Gen Tumukunde, Gen Okecho, Col Bantariza finally retire from the army

By Joan Pounds

Three serving Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) including Deputy Executive Director Uganda Media Centre, Col Shaban Bantariza and Lt Gen Tumukunde have been retired from the army. 

The other officer is Lt. Gen Frederick Okecho.
The three officers’ retirement was announced at a ceremony in Mbuya Army barracks that was presided over by the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Gen Edward Katumba Wamala on Monday.
Tumukunde’s retirement comes just weeks after President Museveni promoted him to the rank of Lieutenant General early this month.

Lt Gen Tumukunde, also former Director General of Internal Security Organisation (ISO), skipped the rank of major general in the promotion that was seen as reconciliation between him and President Museveni after falling out of favour with the establishment in 2005.

He was forced to resign as army MP after he openly expressed his opposition to the lifting of presidential term limits from the Constitution to allow Mr Museveni run for a third term. 

Early this year, Col Bantariza accused the former Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), the late Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, of masterminding his arrest and prosecution because of the trust President Yoweri Museveni has in him. 

Col. Bantariza had been arrested, charged and remanded over fraud-related offences while still the Director of National Leadership Institute (NALI).

He had been charged with seven offences which included misappropriation of resources, forgery, conspiracy to defraud, ill treatment of subordinates and misconduct.
However, on April 14 this year, the General Court Martial chaired by Maj Gen Levi Karuhanga acquitted Col Bantariza on grounds that prosecution failed to prove a case against him.

Two months later, President Yoweri Museveni re-appointed Col Bantariza as Deputy Executive Director Uganda Media Centre.

Officer waiting
The army is yet to retire former intelligence Chief David Tinyefuuza, who returned from exile and is now a critic of government although he is viewed by some sections of society as a mole.

UN rights chief warns over upsurge in Burundi killings

By Estella Jones

Geneva - The UN human rights chief warned on Monday that Burundi risked sliding back into civil war after a dramatic rise in killings, arrests and detentions in the troubled east African country.

Almost every day, dead bodies are found lying on the streets of some of Bujumbura's neighbourhoods," Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement.

In many cases, the victims appear to have been killed by a bullet fired at close range. The bodies sometimes show signs of torture and are typically found with their hands tied behind their backs," he said.

Zeid noted that many of the victims had reportedly been arrested by police of Burundi's National Intelligence Agency (SNR) before their deaths.

Discredited elections

"This succession of unexplained killings, and the widespread perception that they may be linked to state institutions, is instilling a deep sense of fear within the population, especially in neighbourhoods known to be supportive of the opposition," he warned.

Burundi, in the heart of a region that has been one of the world's most volatile over the last three decades, has been gripped by unrest since April surrounding a violent and discredited election.

President Pierre Nkurunziza won a highly controversial third term in July in polls boycotted by the opposition and denounced by the United Nations as neither free nor fair.

His re-election bid sparked an attempted coup by rebel generals and months of civil unrest led by opposition groups, who condemned it as unconstitutional.

The government accuses those who took part in the protests against his third term of "insurrection".

'Absolute impunity'

Since April, Zeid's office said it had registered 134 killings, more than 90 cases of torture and hundreds of cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, including 704 arrests this month alone.

"We have also been receiving many allegations of torture carried out by the police or the SNR, with the reported aim of forcing victims to confess to participation in an armed rebellion," Zeid said.

"The perpetrators of both torture and killings appear, to date, to have enjoyed absolute impunity," he lamented.

Zeid stressed that because such serious crimes are going unpunished, "more people are looking to take the law into their own hands".

There is an increasing risk that spiralling tit-for-tat violence will plunge the country back into its bloody past," he warned.

Burundi's civil war killed at least 300 000 people from 1993-2006 and sporadic violence has continued since, with fears mounting of a renewed conflict, which could have ripple effects throughout the region.

Zeid also said search operations had intensified across Burundi aimed at seizing illegal weapons, and that in Bujumbura, police now often surround specific neighbourhoods, blocking all entry and exit points to carry out the searches.

Given these searches sometimes continue for several days, this method raises serious concerns with regard to freedom of movement," he said, also noting "consistent accusations" of looting and destruction of property by police during the searches.

Bukonzo East MP Bihande Has Lost His Seat In Parliament.

Bukonzo East Member of Parliament Yokasi Bihande Bwambale has lost his seat following a Constitutional Court ruling.
The same court also ordered the Kasese MP to refund all the salary and allowances he has been drawing since he was convicted by the Anti-Corruption Court two years ago for uttering false accountability regarding the funds he received from Parliament to develop his constituency.
In a unanimous decision of the court, the panel of five justices led by Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma on Monday ruled that from April 3, 2012, Mr Bihande should have stopped receiving a monthly salary and allowances since he had ceased being an MP.

“The second respondent (Mr Bihande) shall vacate his seat in Parliament immediately. His seat in Parliament is declared vacated,” ruled the justices.
The justices added: “from the 3rd day of April 2012 when the 2nd respondent (Mr Bihande) was convicted of offenses involving dishonesty and moral turpitude, he ought to have ceased to receive any salary, allowances and any other emoluments and privileges accorded to a Member of Parliament having ceased to be an MP….”
The other justices on the panel were Eldad Mwangusya, Richard Buteera, Prof. Lillian Tibatemwa and Fredrick Egonda Ntende.

Further, the court ordered Mr Bihande, the husband to Kasese District Woman MP Winfred Kizza to pay all the costs that the petitioner, Mr Fred Police Busige, a concerned voter of Bukonzo East constituency used in successfully pursuing this petition.

In 2012, the then Anti-Corruption judge Catherine Bamugemereire convicted Mr Bihande after he pleaded guilty to embezzling Shs20m and forging accountability for the constituency development funds (CDF) that he received before uttering false accountability to the chief accountant of Parliament.
He was sentenced to a fine of Shs1 million or two years in jail in default for the charge of uttering a false document and to a fine of Shs2m or in default be imprisoned for three years.
The MP opted to pay the fine and he regained his freedom.

I’m Coming Home; But not Like Kyakabale, says Col Mande.

By Estella Jones

Former commander of the dissolved rebel group People’s Redemption Army Col Samson Mande has once again hinted on his impeding return to the country, once shown green light by the regime. 

Mande, who has been in exile in Sweden after his rebel group was defeated by the UPDF in the DRC, said today that he is ready to hold talks with government on his return. 

Mande said at the beginning of the year, that he would be in the country by the close of last month [July].

Last week there were rumors that he had discreetly returned to Uganda, which he refuted as false. 

Today, Col Mande revealed that he would by all means return to his home country and that he was prepared to discuss with government on the terms. 

This he said however, he would do on condition that he is not compelled to join the ruling government which he has critiqued for about 2 decades. 

He said he doesn’t want to follow in the footsteps of his former colleague in the PRA Lt. Col Anthony Kyakabale who was pardoned by the President in March this year. 

Kyakabale is currently drumming support for President Museveni in the south western region. 

“I am willing to discuss any matter with the government as long as they don’t force me to join NRMO as Kyakabale,” stated Mande. 

“I am not jobless here so am not under economic duress like Kyakabale was. I have my own projects and property in Uganda so I need no government job or help.” 

He added, “I want to come and offer solutions or be part of the ongoing struggle for the political social economic challenges my motherland is going through.” 

President hires SMS company for Campaigns

By Estella Jones

Kampala. After picking nomination forms to run for NRM party chairman and presidential flag bearer in the 2016 election, President Museveni has hired a bulk-sms company to push his campaign messages to Ugandans explaining his candidature.

According to a statement addressed to Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), the messages will be in both audio and text.
Mr Silva Musubika, the executive director SMS Empire, the company that has been hired, confirmed the deal and said his team had started the job.

