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 ADF rebels’ free 1,300 inmates in Beni

By
Our Reporter and Agencies
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Captured ADF leader Jamil Mukulu being led from the special police detention facility at Nalufenya in Jinja to court .

More than 1,300 prisoners have escaped from a jail in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Beni city after suspected Islamist rebels attacked the facility, officials have said.

The Allied Defence Forces (ADF) was thought to have launched the assault to free its members, the mayor said.

Only about 100 inmates remained in Kangbayi prison, the mayor said.

The ADF was formed more than 20 years ago in neighbouring Uganda to fight alleged discrimination against Muslims

The group has not yet commented on whether it was behind the attack.

Beni’s mayor Modeste

Police managed to capture 14 escapees, UN-backed Radio Okapi reported.

Two inmates were shot dead during the raid, which started at around 04:30 local time, police said on Twitter.

The army spokesman in Beni, Lt Anthony Malushay, told the BBC that an operation to capture the prisoners who escaped was under way.

In 2017, hundreds of prisoners escaped from the same jail, which holds a variety of militiamen – including ADF fighters.

The ADF is one of many rebel groups operating in eastern DR Congo, a mineral-rich area where government and UN forces have long battled to bring stability.

The group has been accused of widespread atrocities in the region.

The ADF has reportedly killed 570 civilians since the Congolese army launched an operation against them in November last year.

told Reuters news agency that the attackers came in large numbers and managed to break the jail’s door using electric equipment.

“We believe it was the ADF who did this,” he was quoted as saying.

It relocated to eastern DR Congo after being driven out by the Ugandan military from its bases.

 

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Emirates expands reach in Southern Africa via interline agreement with Airlink

By
Geoffery Serugo
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emirates plane

Emirates and Airlink have announced an interline agreement, widening Emirates’ reach into Southern Africa as countries begin opening their borders for travelers.

Emirates’ agreement with Airlink will provide its customers enhanced connectivity via its gateways Johannesburg and Cape Town to more than 25 domestic destinations in South Africa and more than 20 regional destinations in Southern Africa. The unique connections enabled by this new partnership provide customers onward travel options not offered by other airlines.

Both Emirates and Airlink will offer the ease of single-ticket travel and one-stop baggage check-in for customers transferring from Johannesburg and Cape Town to domestic points including Bloemfontein, George, Upington, Nelspruit, Hoedspruit and Port Elizabeth, as well as points across Southern Africa.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline commented on the newly formed partnership: “Emirates is pleased to partner with Airlink on a new interline agreement that will help us strengthen our presence and give customers more choice, flexibility and enhanced connections across 45 cities in Southern Africa. We are committed to our operations in South Africa, as we continue to look at ways to build our extended network for customers and help them benefit with diverse travel options.

“The interline agreement that has gone into effect with Airlink is only the start of further collaboration, and we are looking forward to exploring more opportunities to widen the scope of our partnership in the future.”

Airlink CEO, Mr. Rodger Foster added: “We are proud and excited about our new interline commercial agreement with Emirates. We have a deep respect for the airline, its values and its global reach. We are confident that the relationship will deliver enhanced travel options to customers given the designed interconnectivity that will be enabled at OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport. Airlink’s offering of connectable destinations includes most key points within Southern Africa such as; Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein, Harare, Lusaka, Maputo, Gaborone, Windhoek, amongst many others.”

Emirates resumed its operations into Johannesburg and Cape Town on 1 October, and Durban on 8 October, with enhanced safety measures in place across all of its onboard and on ground touchpoints. The airline continues to build market demand through connecting customers via Dubai from close to 100 destinations, as well as building more connection opportunities in South Africa and beyond through partnerships with airlines like Airlink that drive value for its customers.

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ACME to conduct study on state of the Ugandan newsroom

By
Geoffery Serugo
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ACME ED Dr. Peter G. Mwesige

The African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) has announced that it has commenced a national project that will examine the state of the news media in Uganda.

Based on two national surveys — one of practicing journalists across all media, and the second of newsroom managers — the research project will examine shifts in the media landscape over the past decade or so and their impact on the practice of journalism in the country.

These shifts include an almost tenfold growth in internet usage, driven by mobile broadband subscriptions, and broadcast digital migration, which was achieved in 2015.

These technological developments have transformed the news media business, operational structures, and the practice of journalism. Contemporaneously, the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have forced media companies to cut wages, lay off workers, and close some business segments.

Supported by the European Union Delegation to Uganda, the project will focus on journalists’ demographics, skills, their perceptions on roles, ethics, and influences, as well as working conditions, among others.

It will reach close to 400 journalists from 48 media houses selected from all parts of the country. The last such national survey of Ugandan journalists was carried out in 2001 and provided “a demographic and attitudinal profile of Ugandan journalists”. This project will build on that, showing how much has changed between 2001 and 2020.

