The price of meat has drastically fallen in Nakasongola district as scores of cattle continue to die on a daily basis due to lack of water and pasture. A kilogram of meat now costs a paltry Shs 1,000, down from Shs 10,000 while a cow goes for as low as Shs 50,000. 

Samuel Kasirye, the prime minister of Buruuli chiefdom explains that the valley dams constructed by both the district and private farmers dried up in August 2018, leaving pastoralists desperate, with no water to sustain their animals.  

Kasirye adds that the rains expected in early March did not come, forcing herdsmen to trek long distances for water and pasture. He says that because of the long distances, animal collapse along the way and die.  

"Animals are dying everyday and each animal is costing between Shs 20,000 and Shs 30,000 because once it cannot move, then the owner has to sell it off." said Kasirye. 

The most affected pastoralists are from the sub-counties of Nabiswera, Lwabyata, Kalungi, and Wabinyonyi. Joseph Muruli, a pastoralist at Kawondwe village, Kalungi sub-county says he has lost over 10 head of cattle so far. He adds that he now spends between Shs 70,000 and Shs 200,000 per day to fuel a truck to fetch water from a distant valley dam to enable other cattle to survive.  

Godfrey Byekwaso, a cattle trader in Nakasongola says that he now buys each cow at between Shs 50,000 and Shs 100,000. He says because of the high supply, they now sell a kilo of meat at Shs 1,000 within the community in Nakasongola.     

Fred Kasumba, a tax collector at Kansirye cattle market says that because of the dry spell, few cattle is now able to reach the market. He says the market used to attract over 300 head of cattle but currently they are only 100 head of cattle which are also in bad shape.  

Wabbale valley dam located on the outskirts of Nakasongola town is the only available water source serving over 700 head of cattle per day from Nakasongola town, Wabinyonyi and Nabiswera among sub-counties. There are fears that it may equally dry up due to the high water consumption. 

Eva Najja, a resident of Wabbale village says that they are worried that if rains don’t fall soon, people may also start dying because they compete with animals for water at valley dam. Pastoralists and residents have asked the government to invest in water for production.  

There over 264,000 head of cattle in Nakasongola district. But, at least 500 of them are lost during the dry spell each year according to district veterinary office estimates. According to a statement from the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) the dry spell conditions are expected to prevail over most parts of the country until late March 2019.  

The Authority boss, Dr Festus Luboyera said in a March 12 statement said that the current dry spell is a result of the tropical cyclone (storm) named ‘IDAI’, which has been over Mozambique and Madagascar. He observes that this tropical cyclone led to the development of a low-pressure system around the Mozambique Channel, which resulted into the weakening of the Southeasterly trade winds in mid-march.

"These winds became diverted towards the channel, depriving moisture-laden winds to reach our country, which is why we have experienced dry spells that have disrupted the onset of March to May seasonal rainfall,” Luboyera said.      

Doctor Sam Eswaggu, the Nakasongola district veterinary officer and Sam Kigula the LC V chairman of Nakasongola said they were outside the district and unable to comment on the issue. However, Eswaggu has been quoted previously saying that the problem has been worsened by the fact that some pastoralists have overstocked animals yet they have meagre resources to look after them.

The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has been admitted to Nakasero hospital and reportedly is under Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Her principal press secretary, Sam Obbo says Kadaga got admitted yesterday due to fatigue-related illness. According to Obbo, due to the hectic schedule, Kadaga returned home from Morocco and United States fatigued and jet-lagged.

According to NilePost, Museveni switched route and dashed to the hospital to check on Kadaga after he was informed of her 'critical condition'. He reportedly went into the hospital almost alone, leaving most of his security personnel behind. 

Rwandan students who were studying in Uganda have reportedly been asked by Rwandan universities to start afresh because the “curricula are different in the countries.”

Diplomatic relations between Uganda and Rwanda soured late last month when Rwanda closed its borders to Ugandan goods and traders and also blocked its nationals from crossing into Uganda. Among those directly affected are students and traders from both countries. 

Rwanda accuses Uganda of harbouring dissents who are plotting against President Paul Kagame’s government. Further, Rwanda accuses Uganda of torturing and imprisoning Rwandan nationals without trial, allegations that Ugandan officials and President Yoweri Museveni have roundly denied.

