Opposition Democratic Party (DP) President Norbert Mao has challenged the 10th Parliament to rise up and redeem its image before the General public that seems to be on the verged of destruction.

The DP president made the remarks during a panel discussion to commemorate the International Day of Democracy at Parliament on Thursday under the theme; “Democracy and 2030 Agenda for Substantive Development.”

Mao noted that the continuous act of dumping piglets in front of Parliament by the Jobless Brotherhood is an expression of how members of the public have started losing hope in the house.

“We have got a threat of violence because of the increasing gap between the elected officials and their electorates, the gap has widened, there is a confidence crisis in all public institutions that’s why young people are releasing pigs in the compound of Parliament, Mao said.

“They think the house is not a legislative body that represents ordinary people but a banquet hall that everybody is just feasting at the expense of the ordinary people,” Mao added while speaking with the media after the function.

Mao’s remarks follow continuous reports of Members of Parliament have been awarding themselves with numerous perks and remuneration allowances that including Shs 200million cars each and funeral allowances.

“This has been made worse in that the first business of this Parliament has been about their privileges; the cars, salaries, health benefits and burial expenses which cause a distance between the parliament and the people,” warned Mao.

“Now when people get disenchanted, they resort to violence we should not be complacent that we have adequately vaccinated our political institution against violent overthrow.”

Mao has as well highlighted that the piglets that have been dumped at Parliament today morning pass a simple message that “The opposition has been co-opted since the pigs carried a message that ‘Eating we are one’; it seems the people have realized that the ones they expected to help them have instead abandoned them.”

Workers and officials at the newly created district of Rubanda are struggling to operate without toilets.

Rubanda district was curved from Kabale district effective 1st July this year. It was housed in the dilapidated buildings and toilets of greater Rubanda County that were built in 1950’s.

The workers say that it becomes had to access the sanitary facilities they are vital.

One of the workers, who preferred anonymity to protect his job, says that sometimes they walk about 500metres to near Murole trading centre to ease themselves in private toilets.

He says that this has left them with difficulty especially those without speed to run to those toilets.

He also adds those who access some of the available toilets risk, since any time it can fall.

Another staff who also preferred anonymity says that people who come to the district for services, whenever they ask for places of convenience they tend to hide them.

Bernard Kasangaki the Rubanda district Principal Assistant Secretary admits that the district has a toilet crisis as the one available doesn’t meet the right standards.

He however says that the district has received money to construct new toilets and they already have bills of quantities.

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

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

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

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

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

Read Also: CAA Hits Back at Capt. Mike Mukula

CAA officials meeting with COSACE Mps on Friday

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

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

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

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

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

Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda is representing President Museveni at the 17th Summit of the two-day Non Aligned Movement (NAM), starting Saturday at Margarita Island in Venezuela.

The NAM is a grouping of countries which were not aligned to the East of West during the Cold War.

The organisation played an important role in the decolonisation and independence struggles in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Latin America and Pacific regions.

The theme for this year’s summit is “Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity for Development.”

The last recent NAM Summits were hosted by Colombia (1995), South Africa (1998), Malaysia (2003), Cuba (2006), Egypt (2009), and Iran (2012).

Speaking ahead of the Summit, Prime Minister Rugunda praised the role played by the NAM during its 55 year history in promoting peace and adherence to a world free of conflict.

“Uganda continues to support the ideals of the Non Aligned Movement, including the struggle for a just and equitable world order, freedom from colonialism, foreign occupation, the right to self determination and sustainable development,” Dr Rugunda said.

During the Summit, Prime Minister Rugunda will make a statement on behalf of Uganda.

By Albert Rudatsimburwa

Five months ago, when the newly appointed East African Community Secretary-General from Burundi, Liberat Mfumukeko, was sworn-in, many observers had doubts about his ability to remain neutral in the fulfillment of his duties, particularly when it would come to dealing with the crisis in his country of origin.

It was indeed when Burundi decided to skip its turn at the Chairmanship of the EAC that its government pushed for the appointment of its national to the position of Secretary-General, which in principle was agreed to by the other partner states.

