Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
18.3 C
Kampala
Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
Home Blog Page 938

Police arrests two Bobi Wine bodyguards

By
Ronard Shabomwe
-
Police forcing Rashid Kavuma to enter the police truck(Photo by Ronard Shabomwe)

Police have arrested two body guards of Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu aka Bobi Wine. The two have been identified as Twaha Kavuma and Adam Matovu.

Kavuma was arrested when he was standing near the Court of Appeal at Twed towers waiting for his boss while Matovu was arrested immediately after court proceedings when he was getting out of the court.

The two are currently detained at Wandegeya Police Station on allegations of assault of a police officers.

The alleged officers assaulted are PC Mujuni and Thomas Aip Okello who is seen in one of the videos being punched in the stomach as he tries to apprehend the suspect.

The court summoned Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu for hearing about the controversies surrounding his National Unity Platform-NUP party. A party he got from Moses Nkonge Kibalama.

According to Shamim Nabakooza who was together with Kavuma, the police came to them and said they should not be where they were standing.

She says that when they were trying to move outside the building, one of the police men called others and they forcefully arrested Kavuma.

Nabakooza adds that they have arrested him like a criminal yet they were moving out peacefully. “They have Kicked him and sprayed red paper in his eyes,” she said.

The two were put on a police truck and ferried away amidst tight security on the truck he was taken in.

Stories Continues after ad

Two arrested for running fake Police social media accounts

By
Our Reporter
-

Police has arrested two men who are suspected to have been running parody accounts in the names of the Uganda Police Force.

The two who are being held by Police allegedly opened up twitter and facebook accounts in the names of Uganda Police which they have been using to peddle fake information and ridicule the force.

“Our Electronic counter measures squad arrested two people who have been operating fake police Twitter and Facebook accounts posting all sorts of misinformation to redicule the force’s image,” Police said in a statement.

The two; Mugerwa Calvin and Ochan Allan from Kitebi and Nabweru respectively are being interrogated. They were found in possession of gadgets they have been using to operate these fake accounts.

mugerwa

“We would like to let the public know that the CID has built a formidable electronic counter Measure and Anti-cyber Crimes team whose output will inevitably make the perpetrators endangered species,” Police added.

allan

Social media platforms allow users to open parody accounts of any person or institution as long as they declare in the bio that it’s a fake account so as not to mislead people.

Stories Continues after ad

EAC joins the rest of the world to mark World Tourism Day

By
Our Reporter
-
tourist attractions

The East African Community (EAC) joins the rest of the world in celebrating the World Tourism Day, celebrated on the 27th of September every year. Themed ‘Tourism and Rural Development’, the official 2020 celebration will be held on Monday, 28th September in a two-hour virtual session.

Nowhere else in the world is this year’s theme more fitting than the EAC Partner States, as most of the tourism products in the region are mainly nature based and thus found in the rural areas. The EAC region largely depends on national parks and reserves, as well as wildlife conservancies that traverse the entire region.

Home to some of the beautiful wildlife sites in the world, the EAC region hosts a quarter of all protected areas in Africa and some of the greatest global concentrations of large mammals in both protected and non-protected areas. The region is known for the unparalleled phenomenon of wildebeest migration that occurs annually between July and October in the Serengeti and Maasai Mara Ecosystem that traverses Kenya and Tanzania, as well as other world renowned tourist sites such as the Ngorongoro conservation area, Amboseli National Park and Gorilla viewing in Rwanda and Uganda among others.

Besides wildlife, the region boasts of rich cultural diversity that arises from different ethnic groups, each with a unique story to share with the world.

The communities in rural areas especially those living adjacent to the wildlife conservation areas have an opportunity to benefit from the tourism sector along the entire value chain. These include employment opportunities in the hotels and other tourism related establishments, entrepreneurship in the form of sell of artifacts, and most importantly in some community’s benefit from revenue sharing schemes that have been established under the conservation areas.

The EAC has made major strides in putting up infrastructure in the region such as increased road connectivity between and within the Partner States, which has opened up tourism areas and enhanced access to tourist sites.

The EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of the Productive and Social Sectors Christophe Bazivamo notes that the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP in the region is estimated at 9 per cent, and an average of 20 per cent of export earnings. “As regards employment, the tourism industry contributes an average of 8 per cent to job creation in the Partner States, which is about 4.2 million direct and indirect jobs in absolute terms, with a huge proportion of the jobs being generated in the rural areas,” said Hon. Bazivamo.