We started work on Sunday and we hope to complete by Friday (August 7),” Mr Musubika said.

The UCC spokesperson, Mr Fred Otunnu, said the commission had received the letter and noted that the company (SMS Empire) is aware of terms under which certain messages are disseminated.

The messages should be at no cost to the receiver and should have opt out options to those who don’t want them, if that is breached, of course, we will take action” Mr Otunu said.
Mr Don Wanyama, the special media assistant in the office of the NRM national chairman, confirmed the development and said the messages would be sent to all Ugandans.

It is true the message is from the chairman (President Museveni). It is a summarised message from the statement he made after picking his nomination forms last Friday,” Mr Wanyama said.

The message

The message which Daily Monitor has seen reads: “Owing to NRM achievements especially bringing peace, the historical league and party structures seconded me to pick nomination forms for NRM chairman and presidential flag bearer 2016 with a mission of leading Uganda to a middle income country by 2019. My fellow Ugandans, join me on this great and rewarding journey. Thank you for the support and trust. Yoweri K Museveni”

Cabinet Gives Up on Electoral Reforms Clause

By Joan Pounds

Cabinet has given up on one of the main clauses in the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2015 commonly known as the Electoral Reform Bill, which is focused on changes in the electoral process. 

The long awaited Bill was only introduced in Parliament by government through the Attorney General on 30th April 2015, a few months before the Electoral Commission issued the road map for the coming general elections of 2016. 

Although the electoral process ahead of 2016 has already started, the Bill seeks to amend some of the articles in the 1995 Constitution including the name of the EC, the appointment procedure of EC commissioners, crossing from one political party to another, minimum requirement of judges of different courts and introducing salary review commission.

The committee of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs that was charged with the duty of scrutinizing the Bill finalized their work last month and it is currently being debated though opposition members in the same committee disagreed with the main report and authored their own. 

It has now emerged that Cabinet that passed the Bill before it was introduced in Parliament has agreed and withdrawn clause 4(1)(g) which sought to amend article 83 (g) of the constitution. 

Article 83 (g) says any Member of Parliament that crosses from his or her political party to another party should vacate and his or her seat be declared vacant. The Bill wanted to undo the restriction and give opportunity for those who want to cross freely do it before the end of their term. 

The clause became very contentious since the interpretation of article 83 (g) is currently before the Supreme Court in a case between the four rebel MPs and the National Resistance Movement automatically making it prejudice for Parliament to debate the matter. 

The four MPs including Theodore Sekikubo, Barnabas Tinkasimire, Mohamed Nsereko and Winfred Niwagaba were expelled from the ruling party and asked to leave the house. 

Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga however disagreed with the Attorney General which compelled him to challenge and win the win the decision in the Constitutional Court. 

The four MPs appealed at the Supreme Court that overturned the ruling returning them back to Parliament. 

The debate on the Constitutional Amendment Bill was halted at Parliament awaiting another interpretation from the Attorney General who had asked for time to consult with Cabinet. 

Debating resumed on Monday when it became clear that Cabinet has given up on the clause and withdrawn it. 

During the same debate on Monday, MPs like Tinkasimire and Nalubega Mariam (Butambala women) asked parliament to adopt some of the proposals that were made in the minority report by opposition members Ssegona Medard and Paul Mwiru to restore the term limits for the president to redeem the image of parliament because there were allegations of bribery to lift it. 

Meanwhile Budadiri west MP Nathan Nandala Mafabi who is also the Secretary General of FDC asked his colleagues to be careful in scrutinizing the bill so that what they decide do not catch up with them because 70 percent may not return. 

I hope Kagame ‘defies’ masses on term limits

By Estella Jones

The people of Rwanda are demanding that the Constitution be amended to allow President Paul Kagame stand again in 2017.

It is easy to find this demand on the streets of Rwanda’s capital, Kigali. But you will also find opposition, albeit in hushed tones. 

The debate is raging. The person whom it concerns the most, Kagame, insists the debate must go on. Part of the debate has turned on the very prohibitive wording of Article 101: “…Under no circumstances shall a person hold the Office of the President of the Republic for more than two terms.”

Recently, more than 3.5 million signatures were presented to parliament, which last week voted overwhelmingly to start the process of amending the Constitution. It’s quite evident that only one outcome is likely – article 101 will be deleted or changed to read differently. 

Other than a complete deletion of the two-term limit provision, one option being floated is to insert a clause providing for a referendum on a third term for a specific leader. One way or the other, it is a foregone conclusion. Here is why. 

On Wednesday, I interviewed the chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), also minister for natural resources, Dr Vincent Biruta. This ministry, like most government offices in Kigali, is housed in a plush building with a corporate outlook and clear signs of an evidently-functional public body, unlike the filth and neglect that attends government offices in many African countries.

I told Minister Biruta that it was rather strange for his party, supposedly the main opposition political party, to endorse the process of removing term limits so Kagame stands again yet they can’t beat him in an election.

“It’s the people, not us the leaders,” he reasoned. He continued: “they believe that they cannot as yet trust another leader other than Kagame. He has been such a high-performing president and the people want him to continue.”

I reminded Dr Biruta that the mark of leadership is the courage to stand above the wishes and sentiments of the masses. If masses were the ones to always dictate what should be done, then the very notion of leadership would lose meaning. 

At any rate, I added, he, as the leader of the second largest party, should be pushing for alternative leadership and a culture of sustainability and continuity, instead of putting all hopes in one mortal being.

President Kagame finds himself in a very precarious situation. He is a man known to rigidly stick to his beliefs and principles. Will he hold out or will he succumb to the “demands of the people?” He has been on record for making two very important statements. 

First, that he would not seek another term after serving the two constitutional ones. Second, that it is not true that no one else is capable enough to take over from him; and if it were true then, that would mean he, as a leader, has failed and should for that very reason step down.

Sources close to him say he regrets not taking the issue of succession seriously and not preparing ahead of time. Now 2017 is in sight and Kagame finds that, even without the popular demand for him to stay, he is not quite ready to relinquish power. 

His controversial involvement in the Congo, coupled with some internal dynamics, make it risky for him to leave power without sufficient guarantees that he will not end up somewhere in detention as happened last month to his chief of intelligence, General Emmanuel Karenzi Karake, arrested and still held in London.

Kagame’s Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF) was birthed and groomed in Uganda. Its affable and highly-regarded founding leader, the late Major General Fred Rwigyema, was Uganda’s deputy army commander. Rwigyema’s RPF successor, then Major Paul Kagame, was a senior Ugandan intelligence officer in what was then called Directorate of Military Intelligence, headed by the then Colonel Mugisha Muntu. 

It is possible that at the time Rwigyema and his compatriots launched their struggle to return home, on October 1, 1990, they were seeing glimpses of the rot that the NRM government eventually fully became.

When Museveni’s misrule shot through the roof in the late 1990s, with glaring scandals of malfeasance in the privatization of state corporations, shoddy deals in military procurements and ghost soldiers, Kagame must have watched keenly.

As president of Rwanda, he had a perfect living example of a government next door, and one grossly mismanaged by his politico-military mentor, with clear lessons on how not to run a government. He had to strive to be different. Today, Rwanda has achieved what Uganda can’t realize under the decadent regime of General Museveni, notwithstanding Kagame’s much-talked-about poor record on civil liberties and individual freedoms.

Now enter the term limits debate. Perhaps again committed to being different from Uganda, at the time Museveni was manipulating the constitutional amendment process in 2003-5, including bribing MPs to remove term limits, Rwanda was promulgating a new Constitution with an article stating unequivocally: “under no circumstance shall a person…” 

General Museveni must be keeping his fingers crossed that General Kagame yields to the “demands of the people!”