This alone should have raised about a dozen red flags. However, unwritten rules of diplomacy require such administrations to move with caution, making sure that the next move does not put the organization at risk.

I suspect that John Pombe Magufuli, President of Tanzania and current Chairperson of the EAC Summit, had an in-depth discussion with his peers, eventually reassuring President Kagame who had been targeted by recent “inflammatory statements” from Burundi’s CNDDFDD, about his own ability to contain and handle it from his position.

Maybe that is why President Magufuli saw it fit to remind the new SG about serving the community as a whole versus representing his native country’s interests.

Yet it is becoming increasingly evident that Mr. Mfumukeko has made his choice with regard to whose interests he is out to serve.

A good indication is the fact that he has personally never set foot on Rwandan soil since taking his oath of office.

Not even when his presence has been required at major regional and continental summits and conferences taking place in Kigali.

The 17thAfrican Union Heads of States Summit came and went. So did the recently concluded The Global Africa Investment Summit, to name only two.

One can hardly overlook the anti-Rwanda stance of his native country as the probable cause of his repeated absences from such major events.

It has indeed been the strategy from the moment Pierre Nkurunziza and his government decided to turn their backs on the Arusha Peace Agreements, to accuse Rwanda of trying to destabilize Burundi.

Rhetoric

This anti-Kigali rhetoric from the Burundian authorities started mildly and increased in intensity when Dr. Richard Sezibera, former EAC Secretary-General of Rwandan nationality, was manhandled by Burundian security agents while deployed by President Museveni together with Ugandan Defense Minister Kiyonga on a mission to resume the inter-Burundian talks.

During one of those sessions, he was bluntly confronted by representatives of the Burundian Government and ruling CNDDFDD party, accusing him of working for Rwanda to destabilize Burundi.

It was to be the trigger to a campaign of harassment of Rwandan nationals on Burundian soil, comprising illegal arrests and even extra-judicial killings. This has impacted directly on free movement by people and goods from Rwanda to Burundi.

Of recent, Burundian authorities and more precisely Pascal Nyabenda the Speaker of the National Assembly and CNDDFDD Chair dabbled in genocide denial by alleging that the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda never happened.

For the sake of clarity, Secretary-General Liberat Mfumukeko has not personally been engaging in this kind of rhetoric, at least not in public. That said, his alignment with Burundian domestic policy and the resultant attitude towards Rwanda becomes evident beyond his absence from a few conferences.

When dealing with the Burundian crisis Mr. Mfumukeko made a number of questionable decisions that are a wee bit too convenient for the Burundian government to simply ignore.

At the top of the list comes the sidelining, in the run up to the EAC led inter-Burundian inclusive talks, of all traditional partners of the EAC in conflict resolution initiatives, such as the EAC Panel of Eminent Personalities together with the COMESA Committee of Elders, the Conflict Resolution Unit, the African Union and the United Nations, to name only a few.

And their deeper understanding and knowledge of the Burundi crisis had guided EAC Emergency Summits of May and July 2015.

The United Nations and the AU too had pledged technical and financial support to the Inter-Burundi dialogue process but Mr. Mfumukeko decided to ensure these important stakeholders stayed out of the picture.

He went on to carefully craft a list of participants to the talks, comprising individuals deemed favorable to the Burundian authorities. In that way, he kept out key players such as the political opposition platform CNARED, Human Rights organizations, and Civil Society, all of them in exile.

He then made it next to impossible for the mediator, Benjamin Mkapa, to meet with them in Brussels. He flatly refused to finance the trip.

It took heavy-handed intervention by President Magufuli for him to reluctantly cooperate in the matter.

Then came the Sectoral Council of Ministers. Going against the advice of his Deputies, Liberat Mfumukeko took it upon himself to change the terms of reference of a team tasked to assess the security situation in Burundi as directed by the Council.

The nature of these items placed the Ministers in the awkward position of asking him to leave the room while they discussed how to best handle the situation.

