South Sudan rebels have threatened to block the implementation of the Eastern Central Corridor infrastructure projects unless their leader Dr Riek Machar is consulted, Chimp Corps report.

“The Eastern Central Corridor Project will not work unless the SPLM/A-IO under the leadership of Former vice president Dr. Machar is involved for its smooth running,” said Maj. Dickson Gatluak Jock, Deputy Spokesperson, SPLA/IO.

“For all the services or items normally expected or required in the project: SPLM/A-IO which is controlling the large areas in Upper Nile and its resources should not be left out; otherwise the (project) would not be ‘a done deal,’” he added.

The Eastern & Central Africa Corridors focus on delivering an agreed set of activities that will enhance interconnectivity in transport through infrastructure development and trade facilitation.

COMESA, EAC and SADC (known as the Tripartite) have determined that transport inefficiencies and prohibitively high transport costs are among the biggest impediments to realising their vision of regional prosperity and have prepared an Action Plan for these key trade routes of Eastern Africa.

In East Africa, the Northern and Central Transport Corridors connect the people of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

These corridors also provide port access to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

The rebels said the Eastern Central Corridor Project which comprises “different layers that have to be implemented in different phases will be too expensive physically, financially and militarily because all the project sites are fully controlled by SPLA/IO forces.”

For example, said Maj Gatluak,  “Inland transportation from Ethiopia and Djibouti to South Sudan and construction of  Dry port in Pagak or Gambella, or any other convenient place, for incoming goods from South Sudan would be impossible because it’s we (the SPLM/A-IO) controlling all the routes and bordering the Western town of Gambella in  Ethiopia but not the government.”

It remains unclear if the rebels would pose a huge challenge to the regional infrastructural projects.

Any threats to the projects could see regional leaders raise a joint force to battle the rebels.

Currently, Uganda and Ethiopia have the deadliest militaries in the region.

Maj Gatluak said it would be “impossible” to construct the proposed railway line connecting Pagak (South Sudan) to Addis Ababa and Djibouti and the Refined Products Pipeline from Paloch refinery in South Sudan to Gambella then Addis Ababa and Djibouti.

“Without proper consultation and agreement with the leadership of  SPLM/A-IO, the following would be difficult to be implemented: Crude Oil Pipeline from intended refinery in South Sudan to Gambella then Addis Ababa and Djibouti, construction of Oil storage facilities in Gambella or Pagak , Fiber Optics Cable from Djibouti to Ethiopia to South Sudan,  Electric power supply facilities to South Sudan,   Financial interconnection between Ethiopia and South Sudan to allow the utilization of Ethiopian Birr between the two countries and Development of  Ethiopian Pagak border area to accommodate travelers to South Sudan and roads construction,” he added.

“To guarantee a smooth implementation, there is a need to involve the SPLM-IO. Otherwise its wishful thinking and all agreements would remain unworkable on papers.”

Trade along the corridors has a positive impact on the region and many initiatives have been undertaken to improve corridor efficiency.

However, corridor performance is still hampered by high transport costs, degraded physical infrastructure and national policies that are incompatible with regional goals.

Deputy Commander of the Operation Wealth Creation Gen. Charles Angina has cautioned youths against selling their family land to start businesses in urban areas such as bodabodas.

The General advised yesterday that land should be put to productive use to ensure food security in the country.

Angina was addressing youth during a Food Security Symposium at Hotel Africana on Monday organized by the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) and other partners.

Angina noted that it the responsibility of every Ugandan especially the youths to contribute towards food security by involving themselves in agriculture.

“I agree with the school of thought that bodaboda is good but it should not come first; rather retain that (land) asset than selling it to get a bodaboda,” Angina told the youth.

Agina gave an example that one only needs one season of growing onions and will be able to have three bodabodas.

“If you sell the land which is the greatest asset that you have and you go for the bodaboda, it means you have sold many bodabodas in exchange of only one. Imagine how speculative you can be, what risk you have on land and that on bodaboda.”

“Selling your land for a bodaboda, I will just take you for a person who buys shoes and socks but chooses to wear shoes first then socks on top. It must be the other way round.”

Meanwhile, the General promised to investigate the increasing prices on Agricultural inputs despite government declaring them tax free.

He also reassured on apprehending whoever shall be found selling fake Agricultural inputs and fake extension workers that have greatly demoralized farmers.

“One will end up with fake inputs because the corrupt fellows have taken centre stage to ensure they are the ones marketing what is fake. Operate Wealth Creation will soon expose these Ugandans and they will be reprimanded.”

Mufti Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje has expressed dismay over Ugandans selling all their agricultural  yields in a bid to get money, leaving themselves without food.