Without electoral reforms, 2016 polls is meaningless

By Estella Jones

The news that the NRM-dominated Parliament has rejected all the 17 proposals, containing the core areas recommended for electoral reforms by its opponents, Ugandans and civil society groups, leaves this country in an unstable state. It also offers no credibility to the current Electoral Commission, and does not guarantee that the 2016 general elections will be free or fair elections. 

Without dialogue and reforms to the electoral laws, the 2016 elections are meaningless.

Going into 2016 for the Opposition looks like a free man willingly ceding his freedom to a tyrant. Let us not mince words; without elaborate and widely agreed upon electoral reforms, there is no pretence about the quality or manner of conduct of any elections in Uganda.

I envisage tough times coming ahead of Ugandans after 2016 if the elections were to be mishandled. These are critical moments for Ugandans to defend the ongoing peace and tranquil. One needs to understand that the concept of national security is not about the presence of armed men loitering around our villages and manning major highways with weaponry. 

It is about the conviction amongst citizens, that their living conditions are just and tenable. When citizens feel that they have control over their destinies, and can freely negotiate for common goods and to share liabilities, then we, as a nation, will enjoy stability.

The Uganda that has evolved under the NRM regime is that of nurturing intolerance and greed around safeguarding power. The people of Uganda are feeling the emptiness associated with disempowerment. And yet, we have a regime that is constipated with power. These disparities are the ingredients that feed the seeds of violence and instability in society, however sophisticated it is.

I prophesy that if we continue on this path Uganda will slide into a graveyard in the near future. Unless the leadership wants to transform Uganda into a prototype of North Korea, there is no way he will continue with this belligerence. 

Civil society and the Opposition have endured the pain of providing alternative policy proposals to government. At least they have played their roles. A healthy democracy is adjudged by the vibrancy of its Opposition and civil society.

A government which fears competition will also thwart any possibility for highlighting its failings. Without these options, a balancing act in governance cannot obtain for public good. No one has monopoly over righteousness and no one person, least of all a corrupted regime, to be right at all. The essence of democracy is that dissenters are treated with decency, humility, and respect for the beauty of diversity.

Rejecting the reform proposals also indicates that the Parliament is in contempt of the will of the people. It is becoming apparently clear that the regime would pander to reforms proposed by America or Britain, but will reject those from its own people. It just starts to feel that we are in the era of slave trade where the chiefs conspired to sell their own people. By disempowering its people, modern day slavery or savagery has become the novelty of the NRM regime.

Intolerance though, is a recipe for disaster because it alienates agents from the mainstream to the periphery, eventually excluding them. When the locus of dissent realigns itself, and finds a new shape outside the shades of the State, then other forms of liberation modalities may be chosen over a stale democracy.

The problem of a military dictatorship is that it is inundated by its investments in the industry of coercion. But hstory has shown to us that no amount of weaponry and coercion can restrain a critical mass with full consciousness of their repression.

President Museveni is a legend of a revolution with contempt for democracy and elections. He scorns the ballot for the bullet. Demanding for free and fair elections is a waste of time. The fear of internal democracy within NRM demonstrates that the Presidency is up for grabbing, forcefully.

"No Reparation before guilty verdict" -ICC.

By Estella Jones

GULU-UGANDA: A senior officer of The Hague based, International Criminal Court (ICC), has clarified that the court does not offer reparations to victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity until after the court have passed a guilty verdict against the perpetrator.

Ms. Maria Mabinty Kamara, the Outreach Coordinator for Uganda and Kenya in the Public Information and Documentation Section of ICC, told a meeting of stakeholders on ICC including the media, that ICC does not pay reparations to individual victims but to the community as a whole and that money is spent on projects which benefit all.

“Reparations are paid only at the end of trials and after guilty verdict.” She said, at Churchill Courts Hotel in Gulu Municipality on Tuesday 14th July 2015, during preparations to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the Court, which is celebrated annually on 17th July.

She was responding to the concern of a victim of the Northern Uganda insurgencies, including that of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion, which spanned from 1986 to 2006, that it seems the ICC is only interested in giving justice to the victims of Lukodi-a village in Bungatira sub-county in Gulu district, a few minutes’ drive from Gulu town.

The LRA massacred over 46 innocent civilians between 19th and 20th May 2004 in Lukodi’s eleven villages. It is believed that, the indicted and captured LRA commander Dominic Ongwen, masterminded the massacre in Lukodi in 2004. This is the single incident for which Ongwen is in custody at The Hague waiting for trials to begin.

Mr. Akena Jimmy, who is a land mine survivor from Land Mine Survivors’ Association in Gulu, wondered why the ICC was working at Lukodi only, yet atrocities were committed throughout the region.

“If the LRA leader, Joseph Kony, dies in the bush, will those others not get Justice? Akena questioned.

Ms. Kamara said the ICC’s main work is to make sure that, ”impunity is no longer the game”.

She said that other victims of the war benefited from 18 projects sponsored by the Court’s Trust Fund for Victims whereby over 40,000 individual victims benefitted through Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) like AVSI and CARE International.

“One of the mandates of ICC is to provide support to other victims through NGO’s like AVSI and CARE International. Have you not seen victims getting artificial limbs, psychosocial support, Facial Reconstruction and Counseling services? These NGOs get funding from the Trust Fund for Victims of the ICC”.

She said ICC was concentrating on Lukodi because that is where Ongwen committed those crimes for which he is before court. She said Ongwen cannot be held responsible for all the crimes committed by other LRA commanders in other parts of Northern Uganda.

“It is not possible to hold Ongwen responsible for all the crimes committed in the whole Northern Uganda. His crime relates to Lukodi”. She said, adding that ICC may expand the scope on Ongwen to include other places like Pajule and Odek where he is reported to have committed crimes there as well.

17th July is declared The Day of International Criminal Justice to mark the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute which established the ICC on 17th July 1998. So far, 123 States have ratified the Rome Statute.

ICC seeks to protect people from genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression. The day unites all those who wish to support justice, promote victims’ rights and help prevent crimes (that are committed by individuals, but not States) that threaten the peace, security and well-being of the world.

Lukodi will host this year’s celebrations to mark the Day of International Criminal Justice on Friday, 17 July 2015 to thank the community for their overwhelming support to the work of ICC after waiting for ten years before a suspected from the five indicted LRA commanders is in Court.

“Ten years of waiting for justice is a bit long. We want to celebrate Justice in a special way”. Ms. Kamara said.

To celebrate the day, ICC designed a special Facebook account: 17th July. JusticeMatters to collect views of people on what Justice means to them. The campaign, which began on 6th July 2015, will end on Friday.

“People are saying every kind of things in the campaign. Victims are saying this is an opportunity for their voices to be heard”. Kamara said.

Rwanda genocide court to close its doors after 21 years

By Joan Pounds

Arusha, Tanzania (dpa) - Posters hang in the lifts at the International Criminal Tribunal (ICTR) for Rwanda reading, "Memorabilia wanted."

It appears that the court in the north Tanzanian city of Arusha has already become history.

At the entrance to the large building, the UN's blue logo has faded to a light grey and the corridors are deserted. 

More than 60 high-ranking criminals have been convicted here, those who initiated and incited the genocide. They include military and political leaders, a prime minister and journalists.

But the ICTR doesn't officially become history until December 31, when after 21 years it will close its doors forever, its mission complete.

It will also leave behind some significant achievements in the realm of international justice.

Systematically murdered

To go back to Rwanda in April 1994: The civil war has been over for a year, but the peace is a fragile one.

Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana's plane is shot down - to this day it isn't known who carried out the attack. For radical Hutus it's an excuse to carry out a genocide, slaughtering the Tutsi minority and moderate Hutus.

The country descends into chaos, people are mercilessly massacred, the rivers are filled with their corpses and extremists in the media call for more slaughter.

Within just 100 days, between 800 000 and one million people are systematically murdered, according to United Nations estimates.

