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Mbarara University pre-interns join medical workers strike

By
Our Reporter
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MUST

The Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) pre-medical interns have said they will not step foot in government hospitals for internship to replace the striking interns as expected by the Ministry of Health.

This was communicated in a joint statement released on December 14th by the University’s pre-intern leaders; Dr Arinatiwe Innocent, the representative for MUST pre-intern doctors, Nabidda Shamim, the representative for pre-intern nurses and Kushemererwa Jovaile, the representative for  pre-intern pharmacists.

According to the ministry of health, the internship period of the striking interns is already up and they are looking forward to the new applicants who will fill the gap.

“Following the presidential directive on august 9th 2021 to address challenges of medical interns among other healthcare providers, engagements have been. On 10th December 2021, the director general health services ministry of health responded in a letter ferociously intimidating and directing medical interns on strike to vacate hospitals premises,” the statement reads in part.

The pre-intern doctors from MUST have now joined their elders in demanding for the payment of their enhanced allowances.

“We therefore clarify that the incoming medical interns from Mbarara University of Science and Technology shall not start internship until the grievances are addressed. We shall start when our predecessors finish their internship. We cannot antagonize the efforts to ameliorate the working environment for health workers to improve health service delivery in Uganda,” the statement added.

This comes four days after the Ministry of Health fired all the striking medical interns and ordered them to leave government hospital premises within the week to pave way for new entrants slated to join in January 2022.

Meanwhile, the president of the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns Lillian Nabwire maintained that their strike is still on despite the directive from the ministry of health to leave all government hospitals in one week.

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Standing in solidarity with striking medical workers

By
Guest Writer
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Bobi Wine

By Bobi Wine

We have been keenly observing the nationwide Industrial Action by public health workers that was started by medical interns on 6th November and later joined by senior doctors on 21st November. The health workers are protesting Government’s failure to honor promises it has been making over the years to provide them with adequate medical supplies; improve their welfare and working conditions; and employ idle doctors in the several unfilled vacancies.

It is unfair that despite attending to more than 70% of the patients who report to National Referral Hospitals and other public health facilities for treatment; and despite working day and night for nearly the entire week, the interns are paid a gross salary of only Shs 750,000/= to cater for their transport, meals, accommodation and general upkeep. The failure to provide medical insurance for health workers, exacerbated by the perennial lack of personal protective equipment and other critical medical supplies has seen over 50 frontline health workers succumbing to COVID19. These exploitative conditions in which our health workers are forced to operate endanger the very lives they are expected to protect, and expose them to professional negligence claims.

In June this year, Government officials met with the leadership of the Medical Interns to chat about a way forward. It made several commitments to them including that it would pay at least Shs 1,500,000/= (for graduate nurses); Shs 2,000,000/= (for graduate pharmacists); and Shs 2,500,000/= (for graduate medical doctors) effective 1st July. It reneged on these promises at the last hour. When the interns laid down their tools in early November, the Government reacted by making more promises to them, which it also went on to break in just a matter of days.

Officials thereafter resorted to staging publicity stunts in upcountry hospitals to create an impression that it is “greedy” health workers in Kampala who are protesting. When that did not achieve the desired effect of manipulating them back to work, Government threatened to fire the health workers. Over the weekend, it made good on the threats by firing all the striking medical interns “to pave way” for a new cohort that will not report to hospitals until February 2022! With insufferable arrogance, the Director General Health Services went on to “advise” the ‘fired’ interns to “find their own way” of completing internship, well-knowing that they will never be licensed to practice without completing the government-operated internship scheme.

The purported sacking of health workers engaged in constitutionally-protected industrial action is manifestly illegal and high handed. Without a doubt, it is an intimidation tactic calculated to silence debate about the unhealthy state of our public health facilities, and the indecent working conditions of the selfless health professionals who run them. It must be resisted.

On behalf of the National Unity Platform, and on my own behalf, I assure health workers across the country that we stand in solidarity with you. We unreservedly support your patriotic quest to improve the state of our national health facilities as well as those who work or seek treatment from there.

I wish to also remind the nation that one of the core pledges we have made as the National Unity Platform is to revamp the health care sector completely. The money General Museveni’s regime spends on corruption and excessive spending can definitely improve social services so that our people live better lives.

For God and My Country

KYAGULANYI SSENTAMU ROBERT

BOBI WINE

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UPDF strikes three more ADF Camps in Congo

By
Geoffery Serugo
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UPDF attacks ADF camps in Congo

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) have attacked more Allied Democratic Force (ADF) camps in Kambiyayu.

