Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

Uganda: Museveni warns iindependent candidates saying NRM will not entertain them

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday warned party members who lost the primaries that his party “will not tolerate independent candidates” in the coming general elections, the Government owned NEWVISION has reported this morning.

In his acceptance speech after he was announced as the NRM flag-bearer for the presidential elections next year, Museveni said whoever lost in the primaries due to malpractices can challenge the results and the elections can be repeated.

“But nobody should talk of independence. Bring facts, show that you were cheated and we shall repeat the elections if need be. But we are not going to tolerate independents,” Museveni said. “You can’t be both: either you are inside or outside.”

He spoke after the announcement of results of the top positions of the party after a two-day national conference for 15,000 delegates from across the country.

Museveni was also returned unopposed as the party chairman at Naboole in Kampala in the wee hours of Monday.

In his address, the President said the party opted for the universal adult suffrage in the primaries to avoid independents.

Museveni appealed to all competitors to remain calm. “I appeal to you leaders and your supporters to change your attitude and remain calm. If there is fraud, don’t panic, bring the facts and if they are proved, the elections can be cancelled and the people involved will be charged,” the President said.

Museveni said the party leadership would only work with individuals who have crossed from other parties, but want to remain independents provided they sign a memorandum of understanding with the NRM party.

Pointing at Kampala Mayor Nasser Sebaggala, who was seated with a group of ministers, he said: “We shall only accept and work with friendly individuals, but independent, like Mayor Sebaggala.”

He promised that the NRM electoral commission will start investigating petitions this week. By Friday, 350 petitions had been filed with the party secretariat.

The President also dismissed reports that he asked VP Bukenya and Otafiire to stand down for Mbabazi.

“There is no way Museveni could disorganise the central executive committee (CEC) decision for these positions here,” said Museveni.

“If the CEC wanted to vet anybody out, he would have been vetted out and there would be no question of saying no.”

He attributed the problems faced by the party to lack of the culture of democracy by some members.

“The printer wants to print extra ballot papers, the transporter wants to steal some and the polling officials also disorganise the whole thing,” he observed.

Museveni explained that the idea of the party’s register, known as the Yellow Book, was to have all NRM supporters registered.

“I wanted every NRM member to be registered. But when the Yellow Book reached the villages, it was war. The in-charge would record only his supporters and leave out those of his opponents,” he said.

Museveni said the primaries had been “very interesting” and dismissed the notion that the chaos in the elections showed that the NRM party was not organised.

“We were just 15,000 people, but it took long to vote. Because you do not know how to behave democratically,” he argued.

The President cited two cases where members contested the results for the position of vice- chairperson for Kampala region and deputy secretary general. “Voting is taken like war,”

“I look at this exercise as climbing the Rwenzori with unco-operative members of the mountaineering team, but also without adequate equipment.”

Museveni disclosed that the party spent sh4b in organising the elections. “They should be applauded for what they did although there were many shortcomings.

Kiggundu needs sh197b to run the national election with 23,000 polling stations, yet we had 60,000,” he said.

The President on Sunday night gave sh400,000 to each of the 32 music groups that performed at the conference.

He outlined his priority in the next five years as electricity, roads, railway, ICT, modernisation of agriculture, industrialisation, science-oriented education and health.

Delegates scrambled for the spoils as campaign agents openly distributed money, T-shirts and sodas to groups to vote in their favour.

Journalists were not left out either. After a week of rumours about a sh80m budget for the media, some journalists confronted the NRM party secretariat administrator, Dr. Hassan Galiwango, who is said to have released sh4m, which a selected group of journalists shared, each getting sh85,000.

This angered other journalists who protested that their names had been used to obtain the money.

In the elections, al-Hajji Moses Kigongo was returned unopposed for first national vice-chair and Rebecca Kadaga for second national vice-chairperson.

Also unopposed were the national treasurer, Amelia Kyambadde, the former President’s Private Secretary and the vice-chairman for the east, Capt. Mike Mukula.

The hotly contested position of NRM secretary general was retained by Amama Mbabazi after he beat Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya and Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, the trade minister.

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Kenya is soon to join the African gold rich nations clubs as the mineral is discovered

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Economic and Business Report by Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

KENYA is set to join the league of mineral rich African countries following the discovery of large quantity of gold deposits in the Narok and Rongo counties.

This was announced here by the Commissioner for Geology in charge f Nyanza Province John Waita who disclosed that gold deposits discovered by experts recently can support large scale mining for up to 15 years. The discovery areas are in Narok and Migori counties in Western Kenya.

The story of discovery of a large quantity of gold was also confirmed by the Acting Commissioner of Minerals and Geology Moses Masibo.

“ I can confirm that several prospecting company has identified economically viable quantities of gold in Lolgorian area of Narok County, which is capable of supporting a medium scale goldmine.” said Masibo.

He further revealed the companies, which are prospecting for gold in the two regions are in the 0reparation phases for extracting the gold and processing it for commercial business.

Waita said the deposits have been found in Rongo and Nyatike, which are both located in Migori County and in Lolgorian in Trans-Mara district in Narok County in an area bordering Tanzania.

“We are confident of golf availability in these areas and what we need is the support from the communities. We have our facts right about the availability after a company, Waita told the STANDARD in an interview published hereon Monday, and which has been received with a lot of enthusiasm by the local communities living in those areas identified and mentioned as the site of the gold deposits.

In Rongo and Nyatike, the prospects of viable deposits of gold were established after companies involved completed exploration.

“Because of the presence of gold in the said areas after the survey the companies have moved to the next stage. In some areas when they know the quantity is smaller, they carry luggage and move away. That did not happening here now,” the top geologist emphasized.

An official working with one of the mining companies prospecting un the region was recently quoted in a report that confirmed the existence of large quantity of gold in the to regions.

“There is gold occurrence in Rongo and Nyatike, We know if we are successful and able to start production, it will have a massive impact on the economy of the country,” Waita said.

A senior official who works for Abba Mining, and asked not to be named due to the sensitive nature of the data, said studies were on going, and added, of neighboring countries, Uganda and Tanzania have high potential of gold and are mining what about Kenya? We know there are some deposits, but we are currently collecting the data to determine the quantity.

The official said massive investment in gold exploration were an indication o the interest generated by the presence of the mineral..

Kenya has the potential of gold but the problem is that there are no maps to show the geophysical location of the mineral, and that is what we are doing currently,” he said.

Abba Mining is involve in gold processing in Botswana,Namibia and Mozambique. Other firm prospecting for gold in Migori, Homa-Bay and Narok counties are; Kilimapesa, Afri-All and Mid-Migori. Mid-Migori has operated has operated for the last ten years and last year, a London based Mineral Exploration firm, Rock Resources Plc sought a 60 per cent stake in it, and signed an agreement with Kansai Mining that owns Mid-Migori. It paid USD 25,000 {about Kshs 2 million as a non-refundable cash deposits.

Afri-All has been exploring in Siaya, Bondo and Kakamega in a joint venture with an Australian mining company In Rongo, Abba Miners have been conducting exploration while in Nyatike, an area where the Commonwealth Development Corporation {CDC} had been conducting mining activities since the early 1930s and only closed down its gold and Copper Mines at Macalder in 1962 due to fear of possible outbreak of chaos after independence in 1963, Mid-Migori have been have been on the ground at Macalder and Masara.

Waita told newsmen that the regions are part of a vast gold belt known as the Archean Greenstone Belt, which is one of the earth’s oldest crust dating back to 3.7 million years. Its geological features are similar to the Gold Reef in Johannesburg, South Africa, and others in Western Australia and Northern Canada that are known to have gold and other m minerals.

Mr Waita statement was confirmed and endorsed by the Acting Commissioner and Mines and Geology Moses Masibo.

He told the STANDARD in a report published on Monday this week that he can confirm that the companies prospecting in the areas have identified economically viable quantities of gold in Lolgorian capable of supporting sa medium scale commercial goldmine.

A British company that has over the past three years been prospecting for commercially viable gold in Lolgorian area of Trans-Mara district recently discovered goop deposits that could earn Kenya Kshs 400 million annually.

Masibo added the discovered gold is of high quality, because it will not require extensive processing. Lolgorian is part of the extensive Greenstone Belt of the Lake Victoria that stretches into the Mara in Tanzania, and believed to have rich gold deposits..

Te company, which is operating in Kenya as Goldplat Kilimapesa Project,is conducting more tests and is yet to finalize regulatory6 issues with the government with a view to obtaining mining license’

It has been discovered that the deposits are between 40,000 ounces {oz} and 60,000 ounces. An ounce is the unit of measuring gold with once ounce equaling 28.34 grammas {0.02835kg}

This means the deposits can support mining of 40,000 ounces per yea with a lifespan of between 10 to 15 years. Going by the current price of gold in the international market where an ounce is trading at USD 1,246 [Kshs 100,926 under current exchange rates}, the projects could earn the country Ksh 400m million annually or Kshs 32 billion in 15 years .is a boom considering smalltime miners in various parts of Western Kenya according to industry estimates, produce a mere Kshs 15 million annually, although much of it is sold to middlemen at prices well below those in the international market.

In the neighboring Tanzania, where gold mining industry is well established the country produces between 100,000 and 300,000 of gold per annum.

