Mugume

First lady on target

One Dollar Campaign charity match. www.newtimes.co.rw

Nyampinga FC 5-3 IWRFT
AMAHORO STADIUM - Rwanda’s First Lady Jeannette Kagame inspired Nyampinga FC to thrash International Women in Rwanda Football Team (IWRFT) 5-3 in yesterday’s One Dollar Campaign charity match played at the Amahoro stadium.

The first lady’s efforts rescued her side which had succumbed to a 0-3 deficit in the first half.

She scored her goal through a penalty which was awarded after she was fouled in the penalty area. Tamara Kabuye and Veneranda Nyihirwa scored a brace each to put Nyampinga in commanding lead.

IWRFT had earlier got their goals through Molly Brostrom who scored a brace and the other goal was scored by Lynley Mannell.

Sandra Idossou who featured for IWRFT praised the First Lady for her initiative in taking part in the match, saying that her presence motivated many women to play and even participate in the One Dollar Campaign.

The event was preceded by Children’s mini-matches which attracted youth from APR Academy, Etoile Sportive de Kigali and Muhazi.

The matches which attracted different age categories from 8 to 12 years opened the One Dollar campaign Charity match.

APR academy lifted the title after defeating Etoile Sportive 2-1 in the U-12 age category; APR played a 2-all draw with Muhazi in U-8 and earned a 2-all draw against Etoile in the U-10 age category respectively.

The match was aimed at fundraising for the ‘One Dollar Campaign’ and was organised by the National Women Council (NWC).

The Ministry of Sports and Culture (MINISPOC), ECOBANK, Caisse Sociale du Rwanda, Utexrwa, Access Limited, Shamibourc, Audiotex, The New Times and Maxnet sponsored this charity match.

Local musicians namely Tom Close, Miss JoJo, Meddy, Sgt. Robert, Natty Dread, Intore Masamba and Uranana drama group graced the event.

Uganda parliaments since independence

Lydia Namubiru, Newvision

SINCE independence 47 years ago, Uganda has had a total of 1,608 MPs who drafted the laws by which the country is run today.

Research carried out by Sunday Vision established that some MPs served more than one term in Parliament, while others were for one reason or another replaced before completing their term. Then there are those who were not returned.

The 1,608 figure includes MPs who have served in several parliaments. They were treated as new MPs each time they made it back to Parliament.

The MPs have constituted eight parliaments and served under four constitutions.

However, they worked with only six of the eight heads of state who steered Uganda through its turbulent journey that started on October 9, 1962.

While Idi Amin ruled by decree, having suspended the Constitution and Parliament, he had a defence council which sometimes acted as a legislative arm.

Tito Okello Lutwa, who ruled for only six months in 1985-1986, had no Parliament either.

Over the years, the number of MPs in the House has multiplied more than fourfold, from 80 in the 1962 National Assembly to 332 members in the current Parliament.

The country’s population has also grown, from 6.5 million in 1962 to the current estimated 31 million.

The nine heads of state had about 200 cabinet ministers, excluding their deputies and ministers of state.

The size of the cabinet has also grown over the years, although not as drastically as the number of legislators. The first Obote cabinet had 16 ministers.

This had grown to 26 by 1980. Museveni’s first cabinet in 1986 comprised 30 full ministers, but was later cut down to 20 before going up again to the current 26.

The first Parliament of independent Uganda, called the National Assembly, was partly elected and partly nominated. In the general elections held in early 1962, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) won 37 of the 91 available seats, while DP got 24 seats.

The Buganda Lukiiko (parliament) nominated 21 members to represent the kingdom in the assembly. Nine members were elected to represent other interest groups.

At the final count, the assembly had 86 members as five seats were left vacant. The same members constituted the Constituent Assembly in 1967 to write and adopt the Republican Constitution.

This replaced the interim 1966 constitution, famously known as the ‘Pigeonhole Constitution’.

The 1967 National Assembly, Uganda’s second Parliament, featured all members of the previous one, save for three UPC members who had been detained by the Government for engineering a vote-of-no-confidence against then prime minister Milton Obote.

The second Parliament served until January 1971, when Idi Amin overthrew Obote’s government and suspended Parliament.

The third Parliament followed the 1979 overthrow of Amin and was called the National Consultative Council (NCC).

Initially, it was made up of 30 members, but it later expanded to 120 and eventually 127 members.

It served Yusuf Lule’s government, which lasted only 68 days, Godfrey Binaisa’s, which lasted 11 months, and Paulo Muwanga’s Military Commission, which conducted the controversial 1980 elections.