Now, according to The Chronicles, A Rwandan publication, Rwandan universities have told Rwandan students who have been studying in Uganda, to seek fresh admission in Rwanda. According to The Chronicles, three final-year students who were studying in Uganda, said in an interview, that they have been ordered to start afresh.

One of the affected students according is Deo Nahimana, a third-year student doing Information Technology at Uganda Christian University (UCU). Rwanda’s travel advisory found him in Rwanda and when he reportedly contacted the University of Kigali’s Musanze district campus, the University of Technology and Business Studies Gisenyi campus and the Kigali Independent University (ULK), he was told they could only admit him if he starts afresh.

“They have all responded that they can only give me a place if I accept to start from Year One,” Nahimana is quoted by The Chronicles as saying.

His several desperate efforts to return to Uganda through the Cyanika and Kagitumba borders to complete his studies have been frustrated swatted by the uncompromising Rwandan security.

“The universities I contacted [in Rwanda] told me that the curricula are different in the two countries,” he added.

Espoir Nsengiyumva, also a Rwandan student at UCU as Nahimana, told The Chronicles separately that he had contacted more than three universities in Kigali, and they all told him to start afresh. 

“Some either do not have the Information Technology faculty or those that have it told me I have to start afresh,” said Nsengiyumva.

Ange Uwase, a Kampala International University (KIU) student was just a few months away from completing her bachelors degree in June, and was preparing her dissertation. She was reportedly turned back at the border when she attempted to cross into Uganda from Rwanda.

Uwase told The Chronicles that she did not try to seek out a local university in Kigali to allow her complete her bachelors because of a separate incident that happened when she was still in second-year. Apparently, she had wanted to shift from Uganda to Rwanda. Universities that Uwase consulted demanded that she starts afresh in the first year.

“When I could not return to Uganda, I decided not to ask any university to allow me finish my research here because it is time wasting and unnecessary expenses,” she explained.

She added: “It seems as though some of my friends who travelled before (the travel advisory) predicted what has happened. But there are others who are still here like me.”

Rwandan Local Government minister Prof Anastase Shyaka is quoted as saying that; as far as he was concerned, all school going students who were studying in Uganda before had been successfully enrolled in Rwanda.

“I would like to clarify that none of our children has failed to find a school to continue education,” said Shyaka at the conference briefing media on the resolutions from the 16th leadership retreat on March 12.

At the same retreat, Kagame said there was absolutely no reason for any Rwandan national to cross into Uganda - not for education, healthcare, water or trade. Rwandan nationals near the border with Uganda have been seeking social services such as water, education, healthcare and goods from Uganda. Rwanda recently destroyed the foot bridges that its nationals were using to cross into Uganda following the travel advisory. 

INTERNSHIP

According to the same publication, Rwandan journalism students who were scheduled to travel to Uganda for their internship program in Ugandan media houses have also been affected by Kigali’s travel advisory.

In January this year, under the Fojo Project, a Swedish project, the University of Rwanda reportedly signed a five year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uganda’s Makerere University under which the latter would facilitate internships for Rwandan journalism students in Ugandan media houses.

The first lot of 20 students were scheduled to travel to Uganda in May and June this year. According to the officials, the external internship was meant to enable ‘graduating students to broaden their skills though working in well equipped newsrooms and alongside experienced journalists.’

“At this point Fojo and SJC have postponed this activity due to the sensitive situation between Rwanda and Uganda. This has been communicated to the University of Rwanda and the agreed with the decision,” Anki Wood, the Fojo Project manager for Rwanda and Kenya is quoted as saying.

Our efforts to contact Makerere University communications officials were futile as the known phone numbers were off.

Recently, Rwanda’s minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of the East African Community Olivier Nduhungirehe said that so far Rwanda has written at least 13 diplomatic letters to Uganda but have got no response in regards to the existing allegations. 

MTN Uganda has advertised positions of three deported senior staff.

The positions advertised in the media on Friday are; general manager mobile financial services, general manager sales and distribution, and chief marketing officer.

Italian national, Elsa Mussolini was the general manager mobile financial services, French national Olivier Prentout was chief marketing officer and Annie Bilenge-Tabura, a Rwandan was general manager sales and distribution. They were deported in February on allegations of engaging in or deploying acts that compromised national security. No further explanation was given by government on how they compromised national security.

However, the company has not advertised the position of chief executive officer (CEO) Wim Vanhelleputte (Belgian) who was also deported weeks later. MTN appointed chief technology officer Gordian Kyomukama as acting CEO. 