This he said Tuesday, is the major reason famine is peaking in the country.

The Mufti said out of greed, some people have reached the point of considering money more important than food.

“People in our country have suffered a lot and others lost their lives because of hunger. Food is very important and it should be treated that way,” he said.

The Mufti was addressing the masses who that turned up on Monday for the Aqeeqah (child thanksgiving) ceremony organized by one Musa Mugerwa Masaba, at Uganda Muslim Supreme Council headquarters in Kampala,

Pointing out that people are starving because they don’t prepare for scarcity, Mubajje said government needs to start sensitizing the people on food security.

“My own request to the government of Uganda is to come out and sensitize the people about food security and how hunger should be stopped”

Mubajje also blamed people who decide to sell all the food to buy less important things like solar power which cannot help them  sustain their lives.

In the past few months 3 different regions have been struck by hunger and in which several lives were lost.

By: International Justice Monitor

A member of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) told the International Criminal Court (ICC) that the Ugandan military began tape recording its intercepts of radio communications of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) soon after rumors circulated on local radio stations that the government intended to ask the ICC to investigate the LRA.

The identity of the member of the UPDF who testified on February 27 was not made public, including his rank. He is identified by pseudonym as P-003 and his face is distorted in broadcasts of the proceedings.

Witness P-003 began testifying on Monday when the trial of Dominic Ongwen, a former commander of the LRA, resumed after a break of more than three weeks.

Trial lawyer Julien Elderfield asked the witness when the UPDF began tape recording its intercepts of LRA radio communications. Witness P-003 said he could not remember the exact date.

“I began taping the LRA communication around the time when there were rumors over domestic radio that the president of Uganda wanted to send LRA to the International Criminal Court,” Witness P-003 told the court.

He later added that, “We know the intelligence chiefs were wise enough to say maybe one day it [the tape recording of intercepts] will be useful to help the Court.”

In December 2003, Uganda referred the conflict in the north of the country to the ICC for investigation. This was the first referral the court received after the ICC began work in 2002.

Ongwen is charged with 70 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Some of the charges are for Ongwen’s alleged role as an LRA commander between 2003 and 2004 during attacks on the Pajule, Odek, Abok, and Lukodi camps for people displaced by the conflict in northern Uganda. Other charges include forcibly marrying seven women, who were girls at the time, and committing sexual crimes against them.

Earlier on Monday, when Witness P-003 was prodded on the timeframe for UPDF interception of LRA communications, he said he remembered intercepting LRA radio communications by the time the Ugandan military began Operation Iron Fist in 2002.

Operation Iron Fist was the name the Ugandan military gave to its attacks of LRA bases in what was then neighboring Sudan (now South Sudan). At the time, the Ugandan military also attacked LRA bases in northern Uganda.

(On January 27, Witness P-059, who works with the Ugandan intelligence agency, the Internal Security Organization, told the court his agency had been intercepting LRA radio communications for close to 17 years.)

Witness P-003 told the court he received training in radio communications and intercepting such communications between 2000 and 2001. He also told the court that an instructor of his had been in the LRA and taught him how to recognize the voices of different LRA commanders. The witness said that while he was intercepting LRA radio communications, some of the people who left the rebel group were brought to him and they also helped him identify the different voices of LRA commanders.

He said in his office in the northern Ugandan town of Gulu he listened to LRA commanders talking on radio and took rough notes in English as the LRA commanders spoke in Acholi. He said he then wrote a more detailed version of what he heard on radio in a logbook. Witness P-003 said these logbooks were then passed on to different military commanders and intelligence officials. He said the logbooks with important information were taken to the Ugandan capital, Kampala, while he kept the others in his office in Gulu.

“Did you ever leave any information out of your logbook entry that you had heard on radio?” asked Elderfield.

“There were many things I left out such as greetings: ‘How are you? Fine thank you,’” responded Witness P-003. He said he recorded information such as LRA commanders reporting attacks they had carried out.

Elderfield asked him whether he asked his superiors what information he should include in the logbooks and what information he should leave out.

“I didn’t ask. They just wait for what I write. I am the last person. Whatever I write they just have to take it,” responded Witness P-003.

He added a little later on, “They don’t have the time to say ‘There are some things which you did not write.’”

In the middle of Monday’s hearing, Elderfield asked about LRA leader Joseph Kony and what he communicated on radio. Witness P-003 said Kony used the radio to issue instructions, and to announce prohibitions for and promotions within the LRA.

“And how did the commanders react when Kony gave orders?” asked Elderfield.

“Some commanders, when Kony issued an order, some of them would actually avoid it. Some of them would avoid carrying out that order,” replied the witness. He gave the example that if Kony ordered a commander to attack a particular place, the commander could say the rivers in that area were overflowing and they could not cross so as to avoid carrying out the order.

