𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐏

𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄 661

🅐🅕🅣🅔🅡🅝🅞🅞🅝 🅔🅓🅘🅣🅘🅞🅝

*MAY 21, 2024*

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https://explorer.co.ug/

🇺🇬 *President Museveni visits Inspire Africa modern coffee park with Ethiopian ambassador Etsegenet Yimenu*

📌Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Etsegenet Yimenu, earlier today May 21 2024, visited the Inspire Africa Modern Coffee Park in Rwashamaire town, Ntungamo district. The coffee hub, which is part of a pilot project by Inspire Africa, is set to benefit from a proposed $10m (Shs37b) government grant. The hub is designed to gather all graded coffee from farmers in the Ankole, Kigezi and Rwenzori (AKR) regions, process it into final products, and package it for local consumption and export. The coffee park will have three large factory houses for primary, secondary and tertiary production of coffee, enabling value addition through products like coffee wines, drinks, and lip balms. President Museveni has also visited the site to appraise the progress of the project, which aims to transform the coffee industry in Uganda

🇺🇬 *Italian Investors propose Railway Line and Port in Busia*

📌President Yoweri Museveni on Monday, May 20, 2024, welcomed a delegation of Italian investors at State House Entebbe, led by H.E. Mauro Massoni, the Ambassador of Italy to Uganda. The investors expressed interest in financing and constructing a railway line from Tororo to Majanji Island, along with developing a port at Majanji. Museveni welcomed the proposal, stating that the railway would facilitate trade from Northern Uganda and neighboring countries. While the government is constructing the Standard Gauge Railway from the Kenyan border to Kampala, Museveni acknowledged that the railway from Tanzania could take time. He said the lake route through Majanji Island to Tororo could be utilized in the interim. The Italian investors also proposed establishing an academy to equip Ugandans with skills in railway construction and maintenance, which the President welcomed

🇺🇬 *Gov’t imposes restrictions on land registry access to combat forgery and fraud*

📌 The Ministry of Lands has implemented restrictions on access to the land registry for both ministry staff and the public in an effort to prevent forgery of titles and fraudulent land registration. Johnson Mukanga, the Competitiveness and Enterprise Development Project (CEDP) coordinator at the ministry headquarters explained that these measures were taken as the land registry moves towards full computerization to secure land titles in the face of cybercrime threats. The National Land Information System (NLIS) is designed in such a way that nobody can enter, transfer or delete data without being identified,” Mukanga further explained that for any illegal or irregular transaction that is attempted an alert is immediately registered. if one has access to a document, it can only be a mirror image of the original,” he stated

🇺🇬 *MUK releases list of Gov’t-sponsored students for 2024/2025 academic year*

📌Government-sponsored student list for the 2024–2025 academic year at Makerere University (MUK) and Makerere University Business School (MUBS) is out. According to Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the Academic Registrar at Makerere University, confirmed the release of the lists yesterday. “Of the 4,000 students admitted on this scheme in the public universities, for Makerere University, we have admitted about 1,000 students and MUBs has admitted about 450” said  Prof Mukadasi. He further revealed that they are still waiting for students on other government scholarship schemes such as District Quota, and Sports and Disability. Besides the government-sponsored schemes, other schemes are mature entry and students who will be admitted on private sponsorship. The students being admitted are those who sat their Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) last year and they are joining for the academic year 2024/2025 which is scheduled to start in August this year

🇺🇬 *Police issues out security guidelines ahead of Martyrs Day Celebrations*

📌The Uganda Police have outlined designated routes and safety procedures for pilgrims traveling to the Namugongo Martyrs Day celebration on June 3, 2024. Pilgrims are advised to follow specific guidelines to ensure their safety during the event. The police have deployed both overt and covert personnel, including the marine unit to prevent accidents. There will be traffic diversions on routes leading to the shrines, and CCTV cameras and aerial surveillance will be used for monitoring. Additionally, health teams and ambulances will be stationed at the shrines, and a complaint desk will be available for reporting incidents. Pilgrims are urged to maintain hygiene, come with essential items only, and be cautious of their surroundings, reporting any suspicious activities to the police. These efforts demonstrate police’s commitment to providing a safe environment for pilgrims to commemorate this important religious event.