There were reports last week that President Museveni allowed Vanhelleputte who is married to a Ugandan wife and is reportedly a naturalised Ugandan to return following a meeting with MTN Group CEO Rob Shuter, MTN Uganda board chairman Charles Mbire and Kyomukama.

It was reported that MTN had also agreed to pay the $100m licence fee that Museveni demanded as opposed to the $58m that the Uganda Communications Commission had earlier set. Earlier this year, Museveni urged MTN to list on the local stock exchange so that Ugandans can buy a stake in the multi-international company. 

“It is important that you float shares on the local stock exchange to allow for local ownership,” Museveni said back in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

MTN's 20-year licence expired on October 20, 2018, but renewal which was initially meant to be a formality has since dragged on. Museveni, again met the MTN officials last week on the sidelines on the Africa Now Conference held at Munyonyo, Kampala. Asked about the return of Vanhelleputte, Val Oketcho, the MTN Uganda corporate communications manager refused to divulge details.

“You know, we have an acting CEO. As regards of former CEO coming back, we have no details to that.” 

Aid workers were confronted with chaos and pleas for help Friday in Mozambique as receding waters allowed them access to storm-stricken areas a week after Cyclone Idai swept through the southern African region.

The death toll is expected to soar as more bodies are discovered. Workers from relief agencies have voiced surprise over the gravity of the damage inflicted by the storm and subsequent flooding.

More than 600 deaths have been confirmed in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. The Mozambican government said it expects the figure to rise to 1,000 or more. Some 1.7 million people were affected by the storm, one of the most powerful to strike the region in decades.

As they labored to salvage any personal possessions they could find, many residents in the affected areas worried about their future and shortages of essentials such as food, water and medicine.

Henrietta Fore, the executive director of UNICEF, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, told the French news agency AFP that aid agencies were behind in efforts to provide humanitarian relief to tens of thousands of Mozambicans.

"We are running out of time," she said.

International aid efforts are coordinated by the World Food Program, or WFP. The agency's southern Africa director, Lola Castro, told VOA that relief groups are confronted with a "humongous logistics challenge" to help victims who are "extremely stressed."

Castro said problems are compounded by the fact the stricken areas are located near the mouths of rivers. "Remember, these are deltas … and all these deltas are between salt- and freshwater."

She said the tidal waves created by Idai may have salinized area waters, adding, "People are drinking this."

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and are in need of shelter. The World Health Organization has warned that squalid conditions could help lead to the spread of infectious diseases.

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Friday that cases of cholera have been reported in Beira, Mozambique's fourth-largest city.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that the U.N. and its humanitarian partners are "scaling up the response with the initial funding from generous donors." He said the U.N. has already released $20 million, but added, "Far greater international support is needed."

The WFP's Castro said a "huge" humanitarian response is just the beginning.

"The [Mozambique] government is going to need a lot of support on this, and the international community will have to look into a very long-term" humanitarian relief campaign, she said.

Hundreds of thousands of Algerians rallied on Friday to demand the immediate resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who is fighting for his political survival in the face of relentless protests and the desertion of long-time allies.

Six people died on spot and eight others got critically injured in an accident that occurred along the Kampala-Gulu highway last night.

The accident occurred at around 9:30pm when a Kampala bound taxi, registration number UAU 526A collided with a Fuso truck registration number UBB 030D, at Lukomera trading center in Luweero district. Police officers and residents rushed to the scene where many of the injured were rescued and rushed to Luweero health center IV.

The injured have been identified as Akram Bulega, Eric Ssempijja, Sharon Nanyonjo ,Tonny Kalyango and Judith Akello. The others were identified as Brian Heresa, a student of Everest College in Luweero town and one only identified as Ntalo.

Byaruhanga Mworozi, the Luweero district police commander said that the deceased persons are not yet identified. However, their bodies were taken to the mortuary at Luweero health centre IV.

Byaruhanga says that eyewitness blamed the accident on the taxi driver who was trying to overtake in a dangerous spot. The truck was carrying metallic drums.

Emmanuel Nsubuga, a resident of Luweero town says that the patients received minor first aid at Luweero health centre and were thereafter transferred to Kiwoko and Bishop Ceaser Asili hospitals for medical treatment. They sustained multiple wounds on legs, arms, legs and other body parts.