“Today the Joint forces advanced to ‘contact’ at objective Kambiyayu. Three additional enemy positions were targeted by air and artillery strikes. The ground forces are also engaging the enemy in the same area,” UPDF said in a statement.

Last week the joint forces announced that at least 34 ADF terrorists were captured in the current UPDF and FARDC Shujja operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The two Forces are currently engaged in road construction and rehabilitation works to facilitate and further secure the movement of soldiers and the displaced civilian population, particularly on Mbau- Kamango and Mobili axes, Kamango-Semuliki- Beni.

Last month the two Forces launched joint air and artillery strikes against ADF camps. The attacking of ADF camps follows three terror attacks which claimed four lives and scores injured. According to police the first explosive occurred at Digida Pork joint in Komamboga, Lungala along Kampala Masaka Highway, Parliamentary Avenue and Kampala Central Police Station (CPS).

President Yoweri Museveni said the UPDF is hunting for all the terrorists and urged them to surrender before launching an attack.

According to Reuters, the Islamic state (IS) claimed it had masterminded the attack where its members detonated an explosive device in a bar where ‘members and spies of the Crusader Ugandan government were gathering’ in Kampala and the recent bombings. Police have since disregarded all claims saying that attacks belong to ADF rebel groups.

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Uganda Rugby legend Robert Seguya passes on

By
Our Reporter
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Robert Seguya

Former Uganda Rugby Cranes coach Robert ‘Soggy’ Seguya has died at the age of 43. He succumbed to Leukaemia on Tuesday night.

“Uganda Rugby mourns the loss of legendary player and Coach Robert Seguya. May his soul Rest In Peace,” the Uganda Rugby Union (URU) tweeted.

There were many fundraising drives earlier by the Rugby Fraternity when he was diagnosed with Leukaemia to support his bone marrow Transplant and many will feel that they at least did their part in trying to fight with him during his battle.

Soggy who also captained the national team, won the Uganda Cup seven times with Heathens and played for Uganda in Rugby 7s at the Commonwealth Games in 2006 and 2010 among other tournaments.

Besides the National team, he also coached Heathens, Buffaloes and Jinja Hippos.

He was also selected for the Africa Leopards twice in 2002 and 2007, a representative team from the African Rugby Union representative team that comprised the best players on the continent.

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Jumia Joins FIA’s safe Helmet Programme to promote road safety in Uganda

By
Simon Kabayo
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JUMIA

Jumia, Africa’s top e-commerce platform, has announced plans to provide more than 7,000 motorcycle helmets to its riders as part of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Safe and Affordable Helmet Programme.

This initiative aims to provide high-quality helmets meeting United Nations Regulation ECE 22.05 in territories where accessibility and affordability can be difficult. The design concept has been conceived by helmet manufacturers with the goal of creating the lowest-priced helmets on the market while also meeting the UN safety standards, as certified by independent experts.

The helmets, which are suitable for hot and humid climates, will be distributed to drivers free of charge in support of Jumia’s mission to enhance the well-being of its workers and partners and to continually seek innovative ways to improve the workplace ecosystem.

The programme will first be rolled out in Nigeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Morocco with additional countries to follow in the upcoming months. 800 of the helmets, which are UN ECE 22.05 certified, have been assigned for distribution to Jumia delivery agents across Uganda.

Jumia’s safe helmet programme is part of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 and is intended to help reduce the number of global motorcycle-related fatalities. Indeed, research shows that safe helmet wearing is one of the most effective road safety interventions, reducing the number of head injuries among moped riders and motorcyclists by around 44%.

“Our Delivery Associates are significant stakeholders in our ecosystem. Wearing UN Certified safe helmets is essential in protecting these important heroes from the hazards that are associated with their jobs,” said Sacha Poignonnec and Jeremy Hodara, co-CEOs of Jumia.

“We are delighted, therefore, to work with the FIA to provide compliant, high-quality and safe helmets to our riders. It is our hope that this measure will also have a positive impact on the peace of mind both for the riders and their families.”

“Wearing a helmet is a key issue in road safety. I am happy to welcome Jumia as a new partner of our Safe and Affordable Helmet Programme. Jumia is passionate about the safety of its delivery agents and this aligns with our constant fight for safer roads across the globe. I hope that this partnership with Jumia will contribute to the mass adoption of safe helmets that meet UN safety Standards in Africa,” said FIA President Jean Todt.

Jumia is a leading e-commerce platform in Africa whose marketplace is supported by our proprietary logistics business, Jumia Logistics, and our digital payment and fintech platform, JumiaPay.

Jumia Logistics enables the seamless delivery of millions of packages while JumiaPay facilitates online payments and the distribution of a broad range of digital and financial services.

