Uganda Police is yet to pay Uganda Telecom (UTL) at least Shs 3.1 billion for services offered during the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).  

Despite receiving the money in the 2018/2019 financial year budget, police still failed to clear the arrears due to absence of a signed contract. The money is part of the Shs 5.7 billion the force returned to the consolidated fund at the end of the 2018/2019 financial year.   

Shs 2.1 billion was meant for wages, gratuity and pension and rent and property rates while the remaining Shs 3.1 billion was for the UTL arrears. This is part of the total Shs 749.1bn allocated to the force for its expenditure. 

According to the report of the accountant general, the force returned the money to the treasury due to an incomplete verification process on some personnel who could have retired, missed validation, deserted or died. 

Police spokesman, Fred Enanga, says the money for the UTL arrears was returned because police failed to pay the telecom for renting some of its towers by end of the financial year. The telephone arrears date back to the 2007 CHOGM when police and sister agencies including the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), Uganda People's Defense Forces rented some UTL towers and sites for security and communication purposes.

Government procured a Tetra walkie talkies and used UTL towers to facilitate the communication systems for CHOGM. Officials from Information, Communication and Technology ministry, police and UTL were at the forefront of the deal.   

The ministry made the procurement while police was the main consumer of the services and UTL were the service providers. However, 12 years after CHOGM, Enanga says police which was the main user of the UTL towers has never paid the tower rent money to UTL.   

When UTL was placed under receivership in May 2017 under the leadership of the administrator general, Twebaze Bemanya, the issue of the rent arrears came up. The parties involved commenced discussions on how to clear the arrears.  

Reliable sources told URN that officials from the ICT led by the permanent secretary, Vincent Waiswa Bagiire, then inspector general of police, Gen Kale Kayihura and UTL management commenced talks in 2017 and set up a technical team comprising mainly UTL and police officials to carry out a joint site audit.    

In April, the committee released its joint site audit report, which concluded that basing on its calculations on the seven UTL sites police rented between 2009 and March 2019, the force should pay $818,920 (approximately Shs 3 billion).  

Enanga says that since the police had an idea about the outstanding arrears, it provided for Shs 3.1 billion in the 2018/2019 budget to clear them. However, sources in parliament say that police failed to pay UTL because there was no signed MOU or contract between police, UTL and ICT ministry when the deal was made ahead of CHOGM. 

If there was a contract, according to the sources, police is yet to trace for it so as to effect payment. 

“This service was procured without a contract,” some sources told URN on condition of anonymity.

Some cited a Memorandum of Understanding between the three parties, in which police agreed to pay monthly rates of $1,000 for UTL tower sites with power and $600 for tower sites without power.

URN has seen a June 24, 2019 letter in which, the undersecretary in charge of finance in police, Rogers Muhirwa wrote to the UTL administrator Bemanya on "settlement of outstanding rental charges owed to Uganda Telecom (UTL) in respect of the Government Tetra Communication System."  

"Although the technical report submitted a bill to a tune of $818,920 as due from Uganda Police Force, to Uganda Telecom Limited for the period July 2009 to April 2019, there is still no contract or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) approved by Solicitor General for the transaction."

Adding that, "This is therefore a request to you to provide a copy of earlier singed [sic] contract/ MOU that back up the mentioned bills and consequently the claim in question, to enable the budgeting requisition and processing of the requisite funds." 

Some sources are optimistic that the arrears will be cleared in the 2019/2020 financial year as long as all the parties involved sign a contract that is approved by the Solicitor General.  

"The only challenge is that the officials who were involved in this matter ahead of CHOGM 2007 are no longer in the respective offices," for instance, the minister of ICT at the time was Ham Mulira, and minister of Security, Amama Mbabazi, inspector general of police was Gen. Kale Kayihura,” said the source. 

The procurement for the Tetra communication walkie talkies system was queried by the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee chaired by Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri West member of parliament. PAC faulted the parties involved for flouting procurement rules. 

However, they were exonerated by the acting inspector general of government, Raphael Baku, saying there was no loss of public funds in the procurement and that the security systems were ready by the time CHOGM kicked off. 

The family of Michael Kalinda also known as Ziggy Wine has accused Mulago hospital of allegedly not doing enough to save their brother which resulted in his death last night.

Speaking to the press at the City Mortuary at Mulago earlier today, Immaculate Chocho Nalwadda the late singer’s elder sister, said her brother was not given enough care which resulted into his death.

She said Ziggy who was kidnapped on July 21 and tortured by unknown people, sustained serious injuries that led to a blood clot in the head requiring surgery. She however said, doctors at Mulago only advised them to take Ziggy home and give him food.

“After searching for almost a week, we found him admitted in the casualty ward at Mulago without being treated. The doctors told us that he was fine but needed food to gain strength,” said a weeping Chocho.

She added that the family decided to take him to another hospital where it was found that he had a blood clot in the head that required an immediate operation. Chocho says she believes if immediate surgery was done probably her brother’s life would have been saved.

However, due to lack of money that was required to have him operated at Nsambya hospital, they had no option but to take him back to Mulago where he breathed his last at the age of 28.

“I think his involvement in political activism with People Power could be behind his brutal torture,” she added. 

According to the sister, his one eye was seriously damaged and his two figures cut off by the attackers believed to be state agents. Before his death, Ziggy Wine has been a singer attached to Fire Base Crew, a recording studio owned by the Kyadondo East legislator Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. 

ENTER POLICE 

Meanwhile, police have tasked a team of detectives from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) to investigate the kidnap and subsequent death of Ziggy. He had bruises and could hardly recognize anybody by the time he was discovered at Mulago hospital, where he had been alleged dumped by his captors.

Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, says a team of homicide detectives has started tracing the thugs who kidnapped Ziggy from Gganda in Wakiso district. According to Enanga, detectives from Kawempe Police Division will work along CID homicide officers to establish circumstances under, which Ziggy was kidnapped, maimed leading to his death. 

He says the detectives will retrieve footage from the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras for clues on who could have dropped the deceased at Mulago hospital. The deceased’s family has since notified police that they have been getting death threats from anonymous people warning them not to speak about his kidnap. 

Enanga urged the deceased's relatives to participate in the investigations by sharing information and particulars of the people threatening them. He was donning red, the colours of the People Power political pressure group when he was kidnapped.

joebahing@yahoo.com

Additional reporting by URN

The kidnap, torture, and death of local musician and People Power activist Michael Kalinda aka Ziggy Wine will not break down Ugandan youths' resolve to bring about change in government, Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has said.

Speaking at Ziggy’s vigil in Gganda in Nansana, Wakiso district on Monday night, a visibly angry Kyagulanyi said the murder of 28-year-old will only reinvigorate their resolve to bring to an end President Yoweri Museveni’s 33-year rule. Ziggy, according to family members, had hallmarks of torture burns and his two fingers chopped off and his left eye gouged out. 