Despite having served three heads of state, it remains the shortest Parliament in Uganda’s history, lasting for only nine months.

The controversial 1980 elections gave birth to the fourth Parliament of Uganda with 126 members, 72 of whom were from UPC. It served until 1985 when Obote was overthrown by Tito Okello Lutwa. Lutwa’s short-lived regime had not established a Parliament at the time it was overthrown in January 1986 by Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Army.

The NRM Government upon taking power established the National Resistance Council (NRC) as the legislative body. From 38 members, it grew to 273 members at the time of making the fourth constitution in 1994.

Under that Constitution, two more parliaments were elected through universal adult suffrage. The sixth and seventh Parliament had 276 members each, while the current eighth Parliament has 332.

Cuthbert Obwangor is recorded as the longest serving Ugandan MP. Having served nine years in the first and second parliaments, he also served eight more years as a member of the NRC.

The first Ugandan Woman MP was F. A. Lubega. She was nominated in 1962 and represented Singo North West in the first National Assembly.

Published on: Saturday, 10th October, 2009, www.sundayvision.co.ug

Oil cash starts flowing

Ibrahim Kasita

People in the Albertine region are already reaping the benefits of the oil ahead of production, a visit to the oil region by Sunday Vision has found.

Previously a remote and backward area, the infrastructure and social services have improved, new jobs have been created, while fishermen and farmers have a bigger market for their products.

Before oil exploration started, Godfrey Kirunda, a father of five from Buhuka parish in Hoima District, had taken his children from school to help him fetch water, which was a problem in the region.

“Four years ago, we had one small water source which served thousands of people of different villages. But when these oil men came, they drilled boreholes that now provides safe and clean water and built a new school too,” he said.

Kirunda has now decided to send his children back to school since he sees new job opportunities in the region.

“The people who were given jobs are able to prosper. Some of them have graduated from grass thatched houses and built houses with iron sheet roofs.”

The oil exploration activities have stimulated economic activities in Hoima, Buliisa, Kanungu, Rukungiri, Packwach, Nebbi and Arua.

A survey along the 23,000 square kilometre stretch of the oil prospective Albertine Graben found that hotels, lodges, restaurants and recreation grounds have multiplied, meeting an increasing demand for accommodation.

The once remote and isolated areas have been opened up and linked to the rest of the world with upgraded murram roads, which will soon be tarmacked to enable oil distribution to the local and region markets.

This has greatly reduced transport costs and led to faster delivery of supplies and products. Fresh fish from Lake Albert and River Nile and other agrarian products are now on high demand. New jobs have been created for security guards, transport providers, cleaners, drivers and caterers.

Simon Aziku, a councillor in Animu Parish in Arua District, said apart from jobs with the oil companies and sub-contractors, the oil sector has also brought better services.

“The market for our products has increased and there are better social services in terms of communication, health care and education,” he said. “Many of our people have been employed as casual labourers, qualified technical people, liaison officers, service providers and drivers for surveyors.”

The changes in the community are undeniable. New roads and buildings are coming up and living standards have improved.Three airstrips, including a helicopter landing pad, have been constructed on the shores of Lake Albert. They are connected to the exploration sites by murram roads.

Four primary schools and several health centres have been upgraded, a modern maternity centre has been constructed in Kaiso-Tonya and there is now a running water system.

In Bugoma Sub-county in Hoima District, a modern sh10m school for 700 pupils was built in memory of Carl Nefdt, the British oil worker of Heritage Oil who was killed by Congolese gunmen two years ago.

Abdul Byakagaba, a senior geologist with Heritage Oil, says ownership of land, especially in Buliisa, remains a big challenge to the oil companies.

“Somebody can be compensated for the use of his land and the next day, another person will claim the land belongs to him and he will want compensation.”

They now work through the local government administration, which ascertains the rightful owners of the land and provides proper documentation before compensation is done, he explained.

Unrealistic expectations are another challenge the oil companies are facing.

“People’s expectations regarding jobs and money being provided by the oil companies are too high,” said Byakagaba.

“Even when they are not qualified for any specialised job, they expect to be employed by the oil companies.”

He attributed the problem to misinformation, with local people believing that the oil is already being produced and taken away by the exploration companies.

“People should be informed that oil exploration, development and production are a long process and that there is no way we, the exploration companies, can take it away,” he said.