🇺🇬 *CID advises public to verify caller identity after surge of  imposter donation requests*

📌Police’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) has issued a warning to the public regarding a new group of fraudsters engaged in imposter phone calls. These criminals impersonate VIPs, prominent government personnel, business persons, and billing officers at utility companies (such as electricity and water providers). Victims have reported receiving a deluge of imposter calls, ranging from wedding contributions to utility bills and donations. To protect the public, CID urges vigilance and due diligence. Citizens are advised to always ask additional questions to verify the caller’s identity, contact the intended beneficiary directly or visit them in person to confirm any requests and to report to the nearest police station any suspicious phone calls requesting contributions, fundraising, or donations.

🇺🇬 *Gov’t Infrastructure development sparks business and tourism in Bunyoro Region*

📌A number of roadside businesses are cropping up after the construction of various oil roads in the Albertine Graben . This was after the government embarked on the construction of major roads in several parts of Bunyoro to facilitate the oil and gas development projects in the Albertine Graben. The key roads which were worked on include Masindi-Kigumba-Hoima-Kabwoya (135km), Kyenjojo-Hoima-Masindi-Kigumba (238km) and Hoima-Wanseko (111km). The other is the 92km Hoima-Kaiso-Tonya Road that was completed in 2014 as part of the several infrastructural development projects undertaken in the Albertine region in preparation for oil production. The roads are already facilitating the movement of equipment and material used in the ongoing activities. Besides easing transport, the road network has also created business opportunities for communities, mostly farmers, who are tapping into the growing number of road users.

🇺🇬 *UCDA to distribute millions of coffee seedlings to boost production in Northern Regions*

📌Government through Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), is set to distribute 600,000 coffee seedlings to farmers in the Lango and Acholi sub-regions. This initiative aims to boost coffee production and productivity in these areas, aligning with the government’s target of distributing 300 million coffee seedlings annually to help farmers increase their incomes. Additionally, UCDA has established 60 Coffee Wilt Disease-resistant (CWDr) Robusta mother gardens in Northern Uganda to provide high-quality planting materials to farmers. The distribution of coffee seedlings is part of the government’s efforts to modernize the coffee sector and increase coffee production and value addition. The government aims to improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers and contribute to the country’s economic development.

🇺🇬 *SOROTI: Community leaders vow to block Bobi from Teso over UK sanctions*

📌A section of community leaders in Soroti City have vowed to block National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, from entering the Teso sub-region. They accuse him of orchestrating the UK sanctions against Speaker Anita Among and undermining Uganda’s sovereignty by colluding with the former colonial power. Francis Eryau, a community leader and Orey Omunonga, a youth leader, accused Kyagulanyi of boasting about influencing the UK to impose sanctions on “our sister” The leaders’ threats stem from Bobi Wine’s admission that he lobbied UK authorities to sanction Speaker Among for her role in presiding over the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which was later signed into law by President Museveni.

🇺🇬 *MASAKA:  Police probe Bobi Wine’s guards over assaulting journalists*

📌Bobi Wine’s bodyguards have been accused of assaulting two female journalists, Zainabu Namusaazi and Margret Kayondo, and damaging their equipment during the burial of businessman Pascal Ssekasamba. The journalists, who work for Next Media Group and Radio Ssimba respectively, claim that the bodyguards, led by Achilles Kivumbi, attacked them and destroyed a video camera and a cell phone. According to Namusaazi, the guards instructed journalists not to document a confrontation where Kimanya-Kabonera MP Abed Bwanika criticized Kyagulanyi for allegedly sponsoring attacks against party members who disagreed with his leadership. When Bwanika’s microphone was seized, sparking a scuffle that journalists aimed to capture, the guards, some disguised in black masks, pursued and assaulted the journalists, damaging their equipment. Namusaazi has filed a case against Kivumbi, seeking accountability for their actions

