10 years ago: The big stories of October 2009

BIG STORIES IN OCTOBER 2009

October 1 - Northern By-pass opens three years late

The Uganda National Roads Authority removed the barricades along the Northern By-pass, opening it to the public. By mid-morning traffic on the 21km-ring road, stretching from the Kampala suburbs of Bweyogerere to Busega had picked up. Works on the bypass started in August 2004 and were supposed to be completed on November 30, 2006.

 

October 1 - Diplomats speak out on 2011 polls

The British High Commissioner, Martin Shearman, on behalf of the Partners for Democracy and Good Governance Group, a donor group of western countries, ` called for respect of the rule of law by "all concerned" and constructive dialogue among Uganda's political leaders ahead of the 2011 elections.

October 3 (newspaper date) - Half of church marriages fake

Almost half of the marriage certificates presented to the Registrar General's office for verification are found fake because they were issued by a church that is not authorized to conduct marriages. Of the non-traditional churches that include Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventists and Bahai Temples, only 75 have been licensed by the Attorney General.

October 3 - Landslide kills six in Kabale

At least six people, five of them children were confirmed dead after a landslide hit Kyokyezo village in Rubanda county, Kabale district.

 

October 4 - Gabula named new Busoga kyabazinga

Prince Gabula Nadiope IV of Bugabula chiefdom was named the new Kyabazinga (king) of Busoga.

 

October 5 - Students confined over swine flu

The Government instructed boarding schools across the country not to allow students to go home until the term closed in a bid to stop the spread of swine flu. The measure came a few days after 13 students of Ndejje SS in Luwero were confirmed to have contracted swine flu, becoming the third school to be affected in one month. The others were Katabi Seminary in Bushenyi where nine students tested positive and Nyakasura School in Kabarole, were seven were positive.

October 5 - Museveni proposes joint EAST Africa defence

President Yoweri Museveni called for a joint East African defence system to protect the region's interests against new forces of colonialism while delivering a keynote address at the first East African Community (EAC) Peace and Security Conference.

October 5 - Uganda arrests genocide suspect

The Ugandan Police arrested one of the four most waned suspects from Rwanda's 1994 genocide, Idelphonse Nizeyimana, after he sneaked into the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

October 6 - Health Permanent Secretary suspended

The Permanent Secretary in the Health ministry, Mary Nanono, was suspended for sabotaging Government efforts to stop the theft of medicines.

 

October 7 - MUBS students' demonstration turns violent

A protest by students of Makerere Business School (MUBS) turned rowdy as demonstrators blocked a main road in the city and attacked motorists. The students were protesting the increase of retake fees to 195,000, up from 6000 for any course unit.

 

October 9 - Uganda at 47

Uganda marked 47 years of independence from British rule with celebrations at Kololo airstrip.

October 10 - My army ready for thieves - Museveni

A new army of trained professionals is ready to fight the war on corruption, President Museveni announced speaking at the 47-year independence celebrations at Kololo Airstrip.

October 11 - Opposition leader survives accident

The leader of the Opposition, Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo, survived a motor accident in which two people died.

 

October 12 - Latigo flown to Kampala Hospital

The leader of the Opposition, Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo, was flown to Kampala Hospital a day after he was involved in a deadly road accident on Gulu-Kampala road.

 

October 12 - Makerere bosses forced to resign

The dean of the faculty of Arts, Dr. Hannington Ssengendo and his deputies Dr. Abasi Kiyimba and Dr. Byaruhanga Rukooko, were asked to step down over alleged mismanagement of funds.

October 12 - Judge rejects DNA test over ritual murder

The High Court in Masaka rejected a forensic report by a government analyst in a notorious ritual murder case, arguing that the Police forms requesting for the tests had been altered.

 

October 14 - Wife reveals sh900m secret

A substantial amount of the sh900m reportedly stolen from the head of the National Forestry Authority by his wife was deposited in a microfinance institution in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb.

October 14 - Museveni invites Bashir to AU summit

President Yoweri Museveni invited his Sudanese counterpart Omar el-Bashir to the AU summit on refugees.

October 15 - Key witness in Aurien murder trial arrested

The key witness, Christine Akello, in the Aurien murder case was raced. She was in Police custody.

