An unconfirmed number of people including two officers have been killed in a clash that erupted yesterday between the two tribes of Bakonjo and Batooro in Kabarole district.

Local authorities in the western district also confirm that more than five people were critically injured in the bloodbath that erupted in Kabonero Sub County, in the western district.

The fighting reportedly erupted following a rape case. A Mutooro man still unidentified by publication time is said to have raped a Mukonjo woman in the area a few days ago.

A squabble however came up when a local court advised for the matter to be decided out of court.

The family of the woman was unhappy with this decision, and when the accused arrived yesterday to make the settlement agreed upon, they pounced on him and started beating him.

Police was called in to bring down the situation but the fighting continued to escalate. According to the sub county Chairman John Kyaligonza who spoke to Chimpreports on Wednesday, two police officers were speared to death together with an unspecified number of civilians.

Five others sustained serous injuries and were rushed to Yerya Hospital in Kibiito where they are being treated.

The killed police officers by publication time had only been identified as Odema and a one Simon.

More on this development follow as they emerge.

High Court Judge Justice Elizabeth Nahamya has set the 26^th September for the start the pre-hearing of
the case where 8 people of Somali origin are facing charges of Aiding and abetting terrorism as well as belonging to terrorism groups of Alshabab and Al Qaeda before international war crimes court of Uganda.

The 8 who were arrested two years back today appeared in court amidst tight security ready for pre trial of their case, only for the State Prosecution side led by Senior State Attorney Recheal Bikole to inform court that they were not ready to proceed.

Bikole said, they needed time to meet the defense counsels physically to settle a number of pending issues.

On their part, the defense counsels led by Edwin Tabalo asked court to consider hearing of the bail application of two of their clients since they have been able to prepare all required documents and sureties required.

The pre-trial judge ordered the international war crimes court registrar to fix the bail application before the trial judge so that it can be heard by next week.

In the pre trial, the two sides are expected to disclose the evidence that is going to be used in pinning the accused persons, to agree on elements of the offence, determining on the agreed facts of the case
as well as marking all exhibits to be used in the main trial and also discussing the security of witnesses and victims.

The Acussed persons are Muahmad Abdul Kadir, Abdul Abdulahi Botaan, Hassan Abdul Wali Mahmood, Muhammad Ahmed Cele, Yusuf Osman, Abdu Ali, Abdul Kadir and Muhammad Yusuf Farah.

Prosecution alleges that in September 2014 in various places in Uganda, Kenya and Somalia the accused persons and others at large aided and abetted terrorism when they rendered support to Alshabaab knowing that the support will be applied in connection and commission of terrorism offences.

The speaker of the Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has revived the debate over national football team Shs33M per players winning bonus that had been promised by the local football federation, Fufa if they beat Comoros to qualify for Afcon.

Kadaga was speaking during a motion by the shadow minister of Sports, Allan Sewanyana discussing the poor performance registered by the country in the recently concluded Rio Olympics in Brazil.

The motion was tabled by Hon Moses Kasibante in the absence of Ssewanyana.

“I heard this rumor that the Cranes team members were promised to be given $10, 000 and were only given $1, 000 and am really concerned,” Kadaga noted.

“We demand that the Ministry of Education and Sports comes and explains to the house the where abouts of the pledge whether it was made by government or supporters,”

The speaker also revealed that there was a motion to invite the gallant Cranes soldiers who qualified for the continental finals for the first time since 1978 and also confirmed the date.

“Am aware of the motion seeking to pay tribute to the Cranes and we shall host them on them on Tuesday,” she confirmed.

The Cranes defeated Comoros by 1-0 courtesy of Farouk Miya’s 34th minute goal on Sunday 4th September to qualify as one of the two best runners ups after accumulating thirteen points.

Prior to the game, Fufa president Eng. Moses Magogo had promised every player bonus to a total of $10,000 (approx Ugx 33M) if they qualify. However sources inside the Cranes setup revealed that Fufa informed the players that they will be paid at a later date and received part of their normal winning bonus.

The last match day in the 2016 CECAFA group A takes centre stage on Thursday with main focus on the Uganda Crested Cranes and Burundi game which will be played later at 4PM. The duel will decide the last team that will qualify for the semifinals to join Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia.

Both teams have three points after simultaneously thrashing tournament minnows Zanzibar. They also share same goal difference (+5) after a twin 4-0 defeat to Kenya.

Burundi coach Daniella Niyibimenya expects a tough opposition and hostile fans who have been religiously following the home side gradually throughout the game but hopes to pick maximum points.

“There is no big difference between the styles of play but we are going to try our best from this game to progress further in the tournament,” she said.

Burundi has no serious injuries but will have to rely on late fitness test to determine if attacking midfielder Maggy Mumerezo will feature after missing out against Kenya but the rest of the squad likely to remain unchanged. She had scored a brace and bagged a hattrick of assists in the opener against Zanzibar.

