𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐏

𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄 265
EVENING  𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐋 12, 2023
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🇺🇬 Government requires Shs785Billion to acquire majority UMEME shares
📌Government will pay US 215 Million (Shs.785billion) to acquire majority shares in UMEME power distribution project following  the latter’s 20 year contract which will end in 2025. Irene Bateebe, the in charge of  Natural  Resources in the Ministry of Energy, during a Parliamentary meeting  with the Committee of Environment and Natural Resources said that Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) requires US$158 million to enable it to invest in the distribution system over the next three years.

🇺🇬 Pearl Dairy secures $35m loan to expand business to Kenya 
📌Pearl Dairy Farms, manufacturers of the Lato milk brand has secured a $35m (Shs 130.2b) loan from the International Finance Corporation and the Dutch Development Bank FMO, which will enable it to fund its expansion in Uganda and Kenya. The loan will support the company’s capacity expansion plans, which include upgrading and expanding the powder milk plant in Uganda and acquiring a packing plant in Kenya. Under the Lato brand, the Mbarara-based dairy company, founded in 2009, offers ultra-high temperature milk, powder milk, flavoured milk, yoghourts, butter, and honey.

🇺🇬 Military Court in Moroto sentences 32 Kenyans to 20 years in jail
📌The 3rd Division Military Court Martial based in Moroto District has sentenced 32 Kenyan nationals to 20 years in Moroto Government Prison over illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The 32 Kenyans, all residents of Orum Sub County in Lodwar District, Turkana County, were convicted on their own plea of guilty and sentenced by the Court Martial Chairman Col. Benard Arinaitwe Tuhame. The convicted individuals were sentenced under Section 119 of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Act which states that any person found with weapons, ammunition or equipment that is a monopoly of the armed forces will be subject to Military Law and tried by the Court Martial.

🇺🇬 Three ADF suspects arrested in Kamwenge, Ntoroko Districts 
📌Security forces have arrested three suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) agents in a counter-terror operation conducted in  Kamwenge and Ntoroko Districts. Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson says one of the suspects was arrested attempting to ignite a petrol bomb targeting three motorcycles that were parked during night prayers at Nabi Church in Biguli cell, Biguli ward in Kamwenge District, on April 7. In Ntoroko District, Enanga says two more suspects found with explosive devices were arrested as they tried to cross into the DRC through Haibale parish, Bweramule Sub-county. They were transferred to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces division headquarters in Muhoti, Fort Portal.

🇺🇬 One dead in Masaka as trailer fails to brake
📌A trailer with Kenyan reg. no. KBD 88Y/ZCB9381 carrying bananas overturned and hit the electricity transformer killing one person and injuring seven others at Soweto market in Masaka City.  Eyewitnesses say the accident occurred at around 5:30 AM when the trailer fully loaded with matooke failed to break at the market and went for a distance of about 2 kms in a garden, killing one Namanda Rebecca, a resident of Nyendo. Mugarura Hussein, Masaka Regional Police commander, says the injured were rushed to Masaka Referral Hospital and Mulago Referral Hospital for treatment.

🇺🇬 Truck kills 3 children  in Mbale City 
📌A truck, registration number UBH 125J has hit and killed  three pupils in Mbale City. ASP Faridah Nampiima, the spokesperson for  Police Traffic and Road Safety says  the incident happened Wednesday at around 7:30 AM at Hash Fuel station along Mbale-Tororo road. The deceased were identified as Namugosa Shakira, 9,  a pupil of Malukhu Primary School, Wasike Jane, 3.5, and  Wasike Grace, 12,  both of Nabuyonga Primary School.  The driver of the truck, one Lukenge  Geoffrey, has been arrested.

🇺🇬 NEBBI: Strong winds blow off Paminya Primary School classroom roof
📌 A classroom roof at Paminya Primary School was Tuesday blown off by strong winds at 4:00 PM in Paduk Village, Paminya Lower Parish, Atego Sub-county in Nebbi District. Majority of the Primary five and six pupils were still in the classroom when the incident occurred but they escaped unhurt, apart from only three pupils who got minor injuries.

🇺🇬 APAC: Motor Vehicle Number Plate robbers arrested
📌 Police in conjunction with other Security forces in Chegere Sub County in Apac District on Tuesday carried out an operation and recovered motor vehicle number plates that were stolen, lost and the suspected robbers arrested. The vehicle number plates include UEO979H, UFB806F, UES643R among others. Those who lost number plates are advised to reach out to the security team in Chegere sub county.

🇺🇬 KAPCHORWA: Police arrests residents for stealing mattresses 
📌Police have arrested residents of Towei in Kapsinda Sub County for stealing rose foam mattresses from vehicle Reg. No. UBG715W which  was carrying mattresses  before it lost control and overturned along Mbale-Kapchorwa road. Some of the arrested suspects include Chemonges Mick, Chelangat Eddy, Kiprotich Mark, Chebet Zuwena, Chebet Sharon and Soyekwo Alex. Police say 10 mattresses have so far been recovered from people’s houses as investigations continue.

ACROSS BORDERS
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🌍 Kenya confirms 75 cases of RotaVirus  Disease among infants
📌Mombasa County Governor Sharif Nassir has issued an alert to the public on an extreme diarrheal disease that is accompanied by severe vomiting especially in infants. He said that there have been 75 recorded cases in the last two weeks and that tests have been conducted, ruling out Cholera. So far out of 15 patients, 3 were confirmed with Rotavirus. Rotavirus is a very contagious genus of double- stranded RNA viruses in the family of Reoviridae that causes diarrheal disease among infants and young children.

🌍 Builders Kenya to close business next month 
📌South African retailer selling home and building material products and services, Builders Kenya, is set to exit the Kenyan market on May 31, 2023. Over the last few years, SA companies have struggled to gain footing in the country amid tough economic challenges. Only in October last year, SA retailer Massmart, which runs Games Stores, closed its Kenyan stores in December, rendering hundreds jobless. Likewise, in 2020, retailer Shoprite announced that it was exiting the Kenyan market, barely two years after entering the country.

🌍 ADB to mobilise agricultural support for Burundi
📌The African Development Bank Group is set to mobilise close to $4 million to help Burundi urgently procure over 3,000 tons of fertiliser over the upcoming agricultural season. The support will enable the country to procure fertiliser for the first phase of the season, which begins in May. The country’s needs for the entire season are estimated at 145,000 tons. Burundi’s Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Audace Niyonzima requested this support on behalf of President Évariste Nadyishimiye during a meeting with the African Development Bank head in Abidjan on 7 April 2023.