The Managing Director for the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) Eng. Silver Mugisha on Friday commissioned several public water service points and donated 10 rain water harvesting tanks to selected communities in Kanungu.

On his trip, Eng. Mugisha also inspected the Kanyampanga water scheme that is supplying water to 7 sub-counties in Kihihi, Kanyampanga, Rutenga-Kinaba.

Together with the NWSC team, he met Kanungu District leaders, stakeholders and customers at the district headquarters, a meeting provided an opportunity for NWSC to collect feedback for better service delivery in the region.

Eng. Mugisha shares a moment with community members after commissioning the water points

Speaking at the meeting, area MP Hon. James Kaberuka thanked NWSC for the aggressive network expansion in Kanungu.

“Kanungu District was known for the infamous Kibwetere massacre. Institutions like NWSC are accelerating development in the district.”

The tanks with a capacity of 10,000 litres each were donated to residents of Rutenga-Kinaba to help the residents harvest rain water.

NWSC MD addressing District leaders.

2 water points were also commissioned to serve over 400 people in Rutenga-Kinaba communities.

According to NWSC officials, the Corporation is working on a 5.2km water mains extension to Inshasha at the Congo-Uganda border among many others ongoing interventions to improve access to safe water in the region.

The Board of Directors of Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) on Wednesday visited Isimba Hydro Power Project site to assess the progress of the works.

In November 2016, UEGCL was granted full construct administration powers for the two Government flagship hydro power projects of Karuma and Isimba.

The Board’s visit is part of the strategic guidance and overall direction to UEGCL in executing this mandate.

Construction at the 183 MW project commenced on 30th April 2015 and is expected to last for 40 calendar months. The project is at 22 months into its 40 month project duration representing 55% time progress. Physical progress of works (civil, hydromechanical and electromechanical) is estimated at 76% as at end of February 2017, while general concreting works are at approximately 88%.

“The Board has noted the progress so far made, but has also observed a few issues that have been brought to the Owner’s Engineer requiring urgent attention by the contractor if the project should stay on course,” said UEGCL Board Chairperson Eng. Proscovia Margaret Njuki.

“These include the absence of some much needed specialised expertise on site and the none conformity to agreed repair methods for previously observed cracks,” she added.

The project cost is approximately USD 568 Million. According to the Owner’s Engineer (Energy Infratech), USD 225,788,825,78 has so far been paid to the EPC Contractor (China International Water and Electric Corporation), which represents financial progress at 40%.

The Chinese Business Community has donated equipment including text books, mattresses, computers, sports wears among others to Luyanzi College in Bweyogerere.

The community also announced student scholarships and plans to construct a mordern basketball court.

The move according to the community, is a way of giving back to the Ugandan people and also strengthen the relationship between the Chinese government and the Ugandan government.

“The Ugandan community has given a lot to our people its only right for us to give back. l want to assure the Ugandan community that this is only the starting point, we are going to do more,” said H.E Zheng Zhuqiang, the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda

Some of the equipment donated

In his remarks, State Minister for Sports, Charles Bakabulindi thanked the Chinese’s community for the good mission and asked them to consolidate their relationship with Uganda more.

“Education is a fundamental key to development and once we have educated people that means our goal of 2020 is on track,” he said.

“I am happy your teaching Chinese language which means your building the future of our children to understand each other,” he added.

President Yoweri Museveni has urged Ugandans to engage in modern profit-oriented agriculture so as to get rid of household poverty. He noted that whereas Uganda continues to develop under the National Resistance Movement Government, the presence of poverty in the majority of the households in the country poses a big challenge.

Addressing hundreds of people at Citizens High School grounds in Kaberebere Town Council in Isingiro district in Ankole Sub-Region yesterday shortly after commissioning a newly built fruit processing factory in the town council, the President said that the government has laboured to provide the needed development infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water and essential services like health care, free education but defeating household poverty calls the input of the citizens.

The Shs.3 billion fruit factory that churns out 90,000 bottles of juice daily of 350 millilitres each from locally produced fruits is owned by Mbarara-based businessman Dr. Nathan Kalema, a former civil servant who is now involved in the private sector development.

Mr. Museveni said that government has not left the struggle against household poverty to citizens, the more reason it has overtime put in place programmes such as National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and supported agro-processing as a national policy.

“We are not leaving you alone in this struggle but you need to play your role. Government is providing you with quality seedlings and breeding stock. We continue to support investors in the agro-processing sector so as to guarantee you the local market for your produce and also seek regional and international markets. But you also need to do your part and produce for this market,” he said.

