THE Rwenzuru cultural leader, Omusinga Charles Mumbere, has appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to firmly deal with corruption in the Government.
“Since President Museveni came to power, there has been peace in most parts of the country. The problem has been corruption right from top government officials to the grassroots,” the Rwenzururu leader said.
He made the remarks on Sunday when he received Kidima Mubarak, an Australian born in Kasese district, at his Royal Palace office in Kasese town. Mubarak was accompanied by his wife, Salima.
Mumbere noted that a leader cannot successfully fight poverty among the rural poor amidst corruption orchestrated by top government officials who are supposed to implement and supervise government programmes.
Mubarak told the Omusinga that he wanted parental blessings as he aspires to contest for a seat in the Australian parliament in 2012.
He, however, complained that he had secured some computers from friends in Australia for schools in Kasese but found that some of them did not reach their intended schools.
Mubarak also urged cultural institutions in Uganda to fight negative social practices such as corruption that have come with modernity.
By John B.B.Nzinjah
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Kasese leaders Support AntiHomosexuality Bill
Local leaders in Kasese have threatened to de-campaign anyone who will support the dismissal of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill currently before parliament.
The Bill, tabled by the Ndorwa West Member of Parliament David Bahati, has generated too much debate and disagreement across Ugandans.
On one hand are politicians who believe that homosexuality is a western culture that has been introduced into Uganda to destroy the family structure and the wider society. And on the other hand are those who say the Bill is inhumane by prescribing death sentences for homosexual acts and want government to concentrate on other issues like corruption and better public service delivery.
During a function at his Buhikira royal palace on Sunday, the King of the Rwenzururu Charles Wesley Mumbere Iremangoma, said homosexuality will ruin African cultures. He said homosexuality should be rejected and outlawed.
He said cultural leaders in Uganda will lobby government to reject foreign assistance that is tagged to the support of homosexuality.
Earlier Dec.26, the Busongora South Member of Parliament Christopher Kibanzanga, speaking on Grace Radio talk show, threatened to quit politics if parliament rejects the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
He said failure to pass the bill would be akin to selling Uganda 's cultural values.
Elijah Kyetunda, the Busongora North Member of Parliament who appeared together with Kibanzanga on the same talk show said he would not forgive government if the Bill is not passed.
Both politicians called on the public not to support anyone proposing the rejection of the Bill.
http://www.hivos.nl/eng/Hivos-news/Hivos-International-goes-digital/Homo-emancipation
http://www.hivos.nl/eng/Hivos-news/Hivos-International-goes-digital/Homo-emancipation/Ugandan-homos-may-get-death-penalty
The Bill, tabled by the Ndorwa West Member of Parliament David Bahati, has generated too much debate and disagreement across Ugandans.
On one hand are politicians who believe that homosexuality is a western culture that has been introduced into Uganda to destroy the family structure and the wider society. And on the other hand are those who say the Bill is inhumane by prescribing death sentences for homosexual acts and want government to concentrate on other issues like corruption and better public service delivery.
During a function at his Buhikira royal palace on Sunday, the King of the Rwenzururu Charles Wesley Mumbere Iremangoma, said homosexuality will ruin African cultures. He said homosexuality should be rejected and outlawed.
He said cultural leaders in Uganda will lobby government to reject foreign assistance that is tagged to the support of homosexuality.
Earlier Dec.26, the Busongora South Member of Parliament Christopher Kibanzanga, speaking on Grace Radio talk show, threatened to quit politics if parliament rejects the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
He said failure to pass the bill would be akin to selling Uganda 's cultural values.
Elijah Kyetunda, the Busongora North Member of Parliament who appeared together with Kibanzanga on the same talk show said he would not forgive government if the Bill is not passed.
Both politicians called on the public not to support anyone proposing the rejection of the Bill.
PS: for the other face of this story See:
http://www.hivos.nl/eng/Hivos-news/Hivos-International-goes-digital/Homo-emancipation
http://www.hivos.nl/eng/Hivos-news/Hivos-International-goes-digital/Homo-emancipation/Ugandan-homos-may-get-death-penalty
Monday, 28 December 2009
KASESE RESIDENTS PROTEST OVER KILEMBE MINES THREATS OF EVICTION.