“There are some commanders who would not wait for orders. They would go ahead to please [Kony]. These are the people who would be promoted,” Witness P-003 explained.

Towards the end of the day, Elderfield played excerpts of three recordings of LRA radio intercepts and asked Witness P-003 to summarize them. He also asked the witness to explain notes he made on transcripts of the recordings that were prepared by prosecution staff.

Bukomansimbi Democratic Party leaders have commended President Museveni’s decision to appoint one of their own Nakiwala Kiyingi as State Minister for Youths and Children Affairs.

In a meeting with Minister Kiyingi at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel, the Bukomansimbi party district leaders urged the national party leadership not to focus much on criticizing everything done by government, including good developmental plans and accomplishments.

Hussein Kasasa, the party spokesperson for DP in Bukomansimbi expressed gratitude to President Museveni’s “political maturity when he spotted talent and appointed their own Kiyingi,” unlike the expectation that he would make each of his opponents his permanent enemy.

“We should give credit wherever it’s required and on this matter, although I don’t belong to the ruling party of NRM, President Museveni made a good choice of appointing a DP member Nakiwala Kiyingi” Kasasa said.

Isaac Lwanga, the Bukomansimbi DP Youth chairman advised all opposition members to be thankful for the “milestone of having a minister from the opposition.”

 “President Museveni was sworn in as the president of this country for a term of five years and whether we like it or not he is going to serve his full term. As one of the means of benefitting from this term, we should work as a team with our people in the government so that everybody can benefit from government’s developmental programs,” he said.

On her part, Minister Nakiwala Kiyingi appreciated her party leaders’ efforts and vowed to serve all countrymen regardless of their political backgrounds.

“70% of the people in the country are youth and are under my ministry. During my term in office as minister, I will ensure that people’s standards starting with the leaders here improve greatly.”

The minister also pointed out that many of the leaders from DP like John Ssebana Kizito,  Kawanga Ssemwogerere and the founder Ben Kiwanuka have all served in Government.

“The founders of political parties didn’t form them to create disunity but to foster development; I will not allow anybody interfering with development of Ugandans.

The Minister revealed that President Museveni together with DP President Nobert Mao are going to be among the guests  at her thanksgiving ceremony on 14th March in Bukomansimbi.

Kawempe South Member of Parliament, Mubarak Munyagwa has expressed dismay over the conduct of members of the 10th Parliament that booed FDC’s National Mobilizer, Ingrid Turinawe Kamateneti during the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) campaigns on Tuesday.

Members of Parliament, mostly from the leading NRM party could not stand being addressed by Turinawe, who has time after time referred to them as MPigs during her party’s defiance campaign activities.

According to Munyagwa, the actions by NRM members have set a wrong precedent and put Parliament in bad light.

“The way Ingrid has been treated is very absurd; she was treated in a very nasty manner; she is a dully nominated candidate for the EALA elections by the Parliamentary authority, allowed to come here and invited by the speaker,” Munyagwa said.

 “She came to the floor of Parliament and no one even accorded her a minute of audience which is very bad.”

Munyagwa accused the Speaker for failing to calm the house but leaving members to humiliate Ingrid before her.

“I pleaded to the Speaker to protect the candidate but she couldn’t listen to us, which is absurd.”

“How can you behave like that, what precedent are we setting?  Because they (NRM) are many in number, they think they should not be law abiding. If this Parliament is to move like that, it will be bad.”

He added, “Ingrid should come out and declare herself out of the race given the humiliation she has faced today.”

In her address, Ingrid noted that despite all humiliations, she had won since her intention of exposing Parliament’s backward behaviors was achieved.

In what appears a move to rally support from the international community, opposition strongman Dr Kizza Besigye has held talks with key officials in the British government.

Besigye said in a brief statement on Tuesday that he had a “meeting with Hon James Duddridge, MP at Westminster Houses of Parliament.”

Besigye said the lawmaker has “great interest in Africa and Uganda.”

The Ugandan opposition leader further said he “met and briefed Chairman, Hon Stephen Twigg, and Members of International Development Committee of U.K. parliament.”

It remains unclear what Besigye discussed with the British MPs and government officials but knowledgeable sources say it’s part of his Europe tour.

The opposition chief was recently in Netherlands where he rallied Ugandans in the Diaspora to back his plans to remove President Museveni from power.

Besigye further lambasted Museveni for presiding over a wasteful and inefficient government which he said has suffocated economic growth and human development.

Besigye poses for a photo with Hon James Duddridge MP at Westminster Houses of Parliament.