Kyagulanyi told mourners that, a time has come for Ugandans to do something at an individual level to bring an end to their suffering. Kyagulanyi said Ugandans have got to lose the fear for death because even keeping quiet and uninvolved will also lead to their death anyway perhaps even quicker. 

He cited the death in February 2018 of Moses Ssekibogo aka Mowzey Radio, a staunch supporter of President Museveni. Kyagulanyi said, although Radio acknowledged the ills of the current government, he decided to stay on the fence and not say or do anything about it - hoping that the situation would get better with time.

Radio succumbed to injuries sustained in a bar brawl in Entebbe, and Kyagulanyi said, because the government has failed to build and stock hospitals with medicines for all Ugandans, Radio had to be rushed from Entebbe some 45km away so as to get proper medical attention. And even then, Kyagulanyi said, when he was rushed to Nsambya hospital, he did not get the much needed treated and was referred to Case clinic where he passed on despite Museveni contributing $8,300 (Shs 30m) towards his medical bills.

”Radio’s silence contributed to the continuation of the current system that has continued to torment Ugandans. Radio hoped things would sort out themselves but they did not. Things only got worse” he said.

HOUSE SLAVE OR PLANTATION SLAVE

Kyagulanyi said more than everybody else in the country, Ugandan musicians have the biggest platform that they can use to talk about the current injustice, abuse, human rights abuse, corruption.

He said in times of dictatorships, it is always musicians who stand up to rally people to bring an end to the people's suffering. Kyagulanyi said Ugandan musicians can choose between taking money from Museveni and stay as house slaves or help the plantation slaves (citizens) to bring an end to slavery.

”These acts of torture for me is actually a sign of fear. Once you lose your fear for them, they lose their control over you. For me, I lost my fear for them sometime back and they can’t touch me. What can they now say to me?” Kyagulanyi said.

Kyagulanyi said, unlike their parents who feared death and let Museveni’s rule carry on unchallenged, the current generation will fight on so their children do not suffer like they are suffering.

”Everyone is a candidate for death. Never let anyone use death to intimidate you from doing what you ought to do. Museveni and his men are not immortal. They also have 10 fingers like all of us. They too will die as well…Ziggy has gone early and even those who tortured him to death will also follow him. Don’t cry for Ziggy anymore, they have killed him, they have finished him. Think about yourself and your children and what you can do.” added Kyagulanyi.

PEOPLE REVOLUTION

Kyagulanyi said there is a tendency for Ugandans to think only politicians should face up to the regime, yet it is everyone’s duty to bring an end to the suffering.

”We’ll get our freedom back or die while trying to get that freedom back. We don’t fear death. Ziggy you have gone early but we shall come with them. Ziggy we shall never shame you. Ziggy we’ll continue your revolution. Ziggy help us in whatever way you can to help cause this revolution. Ziggy they killed you but did not kill your dream.”

Ziggy will be buried on Wednesday at his ancestral home in western Uganda in Bushenyi. Ziggy, a celebrated mobile phone technician leaves behind 4 children and two girlfriends (one of them pregnant). 

A 30-year-old man has been jailed 20 years, for stealing Shs 7000. The convict, Dickson Mwebaze, is a resident of Nakalele village in Sembabule district.  

Court heard that on July 13, 2016, Mwebaze and his colleagues, still at large, waylaid a one Godfrey Kwizera and assaulted him. They reportedly stripped him naked and dumped him in a pool of water, where he was found the next day, struggling for his life. In the process, they also took from him a sum of Shs 7,000. 

Mwebaze pleaded guilty to the charges.  The prosecution asked the court to give him a deterrent sentence to the convict as a message to all persons involved in acts of robbery in which several lives have been lost. But defence lawyer, Alexander Lule told the court that the convict is remorseful for his actions.  

The presiding judge Winfred Nabisinde told the court that the judiciary has a duty to protect the public from people like Mwebaze, who are involved in aggravated robbery which she says warrant a long custodial sentence.   

She says that 20 years’ jail term would be appropriate for the offence, not because of the value of the money stolen but because of the actions of the convict of attempting to kill the victim.

However, the convict will serve 16-years from the time of his conviction, after the deduction of the time spent of three years spent on remand and another reduction of one year for saving courts time by pleading guilty.

The minister of Health Dr Ruth Aceng and the permanent secretary Dr Diana Atwine have been blocked from accessing the construction site of the proposed International Specialized Hospital in Lubowa.  

Parliament early this year, approved a loan guarantee of Shs 1.4 trillion to Finasi/Roko, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the construction of the hospital located in Lubowa, Wakiso district along the Kampala- Entebbe road. However, the project has faced setbacks with the SPV Finasi/ROKO falling apart following the introduction of another player, a Chinese firm, Power China Guizhou Engineering co.Ltd as the civil works contractor, but also allegations that up to $86 million meant for the project is already missing.  

Earlier, in a letter dated August 2, 2019, and addressed to the deputy speaker of parliament, Keith Muhakanizi the permanent secretary/secretary to the treasury warned MPs and other government officials from visiting the construction site.

“As I mentioned on the phone, the government of Uganda handed over the construction site to the project company (Finasi/Roko Construction SPV Limited). The site is no longer in the hands of government and government officials cannot, therefore, move on and off the site at will.” Muhakanizi wrote in the letter.

“Secondly, as guided by the deputy attorney general when he appeared before the committee on National Economy on 1st August 2019, issues relating to the construction site at Lubowa are the subject of pending litigation. Accordingly, government officials cannot be deliberating let alone entering upon the very site which is the subject of the pending litigations.” Muhakanizi's letter added.

When contacted, Roko said they were not behind the blocking the government officials from the site, saying it was Finasi. Roko managing director Mark Koehler said the SPV indicates that no other companies other than Finasi, Roko or Finasi/Roko and its affiliates can be subcontracted work in the hospital of more than 15 per cent, according to the contract.

Minister Aceng downplayed today's events, saying the mere fact that the contractor was on site it, means that work is progressing and, that is what government is interested in. However, Andrew Baryayanga, Kabale Municipality MP said there indeed a very big problem with the project. 

"I think there is a very big thing we’re missing. We want to also see the designs because we have been told even the designs have been changed. We also want to know who is the contractor because Roko as the contractor is not seen on site. Instead, it is the Chinese on-site." said Baryayanga. 

"We were cleared by ministry of Health. The minister is here. If the minister herself cannot access the site, she is the owner of the project. If they can refuse the owners of the project from accessing the site…what type of works are they doing for us? It is very absurd." he added. 

Appearing before the National Economy Committee last week, the deputy attorney general Mwesigwa Rukutana told MPs that as far as government is concerned, that is a fight that will be resolved, and so far it has not affected the project works. He also says the court battles will not affect the implementation of the works, as the ministries of Finance and Health are keeping a keen eye on the project.    

According to Rukutana, because Finasi has 95 per cent shares in the special purpose vehicle (SPV), and Roko has only 5 per cent, it is acceptable in law for Finasi to contract another company. He says the SPV is an independent company different from the Roko and Finasi international FZC and what government wants is for the construction to continue.   

