𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐏

𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄 194
EVENING 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐘 31, 2023
        🇺🇬🇺🇬🇺🇬

🇺🇬 UPDF completes construction of model school in Kazo
📌The construction of a two-classroom block at Rwemikoma Model Primary School in Kazo District  by the UPDF Engineering Brigade has been successfully completed. The project, which will be handed over on February 5, is one of those undertaken by UPDF to commemorate the 42nd Tarehe Sita anniversary. Benjamin Kashumbusha, the chairperson PTA and the School Management Committee said the classroom block will accommodate the ever increasing number of students in the school.

🇺🇬 850 new UWA rangers to boost ranger force
📌Uganda Wildlife Authority is preparing to graduate over 850 rangers, following the end of their training. The Authority’s Executive Director, Sam Mwanda said that the trainees are expected to boost the ranger force and enhance the protection of wildlife resources, property and human lives in the area of deployment.

🇺🇬 Secretary to the Treasury seconds audit on payroll of public servants
📌The Secretary to Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi has said that an audit on the payroll of public servants will be conducted to establish the cause of irregularities. Ggoobi was appearing before the Budget Committee to respond to the Annual Budget Performance for the year 2021/22 and Half Year Performance for 2022/23.

🇺🇬 IGP cautions parents and guardians on back-to-school fraudsters
📌The Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola has cautioned parents and guardians to be more careful during this back-to-school period. In a press statement read by Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga, Okoth Ochola asked parents and teachers to be more cautious over impostors who use this time to defraud parents of school fees and a lot more that comes with the back-to-school rush.

🇺🇬 Probe committee to interrogate witnesses on NSSF political interference
📌The Select Committee probing irregularities at the National Social Security Fund has set Tuesday as the day to start interrogating the witnesses in the matter. Among the key concerns highlighted by the Committee Chairperson, Hon Mwine Mpaka, is to establish whether there was political interference.

🇺🇬 Uganda implores Japan to invest in ICT
📌The Government has implored investors from Japan and other parts of the world to invest in Uganda’s growing ICT sector as the country focuses on digital transformation to create over 400,000 jobs. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of ICT & National Guidance, Dr. Aminah Zawedde says the Government is working on a business processing outsourcing policy to strengthen digitalization in the country.

🇺🇬Absa Index ranks Uganda’s financial sector as highest growing in East Africa 
📌Uganda’s financial sector has been ranked as the highest growing within the East African region by the Absa Africa Financial Markets Index released on Tuesday in Kampala. David Wandera, the Absa Uganda’s Executive Director and Head of Markets said the financial index by Absa evaluates financial market development in 23 countries and highlights economies with the most supportive environment for effective markets. According to the latest index, Uganda’s overall score increased by six points to 66 , moving the country up to fourth from sixth place in the rankings to beat fellow East African countries.

🇺🇬 ISINGIRO: UPDF Doctors offer free medical services at Kyeirumba Health Centre III to commemorate Tarehe Sita celebrations
📌As part of celebrating Tarehe Sita celebrations slated for February 06, 2023, UPDF medical Doctors have camped at Kyeirumba Health Centre III where they will be providing free medical services to the patients. UPDF’s medical outreach camp will be offering general medicine, free dental services, eye care and antenatal services to Ugandans.

🇺🇬 BUNYANGABU: Leaders petition UNRA over shoddy work on 55-kilometre Fort Portal-Hima Road
📌UNRA has directed China Wu Yi Ltd, the contractors of the 55-kilometre Fort Portal-Hima Road, to fix potholes, open access roads to people’s businesses, and put signposts, among other Mistakes done during the construction, at their cost. This followed a petition from Bunyangabu area leaders to UNRA, citing shoddy work when the contractor was announcing 98% completion.

🇺🇬 WAKISO: Business man convicted for illegal possession of gun
📌A 26-year-old businessman dealing in handicrafts has been convicted for possessing a firearm and 30 live bullets. Joseph Okiring, a resident of Kireka, Kira Municipality in Wakiso District Monday confessed before the General Court Martial (GCM) in Kampala to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his confession, GCM chairperson Brig. Gen Freeman Mugabe convicted Okiring and remanded him to Kitalya Prison until February 20, 2023, when he will return to Court for sentencing.