Another resident decried the lack of an ambulance at the first facility to transfer patients to other hospitals. The wreckage of taxi was removed from the scene and transferred to Wobulenzi police station. 

The pilots of the much-awaited revived Uganda Airlines will each earn at least Shs 42 million every month while their co-pilots will receive a monthly payment of Shs 38 million. The money will be in addition to allowances the pilots and co-pilots will be entitled to for every hour in flight.  

The revelation was made by Works and Transport minister Monica Ntege Azuba during an interaction with parliament’s Budget Committee, which is reviewing a supplementary expenditure request of Shs 770.2 billion.   

Part of the supplementary budget request is to secure the delivery of two Bombardier planes from Canada. The planes are expected to arrive at Entebbe airport next month on April 8 to rekindle the long-awaited revival of the national flag carrier; Uganda Airlines.

Azuba implored government to avail the funds for the delivery of the first two jets as soon as possible, saying Uganda has already come short on its payment schedule. She said Uganda failed to meet the deadline for the first phase in which the two jets were meant to be delivered by February 2019.

The minister added that any further delays means that Uganda will have to incur costs of insurance and parking fees as the planes lie idle with the manufacturer. Azuba warned that the required 280 billion has to be made within the next 6 days by March 29.

Aggrey Bagiire, the state minister for Transport confirmed to the Budget Committee that Uganda Airlines has already finalised the recruitment of 12 pilots and 12 co-pilots, all Ugandans, who have been working with reputable airlines around the world.    

"The interviews have been done, we have got their bios, I don’t know, the technical people will tell us whether it is right to put in the papers, the number of hours somebody has flown but they are there. And I want to assure you Mr chairperson, we’re bringing the captains from reputable international airlines who are just coming home to do a patriotic job. And these ones we have been sourcing them. Then the pilots, also they are young men, who have also been around from other airlines and they are being retrained." said Bagiire. 

Bagiire’s comments followed demands by legislators led by Usuk County MP Peter Ogwang who demanded the publication of Curriculum Vitae (CVs) of the pilots that have been recruited saying that the country should spend money on well experienced and tested pilots.   

Ogwang said the airline has already received enough bad publicity in regards to the type of the procured aircraft and taxpayers should not be spending anymore money on paying and training pilots without the necessary qualifications. 

Minister Azuba said that they have been transparent with the revival of Uganda Airlines and that there is no reason as to why they will hide the CVs of the recruited staff. She added that no one has approached them fronting any single person for a job in the airlines. She, however, asked for more time to compile the CVs and present them to the committee.

Bagiire told the Budget Committee that they will, in the interim, contract two handling service providers at Entebbe airport to carry out ground handling until such a time when Uganda Airlines attains capacity and resources to carry out the work. The two service providers are DAS handling and National Aviation Services (NAS) handling.

Civil servants in Lira district have abandoned their offices for fear of being arrested by the State House Anti-corruption unit. 

Over the last one week, Anti-corruption unit detectives have been raiding municipal offices in the districts of Lira, Alebtong, Dokolo and Amolatar - arresting 10 civil servants in process over allegations of embezzlement and abuse of office. In Lira district, the team arrested the district internal security officer (DISO) Lt Gilbert Mwinyi over alleged extortion and Walter Fred Minyang, a local councilor at Lira municipality council, among others. According to the Anti-corruption unit, there are allegations that over Shs 705m meant for development projects in Dokolo district in FY 2017/18 was mismanaged. 

Now, a number of civil servants have stayed out of office in the aftermath of the raids. Notable officials out of office include the chief administrative officer (CAO) Mark Tivu, his deputies, the chief finance officer Geoffrey Ebonga and other heads of departments.

On Thursday and Friday, Tivu spent less than two hours in office. He was earlier interrogated by the police detectives attached to the State House Anti-corruption unit over missing funds meant for the construction of Akii-Bua memorial stadium. 

At Lira municipal council, both the town clerk Assy Abireebe and his deputy Patrick Ogweng and chief finance officer Patrick Awio, among others could hardly be found in their respective offices over the last three days. 

At Alebtong, Amolatar and Dokolo district councils, the situation was not any different. Simon Peter Ongom Sedu, the Amolatar district chairperson urged the State House team to continue probing saying it’s often difficult to get technical and accounting officers to account for public funds. 

