𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐏

𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄 204
𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
𝐅𝐄𝐁𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐘 10, 2023

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🇺🇬 VP Alupo says Govt is committed to addressing PWDs needs
📌The Vice President of Uganda, (Rtd) Maj Jessica Alupo has said Government is more committed to addressing the needs of persons with disability at all levels. She called on their leaders to wake up and use their leadership platforms to bring to attention their needs. Alupo made the remarks on Thursday while officiating at an opening for Northern and Western disability leaders training in Kyankwanzi. She said that Government is aware of their challenges and that is why they are seeking to increase university scholarship slots that specifically cater for those with disability.

🇺🇬 Poverty Status report reveals Busoga subregion poverty levels slightly drop
📌The Poverty Status report released by the Ministry of Finance and UNDP has revealed that the Elgon region registered the largest drop in poverty rate while the WestNile region showed a consistent fall in poverty since 2012-2013. The report notes that although the Busoga region contributes the largest share of the national poverty rate, the fall in poverty rate in the region is a positive development.

🇺🇬 Jose chameleone postpones concert due to heavy downpour that destroyed the stage and equipment
📌Joseph Mayanja alias Jose Chameleone has confirmed the postponement of his Gwanga Mujje Concert that was slated to take place Friday night. Speaking to the media, Chameleone confirmed that he has been forced to postpone his main concert following the heavy downpour that happened on Friday afternoon destroying the beautifully set up stage. He has incurred losses including FENON’s equipment that was damaged, the promoter Biggie Events might have to pay service providers twice plus, some workers sustained injuries.

🇺🇬 UNEB to start examining sign language next year
📌The Uganda National Examinations Board ( UNEB) has revealed that it will start examining sign language next year. During the release of the 2022 UCE result, Dan Odongo the Executive Director said they have developed a curriculum for sign language which will guide teaching of sign language in schools.

🇺🇬 Works Ministry requests Parliament to appropriate Shs155Bn to compensate SGR affected persons
📌The Ministry of Works and Transport has requested Parliament to appropriate 155 billion shillings for compensation of persons to be affected by the construction of the standard gauge railway in the next financial year 2023/2024. The Project manager, Alfred Odong explained that the estimated compensation cost to the Malaba-Kampala standard gauge railway (SGR) project is 584.9 billion shillings.

🇺🇬 Electoral Commission nominates Serere by-elections candidates
📌The Electoral Commission has nominated candidates to contest for the Serere County Member of parliament by-election slated for February 23, 2023. Emmanuel Omoding the NRM independent leaning, Alice Alaso for the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Phillip Oucor, the NRM flag bearer and FDC’S Emmanuel Eratu have been nominated.

🇺🇬 50 prisoners pass UCE without teachers’ assistance
📌 While releasing the 2022 UCE results Thursday, Dan Odongo, the executive secretary of Uganda National Examination Board said 50 of the 51 prison candidates had passed. In an interview,  Frank Baine, the prisons spokesperson, said due to the Covid-19 restrictions, teachers were not allowed to access the prisons but at least 50 prisoners excelled.
“It was based on individual input since there was no external assistance from teachers because of Covid-19. They read on their own,” he said.

🇺🇬 Mukono Diocese fences church land to curb encroachment
📌 The outgoing Bishop, James William Ssebaggala has said that Mukono Diocese has embarked on the construction of a one-kilometer-perimeter wall to protect Nakanyonyi church land from encroachment. According to Bishop Ssebaggala, he decided to undertake the initiative of constructing a perimeter wall around the land following threats by some people to encroach on the church land. The construction work started last month.

🇺🇬 Fire guts cotton factory in Kitgum
📌Fire has gutted a cotton factory belonging to East Acholi Cooperative Union-EACU in Kitgum Municipality. The incident occurred yesterday when the fire started from within the factory. Henry Komakech, the Secretary Manager of EACU, said the cause of the fire is not yet known, but they have ruled out external causes.

🇺🇬 KCCA appoints new deputy directors 
📌Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has confirmed the appointment of new deputy directors in different directorates. Simon Kasyate, the Kampala Capital City Authority Spokesperson says the recruitment means improvement in better service delivery to the people of Kampala City. Some of the appointed include; Nyakaisiki Monica Rose (Deputy Director Information Systems), William Epiaka (Deputy Director Strategy and Business Management) among others.

