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Parliament, USAID to strengthen partnership

By
Our Reporter
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Speaker Jacob Oulanyah accompanied by the Chief Opposition Whip, Hon John Baptiste Nambeshe and Clerk to Parliament, Hon Adolf Mwesige Kasaija has met the USAID Uganda Mission Director, Richard Nelson with revival of mutual cooperation high on the agenda.

The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah accompanied by the Chief Opposition Whip, Hon John Baptiste Nambeshe and Clerk to Parliament, Hon Adolf Mwesige Kasaija has met the USAID Uganda Mission Director, Richard Nelson with revival of mutual cooperation high on the agenda.

The meeting bore into the 11th Parliament’s agenda, with Oulanyah stressing the need to abandon empty rhetoric and have in its place policies that matter in the day to day lives of ordinary Ugandans.

Oulanyah said the most important area that will aid in the realisation of that agenda is strengthening oversight, and raising the bar of its nature, to include value for money and impact audits that examine the extent to which real lives got transformed as a result of policies implemented.

“If we strengthen oversight and accountability, this will bring clarity [in accountability] and a strong signal will be sent to the people who actually engage in corruption,” he said adding that, ‘when we audit, we also want to say yes, this is the receipt for the procurements to do such and such an activity, but we must find out how ordinary lives changed as a result of that’. To this end, he asked the USAID to remodel the nature of training they give to legislators to be of specific relevance to the tasks they handle.

Human rights and good governance trainings, he said, which have been of concern to donors and international partners may not be of direct relevance to how MPs will pass the budget, how to efficiently and thoroughly process accountability.

Nelson said the international development agency is keen on renewing partnerships with Parliament to engender better health, education and security.

“Uganda is the 10th largest USAID mission in the world with a budget of over US$450 million; we fund a lot on health, education and the civil society,” he said. Parliament political processes, he said, is a program the agency is keen to partner with Parliament on. He said currently, there is already an ongoing training of women Parliamentarians.

Nambeshe rooted for the training of opposition legislators who are charged with the responsibility of running oversight committees of Parliament arguing that many are new to Parliament and will need some grounding on the work of the legislature.

Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige welcomed the partnership, saying Parliament is ready and will commit to strengthening it. “We are going to identify what we have discussed and condense them into action points; it can’t be business as usual; accountability must go beyond papers, to value for money and actual impact,” he said.

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Civil Aviation says allegations against boss are baseless

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Our Reporter
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Fred-Bamwesigye

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has said reports claiming discrepancies in the age and name of newly appointed Director General Fred Bamwesigye are baseless.

According to the authority, this matter first came to light through a malicious whistle-blower’s letter to various investigative bodies, including the office of the Inspector General of Government, which have all since fully investigated the matter several times and dropped the allegations as unfounded and baseless.

In April 2021, a recycled anonymous whistleblower report was again sent to the Inspectorate of Government over the same claims, and in a media interview, the then Ag. IGG, noted that the claims were first presented to the IGG in 2017, comprehensively investigated and found to be untrue. The matter was recycled four times and sent to the same office with the same content.

“The matter has also been to court through civil suit no. 110 of 2021, and Court resolved the matter through a ruling that exonerated Mr. Bamwesigye on April 9, 2021,” the UCAA statement read.

“He erroneously recorded conflicting dates in his early school days, which was carried on in the first years of employment. However, upon confirmation of the right date of birth, following recovery of authentic documentation, including a baptism card, the right date was formally regularized through a September 2007 Statutory Declaration, and this was long before contemplating that he would in future vie for the position of DG of UCAA.”

In 2007, he had not even joined the Authority. The records being discussed on social media are from a passport that was obtained sometime back before confirmation of the exact date of birth (as indicated above). In their investigations, the Inspectorate of Government noted as much, and so did Court, before making a ruling on the matter.

While previously, the whistleblower has been anonymous, he has since revealed himself as Mr. Pascal Jabbe Osinde, a former employee of UCAA whose services were terminated on account of a Court Order.

