𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐏

ISSUE 188

EVENING 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐘 25, 2023

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🇺🇬 Kasule Lumumba appointed Catholic Committee Patron ahead of Martyrs Day Celebrations 

📌 The State Minister in Charge of General duties in Office of the Prime Minister, Justine Kasule Lumumba has been appointed patron of the Catholic Church Martyrs Day central organizing committee. Lumumba’s appointment was announced by Jinja Catholic Bishop Martin Wamika whose Diocese was chosen by Uganda Episcopal Conference to lead this year’s Martyrs Day celebrations. She was appointed alongside other committee members including Fr. John Baptist Mukwaya (liturgy), Fr. Romano Iga (choir), Fr. Denis Ngobi Wanzala (venue, construction and sanitation), Fr. Joseph Kizito Tibakula (transport).

🇺🇬 Prof. Israel Kafeero appointed Bugema University Vice Chancellor

📌The Board of Bugema University has appointed Dr. Israel Kafeero as the new University Vice Chancellor. The appointment was announced this week by the University’s DVC-Academics, Prof. Paul Katamba.

“On behalf of the Bugema University fraternity, I would like to offer you Pr. Dr. Israel Kafero, our most sincere congratulations upon your elevation and appointment to the position of Vice Chancellor of Bugema University,” Katamba said in a statement. Kafeero replaces Ghanian Prof. Patrick Manu whose term expired in 2021. Kafeero is a Ugandan who attended Damascus and Katikamu SDA Primary and Secondary Schools.

🇺🇬 No one will force us to lay a hand on savers’ money- NSSF MD

📌The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) acting Managing Director Patrick Ayota has assured members of the public that no one can push them to touch  their savings, amidst the ongoing power fight.

“I have not just worked in this environment. I have worked in different markets. The last thing anybody can do is push me. The only thing I really do is my reputation ,” said Ayota as he responded to questions from journalists on Wednesday morning.

🇺🇬 NSSF pays Shs95.3 Billion to members in past 24 days

📌The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has announced that in the past 24 days, it paid out Shs95.3 billion to its members. While addressing journalists  on Wednesday, the acting NSSF Managing Director Patrick Ayota said despite the ongoing allegations of fund mismanagement, they have performed well in the past six months and first part of the New Year 2023.

“In the past 24 days of the month of January, the fund paid out shs95.3 Billion to over 3000 members compared to Shs 49.9 Billion to 1337 members in the same period in 2022,” Ayota said. As of December 31, 2022, the fund was worth Shs 17.88 Trillion with fixed income contributing to 78% equities at 15% and real estate at 7%  whereas contributions increased by 22% from Shs643 Billion in December 2021 to Shs 786 Billion.

🇺🇬 Balaam events truck overturns, equipment destroyed

📌Events promoter Balaam Barugahara of Balaam Marketing Agency is counting losses after one of his trucks got involved in an accident as they were returning from Sebei sub-region. According to Balaam, the accident happened on the steep Sipi area, but the good news is that no one was killed. 

 “We lost no one in this accident. These are seeds of the revolution,” he posted on his Facebook account on Monday, January 23, 2023.

🇺🇬 Alice Alaso to challenge NRM candidates in Serere County seat by-election

📌The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) has unveiled Alice Alaso as the party candidate for the forthcoming Serere county by-election.  NRM contender candidates include Phillip Oucor and Emmanuel Omoding, the son of the late MP Patrick Okabe who succumbed to a road accident along Tirinyi-Mbale Road on December 19, 2022. 

🇺🇬 Kigezi leaders hail late Governor Mutebile at first memorial service

📌Kigezi leaders have hailed former Bank of Uganda Governor, Prof Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile for being a patriot, a unifier and a promoter of culture in the region. This was revealed at the first memorial service held to celebrate the legacy and life of Prof Mutebile at All Saints Cathedral Nakasero recently. John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, the Former Prime Minister and childhood friend of Prof Mutebile praised the deceased for being at the helm of numerous interventions that lifted the economy of Uganda from the commodity scarcities, inflation and instabilities of the 1970s.

🇺🇬 Ministry of Lands explains how to replace a lost certificate of land title

📌Ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development has shed light on how to replace a certificate of land title when either lost or damaged. A registered proprietor declares to the office of titles or court orders its replacement, swearing a statutory declaration supporting application for special title, then office of the titles prepares a 30 days gazette notice for publication in Uganda gazette, after 30 days the applicant submits gazette copies to the respective ministry zonal offices where the land in question falls and the register proceeds to prepare the special title. 

🇺🇬 SOROTI: MP lashes at men, asks them to accompany wives for Fistula treatment

📌The Woman Member of Parliament for Soroti City, Joan Alobo, has lashed out at men who divorce their wives with obstetric fistula ailment but advised them to instead  help them to seek treatment for their fistula injuries.