Crested Cranes coach Majidah Nantanda has no other mathematics in her plans other than a direct win due to lesser goals scored compared to their Thursday opponents.

“We shall be in the semifinals because I believe my girls have all what it takes to defeat Burundi. Our main aim against Zanzibar was to win the game and have that courage going forward though it’s not just an assured case,” Majidah said.

Crested Cranes will miss out on the services of Stella Kaliba who is reported to have flown to Kenya for academic obligations but expected back in case the team reach finals.

Nantanda is likely to maintain her winning squad with Ikwaput, Otandeka and Hassuna leading the attack.

The other match of the day will see Kenya confirm their top place in case they pick at least a point against Zanzibar though the coach has signalled wholesale changes.

Nakifuma Member of Parliament (MP), Robert Kafero Sekitoleko has conceded defeat from the opposition members who have fought his age limit bill until it was thrown out by the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.

Speaking to Chimpreports on Wednesday after the defeat at Parliament, Sekitoleko noted that he feels he has not lost but rather achieved after his bill was deferred to the executive for further review.

“This is been a very historical moment, for the very first time, a matter has been a deferred subject to a comprehensive package to be spearheaded by the executive to amend the Constitution as required by our rules of procedures,” Sekitoleko remarked.

“I think this is all Ugandans have been waiting for, for a very long time. My colleagues have expressed interest in bringing various amendments to various articles so they argued that if we allow the Hon. Sekitoleko to bring this piece mill amendments, it will provoke others to begin bringing more amendments,” Sekitoleko said.

MP Ssekitoleko chatting with other members after the session

He observed that, “One member actually noted that he has 9 amendments that he would like to be tabled, we realize that doing it piece mill will cost us a lot of time.”

“I am happy with the Speakers’ guidance that the matter be deferred subject to comprehensive package spearheaded by government on condition that the content of my motion will be part and partial of the comprehensive package by government.”

“I also demand that a time limit is given to government to come up with a comprehensive package because failure to that, the amendment might take ages.”

However, in the Speaker’s wise ruling, the amendment bill was deferred indefinitely revealing that there is no need to rush into such amendments.

President Yoweri Museveni is today September 15th marking his 72nd birthday.

The President is said to have been born on this day back in 1974 at the climax of the 2nd World War.

Although his exact remained a mystery for the greatest portion of his three decade reign as Uganda’s President — having denied knowledge of the date himself –; the president recently came out and put his birthday on September 15th.

Museveni is likely to mark the anniversary on foreign soil as he is attending the 28th IGAD Extraordinary Heads of State Summit in Somalia.

Among the people that woke up to wish his happy birthday included his wife Janet Kataha Musevei who tweeted, “Happy Birthday Kaguta Museveni. Thank you for being the man and the blessing you have been to our family and nation.”

Museveni’s age has been has been partly involved in a steadily emerging debate of whether or not he will present himself for another term in office come 2021.

Efforts are reportedly being made inside his ruling party to amend the national constitution to lift the presidential age limit, which as it stands now locks him out of the 2021 race.

One such purported endeavor was a proposed amendment to remove the age limit of Judicial Officers, which was deemed by critics as an intended precursor for the removal of the presidential age limit.

The proposed Bill by MP Robert Sekitooleko was thrown out of Parliament by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga yesterday.

A group of National Resistance Movement (NRM) youths from Makindye Division in Kampala have today stormed the Parliamentary building in protest against yesterday’s unprecedented decision by the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to throw out the Age Limit Bill.

The constitutional amendment proposed by MP Robert Ssekitoleko sought to eliminate the age limit of judicial officers. It was however seen by many as a precursor to amend article 102 of the Constitution to remove the Presidential Age limit.

The Bill was yesterday blocked and thrown out of Parliament by Speaker Kadaga, who expressed fear that it was likely to cause a constitutional crisis.

Kadaga said, “There is no urgency in the Age Limit Bill. If I allow it now it will open opportunity to any member to bring any constitutional amendment.”

The youths however, led by one Mohamed Segendo, the Kibuye Vice Chairman NRM were unhappy with the speaker’s decision.

They angrily told reporters at Parliament that constitutional age limits are not good for countries like Uganda and must all be removed.

The youths said over time, their fellow youths have proven unable to occupy leadership positions and therefore the elderly who still have abilities should not be restrained by the law to provide leadership.

“The youth are full of pride and are unruly; they are the most corrupt and are not accountable. We still need the elderly for guidance,” Sengendo said, citing some of the youthful MPs who have not lived up to their expectations.

“We have therefore decided to come ourselves to petition the Speaker over our demand for removal of term limits,” Segendo said. “We are opposed to the Speaker’s decision to throw out Ssekitoleko age limit bill.”