The UN withdraws its peacekeepers and the rest of the world looks on passively.

At the beginning of 1995, the ICTR is set up in Arusha at the behest of the UN Security Council. Today only one case is still being appealed.

It concerns the former family affairs minister Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, the first woman to be convicted in relation to the genocide.

International justice

The court has gone into "residual mechanism" to deal with the case, a kind of transitionary set-up responsible for upholding convictions, witness protection programmes and archives. From the original 1,200 employees only 190 remain.

One of them is Bongani Majola, the court's director. At 63 he's already of pensionable age, "but before I retire, I will finish this task first", he says, looking at the blue UN flag beside him.

He sees the ICTR as an "experiment" in international justice. It has shown the world that international justice is not an unrealistic utopia but an actual possibility.

And he's proud of that: The ICTR is the first international court to convict those responsible for committing genocide.

"Now no court has a problem to interpret what genocide actually means," says Majola.

Rwanda's former prime minister Jean Kambanda also became the first head of government to be convicted of genocide - a milestone.

International investigators

"We have shown: The time in which African leaders can do with their citizens whatever they want is over," adds Majola.

The court was also the first to recognize rape as a means of perpetrating genocide. "But that is not enough," says Majola, who thinks that more perpetrators should have been punished.

Between 100 000 and 250 000 women were sexually abused during the genocide, according to the UN estimates.

The court's work was not easy. How do you prove crimes that took place years earlier? How do you find witnesses? The international investigators were dealing with ordinary Rwandans, and had to deal with their mistrust, as well as language barriers.

Many Rwandans were not familiar with the international justice system and had never been abroad. It was difficult to get them to come to Arusha.

Fourteen people were acquitted. Of those found guilty, some spent just a few months in prison, others were sentenced to life. They are serving their sentences in the UN member states which volunteered to take them - Italy, Sweden and Mali.

Civilians

In June, ICTR President Judge Vagn Joensen asked the UN Security Council to find a solution to "the very troubling issue of relocating the acquitted and convicted released persons still residing in Arusha". For years they have been living in a secret UN safe house.

When the tribunal shuts its gates, it does not mean that justice for the atrocities committed will not continue.

In Rwanda there are still trials going on, mostly involving civilians.

Just last month, intelligence chief Karenzi Karake was arrested in London on a European Arrest Warrant, accused by Spain of ordering massacres.

In the ICTR hangs a wanted poster for the last nine fugitives. Can they still be found?

The investigators still work but it is very hard and difficult," says Majola.

NRM aspirants to hold joint rallies

By Estella Jones

At its July 6 meeting, NRM’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) asked Kasule Lumumba, the secretary general, to give party supporters who missed or skipped the just-concluded registration exercise another chance, The Rwenzori Times has learnt.

A source who attended the July 6 meeting at State House Entebbe told The Observer that the CEC, unanimously resolved that the new party register should be displayed urgently.

As CEC we are through with discussing the NRM roadmap, and we agreed that the new NRM register should be displayed,” a source said. 

This source further revealed that CEC also agreed during the meeting chaired by Moses Kigongo, the NRM vice chairman, to allow NRM members who had missed out on the registration exercise to do so during the display of the register.

“We allowed the party secretariat to open up for those NRM members who had not registered,” the source said.

To avoid a repeat of 2010 when the NRM primaries were marred by confusion and allegations of rigging, the party’s second most important organ recommended stricter rules of engagement.

For instance, abusive language is forbidden and all candidates are to use joint public rallies to interact with the electorate.

“Our rules are almost the same as those of the electoral commission, because there is no candidate who will be allowed to use bad language against the other,” our source said. “The only difference is that all candidates will speak to the electorate at one rally.”

CEC MEETS AGAIN

Interviewed yesterday, Richard Todwong, the deputy NRM secretary general, said they will release the roadmap at a press conference today, Friday.

“Yes, we are almost done with the roadmap, but we are going to the CEC to harmonise all the positions,” he said, adding that the roadmap would be unveiled to the press thereafter.

The CEC meeting of Thursday is also expected to discuss the possible candidature of former Prime Minister and Secretary General Amama Mbabazi whose presidential bid announcement has thrown the party into confusion. For all the time President Museveni has led NRM, his position as chairman had never been challenged.

Call for UN to intervene in Burundi

By Joan Pounds

Geneva - The UN Security Council must intervene in Burundi to prevent mass atrocities and the risk of a regional conflict, seven independent UN human rights investigators said on Thursday.

Looming presidential elections, at the heart of a political crisis in the east African country, were likely to trigger major instability and clashes which could spread across its borders, the experts said in a statement.

Opposition politicians have accused Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza of violating the constitution by running for a third term and are boycotting the vote due on July 21.

Dozens of people have already died in protests in the world's third poorest country which emerged from civil war in 2005. Hundreds of thousands have fled to other states with a history of ethnic conflict including neighbouring Rwanda.

The international community must not simply stand by and wait for mass atrocities to unfold, thereby risking a major conflict of regional proportions before it finally decides to act," they said.

The Security Council must "take immediate action to prevent Burundi from sliding back into conflict," they added, without going into detail on what action they wanted it to take.

Imbonerakure

Nkurunziza and his ruling party cite a constitutional court ruling allowing him to stand again. The government did not immediately respond to the statement but has said the vote will be fair and dismissed rights groups' accusations it is arming the Imbonerakure youth militia to crack down on dissent.

The president has resisted calls from Washington and other major donors not to stand and regional powers have asked Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni to mediate.

The experts said there had been efforts to coerce the judiciary, some of whom had fled the world's third poorest country saying their lives were at risk, while armed militias were using violence against civilians.

"This is a crisis that is eminently preventable - everyone can see the risks," said the seven who each hold a mandate from the UN Human Rights Council to investigate different areas of human rights.

"This can escalate into major conflict through the use of outright repression against, and intimidation of, the population at large, the instrumentalisation of the police, the closure of independent media, as well as the detention of the opposition and other civic leaders," they added.

LRA's Ongwen may be tried in Gulu - ICC

By Estella Jones

The trial against former commander of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, Dominic Ongwen could carried out in Gulu, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has said.

Ongwen is facing three counts of crimes against humanity, inhumane acts of inflicting serious bodily injury and suffering and four counts of war crimes carried out in Uganda and the Central Africa Republic (CAR). 

Maria Kamara Kabinti, the outreach coordinator of ICC says the proposal and decision was reached at by ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and Ongwen's lawyer Krispus Ayena Odongo.

She says both parties agreed on Wednesday, July 15, that the most desirable location for the confirmation of charges should be Gulu because of its proximity to the victims of the Lukodi massacre carried out on May 16, 2004, in which Ongwen is believed to have actively participated. Over sixty people were brutally murdered and several abducted on that day.

Kamara, however, notes that Ongwen's hearing in Uganda is subject to key issues such as security, costs and impact of bringing the court closer to the people. 

On June 29, 2015 the trial chamber directed the prosecution and the defense to provide their views on the possibility of holding the confirmation hearing in Uganda by July 13, 2015.

The chamber also ordered the ICC registrar to provide an assessment of the possibility of holding the confirmation hearing in Uganda by July 27, 2015.

"[A hearing in Gulu] will increase the visibility of the court and making the process more accessible to the victims and affected communities that have suffered as a result of the alleged crimes by Dominic Ongwen by which he is at ICC. 

The defence also emphasised that it will create an opportunity for victims not only in Gulu but in other parts of Uganda particularly in Acholi sub-region to attend this process live and see how justice is being carried out at ICC.", Kamara said. 

She says, the registrar who is in charge of administrative and non-judicial functions of the court has up to July 23 to present a full report on the possibility of the court sitting in Uganda.