UK’s International Development Committee (IDC) monitors the policy, administration and spending of the Department for International Development (DFID) and its associated public bodies and takes an interest in the policies and procedures of the multilateral agencies and non-government organisations to which DFID contributes.

Uganda is major recipient of donor funds from British taxpayers.

The Committee is an investigative rather than a legislative Committee, setting its own programme and choosing subjects for inquiries.

Members of the International Development Committee also sit on the Committees on Arms Export Controls.

This consists of four Select Committees: Business, Innovation and Skills; Defence; Foreign Affairs; and International Development Committees meeting and working together.

Uganda Tour

Meanwhile, International Development Minister James Wharton flew to Uganda on Monday.

Wharton met with British businesses in Uganda and the Ugandan Minister for Trade Amelia Kyambadde to “discuss further trade and investment opportunities which will boost economic development and help the poorest stand on their own two feet, while also benefiting UK companies.”

The UK government said in a statement the support is helping Uganda and other countries “industrialise faster, trade more and create new and productive jobs for its growing young population.”

On a trip to a local family planning clinic in Kanyogoga, a settlement in Kampala, Wharton met people who are benefiting from a UK-aid supported programme that is increasing access to quality family planning services in Uganda, where half of the population of is under 15 and women have, on average, six children.

Family planning is an integral part of planning for Uganda’s future.

Uganda Cranes has lined up an international friendly against Kenya’s Harambe stars in Nairobi in March as part of the preparations for the 2019 AFCON qualifiers which kicks off in the same month.

Kenyan site Soka confirmed on the developments from the Kenya FA and when reached, Fufa spokesman could not deny the information.

“What I can say is we are organizing a friendly match and nearly everything is done,” Hussein noted.

“The game will be played during the Fifa international week in March as we prepare for qualifiers. We are likely to confirm before the end of the week.”

Uganda is Pooled in group L together with Cape Verde, Tanzania and Lesotho. The first match is scheduled for March 27th against Tanzania meaning the friendly could come few days before that.

Uganda Premier League
Police 0-2 Onduparaka

Onduparaka put up a resuscitated performance to recover from the obliteration they suffered against KCCA FC over the weekend.

The caterpillars defeated Police 2-0 in the Uganda Premier League game played at Phillip Omondi on Tuesday.

A goal in either half from Living Kabon and diminutive playmaker Gadaffi Gadinho condemned Abdallah Mubiru to his first loss as Police FC coach since joining the side in January.

The game initially scheduled to take place at Nakivubo stadium was shifted to Phillip Omondi stadium following closure of the former stadium.

Mubiru’s perfect start at Police that had seen him win 3 league games and 5 in total was brought to halt falling 2-0 to Onduparaka.

Livingston Mbabazi made several changes to the side that lost to KCCA FC with skipper Mohammad Shaban leading the line after returning from suspension.

Goalkeeper Richard Anyama also returned to the starting lineup after recovering from a finger injury and replaced Geoffrey Lowo while Iddi Babu made his debut.

Kabon Living gave the visitors the lead off a quick counter attack when Ceasar Okhuti laid him up on the far end to fire home in the 19th minute.

Despite several attempts to level matters, Police who were blunt and wasteful failed to break down a resilient Onduparaka.

Gadaffi Gadinho doubled the lead with eight minutes to the end of the game off yet another quick counter attack slotting home on the rebound after he had failed to put the ball past Yasin Mugabi on the initial attempt.

The result means Onduparaka remain third on the table with 32 points while Police remain 9th on 23 points.

Police starting XI

Yasin Mugabi, Yasin Mubiru, Arafat Galiwango, Martin Mpuuga, Ssaka Mpiima, Hakim Ssenkumba, Yasin Mugume, Rahmat Ssenfuka, Hood Kaweesa, Ben Ochen, William Wadri

Onduparaka starting XI

Richard Anyama, Saddam Norman, Adriko Gasper, Toha Rashid, Simba Sibir, Faizal Ibrahim Anini, Gadaffi Gadinho, Babu Iddi, Mohammad Shaban, Caesar Okhuti, Kabon Living

By Maj. Chris Magezi

Towards the close of January 9, 2017, deep in the night, the President and Commander-In-Chief of the armed forces, Gen. Yoweri Museveni, announced wide ranging changes in the command structure of the UPDF.

Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, an officer with 37 years of military service up his sleeve, was transferred to the Ministry of Works and replaced by Gen. David Muhoozi, who was promoted from Major General and moved from his previous position as the Commander of the Land Forces to Chief of the Defense Forces (CDF), Uganda’s highest military office.

As well as the CDF, the President appointed a new Deputy CDF, a new Joint Chief of Staff, and several other chiefs and heads of departments.

