Hima Cement has broken ground on the construction of a $40 million Grinding Station in Tororo with the plant scheduled to commence production in  2018.

On completion, the new plant will increase Hima Cement’s capacity from the current 0.9million Metric Tons to 1.9 million Metric Tons per year. The project is also expected to create hundreds of jobs, directly and indirectly through the supply chain.

Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony at the new site at Nyakesi-Rubongi along the Tororo-Mbale Highway, Daniel Pettersson, the Country CEO for Hima Cement disclosed that the Grinding Station is part of the building solutions company’s strategic investments and it will help to secure supply for the ever increasing demand for cement not only within Uganda but the regional market as well.

“The construction sector in Uganda is rebounding as shown by the sustained increase in demand for cement; currently at 10% per year. This is an opportunity to continue to serve our customers in this growing market,” Pettersson said.

In 2010, Hima invested $120 million in the Rwenzori Project, installing the state-of-the-art, environment-friendly cement production line at its Hima Plant that increased production capacity to 0.9 Mt per annum.

Hima Cement is also in the final stages of exploration for a limestone position in Moroto to support a future clinker plant.

According to Pettersson, these investments highlight the LafargeHolcim Group’s confidence that the long term outlook for the sector in Uganda and the East African region will remain positive.

“We are also committed to developing local talent; the Hima Plant in Kasese is managed by a Ugandan team; from Production Manager, Quality Manager to the Maintenance Manager. Health and Safety is at the forefront of all we do. We look forward to working closely with the community in Tororo through our various programs in Education, Health and Safety and environment,” he added.

The new cement plant in Tororo will be constructed by CBMI Construction Company Limited, which constructed the Rwenzori line at Hima Plant in 2010.

Officiating at the ceremony, Hon. Peter Lokeris, the State Minister for Minerals lauded Hima Cement for its continued investments that have over the years helped promote local content as well as value addition to the mining sector.

“The political leadership in Uganda is unequivocally committed to industrialization, economic transformation, modernization and diversification of production. As a reflection of this, the NRM Government considers the construction and infrastructure space one of its overriding and critical priorities. We are proud to see investors such as Hima Cement supporting major infrastructure projects of this country. Your expansion to Tororo will also be instrumental in opening up the mining sector and attracting more investors to bring about social and economic transformation to our people,” he stated.

He also noted that increased cement is vital in the completion of large infrastructure projects such as the Standard Gauge Railway and power dams that are aimed at bringing down costs of business and improving the global competitiveness of the Ugandan business climate.

Micheal Werikhe Gafabusa, the state minister for industrialization noted that the expansion of Hima Cement will not only increase cement production but also bring down prices.

He pointed out that cheaper cement is vital for improvement of the general standards of living in Uganda.  “In this ‘Kisanja hakuna Mchezo’, government aims to decrease exportation of raw materials and instead promote value addition of local resources. We therefore welcome the local production of clinker and cement,” he stated.

At the same event, Hima Cement handed over two boreholes to the community residing around the new cement factory site. This is aimed at helping the community access clean and safe water.

“As Hima Cement, everything that we do is centered on keeping our people safe. We know that access to clean and safe water is one of the catalysts for development in any community. These boreholes are therefore a starting point towards keeping our communities safe,” Pettersson stated.

Parliament has Thursday passed amendments to the election of the nine members to the East African Legislative Assembly to consider interest groups.

This followed a report by the Committee on Rules and Privileges tabled the Chairperson, Clement Kenneth Ongola Obote for discussion and approval by the house.

The committee proposed amending Rule 13 of the Rules of Procedure because they found it inconsistent with the verdict of the East African Court of Justice in a court case in 2012.

“Replace rule 13 as follows; The Speaker shall ensure that the members elected under Rule 12 in as much as it is feasible, represent the various political parties represented in the house, shades of opinion, gender and other special interest groups in Uganda,” read Ongola.

Ongola noted that this is intended to bring the provisions in line with Article 50 of the Treaty for the establishment of EALA and the decision of The East African Court of Justice in Reference to No.6 of 2012.

During the debate some members were opposed to the amendments and preferred to maintain the rule which only provided for representation of political parties.

They urged that the country only needs people that will represent the country at the assembly but leave other issues of the youth, disabled to be handled by the national parliament.

After all the deliberation on the proposal, Ongola read the agreed position of the House which was later put to a vote by the speaker Rebecca Kadaga and the amendments were passed.

As parliament prepares next week to start investigating the Shs. 6billion Presidential Handshake bonuses, Parliament has come out to respond to negative comments directed at the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, who days ago angrily daubed as “stupid” a Constitution Court order blocking Parliament from discussing the same.

The tirade is being fronted by Senior Presidential Media Advisor John Nagenda who referred to the Speaker’s actions on January 10th as ‘untidy’ and ‘intolerable.’

Mr Nagenda took offence of Speaker Kadaga’s charged tone on the Parliament floor in which she ordered the Attorney General’s office to return the ‘stupid’ court order issued by Deputy Chief Justice Stephen Kavuma, and have it vacated.