“There is no unhappier sight than that of witnessing women constantly presenting with involuntary leakage of urine or faeces, continuously soiling their underwear and emitting unbearable and disgusting stench,” Alobo said.

🇺🇬 TORORO: Local Government constructs maternity ward, staff houses for health center III

📌The Tororo District Chairperson John Okeya on January 24, while launching the construction of a new maternity ward and staff houses at Kyamwinula Health Centre III, commended Government for its efforts to promote health service delivery in Uganda. The project will cost a whopping sum of Ugx 920 Million located at Agururu A3 cell, Western Division in Tororo Municipal Council. It is funded by the Uganda Government in collaboration with the World Bank under the UGIFT program.

🇺🇬 SIRONKO: Government rehabilitates Elgon Gravity Flow Water Scheme

📌The Chairperson Sironko District, Giruli David Livingstone, during the handover of Elgon Gravity Water Flow Scheme for rehabilitation, on Tuesday praised Government for promoting usage of safe water in the district. The rehabilitation project involves refurbishment of Miiwu water reservoir which was contracted by Elgon Masaba Company at Ugx15.3 Million and covers the Sub Counties of Bukyambo, Butadiga, Elgon and Butadiga Town Council. The ceremony was attended by local leaders of the beneficiary sub counties.

🇺🇬 MASINDI: Man hangs himself after father stole his sugarcanes

📌Residents of Nyantonzi East Village in Nyantonzi Parish, Nyantonzi Sub county in Masindi on Tuesday were left devastated when a one Charles Openjuru, 49, hanged himself dead on a mango tree at father’s home. Residents said the deceased’s father harvested his sugarcanes and refused to pay him the money which was earned out of the sugarcane sales.

🇺🇬 NAMAYINGO: Deputy RDC tells Police to arrest illegal fishing gear sellers

📌The Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Trevor Solomon Baleke, on Wednesday January 25, during his address to fishermen, sand miners and local leaders at Lugala landing ordered Police to arrest traders in illegal fishing gear business. Baleke explained that the move will help to protect the fishermen, fish and restore good relationship between the fishing community and the UPDF Fish Protection Unit. 

“We are inviting the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) officials to Namayingo to ascertain whether all the nets found in those shops are the ones recommended,” said Baleke.

ACROSS BORDERS

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🌍 EAC starts assessing Somalia’s readiness to join bloc

📌The East African Community on Wednesday, January 25, launched its verification mission to assess Somalia’s readiness to join the regional economic community. This comes after the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on July 21, 2022, reiterated his country’s request to join the bloc. At the time, during an EAC Heads of State meeting in Arusha Tanzania, the President of Somalia requested officially, on behalf of his nation, that “we need to join this great community.

🌍 Uhura Kenyatta concerned by upsurge in fighting in North Kivu

📌Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is currently serving as the facilitator of the East Africa Community (EAC) – led Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace process has expressed deep concern over the sharply deteriorating situation in North Kivu in the DRC. In a statement, Kenyatta said, “Once again the Facilitator calls for cessation of all hostilities and adherence to the Luanda Agreements and a return to the Nairobi Peace Process on consultations to build peace in the DRC.” 

Kenyatta met the technical team of the technical advisory team on the EAC peace process in the DRC ahead of the fourth consultative meeting slated for mid February.

🌍 Kenya set for more regional trade deals after signing pact with two other regional blocs

📌Kenya will soon start exporting its goods outside the East African Community (EAC) market with the implementation of a tripartite agreement that is expected to be implemented in March this year. The free trade pact that brings together three regional business blocs the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), EAC and South African Development Community (SADC), was mooted seven years ago. “We expect to reach the minimum threshold of 14 by March and the signal we are getting is that the countries that are yet to endorse the trade deal are moving towards achieving its ratification,”  Christopher Onyango, Director of Trade and Customs at the COMESA Secretariat said.

🌍 Rwanda urges Tanzania to join East African Single Tourist Visa

📌Rwanda’s envoy to Tanzania, Major General Charles Karamba, on Tuesday held discussions with Tanzanian Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Pindi Hazara Chana, about the importance of the East Africa Single Tourist Visa programme. The East African Single Tourist Visa is an arrangement where a tourist obtains a visa for one of the East African Community (EAC) countries and can use it to travel to the other countries that subscribe to the bloc. Currently,  Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda are using the system, while Tanzania and Burundi are yet to join.

🌍 IMF boss in Kigali to discuss climate change financing for EAC

📌International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva Wednesday joined a round table discussion on climate change financing with East African finance ministers and governors of central banks in Kigali, Rwanda. Her visit to Rwanda comes a few weeks after her board approved $319 million in concessional funding to support climate change mitigation policies under its new policy support of Sustainability Trust (RST), making it the first African country to access the funds.