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Housing Finance Bank Hands over Christmas food hampers to Children at Risk Action Network

By
Our Reporter
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Housing Finance Bank team pose with CRANE children after handing over the hampers.

Housing Finance Bank has handed over 60 Christmas food hampers to the Children at Risk Action Network (CRANE) as a contribution to their ongoing initiative that aims at supporting 500 children by offering them hampers of assorted food items to share with their families.

Themed ‘Restoring hope amidst the Covid 19 pandemic’, CRANE anticipates reaching the children with a message of hope that they can, in turn, pass on to their friends, neighbours and the communities in which they live.

Speaking during the handover, Patrick Oyuru, the Head Marketing and Communications at Housing Finance Bank said that the Bank is excited to take part in such an initiative that supports social welfare and restores hope to individuals and community members.

“All Housing Finance Bank Corporate Social initiatives and partnerships are directed towards enhancing the sustainability and development of the communities in which we live, work, and do business. We take this as our ethical mandate towards society and we are committed to be known as a caring bank,” he noted.

“We are fully cognizant of the fact that many families are grappling with unemployment and are ill-equipped to go through this festive season. As a proud indigenous brand, with a rich history and heritage, we are honoured to partner with CRANE on this initiative that spreads Christmas cheer to Ugandan families most especially, the children.”

Faith Kembabazi, Director Children at Risk Action Network (CRANE), remarked that, at the beginning of December, they reached out to their service providers for support and among them is Housing Finance Bank.

“We have many children who are unable to afford a proper meal on the table hence we decided to engage our service providers for support. Housing Finance Bank responded and was able to buy food hampers for the children. We thank Housing Finance Bank for giving back to the community and for making this possible,” she remarked.

Housing Finance Bank is committed to actively contributing to a better society and a cleaner environment. Earlier this year, the Bank partnered with the Rotary club of Bukoto to provide relief aid items to 100 beneficiaries in Mulimira Zone in Kampala.

“We are always looking for opportunities to create a positive impact in our communities and customer lives. We are very excited to have been able to contribute to CRANE’s initiative not only because they are our customers but because it’s for a good cause. Partnering with our communities to foster growth and change is at the heart of our corporate social responsibility initiatives,” said Carolyne Agudo, the Head Customer Experience at Housing Finance Bank she said.

She further encouraged parents to teach their children to start saving at an early age.

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Gov’t to be dragged to East African Court over illegal land evictions

By
Our Reporter
-
Joseph Kabuleta

The locals of Sebei Sub region have resolved to drag President Yoweri Museveni along with his government to the East African Court of Justice over illegal land evictions and failed compensation.

The mineral-rich region is made of three districts namely; Kween, Bukwo and Kapchorwa. Sebei has minerals such as gold, limestone and crude oil as well as tourist attractions like Sipi Falls.

However, the area locals who mainly thrive on farming say they have not benefitted from their natural wealth and on top of that President Museveni’s government forcefully evicted them from their land when it discovered that it has minerals. They say that during the eviction process, some of their colleagues lost their lives while fighting for what rightly belongs to them.

Amon Teka, the Sebei Land claimants Association chairperson, says for over 20 years, they have been moving from office to office to get resettlement and compensation for their 60,000 hectares of land they were kicked off from but to no avail.

“We are going to the East African Court of Justice to sue his Excellency and his government for illegally grabbing our ancestral land and failing to resettle us and also the killings of 40 people in Kween. Mr Museveni through his government has put a lot of houses on our land. Over 3,000 houses have already been built to resettle people from other regions. We want to tell the Prime Minister that that land does not belong to her office,”Mr Teka lamented.

“The land which belongs to 13 clans was titled under this same government to the people of Bulambuli and I want to declare to our brethren who are suffering in Western Uganda, Northern Uganda that these people of long horned cattle, the Bachwezi are taking all the resources of Ugandans and we are vulnerable under one family system of leadership.”

Sofi Chelangat, one of the affected residents also disclosed: “We are ready to go to Court because formerly we have been running to government to come and rescue us but we realised that there was no intervention. For example, government dignitaries like the Prime Minister have visited our Internally Displaced People’s-IDP camps but up to now we just receive empty promises for our taken land. Now we are joining hands as Sebei region to fight for our land and minerals. That’s why we are going to Court.”

The residents’ decision followed a meeting with Joseph Kabuleta, the leader of National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) on Monday 13th December whom they narrated their plight.

Mr Kabuleta who is on a nationwide sensitization campaign premised on protecting Uganda’s national deposits that could be used by citizens to elleviate themselves from poverty, assured the Sebei locals that he will help them file a case before the East African Court on 2nd January, 2022 so that they get justice.