Mt Waita said exploration in Rongo began in May this year, and that the technical teams are moving fast and will start production once they have ascertained the quantity. In May this year, during the long rains, small scale miners in Nyatike harvested gold worth Kshs 15 million, in just two weeks, said Mr Waitaindicating a high presence of the mineral.

“Small-scale miners have been reaping millions of shillings from gold mining in the thre districts, an indication of its presence,” he said.

“The discovery in Kenya is small-scale but economically viable. It will significantly transform the economy of the area, said Godric Simonet, the chairman of the Kenya Chamber of Mines{KCM}.

Simonet who is also the managing director of International Gold Exploration {IGE} and at one point was involved with kilimapesa project, added the project will employ 100 people directly and many more indirectly once it gets going.

Until September last year the KLilimapesa project was in partnership with Goldplat and KGE, but the company assumed full ownership after acquiring IGE’s stake at a cost of Kshs 203 million. Though Goldplat Kilimapesa already has the consent of the local community to commence mining, it cannot embark on the project before obtaining a mining lease from the government and carrying out a land lan survey of the area.

A mining lease, which lasts for about 20 years, ensures the company can recoup its investments. Ironically, due to lack of a modern policy, talks between the company and the government on how to charge royalty seems to be dragging the issuance of the mining lease.

Kenya needs a clear mechanism for charging royalty, which should be higher e for the scarce minerals,” says one of the executive directors of Kenya Institute of Public Policy and Research Analyses {KIPPRA}.

The current mining Act, which dates back to 1940s has been described as a major block in the developing of the mining industry. However, efforts are going to present a new Mining Bill in Parliament, while the process of developing a mining policy is in high gears.

In Migori County, Macalder has been coded as the target area. Others areas are Kamwango in Rongo and Lolgorian in Trans-Mara.,the deputy Geologist Mr Paul Mwadime also said there were high hopes for gold in the area. Mining exploration for gold in the region started during the colonial days but the investigations has not been intense as noiw.”

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Leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

KENYA: RESIDENTS OF A KIPKELLION VILLAGE WERE LEFT IN A MOURNING MOOD AFTER THE LIGHTNING STRUCK FOUR DEAD AND INJURED SCORES.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Kericho Town.

Residents of Kapkondoo village in Tenlich sub-locations in Kipkellion constituency, Kericho County were in a mourning mood after burying four members of one family who were last Thursday struck dead by lightening were buried in a tearful send off last Sunday. The burial ceremony attracted hundred of mourners from the surrounding villages.

The thunderbolt left seven other people seriously injured and were all admitted at the nearby Londiani sub-district hospital.

Samson Arap Bii 38 who works as stonemason 4, two sons Leornard Kiprotich 6, and Dominic Kipchirchir and his one year old nephew Wesly Kiprono were struck by the lightning in their grass hatched house on Thursday night.

The late Mr Bii’s wife Rachel Bii who by late Sunday afternoon was still in a state of semi consciousness and at time relapse to unconsciousness told newsmen in his Hospital Ward bed that she was preparing tea for some visitors who had taken shelter in their house. She is the women group leader, and was also roasting green maize for her visitor, when she heard a loud bang. And thereafter she did not know what happened until she found herself in Hospital. Although the dead members of her family including her husband Mr Bii and two sons were being buried on the same day, she had no ideas to what happened to them. She suffered serious bodily burns.

Also hurt in the incident was Mr William Rotich who had called on the late Bii to have a word with him one some local family matters. Passerby who had taken shelter in the same house was seriously hurt and so were the people sheltering in the neighboring houses. Other had temporarily lost the use of their eardrums after the deafening thunderbolt.

A Kipkellion politician Josephat Koske has appealed to the community living art Kapkondo village and its environ to come to the assistance of Mrs Bii and her surviving children to regain the normal life. Residents and well wishers should donate generously to the family to enable them to erect a better house and start a new life. These were a natural calamity which is unavoidable and to which human being have got no control. “Ours is only to come to the assistance of the surviving members of the family.” Said Koske

THE Kipkellion MP Magerer Lang’at also expressed his heartfelt sympathy and condolence the family wishing the survivors quick recovery. He is also an Assistant Minister for Energy appealed to the neighbors to come to the rescue and help one another whenever such incident occurred.

So far close to eight people have died in various parts of Western Kenya ever since this season’s short rains started in late last month.

ENDS

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Uganda: Museveni warns oil companies to pay their taxes or else they will not be tolerated

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Business News By Leo Odera Omolo

THE Government will not tolerate foreign oil companies evading taxes, President Yoweri Museveni has warned,the government official mouthpiece the NEWVSION reported this morning.

In his first public criticism of the multinational oil companies operating in the Albertine Graben, Museveni emphasised that the companies had no option but to pay all taxes due to the Government.

“We have made it clear to the oil companies operating in Uganda that all the taxes due to the Government of Uganda must be paid. Also the other development programmes in the petroleum sector must be fulfilled,” he said, according to a statement from State House.

To make his point clear, the President also mocked pessimists who argue that oil could turn out to be a curse rather than a blessing, as it has been in many other African countries.

He asserted that oil has been a curse where weak African leaders have failed to check the “greed” of western companies.

This will not be allowed to happen in Uganda, the President told NRM delegates at the opening of the party’s second national conference at Namboole stadium on Saturday.

He cited the Canadian-owned, Heritage Oil Company, that is yet to pay $405m (about sh810b) to the Uganda Revenue Authority.

The company is contesting the tax on the sale of its stake in oil wells in western Uganda to Tullow Oil Company at $1.45b.

“Recently, we had a problem with some of the oil companies that were trying to refuse to pay our taxes,” he narrated.

“A company called Heritage spent $130m in exploration. When oil was found, they decided to sell their shares for which they received $1.45b – more than ten times what they spent. We required them to pay us 30% of this as tax. It translates into $430 million. They, however, refused to pay.”

The President reiterated that revenue from oil will be spent on developing infrastructure like roads, the energy sector, and build an excellent railway network.

The rest will be used to fund science, technology and research initiatives as well as innovation, he explained.

“The oil money will never be used for consumption,” said Museveni.

The Government has largely kept its contracts with the oil companies a secret but the tax row has exposed some of the transactions.

Last month, the Government repossessed the Kingfisher (Kajubirizi) discovery area, an oil field in Hoima, from Tullow Oil after the company failed to meet some of the set terms.

The blocks, 3A and 1, were jointly operated by Heritage and Tullow. However, when Heritage sold its interest to Tullow, the Government declined to recognise the transaction over non-payment of taxes.

In a letter, energy and mineral development minister Hillary Onek also said Tullow’s licence had expired.

“The period within which you are supposed to have applied for a petroleum production licence for the Kingfisher field expired in February 2010,” he told the Tullow managers.

The repossession meant that the Government can license another company. This puts Tullow at a risk of losing $1.45b, which it paid Heritage for the asset.

Meanwhile, speaking at the opening of the same delegates’ conference, the outgoing NRM secretary general, Amama Mbabazi, revealed that the party had elected 2.5 million people from the grassroots since it began the process in July.

Mbabazi promised that the party would provide mobile phones to its leaders to ease internal communication.

He regretted the malpractices in the primaries, but said the party had embarked on cadre identification, training and placement to ensure that only people with good political orientation form its future leadership.

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KENYA: THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALL WEATHER RING ROADS ALONG THE SHORELINES OF LAKE VICTORIA MUST BE THE FIRST AND FOREMOST TASK OF THE NEW COUNTIES.

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The construction of all weather ring roads around the shorelines of Lake Victoria is expected to be the first and foremost task to be carried out by the four counties, which are soon to be inaugurated in Luo-Nyanza.

The four counties under the devolution of power system contained therein the new constitution are namely Kisumu, Siaya, Homa-Bay and Migori. All the four counties are geographically linked to Lake Victoria at the various points.

Siaya County is linked to the lake through Bondo and Rarieda constituencies. Kisumu is linked through Kisumu Rural, Kisumu Town West, Kisumu Town East,Nyando and Nyakach constituencies. Migori County has the link to the lake through Karungu-Bay,and Muhuru-Bay in Nyatike constituency while Homa-Bay has the largest share of the lake shoreline through the four parliamentary constituencies of Karachuonyo, Rangwe.Mbita and Gwassi.

Developments of good road network in these regions are so essential for quick means of communications, trade and security of the communities living around the lake and their survival

The four regions have the potentiality of being one of the most attractive areas for tourist destination and fish trade therefore planners to be attached to the proposed counties will have the heavy task of brainstorming together in order to roll out strategic plans for the future development of these regions.

Already two important roads are currently under the construction. These include the twenty five miles Kendu-Bay-Homa-Bay which is its advanced stage of completion. The other one is the Homa-Bay- Mbita road which was commissioned early this year by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga

Already the government has constructed an ultra modern road network, which is now linking Raried and constituencies through Ndori-Luanda Kotieno.via ferries services, which are providing excellent services of ferrying passengers and their luggage, plus the normal cargo and motor vehicles across the lake. This newly built tarmac ked road has changed the landscape of the region in boosting fish trade between the two islands of Rusinga and Mfangano.