The transfers and appointments also affected the two main services of the military, that is; the land and air forces, as well as some strategic formations such as the Field Artillery Division, Air Defense Division, and the Special Forces Command (SFC).

Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba was transferred from his position as the Commander of the Special Forces Command to Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, after serving as head of the elite UPDF unit for seven years, one of the longest tours of duty in the unit’s history.

Only Col. Akanga Byaruhanga (RIP) served longer, from 1984 to 1993. The formation was then known as the High Command Unit (HCU) and then the Presidential Protection Unit (PPU). Maj. Gen. Kainerugaba was replaced by Col. Don. Nabasa in acting capacity, previously the commander of 1 Special Forces Group (1 SFG).

The SFC mission (www.specialforcescommand.go.ug), states: “to develop and operate a powerful and versatile special operations force that is situated within the unique Ugandan way of war and is responsive to the requirements of the UPDF and the nation.”

No one has encapsulated, and granted greater meaning to this stated objective in the context and history of the Ugandan Special Forces, than General Kainerugaba.

Under his command, the SFC has grown tremendously in organization, competence and lethality so much so that today it is recognized as a strategic and indispensable element available to the military leadership and the defense forces in military operations.

Indeed, the entry of the Special Forces on the battlefield of Mogadishu in July 2011 against Al Shaabab militants significantly altered the balance of power in favor of the African Union forces under AMISOM, rapidly neutralizing enemy snipers and dismantling the terrorist group’s command and operational centers in the ruined Somali city.

When fighting broke out in Juba between President Kiir’s and Riek Machar’s rival forces in December 2013, the SFC deployed, within 48 hours of a directive from the Commander-in-Chief.

They were the tip of the UPDF spear and were able to hold the ground until an expeditionary force could be organized to join them.

They quickly secured the international airport and other government installations in the South Sudanese capital.

Not only were thousands of Ugandans and foreign nationals working in South Sudan successfully evacuated, but a potentially dreadful bloodbath among warring ethnic groups in the capital was averted in time.

Internally, the SFC has participated in virtually all NRA/UPDF counter insurgency operations since 1986, starting with the total defeat of the counter-revolutionary forces that attempted to make a comeback in August of that year in Bibia in the then Gulu District.

Since then, the SFC (under various names), has engaged and successfully contributed to decisive combat operations against the insurgents of the Lord’s Resistance Army (or more aptly the ‘Devil’s Resistance Army’) in northern Uganda and the Allied Democratic Forces in western Uganda/DR Congo.

Key development infrastructure projects, especially training schools and accommodation facilities necessary for sustained institutional growth and stability have been the hallmark of Gen. Kainerugaba’s tenure as commander.

The Special Forces now boasts of 3 fully fledged training institutions that will serve Uganda’s future Special Forces operators for a long time: Fort Kasenyi in Entebbe for the Presidential Security Division (VIP protection), Amilcar Cabral Airborne School in Nakasongola, and Fort Samora Machel Special Forces School for Commandos in Kaweweta, Nakaseke District.

Fort Samora is the first ever such Special Forces qualification school in the country.

The SFC, as a specialized component of the UPDF tasked with carrying out specialized missions, is now mature, albeit with room to prosper even further.

Service

As a result, there are now ongoing discussions at policy level of government to transform the SFC into the third UPDF service, after the Land and Air forces.

Once implemented, this will be in line with modern military thinking around the world, where for instance the Marines, Special Forces, or Strategic Missile forces maybe organized as services.

From independence in 1962 to 1986, the history of the various manifestations of the Uganda Army had different Special Forces units.

They earned a notorious reputation for brutality and viciousness against the population. What were called “Special Forces” were in fact para-military forces that were formed for political reasons.

Therefore, those so called “Special Forces” were consequently behind some of the most heinous and extra-judicial killings ever witnessed in the political and military history of Uganda. This is a far cry from actual Special Forces organizations.

In purely military and operational terms, special operations (conducted by special operations forces) are characterized as operations conducted in hostile, denied or politically sensitive environments to achieve military, diplomatic, informational and economic objectives for which there may be no broad conventional force requirement (by ‘conventional’ here we mean ‘regular’ army).

These operations, sometimes behind enemy lines, often require covert, clandestine or low visibility capabilities.

None of the post independence Uganda para-military forces under Amin or Obote ever, in the remotest terms, came close to attaining these specialized military capabilities.

Today’s SFC is meeting the requirements of modern Special Forces organizations conscientiously; they are alert to the challenges and have proven themselves capable of achieving set goals.

That is a welcome development for any military establishment.