Francis Ogema Awany, a local anti-corruption activist applauded the State House team for their efforts aimed at uprooting corruption from the region. He demanded for more investigations into the alleged corruption and embezzlement of public funds in key offices.

It is alleged that in the financial year 2018/2019 over Shs 46 million was requested for and paid out for road works on the roads from; Amolatar to Amai hospital, Odyak trading centre to Kitareba and another from Amolatar health centre IV to Abeja landing site. 

That money was meant for fuel and facilitation for Amolatar district staff to undertake works on the roads using available district equipment. However according to the auditor general's report, no work was done in the 1st and 2nd quarter, and the staff instead undertook the works using 3rd quarter release from Uganda Road Fund.

As such the Dokolo district engineer, internal auditor, chief financial officer and sector accountant (works) were all arrested and handed over to police for further interrogation. 

Mozambique reported scores of more deaths on Saturday from a cyclone and floods around southern Africa that have killed at least 732 people and left thousands in desperate need of help, many on rooftops and trees.

Cyclone Idai lashed the Mozambican port city of Beira with winds of up to 170 km per hour last week, then moved inland to Zimbabwe and Malawi, swamping populations and devastating homes.

Mozambique’s death toll rose to 417 from 242, Land and Environment Minister Celso Correia said.

“The situation is getting better, still critical, but it’s getting better,” he told reporters at the airport in Beira that has become a centre for aid operations.

The storm has killed 259 in Zimbabwe, while in Malawi 56 people died in heavy rains ahead of the cyclone. An estimated 187 people are missing. In all three countries, survivors have been digging through rubble to search for victims, and scrambling for shelter, food and water, while governments and aid agencies rush in help.

“All our food got wet, we didn’t know where to go with the children. We don’t have anything,” said Mimi Manuel, a 26-year-old mother of four who lost her home and was sitting on the floor of a makeshift shelter in a primary school in Beira.

At the refuge, families cooked with wood from trees ripped up by the storm, as toddlers played around battered school desks. Manuel wore a necklace with the word “Hope.”

DESTROYED HOUSES

“When it all started, people started screaming,” another survivor Dina Fiegado, 18, said, describing how sheet rooftops blew off and rough walls collapsed in the sea-edge community of Praia Nova, where residents said about 50 people died.

“Some people tried to escape, some people tried to stay at home.”

The Mozambican minister said some 1,500 people were in need of immediate rescue from rooftops and trees. Helicopters and boats have been carrying people to safety.

The United Nations’ humanitarian office warned that more flooding may come as heavy rains inland poured into the low-lying Beira area and nearby dams filled up threatening to burst the Buzi and Pungwe rivers again.

“We’re going to have to wait until the flood waters recede until we know the full expanse of the toll on the people of Mozambique,” said U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) coordinator Sebastian Rhodes Stampa.

Some cholera cases have been reported. Left with nothing, many survivors were fretting for their future, while others mourned losses.

At Beira’s central morgue, 56-year old Mika Masseera, grieved for his severely weakened mother, Sumbo Mufucho, 73, who died in hospital following a rescue after she had clung to a tree for two days surrounded by floodwaters.

Local leaders in Lamwo district have resolved to charge parents a mandatory Shs 1,000 per school child to be paid every term for the procurement of emergency sanitary pads.

The leaders claim that the resolution aims at preventing rural school dropouts and prevent girls from missing lessons during menstruation that exposes them to risks of early pregnancy, child marriages. 

Richard Ocen Kwang, the chairperson of standing committee on health disclosed on Friday that several schools lack emergency first aid kits which would help reduce fatalities and enable faster treatment of injuries.

"We really need this Shs 1,000. In only a single school you, find 10 to 15 children every week fall sick and no any other better treatment is given to them, no first aid is even given from school. So what are we going to do? Is this not a challenge to the district? We have decided as a district, that we contribute Shs 1000, we buy health kits. Besides health kits, we buy some emergency sanitary pads for our young girls in school such that when they are in their periods within the school, they are catered for. But these are not to be distributed to them, these are for emergencies." said Kwang. 

But Godfrey Okot, the secretary for health and education is skeptical about the initiative as many parents have previously always exhibited resistance in regards to such charges levied on pupils. Okot called for proper handling of the collections so as to build trust and sustainability.  

