NSSF bought wetland from Mbabazi
Sep 26, 2008
THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) revealed that a quarter of the land sold to NSSF by businessman Amos Nzeyi and security minister Amama Mbabazi, is a seasonal wetland. A total of 116 acres out of 463 are covered by seasonal wetland, NEMA director Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha said.
THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) revealed that a quarter of the land sold to NSSF by businessman Amos Nzeyi and security minister Amama Mbabazi, is a seasonal wetland. A total of 116 acres out of 463 are covered by seasonal wetland, NEMA director Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha said.
Meanwhile, finance minister Dr. Ezra Suruma admitted that he approved the transaction without carrying out a financial evaluation of the project. He said he expected NSSF chief David Chandi Jamwa to follow the principles of investment he had given him.
Parliament probes MUK fees
A probe into increased fees for private students at Makerere University has kicked off. Makerere’s top management and the minister of Education have been summoned by the committee on social services to explain the hike.
Committee chairperson Rosemary Ssenninde also summoned members of the Makerere University concerned Students Association. Non-teaching staff will also testify. The summons follows a petition to deputy speaker Rebecca Kadaga by students.
URA cancels sh66.7b debt
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and the finance ministry have requested Parliament to write off sh66.7b in tax arrears which the body failed to collect between 1988-2002. The finance committee agreed, as part of efforts to streamline tax collection. URA boss Allen Kagina said most of the pardoned taxpayers could not be traced because they had either changed their business registration names, while other businesses had collapsed.
She explained that URA made efforts to collect the money, in vain. MPs pressed finance state minister Fred Omach and Secretary to the treasury Chris Kassami to reveal the identities of the defaulting individuals but Omach said it was out of order to reveal the details.
MP Nabilah’s arrest
Old Kampala police chief Moses Mwanga on Tuesday stunned MPs investigating the conduct of the police when he said Kampala Woman MP Nabilah Ssempala was arrested on orders from above. He, however, said he could not give more details. He said the manner in which the arrest was carried out was justified because the MP had resisted pleas to go to the police post in Owino.
Meanwhile, owino market boss Godfrey Kayongo said he called Mwanga to alert him that Ssempala was in the market. Later, an Inspector of Police at Old Kampala said ssempala was arrested because she flashed her party’s ‘V’ symbol, which they thought might cause a scuffle.
Churches cited in trafficking
Churches have been implicated in human trafficking, along with bars, employment agencies and brothels. Rogers Kasirye, the Uganda Youth development Link chief said most victims were girls, some as young as of 14 years.
He was testifying before the committee on defence and internal affairs which is scrutinising the prevention of trafficking in persons Bill, 2007. Kasirye said churches had branches in rural areas from where they convinced unsuspecting parents and guardians to surrender their children for as little as sh10,000. “Poverty in rural areas has left children helpless.
They end up in urban areas where they engage in prostitution and are used as house helps,†he said. He singled out an agency that hired out house helps at a fee “as if they are selling goatsâ€.
Meanwhile, finance minister Dr. Ezra Suruma admitted that he approved the transaction without carrying out a financial evaluation of the project. He said he expected NSSF chief David Chandi Jamwa to follow the principles of investment he had given him.
Parliament probes MUK fees
A probe into increased fees for private students at Makerere University has kicked off. Makerere’s top management and the minister of Education have been summoned by the committee on social services to explain the hike.
Committee chairperson Rosemary Ssenninde also summoned members of the Makerere University concerned Students Association. Non-teaching staff will also testify. The summons follows a petition to deputy speaker Rebecca Kadaga by students.
URA cancels sh66.7b debt
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and the finance ministry have requested Parliament to write off sh66.7b in tax arrears which the body failed to collect between 1988-2002. The finance committee agreed, as part of efforts to streamline tax collection. URA boss Allen Kagina said most of the pardoned taxpayers could not be traced because they had either changed their business registration names, while other businesses had collapsed.
She explained that URA made efforts to collect the money, in vain. MPs pressed finance state minister Fred Omach and Secretary to the treasury Chris Kassami to reveal the identities of the defaulting individuals but Omach said it was out of order to reveal the details.
MP Nabilah’s arrest
Old Kampala police chief Moses Mwanga on Tuesday stunned MPs investigating the conduct of the police when he said Kampala Woman MP Nabilah Ssempala was arrested on orders from above. He, however, said he could not give more details. He said the manner in which the arrest was carried out was justified because the MP had resisted pleas to go to the police post in Owino.
Meanwhile, owino market boss Godfrey Kayongo said he called Mwanga to alert him that Ssempala was in the market. Later, an Inspector of Police at Old Kampala said ssempala was arrested because she flashed her party’s ‘V’ symbol, which they thought might cause a scuffle.
Churches cited in trafficking
Churches have been implicated in human trafficking, along with bars, employment agencies and brothels. Rogers Kasirye, the Uganda Youth development Link chief said most victims were girls, some as young as of 14 years.
He was testifying before the committee on defence and internal affairs which is scrutinising the prevention of trafficking in persons Bill, 2007. Kasirye said churches had branches in rural areas from where they convinced unsuspecting parents and guardians to surrender their children for as little as sh10,000. “Poverty in rural areas has left children helpless.
They end up in urban areas where they engage in prostitution and are used as house helps,†he said. He singled out an agency that hired out house helps at a fee “as if they are selling goatsâ€.