𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐏

𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄 243
𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 21, 2023

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🇺🇬 Parliament of Uganda passes Anti-Homosexuality Bill
📌The Parliament of Uganda on Tuesday passed  the Anti- Homosexuality Bill, 2023 with revised but tougher penalties for people engaged in same-sex relationships. At least 389 MPs attended in person with a few others following proceedings via Zoom Technology, making it a sufficient number of the quorum of 176 MPs required to vote on the Bill. The Bill now awaits President Museveni’s consent. Hon Asuman Basalirwa, the mover of the motion urged President Museveni to hastily sign the bill into law.

🇺🇬 FDC implores President Museveni to mediate in Ruto-Odinga crisis
📌John Kikonyogo, the Deputy Spokesperson of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has commended President Museveni for having experience in conflict resolution in Africa and urged him to intervene in the crisis between Kenya’s President Ruto and Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga. Odinga has declared mass demonstrations against Ruto’s Government, and the maiden demonstrations took place on Monday on the streets of Nairobi, leaving one dead and scores injured.
“As an elder in this region, President Museveni can use the East African Community (EAC) ties he has in resolving the Great Lakes regional conflicts and can talk to President William Ruto and Raila Odinga to ensure that peace prevails in Kenya”, Kikonyogo said.

🇺🇬 Uganda in collaboration with UK firm to scale up paediatric surgical services
📌The Ministry of Health in collaboration with Kids Operating Room, a global health charity, has unveiled the first-ever Children Surgery National Plan, a five-year strategy that aims to scale up paediatric surgical services to regional referral and general hospitals as well as training the paediatric surgical workforce. While officiating the ceremony, health permanent secretary Dr Diana Atwine acknowledged the shortage of both human resources and equipment stating that the Ministry has put focus on expanding access to services for paediatric surgery and developing tertiary units to manage complicated cases.

🇺🇬 UPDF Officers complete training in French language
📌Teams from the Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) and the Uganda Police Force have completed training in the French language that will enhance the capacity of forces to operate in Francophone countries. A French Ambassador to Uganda Xavier Sticker on Monday congratulated the graduates on their success. He said that learning the French language will give them more opportunities in their careers.

🇺🇬 House-helper takes off with her boss’s baby after being asked to produce missing KSh7000
📌Najjemba Betty, a businesswoman from Kanyanya Zone  is anxious as her former househelp took off with her child and is still at large. Betty explained that when she came home she found her KSh7000 missing and when she asked her house help only identified as Monica, she ran away with her one and a half year old daughter.

🇺🇬 Kole district offers Land for establishment of a court 
📌Akalo town council in Kole district has offered Land and office space to the judiciary for the establishment of a court. Awira Ezekiel, the chairman LC III said his residents and the community around the town council are moving long distance to access court services from Kole town council and Aboke respectively.

🇺🇬 Mufti Mubajje elevates Tooro Kadhi to assistant Mufti
📌The Mufti of Uganda, His Eminence Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, has promoted Tooro District Kadhi Sheikh Ghalib Talib Hussein to assistant Mufti in charge of Bunyoro-Tooro Muslim region. He will oversee the districts of Masindi, Kiryandongo, Kakumiro, Kibaale, Kyegegwa, Kitagwenda, Bunyangabu,  Bundibugyo, Kasese, Hoima and Masindi.

🇺🇬 IGG’s investigation suspends transfer of Old Kampala SS headteacher 
📌The Inspector General of Government, Ms Beti Kamya, has stopped the transfer of the head teacher of Old Kampala Senior Secondary School. In a March 14 letter addressed to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, the headtecaher is slated to aid the investigations that the IGG office is conducting. Ms. Kamya says the Inspectorate of Government is investigating corruption and mal-administration against the Board of Governors and former management of Old Kampala SS.

🇺🇬 BULAMBULI: Man accidentally slides from  cliff, dies instantly 
📌Police in Bulambuli District are investigating circumstances under which a one Mugusha Chris Chrispal 72, a resident of Zebugoya village in Bunasufwa Bulaago Sub County fell from a cliff at Kidega Village and died on spot. Residents say Mugusha was drunk at the time the accident occurred. Police took the body for postmortem as investigations go on.

