Sadio Mane netted the winning spot-kick as Senegal beat Egypt 4-2 on penalties to clinch their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations, after the final ended goalless following extra time.
The Liverpool forward had earlier seen a seventh-minute penalty saved by Pharaohs keeper Gabaski.
Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy denied Mohanad Lasheen to give Mane the chance to win it in Yaounde’s Olembe Stadium.
After two previous final defeats, Senegal are Africa Cup of Nations winners at last, while Egypt missed out on a record-extending eighth continental crown that would also have been a first for Salah.
Senegal have been Africa’s top-ranked side for the past three years under coach Cisse, who as a player missed a crucial penalty in the 2002 final defeat and was in the dugout for their loss three years ago.
“It just shows that if you work hard, if you persevere, you will get what you want,” Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said.
“I am very emotional because the people of Senegal have wanted this trophy for 60 years.”
All four of Egypt’s knockout games at the tournament went the distance, and the North Africans had beaten Ivory Coast and hosts Cameroon on spot-kicks en route to the final.
Gabaski had already saved four penalties at the tournament by the time the match went to a shootout, but on this occasion the 33-year-old ended on the losing side.
Egypt will soon have a chance for revenge when the two sides meet again in March in a two-legged play-off for a spot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The next Afcon is due to take place in the Ivory Coast in June and July next year.
Awards
Sadio Mane received the Player of the Tournament award.
Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was crowned the Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
Cameroon forward Vincent Aboubakar emerged as the Golden Boot winner. The veteran recorded eight goals for the tournament hosts.
On the 2nd February, 2022, Bank of Uganda issued a statement claiming that the death of Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, (RIP) the former Governor, did not in any way affect the validity or legal status of the Bank notes he signed. This statement left me with second-hand embarrassment because it tried to oversimplify a complex legal issue without any legal basis. This statement needs to be open up for more scrutiny as it raised more questions than it answered. I think it was a material omission for the statement not to have recognized the vicarious trauma suffered by our Bank notes when they lost a critical signature to which they have owed their existence for the last 20 years. I don’t know why BOU would insist that Bank notes are still legal tender when their tenderability has obviously been voided by an absent signature.
Before we delve into this unprecedented question about the legal status of the bank notes he signed whilst in office, we must recognize that our late Governor is only beaten to the tape as the longest serving Governor in the world by Romanian Central Bank Governor Magur Isarescu who has been in office for more than 30 years. But I am almost certain that the former Governor is the only Governor to have died in office since financial historians can remember.
Whereas BOU acknowledged in the statement that a key design feature of the bank notes is the signature of the Governor, it did not explain how this signature survived the death of the Governor. The Bank of Uganda Act Cap 51 which grants the exclusive mandate to BOU to issue Bank notes which have to be signed by the Governor and Bank secretary as part of the legal authentication process, has no provision extending the validity period of any of the two signatures after the makers leave office.
One may wonder why contracts signed by the late Governor will remain valid and enforceable and yet questions are being raised about the validity of Bank notes he signed when he was still in office. My quick answer to that question is that a Bank note is not a contract, it is a distinct and sacred expression of a country’s sovereignty. That is why Bank notes are made as one original and it is an offence to copy the original.
As much as the late Governor’s signature on any BOU Contract he left behind will convey enforceable proprietary rights by and against the bank, the same signature on the Bank note can not convey or transfer any proprietary rights to the bank when the maker passes on. The Governor’s signature on the bank note is personal to holder and it ceases to exist when the maker ceases to exist. The late Governor’s signature cannot be maintained on the Bank note because doing so amounts to a false representation of his existence as Governor. It also misrepresents his appointment by the President and yet the appointment terminated automatically upon his death. It is odd that BOU appears to be usurping the powers of the President by purportedly re-appointing the late Governor as a posthumous signatory in his death.
My take is that BOU has no authority under the law to maintain the signature of a Governor or Bank secretary on a bank note, after any of them leaves office. If BOU cannot re-introduce bank notes previously signed by the former Governor, the late Charles Nyonyintono Kikonyogo or Bank notes signed by the former Bank secretary, George William Nyeko on account of their absence from office, why does it think that Bank notes previously signed by the late Governor can still be introduced in his absence as legal tender.
I would therefore argue that every Ugandan Bank note is a living legal instrument which remains alive for as long as it bears the valid signature of the person holding the office of the Governor and Bank secretary.Under the living instrument doctrine which was first articulated by the European Human Rights Court in Tyrer vs United Kingdom (1978), a living instrument includes treaties (and money in my view) which must be interpreted in light of the present-day conditions.
Using the living instrument doctrine to interpret the present-day condition of our bank notes, anyone can find that it bears no valid signature of the person of a Governor who is holding that office at this material time. I hasten to add though that the original issuance of the Bank notes with the signature of the late Governor was legal. However, the Bank notes as presently tendered in the public circulation are not legally issued because the late Governor’s signature which appears thereon, is now invalid.