However, Kwang maintains that the district will brace for massive sensitization of the parents as key stakeholders to seek their undivided and full support to ensure sustainability of the initiative. 

About 90% of girls in rural areas cannot afford sanitary pads that cost between Shs 3,000 and Shs 5,000. Evidence suggests that the period around puberty is one in which many girls drop out of school or are absent from school for long periods of time. Provision of sanitary pads to students was one of President Yoweri Museveni's campaign promises in 2016. 

GlobalGiving, the largest global crowdfunding community connecting nonprofits, donors, and companies in nearly every country estimated that over 1000 girls miss 6 weeks of school every year and women miss valuable work hours.  

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates that one in 10 African adolescent girls miss school during menses and eventually drop out because of menstruation related issues.

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has suspended the national ID registration process in Mutukula, Kyotera district over numerous flaws. 

The registration exercise at Mutukula and Kakuuto sub-county, near the Uganda-Tanzania border was reportedly marred with gross irregularities, massive extortion by officials and registration of aliens.  

Tony Kasule, the Kyotera and Rakai districts registrations officer explains that the decision was taken after a meeting with the district security team in which it was reported that the process had been compromised. Kyotera resident district commissioner Maj David Matovu says that the registration process had been messed up by wrong elements that were bribing their way through the system to illegally obtain national identity cards.    

Matovu has indicated that the security teams have now undertaken investigations into the reported flaws, to have the gaps fixed. At the moment, all unregistered residents in these sub-counties can only seek the service from the district headquarters in Kasaali; located about 45 kilometres from Mutukula town council.  

“We want to ensure a clean registration process, but the reports we were getting arose a lot of suspicions even against some of the NIRA staff,” he said.    

Stephen Ssebunya, the Kakuuto sub-county chairperson also interim head for Mutukula town council, says they are reaching out to the village council leadership to find joint solutions to the irregularities. He has partly blamed the irregularities on the sub county Internal Security Officer (GISO) and NIRA field staff that he says have not been vigilant to prevent flaws in the exercise.      

Ssebunya explained that the suspension of the process in the area has already become a burden to the residents who incur high transport costs to the district headquarters to be registered. He said anyone seeking to register for the national ID will need at least Shs 25,000 to and fro Kasaali district headquarters.  

Magdalene Nassolo, the chairperson of Lwazi ‘A’ Cell in Mutukula town, is also afraid that the withdrawal of the registration kits from the area will deny many residents the opportunity of registering for the identification cards.  

Nassolo has, on the other hand, asked security to investigate officers who were using the process to extort money from applicants that seek recommendations for registration. Nassolo said the GISO of Kakuuto has been demanding for Shs 30,000 per applicant. 

The state minister for Finance, David Bahati and Rubanda West MP Denis Sabiiti today clashed over an alleged apology for voting against a constitutional amendment that lifted the presidential age limit.

Drama started when Bahati named Sabiiti as one of the legislators who'd apologised to President Museveni for voting against the amendments back in December 2017 yet the amendment had been sanctioned by the NRM caucus.

Through the amendment, parliament removed the cap on the presidential age limit, extended its term of office from five to seven years and reinstated presidential term limits. A total of 317 MPs voted in favour of the motion while 97 voted against. 

A total of 23 National Resistance Movement (NRM) legislators who has voted against some of the amendments, reportedly apologized to President Museveni early this week. They include, Fort Portal Municipality MP Alex Ruhunda, Kabarole Woman MP Sylvia Rwabwogo, Mubende Municipality MP Anthony Semmuli, Dokolo South MP Felix Okot Ogong, among others. 

Bahati told a congregation during a fundraising ceremony for the construction of structures at Rubanda Technical Institute, that Sabiiti was among the 23 who had also apologized for not supporting the amendment. The apology was reportedly issued on the sidelines of the just concluded NRM retreat in Kyankwanzi.

Bahati said that although Sabiiti has apologized before the president and other NRM members of parliament, he had made a very wrong decision. Bahati's statements however evoked anger from Sabiiti who openly denied being part of those who apologized for voting against age limit removal.

Sabiiti said that he voted against the amendment because he could not go against the will of his voters who had unanimously asked him not to support any move to scrap the presidential age limit from the constitution.  

Sabiiti faulted Bahati for fabricating a lie, adding that such leaders shouldn’t be voted for because they always fulfill their personal interests ahead of the desires of their electorate. 