He has now written to the Committee of Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises, other Committees of Parliament and a host of media houses over the same matter (that has severally been investigated and dropped).

“Whereas UCAA and the DG are contemplating legal action, the malicious claims should be ignored with the contempt they deserve, and will not distract the DG and the Authority from executing the mandate,” CAA said.

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Sudhir sues BoU Legal Counsel Margaret Kasule for contempt of Court

By
Our Reporter
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BoU Legal Counsel Ms Margaret Kasule whose accused of misleading on Crane Bank Limited legal status.

Businessman Sudhir Ruparelia, through his lawyers led by Kampala Associated Advocates, has sued the head of Bank of Uganda’s (BOU) Legal department Margaret Kaggwa Kasule for contempt of Court.

“Our client was the successful party in Court of Appeal Civil Appeal 252 of 2019 Crane Bank Limited (In Receivership) vs Sudhir Ruparelia & Another where the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the High Court in High Court Civil Suit 493 of 2017 to wit that the 131 Respondent had no locus to institute proceedings against the Applicant and its plaint did not disclose a cause of action,” part of the notice of intention to sue reads.

While aware that upon closure of Crane Bank, it ceased to be a financial institution, by notice dated 16th October 2020, Ms Kasule went ahead and advised Bank of Uganda to place Crane Bank into liquidation.

“TAKE NOTICE that our client has thus decided to institute legal proceedings against you for contempt of court orders for your role in the illegal liquidation of our client’s Bank,” the notice reads.

Without staying the execution of the judgment of Court of Appeal, Margaret Kasule advised BOU to apply for a temporary injunction restraining Sudhir from filing resolutions concerning Crane Bank Limited with Uganda Registration Services Bureau vide MA No. 32 and MA No. 33.

Immediately after the dismissal of MA 33 of 2020, Kasule further advised BOU to progress Crane Bank (in Receivership) into liquidation while aware that such a move was contrary to S.95 of the Financial Institutions Act which only envisages a licensed Bank to be put under liquidation.

Following her advice, Bank of Uganda on 13th November 2020, went ahead and issued the public notice placing Crane Bank into liquidation and ordered the winding up of its affairs. The move to liquidate Crane Bank while pending hearing of Civil Appeal No. 07 of 2020 filed by Bank of Uganda was done in bad faith and was manifestly intended to render the appeal decision of Supreme Court nugatory.

All this was done yet Ms. Kasule was aware that upon closure of Crane Bank, it ceased to be a financial institution and could not therefore be progressed into liquidation. She was aware that both the High Court and Court of Appeal found that receivership of Crane Bank had ended and that it was a closed financial institution but went ahead to illegally liquidate Crane Bank.

On 4th October 2021, the Supreme Court found that receivership of Crane Bank ended on 20th January 2018 Court further found that in placing Crane Bank into liquidation, Bank of Uganda was in contempt of court orders. The move was intended to circumvent the decision of Court of Appeal hence aimed at preventing the course of justice before.

Kasule again insisted on placing Crane Bank into Liquidation and instead filed HCCS No. 595 of 2021 in the names of Crane Bank (in Liquidation).

Further by trying to file a suit under the name of Crane Bank (in Liquidation), she was in contempt of orders of the Supreme Court in MA No. 39 of 2020 which held that Crane Bank was a closed bank which could not be progressed into liquidation and that Bank of Uganda was in contempt of orders of the Court of Appeal.

She further went ahead to file an application for review of a decision well knowing that the parties that she was taking to court have since ceased to exist. More so, she further circumvented the decision of the Supreme Court that only recently found her in contempt by the said actions.

“You are the brain that has been behind all this saga of illegally liquidating Crane Bank with the sole intention of depriving our client the fruits of the orders of the Court of Appeal. Further by insisting to file a suit showing that Crane Bank is in Liquidation, which the Supreme Court has held that it can’t be done, your conduct is illegal, mala fide and in contempt of orders of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court,” the notice reads.