Machinations

According to reliable internal sources, the report of the team had been choreographed by the SG himself to describe the security situation in Burundi as stable and good at the height of the crisis and gruesome death tolls.

The SG had used the report to point an accusatory finger at Rwanda.

Observers attribute the move to the fact that the EAC had suspended all activities in Burundi.

Changing the minds of members of the Council of Ministers who report directly to the Heads of States was therefore a desperate attempt to get them to overturn a decision previously made by the outgoing SG to suspend all the EAC’s activities in Burundi. The report also pointed an accusatory finger at Rwanda.

There was also the issue of the wrongful dismantling of the Peace and Security Department, alleging lack of funding. It is worth recalling that diehards of the Burundian regime had for quite some time labeled the Department of Peace and Security as ‘hostile to the cause’.

In this case, the decision was overturned by the Council of Ministers, which directed Mr. Mfumukeko to rescind it and settle out of court the cases of wrongful termination of that department’s members of staff.

It is worth noting that the Council expressed serious concerns about the violation of procedures by the SG in his attempt to close the peace and security department.

His unwillingness to follow due process will certainly be further uncovered by the East African Community Legislative Assembly Committee on regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution, which was tasked to investigate this matter.

But even though the Secretary General was directed to repeal his personal decision he did not obey. Since the HR department prepared the correspondence on the day after the Council, he refused to sign it. It took the East African Court to issue an ultimatum for Mr. Mfumukeko to eventually obey and prove it by dropping off signed copies in court.

Also on the long list of contentious issues to be looked at by a number of committees within the EALA is the unreported breach of the Common Market Act by Burundi at its border with Rwanda.

In view of all that was highlighted, there is little doubt as to whose interests the current Secretary-General of the EAC serves: an embattled group of politicians in Burundi.

Considering Burundi had been given a golden opportunity to rectify the disrespect they had shown for the institutions when they manhandled the Secretary General in Bujumbura, there is no more doubt that they opted for exporting their demons into the East African Community.

This all sets a dangerous precedent that ought to be addressed with the maturity of an ambitious organization that today holds the rank of most successful economic block on the continent.

Can the Community retain its rank given a Secretary General who has lost all credibility in the eyes of internal bodies and staff, but also beyond …in only five months?

Albert Rudatsimburwa

Political Analyst Great Lakes

Rwanda

@albcontact

A conflict has erupted between the Parliament administration and the reporters accredited to cover the institution over what has been described as “damaging and false stories”.

The legislative arm of government spent the first two hours of the plenary debate on Thursday discussing the recent media reports that Members say are only inclined to portray Parliament as a wasteful body.

According to Speaker Rebecca Kadaga many stories published recently are false.

“There was a story published saying Parliament took 78 MPs to the USA. Yet, there were only 26 members who went,” said Kadaga.

The Speaker also wants the media to focus on other arms of government especially the executive when matters of funds are to be exposed.

“I challenge media to publish the cost of new cars for Ministers, judiciary, before publishing about parliament.”

Meanwhile Tororo County legislator Annet Nyakecho said Parliament needs to move first and amend the Press and journalist Act, for media never publishes anything good about Parliament.

The Uganda Parliamentary Press Association promptly reacted by saying the move is only meant to shrink the media space and Parliament should go to court in case of any disagreement.

“Anyone who is aggrieved by a media story about parliament should do the most honourable thing of going to court,” said the President of the association, Isaac Imaka.

Youth activists under the Jobless Brotherhood have come out to explain the use of pigs in their demonstrations at parliament on Thursday morning.

Police arrested Ferdinand Luta and Joseph Mubiru, all members of the Brotherhood  for  dropping over 10 piglets colored yellow and blue, the official colors ruling NRM party and biggest opposition political party FDC at the main entrance to parliament, as a form of demonstration against MPs’ demand for Shs200 million for vehicles.

Addressing a news conference on Friday, Augustine Ojobile, a member of the Jobless Brotherhood group said they felt using pigs would clearly show the public how greedy the Ugandan Members of Parliament are.

