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Victoria University names Flavia Oketcho as new Dean of Students

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Our Reporter
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Flavia Oketcho

Victoria University has named basketball legend Flavia ‘Flirsh’ Oketcho as their new Dean of Students.

Oketcho who is now at JKL Lady Dolphins, is the most decorated basketball player in Uganda and also doubles the Gazelles captain.

She started playing basketball in 1998 and has since won 10 league titles with 4 clubs in the past 20 years.

The former Kitante Hill and Makerere College student has featured for Lady Bucks, UCU Lady Canons, KCCA Leopards and JKL Lady Dolphins.

In 2004 she was voted MVP in the East Africa Club Championship, which she helped to win two league titles. In 2005, she represented Uganda in the Zone V Nations Tournament.

Flirsh is a graduate of Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication (majoring in Marketing and PR) and has been playing her basketball while engaging in several business ventures as she is an entrepreneur, TV Presenter and Marketing consultant.

Victoria University, is one of the best universities in Uganda that stands out as a centre of academic excellence. It offers a fresh and intellectually stimulating environment that nurtures critical thinkers.

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Kenya sets tough terms as it lifts ban on importation of Ugandan maize

By
Our Reporter
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Trucks carrying goods

Kenya has finally lifted the ban on importation of Ugandan maize but with strict and tough conditions.

On March 5, the Kenyan government imposed a ban on imported maize, saying that they were seeking to curb cancer-causing aflatoxin on the imported crop.

The Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya said on Wednesday that all stakeholders dealing in maize imports would be required to be registered, the consignments coming in must be accompanied with a certificate of conformity on aflatoxin levels and that traders have to issue details of their warehouses.

The certificate of conformity should indicate that the aflatoxin levels comply with the maximum required levels of 10 parts per billion.

In a statement by Agriculture Chief Administrative Secretary Lawrence Angolo, Kenya said the move is aimed at addressing the safety of consumers and that the country will not compromise on that.

Mr Angolo said the details on the warehouse would help in ensuring that the maize supplied to Kenya adhered to all standard procedures on food handling and that it was not dried on roads (tarmac).

“While we strive to give Kenya safe food by addressing the challenge in production system, we equally expect our trading partners to trade safe maize as per the East African Community (EAC) standards,” said Mr Angolo.

Traders importing maize from Uganda to Kenya will be required to also have a certificate of origin from the counties of produce before they get clearance at the border points.

Angolo urged the regional countries to fast track ratification of EAC- SGS standards on aflatoxin and submit the instruments of certification to the EAC.

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Police in Katwe bust criminal gang

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Our Reporter
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some of the criminals arrest

Katwe Police last night carried out an intelligence-led operation and busted a criminal gang that has been operating in the areas of Masajja, Makindye-Sabagabo in Wakiso District.

‘Call Call’ conmen, as they are commonly known, defraud people using mobile phones by calling them and claiming that they have won prizes or by sending fake mobile money messages. They use false pretense, tell their unsuspecting victims to send them money.

According to the Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigire, the same group break into people’s houses and steal household property.

During the operation, suspected stolen items were recovered from the suspects’ residents. They include three television sets, music systems, machetes and government stores. They also had marijuana in their possession.

The group, commanded by Michael Kinalwa, who was also arrested, had for a long time turned Kosovo zone, a no-go area, by attacking whoever is not known in the area.

“They have on several occasions stoned and ganged up against police officers during arrests in their area.  On Sunday, 07/03/2021, at around 2pm, they attacked one Nagasha while driving in the area and robbed her bag containing about US$30,000 and UShs 300,000.” Owoyesigire said.

“A one Musudan stopped the vehicle, banged the door and when the frightened lady opened the door, they grabbed the bag and took off.”

“He alleges he took the bag and its contents to their gang leader Kinalwa, who later gave him a day’s allowance.”

“Nine people, including their commander, have been arrested and the operation is still going on to get rid of these criminals in the area,” Owoyesigire said.

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Cancer Institute asks for budget increment as patient numbers rise

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Our Reporter
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Uganda Cancer Institute

The Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) has called for an increase in its budget allocation to manage patients who it said are on the rise.

Dr Jackson Orem, the Executive Director at UCI hosted Parliament’s Committee on Health, and said much as progress is being made, there are structural issues relating to staffing and medication whose costs are shooting to the roof.

“‘One of the areas that we feel requires attention is the area of drugs and the most expensive ones come in form of donations; the area number two is that of our human resource and we have submitted our new structure to the Ministry of Public Service for approval,” said Dr Orem.

The institute has installed the latest equipment for radiotherapy, and constructed a bunker to house it, but Orem fears power outages will reset the systems.