He said residents have decided to run to the East African Court because they feel that Ugandans courts cannot give them a free and fair hearing.

“There’s a huge piece of land-60,000 hectares from which they have been chased and pushed almost to Internally Displaced People’s camps. A huge population of people in a very small area because they are displaced from the land they once owned.Now I’m thankful and grateful to see that these people are planning to lodge a case in the East African Court to seek justice . They have a whole association of landclaimers and they have documents from the President’s office, the Prime Minister’s office. They have been trying to seek justice from other fora but failed. Now they have chosen to go to Court as an association. Perhaps they stand a chance to get justice from the East African Court,” Mr Kabuleta stated.

The former presidential candidate however cautioned them that while in court, they should expect challenges because they are going to deal with a strong and deceitful institution called government.

“But we as NEED, we have decided that we shall help them in whichever way we can. We have told them to avoid the usual tactics that are used by this government to destroy a group of people that seeks to get justice. The first tactic is division, they will try to divide them, get ringleaders put them aside, threaten them and offer them inducements to dump the cause. They should be cautious and stay united. If they do that, they will get justice.”

He also asked the locals to stop crying for government help but rather come together to ensure that they fight and benefit from the area natural wealth which is being enjoyed by a few people in power.

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MPs want KCCA audited over Shs3 billion for street children

By
Our Reporter
-
Kampala Street children

Legislators have called for an audit into Kampala Capital City Authority’s (KCCA) expenditure of the Shs3 billion allocated for rehabilitation, removal, tracing and resettlement of Karimojong children on the streets of Kampala.

While meeting KCCA officials, led by the Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka, the Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development said that out of the said funds allocated in 2019, only Shs300 million has accounted for.

The committee chairperson, Hon Flavia Kabahenda, said that despite efforts to get the children off the streets, the numbers are instead increasing.

“I want to tell you, we have been to Koblin Rehabilitation Centre, the perimeter wall has never been completed. The rapists and traffickers pick these survivors, so they are camped there to be trafficked and raped. We want an audit on the very much money we have appropriated,” said Kabahenda.

She also warned that failure to address the issue of street children expeditiously poses a security risk to the country, saying that terrorists target the destitute to carry out their activities.

“Uganda already has a history where children are used to destabilise government. When we see these children during the day, none of us can account for them at night. They could be recruited to destabilise the country,” Kabahenda said.

She advised KCCA to devise appropriate strategies to resolve the problem.

“The street children in Kampala are from many parts of the country. If we tackle this as just a social challenge we shall only use social interventions yet the matter is bigger than what we think. We want this matter dealt with conclusively,” Kabahenda said.

In regard to the ordinance passed in 2017 to deal with the challenge of street children, Kabaehenda called for expeditious implementation of the ordinance, saying that its delayed implementation has caused the numbers of the children on the streets to increase.

Hon Charles Bakkabulindi (NRM, Workers) blamed the increasing number of street children on KCCA’s approach of rescuing and accommodating the children, saying this motivates many to relocate to the capital city.

Budaka County MP, Arthur Mboizi called for an improved human settlement plan, saying that without it, regulating human resettlement and subsequently removing children from the streets becomes a myth and not reality.

“The issue of Karimojong street children dates as far back as 1996 and yet up to date, no progress has been made in addressing this challenge. There is no deliberate effort to remove these children from the streets,” he said.

KCCA’s Kisaka said that removing the Karimojong children from Kampala streets requires a multi-sectoral approach, including ministries of Gender, Internal Affairs, Defence, Lands and Housing, Finance and Education, among others.

“As city administrators, we cannot do a run-in and run-out job of taking people off the street. We must come up with a real strategy that is well funded. We want to deal with this issue conclusively,” Kitaka said.

Kisaka added that the Authority is embarking on a strategy to rid the city of redundant people.

According to KCCA, there are about 700 children from Karamoja living in Katwe and Kisenyi settlements. The children are from Napak district and majorly from the sub counties of Lopei, Lokopo and Lorengecora.

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SFC roughs up MP Zaake, NUP flag-bearer Harriet Nakweede in Kayunga LCV by-election

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
National Unity Platform (NUP) Flag bearer in the Kayunga District LCV by-election Harriet Nakweede Kafeero nursing wounds

The National Unity Platform (NUP) Flag bearer in the Kayunga District LCV by-election Harriet Nakweede Kafeero is nursing severe wounds after being beaten by Special Forces Command (SFC) soldiers.

Nakweede was manhandled alongside Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake and Party members who were campaigning to retain the district Chairperson LCV seat. Zaake is currently admitted at an unrevealed health facility in Jinja.