Residents of Kilembe Sub County in Kasese district have protested the
threats of evictions by the management of Kilembe mines limited.
threats of evictions by the management of Kilembe mines limited.
Residents say they are the indigenous occupants of the land on where
the mining activity is being done.
"We shall not get intimidated by these scarecrows of Kilembe mines
when we are very much aware that we are occupying our ancestral land,"
the residents charged.
They revealed this on December 3 after the management of Kilembe mines
limited called for a meeting and later failed to turn up.
According to the locals, the general manager Kilembe Mines Limited
(KML) Mr. Kyakony Fred called for the meeting on December 3 at 10 am
to discuss on the safety, theft of company properties and encroachment
on the company land but later delegated the company security manager
Mr. Gideon Kusemererwa in company with the police community liaison
officer at around 3pm.
Soon as the CLO took over his seat, the locals ordered the LC III
chairperson who was chairing the meeting to leave all the business and
dispersed leaving the police and Kilembe mines security manager
stranded on ground.
Locals lead by the sub county chairperson NRM Mr. Katya Nickson said
that the management of Kilembe mines has blocked the area from
development because of keep on threatening them that they are facing
eviction at any time.
He said Mr. Kyakony the general manager do overlook them the reason he
called for the meeting and adamantly refuse to attend it.
Katya dismissed allegations that conflicts are linked to politics as
the chairperson of the sub county belongs to FDC saying that all
parties are being affected by the way Kilembe mines is treating them.
Muhindo Binadamu the chairperson youth council kasese district and an
NRM cadre said that Kilembe is always at log heads with locals
accusing them of stealing their property that is not the case as the
properties are being stolen and vandalized by senior company
employees.
He said the company has never arrested any suspect with stolen
property from Kilembe but locals have been participating in arresting
the senior employers of the company with stolen materials and company
properties.
"you can imagine we even have a list of Kilembe mines officers who
have been caught stealing company properties but no one has ever been
prosecuted but are harassing us for nothing" Binadamu charged.
while speaking to this reporter the security manager Kusemererwa
Gideon said that Mr. Kyakony whom the residents demanded to see in the
eye was busy attending another busy meeting at kasese Cobalt Company
limited.
The District Community Liaison Officer Mr. Musana Joseph described
the protest by locals as a terrible one adding that the worst might be
in waiting.
By Wilson Asiimwe in kasese
0791389776
Bidandi Ssali raps inter party coalition.
The Executive Chairperson for People's Progressive Party (PPP) Jaberi
Bidandi Ssali has rapped the recent formed Inter Party Coalition by
opposition political parties in the country as wastage of time.
Bidandi Ssali has rapped the recent formed Inter Party Coalition by
opposition political parties in the country as wastage of time.
Bidandi also a presidential hopeful said the coalition was not a
demand for members of the parties but only a thought and a dream by
selfish politicians who heads different parties.
He was addressing party members and launching of the party office in
Kasese district on December 19.
He said he could not join the coalition because most of its members
are failures that have lost the ground and that others are those
parties that exist by names in Kampala only but without members.
While in Kasese Bidandi held meetings in the FDC strong hold
constituencies of Bukonzo East and Busongora North.
He said the coalition will never agree 100 and even in other issues
but only on agenda which is becoming song of the day adding that at
the end of the members end up in exile and being imprisoned.
"People have always have coalitions but the end result is death for
the members so it was good to confront death when you already know,"
Bidandi said.
He cited the history of Kabaka Yekka (KY) and Uganda people's congress
that made a coalition to remove Ben Kiwanuka and the end result was
for Obote to abolish kingdoms to punish the Kabaka, the coalition that
toppled Amini which also failed after Obote re captured power and
forced Museveni to go to bush.
He said his party is well prepared to see Museveni waving at Masaka
residents after 2011 general elections as he heads to his country home
Rwakitura to look after his cows.
Bidandi challenged the public to produce evidence where he was cited
in any corruption scandal and promised a big reward.
He said the movement government has committed a lot of crimes than
that of Amini and Obote two governments.
"During Amini and Obote's regimes people died and blood was shed but
there was no theft, land grabbing and their families to take over
control of state unlike the NRM where the presidents family is in
charge of the country," he charged.
He lashed at NRM government and president Museveni of creating safe
houses and illegal detentions that was a major cause to fight the past
regimes.