The infuriated speaker also closed down all parliament business and vowed not to reopen it until the order was vacated, saying “I can’t accept a situation where Court will dictate how we do our work.”

Kadaga went as far as writing to President Yoweri Museveni about the Deputy Chief Justice, in which complained of a “conspiracy by the Judiciary to undermine the powers of Parliament.”

In two consecutive columns in the government owned New Vision, Mr Nagenda has condemned Kadaga, — whose speakership he strongly supported early last year, — and wondered whether or not she was untouchable.

Nagenda says a high figure such as Kadaga labeling the actions of the Deputy Chief Justice as ‘stupid’ was unthinkable.

“…and the utterly contemptuous way she did it in full view of parliament and television had to be seen to be believed, nor was it for the first time,” wrote Nagenda, who went on to question whether the speaker is answerable to anyone at all.

“Who in the land and by what measures can bring the speaker to book?” He wondered. “Might the Parliament she leads do it? Might His Excellency the President? …the Chief Justice?”

Meanwhile Justice Kavuma has also personally written to Kadaga expressing disappointment in her actions. In a letter dated January 13, Kavuma says the Speaker should not have unleashed her anger about an individual court order onto the entire Judiciary.

In the words of Mr Nagenda, Kadaga seemed to have “careered across constitutional traffic lanes.”

Parliament today however, responded to this criticism, saying that Kadaga was in her right to stand firm against the court order stopping Parliament from looking into a transaction that blatantly contravened government laws.

Chris Obore, Parliament’s Public Relations Director said mordantly that Nagenda wrote ‘good English but with propaganda.”

Obore said Mr Nagenda was unqualified to start judging the speaker, who, since NRM came to power, has been in leadership and is the second party Vice Chairperson. There is a reason, he said, why Kadaga is the ruling party’s Vice Chairperson and also Speaker of the House.

“Kadaga did not attack the person of Justice Kavuma, but she picked the court order and said it should be vacated. The reason she deemed it stupid is because it extinguished Article 90 of the constitution. Besides, the court order had shut up everybody in the country. How can you shut up the whole country because some two people have complained?” wondered Obore.

“At no time did the speaker fault the judiciary, but the court orders which had far reaching complications and had already caused paralysis.”

Fortunately, Obore noted, even those who had secured the order realized that it was very dangerous, retracted it and apologized.

He said, “Judges say that judgments are open to criticism. Why isn’t the speaker — herself a lawyer and the first woman to open a law firm in the country — allowed to critique Kavuma’s order?

Next week on Monday, Parliament’s committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) is expected to start probing the Presidential handshake, where some of the beneficiaries will be summoned to give their justifications.

The committee was given 60 days by the Speaker to have completed this work.

The probe is in spite of advice by President Yoweri Museveni, who while addressing MPs from his party last week, said they should slow down on the matter and avoid throwing the good-willed and hard working officials involved in the Oil tax cash sharing, under the bus.

The new report by the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs on the state of Prisons in Uganda blames the judiciary for the increased congestion in prisons in the country, housing up to 3 times their designated holding capacity.

The report presented to parliament on Thursday by the chairperson of the committee and Mityana District Woman Member of Parliament, Judith Nabakooba noted that the overcrowding in prisons relates to challenges in the Justice system.

“The Committee noted that the Uganda Prisons service currently operates 249 prisons that were designed to provide a total carrying capacity of a daily average of 16, 612 prisons. As at June 2016 the population of prisons stood at 48, 422 exceeding the available capacity by 31, 810 inmates,” Nabakooba said.

The report points out that the overcrowding in prisons relates to challenges in Justice System which include; shortage of judicial staff, prosecution officers, investigators, missing of court files and fewer High Court sessions.

“In addition, unnecessary adjournments by judges greatly negate the trial process by making cases drag in Courts for a long time,” Nabakooba noted.

The committee reported that there are 209 inmates sentenced to death over the years some of them with advanced age who also contribute to congestion in prison.

The committee recommended that government should appoint more judges or re-appoint retired judges on contract to assist in reducing the case backlog in courts and congestion in prison.

The committee report recommended that inmates whose cases lack sufficient evidence be given bail as prosecution gathers more criminality evidence.

The committee also recommends that Uganda Law Society should encourage lawyers to provide pro bono services.

The committee was informed that prisoners who are committed to high court stay on remand for longer periods ranging from 2-5 years.

Legal scholars and practitioners have criticized African states for ‘posturing’ to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) instead of building strong criminal justice systems.

They argued that some heads of state have failed the test of democracy and resorted to witch hunting the ICC which they perceive as a threat to their power.

Africa constitutes majority of the parties to the Rome Statute which established the Hague based court with 34 countries in Africa as signatories.

