Uganda Today - Wednesday February 27
Feb 27, 2019
Two URA officers accused of receiving a sh45m bribe from a Jinja businessman appear at the Anti-Corruption Court and plead not guilty to two counts of corruption charges.
ROLLING NEWS THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Presented by Joseph Kizza
@joekizza
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12:50pm
FUFA WOMEN'S CUP ROUND OF 16 DRAW
The draw for the FUFA Women's Cup round of 16 was also carried out. Here are the duels:
Bunyaruguru Girls vs Tooro Queens
Sagich Royal vs Echos HS
She Corporates vs Muteesa I Royal Univ
Kawempe JT vs Mwanda Foundation
Uganda Martyrs vs Divine Girls
Kampala Queens vs Lady Doves
Olila vs Kawempe Muslim
She MAK vs Asubo Gafford Ladies
The round of 16 fixtures will be played between 16th -17th March 2019,
— FUFA (@OfficialFUFA) February 27, 2019
The games are played on a one legged basis and incase of a draw at the end of normal time, kicks from the penalty mark determine the winner.
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12:50pm
UGANDA CUP QUARTERFINALS DRAW
Earlier today, the draw for the Stanbic Uganda Cup last-eight phase was done, with last season's runners-up Vipers SC paired with Proline FC.
Kyetume will face Wakiso Giants while Nebbi Central will play Bright Stars FC. It will be an all-Premier-League-sides clash when Express FC take on BUL FC. The quarterfinals will be played from March 12 until March 9.
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12:34pm
Police's rectification campaign in Mitooma
Through the rectification campaign, senior officers listen and respond to issues faced by upcountry officers and on what affects their performance.
Immediate solutions are worked out for issues that can be managed while others are referred to top management at the Police headquarters in Kampala.
UPF Chief Political Commissar, AIGP @AKasingye leads a Rectification Campaign team to Mitooma District Western Uganda on day two of the exercise. pic.twitter.com/6mJltk5Ves
— Uganda Police Force (@PoliceUg) February 27, 2019
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12:25pm
Bribery claims: Arrested URA officers plead not guilty
Two Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officers accused of receiving a sh45m bribe from a Jinja businessman have appeared at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala and pleaded not guilty to two counts of corruption charges, reports New Vision's Timothy Murungi.
Ferdinand Wamala and Hassan Miiro from Jinja were arrested by the State House Anti-corruption Unit over soliciting and receiving a bribe from a businessman.
They were produced handcuffed on a sweltering Wednesday late morning.
#UgandaToday
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12:05pm
Entebbe Airport tested for emergency readiness
The last such drill was three years ago.
On Wednesday, Entebbe International Airport once again placed under the microscope to determine whether it is prepared to handle an emergency involving a passenger aircraft hijack and aircraft crash.
The airport, through its public affairs department, later released a statement detailing the "full-scale emergency exercise".
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A full-scale emergency exercise to test for Entebbe International Airport's readiness in case of an emergency involving a passenger aircraft hijack and aircraft crash has been held at Entebbe International Airport on Wednesday.
The exercise kicked off at 8am and involved hijack simulation of a Speed Air (pseudo name) flight TA 042 with 82 people on board. The exercise assumed that the hijacked aircraft was flying over Uganda's airspace and the pilot was forced to land at Entebbe International Airport. After a protracted "hostage negotiation and rescue mission" was accomplished, the aircraft was cleared to proceed to its initial destination, but "crashed" on take-off on runway 12/30, with 78 passengers and crew on board.
It was presumed that some people lost their lives and a number of survivors were critically injured, which sparked off an emergency situation involving airport fire-fighters and other rescue agencies that were called in to save lives.
The Civil Aviation Authority's Fire Fighting and Rescue Services personnel put down the ensuing fire, as medics from various hospitals were summoned and they promptly responded. Several ambulances and medical staff swarmed the crash scene and "rescued" the victims. The critically injured were rushed to hospitals in Entebbe and Kampala.
Stakeholders that participated in the exercise included medics from various hospitals, Uganda Red Cross Society, St. John's Ambulance, Uganda People's Defense Air Force (UPDAF), Uganda Police Airwing, Aviation Police, national security agencies, representatives from the various airlines, ground-handling agents, volunteers who acted as injured passengers and CAA staff, among others.
The exercise is a mandatory requirement for international airports of countrues that contracting member states of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Uganda last conducted such an exercise in 2016.