Bidandi condemned the manner in which WBS T.V presenter Serumaga was
arrested recently.
"You people i cried, i got stigmatized on witnessing the TV journalist
being forced into the car boot but had no option," Bidandi said.
By Asiimwe Wilson in Kasese 21/12/2009.
Thursday, 17 December 2009
Kasese District Staff train in Website updating Skills
Objective: To enhance effective and efficient information sharing mechanisms between the Kasese District Local Government and the Civil Society
Outputs: Functional district web site, regularly updated, that contributes to improve transparency, speedy information dissemination, and higher administrative efficiency and improved public services, particularly in the water, health and education sectors.
The district web site will provide information systems support for core business and regulatory functions, particularly in the areas of regulation and revenue generation in the district.
The web site will also provide convenient and easy access to other information services on opportunities that people in both urban and rural areas can access to improve their living conditions in the Kasese district.
Outcome: Improved access to official District of Kasese information
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Kasese to get a Shs24m ICT centre
KASESE district is to get Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment worth about shs24m, from the Rwenzori Information Centres Network, (RIC-NET).RIC-NET is supported by the Dutch Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries (HIVOS) and the European Union.
The equipment, which will include twelve computers, a multipurpose photocopier that will also serve as a printer and scanner, will be stationed in the District Information Office at Rukoki, the district headquarters.
A Local Area Network and internet services will also be set up to facilitate information-sharing between the district, the civil society organisations and other stakeholders in and outside the district.
The ICT facilities will be part of the information Desk that the two sides have agreed to set up under the Public-Private Partnership that the district and stakeholders mooted in 2006. The equipment is to be hosted by the District Information Office, which the district is expected to equip with furniture.
This is contained in an agreement signed between RIC-NET and Kasese district Local Government November 25th at a ceremony that took place in the office of the district Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO).
The support is being provided under the auspices of HIVOS and the Europena Union, the funders of RIC-NET.
The Deputy CAO, Willy Bataringaya and the RIC-NET boss, John Silco Murugahara, signed on behalf of their respective organisations at the function, which was witnessed by the Coordinator Rwenzori consortium of Civic Competence, James Mwrima and the District Information Officer.
John Silco Murugahara said the equipment would be delivered around 4th December.The agreement, that is valid for the 24-months, follows a series of partnership activities between Kasese district and RIC-NET, which has included a dialogue meeting in June this year and training of select district and civil society staff in web 2.0 tools that took place at Kabarole Information Centre.
The dialogue and the training were facilitated by the International Institute for RIC-NET is also in the process of helping Kasese district to revive her district website (http://www.kasese.go.ug) and in the creation of the d-group (an electronic platform for information-sharing among stakeholders in and outside the district accessible on http://rwecovoice.blogspot.com.
RIC-NET will also train district heads of department in web content development and information sharing tools including sms messaging skills.
By John Thawite
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Lover hits former army commander in the head
By Steven Candia
FORMER army commander Maj. Gen. James Kazini is no more.
Kazini was allegedly murdered by his girl friend, Lydia Draru, in Namuwongo, a Kampala suburb, during a scuffle at her residence yesterday morning.
Draru was arrested and whisked away to the Kampala Central Police Station where she was held together with her cousin, a girl in Senior Six.
“We are treating it as an outright case of murder,” said Edward Ochom, the director of criminal investigations, who rushed to the scene of the crime.
Kazini, whose army number is RA 0133, had been one of the longest serving army officers.
The circumstances surrounding his killing remained unclear yesterday. However, both the Police and security sources said Kazini was killed by a blow on his head with a blunt metallic object during a domestic quarrel between 5:00am and 6:00am.
An iron bar believed to have been used in the attack was recovered at the scene.
Police officers dusted the place for fingerprints and collected other exhibits.
The blow left a deep gush on the general’s head, causing him to bleed to death. Wearing a yellow shirt, the general, who had a career of mixed fortunes, died in the doorway of the house he was renting for the girlfriend.
For several hours, his body lay in a pool of blood as a combined force of the Police and the army sealed off the place while detectives and experts from the Government analytical laboratory went about their duties.
As news of the death filtered through, several senior people, among them the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, and trade minister Kahinda Otafiire visited the scene.