However, some of these including South Africa, Burundi, Kenya and Gambia have recently threatened to withdraw their membership of the ICC. This defiance stems from the indictment in 2009 of Sudanese leader Omar-el-Bashir, the first sitting President to be indicted by ICC.

Several heads of state on the continent saw this as threat to their sovereignty and power, consequently they have refused to cooperate with ICC to have Bashir arrested.

In a public discussion on Africa and the ICC held at Serena Hotel on Friday, Dr. Kakungulu Mayambala, a scholar at Makerere University blamed this state defiance to ICC to absence of internal institutions to hold sitting Presidents accountable.

“Most African countries don’t have term limits for Presidency and their constitutions don’t allow for a sitting President to be tried in court. That’s why we need ICC,” Dr. Mayambala said.

Human rights lawyer Nicolas Opio also defended the relevance of the ICC which he said has provided justice to many ordinary victims when states couldn’t.

“African leaders are wrongly addressing their concerns. They should be asking themselves whether African systems have the capacity to try perpetrators of war crimes.”

“The question of Africa’s democracy is paramount. If you observe critically, all the leaders that are critical of ICC have something in common,” Opio said.

Mayambala and Opio both opined that the fact that justice has been served to some victims in Africa should outweigh the debate on whether ICC partially prosecutes African cases.

They accuse the same leaders of double standards – running to ICC when they are the victims but criticizing the same ICC when it seeks to investigate their actions.

Friday’s discussion also questioned the capacity of Africa to solve its problems when many countries have declined to be party to the Arusha based African Court of Justice and Human Rights.

“When we attempted through Parliament to domesticate the Rome Statute in its entirety including the sections that override the immunity of a sitting President, government ensured those sections were finally excluded,” Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago told participants.

However, others with divergent views, among them Supreme Court Justice Eldard Mwanguhya said Africa’s relationship with ICC is too tainted for redemption.

“The focus should be on strengthening our local justice mechanisms, after all ICC’s role is just complementary,” he said.

Uganda hasn’t expressed its interest to leave the ICC but President Museveni has at several occasions openly castigated the court for targeting African leaders it does not like.

Currently, all the cases before the ICC are from the African continent.

Security operatives in the western district of Kisoro have intercepted 5 former M23 combatants suspected to be headed for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sergeant Erick Munezero, Captain Roger Kubwimana, Captain Hategeka Ngiruwunsanga, Captain Freesia Musabyimana and Captain Patrick Mugisha who escaped from Bihanga barracks   in Ibanda district are being detained at Kisoro police station.

Charles Okoto the Kisoro District Police Commander says the ex-combatants were arrested Friday morning while traveling on an Omnibus registration number UAW 477K in Kanaba sub-county in Kisoro district.

Okoto said all the arrested will be taken back to Bihanga. He also said they will help security agencies to get all the former rebels who came from Congo, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will then advise on their fate.

Earlier this week, another 101 former M23 fighters were intercepted in Mbarara disguising themselves as passengers en route to DRC.

It is still unclear why the former rebels are fleeing the Bihanga camp where they were being kept following a cease fire agreement between Uganda, the Rebels and DRC in 2014.

Hajji Shafiq Sekandi the Kisoro RDC says security has been tightened and regular Police patrols will help in cracking down any wrongs element that may be using Kisoro as a pathway to DR Congo.

The United Nations has sent a new Special Representative of the Secretary General to South Sudan and also to head the world body’s mission in the volatile Great lakes country.

The New Zealander, David Shearer has become the third head of United Nation’s Mission in South Sudan,  succeeding Ms. Ellen MargretheLøj whose tour of duty expired in November 2016. Ms. Løj in 2014 took over from the UNMISS founding leader, Ms. Hilde Johnson who steered the organization since its formation on 9^th July 2011.

The UN Security Council’s 1996 resolution of 8^th July 2011, a day before South Sudan independence from Khartoum, created UNMISS.

Mr. Shearer arrived in capital Juba on Friday and was escorted to the UN compound by the UNMISS senior officials including Moustapha Soumaré, the Deputy SRSG , who has been serving as the acting head of the Mission since Ms. Løj’s departure.

Who is Mr. David Shearer?

The outgoing UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 13^th December 2016 announced the appointment of David Shearer of New Zealand as his new Special Representative for South Sudan and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Mr. Shearer brings to his new position extensive political and humanitarian experience.  He was serving as a Member of Parliament in New Zealand during his appointment. He resigned on 31^st December.

Prior to taking up elected office in New Zealand (2009), Mr. Shearer served as the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) (2007-2009).

Previously, he held several senior positions with the United Nations, including head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, senior humanitarian adviser to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Chief of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Belgrade, among others.

He has conducted various assignments with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Save the Children Fund, and the International Crisis Group, and is the author of numerous publications in the areas of conflict resolution, effective interventions for peace and humanitarian affairs.

Mr. Shearer holds a master’s degree in resource management from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Born in 1957, he is married and has two children.

President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday joined the people of Acholi Sub-Region in Northern Uganda to pay tribute to former President, General Tito Okello Lutwa, who he described as a man who used to work for consensus and harmony.

