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As it happened: Uganda Today - Tuesday March 19

Mar 19, 2019

The suspects in the murder of former Police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi are granted bail - but they are to be released on Friday.

ROLLING NEWS THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Presented by Joseph Kizza

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@joekizza

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4:35pm

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  Good evening!


That's all for today. See you tomorrow. A blessed evening to you all.

Fancy a trot by the beach?

 

#UgandaToday

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4:30pm

Electoral Commission 'clears Muntu's party'

The Electoral Commission has reportedly cleared Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu's party, the Alliance for National Transformation.

"We would like to thank everyone that has stood with and for us thus far and look forward to building a Uganda that works for all of us, together," the former FDC president wrote on his Facebook page Tuesday, attaching a statement on the development:

 

#UgandaToday

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4:23pm

Kaweesi murder suspects granted bail, but . . .

. . . are driven back to jail until Friday - when they will be released.

 

 

 

 

#UgandaToday

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4:10pm

Kaweesi murder suspects granted bail

New Vision's Farooq Kasule:


The suspects have been granted a sh150m bond non-cash and their sureties sh250m non-cash. It means no suspect will be in custody on Friday, when they are expected to be set free.

At first, the judge said they would be released on Friday after thorough verification of their residences. But after the accused's lawyer Ladisluas Rwakafuuzi protested it, the judge said they can be released today and verification be done not later than Friday.

Ultimately, they have opted to be released Friday at 2pm.


#UgandaToday

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4:05pm

KAWEESI MURDER SUSPECTS GRANTED BAIL

 

#UgandaToday

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3:50pm

Arrested for 'torching tomato garden'

New Vision's Ssenabulya Baagalayina:


Police in Lwabenge in Kalungu district have arrested a man for reportedly torching the LC1 chairman's tomato garden. The suspect is Musa Mukwaya.

Area Police officer-in-charge Emmanuel Bateishire, upon being notified of the reports, intervened and arrested the man. He is said to have set on fire Kiragga LC1 chairman Godfrey Gyagenda's two acres of tomatoes.

In his defence, suspect Mukwaya claimed that he did not intend to burn the tomatoes. That he was trying to clear a a nearby bush in preparation for the coming planting season.

For now, Mukwaya is under police custody as investigations get under way.

 

#UgandaToday

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3:23pm

Kaweesi murder suspects in court for bail application verdict

Eight men indicted in the murder of former Police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi have been produced at the International Crimes Division of the High Court for a ruling on their bail application. New Vision's Farooq Kasule is at the court and says their relatives and friends are also in court.

He has also taken a grainy picture inside the courtroom:

 

#UgandaToday

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3:04pm

Tackling corruption in Lira

'Interactive session' Lira Municipal Council as petitions are being presented.

 

#UgandaToday

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2:50pm

Tackling corruption in Lira

The Anti-Corruption Unit of State House are camped at Lira Municipal Council in Lira district after receiving several complaints related to corruption through their helplines.

These complaints are relating both to Lira Municipal Council and Lira District Local Government.

One of the allegations involving Lira Municipal Council is that "there was an 'air' supply of cement and lime worth sh7.8m, which was reported to Police vide Lira CRB/258/2018 but there are attempts to close the file".

Another is that "sh36m was irregularly withdrawn from the Lira Municipal Council bank account in DFCU bank purportedly following a court order issued to Colorado Investment Limited after Council officials disregarded to file a defence in court."

It is alleged that this money was "later shared between the company and Council Officials".

 

#UgandaToday

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1:07pm

Entebbe for city status?

The minister of local government Tom Butime says Government wants to upgrade Entebbe municipality to city status.

Wakiso district leadership wants the whole district be declared a city.

Butime added that they are set  to hold a consultative meeting between Wakiso district, Entebbe municipality and officials from the ministry of local government to finalise the city status plans.

 

#UgandaToday

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12:58pm

Suspected food poisoning: Govt, WFP investigating

Health minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng told a press conference earlier today that investigations are underway to establish whether there is a link between the recent illnesses in Karamoja and a fortified blended food (Super Cereal) distributed by the World Food Programme (WFP) for prevention of malnutrition.