"Implementation of the project agreement is going on so well. Actually, as I told the committee, the information I have is, implementation is ahead of schedule. Even if we know that there are disagreements, those agreements have not affected the execution of works as per the agreement. So it is not yet of concern to us..." said Rukutana. 

This is the police story; local musician Michael Arinda aka Ziggy Wine, 28, died in a road accident on Sunday night.

He was not murdered as family and some politicians had alleged, Police spokesman Fred Enanga told journalists today evening at Kampala Central police station. This version coming days after Ziggy’s death has already received sharp fire from family members and the People Power Movement led by Kyaddondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi.

They insist Ziggy was kidnapped, tortured and died from his wounds. But police insist Ziggy was killed along the Northern By-pass in Kampala. Enanga said according to Roy Ataro, an eyewitness, Ziggy, riding a Honda motorcycle registration number UDC 433, rammed into her on July 21, 2019.

Ataro, a nursery teacher, said she was returning from school that fateful night. Ziggy and her, she said, were severely injured and the musician died on August 4. Enanga said Ziggy and Ataro were both rushed to a nearby Hope Medical Centre in Kyebando but relatives of Ataro quickly transferred her to another medical facility.

On arrival, Simon Kule Ahebwa, an enrolled nurse at the facility, who police paraded as an eyewitness at the press conference, said Ziggy was referred to Mulago for specialised treatment.

“After giving them first aid and I realised that he was not improving, I asked my fellow nurse at the clinic to get a boda boda and rush him to Mulago hospital,” Ahebwa said.

He said by the time Ziggy arrived at the health centre, he had lost one finger and another was on the verge of falling off. He was bleeding profusely through the nose and mouth, he said. Ahebwa said he checked on Ziggy the following day at Mulago but found he was still unattended to. Doctors wanted money to do scans but Ziggy’s family hadn’t been traced by then.

“I could not pay for him so I went back to the police where we had reported the case to see if they had discovered any of the relatives but they hadn’t,” he added.

Sarah Kobusingye, a resident of Kyebando who says she witnessed the accident as the rider struggled to avoid knocking the pedestrian. She says the motorcycle rider who happened to be the deceased musician was the first to be rushed to the clinic for treatment and was reportedly bleeding from injuries on his head and face.      

Kobusingye says she took part in transferring the injured to the hospital and wanted to report to Firebase because the accident victim had dreadlocks but feared that members of the crew would attack them.    

Another cyclist Meddy Wekesa, says he was at the stage along the Northern Bypass when he heard a bang signalling an occurrence of the accident. They rushed to find a man and a woman lying unconscious.  

Another 'witness', Amos Turyamureeba says he transported Alinda to Mulago hospital on the request of health workers at Hope Clinic in Kyebando and that he delivered him to Mulago hospital at about 8:30 p.m. 

In Mulago, Alinda was reportedly admitted with chopped fingers, his eye had been plucked out and had visible burns all over his body. Enanga says that according to testimonies, Ziggy Wayne was rushed for treatment at Hope Clinic in Kyebando after the accident, bruised, injured and burnt by the exhaust pipe of his sports bike motorcycle registration number UDC 434W which was found to have landed on him inside the ditch.    

Enanga says it was wrong for the relatives to conceal the true picture and the circumstances surrounding the injuries of the late music artiste. He adds that the matter is being investigated by Kira Road police, where officers are now working to corroborate the new version of events with evidence on circumstances surrounding his death.

Enanga accused the victim’s family of concealing information from police thus allowing political opportunists to exploit his death.

“We also warn people with political ambitions to find better ways of soliciting votes instead of jumping on unfortunate incidents for their political gain,” Enanga warned.

Police paraded seven witnesses today including the nurse from Hope clinic, a boda boda cyclist who attested to Ziggy’s involvement in an accident. By the time of his death, Ziggy, a member of Firebase Records, had switched to politics. He was a political activist firmly allied to the People Power Movement.

Tony Hauls Bikumbi, a music producer at Fire Records, told The Observer that Ziggy had not recorded any song in the last 10 years.

“I had not recorded a song for the fallen musician in more than ten years. However, he has been our member and would usually come to our shows and perform his old songs,” he said.

“At the time of his death, he was well known as an ardent supporter of People Power and Bobi Wine because his motorbike was always branded with People Power colours. Probably this could have been the reason for his kidnap and torture,” Bikumbi added.

Interviewed for a comment, People Power spokesman Joel Ssenyonyi said Ziggy could have been targeted due to his allegiance to the People Power Movement.

“Ziggy did not hold any post but has been a hardworking coordinator of People Power especially through his social media platforms. We suspect the state is behind his death because they have always targeted, arrested and tortured our supporters and coordinators and some have been killed,” he said.

In a statement posted on his facebook page, the People Power leader Robert Kyagulanyi also criticised the torture and murder of Ziggy Wine.

“We have received reports of people being arrested and detained for putting on either red berets or T-shirts branded with our symbols and slogans. Our calls for perpetuators to be brought to book have not yielded much. Further we have filed several court cases about the violations and one including the murder of my driver but there has not been much yield,” he added.

FAMILY BLAMES MULAGO FOR HIS DEATH

Some relatives of the deceased have faulted Mulago hospital for not doing enough to save their relative on Sunday night. Immaculate Chocho, the late singer’s elder sister, said her brother was not given enough care.

She said Ziggy spent many nights unattended to. She said Ziggy was kidnapped and tortured by unknown people.

“After searching for almost a week, we found him admitted in the casualty ward at Mulago without being treated. The doctors told us that he was fine but needed food to regain strength,” a teary Chocho said.

She said the family transferred him to another hospital which established that Ziggy had a blood clot in the head that required immediate operation. Chocho believes if immediate surgery had been done, probably his brother’s life would have been saved.

joebahing@yahoo.com

Additional reporting by URN

Thousands of mourners descended on Jjungo-Bukuya village in Wakiso district on Tuesday to send-off the late Godfrey Kaaya Kavuma, the former Katikiro of Buganda kingdom.  

The vice president, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, who represented, President Yoweri Museveni, eulogized the late Kavuma as one of the greatest patriots Uganda has ever had. 

"My relationship with Kaaya Kavuma dates back to our bush days when we used to meet in Nairobi,” read the president's speech delivered by Ssekandi. 

The president also described the late Kaaya as a resourceful person with a sharp mind and "a fearlessly incorruptible man" who never tired in his quest to foster for peace in the country. 

"Although his death leaves a huge vacuum, he leaves a legacy of hard work, which should be emulated by young Ugandans," Museveni noted. 

During the same requiem mass held at St. Steven's church at Buwaya, Buganda’s premier, Charles Peter Mayiga described the late Kaaya as a selfless man who extended a hand to people outside his family circles.  

"Most of these members of parliament you're seeing here were nurtured by Kaaya Kavuma," Mayiga observed. 

