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Education Ministry signs contracts for 16 TVET institutions

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Education Ministry PS, Alex Kakooza.
The Ministry of Education and Sports had concluded signing of 20 contracts for infrastructural development at sixteen (16)  TVET  Institutions in Uganda, under the Uganda Skills Development Project (USDP).
Between 8th-9th July 2021,  the USDP project climaxed the civil works with the handover of the final five (5) sites for construction under the UTC Elgon cluster. Four TVET Institutions are benefitting under this last construction leg and over UGX 22 Billion is being invested for the construction of various structures at UTC Elgon, (2 sites), Butaleja Technical Institute, Kasodo Technical Institute and Kaliro Technical Institute.
At UTC Elgon, over Shs16 billion is being invested to construct nine training Laboratories/Workshops, an administration block, a girls hostel, a toilet block and a generator house. Walkways and parking areas will also be clearly demarcated and constructed and landscaping done at the Institution.
At Butaleja VTI,  more than Shs2 billion will be spent to construct an electrical laboratories, an electrical shop, a toilet block, an underground tank and a water well. A transformer will be provided to boost electricity supply at the institute.  Meanwhile at Kasodo VTI, also over Shs2 billion will also be invested to  construct a plumbing laboratory, a plumbing shop, a toilet block and an underground tank . A transformer will be also provided and electricity connected to the institute.
For Kaliro Technical Institute will have an investment of over Shs1.9 billion for the construction of a mechanical laboratory, a mechanical shop, a toilet block and an underground tank at the institute  as well as installation of the transformer and construction of  walkways and parking area.
According to a statement from Ministry of Education and Sports, at UTC Elgon, the civil works are expected to take nine months while the contractors for the VTIs are expected to complete construction within the next six months.
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President Uhuru pays a moving tribute as Aggrey Awori laid to rest

By
Francisco Adongo
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RIP Aggrey Awori

 

 

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has praised former Samia Bugwe North legislator and former 2001 presidential candidate Aggrey Siryoyi Awori describing him as a true Pan Africanist.

In a letter read by Mr Dennis Awori, a nephew to the late Awori but also former  Kenya’s Ambassador to Japan and current chairman of Toyota Kenya, President Uhuru thanked Awori for the thriving enterprises in East Africa but above all the setting up of journalism school at University of Nairobi.

“He was a great leader and true Pan Africanist we appreciate he made Uganda his home. Awori is a true reflection of how East Africa should be. He grew up a network of people with a vision.We also appreciate Awori, he created  thriving enterprises within the region and we shall forever treasure his contribution” President Kenyatta said.

Mr. Denis Awori led a delegation of mourners from the large Awori family in Kenya who included a Bishop from Nambale diocese. Mr. Denis Awori said as the Awori extended family, it was a sad moment for the loss of his uncle.

mourner after mourner praised Awori for his selfless contribution he made in all spheres of life. Dokolo district Woman Member of Parliament Cecile Ogwal said that whereas she is a MP, she had travelled to Bugiri to burry Awori as a long time close friend as the two have shared both family and political life. She however, said she was ashamed that despite the bashing Awori received while he crossed from Uganda People’s Congress to National Resistance Movement party, the ruling party and government didn’t bother to send a representative at his burial.

“I have come here not as an MP or government representative but i come here to stand with the family and my wife Thelma. We have lost a very valuable member of the family. Aggrey was really a dear brother.  Awori was tall in everything, he was a strategic maneuver and that is how we managed NRM” Ms Ogwal said.

Adding “Aggrey is an embodiment of Africa. He got us a wife from Liberia. The young MPs taking over from us is that do everything to dismantle these borders. Aggrey was too mature for some of us, he was a great Pan Africanist and I feel bad for government that it was hard for Aggrey to cross to NRM and today nobody is here to represent government” She said.

Ms Ogwal was the only high ranking legislator and possibly government  present at the burial, others being three other local Members of Parliament from Busia and Bugiri.

Mr. denis Lukaya who represented Makerere Youth for Awori 2001 praised the seasoned legislator for mentoring him and other members of the group.

“He was kind to us, he told us that as young people to alway do research on any topic or assignment to be undertaken. He further said as young people , if you get into government, do not steal”. Mr Lukaya said.