“Mzee Okello used to work for consensus and harmony. He was my very good friend, older like my father and we had a very good working relationship although we were on different sides and groups. We always talked nicely at each other, our families and our children were always together,” he said.

Museveni further disclosed that despite their political differences, he kept a good working relationship with General Okello Lutwa, which he noted, later laid a foundation for the new generation.

“The story of Mzee Okello and myself is a story of never misusing opportunities. I never want to be bad to people. When you don’t do bad things, you are planning for the future; and that is why it was easy for me to link up with Mzee Tito Okello and persuaded him to come back,” he added.

Museveni shares a light moment with late Gen. Okello Lutwa’s family after the service

The President was speaking during a memorial service to celebrate the lifetime contributions of the late Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa at Lapana village, Namukora Parish, Chua East Constituency in Kitgum district.

General Okello Lutwa served as President of Uganda from July 1985-January 26 1986. He died on 3^rd June 1996 aged 82 years old.

Museveni who laid a wreath on the grave of late Gen. Okello Lutwa in honor of his memory and contributions to the people of Uganda, also saluted State Minister for International Affairs, Hon. Henry Okello Oryem who is son of late Gen. Okello Lutwa, for resurrecting the memory of his parents.

He thanked the people of Acholi Sub-Region for working for peace and asked them to continue doing so in partnership with the Movement government to eradicate household poverty.

Mr. Museveni called on the technical as well as political leaders in the country to sensitize the masses against bush burning. He said that the practice has become a habit especially during the dry season. He noted that people should be educated on how to preserve pasture for their animals instead of burning it.

Museveni pays respects to fallen former President as Hon Sam Kuteesa, Hon Okello Oryem’s family looks on

Turning to development, Museveni said the NRM government has already done most of the things in the area especially peace and security as well as infrastructure, among others.

He, therefore, called on the wananchi to embrace the government programme of Operation Wealth Creation to chase poverty out of their homes.

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Jacob Oulanya, commended President Museveni and the NRM government for the development programs in the Acholi Sub-Region adding that the people of area are ready to work with the Movement government in addressing the remaining challenges facing the area.

Hon. Okello Oryem, State Minister for International Affairs and son to late Gen. Okello Lutwa thanked the President for honoring his late father saying that his presence at the service was a blessing to the entire family and community at large. He also thanked all the people for turning up in large numbers to honor his late father.

The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali, who was the lead religious celebrant prayed for the Okello family and all Ugandans to be peace loving citizens.

A Retired UPDF soldier in Kiruhura has written to President  Yoweri Museveni seeking assistance with his medical bills.

WO II RAV25550 Amos Atwongyeirwe, who also served in the old National Resistance Army (NRA), says he has been abandoned by the government and army leaders ever since he was involved in an accident while performing local veteran duties.

Atwongyeirwe suffered severe injuries in a car accident on April 22, 2015. He says he fractured his leg and has been rendered immobile since.

The retired officer is a resident of Kakoni in Buremba, Kiruhura district. He previously served in the army from 1985 to 2008 and was the army choir master from 1986-2003 when he was transferred to Kasese due to ADF insurgencies there.

He told Chimpreports on the weekend that his right leg was shattered in the accident which happened while he performed his duties, helping start a Veterans’ Association in Buremba.

Through the Kazo Veterans Association Chairman Ahimbisibwe Gerald and his Vice Lauben Rutangonya, Atwongyeirwe wrote a letter dated 05/09/2016 to the Minister in Charge of Veterans Hon. Bright Rwamirama but says he has never received any help.

He adds that the wrote to Gen. Salim Saleh who called him and promised to help but four months down the road there hasn’t been any feedback.

Frustrated, the officer proceeded to write to President Museveni himself 6th Oct. 2016 but there was no response either.

Atwongyeirwe wants government to take care of the education of his children which he says he can no longer afford.

He wants government to educate his 5 children such that they can acquire quality education which he never acquired since he joined army at 24 years.

In the interview, the officer stresses that the government must not always forget about the people who sacrificed everything including their families to fight to bring peace in the country.

In the letter, the officer quotes in the Bible, Ester 2:21 and 6:1-5 for the President.

Besides working with the local veterans during his retirement, Atwongyeirwe is also a Pastor at a Seventh Day Adventist Church in Kazo, Kiruhura.

There was drama yesterday in Ibanda, where the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Mr. Eliasto Akatuheebwa went to resolve a feud between two locals at Karere Trading Center, Bufunda Division in the Municipality; only to unravel much more than he anticipated.

The RDC, who had gone to settle a misunderstanding between a State House employee and a local councilor, was stunned to learn that the former had not built a toilet for his domestic employees.

Akatuheebwa ordered Mr Lawrence Byaruhanga, who works in the State House Finance Department and previously served as Ibanda District Finance Officer (We were yet to independently verify the State House position); to immediately construct a toilet for his workers in not more than two weeks.