🇺🇬 Top commander killed, two others arrested as Security raids suspected ADF cell in Mityana
📌Security has raided a suspect Allied Democratic Forces terror cell in Katakala village, Mityana  District in which Sulaiman Bisaso Segawa, a man believed to be the commander was killed and two others arrested. Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said that the two ADF terrorists, who included a medic and a female were arrested after they surrendered.

🇺🇬 Farmers to access PDM cash at Harvest Money expo
📌The ongoing Harvest Money Expo 2023 attendees at Kololo Independence Grounds are set to receive training from the Parish Development Model (PDM) Secretariat, so as to get ready for the upcoming planting season. According to Dr. Edward Katende, the PDM technical advisor, the mission of the model is to transform Ugandans, especially those in subsistence farming to make money out of their agricultural ventures.
“Before a farmer can access the money, he or she is first taken through a series of training on how to use the money correctly so as to achieve the purpose of the intervention,” he said.

🇺🇬 TORORO: Ministry of Health mobilizes LC chairpersons for IRS to curb malaria 
📌The Health Ministry has  mobilized local council chairpersons from LC 1-3 for the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) exercise slated to begin on  February 27, 2023. This will be done in 10 districts of northern and eastern Uganda in a bid to intensify efforts towards the management of the Malaria disease. The exercise is intended to contribute to the objective of achieving and sustaining protection of at least 85% of the population at risk of malaria through recommended Malaria prevention measures like IRS.

🇺🇬 BULIISA: Government distributes drugs and medical supplies to two health centers
📌The National Medical Stores has delivered drugs and essential medical supplies to Kigwera health center III and Butiaba Health Centre III. The Buliisa District Health Officer, Dr. Samuel Onyait confirmed the information and commended Government for the improved health service delivery in the district.

🇺🇬 KYENJOJO: Mariestopes Uganda donates auto claves and gas cylinder to Kyabasara Health Centre III
📌MarrieStopes Uganda a local non governmental  organization dealing in health issues has today January 10, 2023 donated Autoclave and a gas cylinder to Kyabasara Health Centre III in Pachwa subcounty. The incharge of the health center commended Mariestopes for  covering  up the gap to ease  service delivery at the facility.

𝐀𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒
🌍🌍🌍

🌍 Rwanda’s mineral export revenues rise by 52%
📌 According to formal trade data from the National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Rwanda’s mineral exports generated $683 million (about Rwf740 billion), an increase of 52.3 per cent compared to $448 million (about Rwf486 billion), in the January-November 2022 period. This was revealed during the Parliamentary Committee on National Budget and Patrimony while analysing the 2022/23 revised budget bill, which was presented to Parliament by Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Uzziel Ndagijimana.

🌍 Ethiopia restricts social media amid Orthodox Church row
📌Ethiopia has limited access to social media and messaging platforms amid mounting tensions between the authorities and the Orthodox church. Netblocks, an organisation that monitors freedom of access to the internet, said the restrictions impacted Facebook, Messenger, Telegram and TikTok.

🌍 EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Unknown illness kills 20 people 
📌A two-day curfew has been called in a northern province of Equatorial Guinea, called Kié-Ntem, after 20 people died of a yet to be identified illness. According to the Equatorial Guinea health authorities, the victims contracted some form of haemorrhagic fever because their symptoms included nosebleeds, weakness, vomiting blood, fever and diarrhoea.

🌍 Hospital strikes continue in Central African Republic
📌Public hospital staff in the Central African Republic say they will carry on striking until their demands for better working conditions, overdue Covid-19 bonuses, and the integration of temporary staff are met.
“We’ve been striking since Wednesday and nothing has been won yet,” says Sandrine Biani of the Independent Health Workers’ Union.

🌍 Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso seek re-admission to regional blocs
📌The foreign ministers of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso have called for their countries’ reinstatement into two regional blocs that suspended them after recent military coups. In a joint statement, the ministers said they had agreed to work together to push for the lifting of their suspensions from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).

🌍 South Africa creates electricity Ministry amid deep power cuts
📌South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has created a Ministry of Electricity as he seeks a solution to continued power blackouts that have beleaguered the country. While speaking during the State of the Nation Address in Cape Town on Thursday evening, President Ramaphosa also declared a national state of disaster over the energy crisis with immediate effect.