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11:43am
Kadaga opposed to cross-border voting
New Vision's Moses Walubiri & Nicholas Wassajja:
From West Nile, Kisoro, Busia and Sebei sub-region, Uganda has a number of communities that straddle boundaries with its neighbours.
Many people belonging to these communities take advantage to enjoy privileges available to citizens in either country, like voting.
On Tuesday, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga asked the government to explore possibilities of closing loopholes that have made it possible for non-Ugandans living in areas near our borders to vote in Uganda's elections.
Kadaga's call came in the wake of a report by the minister of state for internal affairs, Obiga Kania, who alleged that some of the individuals fanning the embers of land wrangles in Hoima were Congolese nationals holding Ugandan passports.
"Recently, I was in Nakapiripit and I was shocked to learn that Kenyans vote in Uganda and the vice versa. How is this possible?" Kadaga said.
(Read full story here)
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11:25am
URA officers appear in court over bribery claims
Two Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officers accused of receiving a sh45m bribe from a Jinja businessman have appeared at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala, reports New Vision's Timothy Murungi, who is at the court.
Ferdinand Wamala and Hassan Miiro from Jinja were arrested by the State House Anti-corruption Unit over soliciting and receiving a bribe from a businessman.
They were produced handcuffed on a sweltering Wednesday late morning.
#UgandaToday
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11:25am
2018 A'level results out Thursday
New Vision's Conan Businge:
Results for students who completed Uganda Advanced Certifi cate of Education (UACE)last November will be released Thursday by the state minister for higher education, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo.
Muyingo confirmed the development saying he had been briefed by the Uganda National Examinations Board and that he was "satisfied with the job well done".
He said he would preside over the event on behalf of the senior education minister, Mrs. Janet Museveni, who is out of the country. The ministry's communication and information management officer, Patrick Muinda, in a separate interview, said the event would start at 11:00am in the auditorium of the Prime Minister's Office in Kampala.
A total 99,576 candidates registered for the national examinations last year, which was an increase of 13,576 candidates; up from of 86,000 candidates in 2017.
Apart from our daily news stories and analysis, New Vision will later on publish the University Guide to help parents and students in making decisions regarding higher education progression. This is an annual guide, with over 100 pages, published and inserted in New Vision for the readers at no extra cost.
It is meant to guide parents and students, alongside universities regarding the trends in higher education. It offers information on universities and other tertiary institutions, which might not be available a any information desk.
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10:57am
Kaweesi murder suspect collapses in court
When the suspects in the murder of former Assistant Inspector of Police Andrew Felix Kaweesi appeared in court on Tuesday, one of them slumped under his own weight in the court premises - weak from supposed hunger.
This was at the International Crimes Division Court in Kololo, Kampala. The suspects are protested their continued detention without trial since May 2017.
The seven were led by their lawyers Radislus Rwakafuzi and Anthony Wameri. Six of them were ushered into the courtroom, but one, Yusuf Nyanzi, had to be lifted and carried inside court after he collapsed over suspected hunger.
Sumaya Namulindwa, his wife, said she had packed food for him but was reportedly denied access to him to serve it. She said she arrived at court - with the food - at 9am but that she was blocked from accessing him or even sending a guard to take to him the food.
The suspects were in court to apply for bail but had waited since morning until Lady Justice Plea Namugambe appeared to consider their application. Later, she adjourned the bail heaing until Friday at 2:30pm after prosecutors requested for two days to secure vital doucuments for this application.
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10:40am
JEEMA leader calls for Opposition unity
Justice Forum (JEEMA) party president Asuman Basalirwa on Tuesday rallied for Opposition unity ahead of the 2021 general elections. While addressing a press conference at the party's offices in Mengo, Kampala, he touched on the recent friction involving exchanges between senior Democratic Party (DP) members Nobert Mao and Betty Nambooze.
In his message, Basalirwa urged Opposition parties to minimise confrontation amongst themselves, saying bitter public exchanges will only do well to weaken the Opposition further.
"We consider the political space to be big enough to accommodate any political force or formation. We recognise that everybody has a role to play in the current political dispensation. We therefore call upon political actors and players to respect each other and exercise restraint, even in the most tense and provocative situations," he said.
Recently, DP leader came out to label as "watermelons" (green on the outside but red on the inside) party members who had been named under the so-called People's Government by former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Nambooze shot back later, using 'pumpkin' as her verbal, fruit-laced artillery.