The President said that in the struggle for agricultural modernisation, the government has resolved to promote irrigation to mitigate the challenges associated with the changing climate that has resulted in long drought spells. He stressed that emphasis will be laid on the use of solar powered irrigation pumps which, he said, are cost effective. He revealed that government has already attracted an investor to manufacture solar-powered pumps locally to make them readily available at affordable charges to the citizens.

Museveni takes a tour around the processing plant

President Museveni commended businessman Dr. Nathan Kalema for being a pioneer in fruit juice processing in the area and also for being fore sighted as well as for supporting government efforts in finding market for the farmers through establishing the fruit processing facility. He pledged total government support to the factory to ensure its success.

Mr. Museveni assured Ugandans that peace and security is guaranteed in the country and that Ugandans are free to work in any part of the country without interruption.

“Peace and security is guaranteed and no one can interfere with our peace. That is why we are a host of more than 1.2 million refugees who are running away from trouble in their own countries and live here peacefully,” he said.

The President, however, cautioned Ugandans over the deadly Hepatitis B virus that has affected a number of citizens. He called on the people not to lead promiscuous lives.

He said that although the government is ensuring universal immunisation of newly born babies against the virus, immunising adults is costly and quite demanding because it involved carrying out numerous tests before administering the immunisation. He, however, promised that government will do all it can to contain the virus.

Dr. Nathan Kalema, proprietor of the fruit-processing factory, hailed President Museveni and the National Resistance Movement Government for the good road network in the country. He observed that road network has made it easy for farmers to deliver their produce to processing facilities and to the markets.

He reported that his factory, which is yet to operate at full capacity, employs 106 people and receives fruits from hundreds of farmers from Isingiro district and the neighbouring districts in the Ankole Sub-Region.

He disclosed that the factory has received fruit supplies worth Shs. 300 million shillings in the last three months. He said Uganda’s fruit juice is more desired abroad adding that he had already received enough orders from countries in the region and outside Africa as well.

The Kyabazinga of Busoga William Gabula Nadiope IV received an ecstatic welcome as he visited Bunhya Chiefdom in Mayuge district where he launched part of a Community Service program.

This is the first community service program to be launched by the Kyabazinga since his appointment and it will run under the theme “Okukuma Obuyondho n’obutonde kyabya buwangwa bwaife” meaning”Promoting Hygiene and Environment is part of our Culture”.

On his way at Misoli landing site, the Kyabazinga while atop a vehicle kept on waving to his subjects who thronged the road to welcome him.

Kyabazinga launching immunisation at Kagandalo health centre

At Misoli, he launched Fish farming projects for Misoli and Ntinkalu fish farming Associations with a call to association members to be transparent and accountable for every activity they undertake.

The Kyabazinga visited Arise Africa International babies’ home, an NGO that cares for orphans and vulnerable children, visited Busoga Forest Company timber factory at Bukaleeba forest, officially opened Success SACCO and later Ahlul Bait Foundation at Buyemba village.

At Ahlul Bait Foundation, he administered a Polio vaccine to a 9 month old baby and further commissioned a classroom block at Tawheed Institution.

Kyabazinga commissions Arise babies home in Mayuge

He was accompanied by the Mayuge District LC 5 Omar Bongo Muwaya, Mayuge district woman MP Julie Mukoda Zaabwe, Busoga Kingdom royal chiefs and Ministers, Busoga Kingdom’s First Prime Minister Dr. Muhamad Lubega and other Politicians among others.

He has continued to Bunhole Bunanhumba chiefdom to launch community service which will later enroll to the whole of Busoga kingdom.

President Yoweri Museveni has received and held a meeting with the German Ambassador to Uganda, Dr. Peter-Christof Blomeyer.

During the meeting that took place this afternoon at State House, Entebbe, the President and the German Envoy discussed issues of mutual interest between Uganda and Germany.

Germany is one of the contributors to the recently rehabilitated and extended Ggaba Water Treatment Complex.

The Euros 212million water project is also co-supported by France, the European Union and the Government of Uganda.

Golfers from the Uganda Golf Club Friday raised a sum of Sh. 50million through the Hope Ward Initiative Tournament organized by the International Medical Foundation (IMF), aimed at offering medical treatment and surgery to newborns with birth defects.

The tournament saw teams participating in the fundraising drive where the overall winners were the Pacific Diagnostic headed by Lt. Gen. Ivan Koreta.

IMF Council chairperson, Dr. Ian Clerk told the media during the fundraising drive at Golf Club on Friday that The Hope Ward Initiative which is under IMF was started in 2016 with the aim of alleviating the pain and suffering of the less advantaged through provision of complex medical care and surgery.