Mr Byaruhanga’s employees, working mainly in his plantations and farms were apparently using a covered pit latrine, in an open bush a few meters away from the house.

Ibanda RDC Eliasto Akatuheebwa staring in disbelief at the toilet that was being used by Byaruhanga’s employees

The Feud

Byarugaba according to locals, developed bad blood back in 2008 with a local councilor, a one Erasmas Turyasingura, over the latter’s thriving private school, which was performing better than his.

As the misunderstanding escalated, the State House official went to police and sued the councilor for threatening to kill him.

Turyasingura was arrested by police and remand at Nyabuhinkye Government Prison for two years until court cleared him of all wrong doing.

Early last week on January 15 however, the feud rose again after the councilor complained that Byaruhanga’s workers were crossing to his home to use his toilet.

He blocked them from coming again to his toilet.

In response however, Byaruhanga rushed to Ibanda Police station and came with officers who brutally arrested Councilor Turyasingura on allegations that he threatened violence against his workers.

The arrest this time caught the attention of the RDC Akatuheebwa, who rushed there and sought to unite the two.

However, on learning that Byaruhanga had not constructed a toilet at his house for his workers, the RDC was infuriated.

He ordered him to complete the toilet structure within two weeks or face the arm of the law.

During the visit, the RDC was also told that Byaruhanga was maltreating his neighbors, and confiscating their livestock.

On this matter, the locals were advised to report such cases to police.

He also advised the State House official to learn to live harmoniously with other society members and also to look after his workers.

Speaking during the meeting, the area LC III Chairman Mr. Benon Keimutsya praised the residents for not taking laws into their hands.

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has Monday issued a roadmap for the election of the party’s new president as the term of the current president Gen. Mugisha Muntu winds up.

Muntu became FDC party president on November 22 2012 after defeating two rivals in the race; Nandala Mafabi and Geoffrey Ekanya with 50.6% of the vote, at a Delegates Conference in Namboole.

The FDC Deputy Secretary General, Harold Kaija told the media today that the party is now ready to conduct elections for the new president. A roadmap to be followed for this exercise came out today.

Kaija said that registration and picking of nominations by whoever is interested in leading the party will be on July 10 to August 12, 2017.

“Nomination of Party President will be on August 14 to 15, 2017. Open campaign will take place from August 17 to 31,” Kaija said.

Kaija noted that the party shall hold its Delegates Conference on November 2, in which they will have the new party president elected.

“The swearing in ceremony of the newly elected president will be held on the 3rd November. So those interested to lead the party should come out and pick nominations.

“We implore them to get interested in the process and start talking to delegates, do all preparations because we want people with good ideas to come and lead the party,” he added.

Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu has set the March 10th, 2017 to deliver the judgment in a two year old case where former Old Kampala DPC Joram Mwesigye is accused of assaulting a WBS TV journalist Andrew Lwanga.

Defense counsel Obed Mwebesa’s today informed court that he had no more witnesses to put to the stand after their fourth witness failed to show up today as expected.

After his submission, the trial magistrate instructed prosecution to forward its submissions not later than the 6th February and also the defense to forward to court their counter submissions not later than the 20th February.

Prosecution alleges that on 12th January 2015 along Florina Bar and Restaurant on Namirembe road, DPC Mwesigye assaulted Lwanga while covering news of the Unemployed Youth who were heading to Naguru police Headquarters to meet IGP Kale Kayihura, and caused him bodily harm.

It is further alleged that Mwesigye maliciously damaged a Panasonic video camera of another journalist from Bukedde TV Joseph Settimba on top of ripping his khaki trouser.

As preparations commence for this year’s NRM/NRA 31^st anniversary, Ugandans have been urged to always look back at where President Yoweri Museveni and his government found the country and what they did to bring it back on track.

The so – called Liberation Day is held annually on January 26 to commemorate the day that Museveni’s led National Resistance Army captured power back in 1986.

Ahead of the celebrations slated to be held in Masindi District, the Minister for Presidency Hon Esther Mbayo Mbulakubuza emphasized that Ugandans should never forget that before 1986, the country was on the verge of collapsing.

“It was a perfect example of a failed African state, it may not have reached the likes of Somalia of 2006 but we should all accept that Uganda had degenerated into irremediable political and socio-economic doldrums,” said the Minister on Monday.

While addressing press in Kampala about the national celebrations, the minister noted however that the country’s young population, understandably continue to care less about the country’s dark history.

“Of course, 31 years of life can be a long time for some people but the memories of life before 1986 is still very fresh in the hearts and minds of many Ugandans that were of age then,” said the minster.

“Even some of us that were small then at least remember “Panda Gari” and “Dukaduka”

Minister Mbayo then proceeded to remind the young population that before 1986 Uganda’s GDP had fallen by 25% between; there was an acute shortage of essential commodities which were bought either through Government allocation or on “Magendo” (black market) and that to access some essential commodities one had to get a chit from a government minister or a well-placed General in the military.