🇺🇬 *MBARARA: Father turns himself to Police after allegedly killing son*

📌Police in Mbarara are investigating circumstances under which a 65-year-old man named Tumwiine Perez from Bitereko Village in Kariro Parish, Rubindi, allegedly murdered his 35-year-old son, Tweteise Nickson, following a land dispute. The deceased, Tweteise Nickson, was known in the community for troubling behavior, including theft, assault, and threats towards his father regarding land ownership. Tumwiine Perez turned himself in at Rubindi Police Station after the incident and is currently in custody facing murder charges. ASP Betungura Amos, the Officer in Charge of Rubindi Police Station, has confirmed the incident, and police have conducted investigations at the crime scene and taken the deceased’s body to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital for a post-mortem examination

🇺🇬 *LIRA: Tragic road accident claims 2 lives  on Lira-Soroti highway*

📌A tragic road accident happened in Lira District involving a Toyota Hilux attached with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) occurred on May 20th, 2024, near Rima Primary School along the Lira-Soroti highway. The collision claimed the lives of Ferdinand Otima (25) and Raymond Ogwang (66), residents of Aliri Village, Akalo Sub-county in Kole District, who were riding a motorcycle. The speeding vehicle, registered as UG 1234J, was traveling from Soroti to Lira City when it struck the victims and hit a pedestrian named Emmanuel Okullo, causing injuries. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Lira Regional Referral Hospital for postmortem examinations, while Emmanuel Okullo and another passenger, Betty Agola, and were receiving treatment pending investigations

*ACROSS BORDERS*

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🌍 *KINSHASA : Questions swirl a few days after Dr. Congo ‘Coup attempt*

📌A day after the army in DR Congo said it had thwarted an attempted coup involving several Americans and a British man, many in Kinshasa had questions on Monday about the attackers’ motives and how they were able to access key government sites. The coup bid took place in the early hours of Sunday outside the residence of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the capital’s northern Gombe area. The group then went to the Palais de la Nation that houses President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices, brandishing flags of Zaire, the name of the Democratic Republic of Congo under Mobutu Sese Seko. Media reports said the assailants were members of the New Zaire Movement linked to formerly exiled DR Congo politician Christian Malanga, who has acquired American citizenship. In a livestream during the attack, Malanga threatened Tshisekedi and Kamerhe, accusing them of committing “too many foolish acts” in the country.

🌍 *SOUTH SUDAN: Secures $13 Billion Oil-Backed Loan from UAE Firm*

📌South Sudan has closed a deal to secure a staggering $13 billion loan from Dubai Company run by Abu Dhabi’s royal Al Nahyan family. The loan, is to be repaid with crude oil supply for over 17 years after a 3-year grace period, the loan amounts nearly double South Sudan’s GDP and around five times its current $2.5 billion external debt. The deal with the Hamad Bin Khalifa Department of Projects (HBK DOP) represents South Sudan’s largest-ever oil-backed loan under President Salva Kiir with an average 2023 output of 149,000 barrels per day, South Sudan relies on Sudan’s pipelines to export its oil for a $23 per barrel transit fee

🌍*HAITI: Kenyan Police arrives in Haiti on enforcement mission led by Deputy IG Noor Gabow*

📌Kenyan delegation, led by Deputy Inspector General Noor Gabow, arrived in Haiti on Monday, May 20, 2024, to conduct an assessment ahead of the deployment of Kenyan police officers as part of a multinational security support mission. Gabow, and an initial team of 200 officers will lay the groundwork for the deployment of the remaining Kenyan contingent in batches. Their primary task is to assess the construction of bases and airports in preparation for the mission aimed at assisting the Haitian National Police in combating violent gangs that have destabilized the Caribbean nation. Gabow’s team will be followed by over 1,000 Kenyan police officers drawn from various specialized units, such as the Rapid Deployment Unit, Anti-Stock Theft Unit, General Service Unit, and Border Patrol Unit.