He asked MPs to root for a direct power line for the banker, and also require the Kampala Capital City Authority to tarmac the road behind the bunker, which is dusty and spoiling the machines.

Mr George Osinde, who heads the pharmacy at UCI said the donations in terms of drugs are worth shs34 billion.

He said some drugs are very expensive and with an increase in the number of patients, there is need to ensure a budget increment to avoid emergencies arising from shortages.

Dr Victoria Walusansa, who deputises for Dr Orem said the biggest challenge facing the institute is the unscrupulous traditional herbalists, who she says confuse patients with false drugs and even lure them out of hospital with false promises of treatment.

This, she said, continues to contribute to several cancer fatalities in the country.

“There are herbalists that come and take our patients from here and go and give them herbs; every month they pay shs1 million and by the time they come here, they are poor and ailing,” she said.

MP Sylvia Nayebare (NRM, Gomba District) said the institute’s quest to have hostels for unadmitted patients seeking diagnosis should be expeditiously handled.

Many patients traveling long distances to access medical care find themselves stuck in the vicinities of the institute, most times sleeping under a shade purposed to serve as a waiting area.

“I pray that parliament supports you and you put a hostel for caretakers because seeing patients and caretakers suffer under verandas is unsightly; you should also find a way of improving upon the brain drain that is happening so that you retain the best specialists to treat our people,” she said.

Committee Chairperson, Hon Michael Bukenya said he will make efforts to ensure the funding gaps of the institution is taken care of.

Bukenya said the institute should engage in a robust public awareness campaign about the various forms of cancers and also the services available at the institute.

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CSOs call for freezing of interest rates on loans acquired by women in informal sector

By
Geoffery Serugo
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CSOs call for freezing of interest rates on loans acquired by women in informal sector

The Civils Society Organisations (CSO) under their umbrella body, Women’s Movement in Uganda have urged government to freeze interest rates on all acquired loans for men and women working in informal sector and put up a rebuilding plan to provide interest free start up packages to revive businesses during the covid-19 pandemic.

The clarion call was made during the celebrations to mark international women’s day. Held under the theme, ‘Women in leadership achieving and equal future in a covid-19 world’, the CSOs revealed that, majority of Ugandan women are self-employed in the informal economy, making up an estimated 70 per cent in informal businesses.

Women entrepreneurs were hit hardest as the pandemic affected them at the enterprise, household and individual level. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) majorly owned by women were forced were forced into uncertainty due to a sudden loss of markets, reduction in cash flow which is the blood life of enterprise.

“Women faced the increasing threat of failure to meet tax obligation and loan repayments. The pandemic has led to disruption of supply chains, increased costs of production, demand inefficiencies due to alternation in consumers’ priorities and the closure of specific market segments.” they said in a statement

In tandem, government stepped up with stimulus packages to support the recovery of the economy however this was not informed by sex disaggregated data indicating that the development of the packages lacked evidence and fewer women are likely to benefit from the programme.

The noted that the lockdown mainly affected women and children trapped with their abusive partners and guardians. During the first weeks of the lock down, Ministry of Labour Gender and Social Development (MLGSD) reported that a total of 3280 gender based violence cases had been reported and 283 cases of violence against children.

The survivors were unable to seek medical treatment, counselling, legal aid services due to financial and transport constraints. “It must be noted that these services were not considered essential or emergency channels. Many cases were unreported because of fear of stigmatisation and community backlash and police could not adequately respond to the cases due to diversion of resources to deal with other issues,” they noted.

The organisations called on government to make deliberate effort to increase investment to critical social security and protection sectors during the national planning and budgeting process.

The CSOs include; UGANET, Uwonet, NUWODU, Acfode, NAWOU, Cedovip, Landnet, International community of women living with HIV, Akina Mams wa Africa, Uganda women’s network.

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Speakership race: Oulanyah camp dares Kadaga for televised debate as Lango endorses him

By
Our Reporter
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Deputy Speaker Oulanyah and Speaker Kadaga

The race for Speakership is getting tense by the day with new twists and turns. The latest is that Jacob Oulanyah’s camp has dared Rebecca Kadaga for a televised debate to allow ex-officios (Members of the public) make an informed decision on who is fit to be Speaker of the 11th Parliament.

According to a source within Oulanyah’s camp, the purpose of the televised debate is to separate grain from chaff and identity “a masquerading” speaker from “the real” speaker.

However, as the debate continues to unfold, Lango parliamentary group has come out to declare support for Oulanyah stating that they supported Kadaga in 2016 with an understanding that she was serving her last term.

“In 2016 we supported Kadaga because she was serving a second term as Speaker even after serving two terms as Deputy Speaker .This time we are supporting Jacob Oulanyah who has served two terms as Deputy Speaker and needs to move forward” reads an endorsement statement by the group.