“The way pigs behave in terms of greed is the same way our Members of Parliament do. They want to eat every second of time, and this cuts across MPs from all parties. We decided to use pigs as a symbol to show the greedy nature of our MPs,” Ojobile told a news conference in Kampala.

Norman Tumuhimbise addresses a news conference on Friday

Describing Thursday’s demonstration at the main entrance to parliament as a success, Norman Tumuhimbise the Jobless Brotherhood national coordinator said they sat down and looked at the non –violent means of showing discontentment with the behavior of MPs, and came up with the pigs tactic.

“We cannot stop using these animals until the Members of Parliament change their behavior. As long as they continue thinking about themselves other than the country, you will continue seeing many pigs on the streets and at parliament,” Tumuhimbise warned.

The youths noted they were dismayed with mostly the behavior of the Leader of Opposition and FDC’s Hon. Winnie Kiiza whom they blamed for being part of the ‘racket’ to misuse tax payers’ money.

“We expected her (Kiiza) to come out with a statement on the money to be spent on vehicles but she kept quiet.”

The group said the MPs can only be given the money vehicles on condition that they remain assets of government  even if they exit the August House like judges and other civil servants do.

Yesterday, the Director in charge of Communication at parliament, Chris Obore laughed at the Jobless Brotherhood youth for using what he termed as old tricks of seeking public attention.

“It seems when people lack substantive ideas, they turn to such things. Politics is good  but one for the sake of is redundant,” Obore told journalists on Thursday.

Opposition Forum Democratic Change (FDC) 2016 Presidential candidate, Dr. Kizza Besigye has called upon his supporters not to be rest by the early opposition win against the Age Limit Amendment bill but rather prepare to fight it to the end.

On Wednesday, the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga threw out a motion by Nakifuma legislator, Robert Sekitoleko Kafero seeking leave to introduce a private members’ bill which is aimed at amending the age limit of the judicial officers and removal of term limits for the Electoral Commission.

In a social media post, Besigye noted that the Speaker’s decision doesn’t rule out the plan to amend the Constitution but rather gives room to the executive to introduce comprehensive amendments.

Besigye was responding to a story by Chimpreports on a group of NRM Youths who stormed Parliament protesting against the Speaker’s decision to throw out Sekitoleko’s bill.

Besigye was disappointed that the youths were not arrested by police.

“Uganda Police is shameless in its preferential treatment of the NRM protestors! Women 4Ug and DP Youth protestors were brutalized and arrested while protected and accompanied to the Speaker to deliver their petition,” Besigye noted.

“What the NRM protestors confirmed was that the proposed amendment of age limit for judges was a preamble for the real one of the President,” he said.

In their petition to Parliament signed by Alex Bagyenyi, the youth from Makindgye division demanded for removal of age limit from all public servants including the president.

Dr Besigye noted with concern that Parliament did not reject the proposed amendment but simply said amendments to the Constitution should come at once and not piece meal.

“Let all Ugandans prepare to put an end to this nonsense, once and for all. Desperate Mr. Museveni is all over Kampala distributing money in the hope that Kampala people can change their minds on him. He’ll be shocked it’s time up.”

Democratic Party (DP) president, Norbert Mao has called upon Ugandans to rise up against nepotism, corruption, patronage and violence if the country’s democracy is to attain higher quality.

Mao made the call on Thursday at Parliament while addressing law makers, academicians and other stakeholders as the country was commemorating the International Day of Democracy under the theme: “Democracy and 2030 Agenda for Substantive Development”.

Mao noted that in evaluating Uganda’s democracy under the auspices of Democracy 2030 and celebrating the world day of Democracy, it is important to acknowledge some of the positive steps that have been attained such as having Parliaments that are elected.

“But we are no talking about the quality of elections; I believe that we should have an electoral body which is capable of organizing free and fair elections that is non-partisan; we need to regulate campaign financing so as to deal with this pay-as-you-go politics.”