According to Kamara, survivors of the Lukodi massacre have been pushing for the trial to be brought closer to them. Vincent Oyet, the secretary of the Lukodi massacre says bringing the trial home will offer satisfaction to the victims.

Krispus Ayena Odong couldn't be reached for comment as he didn't pick our calls. Earlier attempts by the ICC to try ex-DRC militia commander Bosco Ntaganda in his home county hit a dead end due to high costs and feasibility challenges.

US unyielding in opposing third term for Kagame

By Estella Jones

The United States on Wednesday reiterated its opposition to a third term for Rwanda President Paul Kagame.

The US comment, made in response to a query from The EastAfrican, follows the Rwandan Parliament's vote to amend the country's constitution to remove a provision barring a president from serving more than two terms.

The United States has consistently called for African leaders across the continent to respect term limits," said Rodney Ford, spokesman for the State Department's Africa Bureau. 

We do not support changing constitutions to benefit the personal or political interests of individuals or parties."

Washington said last month in regard to the move to enable Mr Kagame to run again that "democracy is best advanced through the development of strong institutions, not strongmen." The State Department added in June: "We are committed to support peaceful, democratic transition in 2017 to a new leader elected by the Rwandan people."

Despite apparently broad support in Rwanda for Mr Kagame remaining in office beyond 2017, the Obama administration's disapproval is likely to carry weight for the country dependent on development aid from the US.

READ: Disappointment for Green Party as MPs support scrap of term limits

State Department officials have also criticised Rwanda's human rights record under President Kagame, who first took office in 2003.

Alongside Rwanda’s remarkable development progress, there have been equally consistent efforts to reduce space for independent voices and to diminish the ability of the media, opposition groups and civil society to operate," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Steven Feldstein recently told the US Congress.

The Rwandan Parliament's move to change the constitution is the first step in a process that also must also involve a national referendum. But the outcome of such a vote would generate little suspense. 

More than half the country's enrolled voters are reported to have signed a petition calling for revision of the article in the constitution limiting a president to two terms.

Ugandan singer City Vet releases a tribute song to his late sister.

By Estella Jones

Fast growing upcoming Ugandan Afro-beat & Dance hall Artiste City Vet has released a tribute song to his late sister Janet Praise who passed away two weeks ago.

The late who reportedly die upon admission at the Uganda Cancer Institute, Mulago later succumbed to a controversially thought about cause that couldn't be mentioned by the family members when they were contacted.

Janet Praise (RIP) was one of the staff and founding members of the Rwenzori Publications Limited company who acted as the Section Editor for Fashion & Lifestyle at The Rwenzori Times online newspaper.

After going through the black week covered by sorrow and sadness, the sensational "Nalulungi" hit maker hit studios to pay a tribute to his late sister.

The song entitled "Thubaghanyire" literally meaning "Lets forgive them" a heart touching song has already hit the airwaves allover Rwenzori region as countless requests came in from all the friends of the late who wished to listen to it and keep the memories.

The Rwenzori Times team says Rest in Eternal Peace Janet Praise and may the LORD God accord you a fair judgment.

No thing like "sole candidate" Tanga annoys Parliament caucus.

By Joan Pounds

The National Resistance Movement Electoral Commission says it is not aware of a resolution declaring President Museveni as the sole candidate in a race to determine who contests on behalf of the party in the 2016 presidential elections.
The position declared by the Commission's Chairperson, Odo Tanga has however angered the party's caucus in Parliament which allegedly fronted the sole candidate project.

Some Members of the caucus say the Commission as an organ of the party can not disown the February 2014 Kyankwanzi resolutions that among other endorsed Museveni as a sole candidate to contest on behalf of the party in the next elections.

Tanga reportedly declared the position while meeting the NRM Caucus to update it about the party's election road map to 2016 general elections.

According to a source who attended the meeting in Kampala, Tanga Odoi said as far as his commission was concerned, nobody had been declared as sole candidate for the party's presidential flag bearer race.

HIV treatment to 15 million people in 2015 goal achieved.

By Estella Jones

The goal to get HIV treatment to 15 million people by the end of 2015 has already been met, says the United Nations Aids agency.The landmark figure was reached in March - nine months ahead of schedule.It follows decades of global efforts and investment to get anti retroviral drugs to those in need - such as people living in sub-Saharan Africa.In 2000, when the UN first set goals to combat HIV, fewer than 700,000 people were receiving these vital medicines.According to UN Aids, which has a report out today, the global response to HIV has averted 30 million new HIV infections and nearly eight million Aids-related deaths since the millennium.Over the same time frame, new HIV infections have fallen from 2.6 million per year to 1.8 million, and Aids-related deaths have gone down from 1.6 million to 1.2 million.

President Museveni to mediate in Burundi

By Joan Pounds

Bujumbura - Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni will fly to Burundi on Tuesday to mediate between government and opposition leaders, an official said, a personal intervention underlining the scale of regional alarm over an increasingly violent stand-off.

Opposition politicians have accused Burundi's president of violating the constitution by running for a third term in July 21 elections, and have boycotted the vote and called a series of protests.

Western diplomats have warned that the dispute could collapse into conflict after a general involved in a failed coup said he was mobilising troops and armed clashes erupted in the north of a central African nation still scarred by civil war.

Salvator Ntacobamaze, the permanent secretary in Burundi's cooperation ministry, told Reuters the details of talks had not been finalised but Museveni would arrive on Tuesday.

Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has shrugged off calls from Washington and other regional and Western powers for him not to run, saying his candidacy is backed by a court ruling.

General Leonard Ngendakumana, a leader in the abortive May 13 putsch, told Reuters last week his group was still working to oust Nkurunziza, accusing him of stoking ethnic divisions. .

Ngendakumana, a former intelligence officer, acknowledged late on Sunday his men had carried out attacks over the weekend in northern areas bordering Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He denied government reports that rebels had died, and that they had raided Burundi from Rwanda. "Rather so many government soldiers died in the fighting," he said.

A flare-up in Burundi risks repercussions well beyond the borders of the tiny nation of 10 million people and will create fresh instability in a region with a history of ethnic conflict.

More than 145 000 Burundians - almost 1.5% of the population - have already fled across borders. The crisis could drag in regional players, like Rwanda, a victim of a 1994 genocide that has vowed not to let it happen again in the area. 

Katikkiro Mayiga Warns on Uganda’s Political Violence

By Estella Jones

Buganda Prime Minister, Peter Mayiga has appealed for restraint among Uganda’s political actors amid heightened tensions ahead of the 2016 general elections.

Addressing Buganda Parliament (Lukiiko) on Monday morning, Mayiga urged Mengo to appeal for calmness about the political situation in the country.

As different people or groups of people vie for political positions, we need to uphold the rule of law,” said Mayiga, in what appeared a veiled condemnation of the recent violence that characterized the arrest of Kizza Besigye and Amama Mbabazi in Wakiso and Njeru respectively.

Opponents must learn to listen to, and to respect each other,” he added.

Katikkiro further urged warring political leaders to take the contest to the courts of law rather than deploying forceful means.

“Whenever we fail to reach an amicable solution, we have to take the contest to the courts of law. Then courts’ verdicts must be adhered to and implemented,” he added.

“All sides should remember that Ugandans yearn for peace above everything else, we are therefore obliged to observe peace,” added Mayiga.

ChimpReports understands Mayiga did not take sides in the wrangle between the state and Mbabazi but apparently exhibited discomfort at last week’s incidents.

Meanwhile, members of the Buganda Lukiiko have today passed a Shs 8bn budget for the year 2015/2016.

The seating has been held at Bulange in the Buganda Lukiiko gallery today morning.

Minister for finance Owekitiibwa Eva Nagawa said there are several routes which the Buganda government will undertake to fund the budget.

Among the sources of income that will facilitate the budget include; “Land” through the Buganda Land Board, Nkuluze, Luwalo Lwaffe program, Ettoffaali, schools and companies.