In a nutshell, the SFC, from its humble beginnings, is now a major component of the defense forces. It has proved of significant strategic value to the UPDF and will continue to grow and improve its tactical proficiency.

The Writer is the Spokesman, UPDF Special Forces Command

Kabarole District has passed a resolution banning the sale and consumption of sachet alcohol, following its adverse effects realized in the area, that range from social, mental to economic problems.

The motion was on Tuesday tabled by Edward Asiimwe, the Councilor for Hakibaale Sub County and seconded by Richard Tatina of Kijura Town Council.

Asiimwe in his motion pointed out that sachet gin has been found to among others reduce sexual performance of men.

“It also has diverse health effects ranging from mental to liver complications, insanity, blindness, deaths, domestic violence among others. Most sachet alcohol contains ethanol and methane as major ingredients which are health hazards,” he said.

“This cheap alcohol has also devastated the productivity of the people. People spend most of their time and money which they should have used to support their families, on the sachets.”

Denis Nkwasibwe of Rwimi town council supported the motion, narrating that six people in Kabale had lost their sight after consumption of sachet alcohol.

Timothy Ruhweza the youth councilor attributed the poor performance of the district in secondary exams (U.C.E) to consumption of this alcohol by the students.

The speaker Hon.Stella Kyorampe subjected the motion to voting and it saw majority supporting it; two councilors declined to vote and three opposed it.

The Chief Administrative Officer CAO Dunstan Balaba said that with the motion now passed, this resolution will become a district ordinance after consultation with the Attorney General and that implementation will start immediately.

Government through Ministry of Finance has Wednesday announced takeover of Uganda Telecom Ltd (UTL).

The development which was announced by Minister Matia Kasaija came after the company’s major share holders Ucom Ltd decided at to stop funding the struggling telecom.

According to Minister Kasaija, Ucom, a Libyan based company informed government of their decision to stop financing UTL.

They also ordered resignation of all five of their Libyan representatives on the UTL Board of Directors.

To this effect, the minister said government  had “decided to take over the affairs and management of UTL with immediate effect and will engage Ucom to ensure an orderly transition.”

The minister also went on to reassure the public and UTL customers that the company will remain operative with full government support.

Ucom is a subsidiary of LAP Greencom Network which is part of Libya Post Telecommunications, fully owned by the Libyan government.

The majority share holders have since 2014 been involved in discussions on how to revamp the sinking company.

Government was soon to approve a  draft shareholder’s agreement providing for a turnaround strategy.

Ucom’s decision to bow out of UTL follows allegations which are being investigated by Parliament, that the company was being grossly mismanaged by its top managers.

Ucom has been responsible for the management of the telecom.

Parliament was recently told in a report by Budadiri West MP Nathan Nandala Mafabi that top Managers at UTL were paying themselves huge salaries and allowances on top of other benefits.

“The Top Four; MD, CFO, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Human Resource Officer earn a total salary of Shs 420 m/month. The lowest gets Shs 60 m/month and the highest Shs 150 m/month. This is 1/3 of the salary bill for the about 500 UTL workers. These salaries are indeed the highest for such staff in any company in Uganda,” read part of Mafabi’s report.

“Over the past few years, this company has continuously been on a free fall that has reached alarming levels. If nothing is done to rescue it, it could soon cease to exist,” said Nandala Mafabi.

Since 2007, UTL’s performance has been characterized by heavy indebtedness, decline in market share and losses.

Recently, a frustrated  Airtel Uganda canceled its interconnect agreement with UTL after the latter failed to pay up to Shs 10 billion in outstanding fees and court fines. This meant that customers of both telecoms would be unable to call each other.

After the intervention of the regulator UCC and mutual deliberations, the agreement was reinstated.

Government stake

Government of Uganda which initially had a 51% stake in the company, was unable in 2006 to contribute to the required 26million US Dollars as additional equity to finance the network, and was compelled to reduce its shareholding to only 31%. Ucom raised the entire amount and upped its share to 61%.

UTL, up to now remains a key provider of fixed line services to most of government’s ministries, departments and agencies.

The company  directly employs 500 Ugandans and thousands indirectly, and is also a major contributor to the national coffers in tax revenue and fees to UCC.

Peaked Zambian referee Jan Sikazwe has been appointed to handle the Caf Champions League first round tie between African Champions Mamelodi Sundowns and KCCA FC on March 10th at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria.

Sikazwe took charge of the Africa Cup of Nations final match between Egypt’s Pharaohs and Cameroon last month.

He had earlier on officiated Real Madrid versus Kashima Antlers in the 2016 Fifa Club World Cup final.

Sikazwe will be assisted by Bruno Tembo and Amos Chalwe as the first and second assistants respectively. Compatriot Wisdom Chewe will be the fourth official.