“I also believe that we need to look at how we make Parliament more representative; there are many MPs who are here with less than 30 percent of the votes, we are proposing reduction the size of Parliament, and making MPs more representative.

On this, Mao suggested that the country will need to adopt a system of proportional representation mixed with directly elected MPs.

“There are challenges to our democracy, I have named four; the threat of violence, patronage, corruption and nepotism which every Ugandan must fight if we will go a long way in making our democracy of higher quality.”

Mao highlighted that in doing away with nepotism, it is important that those who hold public offices use a system of merit because it is sad when incompetent people are given jobs and yet they don’t have qualifications.

“We have got the threat of violence which is created by the increasing gap between those elected and the electorate.”

Police Flyimng Squad in Kampala on Thursday afternoon arrested two young men Ibrahim Onzima and Muhammad Kulubale with 250 kilograms of ivory worth Shs212 million  an equivalent of US$850,000 from an upscale suburb of Kololo.

Both Onzima, 24, and Kulubale, 23, are residents of Munyonyo Salaama Road in Makindye Division. They were driving in a Toyota Mark X UAV 419X with the ivory that they had planned to sell to the potential buyer whom they had negotiated this illicit deal with.

The Flying Police Squad Commandant Mr Herbert Muhangi says police worked hand in hand with officials from Natural Resource Conservation Network (NRCN) to have these suspects arrested, having followed them for a month.

Mr Muhangi said the suspects refused to transact business with any Ugandan businessman saying, “Ugandans do not have the money for such deals.”

The suspects had earlier told the buyer that they have 600 kilograms but first wanted to determine whether the buyer really had money.

Some of the ivory found with the suspects

These were taking the contraband to a Chinese buyer in Lower Kololo near the Cuban Embassy, only to be stopped and searched by plain clothed police officers at the gate. The officers had been tipped off by informers about the deal.

They were driven to Jinja Road Police where police registered their case under SD/12/15/09/2016.

Mr. Vincent Opyene, the Chief Executive Officer of Natural Resource Conservation Network (NRCN) said they deployed undercover crime buster, backed by the Police Flying Squad from Jinja Road Police Station to have the suspects arrested.

He further, urged police to investigate in detail so as to find out the big people behind these young men involved in illegal wildlife trade in the country.

One of the suspects Kulubale told police that he is a student at Apas Secondary School in Nsambya and that the other suspect Onzima is his cousin brother.

Money found with the suspects

Besides ivory, police found Onzima with US$400 an equivalent of Shs1.4 million, Shs 25,000, and 5000 Congolese Francs and a driving permit from the DRC.

On examination, police found that the suspects had several telephone conversations with some people from Burundi and DRC on that day of the arrest.

Ali Alwi, the woman who claims to have orchestrated the return of Christopher Aine, the former head of security of presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi, has come out with claims that that up to now she has never been paid for her services.

In a self- initiated interview with this investigative website, Alwi said she was part of Mbabazi’s advance team and a confidant to the 2016 presidential candidate which made it easy for the police boss Gen.Kale Kayihura to know her.

Read Also: Christoper Aine Resurfaces: “I was Hiding”

“When Aine was arrested for beating police officers in Jinja and detained at an unknown place, I was tasked by Mbabazi to look for him. It was through my quest that I was able to find him in Nalufenya. Gen. Kayihura then got to know me from here,” she narrated.

According to the lady, it was at this time that she was asked by the police chief to spy on Mbabazi’s camp and was reporting to Gen. Kayihura.

Ms Alwi claims to have been able to change the Eastern region which had fallen into hands of the former Prime Minister back to President Museveni’s side through her underground work for the NRM.

“I contacted other members within the Go Forward team and recruited them to work clandestinely and canvass support for   President Museveni as well as doing espionage work in Mbabazi’s camp.”

Return of Aine

Alwi told this website that after the Ntungamo incident in which NRM supporters were badly beaten by members of Mbabazi’s Go Forward team allegedly commanded   by Aine, the latter went into self-exile in Tanzania after police issued a warrant of arrest and a Shs20 million bounty.