The endorsement of Lango follows Acholi parliamentary group that endorsed Oulanyah against Kadaga. Kadaga currently is the longest legislator having joined parliament in 1989 as a National Resistance Council member. She subsequently served as Minister in charge of parliamentary affairs before the return of multi-party politics. It is from here that she rose to become a deputy speaker for two terms before being elevated to Speaker for two terms as well.

Last week, Oulanyah while chairing the House for the first time in over a year, boasted of emotional intelligence saying it would not be human for him to preside over the House when speaker Kadaga is mourning the death of her relative. Oulanyah’s moving statement sparked off public debate with many describing him as a benevolent and gifted intellectual who deserves nothing but being the Speaker of the 11th Parliament.

It is highly predictable that if Kadaga accepts the televised debate challenge then it will end in tears for her camp because the man from Omoro is such a well composed flamboyant gentleman who has the entire law on the palm of his hands and is likely to expose and humiliate Aunt Becky. The end result is known. Emotional breakdown for Aunt Becky.

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Uganda kicks off #Covid-19 vaccination

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Covid-19 vaccine

The Minister for Health Jane Ruth Aceng has launched #Covid-19 Vaccination campaign. The vaccination campaign was launched at Mulago Specialized Women and Neonatal Hospital where the minister and a number of government officials received their first dose.

Last week, Uganda through the Ministry of Health received the first 864,000 doses of the AstraZeneca #Covid-19 vaccine donations from COVAX facility and an additional 100,000 doses donated by the government of India.

Speaking at the launch, the minister said the Covid-19 vaccines have been distributed to over 40 districts and by close of business today, the number of districts that have received the vaccines will be 55.

Vaccines will be given to eligible persons eight weeks (56 days). However, this can be extended up to 12 weeks as recommended by WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunizations.

The vaccination campaign target in Uganda stands at 21,936,011 people equivalent to 49.6 percent of the population of Uganda compared with the target population earlier communicated (60 percent and 27,000,000 people) in line with WHO and Africa CDC global guidance.

The Minister said the vaccines available are not yet authorized for use in persons younger than 18 years of age in whom research is still ongoing. If vaccines become available for below the age of 18, the ministry will update its plan accordingly and inform the public.

The #Covid-19 vaccine is given intramuscularly on the left upper arm – 0.5mls each. All health workers from public, private not for profit and private health facilities will be the first group to receive the vaccines.

The second group will be the teachers. “All teachers will be required to access vaccines from the nearest public health facility starting from HC III up to a National Referral” Hospital.

The third category will be all persons above 50 years of age. The next category eligible for vaccination are the 18 to 50-year olds who have the following underlying health conditions: hypertension, Diabetes, cancer, organ diseases such as Liver, Kidney or heart disease. Each category will be alerted on the days on which to report for vaccination

All persons eligible for vaccination will be required to provide a National Identification Card in the case of Ugandan citizens or a passport in the case of non-Ugandans.

“Government Health center IIIs, IVs, District Hospitals, Regional Referral, National Referral Hospitals and specialized Institutions have been designated as vaccination service points in each district and City. Eligible persons will access their vaccines from any of these points,” she said.

The Permanent Secretary, Diana Atwine also received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and applauded scientists who never had a holiday amidst the outbreak of the pandemic. “Scientists commitment, sacrifices and guidance are highly valued and appreciated. It’s been a combined effort with various stakeholders to save live,” she said.

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Uganda Breweries announces Shs2.1 billion national promotion to mark 75 years of existence

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Uganda Breweries Limited's Jackson Mukasa, Trade Development Manager (L) & Hillary Baguma, Brand Manager Mainstream Spirits (R) during the launch of the Kyusa Levo customer promotion.

Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has announced a national consumer promotion named “Kyusa Levo” through which consumers around the country will stand the chance to win cash prizes worth 2.1 billion. The promotion is part of UBL’s 75th year anniversary celebrations.

To participate, customers who purchase a 200ml bottle of Uganda Waragi, Bond 7 and V&A will check under the closure for a code. Consumers will then dial *255*23# and follow prompts to stand a chance to win.

“2020 was a tough year for many of us as we tried to navigate the conditions brought about by the Coronavirus global pandemic. Many of us are trying to recover and need an extra boost to ‘Kyusa Levo’. As we celebrate 75 years of existence, we find it appropriate to give back to our consumers and help them achieve their ambitions through this campaign,” said Rhona Namanya, Spirits Marketing Manager for Uganda Breweries.

The promotion will run for three months and is valid from 9th March 2021 to 9th June 2021. The prizes up for grabs are instantly redeemable cash values via mobile money.