Today, she noted, even a four-year old can be sent to a nearby shop to buy mobile phone airtime.

“Inflation was 216%, it is now in single digits…Infant mortality was 122 per 1,000 live births, currently it is below 60 per 1,000 live births and it is on the decline, HIV/ AIDS prevalence rate was so high, now at 7%…” she went on.

“This was our Uganda by January 1986. It is the Uganda that the NRA/NRM led by General Museveni inherited after a five-year struggle.

Reversing such conditions, the minister said, hasn’t been a bed of roses, but nonetheless, the NRM government has managed to get the country’s economy back on track; revived the rotten infrastructure, and revamp the health and education sectors, while securing all parts of the country.

This year’s Liberation Day celebrations will be held in Masindi Town at the Golf and Sports Club grounds under the theme, Uganda’s Success Story Under NRA/NRM Leadership Is A Shared Victory.”

President Yoweri Museveni Museveni is expected as chief guest and a number of regional and overseas dignitaries.

The Young Achievers Awards, 2017 a platform that recognizes young people in innovation, social enterprises and other outstanding personalities have Monday been launched.

This year’s edition will reward 10 most outstanding young Ugandans in other categories like business, ICT, music, fashion, film, journalism, farming and agro processing among others.

The awards ceremony will be held on August 12 which will also be the International Youth Day.

At a news conference held at Kampala Serena Hotel, it was also announced that the organization of the awards will beginning this year be under the auspices of Reach a Hand Uganda (RAHU), a youth focused not for profit entity.

The Young Achievers Awards franchise was founded by two idea driven youths Awel Uwihanganye and Ivan Kyambadde back in 2009 to inspire the young flock.

“We came up with these awards as a result of our struggles at the time but we wanted to encourage young people not to give up. However, we are now out of the age bracket and thought it wise to pass on the franchise to a youth organization so it can give the awards new direction,” said Uwihanganye.

Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda who attended the launch pledged government support towards the initiative saying: “through this effort we can turn young people into talent and skills as opposed to the perception that they are useless.”

He cited ICT innovations such as Facebook, Apple and Google which were invented by young people but have since changed the world.

“Young people are a great asset to Uganda and their activity could transform this country into middle income status sooner than if they were spectators,” the Prime Minister added.

He especially encouraged youths to get involved in agriculture so as to increase production and exports.

Humphrey Nabimanya, the RAHU Team Lead who is also one time winner of the Award committed to propelling the franchise to greater heights and identifying outstanding individuals regardless of their locality or popularity.

“It is for this same Award that the various partners I have worked with have believed in my vision and bought into it. As RAHU we have the capacity to steer this franchise sustainably,” Nabimanya told the press.

On the issue of credibility of the awarding process, Nabimanya told ChimpReports that a reputable panel of judges will be used in addition to validating the on ground works of the nominees to ascertain if they qualify.

Nominations for the Young Achievers Awards will begin between February and March this year.

The Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations and outgoing commander of the Special Forces, Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has handed over command of the elite UPDF unit to Col. Don Nabasa, who will oversee the office in an acting capacity.

Maj. Gen. Kainerugaba was at the helm of the Special Forces Command for a period spanning seven years from 2010, until the recent changes announced a fortnight ago by President Yoweri Museveni, also the Commander in Chief, that shook up the hierarchy of the UPDF leadership.

“I’m very happy for my time in command of the Special Forces. We have achieved a lot, but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels yet. I thank you for your cooperation and support and also ask you to extend the same spirit to my successor,” remarked Gen. Kainerugaba in his address to the Special Forces Command officers.

UPDF historical, Hon. Gen. Elly Tumwine, was the presiding general at the handover and takeover function.

The newly appointed UPDF Chief of Defense Forces, Gen. David Muhoozi, the freshly appointed commander of the Air force, Maj. Gen. Charles Lutaaya and the Air Defense Commander, Maj. Gen. Gavas Mugyenyi were among the other high ranking army chiefs that graced the event.

Gen. Tumwine said he was happy to see the continuity of leadership in the UPDF, and was grateful to witness these happy moments.

“I can assure you that as new leaders, the work you have ahead of you is not greater than the power behind you; of God, the leadership, your subordinates and fellow countrymen,” said Gen. Elly Tumwine.

Gen Keinerugaba (R) with new CDF, Gen. David Muhoozi arrive for the function

The Chief of Defense Forces, Gen. David Muhoozi thanked Maj. Gen. Kainerugaba for a job well done.

“I applaud Gen. Kainerugaba for enhancing and establishing a mature Special Forces Command that he now leaves behind. I have no doubt that Col. Don Nabasa will lead and lead well. We have enough senior people around to help us remain on course through guidance,” said Gen. David Muhoozi.

Gen. Kainerugaba read his handover report to the attentive audience, and enumerated various achievements and successes that were registered by the command under his stewardship.