The large group of protesters wanted to force their way inside the Parliamentary building but were blocked by security.

Only a few of them were allowed inside to present their petition to the speaker while the rest were  held at the National Theatre.

The South Sudan President SalvaKiir and his arch rival Dr. Riek Machar have been revealed as peaceful neighbors in the neighboring Kenyan capital Nairobi.

The Sentry report which is a result of two years investigation into the young nation’s war, tracking the flows of billions of dollars between few powerful individuals as the population bears the burden was released on Monday by the Washington’s based Enough Project.

The report found out that senior government officials and military generals and their close family members have accrued wealth and are constructing lavish homes outside the nation and their family members are comfortably living in the neighboring countries.

According to the report both Kiir and Machar whose forces are battling each other in the frontlines in South Sudan, acquired homes in Lavington, one of Nairobi’s most upscale neighborhood.

The Sentry report says Kiir’s home in Lavington is a well-guarded compound, lined with a 10-to-12-foot cinderblock fence topped with two additional feet of taut, high-voltage wiring.

Machar and Kiir’s houses in Nairobi are separated by a short distance

It added that just inside the compound is a courtyard, flanked on either side by two relatively small structures that appear to be a large garage and a guest house or guard post.

“Just beyond the courtyard is the main home, an elegant, pale yellow, two-story villa with several balconies that appears to be well over 5,000 square feet. Behind the main house is a spacious, lush, and well-landscaped backyard.”

Meanwhile Machar’s family new home in the same area has a large backyard with a large stone patio and a teardrop-shaped, in-ground and a swimming pool.

“A source within South Sudan’s government confirmed to The Sentry that the Kiir and Machar homes in Nairobi were close to one another in Lavington.”

According to the report, the Nairobi residence is not Machar’s family’s only apparent home outside Juba. Several members of his immediate family reportedly occupy a large home in downtown Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Sentry said investigators visited the home and spoke to a member Machar’s family, Gatluak Machar, who confirmed that the house was occasionally used by the deposed Vice President.

A few hours after the police chief Gen. Kale Kayihura reshuffled Kampala Metropolitan Area District Police Commanders that saw Old Kampala’s Muhammad Kirumira taken to Buyende, another wave of change has seen Kampala CID bosses also reshuffled.

In a new message dated September 15, signed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Okoth Ochola and copied to various police directors and commanders, a number of CID officers have been transferred to various stations.

In the new reshuffle, Johnson Olaa Dale has been transferred from Rwenzori   to Kampala Metropolitan Area as the CID commander, whereas Bitali Ssentamu who was the CID boss for Kigezi region has been posted to Kampala Metropolitan South as the regional CID officer.

The new transfers have also seen Deogratious Ebong from Kawempe assume the office Kampala Metropolitan East Regional CID officer whereas Benon Ayebare(KMP South) has been sent to Rwenzori  as the Regional CID chief.

Alex Wanzala from Kampala Metropolitan East has been shortly posted to the Human Resource Department from where he would be sent to Kabalye police training school in Masindi district for a refresher course.

Bruno Tumwesigye has been transferred from the Directorate of Interpol and Public Relations to the Directorate of Crime Intelligence.

The fresh transfers have seen Wilber Wanyama, the CID chief for KMP suspended pending investigations by the Professional Standards Unit in Bukoto.

The police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi recently said Wanyama had been arrested and detained at SIU in Kireka for allegedly being involved in theft of gold worth US11,000 dollars.

Kaweesi told a news conference that gold was stolen from a dealer by a boda boda rider who was later arrested but had already sold the precious metal to some Pakistanis.

“It is believed the Pakistanis later returned the money and on the other side the boda boda rider returned the money  but police played with it. Wanyama and  the investigating  got involved and exhibited fake money,”Kaweesi told journalists.

Olira FC’s star Fazirah Ikwaput struck the only goal against Burundi that ensured Crested Cranes progression to the semifinals of the CECAFA women’s championship.

Ikwaput triumphed in the 44th minute after pouncing on a long ball from Christine Nambirige before calmly looping over an advancing Burundi goalie Belinda Ndoreraho.

Earlier on the striker had blown off a clear chance set up by Hasiffa Nassuna with only the keeper to beat but hit the crossbar instead.

“We came into the game in need of a three points because Burundi were better than us in terms of goal difference. The Burundians put up a spirited show which also pushed us to our limits,” Coach Majidah said after the match.

“The game was tough and Uganda buried their chance and we failed on our part. That’s why we lost but it was a fair game and lost fairly. We pick positives,” Burundi coach said.

Uganda qualify as group A runners up and will await the winner between Tanzania and Ethiopia for the semifinal clash on Sunday.