“The money raised tonight is to primarily help where we can, needy children; last year we did a number of cases with pediatrics from Mulago hospital for kids which had Esophageal atresia, a defect that occurs when the food pipe doesn’t join to the stomach and if not fixed, the child dies within a few days,” noted Dr. Ian.

“These are the kind of cases that we want to do and the International Hospital Kampala (IHK) has good Pediatric intensive care which facilities we can use to help in such cases.”

“Also IMF does a lot of work in the slum areas in terms of offering HIV Counseling, treating and detecting TB, counseling on reproductive health and Cancer treatment.”

Dr. Ian added that a total of five babies have so far benefited since money was raised last year, one of who was born without the anus.

“Shantal underwent an intensive operation which was successful, she is now living a normal life,” said her joyous mother only known as Sophie while appreciating Hope Ward Initiative.

The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has suspended the Kiyindi Ferry Service over failure of pontoon sections of floating structure. The ferry connects Buvuma Islands to Kampala and Jinja.

According to Allan Ssempebwa Kyobe, the Manager for Media Relations at UNRA, the ferry experienced the failure on Tuesday March 7^th and that the halt in operations is to ensure safety of passengers.

“The ferry’s operations have been halted because it is not safe for public use,” said Kyobe in a statement.

“This is to allow our maintenance team to remove and repair the damaged pontoons. As soon as the repairs are done, we will restore the ferry to its normal operations,” he added.

Kyobe said that in the meantime, the route will be served by a ferry of reduced capacity until the main one is fixed.

“We would like to inform the public that we are also working towards rehabilitating the former Bukakata Ferry so that we have a more reliable ferry across the Islands by November 2017,” he said.

Rwanda security services have recovered leaflets left behind by armed gunmen who killed two people on Sunday morning before escaping back to Burundi, Chimp Corps report.

The banners bore inscription, ‘FDD,’ an abbreviation for Forces for the Defense of Democracy.

FDD is member of Burundi’s ruling coalition party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy–Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD).

It remains unclear if this was a diversion or the militants indeed wanted to send a strong signal to Rwanda of possible large scale attacks in future.

The incident occurred at 1:00am in Kabuga village, Ryankana cell, Bugarama Sector in Rusizi district, according to Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) spokesperson, Lt Col René Ngendahimana.

He said one of the killed persons and the wounded were guarding a Health Post, while the second victim is a boy aged 12 years.

Burundi government is yet to speak out on the incident that could escalate tensions between Bujumbura and Kigali.

Residents told ChimpReports the attackers were at first intercepted by guards who asked them to present their identification particulars.

“The guards were caught unawares and shot immediately by the attackers,” said a source who preferred anonymity so as to speak freely.

The attackers later descended on a boy, 12, who was taken out of action. Several others fled with bullet wounds.

The suspected trained militia also laid petrol bomb traps in the area before returning to Burundi.

Imbonerakure

A highly placed official said Rwanda suspects the militia group known as Imbonerakure for masterminding the attack.

The Imbonerakure (the Kirundi word for “those that see far”) is the youth wing of the Burundi ruling party, CNDD-FDD.

Imbonerakure members have been accused by United Nations of beatings and injuries, extrajudicial killings, banditry as well as political killings.

The Imbonerakure is also suspected of collaboration with the Burundian authorities in harassing and attacking members of opposition political parties as well as opponents.

Such collusion is allegedly achieved by means of integration into administrative activities at the ground level of the national intelligence service (Service National De Renseignement – SNR) as well as cooperation with the Burundi police and the National Defence Force.

A spokesperson for the Burundi police has repeatedly denied allegations of complicity.

Government officials also insist the youth movement is peaceful and never participates in the alleged killings.

Addressing the terrified civilians in Rusizi, area Mayor Frederic Harelimana appealed for calm.

He said more security forces have been deployed in the area to beef up security and that night patrols would be intensified.

The Mayor told civilians to always report suspected wrong elements in society to allow authorities take preemptive action for common security.

The deceased were identified as Benjamin Manirafasha, 31, Jerome Ntabanganyimana, 12 and Said Ndikuryayo, 27.

Lt Col Ngendahimana said “investigations into the incident have started to establish the identity of the attackers”.

A militia group in Burundi last year crossed into Rwanda before shooting dead a one Jean Kwizera.

Livestock and food were also looted in the process.

The two countries have in recent years made counter accusations of supporting rebel movements.

By: Tom Maliti

The former escort of Dominic Ongwen, who is on trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC), described a meeting that took place before an attack on an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp.

