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‘Rules committee proceedings are not intended to establish the truth but to lynch and hang me’ – MP Zaake

By
Geoffery Serugo
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MP Zaake

The Chairperson of Rules Privileges and Discipline Committee Abdul Katuntu has given opposition Commissioner of Parliament Francis Zaake one day to prepare and make his response in regards to disparaging the Deputy Speaker Anita Among.

The MP is accused of insulting the integrity of Parliament after he last week took to social media and used offensive language to express his dissatisfaction with the Deputy Speaker’s statement regarding his alleged torture.

Appearing before the Committee, Zaake said that he constantly get cruel remarks from government officials and security spokespersons asserting that he faked the torture and therefore, the proceedings are not intended to establish the truth.

“The proceedings are aimed at knotting the rope with which the mob after lynching me, will hang me to fit the narrative that I committed suicide. The multiple incidents of torture have left me with haunting post traumatic stress disorder. I can no longer fall asleep with lights off, let alone without music playing. I can no longer stand with the soles of my feet firmly fixed on the ground,” he told the Committee.

Katuntu has said that whereas they sympathize with Zaake about the torture he has faced but the committee is investigating something else; the social media statements of Zaake disparaging the Deputy Speaker.

Earlier this month, Martin Mapenduzi raised the matter in the August House noting that he intended to move a motion to have Zaake relieved of his duties as a commissioner for denigrating the integrity of Parliament and Office of the Speaker in breach of Rules 84 and 85 of the Rules of Procedure and Paragraph 5 of the Code of Conduct of Members.

“All of us may have our own emotions and issues to deal with but there are avenues in our Rules of Procedure through which anything done by the presiding officer can be challenged. The member never exercised any of the remedies provided in the rules but chose to go to social media,” Mapenduzi said

The matter was supported by the Soroti West Division MP; Jonathan Ebwalu who said Zaake’s use of unparliamentary language on social media against the person of the Deputy Speaker was in bad faith and demeaned the office of the Speaker and institution of parliament.

“The intention was to damage; lower the character and status of the Speaker and the reputation of this Parliament. It is our obligation to defend Parliament from any attack. We need to enact laws to check cyber bullying, cyber harassment, blackmail and intimidation,” he said.

Esther Afoyochan, one of the Backbench commissioners disassociated her from the social media utterances attributed to Zaake saying that the House should deal with the matter in accordance with the House’s prescribed guidelines.

Deputy Speaker, Anita Among referred the matter to the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline for further investigations.

And, yesterday, the four complaint MPs appeared before Parliament’s Rules Committee chaired by legislator Abdu Katuntu to present a formal complaint against Zaake. The group accuses Zaake of insulting the integrity of Parliament after he last week took to social media and used offensive language to express his dissatisfaction with the Deputy Speaker’s statement regarding his alleged torture.

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Digitalisation of the transport sector can help solve major challenges

By
Guest Writer
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Moses Mugerwa, Operations Manager Bolt Uganda

By Moses Maurice Mugerwa, Operations Manager Bolt Uganda

Recently, the Government of Uganda announced that it was embarking on the process of registering all boda-boda riders in the city and ensuring that each of them had a specific stage where they would operate from. The boda-boda riders have been given a grace period of 4 months to register or risk not operating within the city. Any boda-boda rider that isn’t registered by 1st July 2022, will be prohibited from operating in Kampala.

In an inter-ministerial committee comprising the Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of local government, Kampala ministry, police and representatives from boda-boda associations, it was agreed that there was a need to register, and formalise every boda-boda operating in metropolitan Kampala. This is aimed at instilling order in the city.

According to the State Minister for Kampala, KbuyeKyofatogabye, each boda-boda rider will be registered using a copy of their national ID, and given reflective identification jackets unique to each division. Drivers will also be provided with QR codes. Their pictures will be well displayed on their backs for easy identification.