She says that a few months after Aine’s disappearance, she got a phone call from an unknown person who later revealed was Aine himself.

“He told me he was in Tanzania and wanted to return. I then called Kayihura who facilitated me with air tickets and I went to Tanzania,” she says.

Alwi says for her efforts, she had been promised Shs. 100 million by the police boss but this was not fulfilled and up to now she is still waiting.

“I contacted Kayihura who referred me to his personal assistant but up to now I have never received a penny. My efforts to reach out to Gen. Jeje Odongo, Henry Tumukunde, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and other big wigs in NRM have been futile,” she says.

She adds that she has on several occasions tried to reach out to President Museveni in vain.

According to the lady, her life is now in danger after realizing unknown people are  tracking her on boda bodas wherever she moves.

“I reported the matter to Kasangati police under file 38/03/05/016 and Gen. Kayihura through his personal assistant promised to give me guards but up to now I have not got any. My life is in danger on top of going without pay from the people I worked for.”

By publication, we were still trying with little success to get hold of the IGP through his personal assistant Jonathan Baloza.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Members of Parliament on the Opposition have referred to the ongoing public uproar against the August house as an intended diversion plotted by government.

Muwanga Kivumbi who represents Butambala East on Friday disregarded public perception that Opposition MPs are allying with government to misuse tax payers’ money by fulfilling their own interests.

“We as the Opposition have not colluded with government. The media and the public are falling in a trap set up by government with an intention of tarnishing Parliament’s image,” Kivumbi said during a dialogue on the Assessment of the NRM’s first 100 days.

He went ahead to say that Parliament has not yet debated a proposal to set a minimum cost to fund MP’s funerals as reported by the media.

“To begin with, my colleagues and I in the Opposition disagree with the idea of having 447 members of Parliament. We also disagree with the Ugshs 200 million for cars.”

“It is NRM that created the big number of parliamentarians to achieve their own objectives therefore the public shouldn’t turn around and blame the Opposition,” he added.

Buhweju MP, Francis Mwijukye told ChimpReports; “It is blackmail for the President to say he has given us money and then go to the public and say we MPs are greedy. He is diverting anger from the person (President Museveni) who is responsible for all the mess in the country to MPs.”

Mwijukye alleges that there’s a deliberate move to create a perception within the public eye that parliament is useless. This idea according to him idea would then result into dissolving the Parliament for good.

Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo while responding to the outlandish proposals by MPs said Ugandans are right to express disappointment in Parliamentarians.

“They should explain why they have chosen to satisfy their stomachs when everybody else is suffering. The tone of MPs yesterday afternoon against the media and everybody who is against their selfish motives said a lot about what they are capable of if given executive power,” Opondo said.

Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) has released its audited Financial Statements for the year ending 31st December 2015 showing good financial and operational health.

The Financial Statements contained, in the 2015 annual report, were released by the UEGCL Board Chairman Dr. Stephen Robert Isabalija during the 6^th Annual General Meeting at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development headquarters in Kampala.

The Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development supervises all government agencies born from the economic divesture of former government parastatals.  As one of the successor companies from the then Uganda Electricity Board, UEGCL is one of the government agencies supervised by the Ministry of Finance.

“I salute the Chairman and the Board for a job well done. UEGCL is one of the top performing parastatals,” said Finance Minister Hon Matia Kasaija.

The Minister further commended UEGCL for saving Government a huge rent bill by acquiring its own premises, a head office, in Kampala. The tenure of the current Board was renewed for another three (3) year term.

“We the Board undertake to perform better given the confidence that the shareholders have expressed in us by the renewal of our tenure,” said Dr. Stephen Isabalija, the Board Chairman.

With a fresh mandate, Dr. Isabalija, reiterated UEGCL’s unwavering commitment to deliver on the government flagship electricity projects of Karuma (60MW) and Isimba (183MW) hydro Power Dams in Time, within Budget and to agreed Specifications.