The Ndori-Luanda Kotieno road has now cut short the hours between Kisumu to Mbita point and made it much shorter and less boring. And with those travelers driving faster vehicles can reach Luanda Kotieno and load their vehicle onto the ferry within 40 minutes or an hour journey. Previously a journey through this road was a nightmare, especially during the rainy season and cruising through the muddy black-cotton soil in Uyoma areas. Residents of this region are so pleased and thankful to the government of Kenya. The road, they says is now a boon for not trade but communications is now much easier.

The most significance of the economic viability of this new road could be seen by the way and manner in which new ultra modern buildings currently under construction in trading centers and market places along the way through Aram, Ragengni, Ndigwa and Luanda Koitieno. Individual residents of the area have also taken the initiative of good road by putting modern homes all along the way from Ndori to Luand-Kotieno.

Another important road is envisaged to be constructed from Bondo Town to Rang’ala where it will link up with the main Kisumu Busia highway. It also hoped that the Siaya County will take the advantage of the billions shillings of the revolving funds to be availed to it by the central government top improve feeder and access roads in the interior part of Alego-Usonga constituency, which are presently neglected and are in a pathetic state and near impassable when it raining.

Another area where road network need to be given priority is the road linking Rodi Kopany, Mirogi, Ndhiwa, Ratang’a,Aora Chuodho and Sori at Karungu-Bay. Its construction to all weather should also be extended to Sori-Lak Nyiero, to God Bura junction to either down to Nyandiwa and Kisegi or up to Magunga headquarters in Gwassi from where it should be linked to Sindo and Mbita point. On the southern flank, the same road should link Karungu Luanda,Aneko,Ndiwa winding up at Muhuru Bay.

The all weather ring roads along the Lake Victoria is not only essential for communication, trades and easy travelling, but also important for the security of the communities living along the shoreline of Lake Victoria.

At present, we can assume that there is no external security threat against Kenya due to the fact that all the three countries that shared the waters of Lake Victoria are members of the East African Community {EAC}.But who knows for how long this cooperation would last?. Anything can happen with unpredictably changing politics of the East African region. With the unlikely possibility of a hostile government coming to power in Uganda or an unfriendly government gaining control of Tanzania things might change for the worse to an extent that Kenya may need such roads for the purpose of rapid deployment of its security force to protect its citizens.

Two other important road network, which needs to be given priority are Rodi-Kopany,Rangwe-Oyugis and the Oyugis Kendu-Bay roads. Other areas worth considering should include Awendo-Rapogi,Ombo,Sibuoche and Macalder. This rod will facilitate easy traveling between Nyatike and Uriri constituencies to supplement the services currently being provided by the road link between Oria -Riat-via Paw Otange-Thimlich Ohinga and Luanda.

There will be no time for complacency or laxity for the fur new counties governments nor there any space and room left for honeymoon due to heavy task that lays head. The roads network would facilitate the possibility of reviving the long forgotten forty five year old West Kenya Tourist Circuit. The program was introduced and launched in 1966 by the post-independence cabinet Minister for Tourism and Wildlife the late Hon.Samuel Onyango Ayodo. It was originally planned to traverse the entire Western Kenya covering areas like Lake Turkana, Mt Elgon, hinterland lakes in Baringo, and along Lake Victoria regions of Central and Southern Nyanza Maasai Mara and the entire South Rift regions.

It was indeed a diversion of tourists from their traditional destination of watching only wild animals in order to make the visitors also meet the Kenyans people in their traditional way of life in the rural areas.

The lake region has many sceneries worth visiting plus a lot of pre-historic sites such as volcanic lake Simbi Nyaima in Central Karachuonyo,. Birds watching near Oyugis, the mystery of the rock which is has human and animal footprints on it at Nyamgondho Wuod Ombare near Nyandiwa in Gwassi,Soklo Kipenji which is a small rocky island located between Homa-Bay and Usawo in Lambwe Valley, Nyama Gi Ware rocks on Rusinga Island.

The history of Soklo Kipenji is similar to that of Bemuda Triangle where ships and planes are reported to have mysteriously disappeared while trying to navigate the area or flying over. Fisheries in the nearby villages of Sikri on the Homa-Bay side and Usawo Mirunda n the Lambwe Valley side talks about the possibility of mysterious disappearance by anyone who lands his boat or canoe on this small island. Unconfirmed story goes that two European explorers whose names were not given and who ignored the advice of the local residents and defiantly landed their boat on the island disappeared with no trace to-date.

The incident is said to have taken place in around 1918 and 1920, and thereafter nobody dare to visit this island. Fishermen keep themselves at a distance fearing being pushed to the island by some hidden demonic powers. The locals say that even fish eating bird such as fish eagle dare not to land on Soklo Kipenji.

There could be a lot of new sites to be opened by new roads currently under the construction. The Homa-Bay –Mbita road would make more tourists visit the Ruma National Game Park at Lambwe which is full of species of game animals including the rare roan antelope.

Visits by boats to Rusinga and Mfangano islands would provide the tourist with a lot more for their eyes. Touristclas hotels have sprug up in Mbita Town and also on Mfangano.Both the islands could be accessed by road, boat and by air.

The challenges which lays ahead of the creation and inauguration of Counties is big and these are some of the reasons why the residents of the region are insisting that those interested in contesting the elections in the positions of County governors must be people with vast experience in administration and financial disciplines. The task would require men and women of high caliber of education and not lousy politicians.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Uganda: Museveni to reconcile the Muslim leaders in nation

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni is to mediate between the Muslim factions headed by Mufti Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje and Sheikh Zubair Kayongo.

Speaking at futur (breaking of the fast) he hosted for Muslims at State House Entebbe on Wednesday to mark the end of Ramadhan, Museveni called for unity among the Muslim community.

Museveni (right) greeting Kampala mayor Sebaggala and Moses Katongole, the head of UTODA, a taxi watchdog, after a dinner at State House.

“There has been in-fighting among Muslims. I would like you to sit down and sort out this problem amicably,” he said. About 300 guests across the country attended the function that started about 7:00pm and went on past 10:00pm. Sources said most notable figures who attended the function were loyal to Mubajje except a few who support Kayongo. National Resistance Movement (NRM) vice-chairman Hajji Moses Kigongo, Libyan ambassador Abdallah Bujeldain and Dr. Ahmed Kisuule, Uganda’s ambassador to Iran, were present.

In his address, Museveni also said he would call the unity meeting because “in-fighting is not good. Those differences must be settled”.

Mubajje heads the Old Kampala faction while the Kibuli faction is headed by Kayongo. Muslims opposed to Mubajje in January 2009 named Kayongo as mufti following a disagreement with Mubajje over the sale of Muslim property in Kampala.

The conflict ended up in the court, with Mubajje, city businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba and former secretary general Edris Kasenene facing criminal charges. The trio was acquitted by court. But the anti-Mubajje faction rejected the court verdict and named their own mufti.

Mid this year, the Old Kampala faction split with Mubajje and the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council chairman, Hassan Basajjabalaba, with each of them purporting to sack the other. Their differences have not been resolved. The President assured his guests that the Government had brought peace which people should take advantage of to wipe out poverty. “The Government is doing its part by providing electricity power and roads but it will not come to your house and remove poverty. That is your responsibility as an individual,” he said.

Museveni advised the school-going children to target science courses that, he said, have a ready job market. He said the Government had finalised the plan for a loan scheme for university graduates who fail to find employment.

Museveni urged Ugandans to start commercial farming so that they can have products to sell as well as maintain food security.

Earlier, Mubajje had said the Muslim top organ would organise elections for leaders before December this year. “Whoever is interested in leadership should go down and get the mandate of the people,” he said.

Mubajje cautioned Muslims against engaging in terrorism, referring to the July 11 incident in which 79 people were killed in bomb attacks in Kampala.

“You have been humble and law abiding during Ramadhan, I appeal to you to continue the same way even after fasting. The end of fasting does not mean the end of good behavior,” he advised.

The sumptuous dinner was punctuated by recitations from Sheik Umar Ddumba and performances from Matali entertainment group, which sang praises for Museveni and called for his re-election.

End

Kenya: Eight have picked up their presidential nomination papers for next year’s election

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

EIGHT presidential aspirants have picked nominations forms to run in next year’s elections. The main political players are yet to do so,the government owned NEWVISION reported this morning, while querying the reason why the leading political party luminaries are keeping quiet..

The politicians who collected papers are Emmanuel Tumusiime, the leader of the Forum for Integrity in Leadership, Sadrak Ogemba of the Peoples United Movement and Sulaiman Masaba of the Uganda People’s Party.

The others are Bomboka Isiko of the Farmers Party of Uganda, Moses Kakama of the National Youth Revolutionary Organisation, Erias Wamala of National Peasant Party and Samuel Lubega of a DP splinter faction.

Independent candidate Charles Opio also picked the forms ahead of the deadline of October 25. The nomination dates for presidential and parliamentary candidates are October 25 and 26.

The presidential aspirants will be nominated at the commission’s head offices in Kampala and parliamentary candidates at the district headquarters. District chairpersons and councillors will be nominated on November 4 and 5 at the district and county headquarters, respectively.