Despite the numerous challenges facing the boda-bodas riders, it is clear that boda-bodas are still a preferred means of transportation. So far, there are more than 200,000 boda-bodas in Kampala, all providing a source of income to families. Once the government puts the proposed regulations into effect, the unregistered boda-boda riders, the majority of whom are the youth, may lose their source of income and earning opportunities. This will affect the thousands of recipients that directly or indirectly rely on these boda-boda riders. Additionally, boda-bodas offer a quick means of transport for a significant number of city residents, where traffic congestion remains a major day to day challenge.

It is important to note that since this is not the first time that the government has proposed these changes, there is a need for greater collaboration between the concerned parties to ensure that all parties’ needs are met. 

Nevertheless, the challenge of unregistered, unidentified boda-bodas can easily be solved by the sector’s digitalisation, which is already happening in Uganda. Ride-hailing apps like Bolt, Safeboda and Uber have digitised mechanisms that collect relevant data on riders’ personal details, the areas they visit, and their exact location, all at the same time.

Edward Isa, a boda-boda rider operational on the Bolt platform, is keen to understand the government approach, noting that he can easily be tracked on his Bolt app.

“My Bolt identification is my identity as a bodaboda rider. Using their systems, Bolt can easily track where I am, and the places I have been. This is not only safe for the customers and me as a rider because I also feel safe. I only take customers that make requests via Bolt, and these can easily be tracked using the phone numbers that they register with.” he said.

Therefore, the government should work together with the available ride-hailing applications to improve their systems to include National IDs as a necessity for registration for both riders and customers. They should also encourage all boda-boda riders to register with the said applications, and offer subsidised rates on the system, so that the customers and riders can get a fair deal. By doing so, there will be a systematic transport system that offers a safe and convenient way to travel for most Ugandans and offers boda-boda riders the opportunities to earn a stable income in a secure environment.

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Ukraine Invasion: FIFA announces sanctions against Russia

By
Our Reporter
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FIFA President Infantino

World football governing body, Fifa has announced that no international competition shall be played on the territory of Russia, with “home” matches being played on neutral territory and without spectators.

The member association representing Russia shall participate in any competition under the name “Football Union of Russia (RFU)” and not “Russia”.

Fifa said “No flag or anthem of Russia will be used in matches where teams from the Football Union of Russia participate.”

The federation will try to find a solution with the three countries – Sweden, Poland and the Czech Republic – involved in the World Cup qualifiers.

“We has already engaged in dialogue with all of these football associations. FIFA will remain in close contact to seek to find appropriate and acceptable solutions together.”

“FIFA would like to reiterate its condemnation of the use of force by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Violence is never a solution and FIFA expresses its deepest solidarity to all people affected by what is happening in Ukraine,” Fifa said in a statement.

The International Olympic Committee has urged international sports federations to either move or cancel events planned in Russia or Belarus. Russian troops entered Ukraine through Belarus, when the invasion began.

Last week, UEFA moved the 2022 Champions League final to Paris, France after Russia was stripped of the match following the nation’s invasion of Ukraine.

Uefa expressed “thanks and appreciation” to French President Emmanuel Macron for “his personal support and commitment to have European club football’s most prestigious game moved to France at a time of unparalleled crisis”.

Ukrainian forces were still holding off Russian troops advancing on the capital Kyiv.

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Archbishop Kaziimba calls for harmony and reconciliation in Muhabura Diocese

By
Our Reporter
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Archbishop Kaziimba in Muhabura Diocese

The Archbishop of Church of Uganda The Most Rev Dr Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu has called upon Christians in the Diocese of Muhabura to unite and reconcile for the betterment of their Diocese and the nation.

Archbishop Kaziimba who is in the Diocese for his maiden official pastoral visit made the call today in a Service held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral Seseme.

He informed Christians that he had forgiven people from the Diocese who took him and the Church to court and called for special prayers for the process of transition and peaceful retirement of Bishop Cranmer Mugisha.