After the church service, which was led by Rev Alex Kasirye who also happens to be the deceased’s brother, the body was laid at his ancestral grounds at Jjungo-Bukuya village in Wakiso district.        

Kavuma was born on October 1937. He attended Mengo junior school and Busoga College Mwiri for his primary and advanced education respectively. 

He was admitted to Makerere University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Kaaya then worked in different capacities in Uganda Coffee Marketing Board. He was later appointed the general manager for British Commodities Company in 1974 until he relocated to Uganda in 1992.   

Kaaya served as the deputy premier and also state minister for Finance and minister of Lands for Buganda when it was restored. He's reported to have died of heart failure on July 27, aged 81 years.

KIRYANDONGO:  Former Kiryandongo district Member of Parliament (MP), Baitera Maiteki, an American and an Indian investor have been accused of evicting thousands of people in the western districts of Kiryandongo and Masindi.

The evicted people were living in the gazetted government ranches in Mutunda and Kiryandongo sub-counties along the River Nile. Kiryandongo Sugar, allegedly owned by some Indians, Agilis, owned by an American called Philip Investor, and Sole Agro Business Company, also owned by Indians, have been named in the evictions.

Agilis is said to have bought ranches 21-22, from SODARI, an agricultural farm that collapsed. SODARI got a lease from government, which ends in 2025. However, it was revealed to the Land Commission of Inquiry that Agilis, bought land that was leased, yet legally, no one is supposed to buy leased land.

Agro Business was reportedly given about 60 hectares and displaced all people in the area. Kiryandongo Sugar also forcefully evicted people in the area and ploughed all the land, denying some residents farmland and access roads.   

The revelations were made before the commission of Inquiry into Land matters chaired by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire. Bamugemereire, together with Commissioners; Mary Oduka Ochan,  Joyce Habasa, Dr Rose Nakayi, Fred Ruhindi, George Bagonza Tinkamanyire, and Robert Sebunya, are conducting regional consultative meetings and field visits in form of public hearings called barazars.

In Kiryandongo, former MP Maiteki, who until recently was reportedly attached to State House, is accused of grabbing 30 acres of land belonging to the family of Joshua Kisembo. Kisembo’s daughter, Biingi Katusiime, told the Land Commission of Inquiry at Kiryandongo Boma grounds that Maiteki with the help of police has denied them access to their land.

“Maiteki has razed 40 graves and has blocked us from burying our dear ones in our ancestral land. We have been in court for the last 16 years and we have spent a lot of money on this issue, but no justice has been done to date. You go to the RDC [resident district commissioner] for help, he tells you the matter is in court. You go to the DISO, he says he fears. So, where should we go now, we appeal to the Land Commission of Inquiry to intervene in this matter,” Katusiime said.     

While giving a detailed account of the land conflicts in the area before the Land commission in Kiryandongo on August 5, one of the affected persons, Jacob Karuhanga Ateenyi, said government was supposed to resettle the affected communities on its ranches. Karuhanga said this has not been done and that the National Forestry Authority (NFA) is evicting them from the reserves.

Karuhanga said other communities were shifted from the government ranches to the Nyamakere and Kibeka forest reserves. Government has 37 ranches in the area, and the most affected areas are ranches 9, 11, 20, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30, where the Kibyama, Nubian, Nyamakere and Kibeka communities have lived since the 1970s.

A ranch is approximate five square miles. So, government owns a total of 185 square miles of land. Most of it is being occupied on and off by some investors and individuals, whose commercial farming initiatives have reportedly failed to take off.    

“Our concern is that there is total negligence and inconclusive action by duty bearers on this matter. The president and government offered ranch number 11 to resettle these two categories of people, but up to date no resettlement programme has taken place which has resulted into these problems,” Karuhanga said.

“The Kibyama communities are supposed to be resettled on ranch number 11. The Nyamakere and Kibeka community were shifted by government and taken to the Nyamakere and Kibeka forests reserves. But although they took them there on government consent, there was no official documentation”.

Karuhanga said because there was no documentation, the NFA is threatening to evict them. In his brief to the Land Commision, the Kiryandongo district chairperson, Charles Ntairehoki Amooti, said some investors do not want to cooperate with the district authorities.

Citing an example of Agilis, Amooti said, “Agilis is a very stubborn company. Maybe because it is a foreign company. You agree on an issue to be discussed amicably, but they go and do the opposite. They have an American who thinks he is above the law.”

“Agilis has tortured people here a lot. I called for a meeting, but instead, they wrote for me a warning letter that I should stand warned. Can you imagine, how can you warn a district chairperson who is concerned about the well-being of his people? he said.

None of the accused organizations or individuals attended the consultative meeting though they were invited. Agilis sent a farm manager and their lawyer, from Katende and Sempebwa Company advocates who didn’t talk. The consultative meetings continue in Arua.

jolanyo@gmail.com

All signs are pointing to a showdown in parliament between the opposition and NRM over a second Constitutional amendment bill, which Shadow Attorney General Wilfred Niwagaba will attempt to introduce again in the House on Thursday.

Government is clearly opposed to the Niwagaba bill, which the opposition tried to introduce last week but Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah pushed the matter to Tuesday, August 6 and later Thursday, August 8. Niwagaba’s bill has been on the parliamentary shelves since January when he filed his notice of motion but met stiff resistance from government.

At the time, Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire told parliament that the reforms were to be handled by a Constitutional Review Commission, an idea opposed by Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. Unsatisfied with Attorney General William Byaruhanga’s reforms introduced in parliament on July 26, Niwagaba asked and was allowed by Kadaga to table his motion seeking permission of parliament to introduce alternative reforms.

The motion was tabled on August 1, seconded by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Betty Aol Ocan and Butambala MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi. Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana led the government opposition against it.

“What is before you is a motion for leave to present a private member’s bill…when I look at Article 93 of the Constitution, I want to tell you that the bill has financial implications, it is proposing to increase the number of Electoral Commissioners, among others,” Rukutana, who rose on a procedural point, told Oulanyah.

THE BILL

In his bill, Niwagaba wants to amend Article 60 of the Constitution to increase the number of members of the Electoral Commission (EC) from seven to nine whose appointment should be handled by the Judicial Service Commission, and not by the president. Niwagaba’s bill also seeks to establish qualifications for the chairperson of the EC and to prescribe the grounds for the disqualification of members of the EC.

He also proposes an amendment to Article 61 to set a time frame within which the EC determines election complaints arising before polling. The clause further seeks to amend Article 61(3) of the Constitution to require the EC to hold presidential elections on the same day as general parliamentary and local government council elections.

The bill also proposes an amendment to Article 78 to remove the army from parliament. And demands that the ex-officio Leader of Opposition in parliament should be the leader of an opposition political party with the highest number of MPs in the House.

The same amendment also proposes to have the Attorney General and deputy Attorney General as ex-officio members of parliament. Niwagaba also proposes the scrapping of a requirement for public officers to resign in order to contest for an election and also introduces a clause that prohibits the appointment of ministers from among MPs.