“Tourism has important backward linkages to the local economy and therefore contributes to growth and employment in other sectors including agriculture and manufacturing that benefit the local communities,” added the Deputy Secretary General.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented economic disruptions that have dramatically affected the tourism sector in the region.  This has had far reaching effects especially to the rural communities that depend on tourism through loss of jobs and livelihoods.

However, the EAC recognizes Tourism as one of the most resilient sectors and is therefore prioritizing its recovery. The recovery of the sector is also expected to stimulate the recovery of allied sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing that will also benefit rural communities.

To this end, a number of measures and interventions to revitalize the tourism sector have been proposed. Topping the list is the need to strengthen domestic and regional tourism, which is expected to recover faster than international tourism.

The EAC Partner States are therefore encouraged to undertake aggressive domestic tourism campaigns in order to stimulate demand for tourism goods and services by the domestic market.  In addition, the EAC proposes strengthening market access for small and medium enterprises, local communities, women and youth by enhancing their marketing and promotion skills through digital platforms.

“As we re-think and re-engineer the tourism sector following the Pandemic, we will continue putting a lot emphasis on the local communities to ensure that they optimally benefit from the tourism sector in line with the spirit of the EAC Treaty that puts the EAC Citizens at the centre,” said Bazivamo.

Stories Continues after ad

Ministry of Education: Learners, teachers not allowed to use public transport when schools re-open

By
Our Reporter
-
student waiting for a taxi (courtesy photo)

The Ministry of Education and Sports has revealed that learners and teachers will not be allowed to use public transport; taxis and boda-bodas when schools re-open for finalists on October 15.

At a time when the country is seeing an increase in the number of positive cases daily, the authorities note that public transport poses a greater risk of spreading the virus and have decided to regulate it as part of the guidelines.

“Learners who walk to school or are transported by private means to schools may continue to do so, however, they may not use public transport on any occasion, even when they cannot walk or be privately transported to and from school by their parents/guardians,” the guidelines read in parts.

Schools have been advised to dedicate school vans on designated routes of learners and to transport teachers who are not accommodated at school.

“The schools, working with urban authorities, shall organize dedicated vans or buses on designated routes to transport learners, including learners with special needs, who cannot walk or be transported privately to school. Such transport should be within a radius of 5kms and shall observe the standard operating procedures for public transport,” the guidelines add.

The ministry insists that parents should as much as possible identify schools nearest to their homes to enroll their children in the meantime to avoid risks, unnecessary costs and inconveniences of long-distance travel to schools.

“The Ministry of Education also wants the Ministry of Health to test all teachers in areas with high numbers of #Covid-19 cases like Kampala before schools are reopened,” Alex Kakooza, the permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education revealed while addressing the media on the new timetable and standard operating procedures for schools.

Education institutions will ensure that all members of the school community observe recommended social distancing of at least two metres in the classroom, effective and frequent hand washing and proper use of facial masks that must be worn at all times. Each learner should have a minimum of two face masks.

Other requirements include restriction of members of the public from accessing the schools, provision of adequate security and safety measures, setting up a #Covid-19 committee and guiding and counselling learners against #Covid-19 related stigmatization.

Stories Continues after ad

Prime Minister flags off 10 ambulances to major highways in the country

By
Our Reporter
-
Ambulances

The Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has flagged off ten ambulances procured by Uganda Red Cross Society.

The ambulances will provide emergency services on the highways of Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara- Kabale, Lira-Mbale, Kampala-Gulu, Kampala-Malaba and two will be stationed in the Kampala Metropolitan Area.

Uganda registers about 20,000 road accidents each year, with some 2,000 deaths, making it among the countries with the highest traffic death rates, according to 2019 police statistics. The accidents are attributed to the high rate of road accidents to reckless driving, speeding, human error, drunk driving and overloading.

The ten fully equipped ambulances classified as class B cost Shs2 billion are aimed at improving emergency and accident response along major highways in the country.

“This is a big achievement for our country. This collaboration is crucial because Uganda Red Cross has the capacity. There is already substantial evidence with Bududa and recently when we were faced with the COVID-19 response pandemic,” Rugunda said.

