By Racheal Nuwahereza

On Tuesday, residents of Bwera Parish, Kyeizooba Sub-county, Bushenyi district gathered at Bwera Parish headquarters to witness a 59-year-old woman being disciplined after she was reportedly caught having sex with an 18-year-old man.

Kedesi Katsigaire, a resident of Nyambirizi Village, Bwera Parish in Kyeizooba Sub-county, who has on several occasions been accused of being a sexual predator was on Tuesday caught red-handed having sex with Godfrey Musyotoore(18) in her house.

It is reported that women in the area have for some time suspected Katsigaire of sexually abusing their children.

Jacenta Kamashengyero, a social worker at Bwera Parish, told journalists that when they entered the suspects’ house, they found the two in bed naked and they started to ask for forgiveness. They decided to take them to the parish headquarters where they found the whole community gathered.

The village council headed by the chairperson, Nathan Bigirwa ordered a punishment of 10 strokes for Katsigaire and gave Musyotoore a stern warning and four strokes of the cane. 

“When we arrested the two, we looked at all options; communal work and caning. Katsigaire chose caning and we decided to give her 10 strokes of the cane as a warning to the other older women,” said Bigirwa.

Victor Taremwa, the LC III Chairperson Kyeizoba Sub-County said he was briefed by councillors about the incident which he defended saying it was needed to instill dignity and good behaviour in the people.

Faith Amanya Batega, the Bushenyi District probation and welfare officer said it is a social responsibility for all to address issues around violence against children and adolescents. 

Willy Bataringaya, the Chief Administrative Officer Bushenyi District said the matter is more of a moral than legal one but urged the people not to take laws into their own hands.

Katsigaire has reportedly since disappeared from the village following her public disciplining.

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Police in Hima Division, Kasese District is investigating circumstances under which the body of a three months baby was found dumped in Kithakena River, Buzibwera village, Maliba Sub-county.

ASP John Nkundizana, the Hima Division Police commander says the act could have been done because of domestic violence in the family of the person who did the act and warned mothers and fathers against domestic violence which he says is the leading causes of most deaths in the District.

Nkundizana told residents that the dead body has not been claimed by any person adding that investigations will continue to bring to book a person who may have done such a crime.

Zebia Ithungu, the resident who discovered the dead baby while she was on her way to the garden says this at could have been caused by reckless young mothers in the area.

George Kachanga, the chairperson LC I Buzibwera says the act could have been done by a young girl as an effect of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Monday Christopher Bakoko the ring leader for Izinga says this incident has been one of its kind in the area and condemned the act asking parents who have young girls to always have time with time to discuss their challenges whenever they get pregnant.

A research report released yesterday by Rwenzori Centre for Research and Advocacy, a child health care fully registered non-governmental organization operating in Kasese revealed that since 2016 teenage pregnancies in Busongora County South stand at 51% while  Busongora County North  stands at 48% and Bukonzo County stands at 47%. 

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Uganda Bureau of Statistics has today released a report that revealed that the literacy rate for the male Ugandans aged 10 and above has reached 81% and for female Ugandans aged 10 and above has reached 72% as of 2019/2020.

The UBOS 2016/2017 report released five years ago revealed that the literacy rate for male Ugandans was 78% while for females it stood at 70% pointing to an increase in Literacy of both Males and Females of 10 years and above.

Consequently, Uganda’s general literacy rate has risen from 74% where it was 5 years ago in 2016 to 76.5% in 2020.

The statement also revealed that adult literacy for persons 18 years and above was realized more in Males than Females in both 2016/17 and 2019/20 findings. Adult literacy rates were highest in Kampala (92%), Buganda South (83%), Ankole (79%) and it was lowest in Karamoja sub region at 25%.

The literacy rate is defined by the percentage of the population of a given age group that can read and write.

In the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations set a target of ensuring countries reach youth literacy rate of 94% and adult literacy rate of 90% by 2030.

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Lira High Court has convicted Dolly Acen who on 21st July 2021 attacked Mildred Amek at her home, killed her and cut her body into tiny pieces for concealment.

Acen who was a house help at Amek’s home is believed to have spearheaded the murder in which her friends; Gwasebo Ebong, Galimaka Simon Peter, and Andrew Opio Ogule attacked, murdered and buried the deceased and poured ash on the grave at Acungapenyi cell, Kachung Western Ward in Dokolo district.

Acen who appeared before Justice Duncan Gaswaga, the Lira Resident Judge was convicted and sentenced her on her own plea of guilty. While appearing in Court on Wednesday, Acen told court that she is widowed after her husband drowned in Lake Kwania moments before her arrest and asked the court to be lenient in sentencing her because she has 3 children to take care of.

Herbert Walusimbi, the defence lawyer told the court that the convict is remorseful, especially after spending time on remand. He proposed a 10-year sentence for the convict saying she is still young and developmental.

However, Peter Opio Amalo, the State prosecutor asked the court to punish the convict for maliciously giving her boss away to assailants who murdered her in her own house, adding that the deceased’s family business worth 100m has since collapsed.

Justice Gaswaga sentenced the convict to 20 years saying although the convict is remorseful, the offence is serious and it attracts a serious sentence because it involves the taking of someone’s life.

By Racheal Nuwahereza.

The 81-year old iconic Makerere University main building that caught fire in 2020, will be demolished in two weeks’ time to pave way for construction of a similar building.

The university’s most recognizable symbolic building whose construction was completed in 1941 during the leadership of George C. Turner was originally built with a 20th-Century British architectural design.

It houses a number of offices for the university’s top managers, including the vice chancellor, deputy vice chancellor in-charge of finance and administration, the university secretary and the university bursar

When the building caught fire on November 20, 2020, part of the building that held crucial staff and students’ records and documents was destroyed and the building has since developed cracks, which necessitated that it is brought down and constructed afresh.