The ruling NRM party is expected to elect Yoweri Museveni this weekend as its candidate. FDC party leader Kizza Besigye was elected to stand on the Inter-Party Cooperation ticket as a joint candidate. Norbert Mao will represent DP. Olara Otunnu of UPC is also expected to contest.

According to the Electoral Commission, the candidates must pay nomination fees of sh8m, collect 100 signatures from at least 75 districts and hand in three passport size photos and certified copies of academic papers.

Unlike in the past where the candidates were required to carry cash and copies of the signatures to be verified on the day of the nominations, the commission this time requires the aspirants to only carry receipts as proof of payment and submit a list of the 100 supporters in advance for verification.

Nominated presidential aspirants will receive facilitation of sh20m, a car and Police escorts. But where a candidate withdraws from the race within 30 days after nomination, such a candidate shall refund the money.

Candidates may not use long convoys of vehicles during nominations, except just two vehicles, each of which shall bear Police stickers and carry no more than 10 people.

To be eligible for the presidential and parliamentary seats, a candidate must be a citizen of Uganda, a registered voter and have at least an A’level certificate or its equivalent. A person cannot stand for president if he is of unsound mind, holds an office that handles elections, or is a cultural leader, or is bankrupt.

Anyone under a death sentence or a sentence of imprisonment exceeding nine months without an option of a fine cannot also stand. Candidates may be disqualified if they have within seven years immediately preceding the election, been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude or convicted over election crimes.

Parliamentary candidates are to pick nomination forms from their districts of origin and to be nominated they will be required to produce signatures of 10 supporters, who are registered voters in the constituency, pay nomination fees of sh200,000 and hand in certified copies of their academic papers.

Civil servants wishing to join the race will be required to submit copies of their resignation letter as well, which should have been tendered in 90 days before nomination data.

Uganda: new terror threat by Al-Shabaab terorists against nation during Ramadhan

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

UGANDAN security is on full alert ahead of Idd festivities, which mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan slated for tomorrow,the government owned NEWVISION reported this morning

Al-Shabaab on Tuesday demanded that Uganda withdraws her peacekeeping troops from the war-torn Somalia, or face more attacks.

Accordingly, security has been stepped up to counter the threats, said Police spokeperson Judith Nabakooba.

“We call upon the public to be vigilant, especially during this period of Idd,” she said yesterday.

The latest threat was issued by the Islamists’ radical leader Sheikh Fuad Mohamed Khalaf ‘Shangole at a mosque in Mogadishu.

Defence spokesperson Felix Kulayigye yesterday said violence will not work.

The Somali-based Islamic militants claimed responsibility for the twin bombings, which killed 79 people in Kampala on July 11.

“I advise them to try something else but not threats of violence because it will not work. It will not make us change our stand,” Kulayigye said.

The Ugandan troops are serving under the African Union force called AMISOM. “Our troops will not leave Somalia as long as the African Union wants them there,” he said. “The people of Somalia want peace and that is what took us there.”

He added: “We are not in Somalia for adventure; it is by conviction to ensure the return of peace for our brothers.
“We have been defending Uganda since February 6, 1981 and we have never backslid on that. Ugandans should remain vigilant and let us know of suspicious people.”

The militants on Tuesday accused President Yoweri Museveni of becoming an obstacle to stability in the war-torn Somalia and warned him not to send more troops to Somalia.

Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers are assisting the Somali Transitional Federal Government. Uganda recently sent 750 troops of the 10,000 more soldiers it pledged during the recent AU summit in Kampala.

AU officials said last week AMISOM’s troop level had recently risen to 7,200. The force is seeking a more robust mandate that would allow it to hunt down insurgents.

Uganda’s fight against al-Shabaab has received a boost from several countries since the July 11 attack. The US, Britain, Kenya, among others, rushed investigators to work with the Kampala team, leading to the arrest of over 50 arrests.

In fresh investigations, two more Kenyans were early this week arrested in connection with the blasts. Habib Sulaiman Njoroge was arrested at the Kenya-Uganda border post of Malaba while trying to sneak into Uganda. Also arrested is journalist Habib Suleiman working for an FM station in Mombasa.

A total of 34 suspects have been charged with terrorism, murder and attempted murder. Among them are Ugandans, Kenyans, Somalis and one Pakistani.

Ends

Kenya: Gen. Koech and Keter to battle for the Kericho County Senate seat

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Political News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

KERICHO is one of the regions in the South Rift where major shift in positions is expected as the politicians are said to be getting themselves ready to scramble of the more lucrative jobs that the new constitution has availed for the counties.

The new positions include that of the Senate and the gender representative, the county governor, deputy governor, assembly speaker and clerks.

In the agriculturally rich Kericho County the battle for the Senate seat is expected between the Belgut MP Charles Keter and the retired former deputy Chief of the General Staff Lt.Gen [retired} John Arap Koech, who is also the national chairman of the United Democratic Movement {UDM}.

THE Kericho County’s area of jurisdiction covered four parliamentary constituencies, which include Kipkellion. Ainamoi, Belgut and Konoin. And the neighboring Bomet County will cover another four constituencies of Bomet, Chepalungu and Buret,

In the 2007 general election the region voted unanimously for the ODM as the party of choice. Other parties like the former ruling KANU a party which has dominated the politics of the region for close to three decades performed dismally. The ODM swept the board clean taking all the eight parliamentary seats, all civic seats in the County, Urban and Town Councils

As far as party politics, the situation has changed drastically with the recently concluded referendum voting for the new constitution in which the majority of the voters had switched their allegiance to the Reds camp led by the Higher Education Minister William Ruto. However,four out of the eight out of the eight MPs sided with the No camp and vigorously campaigned against the new constitution. They included Julius Kones{Konoin} Isaac Ruto {Chepalungu}, Benjamin Lang’at {Ainamoi} and Charles Keter {Belgut},while other four namely Dr.Joyce Laboso {Sotik}, Franklin Bett {Buret}. Magerer Lang’t{Kipkelion} and Mrs Beatrice Kones { Bomet} backed the new constitution and campaign for the Greens camp. And the Reds carried the day, though in some places the Yes camp had lost the votes in a respectful manner.

The major issues which led to the dismal performance by the Greens camp in the region is the seemingly irreconcilable differences between the two top ODM leader Raila Odinga and his first deputy William Ruto.The differences the two party leaders has left the region in total confusion as to which party they should join. ODM is out of bound and the same is with KANU and PNU.

From the Keter’s camp, the popular talks is that Gen Koech should stand for the governorship because he will instill a lot of discipline in the county governance using his military disciplinary and his vast administrative experience.

And from the general’s camp the argument goes that the Senate seat will be more covenanted because in the tri-cameral system provided in the new constitution, the Senate will control both parliament and counties. Furthermore the argument goes that the Senate will be the supreme organs of the governance, therefore it is a suitable for the elderly people.

Gen Koech and Hon Keter have remained political arch-rivals ever since the 2007 general election when Koech launched a scathing criticism of Keter accusing him of having collaborated with his friend William Ruto and rigged him out of the ODM nomination for the Ainamoi seat.

The General further alleged that the two had conspired against and locked him out of the by-election in Ainamoi, which he had won clean. The differences led to Gen.Koech departure from the ODM in huff.But theformer Army Chief who had campaigned vigorously for Raila Odinga and the ODM during the 2007 elections insist that his UDM is working closely with ODM.

In recent weeks following the inevitable fallout between Raila Odinga and William, sources close to the UDM has confided to us that an attempt was made to reconcile Gen Koech and William Ruto so that the latter could relinquish his position of the UDM national chairmanship in a deal which could have paved the way for Ruto’s re-entry into the UDM and consequently taking over its national chairmanship. The attempt was fiercely resisted by Gen Koech resulting in other rumors making the round that an attempt is in the offing to have him ousted by his other colleagues led by the party Secretary General William Ole Kamwaro, who is said to have of late become William Ruto’s spanner boy.

Ruto off-course was one of the founders of the UDM together with the likes of Kipruto Arap Kirwa, Cyrus Jirongo and Fred Amayo. But Ruto and Jirongo were later lured back to KANU with cabinet appointment by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi.

The Eldoret North MP is said to be in a political dilemma as to which party he should join after opting out of the ODM and use it for his presidential ambition in 2012. He is said to have been advised by his handler not to desert the ODM because the time is running short and there will be no sufficient room for a new party to gain the momentum in recruiting sufficient numbers of supporters that could propel its leader to the presidency.

Sources close to Rutsays the youthful populist Kalenjin politician worry is howtohe can trustpolitician from the Mt Kenya region ever since they shirt-changed him prior to the referendum campaign. The Mt Kenya had cheated him to work against the parliamentary system, which was favored by Raila Odinga in preference of the presidential system on the promise that it would create Majimbo which could have been achieved in the three tier system. But when the two issues were debated in Parliament, the Mt Kenya group deserted him and later joined hands with Raila in campaigning for the new constitution in the Yes camp. Ruto had hoped that his arch-rival would be in the opposite camp, but when Raila readily accepted the verdict of Parliament and join the campaign for the new constitution, Ruto was baffled and hit below the belt and got the shock of his life time. He said to have vowed not to trust any politician from the Central Province.