“We must learn to forgive one another, reconcile and live in harmony for the betterment of our Diocese. We should pray for peaceful transition and not to accept to go back to ancient wrangles. They won’t take us anywhere!” Archbishop Kaziimba.

He said he has forgiven a section of Christians that took him and the Church to Court and requested them to desist from such ungodly acts.

He called for special attention to the boy Child to have men and husbands of valour.

“We normally ignore these boys and focus only on the girl child. These boys if not mentored well, they end up marrying our well mentored girls and the end result is the high number of gender based violence cases you normally hear being reported.” Archbishop Kaziimba.

Hundreds of people gave their lives to Christ following his altar call after his Sermon which was under the theme, Hope beyond affliction, Lamentations 3:21.

He later visited Sesame Girls Secondary School where he mentored students on making right choices, the beauty of salvation, patience and focus in education.

He also visited Potters village, a children’s medical and crisis center with over 25 children who were abandoned at birth, whose mothers died at birth and those with neurological challenges.

The Archbishop also inspected the ongoing works the construction of St Andrew’s Cathedral Sesame which is a 3000 seater Capacity cathedral.

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Amanya Tumukunde weds Angela Museveni

By
Our Reporter
-

Gen Henry Tumukunde’s son, Amanya Tumukunde Ndahura has wedded President Yoweri Museveni and Enid Kukunda’s daughter Dr. Angela Nagasha Kakishozi.

The wedding took place today at St.Paul’s Namirembe Cathedral.

General Salim Saleh walked the bride to the pulpit.

The party is currently ongoing at Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo with several dignitaries attending the function.

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Hariss International Bags Four (4) Awards At The 2021 Pearl Of Africa Customer Excellence Awards

By
Our Reporter
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On Friday,25.02.2022, Hariss International Ltd, the manufacturer of RIHAM products, bagged four (4) awards at the 2021 Pearl of Africa Customer Excellence Awards(POACEA).

The Awards Launched in October 2021 by the Uganda Manufacturers Society (UMS), are meant to recognize and reward companies that have constantly endeavored to put the customer first through deliberate actions towards progressive customer care, excellent customer experience, and customer prioritization throughout their operations.

Hariss International received the awards in four (4) categories as first runners-up; 

1. Best Cx Cultural Adaptation Award.

2. Best Customer Retention Campaign.

3. Best use of customer insights and feedback.

4. Best Cx Team of the year. 

At the Ceremony, Dr. Dorothy Kyeyune, the Keynote speaker, emphasized that “companies should transform from customer service to a customer life/experience journey.” 

She also highlighted the key trends in the customer experience journey, which included; Understanding a customer at the moment, anticipating customer needs, actively adding value to customers, making CX tangible, among others.

As Hariss International, we are thrilled to have received such outstanding recognition. It is because of the joint efforts that we managed to achieve these awards. We, therefore, pledge to furtherour commitment towards understanding our customers in all our operations.

Hariss International is the proud manufacturer of RIHAM products; Krystal Natural Mineral water, Oner Juice, Rock Boom Energy drinks among others.

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Court remands five Nile Treasure Gate Company directors for trafficking Judith Nakintu to Saudi Arabia

By
Geoffery Serugo
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The Nakawa Magistrates Court has remanded five directors of labour export agency, Nile Treasure Gate Company Limited for trafficking a Ugandan National, Judith Nakintu.

The five directors include; Kato Abubaker Suleiman, Muhammad Mariam, Sulamah Muhammed, Ali Hassan, Jennifer Nalunga Milly.

The directors have been charged with three counts of Aggravated trafficking in persons contrary to section 3 (1) (a), 4 (I) of the prevention of trafficking in persons Act, 2009.