Uganda XI: Aturo Ruth, Christine Wanyana, Nakayenze Yudaya, Gladys Nakitto, Jean Sseninde (62′ Shakira Nalwooga), Naume Nagadya, Hasifa Nassuna, Laki Otandeka, Ikwaput Fazirah, Christine Nambirige(46′ Tracy Akiror), Joan Nakirya

Burundi XI: Belida Ndoraraho, Aziza Nzigiyimana (52′ Divine Nihorembere), Bukuru Joelle, Diane Irandukunda, Nahimana Masra, Kanyamuneze Gilnette, Umimana Nella, Sakina Saidi (82′ Nancy Kamugisha), Uwimeza Djazilla(75′ Maggy Mumenero), Asha Jafali, Nsimirimana Neema

MPs on the Committee of Statutory and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Thursday were stunned, hearing that President Yoweri Museveni could have been killed while flying in an uncleared and unsafe helicopter owned by Captain Mike Mukula during the recently concluded presidential campaigns.

The revelation was made by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)’s Regulations Director  Samuel Muneza while appearing before the committee to answer to among others audit queries raised in the 2014/2015 Auditor General’s report.

The matter came up for discussion after COSASE member Hon Elijah Okupa tasked CAA to explain the recent bad blood between Capt. Mukula and CAA.

This follows a series of reports and allegations made by Mukula that the Authority is frustrating his efforts to establish a flying school in the country. The school has apparently been denied operation license by the Authority.

The Authority labeled Mukula’s allegations as false saying he failed to fulfill the requirements and there was no way they could issue him with a license.

Read Also: CAA Hits Back at Capt. Mike Mukula

CAA officials meeting with COSACE Mps on Friday

CAA’s Muneza told the committee that they were shocked on learning that the helicopter that Mukula had offered to the president for his campaigns fell short of the air transport safety standards which forced CAA to warn the Special Forces Command (SFC) not to use Mukula’s chopper for the president’s transport.

“We demanded documentations to that helicopter and we found out that the helicopter belonged to a Kenyan company and the license that was supposed to be used ,limited its operation to domestic flights in Kenya. It was not supposed to fly into Entebbe,” Muneza said.

“We stopped him because it was illegal and told him to go back to the Kenyan authorities to review the scope of the working license to include regional operations.”

Muneza added that the authority was further shocked on learning that the helicopter’s safety validity was below the normal standard of one year.

“We looked at the safety aspect of the helicopter, and got scared for Museveni’s safety; we shared these concerns quietly with SFC that the aircraft is dangerous to our Excellency advising not to use it.”

By Charles Masereka Yoronimu

The world has in recent days experienced catastrophic events, ranging from floods, drought, all as a result of climate change.

Climate change is the general change in the earth’s climate patterns, usually characterized by increased atmospheric temperatures, changes in cloud cover, melting of ice caps and glaciers.

It is mainly caused by greenhouse gas emissions from burning of fossil oils, fuels and poor land use practices that cause the earth’s surface temperatures to rise.

The prolonged and severe drought have caused severe water shortages, leading to loss of animals, low production of milk, food insecurity, increased food prices and generally negative effects on the economy.

With the forthcoming Conference of the Parties (COP22) in Marrakech, it is a call to act. COP runs under the call that “Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.”

Several initiatives have been adopted to curb climate change and save the planet. In most of these initiatives however, the world’s biggest population composition, the youth have been left out in efforts intended to curb this challenge, which has slowed down economic growth of the key sectors across the globe.

During a survey in Jinja conducted by Youth Agriculturalists Fraternity and YAFRA Green Initiative, of the number of Youth interviewed, 70 percent pointed at the fact that they do not know what climate change is and what impacts it has on the economy.

The youth don’t realize that most of the activities they do actually cause climate change, they don’t realize that economic growth and climate change go hand in hand.

In several youth engagement sessions especially on entrepreneurship and business, the issue of climate change is not given due attention and yet these are good platforms to use to sensitize youth on this challenge.

Climate Change, if not tackled is likely to increase average temperatures by up to 1.5 degrees Celsius in the next 20 years.

Let us create platforms that will create awareness among youth about the causes, effects and control measures of climate change, if we are to save our planet and our generation.

Climate change is REAL and affects all of us. Just like you can’t miss celebrating that single day of Christmas every year, make it a habit not to miss planting a tree every time you have the chance.

The author is the Executive Director Youth Agriculturalists Fraternity/ YAFRA Green Initiative

By Sam Stewart Mutabazi

In October last year, five months after being appointed Executive Director of Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Ms Allen Kagina was quick to announce that the roads agency would be paving 1000 Km every year.

Under the previous management, UNRA had been paving only 150Km annually. Of course we knew then as we do now that Allen was only promising hot air because to achieve this target, UNRA would require a budget of 1 Billion dollars every year assuming than each kilometer would cost no more than one million dollars.