Another political personality said to be eyeing for the Bomet Senate seat is the former Minister for Works and twice the MP for Chepalungu John Arap Koech who with the former Permanent Secretary for Lands and now the secretary of the Kalenjin Council Elders Josiah Arap Sang will battle it out for the Bomet Senate seat.

Speaking to this writer in Kericho Town Gen Koech confirmed that he would contest the County Senate seat and not that of the governor which is the imagination of his enemies.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Uganda: The New Bujagali Power Station will be connected to the national grid next year

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The government owned NEWVISION reported this morning inits online news that the estimated about 50MW from the over $800m Bujagali hydro-power project will be connected onto the national grid by the end of next year, the project sponsors have said.

delayed: Men at work at the main Bujagali power plant in Jinja

This will increase Uganda’s electricity supply to 465MW. “The first 50MW-turbine is nearing completion. We anticipate that it will start producing power in December, 2011,” Kenneth Kaheru, the Bujagali Energy Limited (BEL) deputy construction manager, said.

Uganda produces about 415MW from the Nalubaale and Kiira dams and a host of thermal and mini-hydro-power plants countrywide. The firm’s revelation means that the project will not be fully commissioned in July, 2011 as was planned during the investment appraisal phase.

Works on the dam started in mid-2007 and were expected to be completed in 44 months, that is in July, 2011. Execution of the project met bottlenecks when engineers constructing the 30-metre high dam met poor rocks at the end of the dam (tail race section) of the gated spillway. This necessitated a re-design and setting up of a new major structure connected to the gated spillway to safeguard the dam.

The new date for the full commissioning of the dam is not yet known. “We cannot say what the exact date for the commissioning of the dam will be because we are not sure of what is below the water on the eastern part of the river,” Kaheru explained.

“Until we are sure of the riverbed, we can’t start talking about the completion date.” He, however, said the works were progressing well, explaining that they expect to divert the river in January so that River Nile flows entirely through the gates currently under construction. “This will allow us work on the the eastern section of the dam, where the river is currently flowing through.”

The 250MW power project is a joint venture between Industrial Promotion Services, an arm of the Aga Khan Foundation for Economic Development and Sithe Global, a US power firm.

On the project’s social and environmental aspects, BEL said has spent huge sums more than $3m in agricultural extension services, health, education, fisheries, skills training including entrepreneurship and environmental conservation as well as other social programmes specifically targeted for vulnerable persons.

The objective of the social and environment program is to ensure that the integrity of the environment in the project area is enhanced and that the Project Affected People (PAPs) are empowered to become self reliant and thus be capable of improving their livelihoods.

The project sponsors have built schools in Naminya settlement village as well as supporting other education initiatives in the other affected villages.

BEL is also equipping and upgrading health centres as well as training, equipping and facilitating village health teams with the tools they need to deliver healthcare services more efficiently to the project affected people.

It has also helped to organise the fishing community in the project area and has equipped the fishermen with appropriate fishing gear.

BEL completed a partnership arrangement with the National Water and Sewerage Corporation that will enable the project affected communities on both sides of the river get access to piped water.

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Kenya: The time is ripe for the Luos to abandon “Wife Inheritance” obnoxious practices

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LAST WEEK WAS A BAD ONE BECAUSE IT LEFT THE TRAILS OF TEARS SHEDDING AND BURIALOF YOUNG WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN KILLED BY THEIR INHERITORS

It is time the Luos abandoned this repugnant and backward tradition and culture.

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In kisumu City

The last two weeks were so bad. A number of shocking incidents occurred in various parts of Luo-Nyanza involving grisly murder of young women and their children ,one of which the entire family of a mother and her three children were whipped out by her bloody thirsty inheritors.

In all the reported incidents, the suspect culprits were reported to be strangers who came from unknown strangers who came handy to inherit the widow left behind by their deceased husbands.

Luos are the fourth largest single tribes in Kenya following the Kalenji, Luhyia and Kikuyu. But the communities still practising some heathen and unacceptable tradition, which are unacceptable to the modern society in Kenya.

But the shocking action of beast like inheritors, which saw many families shedding tears and burying their beloved young ones, has left everybody in this region where such repugnant and abominable backward practices are still very common and thriving among the families and clans despite of advanced information torth3 villages about the scourge of Hiv/Aids epidemic.

It calls for the elders and key figures and politicians within the community to go back into drawing board. They should brain storm and chart for the best way of educating families against the danger of “Wife Inheritance” practices. The practice is bad and ads no value to the family. And it is time it was abandoned. The practice has lost its original intention and value in the modern society.

The practice has increasingly become dangerous, because the younger generation of Luo male and females have abandoned the norms and cultural virtue and tradition, which were governing the “Wife inheritance” in the past. The community at large has lost disciplinary practices.

These days young widows in Luo-Nyanza can now pick anybody they meet in beer halls or in dark corners of the City, towns and market places, and the next day the couple become husband and wife. This is in sharp contrast, and completely contrary to the laid down cultural norms and tradition rules.

In the old days when this tradition thrived to the best interest of the families involved. It was a practice highly valued by the community. It was meant to protect both the wife and the children of the deceased. And not simply for sexual escapades between the inheritor and the widow as such, but it meant a lot to the families concerned.

The circumstance, in which a widow was required to be inherited, varied. First was for the continuity of the family. Secondly was for the protection of young children and property of the deceased. And that is the reason why the families used to go for the best man of good character and generous enough to take care of the welfare of the young children left behind by his cousin or brother in the same way he could cater for his own children. Lazy person who is known not to be active in farming or greedy fellow were out of bound for this noble practices which was cherished by the community for generations after generations.

Before the widow was inherited, there were behind the scene consultations between he and the elderly mothers within her immediate families. The role of the elderly women, most of them her mother-law was to advice her accordingly as to who is the best son within the family who could help her bring her young offspring’s up and so forth. .

It was a serious vetting. Men from families suspected of practicing witches, men from families known to be suffering from serious diseases such as leprosy, asthma, mental illness, tuberculosis, epilepsy and other complicated diseases were not recommended for the job..

If the widow had defied the elderly mother wisdom and settle on someone of suspicious characters such as thieves, trouble shooters, quarrelsome or temperamental persons, the elderly women would throw the matter back to the elderly men within the family to deliberate on the issue. They would summon the widow and told her point blank the reason why they were not keen to approve her choice, but if she remain defiance, she was then advised that after the rejected man is the only her choice, the she was required to dismantle her house within the family and go and settle in the homestead of the man she had chosen as the best person to inherit her. She would live their until she goes past her production life, now with grown up children would bring her back to the family and built a home for her and her children.

Wife beaters and drunkards and men with history of murder were also some of the characters not recommended by the elders. And so were thieve sand other unbecoming characters within the society.

In all aspect of the practice, it was to go for the best person whose good and proven manner and character.

In Litare village in Kamasengre, Rusinga West Location on Rusinga island massive man-hunt was still going on by the weekend of a man who set ablaze the house of the young wife he had inherited. The man is still at large and th4e man hunt led by the area Assistant chief has proved fruitless. He is suspected to have boarded a canoe and pedaled himself across the Mbita Channel and went into hiding on the main land part of Mbita district.

This attack came after the man and his inherited wife had some misunderstanding the previous night and the woman ejected the inheritor out of her house. But before the night fall she and her three children slipped out of the house and went to sleep in her grand mother’s house. The man returned under cover of darkness bolted the house from outside and set it ablaze thinking his wife and children were asleep inside .The assailant fled from the village thinking that he had killed the entire family, but did not realize he had missed the target. A lot of property was burnt to ashes. He is still at large.

In Migoto village, Suna Migori, Silvanus Owuor Lwamba was not lucky enough to escape the mob justice and punishment from his heinous act. She used hoe in smashing the head of his inherited wife Esther Akinyi, nine year daughter Lilian and one year old son Barack Odhiambo.and fled at night.

The village woke up in the morning and found the three lifeless bodies laying inside their house. Youth owning motor bike taxis in the village mobilized themselves and gave chase to the suspect with whom they caught up near Kenya Tanzania border as he headed to Tarime across the border. The tied him up brought him back to the scene of the murder and lynched him.

According to the relatives, the couple had disagreement before the incident. The suspect had a quarrel with the wife and this prompted a meeting under the chairmanship of the woman’s father where e decision was made that the two should part the company. This did decision did not pleased the suspect, but he never objected to it. But the family made one silly mistake of allowing the couple to go and sleep in one house. The suspect had begged for permission to stay in the house for the night since it was getting late in the evening so that he could go the next day.

The relatives say the couple was constantly quarreling and at one time separated for a couple of months before the killer came back after they were reconciled. Neighbor said the bodies had deep cut on the heads and neck and an axe which is suspected to have been used by the killer and a hoe were discovered covered in the house covered with blood.

In Ki9sumu, police had vigorously pursued the killer of wife and her three children at Nyalenda Peri-urban of the City, and caught with him in his native Siaya district. Before the suspect could be arraigned in court, police had a lot of difficulties keeping away the crowd of onlookers baying for his blood suspect’s blood.