Ms Thelma Awori the widow through her son Baisama Awori thanked President Museveni for the generosity and standing with the family. Museveni contributed Shs60 million towards medical bills and Shs10 million to help in burial arrangements. Others that she appreciated are Ms Ogwal and former principal Judge Justice James Ogoola.

Ms Awori didn’t make it to bury her husband as she wasn’t well healthwise.

Busia district chairman of the elders Vincent Masiga told mourners that met Awori in 1960 and since then, they had remained friends until his death.

Departed former legislator and 2001 presidential candidate Aggrey Awori has been laid to rest at his Kibimba home in Buwuni town council in Bugiri district.

At exactly 2.10 pm, his casket was lowered in the grave that he prepared for himself by A-Plus handlers and a few of his family members while observing #Covid-19 SOPs.

Mr Awori died on Monday July 5, 2021 in a Kampala hospital where he was admitted for sometime. He has been battling sickness related to old but #Covid-19 claimed his life age. He was 82 years.

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URSB trains senior police officers on how to deal with intellectual property infringment

By
Geoffery Serugo
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The Registrar General Mercy Kainobwisho.

 

Uganda’s national Intellectual property office, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has concluded a two-day virtual training on intellectual property (IP) and mechanisms for dealing with trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy for police officers undertaking the Senior Command Course, at the Police Senior Command and Staff College, Bwebajja.

The training was organized to present measures to law enforcers on how they can ensure that intellectual property rights are well-protected thereby encouraging Ugandan companies, in particular small, medium enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups to invest in innovation and creativity without the fear of their ideas being duplicated.

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), intellectual property refers to ‘creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. IP is divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source; and copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs. Rights related to copyright include those of performing artists in their performances, producers of phonograms in their recordings, and those of broadcasters in their radio and television programs’

Commissioner of Police, Moses Kafeero who is also the Commandant of the College said the training was timely since it would make it easier for the police officers to act efficiently against breaches of intellectual property rights, facilitate easier litigation and tackle the distribution and sale of counterfeited or pirated products.

‘We thank URSB for offering us the opportunity to learn more about how we can efficiently combat IP infringements. We are now better prepared to act faster against counterfeiting and piracy. We can now reliably compliment all efforts targeted towards IP rights enforcement while stepping up action on infringement’ CP Kafeero said

The Registrar General, Mercy Kainobwhisho said the training was in-line with Government’s National Intellectual Property Policy that gave priority to the protection and commercialization of intellectual property as part of growing the creative sectors of the economy.

‘Uganda’s economic growth and competitiveness largely depends on the many entrepreneurs, from the start-ups to large companies who are continuously investing in new ideas and knowledge. We believe training a reliable team that is capable of enforcing intellectual property rights will encourage investment and boost our collective ability to protect and counter fake goods and pirated content which harm our companies and jobs by denying them revenues from their inventions’ She said

‘We want to grant everyone a fair and balanced reward for their innovations while allowing others to build on this to protection to generate new innovative products and services’ Kainobwisho added

The training comes on the heels of efforts by URSB and other stakeholders to step up the fight against counterfeiting and piracy while working towards depriving commercial-scale IP infringers of gains that make their criminal activity lucrative.

Training participants were taken through the various measures to encourage the fight against IP infringements, reduce the volume of counterfeited products and ensuring high-level legal protection for intellectual property owners. The training also tackled enhancement of compliance and practical functioning of IP usage, increase of legal certainty for all stakeholders in the IP ecosystem while facilitating enforcement, facilitating industry-led initiatives and reinforcing cooperation programmes that support IP protection across board, plus general aspects of IP and complaint handling and enforcement.

The Registrar General made a generous donation of copies of compendium of laws to all participants to aid their grasp of legal knowledge needed for easier enforcement of IP rights.

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Awori to be buried in a grave he dug 10 years ago

By
Trevor S Baleke
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RIP Aggrey Awori

 

Former ICT Minister and presidential candidate Aggrey Awori will be buried in a grave he built for himself 10 years ago.
Awori succumbed to #Covid-19 at TMR hospital in Naalya on Monday this week. He will be laid to rest at his country home in Kibimba village, Buwuni town council in Bugiri district tomorrow Saturday.