This excludes administration costs, consultancy and other contingencies. More so, given the fact that the average unit cost of roads in Uganda has been hovering above 1 million dollars for most road projects, Kagina would possibly need much more than the 1 billion dollars.

UNRA has 21,000Km of national roads under its care out of 85Km of the entire road network in Uganda. Only 4000Km (4 percent) of roads (mostly managed by UNRA) are paved.

While presenting the 2017/18 national budget, the Minister of Finance Matia Kasaijja dropped a bombshell. Government was did not budget for new projects this financial year. There was no money for new roads.

UNRA which was to receive approximately 2.5 Trillion would utilize its budget mainly on ongoing projects and partly on maintaining existing roads.

Although UNRA had of course got this information through Budgets Framework Paper and the Ministerial Budget Statement (MBS) they could not come clean to inform the expectant public.

In the scheme of things currently, UNRA may actually not be able to achieve the target of the old management of paving 150Km this financial year!

One month after commencement of the financial year, UNRA had to swallow the bitter pill by rescinding their old promise.

They announced that they would after all not be embarking on any new projects. They however fell short of telling the public their target in terms of number of Kilometers they would pave this year.

In a developing country like Uganda with only 4 percent coverage of paved roads, missing a whole year without bringing on board any new projects is nothing but retardation if not retrogressive development.

Many Ugandans were hopeful that their roads would be worked on this financial year. One of the critical roads that have been in waiting for over seven years is Rukungiri-Kanungu road. Residents of Kanungu cannot come to terms with UNRA pronouncement that their road is not going to be worked on in the near future.

This may be too much for them to bear. Kanungu is a very hard-to-reach district because of poor accessibility.

Definitely Kanungu is not the only area or region which feels that government should prioritize upgrading of their roads.  For selfish reasons everyone would want their road to be prioritized.

UNRA must learn to manage people’s expectations. Road projects must be sequenced in a fair manner in accordance with a predetermined plan.  We are not blaming UNRA for nothing else because we are aware that they are limited by the budget.

They however need to be cautious next time when they try to raise public expectations. UNRA is more fixated about Public relations than actual delivery. Roads don’t need PR. They speak for themselves.

Soon the public will look for roads and will realize that there has been too much talking and less work.

The author is the Executive Director of Uganda Road Sector Support Initiative (URSSI)

Barely a year after President Yoweri Museveni was sworn for his fifth term in office, civil society and political actors have met to assess the achievements so far registered by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government in its first 100 days. Since the new five year tenure began, the

President has stressed that unlike the previous ones, this time he will not tolerate ‘games’ but serious work and effective service delivery.

It is at the back drop of the ‘kisanja hakuna mchezo’ (a term of no mediocrity) cliché that Uganda Governance Monitoring Platform (UGMP) an umbrella of 17 non-governmental organization convened a dialogue at Golf Course Hotel on Friday to weigh the new government’s resolve.

Opposition parties that participated however criticized the NRM for falling short of their pledge to the citizenry which is majorly evident in dysfunctional institutions. They argue that President Museveni has continued in self-aggrandizement and usurped the authority of all arms of government.

“There’s systematic undermining of Parliament, Ministries, the judiciary, political parties, and anything that would be seen to be a factor in managing this country. The intention is that once you have
instability all over, then everybody focuses on one person – the President,” said FDC President Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu.

This, Muntu says is dangerous since micromanagement creates fear among President Museveni’s subordinates and consequently they can’t deliver on their mandate.

“If a whole President carries money and delivers it to fruit vendors and SACCOs, or begins to fire staff workers in the lowest health centers, it points to a breakdown of systems. At the end of the day,
you can’t run the whole country alone?” he added.

Kampala city Major Erias Lukwago (DP) in a similar argument observed; “The institutions of the state have been subdued and are no longer independent. He (President) has entrenched a personal rule. This is why we are witnessing impunity and corruption.”

A report launched at the same dialogue indicates that no significant actions have been taken by government in the critical sectors of education, health, agriculture and energy. It also highlights the need for government to prioritize the issue of good governance.

Uganda’s only representative at the Rio Paralympics David Emong claimed silver after finishing second in the T46 15000m finals on Friday.

Emong’s medal is Uganda’s first ever medal in the Paralympic games for the country since making the first appearance in Hieldelberg in 1972.

After a disappointing campaign at the recently concluded Olympic where Uganda attained no medal, all hopes were bestowed on 26 year old Emong.

Emong was making her second appearance at the games after nearly missing out on the podium finish in 2012 finishing fourth.