Witness P-330 told the court on Friday about a meeting Ongwen had with the then deputy leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Vincent Otti, and other commanders before launching an attack on a northern Uganda town, Pajule, where there was a camp for people displaced by the conflict in the region.

Ongwen is charged for his involvement in the attack on Pajule that took place on or about October 10, 2003. The date of this attack on Pajule is a fact that the prosecution and the defense have agreed upon. On Friday, Witness P-330 said he could not remember the month or year the attack took place, but he remembers it took place on the 10th.

Ongwen is charged with attacking three other IDP camps located in Odek, Abok, and Lukodi. He is also charged with forcibly marrying seven women and committing sexual crimes against them. In total, Ongwen faces 70 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On Friday, Witness P-330 told the court that as an escort he was required to always be behind Ongwen when he was walking, carry his gun and chair, and prepare his tent each night.

He said that during the meeting to plan the attack on Pajule, he and escorts of the other commanders were not within earshot of the group as they talked. However, the escorts remained in sight as the meeting went on.

“They [Ongwen, Otti, and the other leaders] met, and they had peace talk. When they say peace talk that means only the commanders meet,” said Witness P-330, explaining why the escorts were not supposed to hear what was being discussed.

Witness P-330 described to the court how LRA fighters avoided shooting each other during an attack like the one on Pajule. He said an LRA fighter would call out, “Lakwena.” If the other person responded that meant that person was a fellow LRA fighter, and they would not shoot at them. If the person failed to respond that meant that person was a government soldier, and the LRA fighter would shoot at the person.

Several times during Friday’s hearing the witness referred to LRA members calling each other “The Holy.” This is another fact agreed between the prosecution and the defense. According to the prosecution’s pre-trial brief, “Lakwena,” was used in the LRA as another way of referring to “The Holy.”

The witness gave further details about the attack on Pajule in private session.

Witness P-330 also told the court that he participated in other attacks on Odek, Abok, and Opit.

Trial lawyer Beti Hohler asked him, “What about a camp in Bario?”

“Yes we went and unleashed havoc in Bario camp,” the witness said.

Before his testimony about the attacks, Witness P-330 told the court about how he was abducted, trained, and then became an escort to Ongwen.

He said he could not remember the year he was abducted, but he knows he was a captive of another group when Ongwen and his fighters abducted him and others.

“They took me to a trench and took off my shirt,” Witness P-330 told the court.

He said he was told to kneel down and was “beaten with a wire.”

“That was my initiation into the [Lord’s Resistance] Army,” the witness said.

After that he said they were in Uganda for between three to four months before walking to Sudan, where they were to be trained.

“When we were going to Sudan, it took us two days, and we walked without sleeping. My feet were swollen,” said Witness P-330. He said he found it difficult to walk and was about to be killed by an LRA fighter guarding him, but Ongwen stopped the fighter from killing him. The witness said Ongwen told the guard he was young and would help “swell the ranks” of the LRA. Witness P-330 said older people who could not walk because of their swollen feet were killed.

“They would hit you at the back of your head,” the witness said.

Once in Sudan, Witness P-330 said each of the newly abducted boys was given a uniform, or what he called, “Sudanese-type uniform.” He said they were also given a gun, which had a bayonet. Part of the training was filling a bag with stones and walking long distances with it, the witness said. He told the court they also were trained on how to use guns.

“You’d get up and walk. Move one step. Pick up your gun. Cock it and fire. Then you would move the spring, take off the cover and take out the cocking handle and then clean it. We were taught how to dismantle the gun and put it back together,” Witness P-330 said. He said their trainer was a man called Okello, who was deputy to Ongwen.

“Did you learn anything about how to behave in an ambush?” asked Hohler.

“Yes, we were told how to protect yourselves when you get into an ambush. They told us, they showed us how we are to fall, how we are to roll, how we are to fire our guns, and how to change our positions when we are in battle,” the witness said.

Sometime after they completed their training, Witness P-330 said LRA leader Joseph Kony talked to them. He said Kony sat on a hill as he addressed the new trainees.

The witness told the court Kony said, “The fight that he is fighting is for the Acholi people. He is not fighting for anything else. Our salary would be the meat that we get.”

At the end of the training, Witness P-330 said he was issued a gun with a bayonet, and he was given six magazines in addition to the one that was already in the gun. He said he was given two grenades as well.

The witness said he became Ongwen’s escort by accident. He told the court the person who was Ongwen’s escort accidently shot a son of Ongwen, and he was imprisoned after that. Witness P-330 said they walking in the bush, and the escort’s gun was accidentally triggered by something in the bush and went off and shot Ongwen’s son.

