans to establish an irrigation scheme promised by Gomba District Local Government. I thank Uganda Coffee Development Authority for their tremendous support towards our coffee growing agenda.”

Bishop Lubowa said, during the Archbishop’s visit, the Diocese was able to mobilize over Shs50 million towards clearance of the debt on Church House.

Central Buganda Diocese covers the Districts of Mpigi, Butambala, Gomba and partly Mityana (Busujju County).

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