Prosecution avers that the five and others at large between December 2019 and October 2021, between Kampala district, Uganda and Saudi Arabia, organized, facilitated or made preparations for sending to, receiving or confining Nakintu Judith by means of fraud or deceit or abuse of power of position of vulnerability for purpose of removal of body parts or organs

Prosecution says that the victim suffered mutilation or a life threatening illness and the offense was committed by a syndicate.

The five allegedly conspired and unlawfully removed the right kidney of Edith Nakintu, a lady they had taken for labor in Saudi Arabia.The five have been remanded till 14/3/22.

Judith Nakintu left Uganda to work as a maid in Saudi Arabia on 12/12/2019 via recruitment agency Nile Treasure Gate Co Ltd. She was lured to hospital under the guise of testing for Covid-19 but she underwent involuntary surgery that led to her disability.

Contrary to the report from Mulago Hospital, a private Medical Report showed that Nakintu’s right kidney is missing.

Migrant Workers’ Voice raised concerns about how Ugandans are being exploited by Middle East traffickers who trade in body parts.

Recently, a dismembered body of Milly Namazzi (Age 26) was returned to Uganda on Jan 17 with her private parts removed. She had been subjected to multiple severe beatings. Milly had gone to Saudi Arabia to work as a maid via Dreams Connect Ltd and was killed in Egypt on December 5, 2022.

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Broadcast Journalist Kasozi Nasser sets up a television channel

By
Our Reporter
-

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Co-Founder of Homeland Media Group Limited Kasozi Nasser Akandwanaho has set up a television channel dubbed Homeland TV.

Located at Greenland Tower along Kampala road, the online television channel is expected to employ tens of journalists from all over the country. The channel is in a few days expected to hit the airwaves after Homeland Media Group Limited secured all the necessary equipment.

The Channel will broadcast politics and current affairs, business international news, entertainment and other beats.

Recently, the group launched a media institute, Homeland Media Institute (HMI) offering Short Courses, Certificates and Diplomas and in Journalism and Mass Communication. Homeland Media Institute, according to founders, is aimed at equipping students with journalist skills.

The television adds to a number of media outlets established by the Homeland Media group. The group runs a news website, Newspaper, Online Radio. The group offers other services which include Branding and Marketing.

According to Mr. Kasozi the institution was started to address the gap of professional journalists in the country by equipping students with journalist skills and vocational skills.

“We want to go different by offering practical skills to our skills. With that we shall be passing out job creators and not seekers other institutes do,” he said.

The CEO said: “At the Institute, they train students from lower levels of short courses to Diploma. Here every one can become a journalist as longer as they have the required minimum required grades for a short course and a Diploma.”

Eagle Online also learnt that graduates of the institution will get opportunities to work with the various Homeland media outlets.

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Uganda’s TV Show Kyaddala to stream on Netflix

By
Our Reporter
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Allan Toniks entertaining guests at the screening

The Ugandan creative scene continues to thrive as Kyaddala, a locally-made Edutainment TV show- becomes the second creative enterprise to make it to the streaming platform, Netflix.

‘Kyaddala’  is a brainchild of Reach a Hand Uganda to leverage the power of film to shed light on the real-life sexual reproductive challenges affecting Ugandan youth.

The show’s second season was revealed to select members of the public during an exclusive screening event held at the Mestil Hotel Kampala.

The invite-only black and gold-themed affair saw stars like A-Pass grace the red carpet and featured an exclusive cocktail experience curated by Uganda Waragi.

The guests were treated to an exclusive viewing ofthe first episode of season 2, which is a gritty drama that tells the story of university-going young adults navigatingadulthood, school and sex.

The evening also featured a live performance of the Kyaddala theme song by Allan Toniks, who entertained the guests with the support of a violinist and keyboard played by producer, Nessim.

Toniks, Lucy Bunyenyezi, Anita Fabiola, Sammy Wetala, Sam Bagenda (Dr. Bbosa from the Ebonies) and others are among the talented cast thatstar in this season, which will air on NBS TV and Netflix starting next month.