He said he was then ordered to take the Ongwen’s chair that the escort had been carrying. The witness said when he took the chair, Ongwen continued walking forward, and he followed Ongwen and that is how he became Ongwen’s escort.

The witness told the court that his duties included pitching Ongwen’s tent in the evening.

“I would be the one to make the place, and sometimes I would ask one of the girls to go and get some grass so as to use to make his bed. I would also call one of the girls to come and help me because there were many girls in Ongwen’s household,” the witness said.

Before Witness P-330 began his testimony, Presiding Judge Bertram Schmitt said he is being protected from self-incrimination by having a lawyer present to advise where his testimony may incriminate him. Judge Schmitt also said any testimony the witness would give that is self-incriminating would be heard in private session.

The judge added that any self-incriminatory testimony the witness gave would “not be used directly or indirectly against you in any subsequent proceedings in this court.”

He said he and his fellow judges of Trial Chamber IX made this decision keeping in mind the court’s Rules of Procedure and Evidence, particularly Rule 74(5). Rule 74 lays out how a chamber will deal with cases of self-incrimination. Clause 5 of that rule sets out the criteria a chamber will use in determining whether to hear self-incriminating evidence.

Witness P-330 is the second witness in the Ongwen trial for whom the chamber has invoked Rule 74(5) in order to hear their testimony. The first witness was P-205. Witness P-205, a former LRA commander, concluded his testimony on Friday morning. He testified mostly in private session.

Forum for Democratic Change President Gen Mugisha Muntu is facing an impeachment threat, Chimpreports has learnt.

The impeachment plot is being pushed by party leaders from West Budama North Constituency in Eastern Uganda.

These on March 6th wrote a letter to the party Chairman Wasswa Birigwa and the National Delegates about the said impeachment proposal.

Najjanankumbi remains principally silent about the letter which Chimpreports has seen.

“I really don’t comment about letters; you might want to talk to the party spokesperson,” said Harold Kaija the FDC Deputy Secretary General when we reached him for a comment.

The spokesperson Hon. Semujju Nganda had his phones off through Monday morning, while our efforts to get through to Secretary General Nandala Mafabi and the party President Muntu were still futile as they wouldn’t pick.

In the letter, the Budama party leaders list a number of accusations against the party President — whose term in office runs out this year.

These, led by their Constituency Chairman Bernard Osinde claim Muntu has failed on many fronts and flouted some party rules to favor his reelection later this year.

Mr Osinde told us on phone that they sat as the constituency party leadership and decided to write to Kampala, seeking Muntu’s removal.

 “He has failed on his constitutional duty of fully constituting the party structures…a case in reference is his failure to appoint the deputies to NEC as per Article 21. It is obvious that he has opted to do so to target votes for his reelection in November,” read part of their letter.

According to the recently released road map, the leading opposition party is slated to hold its presidential elections on November 2^nd this year.

Muntu is also being accused of “usurping the powers of his Secretary General, citing the recently concluded EALA elections, where he supposedly took on the powers of Nandala to determine party candidates for the race.

His efforts were nonetheless rejected by Parliament, and both FDC candidates proceeded to lose in the general elections.

Gen Muntu has since the start of his tenure in 2012 at the helm of FDC, faced significant resistance from a section of party members leaning more toward his predecessor Col Dr Kizza Besigye. This faction has been described by critics as more “radicalized.”

It is apparent that the angry members from Budama subscribe to this group, as they, in their letter accuse Muntu of failing to “defend FDC’s victory in the past presidential elections.”

“This is interpreted by most Ugandans that Muntu is powerless but comfortable; he is willing to sacrifice the hard work, determination and sacrifices for change by the young generation…,” they wrote.

“Based on the above, we are convinced beyond doubt that our vision bearer, the party president has gone against our constitution, abused the mandate of the delegates’ conference, and has proved to be against the principles, values and the core objectives of the struggle of the party.

It remains unclear whether the party leadership is in possession of the said letter and what course of action, if so, will be taken.

Commenting on the weekend about the letter, FDC’s Paul Mwiru said during a televised interview that once they have it, the party has internal mechanisms in place through which they will address the members’ expressed concerns.

FDC President Gen Grigory Mugisha Muntu has expressed willingness to discuss with disgruntled party members who in the past few days have been pushing for his impeachment.

Muntu while reacting briefly to a letter sent out to the party headquarters from leaders from West Budama North Constituency, said under his leadership every member is free to express their feelings and is entitled to a chance to be hard.

He said however, that he is yet to receive the letter, in which the West Budama members want the FDC Delegates to set in motion the process of Muntu’s impeachment.

“As a party, we are an open; if one wants to impeach me they are allowed to come forward; FDC encourages transparency,” said Muntu.

