As it happened: Uganda Today - Thursday January 17
Jan 17, 2019
The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) released the 2018 PLE results, which indicated a slight improvement in performance, with the boys beating the girls.
ROLLING NEWS THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Presented by Joseph Kizza
@joekizza
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5:30pm
Goodbye!
That's all for today.
Let's catch up tomorrow.
Cheers!
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5:20pm
Kenya attack: 'All missing persons accounted for'
Kenya's Citizen TV reports that all the 94 missing persons in Riverside terror attack are accounted for, acording to a press release by Kenya Red Cross.
"The rescue agency pointed out that it had offered counselling to 595 victims adding that the services were still open at a camp set up at Chiromo mortuary," adds the TV station on its website.
All 94 missing persons in Riverside terror attack accounted for - Kenya Red Cross https://t.co/sJXgEgaG8f
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) January 17, 2019
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5:15pm
UGANDA CUP: Water 1 -1 Express (second half)
It's back to level terms after Express concede three minutes into the second half. John Revita turned the ball into his own net to gift the hosts their opening goal.
It's tight at Betway Mutesa II Stadium.
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4:50pm
UGANDA CUP: Water 0 -1 Express (half-time)
The visitors go into the break leading.
Tony Odur tucked in from the spot.
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4:23pm
UGANDA CUP: Water 0-0 Express
It is still goalless at Wankulukuku as hosts Water FC keep Express at bay.
The two sides are battling for a place in the round of 16. Who will secure it?
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4:10pm
HIV: One million people dying every year
The World Health Organisation says the HIV epidemic continues to rage with nearly a million people every year dying of HIV/AIDS. Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 70 million people have acquired the infection, and about 35 million people have died. Today, around 37 million worldwide live with HIV.
π The #HIV epidemic continues to rage with nearly 1 MILLION people dying every year.
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) January 16, 2019
WHO will support countries to introduce self-testing so that more people living with HIV know their status and can receive treatment. πhttps://t.co/uXXOvh1U67 #KnowYourStatus pic.twitter.com/bICFBj8mXf
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3:54pm
10 threats to global health in 2019
- Air pollution and climate change
- Noncommunicable diseases
- Global influenza pandemic
- Fragile and vulnerable settings
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Ebola and other high-threat pathogens
- Weak primary health care
- Vaccine hesitancy
- Dengue
- HIV
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3:43pm
10 threats to global health in 2019
This year sees the start of the World Health Organization's new five-year strategic plan - the 13th General Programme of Work.
"The plan focuses on a triple billion target: ensuring one billion more people benefit from access to universal health coverage, one billion more people are protected from health emergencies and one billion more people enjoy better health and well-being. Reaching this goal will require addressing the threats to health from a variety of angles.
The WHO is pointing out 10 of the many issues it says will attract attention in 2019.
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3:30pm
UGANDA CUP - Express FC out to sink Water FC
There will be action today in the Stanbic Uganda Cup round of 32.
Express FC head coach Kefa Kisala says he expects nothing short of victory as his side face Water FC at Betway Mutesa II Stadium at 4pm.
The winner here will advance to the round of 16.
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3:23pm
Get through to us
Use the email unebexams@newvision.co.ug
βοΈAre you a pupil, parent or know any PLE star? Here is an opportunity to have their photo & results published in the New Vision. Send us his/ her photo, full names, school, results and brief inspiring story to unebexams@newvision.co.ug
— New Vision UGANDA (@newvisionwire) January 17, 2019
Terms and conditions apply. #PLE2018 pic.twitter.com/NykrWcIZBz
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3:12pm
WATCH: Get the app
"THE WAIT IS FINALLY OVER"
— Vision Group Uganda (@VisionGrp) January 17, 2019
SIMPLY GO to the Google APP STORE, download the #VisionGroup App & get access to a Vast World of #Uganda's Leading Newspapers & more
For more information, Call Toll free: 0800166789 or email: digital@newvision.co.ug
Cc. @newvisionwire @bukeddeonline pic.twitter.com/rfX8LtzxpV
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3:07pm
WATCH: Stay informed and entertained
THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM #UGANDA - #Anytime, #Anywhere
— New Vision UGANDA (@newvisionwire) January 17, 2019
VISIT: https://t.co/QKtU7q0CBP & stay up to date and informed wherever you are in the world. Your only worry should be your battery!