According to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr. Diana Atwine, the project is expected to have a fleet of 20 ambulances for emergency medical services on the major highways.

“It is our dream that in the next three years we shall have a fleet for every region with call centers. We hope that these ambulances are centrally managed,” she said.

Stories Continues after ad

Emirates global network increases to 92, African routes rise to 19

By
Our Reporter
-
Fly Emirates plane

Emirates has announced it will resume flights to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban in South Africa; Harare in Zimbabwe and Mauritius.

The addition of the five points will expand the Emirates’ global network to 92 destinations, as the airline gradually resumes its operations while prioritising the safety of its customers, crew and the communities it serves around the world. Emirates’ African network will also now extend to 19 cities.

Customers flying in and out of Emirates’ three South African gateways can safely connect to Dubai and to an array of onwards connections to Europe, the Far East, Middle East, West Asia and Australasia. Flight schedules for Emirates’ South African destinations will be available on emirates.com later this week.

Emirates will operate to Harare with two weekly flights linked to its Lusaka service. The linked services will connect Zambia and Zimbabwe to key destinations across Europe, the Far East, the Americas, Australasia and West Asia with one convenient stop in Dubai.

Flights from Dubai to Mauritius will initially operate once a week on Saturdays, supporting the Mauritian government’s repatriation efforts to bring its citizens home, and enabling the recovery of the country’s tourism industry by safely connecting leisure travellers from Europe, the Far East and the Middle East to the popular Indian Ocean island destination.

Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, Emirates sales offices, via travel agents as well as online travel agents.

Customers can stop over or travel to Dubai as the city has re-opened for international business and leisure visitors. Ensuring the safety of travellers, visitors, and the community, COVID-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers arriving to Dubai (and the UAE), including UAE citizens, residents and tourists, irrespective of the country they are coming from.

From sun-soaked beaches and heritage activities to world class hospitality and leisure facilities, Dubai is one of the most popular global destinations. In 2019, the city welcomed 16.7 million visitors and hosted over hundreds of global meetings and exhibitions, as well as sports and entertainment events. Dubai was one of the world’s first cities to obtain a Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)  which endorses Dubai’s comprehensive and effective measures to ensure guest health and safety.

Emirates’ booking policies offer customers flexibility and confidence to plan their travel. Customers who purchase an Emirates ticket by 30 September 2020 for travel on or before 30 March 2021, can enjoy generous rebooking terms and options, if they have to change their travel plans due to unexpected flight or travel restrictions relating to COVID-19, or when they book a Flex or Flex plus fare.

Emirates customers who require a COVID-19 PCR test certificate prior to departure from Dubai, can avail of special rates at the American Hospital and their satellite clinics across Dubai by simply presenting their ticket or boarding pass. Home or office testing is also available, with results in 48 hours.

Customers can now travel with confidence, as Emirates has committed to cover COVID-19 related medical expenses, free of cost, should they be diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travel while they are away from home. This cover is immediately effective for customers flying on Emirates until 31 December 2020, and is valid for 31 days from the moment they fly the first sector of their journey. This means Emirates customers can continue to benefit from the added assurance of this cover, even if they travel onwards to another city after arriving at their Emirates destination.

Emirates has implemented a comprehensive set of measures at every step of the customer journey to ensure the safety of its customers and employees on the ground and in the air, including the distribution of complimentary hygiene kits containing masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes to all customers.

Stories Continues after ad

Kibalama on tenterhooks, contradicts self as court cross-examines him over NUP Party

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
kibalama in court

The founder of the National Unity Reconciliation and Development Party (NURDP) that has since evolved into the National Unity Platform (NUP), Mzee Nkonge Kibalama is set to face criminal charges for filing false documents to the independent electoral commission for change of Party name.

Kibalama was appearing before Court to pronounce himself about changing his affidavits in the case brought against him. Kibalama and former party secretary had sworn and signed affidavits that the party leadership and the name were changed after delegates’ conference which occurred in Kakiri.

In 2019, Kibalama and other party members applied to the Electoral commission to have NURP change to NUP and the application was objected. It was revealed that in 2012 and 2013, they attempted to change the party name to Independent National Unity Party however their application was declined.

During cross examination, Mzee Nkonge first objected to filing right documents to have NURP changed to NUP however in turn he contracted himself saying the documents were false and he made a mistake.