🇺🇬 BUIKWE: Government to upgrade four health centres
📌The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Diana Atwiine has said that four health centres in Buikwe District are lined up for upgrade. They include Katovu Health Centre III to  health centre IV, Busabaga Health Centre III to  health Centre IV, Nkokonjeru Health Centre II to health centre III while Njeru Health Centre III was upgraded to a general hospital to boost the health status of the people of Buikwe and extend better services.  Irene Arinaitwe, the Director of Prime Contractors Ltd pledged that his company will deliver good  work.

🇺🇬 BUTEBO: Drip Irrigation drip scheme excites residents 
📌The State Minister for Cooperatives, Fredrick Gume Ngobi has commissioned a multi-million small-scale drip irrigation scheme in Kachuru sub-county in Butebo District to provide vegetable farmers with reliable water supply. The Shs500 Million model irrigation project is funded by the Government through Bumba Foundation.

🇺🇬 OTUKE: 17 year old girl and mother in custody for allegedly burying her child alive after giving birth
📌Police at Ogwete Police Station in Otuke District has in their custody a 17 year old girl and her mother for allegedly burying her child alive after giving birth. It is alleged that Sarah Aol, a resident of Atyenlyec village in Alir parish in Ogwete sub-county with the help of her mother Scovia Acen, gave birth at around 3AM on Thursday and buried the baby boy alive in a nearby bush.

🇺🇬 BUSHENYI: Deputy Mayor resigns over unclear circumstances
📌The Deputy Mayor of Ishaka Bushenyi Municipality, Kwesiga Joel Nkore has resigned over what he termed as issues of ‘intrigue, conflicting position and intimidation’. According to his resignation letter addressed to the Mayor Ishaka Municipality, Kwesiga said that, “I have been faced with intrigue, conflicting positions, deviation by some of my colleagues from the issues that affect our people. The negative accusation on me demotivates me to serve my people “read part of his resignation letter.

🇺🇬 MUKONO: Ministry of Health launches one-week Tuberculosis and Leprosy screening campaign in Namawojolo market
📌Henry Mwebesa, the Director General for Health Services at the Ministry of Health has said that the number of patients who are now completing their dose for Tuberculosis has improved to 85% compared to 25% previously. Dr Mwebesa who was speaking at Namawojolo Market during the launch of a weeklong Tuberculosis and Leprosy screening in markets, fishing communities, schools and prisons, noted that about 15% of those who do not complete treatment develop drug resistance.

ACROSS BORDERS
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🌍 KENYA: Raila Odinga declares protests will be held every Monday and Thursday 
📌Azimio leader  Raila Odinga has announced that the anti-government protests that began on Monday will continue every Monday and Thursday from next week. Addressing the Media on Tuesday at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation in Nairobi, Odinga described the protests held Monday in Nairobi and other parts of the country as “immensely successful”, insisting that he would not bow down until President William Ruto heeds to their demands.

🌍 KENYA: Transport along Kisumu-Busia Road paralysed as Maseno University students protest murder of student 
📌Maseno Town has Tuesday impassable as rioting students engaged the Police in running battles. The students took to the streets for the second day demanding justice for one of their own, William Bang’i Mayenga, who was allegedly shot dead by a Police officer during Monday’s  demonstrations. Kisumu-Busia Road was turned into a battlefield as the angry students barricaded roads, stopping vehicles from using the highway.
“We want justice for our comrade William. We will not allow anything. If there is no justice, there will be no peace,” said one of the students.

🌍 Tanzania confirms outbreak of Marburg Viral Disease
📌Tanzania has Tuesday confirmed an outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease. Preliminary tests carried out following the deaths of at least five people in Kagera and Bukoba turned out positive on some of the samples for the viral hemorrhagic fever. Tanzanian health authorities sent samples to the reference laboratory to determine the cause of the disease after an alert by district health officials.

🌍 Air Tanzania to receive first cargo plane ahead of schedule
📌Exporters and importers of perishable goods will now find it easier and more convenient to transport their products as the aviation industry’s capacity of handling such cargo grows. As part of this drive, Tanzania is expected receive its first-ever cargo plane in April, two months ahead of the initial June schedule. Exporters of horticultural products say the coming of the Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) Boeing 767-300F, which can carry 54 tonnes of cargo, means that they will no longer be compelled to transport their goods to Nairobi and onwards to outside markets via Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).