President Museveni recently expressed concern over reports that Buganda Kingdom is charging Shs 100,000 as registration fees for people using the various pieces of land.

“We decided to give the titles to the Buganda Kingdom Institution so that they may be used for development. I am concerned by reports that Buganda administration was demanding Shs 100,000 as registration fees,” said Museveni on Tuesday.

The President said that the “NRM Government resolved to maintain the 1928 Governor’s stand and decided to maintain the land rates as nominal and that the rent for land should be maintained as nominal and not commercial.”

He said that the “peasants cannot be subjected to the rental conditions and that this was my understanding with Kabaka Ronald Mutebi.”

Decisions

The Lukiiko asked the Kingdom Ministers to present reports from their ministries, updating the members about the activities being carried out in the ministry.

The Parliament appreciated Her Royal Highness, Sylvia Nnabagereka Nagginda for empowering the community to improve the lives of children and youths.

They also thanked President Yoweri Museveni and the central government for returning the Kingdom properties and asked for the remaining properties to also be returned.

Mr. Mayiga urged the Lukiiko members to focus much on the different sources of revenue that will lead to the increase of income of the Kingdom.

He therefore asked the finance minister to see that the 2016/2017 budget doubles this year’s budget.

The Katikkiro said that work has resumed normally after re-emphasising the care takers of Kasubi Royal tombs to follow Ssaabasajja Kabaka’s directives to repeat the thatching of Muzibu-azaala-mpanga in a traditional way.

Rolls Royce

Regarding the contested ownership of the Rolls Royce car which was used by Sir Edward Muteesa II, the then president of Uganda, Mayiga noted:

“Minister Maria Mutagamba wrote a letter to president Museveni and copied to the Katikkiro stating that, the car was bought by the government of Uganda to Sir Edward Muteesa II as the then president of Uganda which means it belongs to the government of Uganda.”

However, Katikkiro said that he is going to look into the matter and see where the truth is.

While handing over the Kingdom’s land titles to Mayiga a fortnight ago, Museveni said Government was trying to establish whether the Rolls Royce car in the Uganda museum belonged to Kabaka Mutesa or the Uganda Government.

He said that it would be attended to as soon as the facts are established.

Sheikhs murder linked to Arab Money

By Estella Jones

A new police report on the killings of Muslim clerics has revealed that the clerics are targeted for the cash donations they get from the Arab world.

There is a criminal gang operating in the central [region] targeting sheikhs listed on flyers. According to our findings sheikhs are killed due to the funds they get from Arab countries to own, support and manage schools and mosques,” Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said at the official unveiling of the report last week at Naguru police head office. 

The fliers were first circulated in Kampala late last year before the December 28, 2014 fatal shooting of Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga at the Bwebajja mosque on Entebbe road. His name was on the list.

Reading bits of the 15-page report, Enanga said: “The criminal gangs use motorcycles with either tilted or removed registration number plates to trail and murder sheikhs, use AK 47 rifles, jackets and caps to conceal weapons and identity. They also operate between 7pm and 10pm and move in groups of two and three.” 

He said the gangsters are highly trained killers.

“They target to kill; that is why they shoot in pressure parts of the body like the heart, chest, head and spinal code. They are believed to be behind the attacks on police officers within the central region in 2013 where five guns were robbed in Bwebajja, Wakiso district, Mulago and Kanyanya, Wampewo avenue and Seeta in Mukono,” he said.

The report reveals that most of the suspects arrested so far were once fighters of the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) who got amnesty. Enanga said that according to the report, the suspects are hired to kill former ADF rebels largely to create a state of emergency in the country.

“It is suspected that the same gang was involved in the killing of Joan Kagezi, the acting assistant deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in charge of International Crimes Division,” Enanga said. 

He said since 2012 when the killings started, they had so far arrested 60 suspects and prosecuted 32. Enanga said that although they had not yet arrested the prime suspects in the June 30, 2015 murder of Sheikh Hassan Kirya in Bweyogerere, they had arrested many suspects in the previous killings and charged them with murder, terrorism, crimes against humanity, attempted murder and aggravated robbery.

The report said flyers bearing portraits and names of targeted Muslim sheikhs within Kampala were recovered from the suspects. The flyers listed Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga, Sheikh Hassan Kirya, Sheikh Haruna Jemba, Sonko Najjib, Sheikh Muhamood Kibaate and Sheikh Ndawula Swadiq.

“The above were once members of the William street mosque where Amir Umar Sheikh Muhammed Yunusu Kamoga was their leader before they disagreed over property and management of funds collected from the mosque and shops,” Enanga said.

Sheikh Abdul Rashid Wafula was killed in May at his home at Ssajabi cell, Mbale district. Sheikh Abdu Karim Ssentamu was shot dead by unknown gunmen while returning to his home.

MURDERED SHEIKHS 

1. Sheikh Ibrahim Hassan Kirya
2. Sheikh Abdul Khadir Muwaya 
3. Sheikh Yunus Madangu
4. Sheikh Abdul J. Ssentunga
5. Sheikh Mustafah Bahiga 
6. Sheikh Abdul Rashid Wafula 
7. Sheikh Abdu Karim Ssentamu 
8. Hajji Abasi Abubaker Kiwewa 
9. Hajji Abdul Karim Ssebaggala

Christian pastors facing the death sentence in Sudan

By Joan Pounds

Pastors Yat Michael Rout and Peter Yein Reith face death penalty
Charged with espionage and 'undermining the constitution' of Sudan

Supporters claim they had criticised government treatment of Christians

Two pastors in Sudan are facing possible death sentences after criticizing the Islamist government's treatment of Christians, according to reports.

Pastors Yat Michael Rout and Peter Yein Reith have been held in a prison in Khartoum since December and January respectively, and are facing charges of espionage and 'undermining the constitution'.

Supporters of the two Presbyterian pastors, both from South Sudan, say the accusations are baseless and are part of a long-running attempt by the government to 'stamp out Christianity'.

Yat Michael Ruot was arrested in December after allegedly condemning the sale of church land in Khartoum and expressing concern about the treatment of Christians in Sudan.

Peter Yein Reith was arrested a few weeks later after inquiring about Pastor Ruot in a letter he sent to the Religious Affairs Office in Khartoum, supporters say/

The pastors have been charged jointly with acts of criminal conspiracy, undermining the constitutional system, espionage, disclosure and receipt of official information or documents, promoting hatred amongst sect, breach of public peace and offences relating to insulting religious beliefs.

Two of the six charges, undermining the constitutional system and espionage, carry the death penalty or life imprisonment in the event of a guilty verdict

Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, told Fox News that the charges are going forward despite there being absolutely no evidence that the pastors did anything illegal.

'This is a sham trial. They always use the national security threat,' Sekulow said. 'In their view, the proclamation of a faith-based message is tantamount to a national security breach.'

Christians have historically suffered persecution in Sudan, a country which split as recently as 2011 following a referendum to end the long-running civil war.

Several Christian organisations report that the persecution of Christians in South Sudan have become worse since it became an independent country.

The case of the two pastors echo that of Meriam Ibrahim, a 27-year-old woman who had been sentenced to death for her Christian faith last year.

Mrs Ibrahim was pregnant with her second child when she was sentenced to hanging and 100 lashes for adultery and apostasy for marrying Christian Daniel Wani.

Born to a Ethopian Orthodox mother and a Muslim father, the local courts ruled that despite being brought up a Christian she was a Muslim.

She was finally freed in in June 2014 following an international outcry and was helped to travel to the U.S., where her husband Daniel Wani had citizenship

Social media critics rise against police unlawful arrests.

By Estella Jones

A section of youths have criticized the unlawful arrests by Uganda Police in a social media campaign aimed at pursuing justice for fellow youths.