 

#UgandaToday

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12:50pm

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  WATCH: New Vision at 33


'Started from the bottom, now we're here'

 

#UgandaToday

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12:23pm

'Cop arrested with stolen tomatoes'

 

New Vision's Abraham Elapu:


A Police officer said to be attached to Soroti Central Police Station has been arrested with stolen tomatoes.

Geoffrey Odur, 37, a special police constable, has been providing security at a local market. He was found with a bucket of tomatoes, which he was suspected to have stolen from the market.

John Simon Peter Lakaret, the chairperson of the chicken section at the market, said vendors have severally complained about tomato and chicken theft during the night.

Following Tuesday's arrest, the vendors have become untrusting of security personnel.

Michael Odongo, the police spokesperson for East Kyoga, said the suspect has been placed in police custody and that inquiries are underway. He added that Odur will be charged with theft.

"Odur has confessed to stealing the tomatoes."

 

#UgandaToday

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11:55am

MUST students install water filter to avert crisis 

 

New Vision's Adolf Ayoreka:


Following the launch of  safe water campaign by Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) last month, students have procured a water filter sh6m to avert the crisis of safe drinking water that had hit the university.

This resonates with the ministry of water and environment‘s annual water and environment week aimed at ensuring good sanitation and access to safe water for drinking.

Through their association Integrity Ambassadors Club Mbarara Chapter, students sought a donation from United Sikhs, a civil rights and humanitarian non-profit organisation.

Emmanuel Kyagaba, the dean of students at MUST, who officiated at the installation function of the facility over the weekend, appreciated the efforts that were devised by the club to put up a mega facility.

He cautioned students ensure that the facility is not vandalized.

"I have learnt a lesson - that young people can be innovators and creative in trying to resolve some of the problems in societies and this is a good example. We had a challenge of sanitation and safe drinking water."

 

#UgandaToday

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11:40am

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  Crew pairing policy


#UgandaToday

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11:23am

Pentecostal pastors back training for religious leaders 

New Vision's Martin Kitubi:


A section of pastors under the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG), have backed the proposal to have theological certificates for all religious leaders in the country. They said theological training will equip religious leaders with knowledge on how to handle their flock, overcome challenges and interprete holy books, such as the Bible and Quran. 

In December last year, the New Vision published a story that the Government was working on the formulation of "The National Policy on Religious and Faith- Based Organisations (R&FBOs)." Under the policy, the Government wants to introduce a theological certificate as minimum requirement for all religious leaders in the country.

The Government also proposed to work with already existing institutions to train religious leaders in their respective denominations. For one to open a church, the founder must give detailed information about himself and reasons why he intends to start up a church.

The other details include listing the source of income, including the organisations funding the church. Religious and faith-based institutions will also be required to be transparent on the resources received and give accountability on how the money is used. In the proposed policy, all religious and faith-based organisation will be required to register under one institution as opposed to registering as non-governmental organisations.

For pastors, their churches will be required to have a doctrine and a dogma, just like the Catholic Church.

#UgandaToday

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10:55am

At the 2019 Health Innovations Conference in Kampala, discussing opportunities for blockchain is Kwame Rugunda, the proprietor of CryptoSavannah, a technology company at the forefront of the blockchain and innovation ecosystem in Africa.

 

 

 

#UgandaToday

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10:50am

2019 Health Innovations Conference

 

The conference, taking place at Kampala Serena Hotel, is themed 'Sustainable health in the fourth industrial revolution'.

It has been opened by Dr. Umar Kakumba, Makerere University's First Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

#UgandaToday

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10:15am

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 New Vision @33: Looking back . . .


Humble beginnings.



Quoting President Museveni.

 

#UgandaToday

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9:55am

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  New Vision turns 33


On this day 33 years ago, the first edition of The New Vision hit the streets.

The lead story was on Government's move to curb inflation with "a package of economic policies" also meant to "stabilise the exchange rate of the Uganda shilling".

The maiden edition, eight pages thick (or thin if you like), had interviewed the then finance minister Prof. Pontiano Mulema, who said that "almost all the economic policies which had been initiated by the previous government of Dr. Obote's and Gen. Okello were founded on wrong premises".