The grave in which Awori will be buried.

According to Awori’s sister Constance Taaka, said Awori dug his own grave to prepare for his death about ten years ago. Taaka says that Awori preferred his body to be buried in a very quiet place.
Taaka says the deceased often told his relatives and friends that he had constructed his burial site so as to reduce the financial burden on his family and mourners.

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Haiti: Four ‘mercenaries’ who assassinated president Jovenel Moise killed

By
Agencies
-
Jovenel Moise was killed and his wife Martine (right) was seriously injured

Police in Haiti say they have killed four of the “mercenaries” who assassinated the country’s president, Jovenel Moise.

He was killed at his home in Port-au-Prince, the capital of the impoverished Caribbean island, in the early hours of Wednesday.

His wife was flown to hospital in Miami in a serious but stable condition, according to interim prime minister Claude Joseph

Police General Director Leon Charles said late on Wednesday that as well as the four killed, two mercenaries had been captured and that security forces were involved in a fierce gun battle with the suspects.

“We blocked them en route as they left the scene of the crime,” he said.

“Since then, we have been battling with them. They will be killed or apprehended.”

Three officers held hostage by the gunmen had been freed, Mr Charles added

Haiti’s ambassador to the US, Bocchit Edmond, said the attackers had pretended to be from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as they raided the couple’s hilltop home.

The streets of Port-au-Prince were mostly deserted on Wednesday and local reports said a convoy taking Mr Moise’s body to the morgue was forced to divert due to roadblocks and gunfire.

The assassination of the 53-year-old has been condemned by world leaders, including President Joe Biden, who called it a “heinous attack” and said America was “ready to assist”.

A two-week state of emergency has been declared, with Mr Edmond claiming “foreign mercenaries” were responsible.

Interim leader Claude Joseph said they had spoken in English and Spanish, but the languages commonly spoken in Haiti are Creole and French.

Speaking in a TV address alongside the head of police, he urged Haitians: “I am calling for calm. Everything is under control. This barbaric act will not remain unpunished.”

 

 

 

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Jacob Zuma finally hands himself over to police as he starts jail for 15 months

By
Agencies
-
WHAT NEXT: former South African President Jacob Zuma.

South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma has handed himself in to police to begin serving a 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court.

He was admitted to Estcourt Correctional Centre in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.

Police had warned that they were prepared to arrest him if he did not hand himself in by midnight.

Zuma, 79, was handed the jail term last week after he failed to attend a corruption inquiry.

The sentencing sparked an unprecedented legal drama in South Africa, with a deadline imposed of midnight on Wednesday (22:00 GMT) for his arrest.

The deadline was imposed after Zuma refused to hand himself in on Sunday.

In a short statement, the Jacob Zuma Foundation said the former president had “decided to comply with the incarceration order” and hand himself in to prison authorities.

His daughter, Dudu Zuma-Sambudla, later wrote on Twitter that her father was “en route [to the jail] and he is still in high spirits”.

Zuma was sentenced on 29 June for defying an instruction to give evidence at an inquiry into corruption during his nine years in power.

Businessmen have been accused of conspiring with politicians to influence the decision-making process while he was in office. But Zuma has repeatedly said that he is the victim of a political conspiracy.

Though he was forced out of office by his own party in 2018, the African National Congress (ANC), he retains a loyal body of supporters, especially in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Zuma was once an illustrious political figure, who was jailed for fighting the racist system of apartheid in South Africa.

Now, he has been arrested for being contemptuous of South Africa’s most senior judges – the guardians of the democracy he fought for – as he tried to evade accountability over the deluge of corruption allegations he faced during his presidency.

It is an ignominious end to Zuma’s political career, but a proud moment for South Africa’s democracy. It shows that no one is above the law – not even a former president.

His supporters threatened to block any attempt by police to arrest him, but in the end they did not have to. The 79-year-old surrendered, knowing he could not defeat the might of the state.

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Sudhir unveils Kampala Pearl Business Park project as he expands empire

By
Simon Kabayo
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East Africa’s richest tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia has finalised plans to construct Kampala Pearl  Business Park project, a multi purpose business park that will host office space, health, leisure amenities and shopping centre among others.