Kazini’s wife Phoebe arrived at about 9:00am. She saw the body and broke down, weeping uncontrollably. Hundreds of shocked residents trooped and gathered outside the house. Just before 10:00am, the body was removed and transferred to Mulago hospital for a postmortem check.
Eyewitness said shortly after the murder, Draru walked to a nearby boda boda stage and declared that she had killed her husband. She then reportedly asked the cyclists to inform the Police.
“She told us that she had killed her husband and she did not care,” Bernard Turinabo, a cyclist who was at the stage, recounted. “She even told us to go and see the body.”
It is then that the Police rushed to the scene of crime and arrested her. During arrest, Police sources said, Draru openly confessed: “I have killed him and I don’t care where you take me.”
It is said that the two had returned home in the wee hours of the morning. It is not clear what triggered the disagreement. Shortly before returning home, the two were sighted at International Hotel Muyenga.
They reportedly rode back home in the general’s latest top of the range Toyota Land Cruiser, bearing a Southern Sudan registration number plate, which they parked outside before walking into the house.
Police sources yesterday said Draru, who is popularly known by residents as Munene, earlier claimed that she acted in self-defence after the general allegedly drew a pistol on her. But no pistol was found in the house. Instead, Kazini’s pistol was discovered several hours after the incident in his brown hand bag in the Land Cruiser.
Emotions ran high outside his compound. A man wondered how a general who had emerged triumphant from various battles could die at the hands of a woman.
The demise of Kazini left many of his colleagues disturbed. The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, yesterday described his death as untimely. The nation and the UPDF as an institution, he said, were still to benefit from his enormous experience and skills.
“We were still to work together as an institution to consolidate peace and stability. What we are seeing now is the passing on of a patriot, a hardworking man and a committed nationalist,” Nyakairima said.
Kayihura, whose relationship with the deceased goes back to the NRA bush war, said Kazini played a heroic role in the difficult history of the country, his woes notwithstanding.
“There is no doubt about the contribution Kazini had towards achieving peace and security in the country. He played a crucial role in fighting various insurgencies, right from 1986 up to when he became army commander. Obviously he had problems but that cannot wash away his tremendous contribution to this nation,” Kayihura said.
Maj. Gen Mugisha Muntu (FDC), also a former army commander, described Kazini as a good combat officer.
“He served through the ranks in various capacities. In some, he performed well and in others, just like many of us, he did not. It is unfortunate that he has passed on still young. As for those other issues in the army, we leave that in the hands of God.”
In March 2008, Kazini was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment for causing financial loss of over sh61m to the Government. He was still battling in court to overturn his conviction.
Kazini was also facing a string of other charges that included causing financial loss, forgery, uttering false documents, conspiracy to defraud and disobedience of lawful orders. But his trial by the Court Martial was put on hold after he petitioned the Constitutional Court challenging the legality of the trial.
The Constitutional Court dismissed his petition mid last month, clearing the army court to try him.
FORMER army commander Maj. Gen. James Kazini is no more.
Kazini was allegedly murdered by his girl friend, Lydia Draru, in Namuwongo, a Kampala suburb, during a scuffle at her residence yesterday morning.
Draru was arrested and whisked away to the Kampala Central Police Station where she was held together with her cousin, a girl in Senior Six.
“We are treating it as an outright case of murder,” said Edward Ochom, the director of criminal investigations, who rushed to the scene of the crime.
Kazini, whose army number is RA 0133, had been one of the longest serving army officers.
The circumstances surrounding his killing remained unclear yesterday. However, both the Police and security sources said Kazini was killed by a blow on his head with a blunt metallic object during a domestic quarrel between 5:00am and 6:00am.
An iron bar believed to have been used in the attack was recovered at the scene.
Police officers dusted the place for fingerprints and collected other exhibits.
The blow left a deep gush on the general’s head, causing him to bleed to death. Wearing a yellow shirt, the general, who had a career of mixed fortunes, died in the doorway of the house he was renting for the girlfriend.
For several hours, his body lay in a pool of blood as a combined force of the Police and the army sealed off the place while detectives and experts from the Government analytical laboratory went about their duties.
As news of the death filtered through, several senior people, among them the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, and trade minister Kahinda Otafiire visited the scene.
Kazini’s wife Phoebe arrived at about 9:00am. She saw the body and broke down, weeping uncontrollably. Hundreds of shocked residents trooped and gathered outside the house. Just before 10:00am, the body was removed and transferred to Mulago hospital for a postmortem check.