Published on: Saturday, 10th October, 2009

Uganda to claim US$5m bounty

BY EDMUND KAGIRE
Uganda will move to claim up to US$5m reward issued by the United States of America for the arrest of one of the most wanted Genocide fugitives, Ildephonse Ndahimana.

The Ugandan State Minister for Regional Cooperation Isaac Musumba yesterday told the press that “Uganda would welcome any form of payment” for Monday’s arrest of Nizeyimana in Kampala.

The money paid under the United States Rewards for Justice Program to support the pursuit of criminals accountable for the most serious violations of international humanitarian law during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis, is paid to whoever leads to the arrest of a wanted fugitive.

Nizeyimana who was jointly arrested by the Ugandan Police and Interpol in a motel in a Kampala suburb after sneaking into the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is the second person to be arrested of the 13 top genocide fugitves who have $5m bounties on their heads.

A few months ago, Gregoire Ndahimana was arrested in the DRC but his extradition to the Arusha-based International Criminal Tribunal (ICTR) was delayed to almost a month-and the ICTR threatened to report DRC to the United Nations Security Council for the delay.

It later emerged that the DRC deliberately delayed the extradition supposed to be effected in 72 hours to negotiate the bounty payment.

Efforts to ascertain whether the payment was effected or not, were fruitless. But reports abound that the money was paid before Ndahimana was finally handed over to ICTR.

Positive move
Rwanda is happy with the US for this initiative which motivates countries to carryout arrests and consequently cash-in on the bounty.

According to the Prosecutor General, Martin Ngoga, Rwanda is never informed whether the payment was done or not as it is between the US Government, the ICTR and the particular states that carried out the arrest.

“I don’t know anything to do with the payment. All I can tell you is that we know this money motivates countries to apprehend genocide fugitives that could be hiding in those particular countries.” Ngoga “This is a positive project, we believe it is working.” Ngoga added

Several of the key perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi who have been indicted by the ICTR remain at large, and in an effort to capture them, the U.S re-launched its Rewards for Justice Program for ICTR fugitives.

The programme offers up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of ICTR indictees. However the payment process is so discreet and the names of the beneficiaries are kept a top secret.

Nizeyimana, is alongside other top genocide fugitives, including Felcien Kabuga, Augustin Bizimana, Fulgence Kayishema, Protais Mpiranya, Bernard Munyagishari, Pheneas Munyarugarama, Aloys Ndimbati, Ladislas Ntaganzwa, Charles Ryandikayo, Charles Sikubwabo and Jean Bosco Uwinkindi who have the bounty on their heads.

Ends

Courtesy of www.newtimes.co.rw

By Cyprian Musoke
and Steven Candia, Newvision

UGANDA marks 47 years of independence from British rule today with celebrations at Kololo airstrip.

An array of VIPs is expected to attend.
Among them Southern Sudan President Salva Kiir and Liberian President Sirleaf Johnson as well as ministers, MPs, civil servants, religious and traditional leaders and diplomats.

As in previous years, the opposition parties said they would not attend the celebrations, arguing that the event has become an “NRM affair”.

The theme for this year’s Independence Day celebrations is: “Unity, a key factor in protecting Uganda’s destiny and independence.”

The theme was chosen because of the recent divisions in the country, said the Minister for the Presidency, Beatrice Wabudeya.

Uganda has known eight presidents since the British Union Jack was lowered and the Ugandan flag hoisted, some of them lasting for only a couple of months.

The first post-colonial president was the Kabaka of Buganda, Sir Edward Muteesa II. He was ousted by Milton Obote, who in turn was overthrown by his army commander, Idi Amin, in 1971.

When Amin’s brutal dictatorship fell in 1979, Prof. Yusuf Lule and Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa had brief tenures.
Disputed elections were held in 1980 that made Obote bounce back. His second term lasted for five years. He was toppled by Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa in July 1985.

Lutwa’s junta was shortlived. It was swept away in January 1986 by Yoweri Museveni after his National Resistance Army waged a five-year guerrilla war.
For the last two decades, Uganda has seen relative stability and development, characterised by economic growth, increased revenues from taxes and a growing GDP.

Real GDP per capita has tripled in the last 20 years, according the UN Human Development Report, from $515 in 1987 to $1,454 in 2005.

Social indicators have also improved, although not fast enough for Uganda to reach its targets under the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Adult literacy has increased from 43% of the population in 1970 to 58% at the time the NRM took power and 74% today.

Under-five mortality went down from 224 per 1,000 births at independence to 195 in 1986. It has stagnated at around 135 since the beginning of this decade, below the 56 per 1,000 births target. The number of people living below the poverty line stood at 55% by the time Museveni took power. It went down to 31% in 2005 but has since gone up again to 37%. More efforts towards poverty alleviation are needed to reach the 2015 target of 28%.

