The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa has asked legislators from Germany to interest their investors to set up shop in Uganda.

Tayebwa told a delegation from the Bundestag (Germany’s National Assembly) led by Hon. Stefan Rouenhoff, who represents the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, that the country has vast potential for investment.

“We do need to see more, especially in the plan to build more industrial parks; Uganda supplies DRC, South Sudan and Rwanda. We are land locked as we used to study in geography but now we changed from being landlocked to being a ‘land linked’ country,” Tayebwa said.

Tayebwa said since the advent of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government in 1986, emphasis has been on creating an investment-friendly environment through ensuring peace and security, stabilizing the Uganda shilling and offering attractive incentives to investors.

The Deputy Speaker told the German legislators whom he led on a guided tour of the Parliament building that there is abundance of investment opportunities in agro-processing, value addition to minerals, oil and gas as well as infrastructure such as construction of the railway.

He urged development partners to review the conditions of concessional loans   offered to African countries adding that the Chinese have become a better option especially in infrastructure development because of their flexible terms.

“The Chinese investments are doing extremely well not only in Uganda but across Africa; it is a situation we had to face and make choices because of the condition of the loans that were coming from the western world. The western world wasn’t ready to venture into investing in the projects,” he said.

He added that, “we do believe that if you are giving me money, I am going to pay back; so why tag in so much that is not going to contribute to the pay back of this money?  As Africa, we have to be very conscious so that we don’t go into a debt trap much as we want to transform our economy”.

Tayebwa commended the German government for the good bilateral relations with Uganda.

Stories Continues after ad

Diamond Trust Bank and Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) blood donation drive has mobilized 1,693 blood units in a campaign at 20 DTB branches.

The blood donation campaign aimed at encouraging the public to participate more in saving lives through blood donations and boosting stocks in Uganda’s blood banks.

The target of the blood drive intends to achieve 7000 units of blood.  According to records from URCS, at least 155 hospitals in Uganda require up to 300,000 units of blood annually whereby children in need of 50 percent of that, pregnancy-related complications need 30 percent, accident victims need 10 percent, and surgical medical cases need 10 percent.

The blood collected through the drive is dedicated to expectant mothers and those in labor. The campaign is part of DTB’s CSR initiatives in supporting lives in communities where DTB Operates.

Blood donation campaigns have so far been conducted in Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Jinja and Masaka. Similar exercises will be conducted in Mbale, Lira, Busia, Malaba, Arua, and Mbarara.  DTB is conducting blood donation campaigns alongside Financial Literacy training in various communities.

This is intended to raise financial independence alongside having good health. DTB’s Head of Communication Samuel Matekha says that the bank intends to reach out to over 10,000 people through financial literacy engagements and other Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. 

In March 2022, Diamond Trust Bank signed a three a year partnership with Uganda Red Cross to save lives through blood donations.

Stories Continues after ad

The Electoral Commission has released the programme for purposes of conducting by-elections for Local Government Councils, including Special Interest Groups (SIGs), in electoral areas across the country, where vacancies exist.

A total of fifty-six (56) vacancies for Chairpersons and Councillors, which occurred as a result of deaths and resignations, will be filled in the various Local Government Councils within twenty-six (26) districts across the country.

The by-election programme will commence with an update of the National Voters’ Register from Monday 20th to Friday 24th June, 2022 at update stations in each parish/ward in the above electoral areas.

The Commission has appointed Friday 24th June 2022 as the cut-off date for registration of voters and transfer of voting location in the affected electoral areas. The registration and transfer of voters from one polling station to another within parishes/wards in the above affected electoral areas will not take place after this date.

The Commission will display the Voters’ Register at each polling station in the affected electoral areas from Monday 11th July to Wednesday 20th July 2022. During this display exercise, the Commission will issue Voting Location Slips (VLS) to registered voters, to enable them conveniently locate their respective polling station on polling day.

After the display exercise, the lists of all persons recommended for deletion from the Voters’ Register will also be displayed for a period of six (6) days, that is, from 22nd to 27th July 2022, at the respective Parish/Ward Headquarters within the affected electoral areas.

The nomination of candidates will be conducted for a period of two days, that is, Wednesday 3rd August, 2022 and Thursday 4th August, 2022 at the respective City/District Headquarters.

Candidates’ campaign meetings will be conducted for eleven (11) days, that is, from Saturday 6th August, 2022 till Tuesday 16th August, 2022.

Polling for Councillors representing Special Interest Groups (SIGs) shall take place on Wednesday 17th August, 2022, while the polling for Chairpersons and Councillors shall take place on Thursday 18th August, 2022 at polling stations in the affected electoral areas.