(Find a free copy inside of this iconic edition in today's (Tuesday's) paper or e-paper HERE).

 

#UgandaToday

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9:38am

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  Cranes land in Egypt safe and sound


Preparing for Sunday's final AFCON qualifiers group-stage match against Tanzania.

#UgandaToday

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9:29am

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 Hitting the-million mark


President Yoweri Museveni has become the first Ugandan to gain one million followers on Twitter.

By the way, do you know the most followed people on Twitter? Here's what they said at the turn of the year.

 

#UgandaToday

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9:25am

Today's Ras toon

About 58% of men in urban areas are reporting physical violence, compared to 49% women, a new survey reveals.

 

#UgandaToday

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9:21am

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  Mozambicans scramble to save themselves after cyclone Idai


 

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A deserted shop in the devastated Mozambican city of Beira has become a place of refuge for dozens of families displaced by a deadly cyclone, which has caused flooding and rendered many areas inaccessible.

More than 1,000 are feared to have died in the cyclone after it smashed into Mozambique last week, while scores were also killed in neighbouring Zimbabwe.

 

In front of Beira's city council in the modest neighbourhood of Praia Nova, locals have settled in an abandoned shop after fleeing their homes when torrential rains and strong winds stole many roofs and flooded most buildings.

"When the wind started, we just had time to escape with the kids, we just left everything else," mother of five Serephina Bernardo told AFP on Monday.

"We are here because our house has been submerged by the water," the 35-year-old said.

"We have nothing left."

 

Every other house has been destroyed by torrential rains, while gale force winds have torn off many roofs and electric pylons. Small aircraft lies damaged at the city's international airport which was temporarily shut due to damage.

 

Another local, Joao Suale, sits on the shop floor nursing a swollen leg hit by a metal sheet.

"There was a lot of wind, so I fled to here," Suale said.

Next to him, other locals stretch out make-shift laundry lines to try and dry the few clothes they have left.

Outside, the rain continues to pour heavily.

 

Food is quickly running out and the victims still await assistance.

"We are asking for help," Suale said.

Neighbourhoods in the city are littered with branches and mounds of rubble of all sorts.

Aerial photographs show many houses almost submerged and people on roofs desperately trying to stay afloat.

 

According to the Red Cross, the cyclone has damaged or destroyed 90 percent of Beira, Mozambique's second largest city and a major port hub.

"We have never had something of this magnitude before in Mozambique," said Emma Beaty, coordinator of a grouping of NGOs known as Cosaco.

Some dams have yielded while others have reached full capacity. Much of the country remains inaccessible due to flooding.

"The biggest threat we have now, even bigger than the cyclone, is floods," warned the governor of Sofala province, Alberto Mondlane.

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Monday said "communities are isolated and bodies are floating" on the water, as he warned that the death toll could climb to more than 1,000.

#UgandaToday

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9:11am

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  Guinea-Bissau election winner forms coalition govt


 

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Guinea-Bissau's historic ruling party on Monday signed a deal to form a coalition government  after falling just short of a majority in parliamentary elections last week, political figures said.

According to the National Election Commission, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) won 47 of parliament's 102 seats and 46.1 percent of the popular vote.

Another 48 seats were taken by two opposition parties, with the final seven seats won by factions who last week agreed to back a PAIGC-led government.

A two-page document envisages an "inclusive" coalition government lasting the four years of the parliamentary term, with a focus on reform of the constitution and the security and public administration apparatus.

"There is no winner nor loser. What is important is to work together to get our country out of the crisis it has been going through for several years," said Mama Saliu Lamba of the APU-PDGB party which won five seats and is part of the planned coalition.

PAIGC head of the PAIGC, Domingos Simoes Pereira, said "the people made a choice on March 10 and have given us a mission."

"The signing of this agreement creates the conditions for a majority in parliament," he added.

The Supreme Court has yet to formally endorse the election results but President Jose Mario Vaz has already congratulated the PAIGC on the result.

It was hoped that the March 10 vote would draw a line under the crisis that erupted in August 2015 when Vaz -- also a PAIGC member -- sacked Pereira, his then prime minister.

