𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐏

𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄 280
AFTERNOON EDITION
𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐋 27,  2023
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🇺🇬 Gen Muhoozi Keinerugaba receives first batch of Ugandans from Sudan
📌Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has welcomed home 211 Ugandans living and working in the Republic of the Sudan. The evacuees arrived in the country today, April, 27 2023, morning aboard Uganda Airlines after a successful evacuation  as directed by President Museveni. The Senior Presidential Advisor on Operations and the designated supervisor of the evacuation operation assured Ugandans that the other group will soon be home.
“We thank the Almighty God for bringing you back and we are very delighted to see you all. The Government is putting into plans to bring back home other people that are still in Sudan,” Gen Muhoozi said.
The evacuees, in the company of Joseph Ocwet, the Director General of the External Security Organization (ESO) were diplomats, students, and business expatriates who touched down at 02:30 AM at Entebbe International Airport, from Bahir Dar Airport in Northern Ethiopia. H.E Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, the Ambassador of Uganda to Sudan appreciated President Museveni and the government for the efforts to ensure that Ugandans were evacuated from Bahir Dar Airport in Ethiopia. He also stated that the total number, which they had was 300 Ugandans including 18 who are working at the Uganda embassy, 19 who were in transit going to Mecca, 120 students at Africa International University, another 120 working in Khartoum, and a few who were on a short visit.

🇺🇬  Senior Assistant Secretary in OPM remanded to Luzira over misappropriated Karamoja iron sheets
📌The Senior Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs (Office of the Prime Minister), Joshua Abaho has been charged before the Anti Corruption Court on three counts including conniving with Minister Goretti Kitutu to defraud the vulnerable Karamojong of 9000 iron sheets. Abaho denied the charges before Magistrate Joan Achiro and was remanded to Luzira Prison until May 2, 2023.

🇺🇬 Police sets May as ultimatum for bus drivers to get  badges
📌The Police Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety has urged bus operators to get bus drivers’ badges to be allowed on the road effective May 1, 2023. This follows the first announcement in January requiring bus owners to submit details of their drivers for badge consideration. According to a statement released by ASP Faridah Nampiima, the Directorate spokesperson, bus owners are advised to promptly obtain their drivers badges from the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) to be allowed on the road. “Every bus driver will be expected to display their own photo in the bus they are driving, a copy of the badge which will have their photo, full names, driving licence number and the classes and the bus company they are operating,” read part of the statement.
Nampiima said the Directorate will begin enforcing the use of driver badges for all bus drivers. The move is aimed at cracking down on incompetent drivers and reducing road accidents since only qualified drivers will be issued badges.

🇺🇬 Social media usage in workplaces affects productivity- Rebecca Kadaga 
📌First Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for East Africa Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga has called for the regulation of social media usage in workplaces, saying it affects labour productivity. During the maiden Annual Labour Conference in Kampala, Kadaga said many workers especially in white-collar jobs spend hours on social media instead of attending to their work which is a form of corruption. She noted that the International Labour Organization report of 2022 stipulated that the estimated average working time in Uganda is 33 hours per worker (per week) instead of the 48 hours recommended, which points to poor work culture. She said a time will come when it will be hard for any East African country to employ a Ugandan because of their laziness at work.

🇺🇬 KOLE: NEMA razes crops and forests planted in wetlands
📌The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has destroyed large plantations of crops and trees planted in wetlands in Kole District in a bid to protect the wetlands in the district. The plantations allegedly belonging to the area LCV Chairperson, Andrew Awany, a senior Army officer, a medical doctor, and a professor were Wednesday, April 25,  2023 destroyed in a special operation to reclaim a large part of the wetlands on Okole Swamp encroached upon. Kole RDC Caroline Angolere confirmed that crops and eucalyptus trees belonging to Awany, planted in a swamp at Amola village, Telela parish, Ayer sub-county were all razed down.

🇺🇬 HOIMA: Health officials attribute mortality rates to failure to adhere to antenatal guidelines
📌Pregnant mothers in Hoima have been challenged to adhere to the antenatal care guidelines in order to save the lives of their lives and their babies’ before, during, and after delivery. Richard Kwikiriza, the health officer in charge for Buraru Health Centre III in Buraru sub-county expressed concern that the majority of the complications they register from expectant mothers are as a result of delays or failure to report for antenatal care services. He attributed maternal and child mortality rates to failure to adhere to antenatal care guidelines.