The interests of justice therefore demand that a mandatory interlocutory injunction is issued to restore the status quo that existed at the time of filing Civil Appeal No.07 of 2020”. It further continues “In the present case, the contempt by the 2nd respondent relates to conduct which perverts the course of justice. The attempt at circumvention of the decision of the Court of Appeal by altering the status of the 1st respondent from Crane Bank (in receivership) to Crane Bank  (in liquidation) was in our view aimed at impeding or perverting the course of justice before this court and the same amounted to contempt.

Ms Kasule leads the list of those implicated in contempt of Court. Others are Governor Emmanuel Mutebile, Deputy Governor, Executive Director Supervision, Director Research, and Director Economic among others.

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Kakwenza Rukirabashaija named International Writer of Courage

By
Our Reporter
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Kakwenza Rukirabashaija

Ugandan novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has been named this year’s International Writer of Courage by Tsitsi Dangarembga.

The award is part of the PEN Pinter prize, which goes to an author deemed to have fulfilled Harold Pinter’s aspiration to “define the real truth of our lives and our societies”. This year’s PEN Pinter winner, the Zimbabwean writer and activist Dangarembga, chose Rukirabashaija as the International Writer of Courage, an award for an author who has been persecuted for speaking out about their beliefs, with whom she will share her prize.

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. Rukirabashaija details this treatment, which PEN described as “inhumane and degrading”, in his latest work Banana Republic: Where Writing is Treasonous.

“In Africa, when you write fiction, especially political fiction, such as the political allegory Animal Farm by George Orwell, the leaders will always think that one is writing about them. Of course, every dictator will suspect that the writer meant to embarrass him,” Rukirabashaija writes. “Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda, felt that it was him that I had written about and so he sent his hoodlums to arrest and torture me in order to hamper my creativity. The idea was to completely stop me from being creative.”

On 20 April last year Rukirabashaija was charged with “an act likely to spread the infection of disease [Covid-19], contrary to Section 171 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 120”, and remanded in custody to Busesa government prison. After his discharge, he was arrested again on 18 September, and released on 21 September 2020 on police bond, pending investigation for the offence of “inciting violence and promoting sectarianism”, charges PEN said are believed to relate to his writings. He remains on police bond, and is required to report to the police on a fortnightly basis.

PEN said it was “gravely concerned” about the physical safety and welfare of Rukirabashaija, adding that the writer has informed his lawyers that he is still undergoing treatment for injuries he suffered during his detention in April 2020. “He has also reported that he and his family are constant targets of extrajudicial surveillance by individuals believed to be state security agents,” said the free speech organisation. “PEN condemns the unlawful arrest, detention and ongoing harassment of Kakwenza Rukirabashaija.”

Rukirabashaija congratulated Dangarembga on her win, and thanked her “wholeheartedly” for choosing to share the prize with him. “If it weren’t for PEN, I would still be somewhere in prison – perhaps forgotten,” he said. “When I was hanging on chains in the dungeons, I swore to my tormentors that I would never write again if they gave me a chance to live – as if they were some deities or God. Truth is, I survived death. I appreciate PEN for advocating for my freedom of expression and the different centres all over the world that sent in lovely messages of courage. I received the messages with smiles even though I was in horrendous pain.”

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Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro named NUP deputy spokesperson

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro

The Deputy Vice President in charge of Northern Uganda Dr. Lina Zedriga has unveiled Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro as the Deputy Spokesperson of the National Unity Platform (NUP).

Mr. Waiswa, formerly a member of the Democratic Party (DP), will deputise the Nakawa West Joel Ssenyonyi.

“The time has come and we need to have a deputy spokesperson and that is Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro who was unveiled as Deputy President,” David Lewis Lubongoya, the party Secretary General said.

Speaking at Kamwokya, Waiswa said he has been called to serve in another designation and is ready to spread revolutionary messages against the president Museveni’s government.

“I take this responsibility and noble duty given by the comrades in the struggle and I will execute it with honor and prestige. Most people think that the struggle to liberate Uganda is over but it’s not yet,” he said

Zedriga said it’s sad that President Museveni has gone too far and wants to remove bail for capital offences.

