Kampala metropolitan police is investigating circumstances under which a private security guard identified as Gideon Nabasa,31, attached to Afrisafe Guard Company was found with a dead body of a yet to be identified person in a sack on a motorcycle REG No UFG 635P.
Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson said; “At about 4am while our officers were on motorized patrols in Kazo, Lugoba Zone, Kazo Ward, Nabweru Division, Wakiso District, they found Nabasa carrying a sack on the motorcycle. The officers were suspicious of what he was carrying and on asking for a search they found a dead body of a male adult suspected to be in his early 20s in the sack and immediately arrested him.”
He added that the body also had two wounds suspected to be as a result of stabbings.
Owoyesigire noted that a team of investigators was called in at the scene and the body of the deceased was taken to Mulago city mortuary for a post mortem while the suspect is being detained at Kawempe Police Station on allegations of murder.
Police in Bugiri district has in custody four youths suspected to have participated in the murder of a 32-year-old man identified as Ivan Mukisa.
Steven Lwembawo, the Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigations in Bugiri district, revealed that Mukisa was a renowned businessman dealing in music systems and electronic appliances. Adding that he was also popular amongst the youthful population in Bugiri district.
Mukisa is said to have met his death on Tuesday night at the hands of unidentified youths who rounded him up as he headed towards his home in Katawo zone in the Eastern division in Bugiri municipality.
The deceased sustained injuries on the head, bark, neck and chest and bled to death before the assailants hid his lifeless body in a bar within the area only to be discovered by area residents who realized that the handle of the bar entrance was covered in blood and bloodstains spilt along the roadside.
The suspects whose identities have been withheld in order not to jeopardize investigations are currently in custody at Bugiri central police station awaiting prosecution.
Lwembawo says that a team of detectives is still hunting for some prime suspects who are still at large.
Flamboyant Kenyan politician, Mike Sonko and his family have been banned by the US state department from travelling to the US over corruption while in office.
Sonko who was the governor of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, was impeached in December 2020 over charges of abuse of office, misconduct, gross violation of the constitution, and crimes against national law.
According to the announcement by Counselor for Public Affairs, Eric Watnik at the US Embassy in Nairobi on Tuesday, Sonko’s ban from the US is based on “involvement in significant corruption” during his short tenure at City Hall.
The US says while in office he “solicited bribes and kickbacks in exchange for awarding government contracts to his associates.”
Watnik said the State Department has declared Sonko, his wife Primrose Mbuvi, his daughters Saumu and Salma and his underage son ineligible for entry into the US.
Saumu Mbuvi, daughter(L), Primrose Mbuvi (Wife)(Middle) and Sandra, daughter(R) pictured at Sonko’s birthday party in2020. (Courtesy Ph)
Sonko becomes the second Kenyan to be publicly banned from travelling to the US during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s era over corruption allegations.
On Tuesday, while appearing in a live video via his known Facebook page, Sonko vehemently denied the allegations and said he was being targeted wrongly.
In 2019, Busia Senator Amos Wako, the former Attorney General, was banned from the US over similar allegations, alongside his wife and son.
In a bid to make it easier for customers to acquire 4G Smartphones at affordable installment payment terms, MTN Uganda unveiled a partnership with M-KOPA, where customers can choose from a wide range of up to 11 assorted Samsung and Nokia devices from M-KOPA and finance them for up to one year while enjoying free daily data from MTN, for a year as they use their smartphones.
Customers can opt for a daily, weekly, or monthly payment plan for any of the devices they choose to purchase upfront deposit of between UGX 100,000 to UGX 200,000, depending on the model of the phone.
With the MTN and M-KOPA partnership, customers can pay as little as Ugx.1400 daily for a smartphone.
Attending the official launch of the MTN and M-KOPA partnership, Ian Mugambe, the MTN Uganda High-Value Segment Marketing Manager said the partnership is aimed at enabling the public to acquire smartphones in the most financially convenient way that doesn’t affect their cash flow.
“With the current digital evolution, a smartphone is an enabler for work, business, education and access to information. However, many people fail to own smartphones due to their high cost of purchase. By availing such a flexible payment solution coupled with free daily data, we believe many more people will now find owning a smartphone much easier,” said Mugambe.
M-KOPA’s Brenda Nambalirwa (L) and MTN Uganda’s Ian Mugambe display some of the phones that people can access and pay for in installments.
Brendah Nambalirwa; the spokeswoman M-KOPA Uganda said the partnership has already proven to be a successful way to accelerate smartphone penetration and digital inclusion in Uganda.
“Customers, who would ordinarily find it difficult to access credit or save large deposits, can now instantly have a 4G smartphone in their hands and connect to the internet for countless services,” said Nambalirwa.