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10:27am
Bollywood delegation comes to Uganda
Are you a fan of Hindi cinema?
According to Wikipedia, Indian cinema is the world's largest film industry in terms of film production, with an annual output of 1,986 feature films as of 2017, and Bollywood is its largest film producer, with 364 Hindi films produced annually as of 2017.
Well, if you are keen on these movies, you may want to know that a high-level delegation from Bollywood is expected into the country today. According to the foreign affairs ministry, they are coming in for two reasons:
One, to promote Uganda as a location for film for Bollywood.
Two, to promote Uganda as a tourist destination for Indians.
Meanwhile, what happened to Wakaliwood?
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10:10am
A juicy reminder
It's been a 'Fruity February', so to speak. The word watermelon has been tossed here and there in the political corridor, punctuated with name-calling and questioning of party loyalties.
But here, we are talking health. And the spotlight is on the dreaded silent killer: cancer.
We are being reminded that last year, the Kampala Cancer Registry registered 32,617 new cancer cases, and 21,829 deaths. These are huge statistics we are talking about here.
So then, what can you do to keep cancer at bay?
Adopting simple lifestyle changes goes a long way in keeping a safe distance between you and the disease. And experts have tirelessly stressed this.
Eat healthy, for example foods rich in fruits and vegetables - like the juicy watermelon you see up there.
Make sure you do engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day and also vaccinate yourselves and your children against Hepatitis B and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) to prevent cancer of the liver and cervix respectively.
#UgandaToday
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10:05am
How ready is Entebbe Airport to deal with a hijack emergency?
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have tweeted this morning that Entebbe International Airport is going through drills to test for the airport's "readiness" in case of a hijack emergency.
We don't know details yet, but from their communication, that will come.
Entebbe International Airport is this morning undergoing an emergency exercise to test for the Airports readiness in case of an emergency involving an 'aircraft hijack'. Details to follow #EntebbeAirportEmergencyExercise @UgandaPolice @UgandaMediaCent @MulagoHospital @nbstv
— Uganda CAA (@UgandaCAA) February 27, 2019
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9:57am
BEWARE!
CLARIFICATION: We would like to clarify that the information in the pictures attached is false. @WHO has established channels for recruitment of required staff at all levels of the organization, @WHOUganda Country Office inclusive. Please disregard the information below. pic.twitter.com/oMA4nGTW3s
— WHO Uganda (@WHOUganda) February 26, 2019
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9:45am
Wednesday Premier League fixtures
The last of the round 21 games will play out today.
SC Villa, in 12th, will take on 8th-placed Police FC. The Jogoo drew 1-1 with BUL FC in their previous game, the exact result that the Kobs managed to grind out against leaders KCCA FC. This match will kick off at 4pm.
Then in one of the two 4:30pm fixtures, Bright Stars FC will host Tooro United FC. Bright Stars are 11th on 24 points and are coming on the back of a heavy 3-0 defeat to holders Vipers FC. Their opponents are a place higher on the log on 26 points, and they, too, lost their previous game - 4-3 against Ndejje University.
Nyamityobora FC, who are anchoring the table in 16th place, will be the hosts against 5th-placed BUL FC. Nyamityobora have lost their last four games while BUL shared the loot with Villa in a 1-1 result last week.
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9:31am
What happened in Premier League on Tuesday?
Ten goals were scored across five games.
After a lethargic start to today's StarTimes Uganda Premier League fixtures, with only four goals scored in the day's matches by half-time, the second stanzas in the respective matches surely had to produce something.
They did come, eventually, I must say. Ultimately, three of the matches each registered three goals. It was the early kickoff though - Onduparaka v Vipers - that disappointed in the goal faculty. Tight encounter it turned out.
At Lugogo, URA twice took the lead to shake off Mike Mutebi's KCCA. Shafik Kagimu scored on either side of Timothy Awany's penalty, with the winner tucked home from the spot, to see URA collect maximum points on the road and remain strongly in 4th, but at the same time move to within one point of Mbarara City.
KCCA saw their lead snipped slightly and are now three points clear at the top of the table after holders Vipers managed to pick up only a point away at the Greenlight Stadium against Onduparaka.