Clause 6 of the bill seeks to introduce a new Article 82B to provide for the Speaker’s panel while in Clause 7 of the bill, Niwagaba wants to amend article 87 (1) to provide for the involvement of the Parliamentary Commission in the appointment of the Clerk to Parliament.

The Ndorwa East MP also proposes an amendment to Chapter Seven specifically Articles 99 (2) and 100 of the Constitution to replace the office of Vice President with the office of Deputy President plus Article 103 (2) to require every candidate in a presidential election to nominate a person who is qualified for election as President, as a candidate for Deputy President.

The bill seeks to amend Article 104 to allow any voter or political party or organization to challenge the outcome of a presidential election in addition to an aggrieved candidate. He also wants to re-introduce Article 105(2) reinstating the two-term limits for a president.

RESIDENT DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS

He also wants to repeal the office of resident district commissioner (RDC) and to change the name of Uganda Police Force to Uganda Police Service and provide for the regulation of its conduct.

Information and National Guidance minister Frank Tumwebaze told The Observer on Monday that government is studying the bill and will soon come up with a position.

“Any private member’s bill has to attract the attention of government. Although we are yet to discuss it in cabinet, we are wondering why for example he is calling for the removal of RDCs which is provided for under Article 203 of the Constitution. RDCs are the monitors of government programs in the districts if you have a Chief Administrative Officer in the district who implements the programs, why shouldn’t we have RDCs to supervise and monitor government programs?” Tumwebaze wondered.

Niwagaba told this writer that for now, he will wait for the speaker’s ruling and decide on which course of action to take.

sadabkk@observer.ug

Citing open institutionalised corruption and bribery at Moroto hospital, a whistle-blower has written to the Anti-Corruption Unit of State House to open an expansive investigation into the eastern region facility.

In a June 26, 2019 letter, which The Observer has seen, addressed to Col. Edith Nakalema, Head, Anti-Corruption Unit at State House, the whistle-blower claims Geoffrey Mawa, the Moroto hospital acting accounting officer, and Onegius Otim, the hospital administrator, are misusing hospital funds and property “under the watch, knowledge and protection of some ministry of Health officials.

The whistle-blower accuses the two officers of recruiting only locals who can pay kick-backs, handpicking contractors and consultants without following proper public procurement processes as well as hiring their own companies as service providers for the hospital. In the letter, the whistle-blower urges the president to intervene and stop the two officers from misusing public resources.

“Corruption and misuse of public funds is practiced directly through contractors; Musuuza Construction Company, consultants; Plantek Consultancy and service providers; Global Media Connection,” reads part of the letter.

Global Media Connection is owned by Mawa, the hospital’s accounting officer, while Kerwodde, a service delivery company, is managed by Otim’s girlfriend, the whistle-blower claims. According to the letter, through their handpicked construction contractors, the two hospital officials have reduced the size of the building under construction at the hospital and used the funds to build personal buildings and buy sports utility vehicles.

“Boarded-off vehicles were sold off and the monies disappeared without being banked in the consolidated funds account, two generators have disappeared, a Land Rover vehicle was purportedly repaired at inflated rates at Shs 14,800,000 to facilitate the officers’ spending sprees,” the whistle-blower claims.

The whistle-blower also says vehicles are hidden under the pretext of being repaired only to be sold off as scrap in different garages in Kampala. And that fuel meant to support hospital activities is given to confidants in political offices.

“There is a very big coordinated racket to remove; they hijack letters in offices, threaten people with death and claim to work in the president’s office and hence are untouchable,” the whistle-blower claims and calls for an immediate investigation and forensic audit at the hospital.

The whistle-blower claims the hospital director has called for the interdiction of the two errant officials but Kampala has been slow to act.

Interviewed for comment last week, Emmanuel Ainebyona, the ministry of Health spokesman, confirmed the ministry has received complaints about corruption at Moroto hospital.

“As the ministry, we have heard the complaints, which we are still investigating to ascertain their credibility but as of now I’m not in position to provide any details,” he said.

He said since State House has been notified, then the case will be properly investigated. Interviewed, Mawa said he was investigated and cleared of any wrongdoing. He said the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) investigated and found he did not own any company doing business with the hospital.

He said, however, there were cases of irregularities in recruitment of staff but blamed it on the hospital human resource department.

“It is the human resource department that carried out the recruitment that was marred by irregularities but not my office,” he said, adding that upon discovering the irregularities, the hospital board cancelled the recruitment process.

“We are moving on well with the construction of the buildings and I implore the ministry to come and verify if the money was diverted for personal use as alleged,” Mawa added.

joebahing@yahoo.com

Before 2018, Her Worship Gladys Kamasanyu was a virtual unknown grade one magistrate at the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates’ court but three headline-grabbing cases have catapulted her into the national spotlight in the recent past.

The unprecedented August 2 water-bottle throwing drama at Buganda Road court cast a harsh spotlight on the actions of both the convicted social activist Dr Stella Nyanzi’s supporters and the presiding Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu. 

Ugandans are finally paying attention to Kamasanyu over her handling of high-profile cases — but not in the way her fellow judicial officers especially Chief Justice Bart Katureebe would have wished. The Chief Justice has since described the events at court on August 2 as uncivilized, offensive and disrespectful of the sanctity of the courts.

In court, when she takes her judicial seat made out of cedar tree, metres away from persons attending court, Kamasanyu always feels protected. This sense of security is reinforced by her police bodyguard who towers right behind her sporting black Counter Terrorism Police fatigues, dark sunglasses and a stern look. 

DERRICK KIYONGA takes a deeper look at what happened at court that day, which drew the rage of court attendees. It all began with poor timekeeping by the magistrate and an 18-months’ sentence, which drew loud anger, recrimination and the final bottle-throwing incident.

Perched right at the top of her curriculum vitae (CV) is a singular career objective, Kamasanyu’s prayer to become a justice of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land. 

Can she move that from the wish-list to the action stage? That is a topic perhaps not worth engaging into now. But her handling of Dr Stella Nyanzi’s criminal trial and other high-profile cases has perhaps cast Kamasanyu’s portrait in the harshest possible light in her ten-year career as a grade one magistrate.

Always sporting a black gown and spectacles in court, Kamasanyu’s catchword is “respect.”   

The former Securities Preparation officer at Barclays bank, a position she held for two years, is always quick to tell any court attendee, rattled by her methods of work, to treat her with “respect.” 

But does she respect other parties? Well, that can be put under intense scrutiny in this article. Interviewed last week, Nyanzi’s supporters, drawn mostly from the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and her lawyer Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde had no kind words.

“This magistrate is an embarrassment to the judiciary,” purred Buhweju county legislator, Francis Mwijukye.

He was angry that Kamasanyu had not appeared in court by 5pm to deliver the Nyanzi judgment yet she had scheduled it for 2pm.

“We are taxpayers. We should be treated with respect.” 