By partnering with M-KOPA, MTN has demonstrated its commitment towards breaking the barriers to smartphone penetration in the country, as well as helping customers access the best internet experiences in the land with the world-class devices provided by M-KOPA.
Customers will also get free daily data of 50MBs from MTN for a full year while they finance their smartphones relatedly following MTN’s repackaging of its daily data bundles to offer customers up to 80% more data at the same existing prices, thus making the internet more affordable and giving customers more value for their money.
The 2021 partnership between MTN and M-KOPA successfully enabled the sale of over 70,000 smartphones on M-KOPA’s Fintech platform, which has financed over 2 million customers across Africa.
Gen Edward Katumba Wamala; the Minister of Works and Transport has revealed that construction works of Kampala-Mpigi Expressway have delayed due to some people who demand Shs500 million as compensation for cutting down a tree housing ancestral spirits for the works to proceed.
Gen Katumba told Parliament on Wednesday that Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is on behalf of government trying to negotiate with the clan heads who claim that all their spirits are in that one tree but the talks are yet to yield fruits.
Minister for Works and Transport Katumba Wamala addressing parliament. (Courtesy Photo)
“We don’t take land without compensation an example is a tree along Mpigi-Kampala Expressway where one clan says all their spirits are in that one tree. They are asking for Shs500m and we can’t move. They have been offered Shs150m and they say it can’t appease the spirits,” Katumba told Parliament.
The Minister made the revelation while presenting the Report on the delay in compensation of Project Affected Persons (PAPs) of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project.
Katumba also noted that any further delay in acquiring land will increase the cost of compensating the Project-affected persons.
On Monday, 7th March 2022, Manoj Murali, the Airtel Uganda Managing Director launched the Uganda Needs More of You, at the Kampala Serena Hotel. Speaking at the launch, Manoj revealed that the campaign would require participants to share stories of how they have utilized technology to positively impact the lives of others. Adding that the submissions were intended to discover, tell and celebrate some of the inspiring stories of Ugandans with whom Airtel Uganda shares its growth story.
Manoj Murali, the Managing Director Airtel Uganda speaking at the launch.
Citing the story of Mr. Dickson Mushabe, who founded the Dolphin Fund, a unique crowdfunding website through which Ugandans are raising funds to support nobel causes within their communities, the story of the famous Ella Clear Foods by M/s Catherine Nakatudde, who used WhatsApp to ensure that the meals of workers in Kampala City continued to be delivered to their tables especially during the covid-19 pandemic lockdown and that of Dr. Davis Musinguzi who founded Rocket Health in the health sector which unlocked the power of telemedicine to save lives in many places, Manoj said he is confident that #UGNEEDSMOREOFU campaign would help discover and celebrate more of these Ugandan stories.
He noted that these stories demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit of Ugandans that gets sparked by challenges and opportunities. The stories which represent the power of the many change makers in Uganda who are leveraging the power of technology to transform their communities are expected to inspire more Ugandans to aspire for more.
Manoj revealed that Uganda Needs More of You Stories will be broadcasted on select media houses. “On a monthly basis, the stories submitted will be vetted and the top 3 will be selected to proceed to the next stage. The final transformative stories will receive support for their causes” he said.
“Airtel Uganda is pleased to support this movement of change makers in their causes and scale up their impact and awareness in Uganda and across borders and remains committed to enabling all Ugandans to connect, innovate and do business by providing the widest 4G coverage network, without differentiation, across Uganda and at the most affordable prices,” he said.
An ex-convict identified as Kombozi Behangaza, (28) has accused the Uganda Prisons Service of not paying him his earnings over the last 14 years.
Behangaza was convicted for rape in 2012 and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment which he spent at Bulawula prison in Kayunga district.
Behangaza who says he worked on both private and gov’t farms claims he was to be paid 500 shillings for every day he worked.
Uganda prisoners working at a farm. (Courtesy Image)
Frank Baine, the Uganda Prisons Service-UPS spokesperson explained that skilled prisoners are entitled to 500shs, semi-skilled prisoners 250shs, while unskilled earn only 100shs per day of work which is all recorded in the prisoners’ logbook.
Baine added that upon release the prisoner is entitled to a transport fare by public means back to the point of his arrest.
Behangaza says he was demanding UGX 1.4m but he was given only UGX 40,000 to transport him up to Katuna in Kabale district which was also not enough. He says he hoped this would be the money he would invest to start over and not engage in crime when he eventually got out of prison.
Behangana added that even the farming equipment he was entitled to including a hoe, maize grians, a panga, an axe which is given to support the prisoners to start over was never given to him to which Baine responded saying it is upon the discretion of the Officer-in-Charge and on the goodwill of the commissioner general but not a must.