The Venoms remain in second, six points ahead of Mbarara City, who lost 2-1 to Kirinya-Jinja SSS. In this tie in Jinja, all the three goals came in the first half. Joel Madondo struck two minutes into the game, before George Kasonko improved the home side's lead in the 11th minute. Mbarara launched their comeback with a Pistis Barenge strike less than five minutes later, but that was it in the scoring department.
Kirinya climb to 9th while Mbarara remain in third.
Maroons, meanwhile, claimed an impressive 3-0 win over Paidha Black Angels, whose relegation woes continue to slip further into the abyss. Rashid Agau opened the rout, Pius Obuya doubled the lead and Jackson Nsubuga applied the gloss to a fine scoreline.
Finally, Express left it late away at Ndejje University with a narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to Mubaraka Nsubuga's late goal. Express are in 7th, level on points (28) with Police, who play against Villa on Wednesday.
After two successive wins, Ndejje's resurgence came to an abrupt end, tightening the relegation screw even more on them. They are 14th on 16 points.
| TUESDAY RESULTS | ||
| Onduparaka | 0-0 | Vipers |
| KCCA | 1-2 | URA |
| Maroons | 3-0 | Paidha Black Angels |
| Kirinya | 2-1 | Mbarara City |
| Ndejje University | 0-1 | Express |
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9:25am
'Knowledge is never used up'
Today's quote
— New Vision UGANDA (@newvisionwire) February 27, 2019
"Knowledge is not simply another commodity. On the contrary. Knowledge is never used up. It increases by diffusion and grows by dispersion," Daniel J. Boorstin. pic.twitter.com/x4gcmZjNUI
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9:15am
'A leader needs to identify the needs of the people'
Here are some of the extracts from Museveni's delivery . . .
"When one aspires for and assumes a leadership position, they must fortify themselves ideologically, otherwise you encounter and create problems. Leadership means managing society, which is composed of human beings who have been here for 4 and half million years.
"A human being is distinguished from other creatures because he adapts nature to his needs rather than adapting himself to nature. Therefore a leader needs to take time and identify the needs of the people and address them.
This Kyankwanzi course is good because it helps you appreciate the dynamics of man and society. Like a patient, one cannot treat society's ills unless they have done a proper diagnosis. This helps you clarify your vision about society. pic.twitter.com/4adzHAFpxm
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) February 26, 2019
"For the NRM, we have premised our vision and mission of four key principles; Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Democracy and Socio-Economic Transformation. These, we believe, are crucial for Uganda's transformation.
"We also believe that for society to transform, education is a key catalyst. This, combined with appropriate use of technology, should see us move our people into the money economy.
"RDCs, therefore, as leaders must identify the needs of the societies they lead & provide solutions. They must also play a critical role in getting our people out of poverty, especially by supervising wealth creation programmes, fight crime & check corruption at local governments."
#UgandaToday
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9:10am
RDCs retreat comes to an end
On Tuesday, President Yoweri Museveni addressed resident district commissioners (RDCs) and their deputies at State House, Entebbe.
The meeting punctuated the close of a week-long induction course they have been undergoing at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi.
The President tweeted excerpts from his delivery . . .
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9:02am
Today's Ras toon
The spiritual guardian of Lake Victoria is blocking the conversion of ‘his' shrines into the proposed Kampala Port.
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8:50am
Algeria students demonstrate against 5th term for Bouteflika
Thousands of students on Tuesday joined a growing protest movement in Algeria against ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term, with rallies in and around the capital and other cities.
Bouteflika, who uses a wheelchair and has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, announced on February 10 that he would seek re-election in the April 18 vote.
His decision has sparked angry protests in the North African country, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets on Friday in Algiers where demonstrations are banned.
The scale of those protests took many in Algeria by surprise, and they were followed by more rallies on Sunday and Monday.
On Tuesday it was the turn of university students to vent their anger at Bouteflika's bid to extend his 20 years in power.
Around 500 students demonstrated at the University of Algiers, many of them waving Algerian flags and shouting "No to a fifth term" and "Bouteflika get out".
University guards locked the gates of the main city centre campus to prevent students from spilling onto the streets.
Security forces, including riot police, deployed outside the campus and elsewhere in central Algiers while police vehicles were parked on roads leading to the university.
At the faculty of journalism some 500 students protested on campus, while another demonstration took place at the school of medicine, also in Algiers, with police blocking them inside the university grounds.