Stay informed and Entertained#VisionGroup
Cc. @VisionGrp @kneodux @DenzelUG @joekizza pic.twitter.com/O9bBxeQNfE
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3:03pm
BACK HERE
Hi, let's carry on, shall we?
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2:00pm
Lunch time break
It's lunch time, so allow me to pause a bit here and grab me a bite.
Will be back soon.
Bon Appétit!
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1:56pm
2018 PLE: 'Ignore social media communication'
Might you have seen the document of PLE results that made the rounds on social media ahead of Thursday's results release?
The impression was that those were the results of the 2018 PLE and that someone had leaked them.
In truth, it was not. It is understood they were results for the 2015 PLE, and in her comments, UNEB's chairperson Prof. Mary Okwakol aired caution in light of this.
"I wish to appreciate the support of the media houses in the course of our work. I continue to inform the public that UNEB does not, as a matter of policy, communicate through social media," she said.
"Ignore any communication that comes out through that channel of communication."
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1:25pm
2018 PLE: Getting your results
Results will be uploaded on the UNEB portal. Distict and municipal inpectors of school can collect hard copies of the results from UNEB's offices at Ntinda - starting today at 3pm.
But parents, candidates and well-wishers should note that UNEB will not issue any results at the headquarters.
Use the phone text method (indicated in entry 1:20pm below) or if you have a smartphone or access to internet, visit this link π https://bit.ly/2Hg091h )
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1:20pm
2018 PLE: How to get your results
Want to get the results of your child?
One way is via the phone. In your SMS menu, type PLE [then leave a space], your full index number and then send to 6600. (Each SMS costs sh500).
And according to UNEB executive secretary Odongo, "in a few seconds, you should be able to get your results".
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1:05pm
2018 PLE: English, SST & Science done better
There was marked improvement in the subjects this time round.
For example, there were more candidates who passed at the distinction, credit as well as the overall pass level.
More candidates passed at the distinction level in both Social Studies (SST) and Science.
In Mathematics, at least 6.2% of the candidates passed with at least a distinction two, compared to 2.3% in 2017.
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12:55pm
2018 PLE: Improvement is 'good news' but . . .
The education minister says it is "good news" that there was significant improvement in the overall pass level in last year's PLE results.
But there is a stain herein.
She, however, expresses concern that a very large number of candidates cannot handle questions that require practical application because the teaching appears to be theoretical.
Mrs. Museveni urges teachers to refocus the methods of teaching so as to counter this worrying trend.
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12:50pm
2018 PLE: 'Supplementary exams not possible'
Minister Janet Museveni responds to calls that candidates who miss sitting exams not by their own doing to be accorded a chance to re-sit the exams.
She says that setting of supplementary exams, as per the position of the education ministry, is not possible.
That would only be considered if there was, say, a natural disaster in which a significantly large part of the population was affected, she underlines.
But doing so with only a few individuals would provide a platform for swindlers to take advantage of the situation to dupe parents and learners, in the knowledge that a new set of exams would be availabe.
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12:45pm
2018 PLE: Candidates who missed out is 'regrettable'
The minister calls "regrettable" the cases where candidates missed sitting the PLE because they discovered late that their schools had not registered them.
"I encourage parents to always check the status of the schools where their children are acquiring an education from," she says.
There is an online mechanism in place to help with the verification of a school's registration status, she adds.
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12:40pm
2018 PLE: 'Time to wonder what is happening to the boy child'
Education minister Janet Museveni, in her remarks, says that she is pleased that more girls continue to register for the exams.
But while this is commendable, she says it is also the time to wonder what is happening to the boy child.
Are more boys dropping out of school?
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12:40pm
2018 PLE: 3,500 results withheld
The results of 3,500 candidates who sat last year have been withheld to enable security organs and UNEB to investigate.
All will be accorded fair hearing, and those who will be exonerated will receive their results.
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12:28pm
BREAKING NEWS
UNEB chairperson Prof. Mary Okwakol has handed over the results of last year's PLE to the Minister of Education and Sports, also the First Lady, Janet Museveni.
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12:15pm
2018 PLE: Boys beat girls
Odongo says the boys "slightly" beat their female counterparts in last year's exams.