The angry members, through their constituency Chairman Chairman Bernard Osinde claim Muntu has failed on many fronts and flouted some party rules to favor his reelection later this year.

“He has failed on his constitutional duty of fully constituting the party structures…a case in reference is his failure to appoint the deputies to NEC as per Article 21. It is obvious that he has opted to do so to target votes for his reelection in November,” read part of their letter.

The move comes with only a few months left to the end of Gen Muntu’s five year term as FDC President. The next elections are slated for November 2^nd this year.

Asked by our reporter on whether or not he will be running for a second term, Muntu said at a press conference today, that he will make known of his intentions at a later date.

The Ministry of Public Service has rolled out a pensioner verification and census exercise throughout the country.

The 2 week exercise according to the Ministry’s Under Secretary Mr. Emmanuel Mugunga is intended to weed out ghost pensioners as well as validating the list  of former government workers.

“We have not been having a good image in the past as far as pensioners are concerned after being accused of  paying ghosts  but we hope this problem will be rectified with this new exercise,” Mugunga told journalists.

He said the exercise that kicked off 3 weeks ago in the other districts save for Kampala, has been able to validate over 20,000 records and saved government over Shs.2 billion that would be paid to ghosts every month.

The Public Service Under Secretary said that by the end of the 2 weeks, they hope to have validated the entire 73000 pensioners and government will have eliminated ghosts from its list of pensioners.

“We will have a clean pensioner system and help save a lot of tax payers’ money,” he noted.

Asked on pensioners in the UK, India and Kenya, Mugunga said these would be reached through their embassies in Uganda where they would be able to validate their information.

He revealed that the nationwide exercise will be able to reach out to every pensioner wherever they are including those who are on sickbeds, prisons and in the remote areas of the country.

Some of the pensioners who turned up for verification

“We will just need information about them and reach out to them. We also have a special program for Members of Parliament, Cabinet and those in commissions.”

How to Validate

According to Victor Bua Leku, the acting Commissioner in charge of pensions at the Ministry of Public Service, pensioners would be required to fill a form provided to them with their details on top of provision of nation Identity cards.

“We shall be looking for the employment record, dates of birth and letters of administration (where necessary) from the pensioners. This information would then be compared to the one we have in our system,” Bua said.

“In case the data conforms, then that person is passed to continue getting their pension.”

However, some of the pensioners expressed concern over what they termed as   lack of preparation by the Public Service ministry before carrying out the exercise.

“They informed us about a month ago but up to now there is no systematic way in doing things. They ought to have handled each person from the various departments or ministries they worked for,” complained Fred Tumwine a pensioner from the Ministry of Planning.

Public Service Ministry Under Secretary, Emmanuel Mugunga (L) helps out pensioners as they fill forms

When asked to comment on the issue of disorganization, the ministry Under Secretary said that there were overwhelming numbers on the first day but noted this would be sorted.

“We have so far done the exercise in over 50 districts and the exercise is moving on well. By the end of that period we will have completed, ”Mugunga noted.

He urged pensioners to stay in their respective residential districts saying they would  be validated from there.

In the financial years 2010/11 and 2011/12, government lost Shs88.2 billion in a scam where ghost pensioners were paid under the eyes of public service ministry officials.

Later, some of these officials including Jimmy Lwamafa, the former Permanent Secretary, Christopher Obey (former principal accountant) Stephen Kiwanuka Kunsa, the former director research and development were convicted and sentenced for causing loss to government.

The Executive Director of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Allen Kagina on Monday undertook an inspection of road works along the Fort Portal-Kamwenge Road whose physical progress currently stands at 93 percent.

According to UNRA’s Manager for Media Relations, Allan Ssempebwa Kyobe, Kagina’s inspection was mainly to connect with the communities along the road and to check progress on how far the Authority has gone in resolving the social and environmental safeguards raised on the project by the World Bank.

“All the outstanding issues will be resolved between now and March so that the road can be handed over,” said Kagina.

Kagina interacts with locals she found along the road

Among the issues raised are compensation and physical works, all of which are currently almost solved fully.

Kyobe told ChimpReports that compensation now stands at 94 percent whereas physical progress is at 93 percent.

“We are also continuously monitoring our contractor along Fortportal-Kamwenge road to ensure maximum compliance with Environmental and Social Safeguards,” said Kyobe.

Also as part of the campaign to connect with the communities and ensure child protection along the road, UNRA has spread out messages to communities along the road against violation of children’s rights, Sexual Abuse among others.

“Child protection efforts along Fortportal-Kamwenge road helped through psycho-social support, medical services and re-integration into schools. Violation of Children’s rights ruins their future.”