“They will do everything to us, but we are not giving up. My Kayunga people please keep strong. Let’s show this Junta we are the unusual generation,” Nakweede said shorting after receiving medical attention.

The Party spokesperson who doubles as the MP for Nakawa West condemned the forces’ act noting that this was uncalled for. “Our Candidate in Kayunga Harriet Nakweede Kafeero, Hon Zaake and other comrades sustained severe injuries in Kayunga as a result of state brutality. All this is because President Yoweri Museveni is afraid of being challenged in elections. Shame!” he said.

Earlier, police sealed off the former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine’s home and hence blocked him from joining his counterparts to canvas support for Nakweede.

“The military has increased deployment around my home. No one is allowed to leave or enter. Our security guard and gardener have been violently arrested, beaten and bundled into ‘drones’ parked outside our gate. Their phones have been confiscated. Other young men in the area are being arrested and taken away in mobile prisons,” Bobi said.

President Museveni is in the area campaigning for National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, Andrew Muwonge. Yesterday, Kayunga Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Ssempala Kigozi said Bobi Wine will not be allowed to campaign for Harriet Nakweede, the National Unity Platform (NUP) Flag bearer in the district by-election because the president is in the area.

Kayunga LCV seat fell vacant after the death of Ffefeeka Serubogo Muhammad. The former member of National Unity Platform (NUP) was found hanging on a tree.

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Twaweza, Artists, Ministry of Health, collaborate on song to encourage people get vaccinated

By
Our Reporter
-
Victoria University vaccinates students, staff against #Covid-19

The Ministry of Health and Twaweza along with Veloce and 12 artists from across Uganda are launching Gemwa, a song designed to encourage people to get vaccinated.

Gemwa was produced as a collaboration between Ministry of Health, Twaweza and Uganda Musicians Association. All the partners hope the song will encourage Ugandans to get vaccinated.

The 12 artists in the song are: David Lutalo, Daddy Andre, Phina Masanyalaze, Edger, Oscar, Junior Pro, Rachel, Wintex, Yaled Kaluya, Daphine, Llama, Evy Treyz.

In December 2020 – January 2021, Twaweza collected representative data from three districts identified as at high-risk for Covid-19 on citizens views and experiences of Covid-19.

These data inform the song Gemwa (loosely translated as vaccinate) which has been endorsed by the Ministry of Health and produced by Velocce.

In particular, the data showed that between one and three out of ten residents in the three districts were still unwilling to be vaccinated because they did not trust the vaccines. When asked what might help them to overcome their uncertainty, citizens pointed to being made aware of the benefits of the vaccine. So Gemwa emphasizes the positive side of being vaccinated.

The song also speaks to the importance of vaccination for the economy to revive; economic concerns have been significant for Ugandans throughout the pandemic.

The data were collected from 2,121 respondents (807 in Kampala, 654 in Kyotera and 660 in Tororo). Key findings include: A majority of residents in Kyotera (78%) and Tororo (86%) are aware of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in their district. Half of Kampala residents (50%) are aware of confirmed cases.

One out of 5 Kampala and Kyotera households, and 1 in 4 Tororo households has had at least one Coronavirus test. Residents of the three districts are more likely than before to wear a mask, but less likely to stay at home

Most residents across the three districts (Kampala 70%, Kyotera 59%, Tororo 58%) think there has been an increase in Covid-19 transmission. Most residents in the three districts (Kampala 84%, Kyotera 69%, Tororo 74%) support the re-opening of schools.

Most residents (Kampala 69%, Kyotera 60%, Tororo 64%) say churches are adhering to Covid-19 guidelines, but social gatherings are not. Most residents, 9 out of 10 in Tororo (89%), 8 out of 10 in Kyotera (83%) and 7 out of 10 in Kampala (74%), are willing to be vaccinated against the Coronavirus

Violet Alinda, Twaweza Uganda Country Lead and Director of Voice and Participation, said, “We are excited to have been part of turning data into song to try to overcome vaccine hesitancy. Tackling people’s real fears and motivations through artistic expression can be a powerful way to address them.”

Dr. Richard Kabanda, Ag Commissioner, Ministry of Health said, “The Government of Uganda is aware of the power of music and artists as messengers. We join hands with these popular artists to encourage all Ugandans to come out and get vaccinated.”

Andrew Ojambo aka Daddy Andre said: “I am always happy to use my platform and voice in service of my country. I got vaccinated to protect my loved ones, and myself, and to enable me to go back to work safely so we can kickstart the economy. I urge all my fellow Ugandans to do the same.”

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