In division one, 13.5% of boys passed compared to 10.5% of girls.
In division two, 42.7% of boys passed compared to 40.6 of girls.
The executive secretary says here, the girls outdid the boys further down.
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12:08pm
2018 PLE: Steady increase in registration
UNEB executive secretary Dan Nkorach Odongo says 671,923 candidates were registered from 13, 0722 centres last year.
This illustrates a steady increase in registration.
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11:58am
2018 PLE: Examination malpractice
This vice continues, adds UNEB chairperson Prof. Mary Okwakol.
Last year, this was in the form of assistance given by teachers to learners via answers written on chits. In extreme cases, teachers were caught redhanded reading out answers to candidates inside the examination room.
She points out cases in Bundibugyo district, where undercover security officers found teachers in eight schools reading out answers to finalists.
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11:54am
2018 PLE: Performance has improved
We learn that the performance has improved, with 91.4% of those who sat having passed in last year's exams.
Okwakol also adds that examiners were paid on time "to enjoy their festive season", save for some who had supplied wrong bank accounts.
But for the latter lot, Okwakol says they have since been paid.
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11:51am
2018 PLE: Unregistered schools exist
Okwakol says that some schools that are not registered by UNEB continued to register pupils and dupe parents and learners into thinking that they had registered.
She names some of the schools.
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11:49am
2018 PLE: Increase in candidature
There was a marked increase in candidature last year (3.9%) compared to 0.8% in 2017, says UNEB chairperson Prof. Mary Okwakol in her delivery.
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11:40am
UNEB SET TO RELEASE 2018 PLE EXAMS
We are under way at the Office of the Prime Minister.
Anthems first.
Then prayers follow.
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11:32am
WATCH: PLE 2018 STATISTICS
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11:35am
176 SACCOS to be launched
The minister for Kampala Beti Kamya is expected to launch 176 SACCOS under Makindye Co-operative SACCO. The Movement Power Youth Group organized 100, 000 people under one umbrella to change their lives.
The launch will be at Katwe Marty's Primary at 1pm local time.
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11:30am
PLE results release - Minister is here
Education and sports minister Janet Museveni arrives.
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11:25am
PLE results release - all set
Education ministers Rosemary Seninde and John Chrysostom Muyingo are already sat.
Seninde is the State Minister for Primary Education while Muyingo is the State Minister for Higher Education.
For a moment there, they had a chat with national examinations body UNEB's executive secretary Dan Nkorach Odongo.
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11:15am
PLE results release - all set
Today, we will get to know the outcome of the 2018 Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
The release will be at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala. The function should begin not long from now.
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11:05am
Labour exporters demand for more bilateral agreements
Ugandan labour exporters have asked the ministry of gender, labour and social development to expedite the process of signing bilateral labour export agreements with other countries in order to meet the growing demand.
Speaking at a workshop on labour migration in Kampala, Enid Nambuya, the executive director of Migrant Labour Trainers Association (MILTA-U) noted that they are experiencing a growing demand from Ugandans who want to go abroad to look for jobs.
"We need good bilateral and reciprocal agreements so that Ugandans can go and work. The ministry is too slow in signing these agreements. They need to take this up in order to create an enabling environment for Ugandans to work," she said.
Read more HERE.
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10:55am
4.94 CGPA? . . . WOW!!!!!
Hats off for Namuwaya Hajarah, who has emerged as the best student in the Humanities, with a mind-boggling CGPA of 4.94!
Beat that!
Namuwaya Hajarah Ali from Makerere University Business School has been recognized for her outstanding academic performance as the best student in the Humanities at the 69th Graduation Ceremony of Makerere University. Hajarah scored a 4.94 CGPA out of 5.0 #Mak69thGrad pic.twitter.com/SkYeT1wN6C
— Makerere University (@MakerereU) January 17, 2019
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10:42am
UGANDA CUP - Other games
More action saw Kitara convincingly see off U-Touch with a 4-0 victory while Bukedea beat Free Stars 2-1.