"In order to avoid any confrontation with the police, the students of several faculties (of the University of Algiers) decided to rally on campus," said Raouf, a journalism student who declined to give his surname.
He noted that police officers are not allowed to enter universities in Algeria.
Groups of students from numerous campuses rallied in different neighbourhoods before joining to form a march of thousands of people in the city centre, an AFP journalist said.
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8:42am
Senegal's Macky Sall heading for presidential win
Senegalese President Macky Sall was poised Tuesday to return to office with a first-round election victory, with nearly 90 percent of votes counted.
Sall, 56, has so far won 2.2 million of the votes cast Sunday, against 1.7 million votes spread between his four rivals, according to compilations of regional counts reported by local media.
His first-round tally stands at 57.26 percent of the vote according to results based on 87 percent of votes cast, news website e-media said.
His nearest rival, former prime minister Idrissa Seck, was on 21.63 percent, the website added.
Senegal has a population of 16 million of whom 6.7 million were registered to vote.
In the increasingly unlikely event that no one wins more than 50 percent in the first round, a runoff vote would be held on March 24.
An interior ministry source told AFP that turnout for the election was 66.5 percent.
Already on Monday, Sall's camp was claiming victory in the election, from which some of his key rivals had been barred from running.
Senegal is often held up as a model of stability in Africa and has enjoyed strong economic growth.
The Muslim-majority country has largely escaped the jihadist attacks that have destabilised neighbours such as Mali.
It has known two peaceful power transfers, in 2000 and 2012, and has never experienced a coup.
But Senegalese election campaigns are typically marked by charges of corruption, disinformation and occasional violence.
Elena Valenciano, head of a European Union election observer group, said Tuesday that "contradictory declarations concerning the results and the hypothesis of a second round" would likely stoke tension.
She credited the vote as being "calm and transparent" but noted that it took place "in a climate characterised by a lack of trust and blocked dialogue between the opposition and the majority."
#UgandaToday
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8:35am
Yemi Osinbajo: Nigeria's vice president
Yemi Osinbajo has played an increasingly prominent role in Nigeria's government since he was appointed President Muhammadu Buhari's deputy in 2015.
Nowhere has that been more clearly demonstrated than at a recent question-and-answer session during Buhari's successful campaign for a second term, when the lawyer and church pastor spoke more than his boss.
When the 76-year-old Buhari did speak, his critics accused him of being too old, ill or out of touch to grasp the issues at stake.
But he found a loyal ally in his vice-president. "He (Buhari) is not an orator," Osinbajo stated afterwards. "My business is oratory. I'm a lawyer.
"The reason why you have a person like that is integrity."
Buhari has publicly shown his appreciation for his colleague, calling him his "running mate-turned-partner in service... and friend".
The pair are set to govern Nigeria for another four years after voters chose Buhari over his main challenger, former vice-president Atiku Abubakar in the February 23 election.
Odd couple
To some extent, Buhari and Osinbajo are a political odd couple.
In one campaign poster for the 2015 election, Buhari was dressed in a black dinner suit, white shirt and velvet bow tie and loomed uncomfortably over his diminutive running mate.
Osinbajo had likewise abandoned his traditional flowing robes but looked more relaxed in a smart, Western business suit.
For several months in 2017, it seemed as if the pair's campaign slogan -- "Change" -- could well mean Osinbajo replacing Buhari as head of state.
Buhari spent months undergoing medical treatment at a London hospital, stoking concerns his undisclosed condition was terminal.
Osinbajo stepped up as acting president and was considered to have acquitted himself well.
It was a far cry from the start of his tenure when he performed largely ceremonial roles, including leading a choir of ex-presidents in a much-mocked YouTube song.
Beyond the obvious gulf in physical stature, there are striking differences between the pair.
Buhari, a Hausa-speaking Fulani from Muslim-majority northern Nigeria, is a straight-backed, no-nonsense former army general who headed a military government in the 1980s.
He has frequently appeared ill at ease with public speaking and has ruled with a close-knit, tight-lipped inner circle that ministers complained left them shut out.
Osinbajo, from Nigeria's Yoruba heartland in the southwest, is a partner in a law firm, pentecostal church pastor, and respected university lecturer.
While Buhari has often been seen as dismissive of critics, with little time for dissent, Osinbajo, 61, has shown a more listening ear and consensual style.
Buhari has been seen little outside his official Aso Rock residence in the capital, Abuja, barring brief appearances at rallies during the campaign.