In addition to profiling the Ugandan journalist, they will also map out the Ugandan newsroom, looking at important metrics such as the number of employees in media companies, the proportion of staff vis-à-vis freelance journalists, revenue sources, on-the-job training for reporters, editorial policies, among others.

“The study is in line with our strategic aims of supporting journalistic excellence, promoting an enabling media environment and improving media literacy,” said Dr Peter G. Mwesige, ACME’s executive Director. “We hope it will stimulate public debate on the state of journalism and the media in Uganda at this critical time.”

African Centre for Media Excellence is a Kampala-based independent, non-profit professional organisation committed to promoting excellence in journalism and communication in Africa.

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NSSF introduces agency model for social security transactions

By
Our Reporter
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nssf introduces agency model

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has today unveiled the agency service that will enable its members to make their social security transactions at the nearest agent in their neighborhood without visiting the Fund offices.

While unveiling the innovation at Workers House, Richard Byarugaba, NSSF Managing Director said it is part of the Fund’s channels that will further ease access to their services for its members. “We have a branch network of 19 branches serving over 2 million customers. With this service, it means that NSSF Customers don’t need to travel long distances to access our offices, but can make transactions at the nearest bank agent at flexible working hours.”

In addition, the service is expected to reduce the Fund’s operation and administrative costs especially in establishment of temporary service centers where it doesn’t have footprint.

The service is in partnership with dfcu Bank and the Agent Banking Company (ABC) Limited. dfcu will provide its bank agents to facilitate the NSSF transactions countrywide while the Agent Banking Company provides the technology that links all bank agents countrywide.

Matthias Katamba, dfcu Bank Managing Director said the service is in line with their strategy to increase financial inclusion in the country. “We are proud to be the first bank to partner with NSSF on this front. Adding social security transactions to our list of financial services through the agency banking model, gives us an opportunity to further extend more financial services, more conveniently, to our customers, the under banked or unbanked population.  Partnerships such as this one with NSSF are testament to our commitment on delivering on dfcu’s brand promise of making more possible.”

The ABC (U) Ltd Chief Executive Officer, Richard Yego, said, “We are happy to add another service to the Shared Agent Banking platform and ultimately supporting agents earn more  from their businesses. This interoperable technology platform is safe, quick and convenient and we pledge to ensure the selected agents for the service adhere to the confidentiality clauses in this partnership in order to safeguard the NSSF member data.”

For now, members can only be able to submit their NSSF contributions at the 300 dfcu agent locations. In the near future, the agents will provide other NSSF services like employer and individual or employee registrations.

Other NSSF collection channels for contributions available to customers include the E-collections Portal that allows employers to remit their employees’ contributions directly to their NSSF accounts through the Bank, the Mobile Money Platform for contributions payment by the Fund’s Voluntary savers, the NSSF Go App and NSSF Payway..

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Police to recruit 50,000 special constables ahead of 2021 general elections

By
Our Reporter
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Fred Enanga while addressing the media

The Uganda Police Force  is set to recruit fifty thousand Special Police Constables (SPCs) across the country to enhance security ahead of the forthcoming 2021 general elections.

The Police Constables will be recruited from their respective districts and they will be vetted by the district police commanders and the various district leaders.

According to police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, the constables will only serve for a period of three months from January 2021. They will be deployed before, during and after the 2021 elections in various parts of the country.

“We have a plan of recruiting 50,000 election Special Police Constables. These will be recruited to strengthen the Uganda Police Force for effective policing of the pre-election, election and post-election periods. They will be recruited from their respective districts after vetting by the District Police Commanders,” Enanga said.

“These shall be appointed for three months and are to be deployed one month to the polling date. They shall be paid an allowance of shs 375,000 per month.”

According to the police spokesperson, the recruits must be citizens of Uganda, with good conduct, with national ID, proven record of volunteerism with police and should be between 18 and 40 years of age.

“They should have at least O-level certificate, must be physically fit and duly recommended by Local Councils one, two and three. We want to caution those who may want to present forged testimonials that they risk jail,” Enanga said.

Each polling station will have an SPC deployed purposely to guard voting material, polling officers and guide voters while casting votes.

The Electoral Commission has already completed the nomination exercises for local government and for Member of Parliament seats. Presidential candidates will be nominated on November 2 to 3rd.

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MP wants action taken against EOC boss for evading court

By
Our Reporter
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Sylvia Muwebwa

Kigulu County South Member of Parliament,  Andrew Kaluya has asked the concerned government agencies to investigate and take action against the chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi for allegedly evading court summons.

The MP’s intervention comes fourteen days after the Chief Magistrate Pamela Lamunu Ocaya gave Ntambi one last chance to appear in court or face arrest and stand trial on charges of causing financial loss, embezzlement, corruption, abuse of office and conspiracy to defraud.