“Every winner will receive their cash prize within 24 hours. We believe cash is very relevant right now, regardless of your situation. Whether you are a small business owner looking for an extra cash boost, or an individual looking to move to the next level, we all could do with a cash boost to move us forward and ‘kyusa levo’,” said Hillary Baguma, Brand Manager Mainstream Spirits,  Uganda Breweries.

The available cash prizes are categorized as follows, UGX5,000, UGX7,500, UGX75,000, UGX750,000, UGX7.5 million, leading up to the ultimate grand prize of UGX75 million.

“I encourage all our consumers to participate in this promotion. 75 years of existence is no small achievement and we could not have done it without the support of our consumers. This is our way of spreading this celebration to our consumers. We will reward 200,000 consumers countrywide through this promotion,” Rhona added.

The Spirits Marketing Manager also warned consumers to beware of fraudsters who might try to take advantage of the promotion.

“We do not require consumers to pay to receive their prizes. This promotion is open to all consumers of Uganda Waragi, V&A and Bond 7. While we encourage our customers to participate in the promotion, we urge them to drink responsibly and only adults above the age of 18 years are eligible to participate.”

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Tanzania President Magufuli reportedly admitted at Nairobi Hospital with #Covid-19

By
Our Reporter
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John Pombe Magufuli

Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli is reportedly admitted at the Nairobi Hospital in Kenya after contracting #Covid-19.

The President, who regularly addresses public rallies and congregants on Sundays, was last seen in public on February 24.

Kenya’s Daily Nation has today reported that an African leader is admitted at a Nairobi hospital, but did not reveal who it was.

The speculation come after the country’s main opposition leader Tundu Lissu questioned the president’s whereabouts.

Tanzania’s top opposition leaders claim that Magufuli is on a ventilator, a machine that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently.

Yesterday, Tundu Lissu, who unsuccessfully ran against Magufuli in the October 2020 presidential election, was among the first leaders in Tanzania to raise questions on the President’s whereabouts.

“The president’s well-being is a matter of grave public concern,” Lissu said in a tweet Tuesday. He cited public announcements of previous Tanzanian leaders’ illnesses.

“We’re informed when Kikwete had prostate surgery. We’re told when Mkapa went for hip replacement. We’re not kept in the dark when Mwalimu fought leukemia. What’s it with Magufuli that we don’t deserve to know?” he asked.

Magufuli has been on the spot after waging a campaign in his country that the coronavirus is lie, urging the population to go on with their lives claiming it can be defeated by “prayers”.

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Uganda Hippos team rewarded with $160,000

By
Our Reporter
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The Uganda U-20 team players who played in Mauritania

Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has rewarded the national U-20 team (Hippos) with a total kitty of USD 160,000.

This was officially announced by the FUFA President Eng. Moses Magogo during a welcome luncheon held at Imperial Golf View Hotel in Entebbe.

The Hippos were rewarded for finishing second during their debut AFCON U-20 tournament hosted by Mauritania, falling 2-0 to champions Ghana.

Eng. Magogo was flanked by the first FUFA Vice President Justus Mugisha, Executive Committee members Rogers Mulindwa, Hamid Juma and Chrizestom Kalibala, FUFA Deputy CEO – Football Decolas Kiiza, delegates and other FUFA staff.

He congratulated the entire team for the remarkable feat, tagging it as work in progress before he announced the $160,000 token.

“As FUFA, we set ourselves a vision to be the number one footballing nation in Africa on and off the field of play. We are very ambitious. We are very happy and not disappointed at all. There is an element of humanity and reality that we must accept. We achieved by qualifying for the first ever AFCON finals tournament. Even the best sprinter in the world started by crawling. For us as FUFA, it remains work in progress as country,” Eng Magogo was quoted by the fufa website.

“As players, you are in the development stages. This should draw more appetite. FUFA has a very proper strategy to achieve the results. I want to appreciate the FUFA Youth development officer Bashir Mutyaba who has overseen that youth competitions are very organized. I also thank the clubs that have given the youth players a chance to play. Football is a process and not an event. The senior team has to play at the FIFA World Cup. To the players, keep your heads high,” he added.

Head coach Morley Byekwaso lauded the players for the commitment, discipline as he pleaded with FUFA for more opportunities to work with this current crop of players.

“I wish to thank these players for the commitment, discipline and hard work. We learnt a lot of positive things from this tournament. I request FUFA to grant me the opportunity to work with these players in future. To the players, do not go out and mess with life. Respect the elders and learn from the young ones,” Byekwaso stated.

FUFA has offered the team $160,000 that will be shared amongst all the contingent of 40 people that made the trip to Mauritania.

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