Behangaza, is currently stuck in Kampala but hopes to return home to Katuna in case he is paid.
Following alleged recruitment of volunteers in Nigeria to fight for Ukraine, Nigeria says it will not allow its nationals to join the fight in Ukraine where Russian forces have been bombing cities and rattling neighbourhoods with gunfire for over a week now.
Whereas Nigeria’s foreign ministry says the Ukrainian embassy had denied any role in the alleged exercise, the embassy confirmed that a number of Nigerians had approached it indicating willingness to join the war, according to a statement on March 07, signed by Francisca Omayuli, spokesperson for the ministry.
Francisca Omayuli, the spokesperson for Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria.
The embassy also distanced itself from claims that it was requesting $1,000 (£800) from each Nigerian volunteer for an air ticket and visa.
“Nigeria discourages the use of mercenaries anywhere in the world and will not tolerate the recruitment, in Nigeria, of Nigerians as mercenaries to fight in Ukraine or anywhere else in the world,” said Omayuli.
This comes days after Senegal warned against volunteers enlisting to fight against Russians in Ukraine.
It also ordered the Ukrainian ambassador to take down a Facebook post that had called on Senegalese volunteers to enlist in the war.
As Uganda joined the rest of the World to commemorate International Women’s day held on March 8 under the theme: “Gender Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, MTN Foundation in partnership with Smart Girls Foundation embarked on the construction of a skilling facility with the capacity to train 400 girls annually in vocational programs.
The project that is expected to cost UGX230million will facilitate the construction of an auto vehicle servicing station, a newly constructed washing bay and the renovation of 3 classrooms with a capacity of 30 students per room and a main hall.
The classroom block that to be renovated by MTN Foundation to create a conducive learning environment for the girls at Smart Girls Foundation.
The facility which will be housed at the Smart Girls Foundation offices in Kampala will specialize in vocational and business up skilling, inclusive of courses like electricity installation, house painting, tailoring, carpentry, welding, catering, among others.
Speaking during the ground-breaking ceremony held in Kampala today, Dorcas Muhwezi, the General Manager for Customer Experience at MTN Uganda, said the project is envisaged to give birth to 40 new women-led businesses in the country.
Justine Mbabazi, the RDC Wakiso district and Guest of Honour, welcomed the initiative by MTN saying it complements government’s ambitions towards promoting gender equality and empowering the girl child.
The training facility will also put emphasize on mentorship sessions in career guidance facilitated by members of the MTN Women Group.
First Son, and Commander of the Land Forces; Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has today announced his retirement from the Ugandan army.
Through a tweet he made on his known Twitter handle on Tuesday afternoon, Lt Gen Muhoozi said he was satisfied with what he has achieved in the 28 years he has served in the UPDF.
“After 28 years of service in my glorious military, the greatest military in the world, I am happy to announce my retirement. Me and my soldiers have achieved so much! I have only love and respect for all those great men and women that achieve greatness for Uganda every day,” he revealed in the tweet.
The retirement announcement Muhoozi made through his known Twitter Handle.
Gen Muhoozi was born to President Museveni on 24 April 1974 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He attended schools in Tanzania, Kenya and Sweden and in 1986, when his father became President of Uganda, he returned to attend schools including Kampala Parents School Kings College Buddo and St. Mary’s College Kisubi.
He started military training in 1994 after he left high school and later attended the University of Nottingham from 1996 till 1998.
In 1999, Muhoozi formally joined the UPDF 1999 before being admitted at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where he graduated in 2000. He then underwent the Egyptian Military Academy for company and battalion command course.
Muhoozi also attended the Kalama Armoured Warfare Training School, in Kabamba, Mubende District and in 2007, he joined the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and graduated in 2008.
In May 2016 shortly after the presidential elections, Muhoozi was promoted to the rank of Major General which sparked rumours that he could be joining politics eyeing the presidential seat.
However, Major General, Muhoozi Kainerugaba denied habouring any presidential ambitions. “I am very happy in the military and in case I wanted to join politics, I know the procedures to go through. As you heard, I don’t have the ambition to be president. I am very happy being in the military and that is where I intend to stay for some time,” he told journalists.
Muhoozi being decorated shortly after he was promoted to the rank of Major General. (Courtesy Photo)
In 2019, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General which in an unprecedented feat in Uganda’s military history meant that in a space of 20 years, Muhoozi has risen from the rank of sergeant to Lt General.
By announcing the retirement, many have been led to believe that the ‘Muhoozi project’ the ambitions have taken shape which we cannot independently affirm.
Meanwhile we await the official retirement ceremony to be held.