BOU must realize that the former Governors signature was obtained in an electronic form before it was printed on the bank notes. This electronic signature is governed by the Electronic Signatures Act 2011 and is liable to be revoked upon the death of the maker under the provisions of S.69 of the Act. The Bank should therefore stop laying any further claims to the Governors revoked signature because no legal inheritance or survivorship attaches to the said signature under the law.
With respect, I would like to conclude by emphasizing that nobody owns a dead person in any legal sense. Dead people don’t have any notable legal rights except perhaps, the right to remain silent. BOU should leave the Good old Governor to rest in peace and instead take steps to systematically withdraw all Bank notes which bear his signature. At least BOU has a clear mandate under the law to withdraw Bank notes which have suffered an impaired legal status. At the same time, BOU should push for the appointment of a substantive Governor who can sign on new Bank notes. This is the permanent solution to this debacle.
Ugandan Novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has thanked the Commissioner General of Uganda Prisons Dr. Johnson Byabashaija for instilling discipline into his officers at Kitalya prison.
Kakwenza was subjected to torture during his arrest and detention in December by security agencies at an unknown place. However the writer said it’s at Kitalya priso where he was handled with utmost dignity.
“Let me thank @jbyabs for inculcating discipline into his officers at Kitalya Mini max prison. Surely, they treated me with utmost dignity. Surely, how I entered Kitalya isn’t how I got out. There was improvement and if it weren’t them, I would have died there. Appreciation,” Kakwenza said.
Kakwenza was arrested at Kisaasi after a three days twitter feud with supporters of UPDF Land forces commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Kakwenza averred that Muhoozi’s supporters were allegedly bullying him for criticizing President Yoweri Museveni.
He was charged with two counts of offensive communication, contrary to Section 25 of the computer misuse act 2011. The Lawyer pleaded not guilty and was subsequently remanded to Kitalya prison.
Prosecution averred that Kakwenza on 24th December 2021 in the Kampala District, willfully and repeatedly used his Twitter handle to commit cases of offensive communication against the President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the first son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, with no purpose of legitimate communication.
Rukirabashaija is the author of the novel The Greedy Barbarian, which takes on themes of high-level corruption in a fictional country. He was arrested on 13 April 2020 in Uganda, and held for seven days, during which time he was interrogated about his fiction and subjected to torture and later released. Rukirabashaija details this treatment in his latest work banana republic: Where Writing is Treasonous.
Lands, Housing and Urban Development minister Judith Nabakooba has stepped in on the contested lands in Kitende-Kagga and Buloba, both in Wakiso district, looming land wrangles and issued directives to guide the fact finding process.
Nabakooba who made visits in the two areas on February 5 was overwhelmed by the lack of rule law by the landlords who use private security guards to exert excessive force on the bibanja owners while evicting them.
At her first stop over in Buloba, Chairman Kamada accused a one Kato Ssekabanja for metering violence on the people all in the name of obtaining ownership on what rightfully belongs to him.
He said that in the area, respect for bibanja holders by landlords was not in place and so far two landlords have claimed ownership of the contested land.
“If you are a land owner, it doesn’t mean you evict bibanja holders. I told him to bring the land title so we can know the rightful owners but he failed. Selling without proof of ownership is not good, I told him as the leader here to bring the title he claimed to have on the said land,” Kamada said.
Ms Justine Mbabazi the RDC of Wakiso district told the minister that the issues pertaining to the land in question were in her office before and she got the District Security Team to the contested land because there was a lot of criminality pertaining to the land.
She said locals were claiming there are fellows wielding guns and she convened a big meeting to get to the root of the matter.
“The issue here is small, the bibanja owners here are not 20 like claimed, if they are many, they are not more than six. I ask Mr Ssekabanja to sort this issue out easily with the local leaders rather than disturbing the minister over something really small,” the RDC said.
In her remarks, the minister assured the locals that her team had got the right block number and plot, and they are set to look up the true ownership of this land.
She directed the RDC to work with her officers and do mediation between Mr Ssekabanja and the bibanja owners after getting the rightful owners but urged them to ensure the bibanja holders are those in the categories stipulated by the law.
“Mr Ssekabanja, stop evicting people in a harsh manner, get through the proper criteria and pass through the District Security Committee so that we are on the same page. This is a small issue. We are going to put a commissioner’s caveat on this land so we can do the fact finding. RDC and DPC handle the people who have been jailed over this land,” Nabakooba said.
At Kitende-Kagga, locals led by Fred Kabajjo shared with the minister how a one Robert Mulindwa is terrorising them off their 13 acres of land that he wants to grab to add on the 30 he already obtained in the area.
A sobbing Kabajjo narrated to the minister the violence that was metered on his family that saw him losing his daughter’s life, Mr Mulindwa’s aides destructing his house to ground and traumatising his family for fighting for what rightfully belongs to him.
The four families on the contested land in Kitende-Kagga shared with the minister how Mulindwa took their land and failed to pay them but kept on terrorising the area with gun wielding private security operatives that destroy people’s farms and homes.
Nabakooba immediately ordered for the arrest of private security on the land and asked security to drop them at Kajjansi Police promising that all files pertaining to the case are going to be expedited and all those that were involved in this metering of violence arrested and prosecuted.