🇺🇬 BUKEDEA: Clan members arrested for concealing defilement of 12 year old girl 
📌Several clan members in  Bukedea District have been arrested over accusations of concealing the defilement of a 12-year-old girl. It is alleged that when the clan members learned that James Emong was repeatedly defiling his daughter at his home in Panyipa village, Korir sub-county, they decided to conceal the crime. The Police spokesperson Fred Enanga, said one of the concerned family members  later reported the matter to the Police hence immediately arresting Emong together with the clan members who had tried to conceal the crime.

🇺🇬 MITOOMA: OPM gives out 200 iron sheets to Kabira Mixed School
📌The Office of the Prime Minister has given out 200 iron sheets to Kabira Mixed School. While delivering the iron sheets on behalf of OPM, the area MP, Hon. Kahonda said the  iron sheets will re roof the school after being blown away by a heavy hailstorm last year.

🇺🇬 SHEEMA: Government sensitises farmers on Banana Bacterial Wilt (BBW) Disease   
📌The Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on the sensitization of farmers on banana bacterial wilt disease in areas of Murari and Rugarama sub counties in Sheema District. The District agriculture officer, Ahimbisibwe Benson advised farmers to always remove the male flower bud that attracts bees and other insect vectors that carry banana bacterial wilt. He advised them to work as a team in the fight against BBW such as forming a village preventive team.

🇺🇬 MUKONO: UMEME carries out operation on illegal power connections
📌The management of UMEME LTD in Mukono District has carried out an operation in Kyabalogo parish aiming at reducing energy loss levels in the area. Nampijja Beatrice, the Mukono Umeme officer said they were disconnecting illegal connections, tampered-with metres and patrolling their network. She advised all affected residents of Ntakafunvu village to report to the nearest police station of Kyetume.

𝐀𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒
🌍🌍🌍🌍

🌍 Kenya bans night and dawn classes 
📌Kenya’s Education Minister Ezekiel Machogu has banned early morning and late evening studies in schools, saying “we don’t want to subject the kids to strain; kids should sleep for nine hours”. Mr. Machogu directed that classes in both private and public primary schools should be held between 08:00 am and 15:45 pm to ensure learning takes place within the designated times.

🌍 KENYA: President Ruto chairs first paperless Cabinet meeting
📌President William Ruto on Tuesday chaired the first paperless Cabinet meeting, kicking off a major Government digitisation drive. Cabinet Secretaries arrived at State House, Nairobi, without the traditional bulky folders, large briefcases and huge files. In the Cabinet room, they found secured portable digital devices interconnected and attached to their files, memos and a secure notebook to assist them take notes in the meeting without leaving the devices. President Ruto said the digitisation of Cabinet meetings was a clear signal that the Government was going digital.

🌍 DRC expels Rwandan soldiers
📌 The Democratic Republic of Congo has asked Rwanda Military Officers based in Goma to vacate the country with immediate effect. The information was delivered in a communiqué from the spokesperson of the Armed Forces of DRC to ensure smooth repatriation. DRC requested the commander of the East African Community Regional Force to oversee the move.

🌍 TANZANIA: Idris Elba to open film studio
📌British Actor Idris Elba plans to open a film studio in Tanzania after holding initial talks with President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The actor met President Samia on the side-lines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this month.

🌍 Tanzania warns foreign envoys over ‘alarming’ alerts
📌Tanzania’s Foreign Minister, Stergomena Tax on Monday met the heads of diplomatic missions and foreign organisations in the capital, Dodoma, to warn them against issuing ‘alarming statements’ on the country’s security. It came after the US Embassy warned of a possible terror attack in Tanzania’s main city Dar es Salaam on 25 January. He asked the foreign diplomats to observe diplomatic communication channels as stipulated by the Vienna Convention and to avoid creating unnecessary tension within  the country.

🌍 Probe Mali war crimes – UN
📌UN rights experts on Tuesday called for an immediate independent probe into abuses and possible war crimes committed in Mali by Government forces and Russia’s Wagner group. The UN experts said on Tuesday they had conveyed their concerns directly to Mali’s Government.
“Mali must exert the utmost vigilance in prohibiting the direct participation in hostilities of all private individuals operating on its territory,” they said.

🌍 Southern Africa leaders to discuss DRC crisis
📌Leaders from the Southern African bloc of nations,( SADC) are gathering in Namibia for an extraordinary meeting that will focus on the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The summit in Windhoek is also expected to issue a statement over the recent killing of a pro-democracy activist in Eswatini. It is expected to discuss the state of peace and security in the region, with special focus on developments in the DRC and Mozambique.