The said project will be situated on Yusuf Lule Road formerly Kitante Road. According to tycoon Sudhir, the project will be one of its kind in the region.

“The latest project is one of several a  dozen of greenfield projects, and one of very many to come in the near future largely to feed Uganda’s growing demand for high quality and sustainable retail, residential, office and industrial solutions” he said.

He added “Uganda is very special to us because, it is our home, where it all started. Uganda is our home and we are proud to share in and participate in her dreams and aspirations. Every developing country needs a matching stock of high quality real estate infrastructure to fuel further growth and you can always count on us to play that role, so you can be able to focus on your core business” .

Pearl Business Park  is an 18-acre mixed use facility that will host a five-star hotel, a Shopping Mall and a modern hospital when complete.

The Ruparelia Group aims at completing the project within 15 months and will be completed by 2023.

Rajiv Ruparelia, the Managing Director of the Group invited members of the public and other national and international organisation to chose Pearl Business Park for its unique environment to do business.

“It is essentially a green office, sustainably  designed to minimise the negative impact on the environment, while enhancing the health and comfort of the building’s occupants.Amenities such as thriving pedestrian and people space, ample parking as well as rich and vast landscapes as well as the buildings layout design have been sustainably designed to optimise daylight b and air quality”. Rajiv said.

 

 

 

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Startups need support to rise from this pandemic

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
Startup business

 

In May 2020, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) compiled its findings on the impact of #Covid-19 on Ugandan Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The report indicated that only about 15 per cent of surveyed companies could sustain more than three months of operation on their cash flow at the time. The report further indicated that 85 per cent of all Ugandan businesses would be in financial distress after three months of lockdown measures while 50 per cent of informal businesses would be out of business or fall below the poverty line after just one month.

In the same year, The innovation village carried out a survey to find out the impact of #Covid-19 on the SMEs within its ecosystem and made the following discoveries. Up to 79 per cent of the businesses that participated in the survey projected that their revenues would decrease in 2020 compared to 2019. Of those, 57 per cent indicated that their revenues would decrease by more than 25 per cent while 22 per cent projected their revenues would decrease by less than 25 per cent. These findings were published in The Innovation Village Impact Report, this year.

There is a general assumption that the lockdown restrictions, limiting contact and movement created a fertile ground for the growth of startups working in Fintech. However, the engagement partner of Financial Technologies Service Providers Association (FITSPA), Zianah Muddu says that the flourishing of Fintechs has not been a given. This is due to the fact that even though other sectors are going digital, Fintechs support various sectors like tourism, education, e-commerce platforms and various kinds of trade. If other sectors are being affected, Fintechs still suffer the brunt since consumers barely have money to transact.

FITSPA, where Muddu works, is a non-profit association that aims to support Uganda’s vision to become a leading Fintech destination. In this period, efforts towards supporting the startups in the financial sector are very crucial.

To encourage startup recovery and prevent the economic gap from widening due to #Covid-19, organisations are lobbying on behalf of startups for support in terms of contract financing and speaking to other organisations with relief packages like the #Covid-19 relief fund.

Muddu says feedback from Fintechs echoes one common goal, that is, to “survive” the season. At this moment, FITSPA is harnessing the power of community care where they follow up on how they are coping, finding out their needs and then supporting them by seeking options on how to revamp their businesses to full operation.

While FITSPA is doing work to support Fintechs, Startup Uganda is also adding similar efforts in the larger sector of startups.

Startup Uganda, is currently harnessing on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (IESOs) to work together with its members to improve capacities, influence, impact, and create a more enabling environment for innovators and businesses that in turn will drive development across Uganda.

Dona Sava, project coordinator at Startup Uganda says, the lockdown has affected many startups gravely while for others it has only provided a launchpad. Sava points out startups that are using digital platforms such as e-learning, e-payments, healthtech, agritech and those using e-commerce to trade have managed to grow their businesses especially during this lockdown period.

With 30 IESO’s under their umbrella, Startup Uganda went into a partnership with the Innovation Village under the Resilience and Recovery Program (RRP). This is a fully-funded program by Mastercard Foundation to support the various startups to continue working despite the disruption. The support ranged from training to digital support, e-commerce platforms, transport among other things.