“We continue to condemn the unlawful detention of Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana. Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana remain calm as we continue to expose how the system that is supposed to protect your rights is treating you. It’s a shame that the government moved a step ahead and installed a lockdown without consultations from key stakeholders,” she said.

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EAC council meeting adjourned over Uganda’s non readiness to attend

By
Simon Kabayo
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National flags for some of member states of EAC

The East African Community council of ministers adjourned after Uganda said it was not ready for the meeting. The meeting which was set for this week was to endorse the controversial recruitment of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Clerk and Deputy Clerk.

The adjournment comes a few days after the Uganda lawmakers at EALA Rose Akol Akullu and Mary Mugenyi protested against EALA’s decision to recommend to the Council of Ministers the appointment of Saidi Othman Yakubu, a Tanzanian Attorney and John Njoroge from Kenya as EALA Clerk and Deputy Clerk respectively.

The two Ugandan MPs argued that this decision violated Article (6) of the Treaty which proposes partner states to ensure ‘equitable distribution of benefits of integration’ and that the recruitment exercise was marred by fraud and irregularities.

However, the EALA speaker Martin went ahead to recommend to the Council of Ministers to appoint Yakubu and Njoroge for the top EALA positions.

Uganda’s Ministry of Regional Cooperation wrote to the East African Community secretariat informing the body that it needed more time to ‘allow for more internal consultations’. And according to the EAC rule of procedure, once a country expresses non- readiness to attend the meeting, then it flops.

Following Uganda’s request, the EAC has been compelled to defer the meeting till further notice

Uganda’s main concern is that the recruitment of the EALA staff top positions have been taken up by Kenya and Tanzania.

The EAC staff agenda ensures “the recruitment of staff of the community shall as far as possible be reflective of equal representation of the partner states.”

Currently, the General Secretary of the EAC is a Kenyan. The Deputy Secretary General in charge of planning, infrastructure, finance and administration, Eng. Steven D.M Molte is a Tanzanian.

Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebija, head of EAC Court of Justice and speaker of Parliament, Martin Ngoga are Rwandan natives.

” It is evident that the ongoing recruitment exercise has been marred by unprecedented gross irregularities,” MPs emphasized.

Countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Uganda have been neglected to take up positions in the top staff.

The MPs have gone further to request the Council of Ministers to review the recruitment exercise or cancel the entire exercise and order for a fresh one which confirms with the treaty, staff rules, quota system and other laws of the community.

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Speaker Jacob Oulanyah launches Marie Stopes Hospital and Maternity at Forest Mall

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Marie Stopes Hospital and Maternity at Forest Mall

The Speaker of Parliament Jacob L’Okori Oulanyah has launched Marie Stopes Hospital and Maternity at forest mall. The Hospital will provide maternity, family planning, medical consultation services and general medical services to the public in the country.

Speaking at the launch, Oulanyah applauded Marie Stopes for its contribution to the health system of Uganda.

 “No more rhetoric, it’s time for action. Time to do whatever is necessary to enlist the vulnerable, especially those with multiple vulnerabilities. It’s good to have passion, but it is better to have compassion. Do the right thing humanely, you need to have compassion.”

The speaker said that while attending a UN women meeting, he learned that fewer women were going to hospitals even with the surge in teenage pregnancy thus needing a remedy to the crisis at hand.

“There is a need to create a network with partners to increase outreach more so to the vulnerable people in the communities. There is a need to track the child’s progress even after they leave the hospital”. There is a need to get people to know about the existence of the newly launched Marie Stopes maternity hospital.” he said

Ahead of the launch of the health facility, the Country Director of Marie Stopes Dr. Carole Sekimpi is aimed at ensuring Safe motherhood.

“Safe motherhood is here to address avoidable factors that cause death during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum period. Every effort is needed and is a step closer to ending maternal mortality and neonatal morbidity,” she said.