Through her lawyers led by McDusman Kabega, Mrs. Ntambi adduced medical forms indicating that she is sick and therefore she couldn’t attend Court proceedings. She further presented a letter from her doctor at Medik Hospital Kawempe confirming that she is suffering from hypertensive crisis. However investigative journalists visited the hospital and were shocked to learn that Mrs. Ntambi has never been admitted there.

In a letter dated October 19th to the State House Anti-corruption Unit led by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema, MP Kaluya states that Ntambi has openly abused and insulted the courts of law, a situation which calls for the Director of Public Prosecutions to (DPP) to investigate whether she is actually sick like she claims or not.

“We propose that concerned state agencies like the police and State House Anti-Corruption Unit should support the DPP’s office to expeditiously investigate this matter to enable the Chief Magistrate make an informed decision. The video clip captured by investigative journalists at Medik Hospital in Kawempe gives a clue,” reads part of the letter.

He adds that the directors of Medik Hospital must exhibit professionalism by telling Ugandans how the embattled chairperson acquired documents purportedly issued by their health facility. “This needs to be urgently investigated and findings submitted to court.” Kaluya adds.

Ntambi is expected to appear in Court on October 29, on criminal summons to answer charges in regard to misappropriation of millions of taxpayers.

The charging of Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi and nine others follows the lunging of complaints to President Yoweri Museveni calling for his intervention. According to a petition dated 22nd May 2019, the whistleblower accused her of causing financial loss of over Shs200 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 whistleblower said Mrs Ntambi has unfairly dismissed over 11 staff, terminated over 10 staff contracts, and 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 Shs100 million 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.

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 whistleblower 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.

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Kanyamunyu trial postponed to October 27

By
Our Reporter
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From left, Joseph Kanyamunyu, Cynthia and Matthew Kanyamunyu

The trial of Mathew Kanyamunyu, his girlfriend Cynthia Munwangari and his brother Joseph Kanyamunyu who are said to have shot dead children rights activist Kenneth Akena at Lugogo in Kampala has been pushed to October 27th 2020.

Kanyamunyu and Munwangari’s trial was expected to resume this morning but according to the High Court Registry, it has been postponed following an administrative meeting held yesterday.

The trial is among the 40 criminal cases that were expected to be heard starting today before the High Court Criminal Division Judge Stephen Mubiru. They were to be concluded within 45 days. The case has been postponed due to the lack of funds.

The trial was halted in February this year after presiding judge Steven Mubiru indicated that the time allocated to him to handle a criminal session in Kampala was out and that he had supervisory roles to do at his work station at Gulu High court.

However, according to the Judiciary’s communication officer Jamson Karemani, Justice Mubiru was recalled to handle the case to completion together with other criminal cases.

Justice Mubiru abandoned the trial after listening to 12 witnesses including the late Akena’s relatives, investigating officers and a senior government Analyst Robinah Kirinya who examined police exhibits and found out that they had gun powder and matching DNA.

Kanyamunyu who had had pleaded not guilty before the trial Judge, recently visited Akena’s kinsmen and confessed to the crime, explaining that what he did was evil, though he did not know what had come over him.

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Fufa Big League playoffs: Kitara, Kiboga Young to battle for final UPL slot

By
Our Reporter
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fufa big league play offs

Kitara will square up with Kiboga in the final of the promotional play-offs this Wednesday, 21st October 2020 under closed doors.

In the first semi-final, Kitara ejected Kataka 7-6 in post-match penalties after normal time had ended goal-less.

Denis Monday, Phillip Sempira, Samuel Adibo, Patrick Mugume, Musa Docca, skipper Maxwell Owachgiu and Dan Ekoyu scored for Kitara. Peter Lumolo missed his kick.

Emmanuel Mukisa, Joel Baba Onziku, Hassan Wadenga, Moses Ssekasana, Azizi Nambobi and Nassur Nandala scored for Kataka.

Yusuf Ezama and team captain Peter Lusimbula were denied by goalkeeper Denis Kiyimba.

The second game was won by Kiboga Young, who came from a goal down to beat Ndejje University 3-1.

Ndejje University scored a first half goal through Sula Tumusiime’s kick from the penalty mark after 35 minutes.

Kiboga Young returned an energized party, complete from the first half team, scoring three goals in the closing stanza.

Captain Jamaldine Buchochera, Brian Olega and Sula Wambede scored the goals for Kiboga Young, a side coached by Richard Makumbi, arguably the most successful tactician in Uganda who has promoted most clubs.

Before the start of both matches, there was a special occasion dedicated to all those who succumbed to COVID-19 with a moment of silence.

The winner between Kiboga Young and Kitara will become the third team to gain promotion from the FUFA Big League to the topflight joining Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) FC and Malaba Youth Development Association (MYDA) Football Club who qualified directly.