According to section 15 (3) of the political party and organisations act, section 15 (3) of the political party and organisations act, section 15 (3) of the political party and organisations act, any person who furnishes information knowing that it is false,  commits an offence and liable on conviction and sentence not exceeding two years.

In the first affidavit prepared by Anthony Wameli and company advocates and signed on 14 September 2020, Mr. Kibalama said the party leadership and name were changed after a delegates conference attended by 41 delegates in Kakiri.

On 17th September, he signed another affidavit drafted by the Bayingana Barungi and company advocates, Nkonge informed the court that he is retracting the first one. He said they didn’t have a delegates conference however sat with nine people and changed the party name and leadership.

“What prompted you to change the affidavit?” Sseggona asked. In his response, Kibalama said he was denied a role in NUP that is why he wants to reclaim the party. NUP lawyers however told the court that Kibalama is the head of elders and advisory committee in the party.

When asked who the party president is, Kibalama who failed to identify his lawyers said he is the Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi however says that the party leadership was not changed in conformity with the law.

Earlier this month, Kibalama was filmed saying that Bobi Wine promised him $5million to hand over party to him however when he appeared before Court, he denied making such a statement and respondents lawyer Lubega Medard Sseggona promised to avail video recording of him.

He also asked the court to help him regain his freedom adding that it is in public domain that his friends have been looking for him and they  could not locate him and all his numbers were off until Uganda peoples Defence forces (UPDF) came out to clarify that it is availing him security. “I would like do like my family to visit me unfortunately, they are not in Uganda,” he said.

Stories Continues after ad

Absence of sign language interpreters slows nomination for PWDs

By
Ronard Shabomwe
-
A group of PWDs at Rubaga Division EC offices who showed up for Nominations(photo by Ronard Shabomwe)

Persons with Disabilities especially those with hearing impairments are failing to communicate effectively because of lack of sign language interpreters at the nomination center. They are requested to write down in order to know what they are saying which is slowing the process.

This is observed at various nomination centers in Kampala, where there are no sign language interpreters to help attend persons with hearing impairment.

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are part of Special interest groups (SIGs) that are going through the process of nomination at various electoral commission division/district offices in the country.

Whereas persons with various disability conditions are encountering challenges in the process like inaccessibility to the offices and voter’s information among others, it is more challenging to deaf persons due to lack of interpreters.

At various EC offices where the nominations are happening like Rubaga, Makindye, Kawempe, Kampala central, Nakawa divisions among other places. The reporter observed that there were no sign language interpreters, yet they expected the blind to appear for nominations.

Ezra Ongaria, the returning officer of Rubaga division told this reporter off the record that it is slowing the process since a person has to first write. Adding that they have to bear with the situation because they have no sign language interpreters in place.

A source at Kampala central EC offices on the condition of anonymity says, they are also going through the same challenge. Noting that it takes them an hour to nominate a deaf person and they had already received 3 blind persons so far.

According to the Commissioner, Disability and Elderly-Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development Emilly Ajiambo there are few sign language interpreters in Uganda, and it is hard to have them at division level.

Ajiambo says that even those few who are available are always engaged adding that it is also difficult to hire them either on a daily basis or as permanent employees. She notes that, on a daily basis, it costs between shillings 100,000 and shillings 150,000.

While addressing the media at the media center early this week, the state minister for disability and elderly in the ministry of gender, Labour and social development, Sarah Kanyike says that if a PWD is not catered for, you do not expect them to participate effectively in election processes.

Kanyike notes that “most of these things especially the deaf is to do with sign language interpreters, once you deny them interpreters, then they will not be able to participate in each and every activity. This is the mandate of the ministry and this is what we have to advocate for.

In an interview with Joseph Mbulamwana Executive Director of Uganda national association of the deaf (UNAD) who is also a person hearing impairment, he asserts that lack of sign language interpreters in government programs has affected them most.

Uganda will be commemorating the international deaf awareness week this Friday in Masaka, which Mbulamwana says, the goal will be to create awareness about deafness and deaf persons with the aim of promoting inclusion of deaf persons in their communities hence providing access to services offered there.

“We also expect this to increase solidarity among deaf persons and stimulate efforts to promote their human rights,” he notes.