The 26 year old who qualified in heat 2 in the semifinals finished fourth but only qualified to the finals as one of the runners with better time clocking 4:1:52

In the finals, Emong clocked 4 minutes 00:62 seconds to finish second behind Algeria’s Nouioua Sami who posted a time of 3:59:46. The final podium finish (third position) was taken by Australia’s Roeger Michel who finished at 4:01:34.

By: Davidson Ndyabahika

October 2, I hear the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) will be up again for the city carnival ideally thousands throngs the city in excitement and amidst dancing, drinking and all sorts of things.

In addition, various corporate companies have a chance to exhibit their merchandise and people in a way make a choice of what to do, by and so on and so forth.

I am glad I stay in Kampala but I won’t really celebrate the 2016 city carnival if reasonable explanations to my complaints are made clear and to the public.

At the height of the beautification of Kampala City, is a technocrat, often referred to as the Kampala iron lady, Jenifer Musisi who was appointed by the president of Uganda H.E Yoweri K. Museveni in 2011.

Her appointment was welcomed with some people viewing her as the trailblazer of a modern transformation in Africa, with her shrewdness, toughness and boldness was most often rivaled to her being an iron lady. Just like her name “Musisi” she had landed in the city as an earthquake.

Colleagues, I have no hesitation in celebrating all KCCA has done under Musisi. I am definitely in awe of the landmarks so far made, garbage collection, yes, road works and maintenance though we continue to choke on potholes, and somehow well-paved walkways, construction of state of art markets doubling of revenue collection among the many other things you have done including chasing away vendors on the streets.

From my view and without being far too dramatic, I am disappointed by KCCA’s misuse of our resources. In 2014, the general public contributed generously through our taxes to the beautification of the city.

My major concern is about the money injected in the construction of fountain and leisure gardens just in front of Watoto Church. What went wrong? Was the 700 million for the fountain worth it?

What happened to their maintenance? While visiting the so called gardens today morning I almost shed tears when I found that actually the fountain had been vandalized and abandoned by the manager KCCA.

It was also to my disappointment to find human wastes, in the walk ways just in front of Bata shop at Equatorial mall at midday and yet we have workers. It is a shame indeed that we have such.

Whereas it is really understandable and should be condemned that defecating in the city public places is unbearable, it is rather very alarming to find that it is midday but you find feaces of many days in the well paved walkways and people continue to pass as if nothing wrong is happening.

While Kampala may really be some good years away from have a responsible public transport means with working buses to provide cheap road transport to city dwellers, KCCA has successfully failed to regulate the current mode of transport of Taxis and boda bodas/ motorcycle taxis and no wonder they continue to be the most causes of road accidents in the city.

Attempts to know how many motorcycles we have in the city have been frustrated severally and as such, they harbor criminal gangs that continue to break the law and go untouched.

Yes the motorcycle taxi business is a lucrative on but how much do they contribute to our revenue? How about the accidents they cause and the number of lives of people they claim? Who knows how many they are? What is the modus oparendi of these cycles?

Why do they ride without helmets or carry passengers without helmets?

Besides where did our street lights go? In preparation for the papal visit last year, KCCA gave a 7bn contract to Phillips East Africa to install 750 solar streets lights in Kampala.

Government had during the preparations released 7bn shillings to replace the LED lighting system in the city which had run dysfunctional since their installation during the 2007 CHOGM preparations.

What we saw was not installing of these lights but instead uprooting the lights which were in the city centre to be taken on the Jinja road as if the other parts of the city were too safe to require street lights. Today, the city continues to have darkness and some of us fear for our lives in the darkness.

On average according to the available data, KCCA spends 200 million shillings on power bills for lighting city streets and it was hoped that by fitting solar powered lights, it would reduce the costs and maybe the resources would be channeled to other things like maintenance but where are the lights?

We all know that KCCA employees are among the best-paid in the country. For instance in 2012, Musisi earned about $14,000 per month—over 36 times the salary of a government doctor and nearly four times the quarterly budget of a typical village health center.

The lowest paid KCCA worker, the woman responsible for making tea, earns $440—nearly double the amount doctors earn. This salary rift from other public institutions has been a cause for alarm with institutions like Makerere university crying out because of living in dire poverty due to low salaries and wages. The discrimination is alarming.

However, my simple question is you paid to make systems work at KCCA?

Why would you receive money from government in addition to the revenues you collect and still fail to provide the resources to maintain even the little investments that you already have?

What is the difference between you and a certain UPE school called Kyamuteera primary school deep in my village in Rushenyi Ntungamo which is poorly funded and has no functioning facilities. Their situation might be understandable but what about you?

I don’t find the essence of celebrating the festival when in actual sense the celebration is aimed at making us forget the stench behind the failures of the highly paid civil servants in the country and yet systems are failing as they sit and cough coffee in lavish hotels around Kampala. Clean up the Kampala mess and the celebrations will be for everyone.