School children display UNRA’s messages against abuse

During the inspection exercise, residents appreciated Kagina’s humility and willingness to listen to their concerns.

She expressed her commitment to have all people’s grievances addressed adding that “road projects are meant to make people’s lives better.”

THe road’s physical progress is currently at 93%

President of the Opposition  Forum for Democratic Change Gen Mugisha Muntu has Monday come out to dismiss reports that his being wooed back by the National Resistance Movement.

The claims were made last week by Eng. Hilary Onek,  the Minister for relief and disaster preparedness at the burial of former MP Charles Willy Ekemu, saying  that Gen Muntu was being sweet-talked by the ruling party

Commenting on the minister’s remarks, Gen Muntu told reporters yesterday that  Onek was trying to deflect what he had earlier in his remarks said that NRM should use the little time they have to work for Ugandans and that if  they failed FDC would move in and get the country back on track.

“No one has approached me from government to give me such suggestions” he said.

Muntu added that at every turning point he makes conscious decisions and stands by them.

“I am no opportunist; when I make my decisions, I stand by them because I follow conviction and with time being my best friend it will prove them wrong”

Mugisha Muntu, a former army commander, MP and Minister served in the resistance that that ushered in the current NRM regime, before he broke ties and joined his former comrade Col Dr Kizza Besigye in the leading opposition party FDC, where he is now serving as president.

The Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has Monday started considering the Human Rights Enforcement Bill that was tabled by the Human Rights Committee Chairperson Jovah Kamateeka.

Kamateeka who is also the Woman MP for Mitooma District submitted the rationale and objectives of the bill to the committee yesterday, saying that it will in effect give people opportunity to choose to file human rights violation cases to the Uganda Human Commission or in Courts of law.

“The Bill is aimed at empowering the courts of law provide a procedure that indeed a person can go to the Magistrates Court or High Court to lodge a complaint against human rights abuse,” noted Kamateeka.

Currently, there is no human rights procedure for courts to use while handling human rights related cases because the Constitutional Court ruled that the 2008 Fundamental Rights and Freedoms Enforcement Procedure Rules passed by the parliamentary Rules Committee was Unconstitutional.

Court ruled that the Rules committee usurped the powers of parliament by making the said enforcement rules.

But with the creation of parliamentary committee on human rights that has been given powers to initiate bills in related matters, Kamateeka observed that the legal committee should consider the bill and pass it to ease operations of the High Court.

However, some committee members wondered whether the bill will not limit powers of the Uganda Human Rights Commission.

In response, Kamateeka noted that, the bill is rather taking further the role of the Human Rights Commission, facilitating Courts of law to hear cases of Human Rights Abuses.

“The Commission will continue doing what it has been doing, holding quasi judicial tribunals and hearing peoples’ cases as well as give compensation.”

Uganda Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ) have asked the Police Force to dismiss with disgrace former Old Kampala DPC Joram Mwesigye who was last week convicted of assaulting journalists.

On Friday, Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu   sentenced Mwesigye to a one million shillings fine after being convicted of assaulting and causing harm to former WBS cameraman Andrew Lwanga in 2015.

Addressing a news conference on Tuesday in Kampala, HRNJ National Coordinator Robert Ssempala said Section 47 of the Police Act should be invoked and the brutal senior police officer dismissed from the force.

“The court proved that he is no longer a suspect but convicted criminal who should be dismissed for the his discreditable conduct,” Ssempala said.

“He ought to be dismissed with disgrace so as to act as a deterrent action to other officers who would wish to be involved in similar offences.”

The journalist’s body revealed that they will be writing to the Police Council and the Public Service Commission in regard to this call.

The Buganda Road Magistrate in her judgment said Mwesigye, a senior police officer acted unprofessional when he assaulted a journalist who had put on a shirt well labeled with his media house’s name.

According to HRNJ, the former DPC is no longer fit to put on the police uniform because of his conduct.

“We don’t expect him to still represent the police force meant to serve and protect citizens. He is a convicted criminal.”

The journalists’ body said they had finalized plans to write to all embassies to treat   the interdicted police officer as a criminal who cannot be associated with.

Meanwhile, HRNJ blasted the police investigating officer identified as Moreen Anenyo whom they said worked in favor of the ‘criminal’ during the case.

“She visited the scene, saw the stick used to clobber Lwanga but never tendered its pieces as evidence in court. He never told court that Lwanga’s camera had been destroyed,” Ssempala said.

According to the HRNJ national coordinator, on many occasions the investigator acted in a funny manner as she tried testifying in court against her fellow police officer, Joram Mwesigye.