She said: “The country loses 14-15 women everyday due to unsafe motherhood. We need to get the message out there and fight for safe Motherhood. Safe Motherhood is a must. Motherhood starts at conception. It is of high importance that safe Motherhood practices start right at that time. That’s why activities of proper health care are in stages during pregnancy, delivery and post-delivery.”

“We look forward to receiving you at our new hospital at Forest mall. We continue to assure you of quality service, and we respect our client confidentiality at all times.” she said

Dr. Andrew Chakura said each pregnancy is risky and it’s recommended that pregnant mother’s should seek antenatal care at least eight times through their pregnancy.

He said: “Pregnant mothers should embrace having a balanced diet more so of local foods as the food basket in Uganda is enriched with all the appropriate nutrients.”

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CEPO condemns violence in Warrap State, urges mediation

By
Our Reporter
-

Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has strongly condemned the recent intercommunal violence among communities of South Sudan’s Warrap state, urging authorities to find remedies to the violent conflict.

More than 30 people were killed and dozens injured in clashes among the Thiik and Luachjang communities of Tonj East County and Lou Paher of Tonj North County last week, local authorities confirmed.

In a statement, CEPO’s Executive Director, Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO said the situation in two counties of Warrap requires the national government’s immediate response before it escalates.

“The deadly violence among communities in Tonj North and Tonj East is not new and political elites from the state are silent as violence occurs. No attempt has been made to mitigate violence,” he said.

Yakani accused political elites of fueling the intercommunal clashes in Warap, urging President Salva Kiir to intervene before it escalates.

“The political elites of Warrap, particularly from Tonj North and Tonj East counties, are largely to be blamed for the deadly violence between the Thiik and Luachjang communities,” stressed Yakani.

Meanwhile, CEPO appealed to the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA) to step up efforts aimed at ending the ongoing violence between Tonj North and Tonj East communities.

According to reports, the routine of intercommunal clashes in many parts of young nation prevails due to lack of efficient justice systems.

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Dr Muhammad Kiggundu replaces late Muzaata as director communication in the office of the Supreme Mufti

By
Simon Kabayo
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Dr. Muhammad Musoke Kiggundu

The Kibuli Muslim faction has appointed Dr. Muhammad Musoke Kiggundu as Director Communication and Research in the office of the Supreme Mufti replacing the late Sheikh Nuhu Muzaata Batte.

Sheikh Muzaata who was an Imam leader and the head of Dawa at Kibuli passed away last year at International Hospital Kampala where he had been admitted for some weeks.

According to the letter from the acting Secretary General of the Kibuli faction, Sheik Twaha Mubiru, Kiggundu will be responsible for research, public and international relations. His appointment takes immediate effect.

“Dr. Muhammad Musoke Kiggundu has been formerly inducted into the office of the Supreme Mufti management committee as the director communication and research,” the letter reads in part.

The office of the Supreme Mufti said that it has set itself on a steady course of development, by establishing structures and systems that are attracting professional talent such as Dr. Kiggundu.

Muhammad Kiggundu Musoke is currently lecturer of religious education and a leading scholar of Islam at Makerere University.

He has also taught at Nkumba University and the Islamic University in Uganda as part time lecturer.

In 2012, he trained and qualified as a trainer of Higher Education Leadership and management, offered in a joint program by the Universities of Tampere and Helsinki of Finland together with UMI and Makerere University-Uganda.

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Germany become first nation to qualify for 2022 FIFA World Cup

By
Our Reporter
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Germany team

Four-time world champions Germany became the first nation to join hosts Qatar at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Germany thrashed North Macedonia 4-0 on Monday to book the World Cup spot in style. Timo Werner’s twin strikes along with goals from Kal Havertz and Jamal Musiala set up Germany’s win in UEFA Group J.

Armenia’s loss in Romania confirmed their place as Group winners with two games to spare.

The Germans will be making their 18th consecutive appearance and 20th overall appearance in the World Cup Finals.

After a disappointing show in the 2018 Finals in Russia, Germany will have high hopes for former Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick.

The FIFA men’s World Cup will see 32 nations compete against each other for the prize. The tournament will take place from November 21 to December 18 next year.

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