The crow which camped outside the police forced the intervention of senior police officers who summoned the four fierce police dogs to disperse the crowd after their plea with the building up crowd to disperse peacefully and go home had hit the rock.

One senior police officers addressed the crowd and told them,’ We have the suspect and trials against him will be instituted soon,”said the PPO Larry Kieng urging the crowd to go peacefully.

“We want kill him instantly, if you let him go to prison, he will kill many more innocent people,” shouted a man from the crowd in perfect English.

The trouble had started at Koidiaga in Gem constituency along the Kisumu Busia road where the public had identified him and wanted to lynch him, but he was rescued by the police..

The suspect was seen selling a radio set when police from Dudi Police Post were trailing him following a tip off. The suspect was seen moving around the market while looking for a buyer for his radio, perhaps to get enough money to escape further to a distant place. A man who claimed he knew him shouted at the top of his voice and this attracted the public.

The accused had killed his wife Pamela Akiny Orawo and her three children and fled the town. Was said to have been a boda boda bicyle taxi operator in Nuyalenda area,. He escaped by the night and vanished until last weekend when the police caught him in Gem area near the border of Gem and Butere/Mumias districts. He had inherited the deceased six years ago after the death of her husband. It was not immediately established whether he was related to the deceased husband of the woman or just a handpicked friend and lover. He did not sire any of the slaughtered children with the deceased.

But this particular incident left the City of Kisumu a state of shock. There could have been more similar incidents, but which went unreported in various part of rural locations. Religious leaders and clergymen have contributed these series of killings to the excessive consumption of “Chang’aa” which has since been licensed by the government.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

About the author, Leo Odera Omolo is a veteran Kisumu baswed journalist who comments on various topics and writing for several publication locally and abroad. He operates in Kisumu and parts of Tanzania and Uganda. He could be reached on Mobile phone No 0722 486181 and 0734 509215

Ugandan tycoon produces bundles of dollars in an hotel to prove his detractors wrong

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From: Leo Odera Omolo

CITY tycoon Michael Ezra Mulyowa has denied being on the run over debts, displaying wads of dollars ($3m) to prove his point.

Michael Ezra displays stacks of dollars to journalists to prove that he is not bankrupt.

Addressing a press conference at classy Emin Pasha Hotel in Nakasero yesterday, Ezra, 37, said he owes the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) about sh1b in unpaid taxes and the National Bank of Commerce sh400m.

He added that he and his partners were in the process of paying up “at a convenient time”.

He declined to name his partners or how the amounts accumulated, but added that the issue had been around since November 2008.
“The commissioner general of URA is not wrong to say I owe them money because promises to pay have not been fulfilled. As negotiations continue, I have engaged several lawyers and auditors,” he said.

Ezra, who had been said to be on the run, also said he needed to consult whether he would pay the taxes as an individual or share them with other concerned parties.

“I am trying to be as evasive as possible, but what came out (in the media) was at the wrong time,” he said.
Ezra, who said he is unique and that some people were planting negative stories about him in order to “demystify” him, said a feeling was being created that he was getting “finished”.

“I don’t think I am the only one who owes URA. Bill Gates has debts too. What is the hullabaloo about? I don’t know of any international dealer who doesn’t owe money,” he said.

In a letter of August 23, URA boss Allen Kagina asked the internal affairs ministry to bar Michael Ezra from travelling abroad before he paid up the taxes.

Ezra said he read about the travel ban in the media. He said the problem was not Kagina’s communication, but the timing and leakage to the media.
He said he was prompted to come out over the matter because of the tax element and other debts that made it appear he was “going down”.

“Maybe I am already down. Some people are not comfortable as long as I am around. I have been living a quiet life deliberately,” he said.

On Thursday, the Commercial Court also ordered Ezra to pay over sh400m he borrowed from the National Bank of Commerce. The money carries an interest of 31% per annum.

The bank said in 2009, Ezra borrowed sh400m that carried a 25% interest. The money was supposed to be paid back in two installments within four months.
In September last year, the Kenyan police questioned Ezra in Nairobi over allegedly issuing a cheque that was dishonoured. The cheque was to pay for medical equipment worth $20,400 from a doctor in Kenya. Yesterday, he showed transfer forms that showed he had paid for the equipment.

Asked what he does for a living, Ezra said: “I am a private citizen who does private business. When I become a public citizen, that’s when I will be obliged to declare. There are people who know what I do and where, but it’s purely my business.”

He warned that “the end of this will be powerful”, citing many attempts on his life because “people fear what they don’t know or understand about him”.

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Kenya has one of the smallest tribes with only 1,758 people reveals the census

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

KENYA has one of the smallest tribe {community} consisting only of 1,758 people, the just released census has revealed.

The Konso community lives in the expansive Rift Valley Province, which tops other seven provinces with the population of 10,006,805 followed Eastern 5,668,123, Nyanza 5.442711, Western 4,334,281,Coast 3,3285207,North Eastern 2,310,757,Nairobi 3,138,369 people.

Kosno is followed by El-Molo of Lake Turkana with the population of 2,844.. Isaak of the Northern Eastern Province are the third in smallness in population with 3,160,followed by Bung’omek 3,704,Njemps of Baringo are in the fifth position with a population of 5,228,and followed closely by Leysan’s 3,941 population.

The reports have revealed that the Ogiek {Ndorobo} this time has an impressive population at 78,691. In fact the Ogiek are now more than Kenyan Asian whose population has drastically dwindled from 200,000strong at the time of independence in 1963 to only 46,782.

Other smaller tribes include the Orma 66,275,Rendile 60,337. Tharaka 178,908,Borana 161,399,Swahili 110,614, Gabra 89,515,Embuy 324,092, Samburu 237,179.

These five digits figures are in sharp contrast to the six digits of the big tribes led by the Kikuyu 6,,622,576, Luhyia 5,338,666,Kalenjin 4,967,328, Luos are the fourth with 4,044,440 members followed by Kambas with 3,893,157 members.

According to the figures released, Somali whose population figures are highly in doubt are now reported to have surpassed the Kisii with the population of {2,205,669}. Kisii population stood at 1,960,574, Meru 1,654,108, Maasai 841,622,Teso cap the list of the top ten tribes with 238 member, the Kuria of Southern Nyanza has 260,401 members while the Luo-Abasuba’s population stood at 139,271.

The importance of the numbers lies largely in political mobilization than distribution of national resources.

This is because the latter has assumed an expanded criteria among them geographical size, needs of a particular area and national distribution among 47 counties with little regard to tribe numbers.

According to the new constitution, not less than 15 per cent o the national revenue shall be distributed among counties in an equitable manner but also detailed in the constitution.

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According to .the news constitution, not less than 1.5 per cent of the national revenue shall be distributed among the counties in an equitable manner but also considering a criteria detailed in the constitution. But although certain

And although certain tribes might vote as a bloc for their presidential candidate, e will have to garner more than half of the cotes cast in the election. It hoped that when the 82 extra parliamentary seats as proposed by the Boundary Review Commission headed by the former Assistant Minister Andrew Ligale,it is certain that some constituencies are as big a s between five and six times than the other. The constituency with the highest registration of voters if Embakassi has about 400,00 registered voters, whereas another constituency in NFD has the lowest population of the registered voters numbering only 76,000voters.

Although certain tribes might vote as a bloc for their presidential candidate, the candidate still have to garner more than half of all the votes cast in the election.

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KENYA: LUO MPS TOLD TO DEFEND THEIR PARLIAMENTARY SEATS AND REAP THE SEEDS THEY HAVE SOWED INSTREAD OF RUNING FOR SENATE AND TO GIVE CHANCES OTHERS.

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Political News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town

ANY legislator from Luo-Nyanza in the 10th Parliament who is contemplating the possibility of abandoning his parliamentary seat in preference of running for any of the four Counties Senate seats would live to regret as the electorate have vowed not to entertain such a move.

The MPS from this region have been told to defend their seat and reap the seeds they sowed as the result of their individual performance in the August house. They should give the community the space to breathe fresh air and give the four chances which have been availed in the new constitution to others.

A survey conducted in the past week by this writer has revealed that they community will vote for some of the hard working MPs who have been so productive in their respective constituencies. The electorate would consider those who intend to abandon their parliamentary seats in preference to the Senate seats as failures and they would be shown the exit door in the 2012.

This is the reaction of the electorate in most part of Luo-Nyanza following the recent publication of stories in a section of the media houses to the effect that some of the Legislator in the current parliament were considering the possibility of seeking for election in the Upper House, and as such were contemplating the idea abandoning their seats in the Lower House for the more covenant Senate representation.

A number of names of the present MPs respecting various constituencies across the Luo land have been mentioned as those considering the possibility of running for Senate seats instead of defending their present seats in the August House.

Among the legislators whose names are making the round as those considering the possibility of running for the Senate seats instead of defending their present seats in the current parliament include Dr. Oburu Oginga {Bondo} Dalmas Otieno {Rongo} Prof Anyang” Nyong’o {Kisumu Rural}, John OLago Aluoch {Kisumu Township West}

The majority of the electorate considers such a move as greediness. The MPs should stick to their guns and defend the seeds of fruits they have sowed in the August House, because running for the Senate seats and abandoning the electorate would amount to abdicating from their responsibilities. Moreover there are better politicians in the region in excess, and who should also be given chance to try their luck in the Senate.