These include major infrastructure projects that greatly improved the accommodation and welfare of the force, as well as training and equipping that has transformed the Special Forces Command into a formidable formation of the defense forces.

Muhoozi reading his handover report

Col. Don Nabasa in his acceptance speech praised his predecessor for the great mentorship, and his dedication and commitment to transform the Special Forces into the lethal and elite unit that it is today.

Gen. Tumwine said he was gratified that younger officers who are able were now coming through the ranks to assume responsibility of the army leadership, which he said was one of the core missions of the NRA/NRM revolution.

He encouraged the officers to have faith and not to fear challenges because they had the requisite backing of the appointing authority, senior leaders their subordinates and the people of Uganda.

The outgoing commander of the UPDF Special Forces Command, Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has appealed to the new Special Forces Command leadership to maintain the discipline, cohesion, and work ethic of the elite unit if they are to achieve greatness in the future.

Gen. Kainerugaba, made the remarks at Fort Samora Machel Special Forces School in Kaweweta, Nakaseke District, at the commissioning of a modern dining hall for commandos some of whom are currently undergoing training at the Special Forces facility, the first of its kind in Uganda’s military history.

The dining hall is named after the late hero Fred Rubereza, one of FRONASA’s and NRA’s legendary bush war heroes who passed on in the early days of the resistance. Fred Rubereza was killed in a freak accident by a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) shell that he was trying to repair in 1981. The legendary fighter was a prince of Ankole and a beloved leader and comrade of many of the future leaders of the NRA.

“I’m very happy to be here, in one of my last acts as the Commander of the Special Forces. We have achieved a lot in the last seven years with many construction projects commissioned, which is unprecedented in the history of the UPDF,” said General Kainerugaba.

He revealed that nine years ago, he had scaled the remote hills of Kaweweta and dreamed of establishing the first ever Special Forces school there.

“I’m happy that Almighty God (in His infinite wisdom) has made my dream come true,” remarked the jovial General.

In a major military reshuffle announced last week, the President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces, Gen. Yoweri Museveni made several appointments and transfers of the army top echelons.

Amongst the changes, Maj. Gen. Kainerugaba was redeployed to the newly created position of Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, while Col. Don Nabasa was elevated to the rank of Colonel and appointed Acting Commander of the Special Forces Command.

General Kainerugaba thanked the SFC construction unit for consistently producing good quality work, which has tremendously improved the Special Forces accommodation, training, and water purification facilities. He urged them to maintain the facilities in good condition.

Col Don Nabasa, who has taken over at the helm of the Special Forces thanked the Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations for developing the force into a lethal and tactically proficient one. “We are very proud of you sir,” said Col. Nabasa.

More than 300 global and African thought leaders and youth agripreneurs will come together for The MasterCard Foundation’s second Young Africa Works Summit on February 16-17 in Kigali, Rwanda.

The event meant to spark new thinking on how Africa’s growing youth population can transform the agricultural sector. Fifty young people will also attend to share their perspectives on employment and self-employment in this sector.

“Africa is home to the world’s youngest population with enormous potential to improve agricultural productivity and make the sector a viable source of employment for youth across the continent,” says Ann Miles, Director of Financial Inclusion and Youth Livelihoods, The MasterCard Foundation.

“The 2017 Summit will highlight the contributions being made by young people to transform the agricultural sector from subsistence farming to a modern, competitive, sustainable, and equitable business.”

With 11 million young Africans entering the job market annually and the rapid expansion of the continent’s agricultural sector, young people are driving the modernization of agriculture through the use of innovative technologies and production systems.

The need for agricultural transformation on the continent, however, has never been more pressing. The increasing severity of climate change is already amplifying existing stress on water availability and food security in many African countries. And a growing youth population means this group will be particularly vulnerable.

Despite economic growth over the last 10 years, the continent has yet to experience the levels of agricultural productivity that historically paved the way to modernization and industrialization of middle and high-income countries.

The agricultural sector, already the largest sector for employment in Africa, is expected to create eight million stable jobs by 2020 and offers tremendous promise for catalyzing prosperity and creating sustainable livelihoods for young people.

“Agricultural transformation is a clarion call for us, the youth of Africa,” says Pilirani Khoza, Founder of Bunda Female Students Organisation at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “For decades, agriculture has continued to operate using the same static methods and technologies adopted by our forefathers. We must adopt the new technologies that are available to us. Youth are technological doers and thinkers, they are energetic and hungry for knowledge and they should be actively involved in transforming Africa.”

President Yoweri Museveni has praised Kakira-based Madhivani Group for their contribution to the economic growth of the country.

He assured them of the bill to be tabled in Parliament to allow the blending of ethanol with petrol.

“I would like to thank the Madhvani Group, despite the disappointment by Idi Amin. The family pioneered the production of sugar in Uganda. By 1972 they were producing 70,000 tons but today they have almost tripled the production to 180,000 tons,” he said.