She said she is going to reopen boundaries to know the rightful ownership and directed the DPC to have private security off contested land saying if there is any insecurity in the area, let the DPC use a neutral force which is the Uganda Police Force.
“What is here is saddening, the president keeps telling his people to work hard and fight poverty but someone building something in years and it is put down in one day is heart-breaking. I am going to take this matter seriously to see that I speak to the IGP because they have complained a lot about the police. I am going to write to him and tell him about the conduct of his men.”
She added: “Police is messing up all this because it has interests. We don’t believe in this as a government. We want equity and fairness in the people we serve. We are going to call for a meeting with Mr Robert Mulindwa, Amooti Magara and the Chairperson Paul Nampagi.”
Nabakooba assured the locals that justice was to prevail and if there are titles created when the owners are not in the know, then their cancellation process will take course.
“Next week, my team is coming on ground to establish the 30 acres of the other gentle man but also the 13 acres where people are. Right now people don’t know who falls where. We are going to investigate the matter and be in position to come up with recommendations. I am going to instruct the RDC to come on ground to handle this matter amicably because it is not a complicated matter.”
The US mission in Uganda issued a statement Friday condemning recurring accounts of forced disappearance, arbitrary detention and the use of physical and mental torture of citizens by security forces
“Recurring credible accounts of forced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and use of physical and mental torture of Ugandan citizens by the security forces reflect poorly on the government and undermine the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, which under Article 24 states, ”No person shall be subjected to any form of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,” reads the statement.
It requested that Uganda bring to justice those who are responsible.
“We urge the Government of Uganda, as a party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to protect the rights of its citizens and to hold accountable those who violate these rights.”
“We recognize the courage of the victims in sharing their experiences with the public, and of concerned citizens calling for the full expression of their constitutional rights and protections. We also commend the media for shining light on these stories and raising awareness.”
Opposition MPs walked out of parliament on Thursday to protest alleged injustices that include killings, torture and illegal arrest of citizens.
Business man Sudhir Ruparelia and Jyotsna Ruparelia, the richest couple in East Afric celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary on February 4th.
Ruparelia has been married to Jyotsna since 1977. Together, they are parents to three children. Meera, the oldest, has been married to Ravi Kotecha since 2014. Rajiv is their only son, and Sheena is the younger daughter.
Egypt will take on Senegal in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final at the Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé.
The Pharaohs of Egypt are chasing a record-extending eighth African crown while The Teranga Lions of Senegal continue their search for their first title.
Senegal produced a brilliant second half performance in the first semi-final on Wednesday to beat Burkina Faso 3-1 to qualify into Sunday’s final.
Defender Abdou Diallo, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Dieng and Sadio Mané’s goals were enough for Aliou Cissé’s team.
Goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal was the hero for the Egyptians, saving from both Harold Moukoudi and James Lea-Siliki in the shoot-out at the Olembe Stadium before Clinton Njie blazed wide with Cameroon’s last chance to keep their dream alive.
Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz was sent off in the 90th minute. He will now be banned from the touchline for Sunday’s final against Senegal.
It was the first game back at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde since eight fans died after a crush outside Cameroon’s last-16 game against Comoros last Monday.
Senegal have never won the competition, but are in the final for the third time and the second in a row. Senegal fell to Algeria at the last tournament in 2019. They lost 3-2 in penalties to Cameroon in 2002.
Cameroon, meanwhile, see their hopes of AFCON glory on home soil ended in cruel fashion, and they must still get through a third-place play-off against Burkina Faso on Sunday.
Head to head; Senegal wins – 4, Draws – 2 and Egypt wins – 6.
MTN Uganda has announced that they have repackaged and launched bigger data bundles for their customers at the same existing prices.
This move makes MTN’s daily data bundles the most affordable bundles, giving customers more MBs at no extra cost.
In a press conference held at the MTN Uganda headquarters in Kampala, Wim Vanhelleputte, the MTN Uganda Chief Executive officer, noted that the move is a continuous effort by MTN to deliver value for customers at the most affordable pricing and continue driving our customers’ progress through connectivity.
“We have revised our daily data offers permanently to give more value to our customers, because it’s our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life,” Vanhelleputte commented.
These new offers focus on the smaller, most frequently used data bundles by our customers. The repackaged daily data bundles have more MBs but maintain the existing price, giving customers more data for the same old price.
For instance, at Shs 500, customers will get 65MB instead of 40MB while at Shs 1000, they will get 165MB instead of 100MBs.
To compliment the customer benefit, MTN has invested significantly in optimizing and rolling out of new 4G data network sites across the country to enhance positive customer experiences.
A recent report from a survey carried out by a global telecom monitoring and testing firm, Rohde & Schwarz, in the last quarter of 2021 ranked MTN’s data as the best in the country in terms of quality of user experience as well as speed, reliability and coverage.
“MTN committed to doing all it takes in terms of providing affordable data, on the best data network. And speaking in the context of the times we’re in, we hope these bundles with bigger MBs will support our customers recover from the effects of the lockdown, whether in business, education or otherwise,” Vanhelleputte concluded.