The two men have had a very strained relationship since then and there had been fears the polls could have left the poor, volatile West African state heading into a fresh confrontation, analysts warned.

The PAIGC -- a one-time Marxist party which has run the country of two million people for most of the 45 years since independence from Portugal -- won the previous polls in 2014 with 57 seats.

#UgandaToday

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9:06am

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  Losing Nigerian poll candidate lodges legal challenge
 

 

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The beaten candidate in last month's Nigerian presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday lodged a legal challenge to the official result, his lawyer said.

Muhammadu Buhari, 76, was re-elected president after a delayed poll that angered voters and raised political temperatures, but the opposition immediately vowed to challenge the "sham" result.

It was the second victory at the ballot box for Buhari, a one-time military ruler who was first elected in 2015 to lead Africa's most-populous nation and top oil producer.

He secured 56 percent of the vote against 41 percent for Abubakar, a winning margin of 3.9 million votes, according to the official results.

Abubakar, the 72-year-old candidate for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has now followed through with his promise to challenge the results, his lawyer Emmanuel Enoidem told reporters.

The PDP "asked that our candidate who won the election massively across the country be declared the winner of that election," he said.

Failing that, the court in Abuja was asked to set aside the election results "on the grounds of irregularities which were very apparent across the country," he added.

Enoidem said that 400 witnesses were ready to appear before the presiding judges.

The legal challenge was lodged just a day before the three-week deadline for such cases.

The court now has 180 days to pronounce on the case which could then be appealed to the supreme court.

Abubakar's official inauguration is scheduled for May 29.

Last month's vote was marred by violence, including 53 deaths, according to election observers.

Some reported vote-buying, intimidation and violence towards voters and officials, which have been a problem in previous polls in Nigeria.

At 35 percent across the country, low voter turnout was blamed on a combination of apathy because of the one-week delay, organisational problems and unrest.

EU and local observers spoke of "serious problems".

The election offered a marked contrast between the austere former general Buhari, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), against former vice-president and millionaire businessman Abubakar, who proposed to free up the economy.

#UgandaToday

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8:57am

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  Pressure on DRC to quickly form new government


 

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The United Nations has urged the Democratic Republic of Congo's new President Felix Tshisekedi to quickly form a new government, warning that voters had "huge expectations" from the leadership change and should not be let down.

Tshisekedi's party is working to cobble together a coalition government with the party of former president Joseph Kabila, which won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections.

"We hope that the new government will soon be formed and operational," UN envoy Leila Zerrougui told the Security Council. 

(Full story here)

#UgandaToday

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8:48am

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  A week after Ethiopia crash, questions swirl around Boeing


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Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft are grounded across the world following the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302, casting a harsh spotlight on the plane's safety certification and the close relationship between Boeing and American authorities.

Nearly 10 days later, what do we know?

 

What happened?

On March 10, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed southeast of Addis Ababa, killing the 157 people on board.

It was the second accident in five months for a 737 MAX aircraft, a product line meant to replace the 737 NG.

The first crash, involving a MAX 8 operated by Lion Air, occurred October 29 in Indonesia's Java Sea and left 189 people dead.

The aircraft have been temporarily grounded or banned from airspace around the world.

Are the two crashes related?

Both aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff.

Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges said Sunday that a study of the flight data recorder retrieved from the Ethiopian plane had shown "clear similarities" to that of the Lion Air flight in Indonesia.

She said the parallels would be the "subject of further study."

What have investigators found?

In both cases, investigations are still underway, with the outcomes not expected for several months.

The flight recorders retrieved from the Ethiopian crash have been sent to France for analysis.

Preliminary results in the Lion Air crash have pointed to a possible malfunction on the aircraft's stabilization system intended to prevent stalling, known as MCAS, or the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System.

American pilots have also reported encountering problems using MCAS.

What does Boeing say?

The manufacturer has expressed its condolences to the victims' families, sent staff to the crash sites and says it is cooperating with investigators.

Boeing's CEO Dennis Muilenburg said the company was finalizing a software update to the MCAS and an update for onboard manuals and pilot training.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has given the company until April to carry out these changes.