“If an MP has failed to deliver the goods to his constituents while representing them the people even if he was to be elected in Senate,” said Eng Phillip Makabong’o a Rongo politician, adding that the new constitution should usher in the sprit of “One Man One Job”.

Makabong’o who contested the Rongo Parliamentary seat in 2007 on ODM ticket, but abandoned his candidature before the party primaries to become the chief campaigner for the incumbent Dalmas Otieno also insists that those elected to Parliament or Senate should not be allowed to contest party offices at the branches levels. They should give those chances to others who want to lead their communities to do so and stick to their parliamentary duties.”

“It will be the time for the sitting MPs to reap the fruits of their sweats, but to those who have performed dismally would be required to account for their work before being reconsidered for the re-election. We expect the Senate to be an important institution of good governance, but to not the haven or hideout for failures. “says a Ksumu Town veteran politician John Bruno Oloo

In Ukwala, a registered voter in Ugenya constituency Mr.James Oduor told this writer that the electorate in area still in ardent need of the services of their MP James Aggrey Orengo whose sterling performance is greatly admired by the electorate. We still need him in Parliament, and therefore he should not allow some irresponsible political brokers to succeed in persuading him to abandon his seat.

The common saying in the entire Luo-Nyanza is that those current and past MPS who are known to have collaborated with others in vandalizing the revolving funds made available to their respective constituencies for socio-economic and infrastructure development should not be allowed to ump the ship before adequately accounting for the money.

People are unanimous in the entire region that these gentlemen of Parliament must be forced by the sponsoring political parties to account for the government revolving funds before being allow to shift goals from{Parliament to the Senate. this way taxpayers millions of shilling would be lost.

Those MPs who are currently said considering the options of switching from contesting the next general election in defense of their present parliamentary seats would be most welcome, but the one who are contemplating the idea or running away from their responsibility before adequately accounting for the CDF money would run into a lot of difficulties with the electorate in this region. It is being alleged that some of the MPs have turned out themselves to be the contractors or the suppliers of the hardware material used in the construction of CDF funded projects in their respective constituencies or are known to be using relatives, friends and proxies in the exercises the purpose of tapping the government availed resources.

Such scams could be seen in the escalating prices of the materials used in the construction of CDF funded projects in most of the rural constituencies inside Luo-Nyanza. Some of the current MP, it is further being alleged had borrowed millions of shillings from traders for their campaign kitties in 2007 and are repaying back their debts by insisting that the same creditors be given tenders for the supplies of materials used in the constructed of CDF funded projects in their respective constituencies at the escalated prices to replenish their debts. This has of late become the thorniest issues between CDF managers, local committees and the MPs. Some of the legislators, it is further being alleged further, had borrowed monies in forms of building materials, which they used in making hefty donations of the same borrowed materials to the various projects such schools, health centers, women groups and churches to popularize themselves with the electorate on promises that the traders would recover their monies by being awarded lucrative tenders of supplying construction materials to the CDF.

This has been the subjects of conflicts of interests whch has seen some MPOs disbanding or dismissing the entire CDF local committees. In most cases only appointing some of their political cronies, semi-illiterate relatives and friends who immediately turns out to be the easiest targets of manipulations.

Meanwhile the news analysis about the possible contenders for the four Senate seats which are allocated the four regional Counties in Luo-Nyanza by the new constitution has provoked sharp reaction from certain quarters.

It has also brought to the surface new more name of the would be aspirants and their foes. In Kisumu, the former Nyando MP Eng Eric Opon Nyamunga who was earlier reported to be one of the possible contestants is reported to have bowed out of the Senate race in favor of Eng.Maxwell Otieno Odongo, a prominent businessman in Kisumu and Nairobi. Nyamunga could not be reached by phone to confirm or deny the rumor.

At the same time the candidature of Cyprian Otieno Awiti, the for former Country Director of Marrie Stoppie Clinics in Kenya and African region appeared to be the most welcome in Homa-Bay County.

A good number of the MPs from the region interviewed by this writers have confirmed that they would prefer working with Awiti who they highly praised as development conscious leaders who has donated millions of shillings in supports of socio-projects in the region in the past without considering the constituencies boundaries..

Awitiis not only popular in his home turf of Rachuonyo Northand Rachuonyo South constituencies, but extended to other regions like Suba, where he is the darling of the electorate in both Gwassi and Mbita constituencies and in Ndhiwa where he is said to be having good rapport with the incumbent MP Joshua Orwa Ojode. He has conducted numerous high profile Harambee fund drive in Ndhiwa in aid of the school and churches.

Other names being floated as possible candidates for the same Senate seat include that of immediate former Gwassi MP Zadock Syong’o who is said to be keen inmaking political come back after staying in the cold ever since he lost the Gwassi seat in 2007 general election to a newcomer John Mbadi.

Another new name that is making the round is that of the former long serving Principal of Kanga High School, Mr Samuel Kaunda Ogweno. His name is coming out strongly from Gwassi Constituency his home turf. Kauda s the current Principal of Sawagongo High School In Gem constituency, which within only one year and using his professional and administrative prowess has quickly turned around the school which was hitherto run down to be one of the best schools in the region.

The electorate in Gwassi sis they would back Kaunda for either Senate or Parliament if he chose to stand so that they could exploit to the maximum his proven administrative ability that had seen Kanga taking the lead in national exam of other schools in the region for ten consecutive years in.

When approached Kaunda who hails from Kakisingiri sub-clan in Gwassi constituency and is said to be having a lot of influence in the constituency declined to offer any comment, only saying he was currently busy teaching his student at Sawagongo to the best of his ability and would not comment on what the people says in the locality. He, however, promised to respond at an appropriate time.

In Bondo, the former Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju’s name has also re-surfaced as one of those who would be vying for the Siaya Senate seat, though the former Minister is likely toru into trouble with the ODM supporters in this a region which is considered as the stronghold of the party which is led by the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, the man who Tuju once rubbed shoulders with the wrong way.

The name of the current Bondo MP Dr, Oburu Odinga is also being floated for the same seat, and so is the name of Prof. William Ochieng’ the former Principal of Maseno University College, and former Chief Engineer {Roads} Eng. David Maganda, is now a prominent businessman in both Kisumu and Nairobi.

The common talks among the Luos is that those MPs in the current parliament who have the record of sterling performance such as Oyugi Magwanga {Kasipul Kabondo} John Pesa{Migori}, Joshua Orwa Ojode {Ndhiwa}, Jakoroyo Midowo {Gem}, Jamsd Orengo {Ugenya} Eng Jasmesd Rege {Karachuonmyo}, Otieno Kajwang” {Mbita} Pyllins Ochieng’ Daima {Nyakach} Edick Omondi Anyanga {Nyatike} and Dr. Oburu Odinga { Bondo} should be returned to parliament to continue with their good work for the job well done..

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Ugandan placed in custody on suspicion of killing his opponents supporters

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Writes Leo Oder Omolo

THE MP for Buhaguzi in Hoima, Tom Kyahurwenda, was yesterday arrested after his rival, Julius Junjura, reported that he had killed two of his agents and beaten up others as they headed to Karama polling station in Kabwoya sub-county.

Police officers arresting the MP of Buhaguzi in Hoima, Tom Kyahurwenda, at his home in Kabwoya over election matters.

The mid-western regional Police commander, Mercellino Wanitho, ordered the arrest of the MP after a bitter exchange of words with him at his home in Kabwoya sub-county.

“Don’t intimidate me because you are an MP. We have powers to handle all candidates who are unruly. You are a suspect from now, hand over your gun. Arrest him,” he ordered his juniors.

“I am ready to be arrested and killed for telling the truth. You are serving a system that is rotten,” the MP shouted as he was being arrested.

Wanitho retorted: “You and your supporters have caused problems and that is why we are here. You are beating up voters to disrupt the exercise.”

He, however, clarified that no one was killed as Junjura said, adding that the agents were just hiding, sparking rumours that they had been killed.

Kyahurwenda was being held at Hoima Central Police Station. He blamed his arrest on his brothers. “We are 72 brothers in the family but four of them keep ordering the Police to arrest me every time they want,” he added.

Last year, the MP was accused of murdering his sister. Kyahurwenda accused the Police of escorting Junjura to his rallies and distributing items to voters at night. Junjura is the deputy RDC for Isingiro.

He said the district Police chief, Augustine Kasangaki, was campaigning for Junjura. “Am I mad to campaign? Kasangaki asked.

End

Presidential nomination in Uganda for next year’s polls will be on October 25 this year

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Reports Leo odera Omolo

THE nomination dates for presidential and parliamentary candidates for 2011 are October 25 and 26, the Electoral Commission said yesterday.

In a statement, chairperson Badru Kiggundu said presidential candidates will be nominated at the commission’s head offices in Kampala, and at the district headquarters for parliamentary candidates.

Kiggundu showing journalists that the leader of opposition in Parliament, Ogenga Latigo, is registered too. This was at the EC headquarters yesterday

District chairpersons and councillors will be nominated on November 4 and 5 at the district and county headquarters, respectively.