Eyewitness said shortly after the murder, Draru walked to a nearby boda boda stage and declared that she had killed her husband. She then reportedly asked the cyclists to inform the Police.
“She told us that she had killed her husband and she did not care,” Bernard Turinabo, a cyclist who was at the stage, recounted. “She even told us to go and see the body.”
It is then that the Police rushed to the scene of crime and arrested her. During arrest, Police sources said, Draru openly confessed: “I have killed him and I don’t care where you take me.”
It is said that the two had returned home in the wee hours of the morning. It is not clear what triggered the disagreement. Shortly before returning home, the two were sighted at International Hotel Muyenga.
They reportedly rode back home in the general’s latest top of the range Toyota Land Cruiser, bearing a Southern Sudan registration number plate, which they parked outside before walking into the house.
Police sources yesterday said Draru, who is popularly known by residents as Munene, earlier claimed that she acted in self-defence after the general allegedly drew a pistol on her. But no pistol was found in the house. Instead, Kazini’s pistol was discovered several hours after the incident in his brown hand bag in the Land Cruiser.
Emotions ran high outside his compound. A man wondered how a general who had emerged triumphant from various battles could die at the hands of a woman.
The demise of Kazini left many of his colleagues disturbed. The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, yesterday described his death as untimely. The nation and the UPDF as an institution, he said, were still to benefit from his enormous experience and skills.
“We were still to work together as an institution to consolidate peace and stability. What we are seeing now is the passing on of a patriot, a hardworking man and a committed nationalist,” Nyakairima said.
Kayihura, whose relationship with the deceased goes back to the NRA bush war, said Kazini played a heroic role in the difficult history of the country, his woes notwithstanding.
“There is no doubt about the contribution Kazini had towards achieving peace and security in the country. He played a crucial role in fighting various insurgencies, right from 1986 up to when he became army commander. Obviously he had problems but that cannot wash away his tremendous contribution to this nation,” Kayihura said.
Maj. Gen Mugisha Muntu (FDC), also a former army commander, described Kazini as a good combat officer.
“He served through the ranks in various capacities. In some, he performed well and in others, just like many of us, he did not. It is unfortunate that he has passed on still young. As for those other issues in the army, we leave that in the hands of God.”
In March 2008, Kazini was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment for causing financial loss of over sh61m to the Government. He was still battling in court to overturn his conviction.
Kazini was also facing a string of other charges that included causing financial loss, forgery, uttering false documents, conspiracy to defraud and disobedience of lawful orders. But his trial by the Court Martial was put on hold after he petitioned the Constitutional Court challenging the legality of the trial.
The Constitutional Court dismissed his petition mid last month, clearing the army court to try him.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Maj. Gen. James Kazini
Maj. Gen. James Kazini, the former army commander, died Tuesday morning after his girlfriend, Lydia Draru, allegedly hit him with an iron bar.
Family and security sources say General Kazini was killed at his girlfriend's home in Namuwongo, a Kampala suburb near this newspaper’s offices on 8th Street, Industrial Area.
The girlfriend has been arrested and taken for questioning at Kampala Central Police Station. Mourners, among them military officers and relatives, trickled in to the Namuwongo residence as the shocking news spreads.
The country was preparing for the burial later Tuesday of vice President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya’s son, Bryan, who died at the weekend after suffering serious head injuries in a motor crash.
By 8:00 a.m. his body had not yet been moved. Senior Police detectives arrived shortly after to take notes and examine the crime scene. Later, at about 10 a.m, his body was taken to Mulago Hospital mortuary.
Family and security sources say General Kazini was killed at his girlfriend's home in Namuwongo, a Kampala suburb near this newspaper’s offices on 8th Street, Industrial Area.
The girlfriend has been arrested and taken for questioning at Kampala Central Police Station. Mourners, among them military officers and relatives, trickled in to the Namuwongo residence as the shocking news spreads.
The country was preparing for the burial later Tuesday of vice President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya’s son, Bryan, who died at the weekend after suffering serious head injuries in a motor crash.
By 8:00 a.m. his body had not yet been moved. Senior Police detectives arrived shortly after to take notes and examine the crime scene. Later, at about 10 a.m, his body was taken to Mulago Hospital mortuary.
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