Uganda’s senior citizen and political evangelist Dr. Miria Matembe has resigned from the position of Chairperson Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) citing the political persecution resulting into indefinite suspension of the organisation’s activities by the Government.

It is recalled that CCEDU was indefinitely suspended by the Non-Governmental Organisation Bureau (NGO Bureau) in August, 2021.

Dr. Matembe’s resignation was noted in a letter she wrote to Mr. Robert Sempala, Secretary to the Board, CCEDU dated 25th January, 2022. In this letter she says that CCEDU under her leadership as the Chairperson has taken various practical steps to respond to the issues as raised with the hope that the Government would lift the said suspension.

“Despite responding to all the compliance queries as raised by the NGO Bureau, CCEDU’s suspension has not been lifted. Along the way, it appears that CCEDU’s continued suspension is not and was never about the alleged compliance issues as stipulated in the correspondence with the NGO Bureau,” part of the letter read.

Matembe says that she realized that CCEDU’s indefinite suspension was and continues to be the as a result of her personal political beliefs and she has been seized with useful information to the effect that the non-conclusive response from both the NGO Bureau and the Electoral Commission, CCEDU’s partner institution is because of her political standing in the midst of the current political environment.

“Therefore, rather than the whole Citizen’s Coalition with over 1000 members and many other Organisations being indefinitely suspended because of my individual political thoughts and for the good and interest of these Ugandans, it’s rather prudent that I step down from the position of Chairperson in order to give the organisation a second chance to live,” Matembe noted.

Since her assumption of office as the Chairperson, it has been clear that the Government has found it hard to collaborate with the coalition to the extent that CCEDU was even denied accreditation to observe the 2021 general elections, an activity that is the organisation’s mandate.

“In line with article 20(a) of CCEDU’s constitution, I therefore tender my resignation from the position of Chairperson with immediate effect. It’s my hope that this will possibly pave way for a reopening of the organisation. Please communicate my resignation to the membership of the organization as required by the construction,” she confirmed.

Dr. Miria Matembe retariated that it was an exceptional honour and previlege to serve the citizens of Uganda in the position of Chairperson of CCEDU with trust and integrity in the politically challenging time between 19th August, 2019 to date when her leadership was most profound.

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A random citizen spotted the Rukungiri ambulance driver in a picture loading pineapples in the vehicle’s cabin registration number UG 3797M.

The MOH Senior Public Relations officer Emmanuel Ainebyona has revealed that disciplinary action will be taken against an ambulance driver.

The MOH released a statement on Thursday evening saying a photograph making rounds on social media drew their attention. This photograph shows a man loading pineapples into the cabin of an Ambulance.

Ainebyona said the Ministry has taken a keen interest in the matter and immediately carried out investigations. He also revealed that this ambulance is under the management of Rukungiri District local government.

“We shall use a medical command and control system where no ambulance takes a journey without without authorization by the Regional Emergency Medical Services Coordinator,” Ainebyoona said.

Apparently, the vehicle had taken a patient to Ntungamo and on return, the driver loaded the pineapples as seen in the picture.

Ainebyona said that such behavior is the reason why the government has taken on the centralization of the Ambulance management into a National Ambulance service.

The Ministry of Health has consequently asked the district to take action on the driver whose identity remained a mystery to the public.

According to Ainebyona, they are taking all measures to bring the culprits to book. Furthermore, they also want to ensure that they stop this abuse once and for all.

Ainebyona also thanked the vigilant public that captured this abuse of the ambulance in question and circulated it. This also enabled the ministry to take disciplinary action.

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City Lawyer Male Mabirizi has filed a Notice of Appeal challenging the judgment ordering him to pay a fine of 300 million shillings for contempt of court. He said he was not given a fair hearing.

On Thursday, High Court Judge Musa Ssekana directed Mabirizi to pay Shs300m. This was after the Judge ruled that Mabirizi’s statements and posts on his Twitter handle @MaleMabiriziHKK and Facebook page; Uganda People’s Interests were in contempt of court.

According to the Notice of Appeal, Mabirizi said he never declined to file his submission but  the applicant only served him this week on Monday.

“In this letter, the Attorney General informed me that the Judge had directed that they file submissions by January 11, 2022, so that I reply by January 17, 2022, seven days later. They filed on 24 December giving me up to January 31 to respond but conflicted Judge Musa Ssekaana ‘ruled’ on 27 January,” reads his notice in part.

Lawyer Male Mabirirzi vowed to challenge this ruling in the East African Court of Justice.

The lawyer also described the verdict as null and void since it was delivered less than a week after he was served, and was never allowed to file his defense.

“Having been served with Applicant’s submissions just on Monday 24th January 2022 and preparing to file my submissions a week after, as per the ‘Judge’s’ own schedule, this decision was a great surprise and a clear reason why we most engage a higher gear in our fight for rule of law, mainly against hypocritical men and women who sit as Judges but disregard their Constitutional mandate,” he said.

Mabirizi also claimed a personal fight between him and Justice Ssekaana whom he said has not been secretive about his disdain for the maverick lawyer in the past.

“When I knew that the Application was before Ssekaana, I, on 23’d December 2021 applied for his recusal because of “the unmitigated animosity, frightening bellicosity and ceaseless skirmishing between Judge Ssekaana Musa and I, his black-listed litigant, the one the Judge declared persona non grata in his High Court Civil Division. This is the same litigant that Judge Ssekaana Musa publicly threatened with imprisonment on 17. December 2019 and he now has a fertile opportunity to do so under the guise of adjudicating Misc. Application 843 of 2021,” he said.

“Upon his refusal to recuse, I filed East African Court of Justice Reference No. 1 of 2022 and High Court Misc. Application No. 21 of 2022 for stay of proceedings and ruling. I had earlier filed Applications to strike out the ex parte proceedings which had occurred in my absence and to cross-examine the Attorney General’s witness. We have no rulings yet.”

“Therefore, no expectation of a final verdict was expected at this time but it is happening because of ‘Judge’ SSEKAANA’s unethical conduct”.

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