Sources familiar with the matter told AFP that the fix should be ready by March 25 and that it should take around two hours to perform.

Boeing has also suspended deliveries of 737 MAX aircraft but has continued to manufacture them.


Why such controversy?

Since the Ethiopian Airlines crash, questions have arisen about Boeing's ties to the FAA, which has offices within the company's plants.

For a decade, the FAA has allowed manufacturers themselves to certify their aircraft.

FAA-accredited Boeing employees notably certified the MCAS system, sources say.

Critics say the aviation regulator has been too soft on Boeing, a major player in the American export economy whose planes are also at issue in the current US-China trade talks.

What other US authorities say

The Justice Department, as well as the inspector general's office at the Department of Transportation, have both opened investigations into how the 737 MAX was certified, according to media reports.

The Justice Department investigation is reportedly a criminal matter.

The House of Representatives Committee on Transportation is also considering an investigation and calling on FAA officials to testify in public.

When will MAX fly again?

Three months is the best-case scenario, according to Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst at Teal Group.

United Airlines is banking on this scenario after canceling flights that were scheduled to use 737 MAX 9 planes at the end of May.

In 2013, the 787 Dreamliner was grounded for four months following battery problems.

What is Boeing's financial hit?

The cost will depend on what the accidents' cause turns out to be. If it is only an MCAS modification, the repair bill will be less than $1 billion, according to Ken Herbert of Cannaccord Genuity.

This would be peanuts for Boeing, which is aiming for $15 billion in cash flow this year after record revenues of more than $100 billion last year.

The company may still have to pay damages demanded by clients or victims' families.

In the meantime, Boeing has already lost roughly $30 billion in market capitalization on Wall Street.

The company is also facing a logistical dilemma: where to store the 737 MAX aircraft it continues to produce?

If the grounding and air space bans continue, can it keep building the jets, knowing it will be unable to deliver them?


#UgandaToday

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8:37am

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  Safety at 'core' of Boeing, says CEO


oeing ennis uilenburg Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg

 

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Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg sought Monday to reassure clients and passengers of the firm's commitment to safety in a video message published amid intense scrutiny following the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 crash.

"Safety is at the core of who we are at Boeing, and ensuring safe and reliable travel on our airplanes is an enduring value and our absolute commitment to everyone," Muilenburg said.

The accident involving an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 killed 157 people -- less than six months after a Lion Air jet of the same type crashed, killing 189 people.

Parallels between the two accidents have put the spotlight on whether Boeing delayed correcting a problem with the planes' MCAS anti-stalling system, identified after the Lion Air crash.

On Sunday, The Seattle Times raised further questions in reporting sources who denounced Boeing's close ties with the US aviation regulator.

"Soon we'll release a software update and related pilot training for the 737 MAX that will address concerns discovered in the aftermath of the Lion Air Flight 610 accident," Muilenburg said.

"Our entire team is devoted to the quality and safety of the aircraft we design, produce and support," he added.

"We also understand and regret the challenges for our customers and the flying public caused by the fleet's grounding."


#UgandaToday

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8:33am

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  Around the continent


Fancy knowing what's happening around the continent? Let's have a brief look at that.

#UgandaToday

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8:27am

Today's motivational quote

So the best way to live life is to show up for it, right?

Hope this gets you a little motivated today:

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Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have the capacity to live in a way that these twenty-four hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and others." - Thich Nhat Hanh


#UgandaToday

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8:26am

 Marching on



18 days down, 13 to go.

We have marched through this month for sure. Who said time doesn't run, eh?

Some motivation for you coming up . . .

#UgandaToday

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8:15am

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  Wakey wakey! Rise and shine!


Struggling to pick yourself out of bed?

 

Are you in the habit of setting your alarm clock the night before and when it buzzes the morning after you find yourself hitting 'snooze', before plunging back to sleep and then waking up two hours later?

 
Sleep.

One of the sweetest things ever, right?

But you cannot lie the whole day. You gotta drop the kids to school at 7am and check in at the office at 8am - or even catch that appointment at 11am.

Or perhaps that flight at 1pm?

Good morning to you all, hope you are well.

 

 

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