According to the last national population census of 2014, 12.4% is the percentage of the population of Ugandans that live with disabilities and 3.1 percent is Persons with hearing impairment/deaf.

Stories Continues after ad

Aspirants, Seconders cautioned against putting on party colours

By
Ronard Shabomwe
-
Some aspirants waiting to be worked on at Rubaga Division EC offices.

Ezra Ongaria, the Rubaga Division Returning Officer has warned the aspirants and their seconders against wearing colours and symbols representing political parties during nominations.

Ongaria’s call comes in after many people started appearing for nominations putting on shirts, red berets and masks that show the parties where they belong.

Most of these people who were appearing in party colors belong to political parties like National Resistance Movement-NRM, Forum for Democratic Change-FDC, Democratic party-DP and National Unity Platform- NUP.

Ongaria calls this one way of campaigning at electoral offices which is not good. Adding that electoral commission is a neutral commission.

“Caution therefore goes out to whoever appears here for nomination to do away with political colors or symbols, they should wait for campaigning time,” Ongaria said.

He notes that if people insist on putting on those colors, they will be denied access and allow those with neutral colors, adding that they do not want to politicize the nomination process.

However, most of the aspirants disputed Ongaria’s caution, saying that they have a right to put on any type of a cloth as long as they are decently dressed up.

Robert Kiiza the LC3 aspiring councilor Busega Kigwanya Rubaga division who appeared in National Resistance Movement attires reacts that they should be left free to put on the party symbols.

Andreas Mukalazi a male youth council Rubaga division claims that his people power badge on his shirt has no problem because it is not a party.

What you are seeing on my shirt will not appear in the electoral commission, it is only NUP that will appear in their papers.

Stories Continues after ad

How a whistleblower led to the exposure of Equal Opportunities Commission boss Sylvia Ntambi

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
Sylvia Muwebwa

The Chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi was on Monday charged with Corruption at the Anti-corruption Court in Kololo.

Ms Ntambi is accused of superintending over unethical practices that have seen staff polarized along tribal lines, which created a toxic working environment.

The charging of Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi follows the lunging of complaints to President Yoweri Museveni calling for his intervention. According to a petition dated 22nd May 2019, the whistle blower accused her of causing financial loss of over 200 million through termination of workers contracts and forcing workers to resign and replace them with her relatives and friends.

Since she took over the chairperson-ship of the commission, the whistle blower said Mrs Ntambi has unfairly dismissed over 11 staff, terminated over 10 staff contracts, four contracts have not been renewed. In 2017/ 2018, the Auditor General advised the commission to employ people on permanent contracts however the chairperson declined and this has since led to financial losses.

They accused her of directing the collection of Shs 100million which they had approved in the commission meeting and the said money was to be used as kickbacks for individuals who worked hard for passing of the commission budget in 2018/19.

“It was paid and collected through individual bank accounts. It was collected and handed over to her at Kampala International University (KIU), Kansanga on 7th March 2019,” the whistle blower said. Despite being chairperson of the commission, Mrs Ntambi is averred to have forced her secretaries to pay her as consultant in production of various reports.

“The money was paid to Prof. Sunday Nicholas Olwor (Shs 14M), Kamahoro Enid (Shs 13M), Nassanga Sarah (Shs 5M), Atukunda Susan (Shs 6M), Mugisha James (Shs 12M), Kwesiga Ronnie (Shs 12M), Kwesiga Ronnie (Shs 10.55M), Sarah Nassanga (Shs 9M), Kwihangana Manasseh(Shs 13M), Prof. Sunday Nicholas Olwor (Shs 9.8M), Kwesiga Ronnie (Shs 9M) and sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi (Shs 13M),” payment slips indicate.

She is also accused  of irregular approval of allowances of various members of the commission, using commission vehicle for doing private businesses, irregular recruitment of staff without embracing commission procedures. It is said that she illegally recruited Betty Namazzi, Juma Waira and Petau Isabirye Babirye.

The whistle blower also revealed that the Ag commissioner Jjemba Evans holds two offices as the head of department of compliance and enforcement and research, monitoring and evaluation. It is averred that she is using these two departments to siphon money from the commission.

Stories Continues after ad
1...937938939...2,375Page 938 of 2,375

© Eagle Online. All rights reserved.

About Us

Popular Category

Editor Picks