This follows the arrest on Saturday, of a group of young activists affiliated to the opposition Democratic Alliance,’ who were rounded up during a press conference they had summoned at Centenary Park.

The 7 activists had summoned a press conference to address issues revolving around the political situation in the country. Upon arrest, Andrew Karamagi, Kalema Shaban, Kennedy Oluma among others, were taken to Jinja Road police station and later transferred to Nagalama police station

The Saturday incident has since sparked fury on social networking site Twitter with the hash tag ‪#‎ImpunityUg‬.

Many young people have come out to question police’s action of arresting people for ‘no justified reason’.

A one Raymond, who initiated the harshtag tweeted; “The Uganda Police has been reduced to a small armed group that fights political opposition while part-timing at law keeping. #ImpunityUg”

The harshtag also ignited reactions towards the state of police cells which they say are in poor hygiene.

Another tweet ranted against the fact that females were detained in the same small cell with the males.

“Because bad things happen when good people do nothing. Raise awareness. #ImpunityUg” tweeted a one Jordan Kinyera.

Police at Nagalama said one of the arrested youths ‘Danny’ assaulted an officer and attempted to burn the station but Nicholas Opiyo (lawyer to the7) has denied the allegations.

Many of these are worried that that Uganda could be gravitating back to the times of lawlessness which this government fought against.

Unlike the many young people who believe social media is all about humor, personal experiences and the like, these youths trust that such campaigns can indeed steer change.

Meanwhile, the 7 have been presented at Mukono Margistrate’s court and granted bail at Ugshs. 200,000 and a non-cash bail of 5M. The case has been adjourned to July 27th.

So far, efforts are underway by youths to mobilize money amongst themselves and free the 7.

Several other social media campaigns for justice witnessed in the past include ‪#‎DeathAtPanamera‬ and‪#‎JusticeForOjok‬ who was allegedly murdered at Makerere University. The most recent one was ‪#‎FreeBesigye‬ following Kiiza Besigye’s ‘preventive arrest’ by police.

Warned about the creation of 'Yira Republic' as Museveni meets Mumbere.

By Joan Pounds

FORT PORTAL -President Museveni has held a meeting with the Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere who assured him that the Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu is a law abiding cultural institution that does not condone violence but is rather committed to promotion of culture of the people of Rwenzururu.

“Our institution is law abiding and denounces the violence that was there last year. We want to work with government to ensure stability in the region and in our country. We are also not perpetuating the issue of Obuyira state, we are only interested in promoting our culture,” he said.

President Museveni who is on a two-day working visit in Tooro region met Omusinga Mumbere on Monday at State Lodge in Fort Portal Municipality.

Header advertisement
During the meeting, Omusinga Charles Mumbere told President Museveni that the Obusinga as an institution has never involved itself in violence and condemns in strongest terms those who perpetuated the July 5th 2014 upraising that cost the country and the region many lives and property.

The deadly attacks last year in Kasese and Bundibugyo districts, left close to 90 people dead.

The attackers used machetes, spears and guns and raided targets, including police and military installations.

He also distanced himself from those advocating for the creation Abayira Republic that would take some parts of Uganda noting that creating new states was not a cultural but political issue and the Obusinga can’t be party to that.

President Museveni commended the Omusinga for separating the cultural functions of the Obusinga from the political functions of the State.

He warned that any one who hatches a plan to take any part of Uganda to form a new State will not be tolerated.

“Anybody who thinks of dividing our country will not be tolerated. I will work closely with the Kingdom to ensure peace and development,” he said.

The President assured the Omusinga that government will support the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu to perform their cultural roles and will also contribute to the development of the Rwenzururu Heritage University.

Museveni meeting with Mumbere and Rwenzururu officials at State Lodge in Fort Portal on Monday

A 36% increase in farm-gate prices has been recorded

By Joan Pounds

KAMPALA, Uganda - A 36% increase in farm-gate prices has been recorded in a joint project involving Uganda local government authorities and international multilateral lenders to improve farmers’ incomes.

The Community Agricultural Infrastructure Improvement Programme (CAIIP-1) has been funded by loans from International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

CAIIP-1 was launched in October 2007 and ended last year.

Presenting a project report to the stakeholders during a recent meeting in Kampala, Professor Augustus Nuwagaba of Reev Consult International said the programme registered several impacts in the communities.

He said, “An increase in farm-gates prices of 36% compared to the baseline in 2008 has been registered by the project. This is attributed to the interventions in rural roads improvement that geared towards enhancing improved farmers access to markets. More traders can now access the farms meaning increased competition, higher bargaining power and increased farm gate prices.”

Other positive impacts included higher agricultural productivity and marketing coupled with job creation for the youth in various parts of the country.

Alex Onzima, Uganda’s state Minister for Local Government, said the donor funded programmes such as CAIIP-1 have yielded positive results.

“CAIIP -1 has been one of the most successful programmes funded by international multi- financial institutions. Since its inception, it has funded the construction of 4,384.kilometres of community access roads, 578 kilometres district feeder roads, 77 rural agricultural markets and also installed 123 agro-processing facilities for value- addition on grains and milk,” Onzima said.

Some 35 district leaders attended the function to formally wrap up CAIIP -1 in Kampala.

The Minister said with the support of Development Partners, the government has managed to reduce poverty, increase access to markets for agricultural produce harvested by smallscale farmers.

AfDB contributed $45million while IFAD added another $32million and the government topped up with $6million.

CAIIP-1 programme was implemented in 35 districts across the country with the major objectives being to enhance farmers access to markets and attract competiveness prices by way of improved rural infrastructure.

The CAIIP-1 programme was implemented in three components which include Rural Infrastructure.Community Mobilization and Program Management.

Prof. Nuwagaba said there had been an increase of over 40% in the share of the market price s of various commodities between 2008 and 2011. This was because the volume of produce marketed has gradually improved particularly for beans and coffee.

“When community roads are kept in good condition, prices of agricultural produce stabilize at competitive levels whether farmers sell at farm gate or through other channels with a multiple effect on house hold incomes,” he said.

To make sure that there’s continuity Prof. Nuwagaba asked the Ministry of Local Government to allocate enough resources to local governments if they are to maintain the infrastructure such as roads and agro-processing facilities.

Patrick Mutabwire, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government said district administrations now have the capacity to maintain after being allocated equipment and money sourced from the Uganda Roads Fund.

“Local farmers in those areas where facilities like milk coolers, rice and maize mills have been installed should stop selling their produce in raw form. They should add value before the produce is released on the market,”he said.

However several district leaders said the funds allocated are not enough to enable them carry out routine maintenance.

Power utility pays Uganda NSSF $1.3m in dividends.

By Estella Jones

KAMPALA, Uganda – The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has received a cheque of Ush4.5 billion (nearly $1.3 million) from the power distributor, Umeme Limited, as gross dividends for its 231million shareholding in the company.

“The numbers tell the story; we invested a total of Ush70.2 billion in Umeme and have so far received Ush13.6 billion as dividends. As of June 30, the capital gains stood at Ush44.5 billion and the total value of our investment at Ush114.7 billion. By any measure, a 83% return since we invested in Umeme, is outstanding,” Richard Byarugaba, the Managing Director NSSF said last week.

NSSF is the third largest institutional investor behind South African-based Investec Funds and UK’s’ Actis in the electricity distributor.

Last year, NSSF bought an additional 100 million shares in the company last year, which increased its takes to 14.27%.

Byarugaba said NSSF’s investment strategy is finding paying dividends and Umeme is acting as a good example.

The Umeme Managing Director, Selestino Babungi said, the energy sector still has considerable potential.

“Only 15% of Ugandans are covered by the national grid. Umeme will improve electricity access in tandem with the government’s vision to have up to 40% of the country covered by 2040. This will require heavy investments in infrastructure development, technology innovations, human resources and top-notch customer care services which will ultimately ensure good shareholder value,” Babungi said.