The journalists also asked for an investigation into the unprofessional conduct of the police surgeon Dr. Emmanuel Nuwamanya on the way he handled the case.

“When he checked Lwanga, a day after being beaten, he made a report that he had only found scars on his body yet this wasn’t true. We are also writing to the Medical Council to investigate his unprofessional conduct.”

The journalists’ body also revealed they are set to appeal the sentence given to the former Old Kampala DPC saying it was not proportional to the offence he was convicted of.

Embattled Kisoro LC5 Chairman Abel Bizimana has come out to explain why he chose to “embarrass himself” by kneeling and wailing in from of his council just over two weeks ago.

The stunt, he told Chimpreports on Sunday, was to get Kisoro district off a dangerous course it was taking.

Mr. Bizimana, at the close of last month while appearing before an extraordinary council meeting that aimed at censuring him, went down on his knees while wiping tears and begged to be forgiven.

The councilors were angry that Bizimana had accused some of them of supporting the DRC based rebel group M23, during an interview with a local daily.

In his defense, the chairman claimed among others that at the time of the interview with the journalist, he might have been drunk.

Chimpreports caught up with him on Sunday however, and he told us that he didn’t regret embarrassing himself in front of the council, because his district was facing severe political divisions.

He told us he had to reduce himself and bear the shame in order to save the district for the egoistic tendencies of some of the councilors.

Kisoro district he said is bigger than himself, and that besides, humility is a virtue which if well utilized can avert dangerous situations.

“I am sorry to all people of Kisoro that were offended by my kneeling before councilors for it was the only option left to demonstrate my remorse and commitment to harmony in the interest of having Kisoro stable,” he said.

His action he added, which resulted in stopping his censorship, “was a loss to those who wanted to have fun, but a victory to peace lovers.”

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has scoffed at Kampala Minister Beti Kamya as being naive and overzealous.

Last week, Kamya penned a letter to city businessman Hamis Kiggundu and the board of Nakivubo Stadium asking them not to heed to resolutions by KCCA of halting development of the stadium.

In a letter dated March 10, Kamya said the decision to redevelop Nakivubo had been taken by cabinet in 2009 and had been stopped by the ‘illegal’ occupancy by park yard market vendors.

Addressing journalists at City Hall on Tuesday, Lukwago said he has never known of any cabinet decision as communicated in Kamya’s letter.

“Does she want to tell us that the decision was made silent by cabinet in 2009,”Lukwago wondered.

“Can she convince the public that the decision made in 2009 was awaiting her to implement.”

The Kampala Lord Mayor further blasted Kamya for writing to the board of Nakivubo stadium and Ham Kiggundu asking them to ignore any directive from KCCA in regards to the development of the stadium.

He said that every structure in the city is under the mandate of KCCA adding that it was wrong for the Kampala Minister to ignore resolutions by the council at City Hall.

“She is so naive when she says redevelopment of the stadium can go on without the involvement of KCCA.”

Lukwago said redevelopment of the stadium which is a national monument cannot continue without approval by the technical wing of KCCA contrary to what Kamya said in her letter.

The Lord Mayor said that the Kampala Minister is trying to ‘tinker’ with the rightful process of the law which he said cannot be accepted.

“She behaves like she is possessed by a ghost and is overzealous. Her decisions are of no legal consequence.”

Recently, KCCA ordered for a halt to the redevelopment of Nakivubo stadium saying the developer doesn’t have an approved plan.
The KCCA council resolved that the fence surrounding the demolished park yard market be put down because it was done illegally.

However, Kampala Minister Beti Kamya wrote to the developer asking them to ignore any directive from KCCA in regards to the development of the stadium.

“For us(KCCA) we are complying with the law as she violates it but soon we shall we shall see who is right, “Lukwago retorted

The opposition Democratic Party are fronting William Karamagi as their candidate in the forthcoming Makerere Guild elections.

Karamagi beat two other contenders Timothy Ssambwa and Mary Lakisa to the party flag.

According DP’s Deputy Publicity Secretary Alex Waiswa the opposition party is positive about Karamagi’s candidature, having served in the current regime as the university’s Minister for Students Affairs.

“Democratic Party is committed to nurturing our young members and particularly supporting them to take on positions of leadership in higher institutions of learning like Makerere University,” said the party publicist.

 “We do so call upon all gallant Makerereans to accord him the necessary support and help him bring back the glory of this great institution of learning and the county as a whole.”

Karamagi a second year student of Psychology is the outgoing Minister of Students Affairs.

He would have been in his third year but he asked for a dead year, which he says was for purposed of running for the guild race.