 

October 16 - Arrest Bashir, Uganda ordered

Amnesty International expressed dismay at President Yoweri Museveni's invitation to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to attend the special African union summit on refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons in Africa.

October 16 - Produce Juliet Akankwasa - court

The High Court ordered the Inspector General of Police, Kale Kayihura, to produce Juliet Katusiime Akankwasa, who was being held at the Rapid Response Unit on suspicion of having stolen sh900m from her husband.

 

October 18 - Wife speaks out on sh900m saga

The wife of the embattled Natianal Forestry Authority boss, Damian Akankwasa denied stealing sh900m from their family home, saying she was framed.

October 19 - Bashir skips Kampala visit

The Sudanese government dispatched two junior ministers to attend the AU heads of state summit on refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons, Sudan state media reported.

October 19 - Mumbere crowned as Rwenzururu king

President Yoweri Museveni attended the coronation of Omusinga of Rwenzururu cultural institution, Wesley Mumbere at the cultural home in Kasese district.

 

October 20 - Gov't investigates source of sh900m

Water and Environment minister Maria Mutagamba announced that an investigating team was looking into the sh900m saga, pitting Damian Akankwasa againt his wife, Juliet Katusiime.

October 21 - Ugandan hostage released without ransom

No ransom was paid for the release of the Ugandan aid worker and her Irish colleague, said Betty Akech, Uganda's Ambassador to Sudan.

 

October 21 - Museveni forces Akankwasa out

President Yoweri Museveni ordered the National Forestry Authority chief, Damian Akankwasa to vacate office to allow investigations into the sh900m he alleged was stolen from his home.

October 21 - Three presidents arrive for summit

Three African heads of state arrived for the AU summit on refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons which opened at Speke Resort Munyonyo.  President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe (now deceased) was one of the leaders.

 

October 22 - Prof. Barya new Makerere head

Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba was elected Makerere University's new Vice Chancellor after defeating Professors, Ddumba Ssentamu, Edward Kirumira and Livingstone Luboobi.

 

October 22 - African leaders to improve refugee conditions

African countries need to build strong institutions of the army, the police, intelligence and judiciary to forestall wars that cause displacement, President Yoweri Museveni said.

October 23 - Museveni warns Somali terrorists

President Yoweri Museveni warned Islamist rebels who threatened to attack Kampala that they would pay a heavy price if they did so.

October 24 - Museveni vows to reduce poverty

Poverty will be greatly reduced by the year 2015, President Yoweri Museveni promised, while speaking at the closure of the third World Scouts Inter-Religious Symposium at Kaazi camping site.

 

October 26 - (newspaper date) Cost of CHOGM rises to sh370b

The total cost of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting, held in November 2007, has risen to at least sh370b, according to figures obtained from the Auditor General's report.

October 27 - (newspaper date) - IGG to seize wealth of top accountant

The Inspector General of Government (IGG) wanted Nestor Machumbi Gasasira, the Principal Accountant of the Ministry of Health, dismissed for failure to explain the source of his enormous wealth.

October 27 - (newspaper date) More officials grilled over NAADS cash

MPS recommended that over 20 district chief administrative officers (CAOs) be disciplined by the Public Service Commission for failure to account for the  National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) cash which was given to their districts.

October 27 - Museveni warns ministries not to frustrate RDCs

Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) complained to President Yoweri Museveni that they are being frustrated by central and local government officials who conceal information about public funds.

 

October 28 (newspaper date) - Karim has 7 days to repay CHOGM cash

City tycoon Karim Hirji has seven days to repay $1.5m (about sh3b) he was advanced for accommodating delegates of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2007.

 

October 28 - Top FDC official defects to NRM

John Butime, former FDC national vice chairman returned to NRM.

October 29 - New Vision expands into television

The New Vision Group chairman, David Ssebabi, assured shareholders that expansion projects, which the company undertook were near completion and would spur growth.

 

October 30 - (newspaper date) - Buganda chairmen support land bill

President Yoweri Museveni met Buganda district chairpersons to discuss the controversial Land Bill 2007, the regional tier system of governance and the recent riots that rocked the region for three days.

October 31- Forest Authority in dubious deals - NGO

A new report on the National Forestry Authority (NFA) revealed serious irregularities in dishing out concessions of forest reserves to private investors, as well as illegal logging activities by NFA staff.