The return leg will be played a week later in Kampala. The winner of the tie advances to the group stages while the loser heads for the Caf confederation’s cup second round.

Police in Kabale district last night rounded up 62 suspected criminals during a night operation.

The suspects who included 14 commercial sex workers were arrested during the police patrols.

Most of the suspects were found at Bombocha Pub, New California T &J pub and Accommodation and Oasis Pub while others were intercepted walking along the streets.

Dickens Bindeeba, the Kabale District Police Commander says the operation is aimed at reducing the rate of criminal acts since.

This, the DPC said, is a joint operation between police and the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), which was launched after locals complained of increasing robberies and burglary.

Bindeeba says all suspects failed to explain exactly where they stayed and couldn’t show any identification to the security operatives before they were arrested.

The suspects are currently detained at Kabale Central Police Station. These will be screened and the bad ones will be aligned in courts of law and charged accordingly.

Kakuru Turyatemba alias Rasta Farmer, one of the detainees accused security operatives of beating them during arrest.

Uganda Revenue Authority football club have officially unveiled Ibrahim Kirya as their new head coach replacing Kefa Kisala who was sacked on Monday morning.

The new club chairperson James Kiiza  who also officially assumed office today unveiled Kirya as the team’s head coach on a three year deal  in a press briefing held on Wednesday at the URA headquarters in Nakawa, Kampala.

Kiiza indicated the club’s recent performance was appalling and thus as the executive, they agreed to have a change in the technical team.

“The URA board sat on Sunday 26th February 2017 and analyzed the team’s performance in relation to the league and Uganda cup, we found that the performance was below average,” said Kiiza.

“The board opted for a change of head coach so that the club’s interests can be achieved, and that is why we have brought on board Mr. Ibrahim Kirya,” he added.

URA FC find themselves languishing in the 5th position in the league winning just five games and drawing a record 12 games despite the massive recruitment that the club did both at the start of the league and during the mid-transfer season.

The club President indicated that Kirya’s first task at hand is to make sure URA win the 2017 Uganda cup and also improve on their position in the league.

“We have tasked him to make sure that we end the season with silverware and thus the target is to win the Uganda cup and improve our current league position,” Kizza noted.

A delighted Kirya promised full commitment to his new job and promised to uplift the team’s performance.

“I’m happy for the chance given to me to lead and coach a gallant and winning team like URA. I promise to work to my best ability and help the club return to winning ways,” he said.

This is the second time that Kirya is coaching at URA albeit his initial stint, he served as an assistant coach to Alex Isabirye in 2010 before having spells at SC Villa and Lweza where he has been.

Kirya will continue working with the old backroom staff with James Odoch and Saddiq Wassa as his assistant and goalkeeping coach respectively. His first game in charge will be on 7th March against Sadolin Paints at Mandela National stadium.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has Wednesday ordered the Minister for Kampala Affairs Beti Olive Kamya to present a statement explaining where the displaced Park Yard market vendors were relocated to.

This stemmed from the heated debate that ensued after the minister presented a statement on the eviction from the market to pave way for redevelopment of the area.

In her statement before Parliament, Kamya said the Park Yard market was a property of Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium and was designated as a parking lot for the stadium.

Kamya explained that the land was encroached on by vendors but efforts to regain the space by the Nakivubo board had failed for over 20 years, due to political interference.

“This is a 20 year story of the owners trying to repossess their premises and have been haggling and no decision taken. If a government can haggle with illegal vendors for 20 years to develop one acre of land, surely what else will they do?” Kamya wondered.

The justification didn’t go well with the legislators from both sides who noted that this would not amount to the ill-treatment of the tax payers without prior plans of relocation.

The Speaker ruled that there is need to fight for Ugandans and that the government cannot continue treating citizens like rubbish because it is always the poor that are displaced.

Kadaga made the pronouncement after Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko appealed to the House to task the minister to come back with a list of all the vendors and where they were re-located.

Former Commissioner General Uganda Revenue Authority Mrs Allen Kagina (URA) has distanced herself from the accusations made against most of the government officials involved in the Shs. 6Billion Presidential Handshake; that they solicited for this reward from President Museveni after they recovered over $700million in tax arrears from oil companies Heritage and Tullow.

Kagina told Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) that while she was happy to be part of those that were rewarded for the triumph; she was not directly involved in negotiating the reward.

Kagina, who now heads the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), clarified to the committee members that she was not part of the meeting at President Museveni’s country home in Rwakitura, which discussed the Shs 6billion reward.

She revealed however, that she had prior knowledge to the reward as the President had earlier hinted on it.