Osinbajo is a more visible presence and was regularly seen touring the country, meeting and talking to ordinary Nigerians.
#UgandaToday
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8:27am
Muhammadu Buhari: Nigeria's anti-corruption president
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was elected in 2015 on a wave of hope that he could defeat Boko Haram Islamists and turn around a country blighted by decades of corruption and poor governance.
But while he will go down in history as Nigeria's first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent, his first term was dominated by questions about his fitness to govern.
From May 2016 until mid-2017, Buhari was in London for medical treatment for increasingly long periods of time, forcing government denials that he was gravely ill or even dead.
To date, he has not disclosed details about his condition, apart from saying he had "never been so ill" and had to undergo multiple blood transfusions.
But after US President Donald Trump reportedly called him "lifeless" after the recovering Buhari visited Washington, his critics found a potent slur.
His absence also sparked one of politics' more unusual conspiracy theories -- that he had died and been replaced by a lookalike from Sudan.
In recent months, some critics have focused less on his physical frailties and more on his mental faculties.
After an appearance in a live televised question-and-answer session in January 2019, one commentator called Buhari "intellectually disabled".
Others were less kind.
Buhari's opponents say they have been vindicated for claiming before the 2015 election that he was too old to run and had terminal prostate cancer.
But his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party dismiss the assertions as smears, and voters gave Buhari a second mandate in the February 23 presidential vote.
#UgandaToday
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8:22am
Nigeria's Buhari wins re-election
Muhammadu Buhari has been re-elected Nigeria's president, after a delayed poll that angered voters and raised political temperatures, leading to claims of rigging and collusion.
Buhari, 76, took an unassailable lead of more than four million votes with the last states yet to be declared, making it impossible for his nearest rival, Atiku Abubakar, to win.
The former military ruler was first elected as civilian president of Africa's most populous nation and leading oil producer in 2015.
Supporters of Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC) had gathered to celebrate at his campaign headquarters in the capital, Abuja, even before the final results were announced.
Some sang "We're popping champagne!" while Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was seen in a video clip singing "Up we go!" in a reference to Buhari and his "Next Level" campaign slogan.
(In the picture below, suspects who were arrested by Nigerian Army personnel on election day in connection with alleged various electoral offenses)
Buhari's spokesman, Garba Shehu, posted a photograph of the president on Twitter, watching the results on television. "#BuhariHasWon," he wrote.
But there were none of the spontaneous street parties that marked his victory four years ago, when he became Nigeria's first opposition candidate to beat an incumbent president.
To win the presidency, a candidate needs a majority of votes nationwide and at least 25 percent of support in two-thirds of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Initial results showed Buhari won 15,191,847 votes (56 percent) while Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 11,262,978 votes (41 percent).
Buhari won in 19 states -- including the two most populous, Lagos and Kano -- while Abubakar was victorious in 17 states and the FCT.
There was no immediate official concession from Abubakar, whose party had earlier called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to halt the count, citing irregularities.
#UgandaToday
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8:20am
A warm welcome
So we have slalomed through February and now find ourselves here - the eve of the last day of the shortest month of the year. It's not often that the second-last day of the month reads 27th on the calendar, so how about we live through it while it lasts, huh?
Before we jump right in the thick and thin of things, a look at what's going on in Africa.
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8:15am
Beautiful Mother Nature
It's time to hit the ground running - or ignite those wings and hit the skies, like this Gray Cranes seen in flight over the Agamon Hula Lake in the northern Israeli Hula valley during the bird migration from Eastern Europe to Africa.
You wouldn't want to lie in bed all the day, like these Albino green iguanas sitting on a piece of wood at a pet exhibition in Jakarta.
Fix yourself some breakfast, if you can. Or grab some from the local duuka. This wild smooth-coated otter feasting on a fish on the Singapore river got the memo . . .
. . . as did this giraffe at Giza Zoo in Cairo being fed by an Egyptian zoo keeper.
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8:10am
Good morning. Wake up!
Hey everyone, it's a sunny mid-week morning in Kampala. Stretch those jaws and arms, pick yourself up and climb out of that bed.
Welcome to yet another live page, and right here, I will do my best to keep you up-to-date with what's happening around the country. Of course we shall first briefly have a look at what's going on around the continent.
Before that, though, how about we get a feel of what Mother Nature has on offer . . .