He also revealed to the meeting UEGCL’s advanced preparations for the operations and maintenance of these hydropower projects once complete in December 2018 and 2019 for Isimba and Karuma respectively.

These include the recruitment of close to fifty (50) new staff.

“These new staff shall have the opportunity to apprentice at the construction sites of Karuma and Isimba to appreciate the development of hydro-power plants,” he said, adding, “operation and maintenance of the completed power stations by UEGCL is pivotal to the efficient and cost-effective delivery of electricity, and this component forms an invaluable input in the tariff build up.”

In preparation for the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of the two flagship hydro power projects of Karuma and Isimba dams, Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited UEGCL has recruited over 40 staff.

The recruitment comes more than a year ahead of the commissioning of the Isimba and Karuma Hydro Power Projects (HPP).

“These new staff shall have the opportunity to apprentice at the construction sites of Karuma and Isimba to appreciate the development of hydro-power plants,” said Eng. Dr. Harrison Mutikanga, Chief Executive Officer UEGCL.

“This is arguably an invaluable experience and is within an already formulated training and capacity building programme.”

From its inception in 2001, UEGCL’s main role was to oversee the concession of the two available government-owned hydro power plants – Nalubaale and Kiira.

This mandate has since grown to include establishment, acquisition, maintenance and operation of electricity generation facilities.

“Building hydro-power stations alone may not be the magic bullet in delivering the much needed electricity as the country spurs for middle-income status,” said Eng. Proscovia Njuki, Board Member UEGCL, adding, “operation and maintenance of the completed power stations by UEGCL is pivotal to the efficient and cost-effective delivery of electricity, and this component forms an invaluable input in the tariff build up.”

UEGCL’s promise in O&M of these flagship power stations premises on delivering to the country affordable and competitive end-user prices (tariff), utilization and strengthening indigenous capacity (Human resource and local content) as well as good corporate governance to ensure the dams, whose construction is now being financed with concessional loans, are profitable, self-sustaining and attending to their loan obligations.

UEGCL will manage these power plants as independent business units under internal performance contracts.

This will ensure operational independence, adoption of private sector tenets of management as well as spur internal competition while building a bankable conglomerate of hydro-power projects capable of further mobilizing and leveraging finance for new power plant developments.

Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has Saturday arrived at Margarita Airport in Venezuela where he is representing Uganda at the 17^th Summit of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) countries.

NAM is a grouping of 120 countries which were not aligned to the East or West during the Cold War.

The grouping played a critical role championing for independence of countries of Africa, Asia, South America, Caribbean and Pacific regions.

Happening for the seventh time, the summit will run under the theme “Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity for Development.”

The last recent NAM Summits were hosted by Colombia (1995), South Africa (1998), Malaysia (2003), Cuba (2006), Egypt (2009), and Iran (2012).

Parliament has recently been praised for blocking a bill by Nakifuma legislator, Robert Sekitoleko Kafero of lifting the age limit of judicial officers.

However, some opposition elements are not convinced this was a genuine blockade. One of these Col Dr Kizza Besigye believes this was a move to give space to the executive to introduce a more elaborate bill that includes removal of presidential term limits

In her ruling on Wednesday, the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga deferred the subject to a comprehensive package to be spearheaded by the executive to amend the Constitution as requires the rules of procedure.

DP’s President, Norbert Mao told Chimpreports on Thursday that if Sekitoleko’s bill was just a stepping ground for something big, Ugandans should not just sit and think Parliament will save them.

“I am encouraged by some of the independent viewpoints am hearing coming from NRM MPs. Unless the NRM party becomes more tolerant, most probably the individual MPs will be arm twisted to comply with the measures aimed at regime longevity and these MPs will naturally pay the price,” Mao said.

“No one can tell what will happen if indeed the lifting of age limit for Judges is just a tip of the ice bag, with the real intention being to lift the age limit for the president.”

“The MPs will be invited for the usual NRM caucus, will be arm twisted, coerced with inducements and you may be shocked even the Speaker herself may start speaking a different language because it has happened before.”