“I was not in the meeting that discussed the handshake in Rwakitura, but I did know about the reward which was being discussed,” said Kagina.

“Before that meeting, after the ruling on the jurisdiction matter, April 2013, (where URA floored Heritage in Kampala and won Shs. 430million), there was a headline in the papers on the ruling.

“The following day, the president called me and congratulated me and my team and said I should meet him at Rwakitura.”

Kagina says she traveled to Rwakitura, together with the then URA head of Legal Doris Akol and Ali Sekatawa and met President Museveni, who thanked and promised to reward them.

“He said he would give us a reward. The words he used were ‘I will do something for you.’”

Meanwhile, on the question of how the team of 42 was selected to benefit from the 6billion, Kagina also told the committee that she was not part of this process as she had already left URA at the time of the selection.

Asked by members on the appropriateness of the reward, Kagina said she was happy to receive the Shs. 100million, adding that different people would have different opinions on what should have been done for the team.

“Personally, I was happy with the monetary reward. For a person to have preference on whether it should have been a medal or money, or any other gift is a personal decision,” she said.

Kagina today appeared before COSASE together with KCCA Executive Director Jenifer Musisi and former Energy Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Kabagambe Kaliisa.

At the time of the legal battle between Uganda and the oil companies, Kagina was the Commissioner General of URA, which insisted on taxing the 10% profit that Heritage was gaining as it sold its assets to Tullow.

On her role in the legal battle, Kagina said she among others provided leadership to the URA’s legal and tax teams which were on the case.

“I advised the tax team to study the transaction and to be convinced that it was taxable, because it was the first time that we were taxing an oil transfer of interest,” she said.

“I also participated in the inter-institutional meetings that negotiated with Heritage and Tullow, and was also a key witness in the Tax Appeals Tribunal together with Moses Kajubi, (the commissioner domestic taxes), Ernest Rubondo (commissioner petroleum) and a tax officer Robinah Nakakawa.

Over 50 passengers were Thursday morning injured in an accident along the Kabale- Kisoro High Way when a Kampala bound bus overturned.

Head of Police in Rubanda District Fred Wamunga says that the accident happened at around 8am after bus registration number UAV 119U, of the Bismarkan bus company lost control at Mubwindi in Muko sub county Rubanda district and overturned.

Wamunga says most of the passengers were seriously injured although no lives were lost at the scene. The injured have been rushed to Kabale Regional referral hospital.

The police boss blamed the accident on possible fatigue and reckless driving on the part of the driver, who is currently on the run and is being hunted.

This is the second accident in a week’s time to happen along the road. Last week the Rubanda district LC5 vice chairman Silver Baguma survived death after his vehicle swerved off the road and rolled down a cliff.

The Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn has begun a 3-day state visit to Uganda at the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni.

Prime Minister Desalegn, who is accompanied by his wife, Roman Tesfaye Abney arrived in the country earlier today and was this afternoon received at State House, Entebbe by his host President Yoweri Museveni and his wife, Janet Museveni.

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who has led Ethiopia since 2012, was treated to a red carpet welcome and accorded a 19-gun salute.  He also inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and also entertained by Ugandan traditional local troupes. During his visit.

President Museveni and members of cabinet holds bilateral talks with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and his delegation shortly after his arrival at State House Entebbe.

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is accompanied by a high-powered delegation of Ministers and high-ranking government officials.

During his stay in the country he will hold bilateral talks with his host, President Museveni on matters of mutual importance between the two nations.

High Court Judge Justice Joseph Murangira has upheld his earlier ruling that 42 year old George Makanda, a Primary school teacher from Nangabo, Waksio district who is accused of sodomizing an 11 year old pupil has to prepare his defense on the allegations.

On 4th January 2017 the same judge ruled that Makande had a case to answer after being convinced by the Prosecution witnesses who included the Headmaster of the school where the victim was studying, the victim’s mother and a Police officer.

Judge Murangira dismissed an application which Makande had filed through his lawyer Steven Ssegwanyi seeking court to dismiss this matter on grounds that he was detained in police cells for more than 48 hours.

The judge pointed out that all the cases that were cited in this application don’t apply since this a different case. He also noted that if the illegal detention affected him, he could seek redress in the constitutional court but not seeking withdrawal of such a serious offence

Makande’s lawyer Steven Segwanyi informed court that they are going to produce 6 defense witnesses and the trial judge adjourned the matter to 7th March 2017.

Pastor Solomon Male one of the Anti Gay activists welcomed this ruling and vowed to continue supporting the fight against acts of sodomy.

Prosecution contends that George Makande between the month of March and April 2014 at unidentified school in Nangabo sub county- Wakiso District forced himself on his 11 year old pupil whose names are withheld.