Wasswa Birigwa, the FDC national chairman, was equally angered by Kamasanyu’s poor timekeeping. “This court is full. We are sweating. The magistrate isn’t here. We have been here for hours. We are going to fight on.”    

FDC activists, at that time, led by the indefatigable Annette Nana Namata Mwafirika Mbarikiwa kept chanting songs including the Uganda national anthem to bully Kamasanyu out of her office but with no success.

Nyanzi also screamed from the court holding cells: “Kamasanyu come out and read the judgment. Kamasanyu come out….”

From day one, Kamasanyu didn’t get on well with Nyanzi and her lawyers. One time, she adjourned the case because she felt the freshly renovated courtroom was filthy. To the defense team, the adjournment was a malicious way of prolonging Nyanzi’s stay in prison – after all, she had refused to apply for bail.

While she gave the state about four months to present only three witnesses, in one month she had run out of patience with the defense team’s efforts to look for their own witnesses. Once the magistrate closed the defense’s case, without hearing from its witnesses, Ssemakadde, the defense lawyer, decided to boycott further proceedings. He believed his continued presence would give the proceedings credence.

Nyanzi’s trial and sentencing, which has gone viral on social media is just a tip of the iceberg. Whether wittingly or unwittingly, Kamasanyu seems to hate and punishes parties in her court who seem to curry lots of favour with the media. Once you draw lots of media attention, Kamasanyu will always delay calling your file on hearing day.   

When she was still a lower profile magistrate in 2017, Kamasanyu, a 2005 graduate from Makerere University School of law, was assigned a case that drew media spotlight. On trial, was Joram Mwesigye, a former commander of Old Kampala Police station, who was accused of brutally assaulting former WBS TV journalist Andrew Lwanga during a protest. Lwanga now walks on crutches as a result of the assault.   

Perhaps to get journalists off the case, Kamasanyu employed delaying tactics. A case listed for hearing at 9am, would actually kick off at 4pm. No explanation or apology would be given to the interested parties by Kamasanyu.

Judgment in Lwanga’s case was set for March 10, 2017.  Kamasanyu, 39, was supposed to deliver judgment by 9am. Journalists armed with cameras trooped into her court room, filling it to capacity. The magistrate, however, seemingly unmoved by the huge media attention, decided to handle other cases first. At around midday, Kamasanyu turned to the anxious Lwanga crowd and said; “You [journalists] are scaring my people.” That’s why I had to give this [Lwanga’s] judgment last.”

When she finally delivered the judgment late in the evening, Kamasanyu delivered a fatal blow to press freedom in Uganda. She convicted Mwesigye for assaulting the journalist but let him walk off with a fine of Shs 6m. That couldn’t even cater for the journalist’s hospital bills.

The journalists in court couldn’t help but to boo Kamasanyu and in typical style she shot back; “Please respect me because I respect you.”  “If you are not happy, then just go out, ok?” Then, Kamasanyu walked out of court unscathed. 

BRIAN ISIKO

In 2018, Kamasanyu again handled a case which has since proved very hard for prosecution to re-litigate. Just like Makerere University research fellow Nyanzi, Brian Isiko, a student of YMCA Jinja branch, was charged with cyber bullying and offensive communication under section 24 of the Computer Misuse Act.   

Specifically, the student was accused of sending a barrage of love messages by telephone to Sylvia Rwabwogo, the Kabarole woman MP. Once the case was allocated to Kamasanyu, without delay, and on the first hearing, she convicted and sentenced the then 25-year -old to two years in jail, drawing a loud public outcry.

Kamasanyu claimed Isiko had conceded to committing the crime but this was later found inaccurate. According to the court record, Kamasanyu assumed Isiko had admitted guilt when he said; “Everything she [Rwabwogo] said is correct. I wanted her to become a personal friend. I ask for forgiveness. I also wanted her to give me ideas on how to run a poultry project. I didn’t have any bad intention.”

When Isiko appealed Kamasanyu’s judgment in the High Court citing a failure by the magistrate to comply with procedures laid out in law when an accused demands to change his or her plea, Justice Jane Frances Abodo agreed that Kamasanyu ought to have explained to the accused in his local language every detail of the charge and the ramifications of pleading guilty- something the magistrate hadn’t done.

“The abuse of procedure goes to the root of the case and it affects the accused’s [Isiko] right to a fair hearing,” Justice Abodo of the criminal division of the High court held while tearing into pieces Kamasanyu’s judgment and thereafter, she ordered a retrial but under a different magistrate. 

The retrial itself has failed to take off because the case initially wasn’t well-thought-through. There was also a stark difference in methods of work between Kamasanyu and Abodo, a former prosecutor at the Anti-Corruption court. Though she had numerous cases, Justice Abodo said she had to handle Isiko’s case first for two reasons; it was of great public importance and she wanted journalists to go and do other assignments. 

Though Isiko and Lwanga suffered quietly under Kamasanyu; Nyanzi and FDC activists weren’t going to let her off quietly. On August 1, when Kamasanyu convicted Nyanzi on the cyber harassment charge but scheduled the sentencing for August 2 at 3pm, the mainly youthful activists donning FDC T-shirts put her on notice.

“Kamasanyu please keep time tomorrow we shall be here by 2pm,” they shouted as she stood up from the chair, “If you don’t keep time, you will see what will happen.” 

Having witnessed the August 1 mayhem via television, the judiciary honchos sent in officers to keep peace but still Kamasanyu didn’t keep time –angering the activists.

The end was a rowdy, loud bottle-throwing drama. In a statement issued on August 3, the chief justice, who commended Kamasanyu for remaining calm throughout the proceedings and condemned the assault on her, said acts of hooliganism have no place in a civilized society.

“This kind of thing is not acceptable…we condemn this kind of hooliganism in the strongest possible terms. We hope the culprits are quickly identified and brought to book,” he said.

Six people have so far been arraigned in court for their role in the bottle-throwing drama.

“We’re working hand-in-hand with relevant authorities to ensure that there is adequate security for all judicial officers. I have already asked the minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to raise the matters of courts’ security as a matter of urgency in Cabinet.”

The Chief Registrar, Ms. Esta Nambayo, said judicial officers are merely neutral arbiters who carefully hear both parties in a matter before making a verdict in accordance with the law. “The law gives dissatisfied parties a right to appeal any judicial decision up to the Supreme court.

“We know that Her Worship Kamasanyu dutifully played her part in the case of Dr Nyanzi, and anyone dissatisfied with her decision has a right to appeal rather than engaging in violence,” she said.

CAREER OBJECTIVES

To become a Justice of the Supreme court of Uganda.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS:

- A holder of a post-graduate Diploma in Public Administration and Management, Uganda Management Institute.

- A holder of postgraduate diploma in Social Justice, Makerere University.

- A holder of a diploma in Legal Practice, Law Development Centre.

- A holder of a Bachelor of Laws, Makerere University.