"I never apologised, I have never written to National Resistance Movement over my position. Get it clear, and I will never do it. My conscious is clear, I was representing the position of my constituency. Majority of them said, take this one there, it is what I took there. Others decided not to take the people’s position there. But me, I felt, if I don’t, I would not be representing them. I would rather leave that parliament than not representing the people who sent me there." Sabiiti said. 

At least Shs 26.6 million, two desktop computers and 74 bags of cement were collected in cash and pledges towards the construction of structures. Bahati contributed Shs 15 million.

A Kenyan teacher from a remote village who gave away most of his earnings to the poor won a $1 million (about Shs 3.7bn) prize on Sunday for his work teaching in a government-run school that has just one computer and shoddy Internet access.

Police is hunting for a Uganda People's Defense Forces soldier for shooting and injuring a commercial sex worker in Kisoro district.  

Andrew Niwagaba, who is attached to the 35th Battalion Nyakabande in Nyakabande sub-county in Kisoro district, is wanted for shooting and injuring Annet Uwimana, a commercial sex worker at one of the pubs in Russia village in the Central Division of Kisoro municipality.  

Russia is a popular hub for commercial sex workers in Kisoro municipality. Charles Okotto, the Kisoro district police commander, says the soldier shot Uwinana around 03:00am in the wee hours of Monday morning. According to Okotto, it all started when Niwagaba found Uwimana dancing with another unidentified reveller. 

He says the suspect who was armed with an AK-47 rifle, opened fire shooting Uwimana on the right shoulder before fleeing into hiding. Ely Maate, the Kigezi region police spokesperson, says Uwimana was rushed to Kisoro hospital where she got admitted. 

Maate, who condemned the incident, says they have launched a manhunt for the suspects in liaison with the military. Police have opened inquiries at Kisoro police station vide SD number 03/24/03/2019.

Government has raised a red flag over an unprecedented number refugee applications from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.  

A total of 280 Pakistani nationals have submitted applications for refugee status in the recent past. However, the minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Hillary Onek is suspicious that they could only be coming in as 'fortune seekers' instead of refugees running away from their country.    

Onek made the statements on the sidelines of the regional conference on jobs, livelihoods and self-reliance of refugees, returnees and host communities. The conference organized under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is taking place at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.  

According to Onek, several of the IGAD member states have become intolerant to refugees, forcing many of them to find a safe haven in Uganda. IGAD member states include Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan and Djibouti.  

Onek says that although the government has approved some refugees, the over 280 Pakistani who are living in Kampala and other parts of the country cannot be accepted for now as refugees, adding that the issue needs to be handled with care since Uganda does not have a common border with Pakistan.  

He wondered what prompted the Pakistani nationals left the other countries in between Uganda and Pakistan to opt to settle in Uganda as refugees.  

Onek hinted on the hundreds of people from Asian countries who have come into Uganda disguising as investors and end up exploiting opportunities at the expense of Ugandans. He says whereas some nationals come in to actually escape violence and persecution, others are hunting for wealth.

There are at least 311 Pakistani refugees in Uganda today. Pakistan, a country of 197 million people has seen its development impeded by terror and economic stagnation and fraught relations between its neighbours; India and Afghanistan.

Onek also says with terrorism that is now a global threat, Uganda needs to be vigilant while admitting refugees. Uganda hosts 1.2 m refugees. Among these are refugees from Turkey, Syria, Yemen, Kenya, Sudan, and Eritrea among others.

City lawyer Male Mabirizi has dragged Tamale Mirundi, the presidential advisor on media affairs to court for alleged defamation.

In his suit before the High court, Mabirizi alleges that Mirundi defamed him while appearing on 107.9 Pearl FM last Saturday, March 23, 2019. Mabirizi contends that while on the show, Mirundi claimed that he is occasionally used by Foreign Affairs minister, Sam Kutesa who is interested in taking over the job of the speaker of parliament currently occupied by Rebecca Kadaga.  

According to Mabirizi, Mirundi's insinuations were prompted when he (Mabirizi) filed a suit seeking orders to quash the March 12 parliament resolution to issue promissory notes of Shs 1.4 trillion to FINASI/ROKO Company to facilitate the construction of the proposed international specialized hospital at Lubowa in Wakiso district. 