The writer is a journalist.

Security was yesterday beefed at Buganda Road court as police produced the two youths from the infamous Jobless Brotherhood, to answer to charges relating to dropping colored pigs at Parliament.

The two youths namely Joseph Lukwago and Ferdinand Luta appeared before Buganda Road grade one magistrate Marion Mangeni, who has charged them with two counts of common nuisance and ill treatment of Animals by painting them and putting them in sacks. The duo pleaded not guilty.

The two accused Jobless Brotherhood youths in dock

The accused through their counsel Isaac Ssemakadde presented four sureties to stand for them on grounds that bail is their constitutional right, but State prosecutor Elizabeth Nandala protested stressing that the investigations were complete and the matter is ready for hearing.

She further opposed the substantiality of the sureties saying that some of them have failed to produce required identification documents required in law.

Tight Security outside court

The magistrate set the 23rd of September 2016 to deliver her ruling on the bail application and remanded the accused to Luzira Prison.

Meanwhile drama erupted outside court as a group of youth purporting to be Muslims stormed court to attack the jobless youth for what they referred to as a violation of their religion.

The according to some opposition figures was commanded by Kampala Central Member of Parliament Hon Muhamad Nsereko.

The group shouted angry at the Jobless brotherhood, for using politics to tarnish the name of Islam.

“Let them play their politics but not on religious lines because it affects many innocent people” said one Madina one of the Muslims protesters at court.

The State Minister for Animal Industry has declared a 10year quarantine restricting the movement of cattle in Isingingiro district, following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) there. All livestock markets have been closed in the district.

Hon. Joy Kabatsi Kafura made the announcement on Friday while addressing the Mbarara district leaders, extension workers and great farmers in the district.

The minister stated clearly that Isingiro has received a ban of livestock movement for 10 years until foot and mouth disease is controlled in the district.

The district shares a vast borderline with Tanzania, and according to the minister, the cattle keep crossing River Kagera and coming back with infections.

The minister said that vaccination activities have already commenced in the district to kick FMD out of Isingiro.

“I instructed the ministry people to vaccinate the whole of Isingiro,” she said.

Kabatsi further directed the veterinary officers, farmers and livestock traders to strictly avoid livestock coming from Isingiro district.

Speaking on the local farmers’ complaints about resistant ticks, Hon. Kabatsi urged extension workers to continue assisting the farmers as government looks into passing a policy on acaricides.

The state minister criticized government which liberalized everything in the country something she said has helped the sale of expired and sub-standardized chemicals for both crops and animals by shop dealers.

By Morrison Rwakakamba

Edward O. Wilson famously said, “Destroying rain forest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal.”

Beyond those fascinated by classic and legacy art, what do the foregoing words mean for us as Ugandans and the nation we love?

The Uganda National Forest Plan 2012-2022 reports that, within a period of 15 years, stretching from 1990, Uganda’s forest cover had reduced by approximately 1.3 million hectares.

Mathematically, this represents an average annual deforestation rate of 1.8 percent.

Going deeper, this also means that in less than twenty years, Uganda lost about 25 per cent of its forest cover.

If this rate of loss of forest cover is not contained, it means that in the next 40 years, Uganda will hardly have any tree left. Such is the grave state of affairs when it comes to Uganda and trees.

Given the importance of trees to Uganda’s economic development, human well-being and the environment, this puts the Country in a state of uncertainty. This is because trees and forest cover have implications for the energy sector, tourism, agriculture, food security and the lives and livelihoods of many Ugandans – and especially so the forest-dependent and forest-adjacent communities.

With all this illuminating evidence and projections into a bleak future, why are we instead of planting trees destroying them? Why was the much hyped and full of promise National Tree Fund never operationalised?

In fact, a number of trees sector actors have argued that Uganda’s efforts aimed at restoring the forest cover and promoting tree planting generally, gravitate on inadequate and lack of appropriate, long term and sustainable funding.

Yet in 2003, the Government of Uganda legislated for establishment of a National Tree Fund to promote tree planting and growing in Uganda. Let me ask again, why is it that after a stretched range of thirteen years this Fund has never taken off? What is going on here?

Background

For starters, the tree fund was purposely established to promote tree planting and growing at national and local level; and to support tree planting and growing efforts of a non-commercial nature, which are of benefit to the public good.

The fund was also established to promote tree planting and growing generally at the national and local level, whether within or outside the central forest reserves. One logic would be to ask why all this is not done by the National Forestry Authority? Although under Section 54 (1) (a) of the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act, NFA has mandate to promote tree planting and growing, its mandate is limited to only central forest reserves.