OTHER SKILLS

- Strong skills in handling children and related issues, gender issues, alternative dispute resolution (ADR)

- I have integrity and mature ways of handling issues.

EDUCATION

- LLM Makerere University 2015 (Waiting for graduation)

- Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration and Management, Uganda Management Institute 2014 -2015

- A postgraduate diploma is social justice from Makerere University (2013 –May 2014).

- Diploma in Managerial Problems and the Courts, the Market and the Courts, Democracy, Human rights and the Courts, Copenhagen Business School (October 2011).

- Certificate in Law and Justice as tools of democracy from Copenhagen Business School –Centre for continuing Education (25th September 2011 -21st October, 2011).

- Postgraduate diploma in legal practice from Law Development Centre (2005-2006).

- Bachelor of Laws Degree from Makerere University (2001 -2005)

- Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education from Eagle’s Nest S.S.S

(1999-2000).

- Uganda Certificate of Education from Kaloke Christian High School (1995-1998)

dkiyonga@gmail.com

The speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has criticized the international community for failing to fulfil financial pledges made during the Kampala Solidarity Summit on Refugees, two years ago in support of refugees in Uganda.

The pledges recorded during the summit included $100,000 from Equatorial Guinea, $5 million pledged by the United Arab Emirates, $500,000 from China, $50 million from the United Kingdom, another $10 million from Japan.  

During the same summit, Gabon pledged $250,000, neighbours Kenya pledged to contribute $200,000, Somalia pledged $100,000, Germany’s pledge stood at $56 million. $5 million was expected from Australia, Italy pledged $5.6 million, Canada pledged $11.5 million, while Sweden committed to contributing $27.1 million.  

The summit also recorded pledges from Norway at $4 million, Austria at $2.2 million, Netherlands at $6.2 million, the Republic of Korea with $6.8 million, Denmark at $62 million, Ireland at $2.6 million and Finland with $2.4 million.  

Regional groupings such as the European Union pledged $96.3 million while the African Union pledged $100,000. The private sector pledges included MTN Group Uganda with an anticipated contribution of $1 million, among others.      

But according to Kadaga, the Ugandan government has only realized $540,000, out of the total pledges of $358 million made during the summit, hosted by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The summit aimed at raising $2 billion. 

“We had a solidarity summit in Uganda with all the world’s big names and leaders from the biggest economies. But it was quite shocking when such leaders pledged very little sums of money and later even failed to fulfil the pledges,” Kadaga said.   

"During that summit we expected that many pledges would be met to support the refugee situation and I think they expected something like $15 million. But I think it is very very annoying that in the end it was only $540,000 that was eventually sent out of the $15 million. To me, it was fuzz that did not fulfil the expectations of the international community because everybody was there - the secretary-general of the United Nations was there, the head of FAO was there. Everybody who is anybody in the United Nations system was there but nothing came out of that summit other than a declaration." said Kadaga. 

Kadaga made the remarks while addressing the 10th Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments and Senates at the Pan-African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa, on Tuesday. The two-day speaker’s conference is being held under the theme, "Finding durable solutions to forced migration to accelerate integration and development in Africa: the role of national and regional parliaments.  

Uganda is the second-biggest refugee-hosting country in the world and the first in Africa. Uganda, with a population of 39 million people, Uganda is home to more than 1.2 million refugees, the biggest percentage of whom are from South Sudan. 

But like other host countries, Uganda continues to shoulder the responsibility of facilitating refugees’ access to basic needs. According to the Office of the Prime Minister, Uganda needs at least $8 billion to continue its efforts in offering refuge to displaced populations. 

Kadaga requested the UNHCR to build permanent structures such as health centres and schools in the refugee settlements as a stopgap to support host communities that have co-existed with refugees in the event that they leave.

“Settling of refugees comes with a cost to our people because there is a lot of pressure on the local population to share facilities. In one of our districts of Adjumani, 50 per cent of the population is made up of refugees and so there is pressure on water, schools, health facilities and the environment and this is very costly to the Uganda government,” Kadaga said. 

Kadaga proposed that for refugee host countries, there should be inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms to bring together the government, international, local and civil society organisations to address the refugee issue from a wider perspective. 

“I want to confirm that refugees living in Uganda are not in camps but settlements, which gives them freedom of movement, access to social service and employment,” Kadaga told the speakers.

Kadaga's protestations come at the time when Germany, UK and Japan have reportedly held direct funding towards Uganda's refugee programme over government's failure to respond to a corruption scandal where refugee numbers were inflated by over 300,000 refugees. The scandal was discovered in February last year and the donor community is angry that 18 months on, government is yet to effect the recommendations of the audit carried out by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services.

The audit revealed gross corruption and mismanagement of funds meant for the refugees through corruption, overpayments and double payments for contracts, fraud among others within the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. The audit carried out between January and May 2018 covered the period between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

The audit report made a number of recommendations; including the recovery of several misappropriated funds, review of UNHCR management, corruption and fraud mechanisms, review of UN’s dealings with the government on projects implementation among others. UNHCR swiftly acted on the audit recommendations and had its funding reinstated.

Mental health activists have called on the government to consider community-based health care interventions as opposed to putting every mental health patient on drug therapy. 

With the burden of mental disorders continuing to grow, Mental Health Uganda (MHU) a non government organisation for people with and survivors of mental health says the government needs to consider a streamlined community-based services programme for persons with psychosocial disabilities.

The executive director of MHU, Derrick Mbuga Kizza, says drugs and injections are not the only therapy for mental health treatment and management. According to Mbuga, while the new Mental Health Act 2014 pushes for community mental health care, it doesn’t provide a clear framework on how it will be realized.

“The law is putting a lot of emphasis on treatment which is wrong. I have seen persons with mental disabilities who run to the hospital thinking it is a safe haven and it becomes hell or get more agitated after drugs,” Mbuga said.

“I am not saying that people should get off the drugs but to disabilities like depression, drug abuse and alcohol that are not severe and need community intervention, we should not be quick to put people on drugs.”

He added that prevention in mental health using community interventions will go a long way in trying to fix the huge sums of money allocated to purchase psychiatric drugs that are often expensive. Mbuga made the remarks at the closure of a national conference on mental health held at Imperial Royale last week under the theme: “Prevention in Mental Health: A call for community-based services”.

In December 2018, President Museveni signed into law the Mental Health Bill, 2014, thus repealing the Mental Treatment Act of 1964. Mental disorders come with different presentations in form of depression, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, dementia and intellectual disabilities, among others.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), depression is the commonest mental disorder and one of the main causes of disability worldwide. Globally, an estimated 300 million people mainly women, are affected by depression. Mbuga said MHU was part of the NGOs consulted by parliament during the drafting of the bill but the output shows otherwise.

“We explained community mental health care to MPs but the challenge is that whatever you sell to parliament, there’s no guarantee that it will be implemented. You have an MP who tells you that as long as you have provided drugs, you have fixed mental health. Then, you have a lot of time to sensitise such a person.” 