🇺🇬 GULU: Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) leadership on the spot over corruption
📌Activists  advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities in Gulu City have appealed to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to probe the leadership of the Gulu Disabled Person Union (GDPU) over corruption. The concerned parties petitioned Jane Frances Amongin Okili, the
Gulu Resident City Commissioner, over the union’s ‘corrupt’  leadership which they accused of swindling money, abuse of office, doubling positions, practising nepotism, and failure to deliver accountability.

🇺🇬 MBALE: One washed away by floods after heavy downpour 
📌One person has been confirmed dead in Nambiti B village, Bushikori parish following heavy rains that rocked Mbale district. According to the Uganda Red Cross Society (URS) communications officer, Irene Nakasiita, her team is working closely with police, local authorities, and community members to gather more facts following the individuals.  Nakasiita says neighbouring areas in Bungokho sub-county were left flooded.
“We still have our teams on ground conducting assessments,  residents have handed the deceased’s body to Police as investigations continue,” she said

🇺🇬 MAYUGE: Police rescues nine UMEME officials from ‘angry’ mob 
📌Police in Busoga East has rescued nine UMEME employees from a mob who almost attacked them after they were deployed to disconnect illegal power lines where residents had illegally tapped power from neighbouring poles in Lwumba village, Buwaya Sub County. The angry residents surrounded UMEME’s operational vehicles and demanded that all occupants disembark and return the disconnected wires or risk mob action. The Mayuge District Police Commander, Bashir Siriba confirmed that the teams are free from harm and sanity has been restored in the area to allow normal business. He said that electricity wires have been returned to the affected individuals, and harmonious meetings shall be conducted between UMEME teams, local leaders, and communities to foster sanity during future related operations.

🇺🇬 NAKAWA: Construction of Aga Khan University Centre commences
📌The construction of the Aga Khan University Center and student residences on a 60 acre of land donated by Uganda Government in Nakawa, a suburb  of Kampala has started. According to Dr. Sulaiman Shahabuddin, the Vice Chancellor of Aga Khan University attributed the delay on COVID pandemic. He says the first completion phase of the facility was estimated in 2020. He pledged that the facility will see a transformation in the education and health sectors in Uganda and the East African region.

ACROSS BORDERS
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🌍  SUDAN:  Army to send delegate to South Sudan for  peace talks with rival group
📌The Sudanese Army said late Wednesday that it had agreed to the idea of sending a delegate to Juba in neighbouring South Sudan to discuss the plan with the Rapid Support Forces.  The East African regional bloc, IGAD, wants the current US-brokered truce, which has been undermined by ongoing clashes, to be extended for a further three days.

🌍 South Sudan receives over 10,000 civilians fleeing Sudan war 
More than 10,000 people who have been displaced by the ongoing fighting in neighbouring Sudan were confirmed to be arriving in South Sudan. The majority of the returnees, according to South Sudan’s Interim Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Deng Dau Deng, are country citizens, Sudanese, Kenyans, Ugandans, Eritreans, and Somalis.

🌍 DRC: M23 gradual withdrawal from Eastern region a step in the right direction- Maj Gen Nyagah
📌 The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) Commander  Maj-Gen Jeff Nyagah says he is pleased with the positive progress in the withdrawal process of the M23 rebels from occupied villages and towns in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to  Maj-Gen Nyagah, these withdrawals followed the deployment of several contingents of the EACRF who took control after the rebels agreed to leave their positions in accordance with the roadmaps agreed to by the regional heads of State.
“We have so far achieved a ceasefire and the withdrawal of the M23 rebels. For us, this is an achievement which shows that we are on the right track of restoring peace and the return of the population to their homes,” Maj-Gen Nyagah said.

🌍 At least 60 murdered by M23 in Eastern DR Congo 
Authorities said on Wednesday that at least 60 people had been found  dead in a number of villages in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to Isaac Kibira, a deputy to the Governor of the Bwito region, rebels from the M23 group massacred residents from Kashali and Kazaroho villages in Rutshuru territory over a period of days. More than 60 dead were discovered tied up with mosquito netting.
“We are sorry to witness how the population is being butchered by M23. Others had been bagged,” Kibira told the local media.