I recall that in April 2014, while officiating at the launch of the tree planting drive organized by the Go-Green Campaign activists, the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rt Hon. Rebecca Kadaga was quoted to have promised that the issue of the Tree Fund was going to be raised on the floor of Parliament to have the Fund operationalised. A deliberate search through Hansard parliamentary records show no mention of this on the floor of parliament. What happened?

I strongly believe a Tree Fund is necessary and viable. As Rosenbaum and Lindsay rightly argue, a tree fund is central to meeting of the forestry sector’s special needs for long-term planning and investment.

Tree Planting, growing and afforestation are generally ventures that require long term planning and investment. Short-term planning and investment based on the national budget cycle, which among other things require unspent monies at the end of each financial year to be returned to the Consolidated Fund is unsuitable for most trees and forestry activities.

One of the major justifications to have the Tree Fund operationalised is therefore to ensure long-term, predictable and sustainable financial support towards tree planting, growing and afforestation activities.

Others like Ronald Naluwairo, Amumpiire Anna and Judith Kyarisima have argued that the National Tree Fund should be operationalised because of its importance as a catalyst for easy access to existing and emerging international financing mechanisms.

Increasingly, many special financing mechanisms like REDD+ are more comfortable with isolating their funds from others and placing them under independent bodies, which makes accountability, monitoring and evaluation much easier. Broadly, I believe an operational tree fund is critical to help Uganda confront deforestation and promote carbon sequestration.

A tree fund would also support robust incentives that reward forest owners and farmers when they plant trees, restore grasslands, or undertake farming practices that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Financing

But how should such a fund be financed?  Under Section 40 (3) of the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act, it is provided that the monies of the Tree Fund shall consist of: monies appropriated by Parliament; loans obtained by Government; grants, gifts and donations; any monies required to be paid into the Fund; and monies from any other source approved by the Minister in consultation with the Minister of Finance.

Indeed in 2008, when approving the operationalisation of the National Tree Fund, Cabinet commendably approved that a levy of a small tax of 0.005 per cent of the market value of resources generated out of hydro-electricity and production of hydrocarbons should be paid into the Fund.

It is 2016 and the Country is still waiting. What are the obtaining explanations and who is responsible for shelving Cabinet and Presidential directives? A dedicated conversation needs to happen on this issue.

A Kampala based think tank Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) in a policy paper titled “Operationalisation of Uganda’s National Treed Tree Fund; A process audit and call for action” recommends pointed ideas to finance and guarantee sustainability of the National Tree Fund.

For example, the paper argues that Government should provide the Fund with additional dependable sources of revenue that should include a small levy of about 1 per cent on fuel, since once burnt; fuel emits carbon dioxide which trees have to absorb.

Indeed countries like Costa Rica took a similar approach to capitalize their forest fund.

Second, Government should consider levying a small tax of at least 1 per cent of the oil revenues.

The major justification for this tax lies in the fact that the oil production and refining activities emit a lot of carbon dioxide in the air, which the trees absorb. Also, some non-tax revenue from the NFA should be paid to the Tree Fund.

And by the way what happens to all that revenue from the sale of illegal timber and charcoal? This is perhaps a starting point to capitalize the Fund. Beyond the fund, it is a duty of every citizen(s) to plant tree(s). Each tree you plant changes a life. Like the timeless Chinese proverb teaches us, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

The author is the Chief Executive Officer, Agency for Transformation

mrwakakamba@gmail.com

If there has been any revelation for the Crested Cranes at the ongoing Women’s CECAFA championship at Njeru technical centre, it has got to be youngster Fazirah Ikwaput.

Just at 17 years, Ikwaput has proved she will be a force to reckon with in the near future.

Confident, swift and with a good sense of positioning the lanky forward has raised eyebrows after her brilliant performances against Zanzibar and Burundi.

However, Ikwaput attributes all her performance to the good coordination within the team.

“It is been easy for me to fit in the team, my teammates have been very kind to me and we coordinate well both on and off the pitch. We live like a family,” she said.

“The coach too believed in me and offered me a chance to play and I’m glad I did not disappoint,” Ikwaput explained.

The young forward was handed her debut on the national team against Zanzibar, a game in which she netted a brace.

Ikwaput also netted the solitary strike against Burundi in the final group A game.

Asked about how she felt helping Uganda qualify for the semifinal stage, the Olila High school striker said it was a great moment in her life.

“It is a special moment both for me and the team at large. This is one of the moments I will live to cherish given the fact that I got the opportunity to serve my country,” Ikwaput added.

John Ongodia, her coach at Olila High school where she plays in the FUFA women Elite league, believes Ikwaput has got a lot of potential to become a great player.

“I spotted her in Sironko district at the beginning of last year and I brought her to Olila High school where she played last season. Actually people are yet to see her best, because she is a versatile player who can play anywhere on the pitch,” said Ongodia.

Ikwaput has scored three goals in the two games she has played for the Crested Cranes.