The President was commissioning a state of the art ethanol distillery at Kakira Sugar Limited in Jinja district. The US$36 million facility, which is the largest in the East African Region, will be producing 20 million litres of ethanol annually.

Ethanol is distilled from the fermentation of materials containing carbohydrates or sugar. Ingredients for making ethanol include sugarcane molasses, grain, sorghum, maize and sugar beet among others. Ethanol can then be processed to produce fuel and extra-neutral alcohol.

President Museveni thanked the Madhvanis for supporting industrialization by producing industrial grade sugar used in pharmaceutical factories for making syrups, sugar coating drugs and also for making soft drinks.

He added that this move has not only saved the country the much needed foreign currency that would have been used for importing sugar but has also provided Ugandans with employment.

Kakira Sugar Limited alone employs 9,500 Ugandans and the Madhvani Group in general employs 80,000 people.

The President took advantage of the occasion to castigate the notion nurtured by some ‘distractive’ elements who impute that the factory is for Indians.

“I don’t like the confrontational approach as if Indians are doing something that solely benefits them. They pay taxes, employ our children and the money remains here in Uganda. Therefore, when you say Indian factory, it is wrong; it is Ugandan factory. The factories for Indians are in India. I, therefore, thank the Madhvanis for first producing sugar, electricity and now petrol,” he said.

President Museveni pledged to address the issues to regulate the sugar industry but urged the Madhvanis to partner with farmers with large chunks of land for production of sugar-cane, as the cane is not a high value crop. He said people with small land holdings should be left to do intensive farming like the growing of fruits that give high returns.

Turning to the issue of prices payable to sugar-cane out-growers, President Museveni advised the buyers and out-growers to sit together and agree on the prices taking into consideration the market prices globally.

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Hon. Amelia Kyambadde, noted that the ethanol project will create more jobs. She assured sugar manufacturers in the country that government will address their concerns. She congratulated the Madhvanis and the NRM Government for the economic growth being realized today in Uganda.

The Director of Kakira Sugar Limited, Mr. Mayur Madhvani, said they are developing very good relations with the 9,000 sugar cane out-growers who are paid Shs.150 million annually for their sugar-cane.

On arrival at Kakira, President Museveni visited the family of the Late Jayant Madhvani where he was received by the widow, Mrs. Meena Jayant Madhvani and Uganda’s envoy to France, Ambassador Nimisha Madhvani.

President Museveni was later conducted on a tour of the premises of the sugar factory in a cart driven by Mr. Mayur Madhvani. The President was also shown the 6,500 tons of sugar that is ready for sale.

Those present, among others, Kyabazinga of Busoga, His Highness William Gabula Nadiope.

Internal Security Organisation boss Brig. Ronnie Balya has been reassigned by President Museveni, Chimp Corps report.

In what appears a major shake-up of security forces, Brig. Balya is being appointed an Ambassador.

Balya has been replaced by Maj Kaka, an old guard in the intelligence community.

Maj Kaka has been gathering intelligence for the last 20 years from his base in Kalangala.

He owns a commercial property in Kalangala island known as Panorama Cottages and hails from Ibanda District, Western Uganda

Kaka served in the National Resistance Army (NRA) that brought Museveni to power in 1986.

The replacement marks the end of Balya’s reign as a top intelligence chief.

It’s said he was not at good terms with Gen Kale Kayihura who was allocated a big chunk of funds for espionage in the wake of the 2010 Kampala terror attacks.

The removal of Balya from the helm of civilian intelligence comes against the backdrop of a major UPDF reshuffle that saw high ranking army chiefs redeployed.

A total of 31 Members of Parliament facing election petitions at the Court of Appeal have petitioned the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and the Parliamentary Commission over their delayed money for cars.

In a letter dated 17th January obtained by ChimpReports, the MPs said they are entitled to new cars and the deferment of their money is adversely affecting their legislative duties.

“We, the undersigned members of the 10th Parliament, hereby log in a petition to your attention and the entire Commission over failure to transfer funds for purchase of vehicles as duly entitled,” part of the petition read.

According to the 31 members, ministers who are not elected MPs have also got money for cars even when their ministries have already provided them with cars.

“It has come to our attention that ex-officials who are already provided for by their sector dockets and do not represent any constituency have been paid.”

Parliament gave each MP partial payment of Shs100m for buying cars but those facing election petition cases were deferred pending the conclusion of their matters before the Court of Appeal.

Ministry of Finance is said to have given Parliament money for all the 431 MPs.

Half of the MPs with election petitions under unexplained circumstances have already got car money while the remaining 31 that include former Finance State Minister, Aston Kajara haven’t.

The MPs want Kadaga to authorize the transfer of their car money to their respective bank accounts.

Some of the 31 members are Paul Amoru of Dokolo North, Ngabirano Charles of Rwampara, Ngabirano Charles of Rwampara County, Amongin Jacqueline of Ngora district among others.

When contacted on phone, Parliament’s Director for Communications and Public Affairs, Chris Obore promised to get back to us.