 

StarTimes FUFA Big League Promotional Play offs:

1st Semi-final: Kataka 0 (6) – 0 (7) Kitara

2nd Semi-final: Kiboga Young 3-1 Ndejje University

Wednesday, 21st October 2020

Final: Kitara Vs Kiboga Young (12 PM) – FUFA Technical Center, Njeru

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Low turn up of students as Universities start teaching

By
Ronard Shabomwe
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Kyambogo University Senate Building

There has been low turn up of final year students in different universities and institutions of higher learning on the first day in classes.

Universities reopened for their final year students starting from 15th October last week and had to start lectures today. However, the students reported in a few numbers.

In a class of about 50 students, only 15 students were present and ready for the first lectures as it was observed at universities like Makerere University, Kampala international university, Kyambogo University, Makerere business school, MTAC among others.

This website learnt that some students remained in their hostels because they know that most times, lecturers do not come in the first days. This was proved since students were found alone in lecture rooms yet it was the time when they were supposed to have lectures.

At Kampala international school, students were in the school compound interacting with colleagues.

Jane Nakimuli says she did not expect teaching on the first day, so she just came around to meet friends and plan for the rest of the periods.

The situation at Kyambogo and Makerere universities was not different. Some lecture rooms, class coordinators were found addressing fellow students.

Kellen Munguleni a finalist of Kyambogo University and a coordinator in her class explains her experience on the first day and notes that students are still reporting from their homes because even in hostels, they are still few.

Munguleni reveals that there was no reason for them coming for lectures because even lecturers did not show up to teach them.

Ronex Atwiine, a finalist at Makerere business school reveals that she did not expect all the students to come for the lectures since some of them are still coming from their homes to hostels.

Eagle online observed that most of the lecture rooms at Makerere business school were still closed, only few were open of which were empty. Few students were sitting on resting benches in the university.

Dominic Kyambade a finalist of Kyambogo University from engineering faculty notes that at Kyambogo it’s the culture students and lectures cannot appear in the first days.

In all the universities we visited, the management set up the standard operating procedures (SOPs), like hand washing facilities, thermometer guns, sanitizers etc. However, students failed to implement social distancing and wearing masks.

Rashid Aluma from Makerere University explains that he has been hearing that students will be implanting all the SOPs but he found a different situation. He adds that where he passed no one told him to put on a mask.

Kyambogo University is expecting 11,943 finalists and Makerere University expects over 10,000 finalists to come back for their studies. The lectures will be for a period of four weeks and two weeks for examinations.

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Religious Members in Four Countries, Cooperate for the End of COVID-19 and the Achievement of World Peace

By
Our Reporter
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On October 18th, religious members who cooperate with HWPL in 4 countries had online religious meeting for in the hopes of overcoming COVID-19.

 

About 40 people representing various beliefs such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity participated at ‘2020 religious meeting for the end of COVID-19 and sustainable peace’, which was hosted by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Right(HWPL) Department of World Alliance of Religion Scriptures Education, JeonBuk branch.

 

In the face of COVID-19 global disaster, ‘Prayer Meeting’ was organized to overcome the crisis transcending denominations and religious affiliations. At the prayer meeting, Christians and Catholics prayed, Buddhists joined their hands in prayers, Hindus recited prayers in Sanskrit, and the rest read their own scriptures. All attendees expressed their wish to put an end to the COVID-19 outbreak in their own ways.

 

Participants at the meeting also regularly participated at the interfaith dialogues called World Alliance of Religion Peace(WARP) office. At the WARP office, participants compare different religious scriptures and achieve interfaith reconciliation and solidarity on the basis of the most trustworthy scriptures in order to resolve all the global conflicts caused by religions and make the world of peace.

 

 

Also, Rev. Canon William Ongeng of Anglican Church in Uganda said: “We hope end of COVID-19 and restoration of globe with same mind despite of each other religions, and I felt deep impression as it let us find as like-minded as others.”

 

Ven. Dr. Ashin Acara of Anglican Church in America, said “Religious members must break the wall of denomination, sect and religion then must be one in the situation that Everyone in the world are suffering from COVID-19“ and “I think peace of HWPL has connection with sincere unity and solidarity of religion.“

Currently, HWPL is running 253 WARP offices in 129 countries. HWPL JeonBuk branch is working with one in America, two in Kenya, one in Uganda and one in Cambodia.

 

Furthermore, HWPL is stepping up along with various civil societies to play the key role in bringing the world of peace and cessation of armed conflicts beyond the boundaries of politics, religions, nationalities, and ethnicities. Recently, HWPL volunteers who recovered from the COVID-19 infections participated in massive plasma donation twice to overcome COVID-19 pandemic together. HWPL is also working closely with human rights experts in order to resolve human rights infringements related with COVID-19 outbreak.

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