Speaking to The Observer on Monday, the chairperson of parliament's Health Committee, Dr Michael Iga Bukenya, confirmed meeting MHU officials but slammed their argument.

“Those are activists looking for money from donors to survive. So, they don’t know that we can’t write everything in a law? I think their concerns are out of ignorance and don’t know how laws operate,” Bukenya, also Bukuya County MP said.

He added: “Do they want a law to look like a textbook of over 1,000 pages? Those are activists and I have no more comment on that. I am not the one who made the law but the ministry of Health. You should talk to the ministry of Health and they tell you how they are going to implement the law.”

MINISTRY RESPONDS

Yesterday, the in charge of the mental health section at the Health ministry, Dr Hafsa Lukwata, agreed with Mbuga that the Act lacks details on community-based health care for mental disorders.

“It’s true this aspect is not well contextualized in the law but this is a concept that is not popular here. We want to borrow some concepts from developed countries that are implementing it,” Dr Lukwata said.

“We are working with NGOs that are trying to do something but putting it down in the law is another thing. That one will not happen very easily.”

She explained that at the time of drafting the bill, much priority was given to hospitals and drugs in a bid to improve access to specialised care for persons with mental illnesses.

Unfortunately, now that a law has been enacted, she said the ministry will see how to link people and health facilities with communities before and after treatment.

“We are going to sit down and review what is happening elsewhere so that we can write something and pilot it in our communities. It’s not only Uganda in learning mode but the entire region yet no success has been made,” she said.

In the meantime, the ministry will also soon write regulations to guide who whoever wants to provide community health care to persons with mental disorders.

nangonzi@observer.ug

The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council has advised Muslims in the country not to beg for meat on this year’s Eid al-Adha on August 11 but rather slaughter their own animals. 

Muslims around the world will on Sunday, August 11 gather to celebrate Eid al-Adha, the end of the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Eid al-Adha is the second of two Islamic festivals celebrated by Muslims all over the world. The first, Eid al-Fitr, was celebrated in June to mark the end of Ramadan period of fasting.

Eid al-Adha is considered the holiest of the two Islamic festivals. This festival marks the prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his only son Ismail for Allah, but his son was then replaced with a lamb. 

“I advise Muslims to slaughter animals than begging for meat because when you slaughter an animal, you benefit a lot from Allah since you show a sign of devotion,” said Hajji Nsereko Mutumba, the spokesperson Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.

This year’s Eid al-Adha celebrations will last for three days, ending on the evening of August 13. Nsereko says, Prophet Muhammad said, any person who is capable of slaughtering an animal and fails to slaughter it, should not even come near the place where others are praying.

“If you slaughter the animal on Eid Adha, it means you fear Allah. Prophet Muhammad used to slaughter over 100 cows every Eid and cut them by his hands and also give friends to cut,” he said.

The deputy Imam Kasangati mosque Sheikh Muhammad Kakungulu advised Muslims not to look at the economic part of selling animals only but also rear animals to slaughter by themselves.

“Slaughter animals that are healthy and have no debts,” he said.

Humanitarian efforts and relief Uganda (Hear Uganda), an organisation that distributes food items to the needy said Eid al-Adha celebration rotates around when Allah appeared to Ibrahim in a dream and asked him to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as a sign of his faith or commitment to Allah.

Ahmed Sentamu, the spokesperson Hear Uganda said the story similar to the Christian and Jewish stories in which God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac but spared him from doing so.

“To commemorate the tale, an animal is sacrificed and divided into three parts in an act known as Qurbani (share). One part of the sheep is given to the poor, one to the immediate family at home and one is reserved for relatives and friends,” Sentamu said.

He said some Muslims may give money to charity to give poorer families the chance to have a proper Eid feast and Mosques and community groups can arrange communal meals.

At the end of the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia), all Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha also known as greater Eid (Festival of Sacrifice). The prophet Muhammad said, a person who performs Hajj properly "will return as a newly born baby [free of all sins]".

Sentamu says, this year, they expect to slaughter about 1,400 cattle and donate meat to different parts of the country such as Kampala, Luwero, Masaka, Mbarara, Yumbe, Kasese, Butambala and others.

Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

zuraneetah2015@gmail.com

Tanzania's government on Monday charged investigative journalist Erick Kabendera with money laundering, tax evasion and assisting a criminal racket. 

Kabendera, who was charged in magistrate court in the former capital, Dar es Salaam, had been taken into custody from his home July 29 over what police initially said were problems with his citizenship status.

Kabendera allegedly committed the crimes — including failing to pay $75,000 in taxes — from early 2015 into last month. Bail is not allowed for such offenses, so he remains in detention.

His case was referred to the division of corruption and economic of Tanzania’s High court, according to The Guardian, one of the news outlets to which Kabendera has contributed. His next court date is set for August 19.   

The freelance journalist has been critical of President John Magufuli's administration and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi Party in stories for The Guardian, The East African, and The Times of London.

Opposition and civil rights groups say Kabendera's case is a government effort to silence dissent — a notion disputed by the administration of Magufuli, who was elected in 2015. 

"Prosecutors should immediately drop the charges against Kabendera, and Tanzania should end its practice of retaliating against critical voices," Muthoki Mumo, sub-Saharan African representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a release from the New York-based group. 

Onesmo Olengurumwa, the national coordinator for the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition, told VOA in a phone interview that the group would continue to defend journalists in Tanzania.

"Our role is to always campaign for justice and then also use courts of law to seek that," he said. 

The watchdog group Reporters Without Borders ranks Tanzania 118th among 180 countries in its current World Press Freedom Index. It notes the country has fallen "47 places since 2016, more than any other country in the world during the same period." 

A woman suspected of forcefully feeding her teenage stepdaughter with food mixed with menstrual blood has been remanded for two weeks to Kauga prison in Mukono district.  

The accused identified as Annet Namata, was first arrested in June but went into hiding after securing police bond. However, she was tracked down and rearrested from Katosi landing site where she had sought refuge, according to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigire.

Namata was taken to the police by her husband Yunus Lungu after neighbours alerted him that she had been mixing menstrual blood with the sauce which she forced the teenager to eat. Although Namata pleaded not guilty in court, Lungu had earlier told police that her wife pleaded guilty to accusations before the Kitega women's council where she also apologized and pleaded for pardon.  

In a video clip recorded during the local council meeting, Namata confessed to the crime saying she was tempted and acted out of anger because of the preferential care that her husband was giving to the child.  

She told the women's council that she had been ill-advised by her friends to feed the minor with menstrual blood in order to turn her into a lunatic. She appeared before Mukono Grade I magistrate Patience Koburunga who read out the charges, as investigations into the matter take shape.  

According to medical research, menstrual flow contains discharge, cervical mucus, and uterine tissue, which makes it a favourable environment for bacteria and blood-borne diseases such as HIV. Medics equally state that blood in any form is toxic when ingested, because the body has difficulty in excreting excess iron contained in the blood.