Byarugaba said the Fund will continue to seek opportunities in equities in Uganda and within the East Africa as it reduces concentration on fixed income investments.

“Increasing our exposure to the equities offers us an opportunity for diversification hence enabling us to get good returns from the fast companies. This money will be transferred to our customers as interest and they can expect a bigger percentage interest from their money.”

Umeme’s performance in 2014 was underpinned by capital investments, increase in sales and improved performance against regulatory targets.

Babungi repeated the company’s commitment to bringing energy losses down further having achieved 18.7% in 2015 from last year’s 21.3% and investment in appropriate technology to improve customer service delivery.

“We have converted over 30% of our total customers to the payments metering system and we have commenced upcountry conversions across the country since October 2014. This dividend payment is going directly to NSSF.

“We want to thank all the investors in the company, individuals and privates who bought shares in Umeme Limited right from the initial public offering and over the last couple of years as they recognised the opportunity for what it is,” he said.

Top insurer excites the East African market

By Estella Jones

Prudential plc, one of the largest and best known life insurance companies in the world, has selected Uganda as its third insurance market in Africa by acquiring Goldstar Life Assurance.

The company in 2014 launched Prudential Ghana and Prudential Kenya.

It has ambitious plans to create a market-leading insurer serving the growing long-term savings needs of Ugandans. The company says it intends to create 2,000 high quality jobs to Ugandans by 2020, which will be a mixture of employees and self-employed agents.

President Yoweri Museveni who met Matt Lilley the CEO Africa of Prudential plc, welcomed one of the largest and most well-known life insurance companies in the world to Uganda.

“We welcome you to Uganda. Your investment will go a long way in creating income and employment for our people,” Museveni said.

Museveni said there is a need for growth in agriculture, industry, services and ICT as government’s priority sectors to drive economic development.

He urged investors in these sectors to add value addition and promote insurance for farmers to enable them engage in commercial agro production.

Matt Lilly the Prudential plc Africa Chief Executive Officer said his company intends to create 2000 high quality jobs by 2020, which is a mixture of employees and self-employed agents.

“The acquisition of Goldstar, which is now known as Prudential Uganda, is an important milestone in Prudential’s growth in Africa following the launch of Prudential Ghana and Prudential Kenya in 2014, “Lilley said.

According to available information, Prudential has also signed a longtime cooperation agreement with Crane Bank to explore opportunities to work together across Uganda.

“This announcement is an important milestone for Prudential and our growing Africa business. We look forward to working with our new colleagues at Prudential Uganda to build the business, generate jobs and develop innovative products to help Ugandans plan for the future. We are delighted to cooperate with Crane Bank, one of the leading financial services firms, and look forward to working with them to serve our customers in the future,” Matt Lilley said.

Prudential plc is incorporated in England and Wales and is one of the world’s leading financial services groups and has been in existence for more than 167 years.

Its entry however in Uganda’s market will face competition from 27 other insurance companies offering life and non-life insurance packages.

Prudential provides insurance and financial services through its subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the world. It has around 24 million insurance customers in the UK, USA, Asia and Africa and more than US$773.3billion of assets under management as per 2014

It’s No Picnic Being the Political Opposition in Uganda.

By The Editorial

When Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni took office in 1986, he declared plainly that Africa's problems were mainly the result of leaders clinging too long to power. However, 29 years later, Museveni still hasn't gone. Now he's seeking a sixth presidential term.

Every year Museveni remains in office, the space in Uganda for political engagement contracts a bit more. In 2001, Colonel Kizza Besigye, a former military officer with the Uganda's People's Defence, declared his intentions to run for the presidency. Ever since, Besigye has been in and out of prison.

There are signs that Museveni's grip on power is waning. Several old guards from his own National Resistance Movement have come out openly to oppose him. Most recently, former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi declared that he will run in the 2016 presidential election. (Last year, Museveni sacked Mbabazi.)

While he was prime minister, Mbabazi engineered the Public Order Management Act, a law later used against him. On 9 July 2015, as he was beginning regional consultative meetings, Mbabazi was arrested and detained for 10 hours for supposedly violating this new law. Kizza Besigye, a leading opposition figure, was also arrested at his home in Kasangati.

Online, Ugandans have speculated about the reasons for the arrest.

Ugandan national parks receive international recognition.

By Joan Pounds

Five of Uganda’s most popular national parks have this year received TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2015, some of them in fact for successive years.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, the country’s primary habitat for the prized mountain gorillas, has once again captured this honour. Lake Mburo National Park also was named for the second year running after being recently in the news, when 15 Rothschild giraffes were relocated to Lake Mburo, no doubt greatly enhancing the wildlife viewing experience for visitors. Other parks named were Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest National Park and Uganda’s main alpine national park, Rwenzori Mountains, aka Mountains of the Moon.

Much of Uganda’s tourism sector relies on the country’s wildlife and adventure experiences, and promotional efforts are all focused on highlighting these unique attributes, which set the country apart from the other East African member states, making a strong point for multi-country visits, to go home with a complete regional experience including having met Uganda’s primates and seen the majestic Rwenzori mountains.

TripAdvisor recognition comes, unlike other industry awards which can literally be bought, as a result of user reviews and is broadly considered as much more impartial and fact based, giving them a special standing across the tourism industry.

US accuses Rwanda of rights abuse

By Wesley Spartan

The US government has again accused Rwanda of violating human rights in a 2014 report released by the Department of State.

The annual report released at the end of June alleges that several government institutions were behind human-rights violations in 2014, including disappearances, harassment, arrests, and abuse of political opponents and human-rights advocates.

The lengthy report also accuses Rwandan security forces and the judiciary of disregard for the rule of law and restrictions on civil liberties.

Due to restrictions on the registration and operation of opposition parties and non-transparent vote-counting practices, citizens did not have the ability to change their government through free and fair elections,” the report partly reads.

Other major human-rights problems included arbitrary or unlawful killings, torture, harsh conditions in prisons and detention centres, arbitrary arrests, prolonged pre-trial detention, and government infringement on citizens’ privacy rights,” the report further adds.

Rwanda has dismissed the report as baseless and unfounded but sources say it could be one of the avenues Washington wants to use to put pressure on the government ahead of 2017 presidential election.

The government in many cases took steps to prosecute or punish officials who committed abuses, whether in the security services or elsewhere, but impunity involving civilian officials and the security forces was a problem,” the report adds.

The US government also recognised that Kigali did not provide support to armed groups in neighbouring countries.

Efforts to reach the Minister of Foreign Affairs Louise Mushikiwabo to comment on the report were futile.

But officials in government institutions accused of committing arbitrary or unlawful killings have come out to dismiss the report, stating that the accusations are not credible.

NSSF to receive sh7bn from Ugandan companies.

By Estella Jones

Savers could receive higher interest on their savings.
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is set to receive dividends amounting to Shs 7.13b for its stake in the Ugandan listed companies.

From its equities spread in different firms, the Fund generates returns of between 40 per cent and 50 per cent.

NSSF is a top investor in Bank of Baroda, Dfcu, Stanbic, New Vision, Uganda Clays and Umeme, it has also invested widely across East Africa.

In Kenya, it has stakes in Safaricom, Centum, Equity Bank and KCB.

NSSF Managing Director, Mr. Richard Byarugaba said that such returns on investment could push members into receiving higher interest on their savings at the end of the year. 

“Increasing our exposure to equities offer us an opportunity for diversification, hence enabling us to get a good return from the fast-growing companies, and Umeme has been a great example of this kind of investment,” Mr. Byarugaba said.

NSSF early this year, increased its stake in Equity Bank to 2.44%, pitting it in the top 10 of the companies.