Access to safe water saw the biggest jump. Only one-fifth of the population had access to a safe water source at the time of both independence and the NRM take-over. This went up 46% at the end of the 1990s to reach 64% this year, according to the 2009 World Health Report.

Life expectancy has improved from 43 years at independence to 52 years today. In the 1990s, however, it saw a sharp drop – to 41 years – as a result of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Uganda’s population has grown five-fold in the last 47 years, and its urban population more than 10-fold.
There were only 6.5 million Ugandans at the time of independence, 341,000 of whom lived in urban centres.

Today, Uganda’s population is about 31 million, while people living in urban centres have reached almost four million. About half of Uganda’s population is under the age of 15.
The Police yesterday issued guidelines to ensure smooth traffic flow around the venue of the celebrations. Upper Kololo Terrace will be closed to traffic from 6:00am till the end of the function.

Guests with vehicles bearing red stickers will access the airstrip via Elgon Terrace and will park before the Heroes’ Corner. Invited guests with blue stickers will access the venue through Wampewo Avenue and park near the main entrance.

The public can access Kololo via Wampewo Avenue and park near the main entrance, while Wampewo Avenue will remain one-way from the roundabout to the airstrip.

Meanwhile, several party leaders have indicated that they would not attend. DP president Ssebaana Kizito said the celebrations had become an NRM affair.
“I will not attend because the aspirations we fought for at independence to get our own government have not been realised. Like Jomo Kenyatta used say: ‘It’s not yet Uhuru.”

FDC spokesman Wafula Oguttu said his boss was out of the country. “But whenever we attend such functions, the President begins abusing us, yet he is the one who invited us.” Miria Obote said she would travel to Arua to celebrate the life of her late husband, Milton Obote.

Such stories happen in real life!

On the high way to Nairobi, a Ugandan Pastor met a team of policemen who, quite naturally, wanted 'something'(kidogo) from him, but since he wasn't prepared to play their games, they asked him to pull off and tender his papers. Having combed through everything without any offence to nail the 'stubborn' pastor, they asked him to open the bonnet of his car. A careful scrutiny of the engine number against what was on paper revealed that letter U was written in such a way that it could be mistaken for letter V. That was all the officer-in-charge needed to spring to action "stolen vehicle!! he yelled. Pastor sensing trouble, even when he knew he committed no offense, yelled back; I am priest not a thief, the officer replied: "Please, leave that pastor thing...in any case, if you are indeed a pastor, then you must have a Bible in your car, bring it. "The Pastor speedily brought out his Bible to proof his sanity" "Please read Matthew 5:25-26 to me". Incredulously, Pastor opened to the recommended passage and read: "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to a judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth; you will not get out until you have paid the last penny." The perplexed man of God "QUIETLY" made an "offering" of "JUST" Ksh100 to his newly found "preacher". The Officer collected his "kitu kidogo" and said to the priest end of service go in peace and argue no more.

On the high way to Nairobi, a Ugandan Pastor met a team of policemen who, quite naturally, wanted 'something'(kidogo) from him, but since he wasn't prepared to play their games, they asked him to pull off and tender his papers. Having combed through everything without any offence to nail the 'stubborn' pastor, they asked him to open the bonnet of his car. A careful scrutiny of the engine number against what was on paper revealed that letter U was written in such a way that it could be mistaken for letter V. That was all the officer-in-charge needed to spring to action "stolen vehicle!! he yelled. Pastor sensing trouble, even when he knew he committed no offense, yelled back; I am priest not a thief, the officer replied: "Please, leave that pastor thing...in any case, if you are indeed a pastor, then you must have a Bible in your car, bring it. "The Pastor speedily brought out his Bible to proof his sanity" "Please read Matthew 5:25-26 to me". Incredulously, Pastor opened to the recommended passage and read: "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to a judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth; you will not get out until you have paid the last penny." The perplexed man of God "QUIETLY" made an "offering" of "JUST" Ksh100 to his newly found "preacher". The Officer collected his "kitu kidogo" and said to the priest end of service go in peace and argue no more.

Having stayed in South Sudan for one year and two months without sufering from Malaria is a great achievement. This was done by God not me, who am i to resist it anyways?

Spent last week with malaria, its not easy, malaria ; you have fever when it is so hot and you wonder what to do.

Anyway am now ok. Thank you God.

Davis