Read more from the Uganda Cup:
Vipers thrash Kansai Plascon 4-0
KCCA box out Amuka in 10-goal thriller
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10:27am
UGANDA CUP - BUL kicks out Mbarara
The other duel of the day was a premier league clubs clash, as BUL FC came from behind to eliminate Mbarara City FC at the the FUFA Technical Center. South Sudanese striker Makweth Wol, was once again on target to give the visitors the lead. The lanky forward was on target when Mbarara beat Kirinya Jinja SSS mid-last week in the premier league.
But his 65th-minute strike in the Uganda was cancelled out by James Otim's last-gasp equaliser to send the game into penalties.
BUL went on to win 5-4 on penalties to advance to the round of 16.
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10:20am
UGANDA CUP - Police through to last-16
While SC Villa licked their wounds, it was business as usual for other top-tier sides.
Police FC were forced into a penalty shootout by Calvary FC after a goalless 90 minutes of football. Davis Mutebi was the star of the game after stopping Thwalib Kassim and Anzuvuku Savior's penalty takes to send Police through to the round of 16.
That's an improvement from how they did last season, where they were kicked out by eventual runners-up Vipers SC at this stage.
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10:15am
UGANDA 'CUPset'
Meanwhile, in local sports, there was action in the Stanbic Uganda Cup round of 32 on Wednesday - and we saw a huge upset in one of the matches of the day.
Regional League side Nkambi Coffee stunned SC Villa by beating the nine-time cup winners 2-0 at Masaka Recreation Ground.
After a goalless first half, the hosts struck twice to secure a shocking victory and advance to the last-16.
It has been a forgetable start to the season for Villa, who are courting the dreaded drop zone in the Uganda Premier League - they are just one point above the relegation zone.
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10:10am
New Vision's Moses Mulondo graduates
Among today's graduands is New Vision senior parliamentary reporter Moses Mulondo, who is graduating with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
Mulondo is also the president of the Uganda Parliament Press Association (UPPA).
Congratulations are in order, Moses (pictured first from the left in the picture)!
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10:02am
'MUBS leading business school in Africa'
Makerere is in the top five on continent, says the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
.@ProfNawangwe: Makerere University is ranked among the top 5 Universities in Africa and 400 in the World. Makerere University Business School which is ranked as the leading business school in Africa has tremendously contributed to this growth. #Mak69thGrad pic.twitter.com/ANOe7Lpw1Q
— Makerere University (@MakerereU) January 17, 2019
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9:56am
Abenakyo in solidarity with Kenya
Speaking of Abenakyo, the reigning Miss World Africa expressed her "deepest sympathies" to those mourning in Kenya following the raid on a hotel complex earlier this week.
Here is what she posted on her Facebook page:
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9:50am
Quiin Abenakyo graduates today
Miss World Africa, Quiin Abenakyo, is set to graduate today from Makerere University Business School on day three of Makerere's 69th graduation.
Earlier, she met with university Vice-Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
#MakNews Breaking
— Makerere University News (@MakerereNews) January 17, 2019
Miss World Africa, Quiin Abenakyo meets Makerere University Vice Chancellor @ProfNawangwe ahead of the 3rd session #Mak69thGrad Ceremony where together with other graduands from Makerere University Business School are receiving their degrees. pic.twitter.com/edQJ2V2Xbu
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9:43am
WATCH: Around Uganda
Here is New Vision TV's bulletin.
Around Uganda: #PLE2018 results to be released today
— New Vision UGANDA (@newvisionwire) January 17, 2019
Details and more stories in the full bulletin
Visit https://t.co/smlDq3h75u
Cc. @ruthdavoice pic.twitter.com/fx3zaASyPk
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9:30am
What happened on Wednesday
Just in case you missed on what happened on the 16th day of January, you can get an idea HERE.
You can also check out these related stories:
Ecstasy on day two of Makerere graduation
American killed in Kenya attack was 9/11 survivor
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9:27am
2018 PLE results
Last year, a total of 646,080 candidates sat for PLE. Of these, 333,495 were female, representing 51.6% of the total number of candidates.
The previous year, the failure rate of pupils reduced by 9.2%, with boys' failure rate at 5.3% and that of girls at 7.7%. Over the years, there has been a marked improvement in academic performance of pupils, especially in English, with girls performing better than boys.
In the past, poor handwriting has been the undoing of some candidates. But last year, examiners reported that the handwriting was more legible and candidates were more detailed in their answering of questions.