In his suit, Mabirizi quotes Mirundi as saying that the reason as to why Kadaga is currently hospitalized in Nairobi is because she got some 'shocking news' following the election of Buganda NRM caucus committee under the patronage of Kutesa. Kadaga was first admitted at Nakasero hospital on Thursday last week before she was airlifted to Nairobi for advanced treatment. Officially, her principal press secretary, Sam Obbo says Kadaga is suffering from effects of jet-lag and fatigue after long hour flights to Morocco, USA to attend workshops and meetings.    

“We know who uses that child, he may be beaten several sticks he does not know. That child you…I saw them saying that he is a lawyer…this one who is not a lawyer who also went to the Supreme court," Mabirizi quotes Mirundi in his suit.  

According to Mabirizi, the said programme was also broadcast on Pearl FM’s YouTube channel and had been watched/listened to by 19,109 people by the time he filed the case. He contends that the statements by Mirundi are substantially false, malicious and defamatory, which are meant to portray him as unreliable person.    

He says the statements exposed him to ridicule, odium (hatred) and contempt and lowered his reputation in the eyes of the right thinking members of society. Mabirizi explains that he has never had any dealings, whether personal or otherwise with Sam Kutesa, arguing that there is no way he could be using him.  

He says Mirundi’s statements have damaged his reputation among people who had earlier taken him to be a serious person fighting for truth and fairness because they now view him in bad light. Mabirizi wants Mirundi to retract his statements using the same way they were broadcast and circulated.

He also wants an apology and costs of general damages. Court has summoned Mirundi to file his defense within fourteen days before the matter is allocated to a judge for hearing. This is not the first time the controversial Mirundi is being sued for defamation. 

In 2012, the then ministry of Works permanent secretary, Charles Muganzi sued Mirundi when he alleged that he and other officials had deliberately with theft intentions, sunk a government passenger ferry in Lake Victoria. Mirundi opted for an out of court settlement and compensated Muganzi Shs 150 million.

Muganzi also accused Mirundi of insinuating that he was among a small clique of thieves (mafia) in government who should be content with their vast bounty that they had got. 

Before he was fired in 2015, Mirundi was Museveni's longest serving spokesperson (12 years) and is not shy to stir up controversy against anyone anywhere. He made a name for himself by taking pride in ridiculing those who challenged the presidency. 

He often referred to himself as “Museveni’s barking dog" that attacks anyone considered a ‘threat’ to its master.

These included; former vice president, Gilbert Bukenya, former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, Kabaka Ronald Mutebi and his premier Charles Peter Mayiga, minister for presidency Frank Tumwebaze, former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director Jennifer Musisi, Kampala mayor Erias Lukwago, former FDC party president Kizza Besigye, New Vision boss, Robert Kabushenga and many others.

Police trucks in Karamoja sub-region are being used to transport marble stones. Some of the trucks that are designated for transporting food stuff for police in Karamoja, reportedly strike deals with businessmen to load and carry stones to Kampala city. 

Yesterday, a police truck, registration number UP 2375 was seen loaded with marble stones from Rupa sub-county in Moroto district before turning to Mt. Moroto regional police headquarters to pick motorbikes that were being sent back to Kampala for repair. Several other police trucks have been seen plying the Moroto-Soroti route with loads of stones.  

Our area reporters have learnt that some of the stones are carried on behalf of one of the police bosses in Kampala. The sources however, declined to divulge details about the alleged police boss involved in marble trade.  

Mt. Moroto regional police commander Gerald Twishime acknowledged that the stones are for personal use but declined to name the individuals involved. He, however, hastened to add that he is not directly involved in the supervision of the trucks.  

“Those are troop carriers and can be used for any activity. But why are you concerned? Has anyone lodged a complaint? For us, it won’t be an issue unless there is a formal complaint,” Twishime said.  

A number of government vehicles that operate or visit Karamoja end up carrying marble stones, charcoal or goats for personal use on their way to Kampala. Marble stones are used for construction works and making tiles.  

Samuel Logit, one of the artisanal miners in Rupa says the drivers of the police trucks pay between Shs 150,000 and Shs 300,000 for loading marble stones to the truck - indicating how valuable the marble stones are.  

Gerald Eneku, the inspector of mines in Karamoja says the marble stones cost about Shs 3 million per truck, on arrival to any town between Iganga and Kampala. 

In a related development, social media has been buzzing with pictures of an ambulance belonging to Omoro district being used to ferry bricks.