“Now the onus is on us citizens now to make sure that Parliament does the same thing, the contradiction shouldn’t be now between the government and parliament but rather the people versus the entire State, the presidency the judiciary and the Parliament.”

Kenneth Jogo Biryabarema was Friday sworn in as the first chairperson of the newly created Rubanda district.

The function which was held at the district headquarters in Murole, was presided over by the Kabale grade one magistrate, Raphael Vueni.

Seven councilors   that were also recently elected were also sworn in at the function.

Biryabarema was last month elected the LC5 chairperson of Rubanda after defeating three other people that stood with him, Stephen Ampaire, Kasyaba, Joseph Ruhangariyo and Nelson Habasa.

Gerald Akambasa (NRM), the Bufundi Sub County councilor was elected as the Speaker after defeating Chris Ngabirano, an independent candidate by 12 votes to 9 while Olivia Arinaitwe (NRM) was voted as the deputy speaker unopposed  .

After being Sworn in, Biryabarema named his executive where he appointed former Kabale LC5 vice chairperson Silver Baguma as his vice, Martin Kasajja as secretary for education, health sports, science and technology, Adrine Tibenda production and natural resources and Penelop Keirungi secretary for finance, administration.   

He vowed to fight against corruption, the vice which he said is rampant in the country mostly in local governments and that it has become a menace and a challenge to society  

“Corruption as a vice is rampant, a menace and a challenge to our society but as the people of Rubanda, we should fight it squarely together   so as to consolidate   the unity and development of our district,” he said.

“We should look at it as a bean weevil lets us use the available little resources in the most transparent   corruption free environment .”

Biryabarema noted that the major challenge  of the  people  of Uganda is poverty and that there is need for  him and other leaders  of Rubanda  to work together  to fight it.

Function n  was attended  by Henry Ariganyira Musasizi  the Rubanda county east MP, Eng. Denis Sabiti  the Rubanda County west MP,  Henry Banyenzaki , Prossy Akampurira  the Rubanda  District woman MP, the former State Minister  for Economic Monitoring among others.

The Chairperson L.C. 5 Steven Byaruhanga Mfasingabo has been sworn in together with the new executive and the speaker to take office in the New District of Kagadi.

The event which was held on Friday at the district headquarters in Kagadi town council was presided over by the chief magistrate Hoima, Emmy Godffery Sayakewa.

Steven Byaruhanga Mfashingabo of NRM ruling party took oath for District chairperson, Magezi Muwonge Speaker and deputized by Juliet Birungi.

Byaruhanga appointed John Alibnkoha his deputy, Asiimwe Oliver as secretary for production, John Alibankoha secretary health and education, Medard Ahumuza secretary for security and community service, Robert Kanyaihamba secretary for finance, planning and economic administration, Steven Mfashingabo secretary works and technical services.

Addressing councilors after wearing in Byaruhanga called for co-operation among members.

The Minister of Water and Environment, Hon. Sam Cheptoris has Monday morning commissioned public water points in the Northern District of Kapchorwa.

The public stand posts were established by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) which took over the area three months back.

According to NWSC officials, the takeover is part of the corporation’s ongoing massive infrastructure service delivery Plans to improve access to safe water and sewerage services across the country.

Each of the public water posts will serve between 500 to 1000 people

During the launch, Hon. Cheptoris, who doubles as the Kapchorwa Municipality area Member of Parliament advised residents to buy the clean water saying it will save them the heavy hospital bills.

He paid for 2000 jerrycans at every stand post which are going to be enjoyed freely by the residents.

“I have set an example and encourage you my people to follow suit. Let’s not lose our lives and spend heavily paying hospital bills yet we can buy a jerrycan of water at 50shs each,” said Cheptoris.

Hon Cheptoris interracting with locals after the launch

Each of the posts will serve between 500 to 1000 homes in the villages of London Bridge, Government Lodge, Market place, Laketet and Apokwe.