In the 2017 PLE, the boys beat the girls. Full story HERE.
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9:23am
2018 PLE results
New Vision's Conan Businge reports:
Close sources confirmed that the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni on Wednesday hosted a team from Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) to receive a brief about the national performance. The meeting in Kampala took place at State House Nakasero. UNEB is mandated to brief the education minister about the results to be released ahead of the official public ceremony.
"She was briefed by UNEB on the PLE results of 2018. Following the briefing, she is set to release the results today morning in Kampala," the ministry's assistant commissioner for communication and information management, Patrick Muinda, told New Vision on Wednesday.
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9:16am
2018 PLE results
Last year's Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) results are due to be released to the public today.
Get set!
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9:00am
Kenya attack: Police officer succumbs to injuries
A press release on the Nairobi hotel attack by the Kenya Police Service said one police officer succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment, 28 people were moved to various health facilities in the capital while "five terrorists were eliminated".
— National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) January 16, 2019
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8:53am
'Pain and agony'
On Thursday morning, Kenya Television Network (KTN) reported about the "pain and agony" that families and friends had to go through when they had to identify the remains of their loved ones killed in Tuesday's attack in Nairobi.
It was pain and agony as hundreds of relatives and friends of people who lost their lives in the riverside attack trooped to the Chiromo mortuary to identify bodies of their loved ones. #KTNMorningExpress pic.twitter.com/R7Qbnz3xrO
— ktn (@KTNKenya) January 17, 2019
KTN tweeted: 'January 15th 2019 will forever remain edged in the mind of one Ronald Ng'eno, a father of two who fell victim to the Riverside attack and perhaps lacking any other means of airing out his frustrations resorted to tweeting.'
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8:50am
Kenya attack: Death toll rises to 21
In the aftermath of Tuesday's attack on a hotel complex in Kenya's capital Nairobi, the number of those killed in the raid has climbed to 21, according to the country's Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet.
Inspector General, Joseph Boinnet confirms the death toll has risen to 21. #KTNMorningExpress pic.twitter.com/DXfyNIU1vu
— ktn (@KTNKenya) January 17, 2019
President Uhuru Kenyatta had earlier announced the end of a 20-hour operation at the DusitD2 complex which saw hundreds of people rescued and all five jihadists "eliminated".
Later, Police chief Boinnet revised the death toll to 21 from 14, saying the victims included 16 Kenyans, one American, one Briton and three of African descent.
"Six other bodies were found at the scene and one police officer succumbed very suddenly to his injuries," he told reporters.
Another 28 wounded people had been admitted to hospital, he said.
Read full story HERE.
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8:35am
What the papers are saying
And in this week's BU$INESS VISION, we are saying that a new postal code and addressing system is set for roll-out.
The post office, whose role is to make deliveries, especially in major towns in the country, registered a significant fall in activity with the introduction of electronic services, such as email and other courier service providers. Now, the Government
is rolling out a new postal code and addressing system.
(Get Thursday's #EPAPER here πhttp://bit.ly/vgepaper)
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8:28am
What the papers are saying
When you flip through today's paper, be sure to find plenty of news to digest as you wash down that early morning toast with a glass of fresh juice or a cup of coffee/tea.
From the age limit petition to electoral reforms, you are sorted.
(Get Thursday's #EPAPER here πhttp://bit.ly/vgepaper)
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8:24am
What the papers are saying
A glance at what today's New Vision has on the front and at the back.
Kenya continues to hog the front page headlines, we are talking Makerere University in the sporting world.
(Get Thursday's #EPAPER here πhttp://bit.ly/vgepaper)
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8:18am
Get up and go out there
Welcome to this live page, good people.
I will be keeping you up to date with the top stories around the country - and on what is happening in our next-door neighbour following Tuesday's deadly attack in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
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8:15am
Get up and go out there
So if you are on a quest for some inspiration, you don't need to look beyond the horizon.
If the everyday man and woman who wakes up early to get on about their work isn't inspiring enough, what else is?
I took this picture earlier today . . .
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8:10am
Good morning
Hello everyone, hoping you woke up well. We are 17 days into the year 2019 and there is no easing our foot off the pedal.
But before we get started here, I thought I should share this with you . . .