Stories Continues after ad

Habitat for Humanity Uganda has today announced that it will build a house for the stranded parents of conjoined twins who were operated at Mulago Hospital as part of events to mark their 40th anniversary in Uganda.

On 15 December 2021, Moses Talemwa and Hellen Kugonza of Bulinda Cell in Hoima City gave birth to conjoined twin daughters who were successfully separated on 15 February 2022 at the Mulago National Specialized Referral Hospital in Kampala. The medical team was led by Dr John Sekabira, a pediatric surgeon and the acting deputy executive director of Mulago.

However, the hospital has been stuck with the babies and their parents after the assessment of their home in Hoima failed a safe and clean environment test to raise such children thereby delaying their discharge.

Dr Sekabira said separating the conjoined twins who shared parts of both the liver and heart among other organs and then sending them to a house not fit for human habitat would be counterproductive.

“Some time back we separated conjoined twins from Kole District and one of them immediately died of malaria once they were back home. We learnt the lessons the hard way. We now involve social workers to assess the environment and devise means as necessary,” he said.

“We are grateful that Habitat for Humanity has answered our call to help these vulnerable children,” he added.

“After consultations with both these parents, the doctors in Mulago and the grandparents of these twins, we have decided to build for them a decent house,” Robert Otim, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Uganda told a press conference attended by the parents of the conjoined twins and Mulago Hospital officials.

“We have been operating in Uganda for 40 years and we would like to mark this milestone starting with supporting this couple and their children,” he added.

To mark its 40th anniversary in the country, Habitat for Humanity Uganda plans to build at least 40 houses across the country.

“We are appealing to all organisations and individuals to support us to build at least 40 houses this year in Uganda for vulnerable people,” he added.

A Habit for Uganda rural house costs on average Shs25 million while one in urban centres costs approximately Shs35 million. The beneficiary must be in possession of land where the house is built.
Hellen Kugonza, the 23-year old mother of the twins, Brenda and Gloria, thanked Habitat for Humanity Uganda for this kind gesture.

“I am very grateful for this support which will enable us to raise our daughters in a clean and safe environment,” she said.

“We appeal to everyone to support Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to continue providing decent housing to those in need,” Kugonza added.

The parents of Talemwa have donated a small piece of land measuring 64 metres by 40 metres in Hoima where Habitat for Humanity Uganda will build the house. A two-bedroom house with a living room and sanitation facilities is expected to be complete within two months.

Both parents of the twins have no regular income and meet Habitat for Humanity’s criteria for an affordable house.

Dr Nasser Kakembo, one of the pediatric surgeons who worked on the twins commended Habitat for Humanity for their support.

“We have been with these children and their parents since we couldn’t release them to an unsafe environment. With this house, we believe that these children will be safe,” she said.

“I thank the team at Mulago Hospital which has tirelessly supported this young couple and the children since they were first admitted here in December 2021,” he added.

Habitat for Humanity Uganda (HFHU) is affiliated to Habitat for Humanity International, which was established in 1976 and is a leading housing organization impacting nearly 40 million people in 70 countries across the world.

Since the inception of Habitat for Humanity in Uganda in 1982, the organization has built and improved over 40,000 houses through four strategic program interventions: Vulnerable Group Housing; Housing Microfinance; Market Systems Development; and Urbanization thus transforming the lives of over 240,000 vulnerable individuals in Uganda.

Stories Continues after ad

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has clarified that they are still investigating the Executive Secretary of Departed Asian Custodian Board George William Bizibu and the accountant.

Bizibu and the accountant were over the weekend arrested by the State House anticraft agency after they were netted falsely obtaining money from various people.

The two, after their arrest and detention by the police, were given bond and resumed their offices. However, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit has clarified that the two are still under probe despite them being under police bond.

“They are under police bond as their charges haven’t been sanctioned. We are still compiling evidence and soon their files will be sent to DPP. But the truth is that they were arrested and we did carry out at both their homes and offices and we found enough evidence,” said Mr Sandor Walusimbi, the agency Spokesperson.

He further added “The investigations are ongoing but almost done”.

The Two Custodian board officials were arrested by the State House Anti-corruption unit over forgery and obtaining money by false pretence.

Bizibu and his chief accountant were arrested over extorting money based on forged documents. It is alleged that the duo were found of defrauding people by issuing false allocation letters and reciepts after extorting huge sums of money.

 “@AntiGraft_SH in liaison with @PoliceUg have arrested both the Executive Secretary & the Accountant of the departed Asian property custodian board for falsely obtaining money from various persons while purporting to allocate them properties. #ExposeTheCorrupt,” State House Anti-corruption unit tweeted.

Stories Continues after ad