This is supplemented by providing investment platforms where they are able to pitch and find funding for their businesses. Depending on their needs, Sava says some startups are only looking for seed funding, while others are looking for funds to scale their businesses. To cater to this, Startup Uganda conducts activities like the Kampala Innovation week, innovation challenges and holds investor days where they have been able to provide these platforms for them.

As businesses go through another rough patch due to the lockdown, all across the board, there is a need to contribute towards ecosystem efforts towards the survival of MSMEs in every sector.

Once again, The Innovation Village is taking a lead on building resilience among entrepreneurs through working with entrepreneurs in cities across central, east, north and Western regions of the country. The work involves providing support in form of funding, mentorship, skilling and digital markets to entities that are leveraging technology to solve critical problems in agriculture, health, education, tourism, media, supply chain, energy, finance and manufacturing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Museveni eulogizes Awori, says he was a distinguished leader

By
Our Reporter
-
President Yoweri K. Museveni
President Yoweri Museveni has joined other leaders in the region to eulogies former presidential candidate Aggrey Awori describing him as a distinguished leader.
Museveni further described Awori as a talented sportsman who represented Uganda at 1960 Olympics.
“Saddened by Aggrey Awori’s untimely demise. He was a talented sportsman and a distinguished leader who joined me in the NRM to serve the country despite our prior political differences. My thoughts go out to the family, well-wishers, and the Samia Bagwe Community. Mabi muno!” President Museveni tweeted.

 

Yesterday Kenyan strongman and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga said he was saddened by the passing on of his longtime friend Aggrey Awori describing the late as a true manifestation of the spirit of East African integration and Pan-Africanism.

Through a letter he wrote to former Kenya Vice President Moody Awori who doubles as elder brother of  the late  Aggrey Awori, Odinga says “We join the Awori family and the people from all around the region in giving thanks for Aggrey’s remarkable life  of service particularly to Kenya and Uganda. Our two families have a long history of friendship that started with our parents, Jaramogi Ogingi Odinga and Jeremiah Musungu Awori, the pioneer African Canon of Anglican Church in Kenya. As a young boy, I witnessed Canon Awori as a constant presence at our home to offer prayers whenever Jaramogi had a function. Out of the large Awori family, Aggrey  became my closest friend out of these initial ties”

Awori contested against Mr. Museveni in 2001 presidential election where he came third with got 1.41 votes.

Mr Awori died on Monday in a Kampala hospital where he was admitted for sometime. He has been battling sickness related to old age. He was 82 years.

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Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated

By
Agencies
-
President Moise

Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse has been killed in an attack on his home in the nation’s capital, according to the country’s interim prime minister.

Claude Joseph said the president’s home in Port-au-Prince was stormed by unidentified armed men at 01:00 local time (05:00 GMT).

First Lady Martine Moïse was also injured in the attack.

Mr Joseph said that “all measures had been taken to guarantee the continuance of the state”.

He said the president was fatally shot in the “heinous, inhuman and barbaric act” and called for the public to remain calm.

Jovenel Moïse, 53, had been in power since February 2017, after his predecessor, Michel Martelly stepped down.

Mr Moïse’s time in office was rocky as he faced accusations of corruption and was challenged by waves of often violent anti-government protests.

There were widespread protests in the capital and other cities earlier this year, as people demanded his resignation.

Haiti’s opposition said that Mr Moïse’s five-year term should have ended on 7 February 2021, five years to the day since Mr Martelly stepped down.

Mr Moïse, however, insisted he had one more year to serve as he did not take office until 7 February 2017.

The year-long delay was caused by allegations of electoral fraud which eventually saw the result of the 2015 election being annulled and fresh polls being held, which were won by Mr Moïse.

On 7 February, the day his opponents said his term should have ended, he said that a “coup to overthrow his government and assassinate him” had been foiled.

Chronic instability, dictatorships and natural disasters have left Haiti as one of the poorest nations in the Americas.

An earthquake in 2010 killed more than 200,000 people and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and the economy.

A UN peacekeeping force was put in place in 2004 to help stabilise the country, and only withdrew in 2017.

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