The university management has at the moment handed over the site to contractors, Excel Construction Company, for the project.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the university vice chancellor said the building should be completed in time for the university’s century celebrations in August.

“We handed over the site to Excel Construction Company that won the bid. They are slated to start construction immediately. If they work day and night, the building should be ready before we celebrate our 100 years,” Prof Nawangwe revealed.

In 2021, Parliamentary cabinet approved UGX 21b supplementary budget for reconstruction of the main building to match its previous form as a way of conserving its architectural character thereby recommending the demolition of the entire building.

Prof Nawangwe has appealed to Ministry of Finance to release the funds soon to enable the university pay the contractor at every stage of construction.

The Inspector General of Police, Martins Okoth Ochola has directed the Traffic Police Director to ensure vehicles belonging to Charles Olim alias Sipapa are impounded for becoming a menace on the road.

In an incident that happened over the weekend at the Naalya Kiwatule roundabout, Sipapa was driving a numberless vehicle in company of armed security personnel when he knocked a man’s car after-which he allegedly threatened to beat and shoot him.

The incident was followed by social media complaints with members of the public asking security to intervene in Sipapa’s behaviour.

Speaking in response to questions about Sipapa’s impunity of rowdy behaviour on the road and driving numberless vehicles, the police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said the matter had been brought to the attention of the Police chief with emphasis that the self-proclaimed socialite is not larger than life.

While addressing the press on Monday, Enanga said the matter was brought to the attention of the IGP Ochola. “It has been well acknowledged and instructions to the Police Traffic and Road Safety Director to ensure the vehicle is traced wherever it is,” said Enanga.

On several occasions, Sipapa who has been cited moving in a convoy of two vehicles has been accused of knocking other road users and taking off thereby disregarding other road users. He has reportedly walked away untouched in most of the incidents he has been involved in.

Enanga rubbished the assumptions saying; “we have ever arrested him at Kira road but that day there was an understanding between him and the victim. They settled the matter but we have ever arrested him. Sipapa is someone who is arrestable”.

Enanga promised to reach out to the Traffic Police director to find out the whether Sipapa’s vehicles have been impounded or not as had been directed by the IGP. Enanga added that since the directive was acknowledged by the IGP and instructions given to the director, the respective authority would ensure action is taken.

Speaking about the hit and run scuffle with a Benz owner days back, Sipapa asked his victims to accept his success that he has after all worked for saying he is a rich and simple man who supports the regime in power because of the benefits he enjoys as a stake holder adding that he might be another member of the first family.

“My mother was a woman who like others might have seen a lot of men. So don’t be surprised if I’m President Museveni’s son,” he said. 

Buddo Secondary School (SS) girls were on Tuesday last week crowned winners of the under 18 Movit 3×3 Basketball Championship, by the Federation of Uganda Basketball Association at the Lugogo Hockey Grounds.

The tournament which was played on International Women’s Day attracted over 20 teams from various secondary schools across the country, saw Buddo SS win the championship.

Sheila Lamunu, one of the players of the Buddo SS team said the win means a lot and they will have to go an extra mile to achieve a lot more in basketball.

Speaking at the event, Stephen Adinyai, Movit Brand Manager, said: “Movit got involved in the Championship because it brings together confident girls who wish to break the bias within our communities and education sector. Through sports, we feel the girl-child and women can have a collective voice to break the bias”. Adding that Movit is passionate about women affairs because our customer base is 80% female and we are a brand of self-love and confidence. Our brand gives women ‘All-Day Confidence’ in everything they do.”

Sandra Munduru, Commissioner for Women Basketball in Federation of Uganda Basketball Association said, “We managed to break the bias with today’s activities and we were able to attract a good crowd and had a quality tournament.”

She added that the federation will continue to support and encourage more women in all spheres of the game not just as players but also as couches, referees, build capacity and grow women’s basketball in Uganda.

By Racheal Nuwahereza

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Police in Adjumani is investigating charges of theft against Adjumani East MP, James Mamawi.

Two charcoal dealers from Mbale district identified as Ali Mundara and his wife, Ms Jessica Nabwire, accuse Mamawi of waylaying a truck along Mungula road in Adjumani town and forcefully taking away 60 bags of charcoal.

The couple told police that their truck was on March 10, 2022 stopped at a roadblock staged by the legislator as they approached Adjumani Town at around 4am before the MP confiscated the car keys from the driver. 

“Even when we showed him our valid license issued by the district’s forest department, the MP who was in the company of two others, went ahead to open the back of the truck and started pulling out the bags of charcoal, accusing us of illegal trade,” said Mundara adding that the accused then made an alarm that attracted several locals who looted 60 out of 250 bags of the charcoal bags before the police intervened.

On March 13, police in Adjumani district summoned Mamawi to answer to the accusations.

When contacted, the MP however denied any involvement in the theft of the bags of charcoal.

“They refused to comply when I politely asked them to produce their trading license. They instead ordered their accomplices to manhandle us and in the ensuing fracas, two boys were badly injured. That is when the community came in and others raided the bags of charcoal,” Mamawi told journalists. 

In 2016, commercial charcoal business was banned by the Adjumani District council following massive illegal charcoal trade and mass deforestation of the area. 

However, given to the increasing trend of the illegal trade in charcoal and timber, the law enforcement unit of the district is presumably struggling to enforce the ban.

Benon Byamukama, the district police commander, told journalists that a case of theft (SDR: 39/10/03/2022) was registered against the legislator by the two charcoal dealers from Mbale District, adding that investigations into the case were underway.