Humphrey Nabimanya, founder and team leader at Reach a Hand Uganda, who is also the show’s Executive Producer, applauded the efforts of the partners for being relentless in their support from its birth to the production of a second season.

He thanked the partners  such as UNICEF, Reproductive Health Uganda, Uganda Waragi, and many more – for their belief in Uganda’s youth, art and innovations and for investing in creating stories that speak to this demographic.

Speaking during the event, Emmy Hashakimana, Uganda Breweries Limited’s Marketing and Innovations Director, said, “Uganda Waragi is the true spirit of Uganda,which celebrates all that makes us proud to be Ugandan and we are honoured to support Kyaddalafor creating a powerful avenue through which Ugandans can tell Ugandan stories.”

He added that Uganda Waragi is a brand well-versed in innovation through its Coconut and Pineapple flavours, and is thus the perfect partner for a local innovation like Kyaddala.

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Lawyer Male Mabirizi to stay in prison as Court of Appeal declines to suspend 18 months sentence

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Lawyer Male Mabirizi

The Court of Appeal has declined to issue an order blocking the 18 months sentence which was handed to city lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi.

On 15th February, the High Court in Kampala sentenced lawyer Male Mabirizi to 18 months imprisonment over contempt of court.

Mabirizi was recently ordered to pay a fine of Shs300 million over contempt of court but the state has since accused him of continued attacks against judicial officers. The lawyer appealed against the sentence.

On 21st February, through his lawyers led by Isaac Ssemakadde, Mabirizi petitioned Court of Appeal seeking an order blocking 18 months sentence and Shs 300 million fine till the hearing and disposal of pending applications.

Appearing before Justice Christopher Madrama, Mabirizi’s plea was declined and instead ordered to serve his sentence. Court ruled that Mabirizi didn’t ask for suspension of the sentence but instead he shs 300 million fine.

“This court has no jurisdiction to reverse the order by the High Court in regards the 18months imprisonment because it has been overtaken by events,” he ruled.

Background

Last year, Male Mabirizi dragged Capital Market Authority (CMA) to court challenging its decision to approve Initial Public Offering (IPO) of MTN (U) Ltd. Upon Court ruling, Mabirizi made controversial statements on various social media platforms which are calculated to bring the then presiding Judge Justice Phillip Odoki into contempt and to lower his judicial authority.

“Notice Of Appeal filed challenging the illegal ruling by Judge Phillip Odoki who failed to decide on legality of CMA Uganda approval of MTN IPO sale of shares hiding in a technicality that I lack sufficient interest in ‘a public offer’ ‘shame on him’” Mabirizi allegedly said.

Upon Mabirizi’s statements, the Attorney General petitioned court seeking its power to declare that respondent is in contempt of Court. He also wanted the court to order Mabirizi to be committed to Civil prison for contempt of Court.

In his ruling, the High Court Judge Musa Ssekana said the statements posts tended to lower the authority of Justice Odoki and the High Court, by suggesting that a ruling was not valid or had no legal effect and that it should not be accorded any respect by the public.

“By attacking the authenticity of the ruling, the Respondent’s statements tended to undermine the confidence of the public in whether judicial decisions of Justice Odoki and the High Court or judiciary can be relied on as valid and genuine, which would tend to prejudice the public interest in the administration of justice.” he ruled.

 Justice Ssekana said the statements amounted to contempt in as far as they imputed wrong motives to the Judge’s judicial acts and decisions, and further that they tended to negatively affect the administration of justice by undermining the confidence of the public in the rulings of the said Judge and by extension the High Court.

“This court cannot continue to be in a ‘mute mode’ as the authority of the court is under attack. Such attacks on the judicial officers should be condemned in the strongest terms since they have become ‘endangered species’ by social media and usually cannot defend themselves against such attacks.” he ruled.

Court ordered Mabirizi to stop attacking judicial officers in future and meet the applicant costs of application.

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