For the municipality chairpersons and councillors the date will be November 4 and 5 at the district headquarters. Kiggundu also said sub-county chairpersons and their councillors will be nominated from October 27 to 29 at the county headquarters.

“The nomination guidelines and forms shall be available at the offices of the district returning officers from September 8,” he said.

To be eligible for the presidential and parliamentary seats, a candidate must be a citizen of Uganda, a registered voter and have at least an A’level certificate or its equivalent.

A person cannot stand for president if he is of unsound mind, holds an office that handles elections, or is a cultural leader or is bankrupt.

Anyone under a death sentence or a sentence of imprisonment exceeding nine months without an option of a fine cannot also stand.

Candidates may be disqualified if they have within seven years immediately preceding the election, been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude or convicted over election crimes.

Presidential candidates must also submit 100 supporters from at least 75 districts to be nominated, Kiggundu stressed.

Commenting on the exclusion of voters’ photographs on the web-based national register, Kiggundu said: “The national voters’ register has 15,002,720 voters. The inclusion of photographs would have extensively slowed the downloading speed.”

He said following the conclusion of the display of the national register on Tuesday, the commission would display the lists of all persons whose names have been recommended for deletion from September 3 to 10 at parish headquarters.

“The purpose of this supplementary display exercise is to enable any person who may have been wrongly recommended for deletion to raise an objection to the parish tribunal,” he added.

On the delay to pay field election officials, Kiggundu said many of those they recruited did not have bank accounts and submitted accounts of friends and relatives to receive their wages.

“Such accounts were queried by Bank of Uganda, and the commission has contacted the officials to clear the matter. All the affected officials will be paid.

End

Uganda: Museveni is set to capture the NRM leadership and next year presidential poll

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has returned nomination forms for the post of NRM chairman and for party flag-bearer in the 2011 presidential elections.,the government owned NEWVISION has reported.

The presidential assistant on political affairs, Moses Byaruhanga, on Monday handed over the forms to the NRM electoral commissioner, Lydia Wanyoto, at the party headquarters on Plot 10, Kyaddondo Road. Her colleague Israel Kayonde was also present.

Wanyoto quickly perused through the forms, signed and stamped both the original and duplicate copy that is returned to the candidate.

“The documents of aspirants for the different party positions will be forwarded to the central executive committee and the national conference. We thank candidate Yoweri Museveni for showing interest,” Wanyoto said.

The forms required aspirants to show their academic qualifications, voters’ card number and NRM party membership card number, among other things. They needed endorsement of at least 20 members of the delegates’ conference.

“Although we were required to get 20 signatures, we have got from the whole country. All delegates support candidate Museveni,” Byaruhanga said.

He explained that President Museveni’s interest in the top posts of the party was in response to a request by the NRM national executive committee (NEC) and district conferences that urged him to stand again for a fourth term.

“Candidate Museveni was urged by NEC and district conferences to offer his candidature to lead the party for the next five years and to become the party’s flag-bearer because he is capable. It is not his personal interest, but he is responding to that request. He could have done other things,” Byaruhanga added.

The NRM will hold its special organs conference on September 6 and 7, while its national conference is slated for September 11 and 12 at Namboole stadium.

Other aspirants for the post of NRM national chairman are former State House aides; Dr. Elizabeth Nabatanzi and Capt. Daudi Maguru.

President Museveni, 65, over the weekend spoke about his desire to be re-elected party leader and presidential candidate.

“I have returned my papers for nomination and now I can say, please vote for me,” Museveni told leaders of people with disabilities, women and youth leagues at Kamukuzi in Mbarara Municipality on Saturday.

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Uganda: Ministers in shocking and surprise defeat during nominations for next year polls

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The semi official government mouth-piece, the NEW VISION reported this morning that four ministers were defeated in the NRM primaries to choose parliamentary candidates for next year’s general elections.

Provisional results show that ministers Janat Namuyangu, Simon Ejua, Simon D’ujanga and Dr. Emmanuel Otaala were trounced by little known opponents.

Namuyangu, the state minister for water, is also woman MP for Pallisa. She wanted to abandon the affirmative action seat created to boost women representation in Parliament and had sought to be directly elected for Kibuku constituency.

Incumbent Saleh Kamba beat her in the race marred by violence. Kamba polled 21,539 votes compared to Namuyangu’s 5,738 votes. The elections that started at about 3:00pm were concluded at about 6:00pm on Monday.

Mubarak Kalungi, the returning officer who came from NRM headquarters in Kampala, declared the results yesterday morning at Kibuku district NRM offices.

Kalungi said Namuyangu called him at 4:20pm on Monday, saying she wanted to pull out of the race to contest as an independent.

In Vurra county in Arua district, transport minister Simon Ejua lost to Dr. Sam Okuonzi.
Okuonzi scored 16,041 votes, while the minister managed only 9,756. The result excludes two villages where election materials reached late.

Labour minister Dr. Emmanuel Otaala suffered defeat at the hands of new entrant, Jacob Oboth Oboth.

In a somewhat close race, Otaala scored 11,123 votes, 6,712 votes less those for Oboth.

Elsewhere, security minister Amama Mbabazi (Kinkiizi West), public service minister Seezi Mbaguta (Rukungiri), former health minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi (Rujumbura) and former health state minister Capt. Mike Mukula (Soroti Municipality) won.

Mbabazi won in Kinkiizi West with 36,522 votes ahead of his rival Gad Rugaju, who got 10,808.

According to partial results released by district registrar Hillary Tindiwensi, Muhwezi was leading in four sub-counties, while his opponent, Dr. Alex Kamugisha, won only in his home sub-county of Buhunga.

Mbaguta was also in the lead in the sub-counties of Bugangari, Bwambara and Buhunga, while her main challenger, the incumbent Woman MP, Winifred Masiko, was also leading in Rukungiri municipality and Ruhinda sub-county.

In Amuru district, the former minster for northern Uganda, Betty Bigombe, had a landslide victory as the flag-bearer for the Woman MP seat.

Education minister Namirembe Bitamazire was cruising to victory for the Butambala Woman MP seat, according to provisional results. By 5:45pm yesterday, Bitamazire was ahead of her closest rival, Mariam Nalubega, by 3,951 votes.

In the contest for the Butambala constituency seat, the incumbent Kaddunabbi Lubega recorded a resounding victory by garnering 97,211 votes against his rival, Faisal Kikulukunyu’s 10,660.

The Amuru district NRM registrar, Sunday Ola, said with 95% of the votes counted, Bigombe was leading with 8,366, followed by the Peace Recovery and Development commissioner, Elizabeth Alimadi, with 1,008 votes, while Concy Adoch Nyapolo polled only 430 votes.

In Oyam district, the Woman MP, Beatrice Lagada, maintained her position with 4,687 votes, followed by Joyce Otim with 81 votes. For Oyam North MP, Savior Ogena won with 2,543 and his opponent, Francis Onena, got 400 votes.

In Mityana South, Henry Kamya Makumbi was nominated unopposed as the NRM flag-bearer. Makumbi, who has been the LC3 chairperson for Mityana town council, wants to unseat Ssozi Kaddu Mukasa (Independent).

In Nwoya, senior presidential advisor on northern Uganda, Richard Too-Dwong won with a landslide victory. He polled 4,922 votes, while George Willy Mwaka, the runner-up, scored 1, 411 votes.

In the race for the Nwoya Woman MP seat, Lilly Adong fetched 6,142 votes, while her fellow contender, Rose Mary Acayo, polled 1,056 votes.

In Omoro county, former MP Jacob Oulanyah won, while in Gulu Municipality, Michael Ochora triumphed. Oulanyah got 6,384 votes, while George Omona got only 311 votes.

In the newly-created district of Ngora, Dr. Abraham Isamat emerged as the NRM party flag-bearer after trouncing five other opponents.

Isamat, who has been the Ngora district veterinary officer, got 14,370 votes in the four sub-counties that constitute Ngora.

Jacqueline Amoding became the district Woman MP flag-bearer unopposed.

Ends

Uganda: Man suspected of Kampala twin bombing confesses his link to Al-qaeda group

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Report By Leo Odera Omolo

MUHAMOUD Mugisha, one of the suspects charged with the July 11 Kampala twin bombings, yesterday appeared at Nakawa Magistrates’ Court and recorded an extra-judicial statement.

He recorded his statement before Grade One Magistrate George Obong, after he offered to record an additional statement related to the blasts.

Mugisha, 24, is among the 32 suspects who were charged on August 16 with terrorism, murder and attempted murder at the same court. He is a resident of Kiwunya Zone, Nakulabye, in Rubaga division, but is of Rwandan origin.

The magistrate declined to divulge what Mugisha said in his confession, saying it would be prejudicial and against his work ethics.

But a source said Mugisha confessed to being an “al-Qaeda’s linkman in Uganda”. According to the source, Mugisha confessed that by the time the bombs went off, he was in Luzira Prison, where he had been charged with illegal possession of a Ugandan passport.

He was released on bail on July 29, and arrested a few days later at the Malaba border point on his way to Kenya enroute to Somalia.

The source added that Mugisha said “he is well travelled and has always made frequent trips to Kenya to meet his al-Qaeda superiors.

The source added that Mugisha confessed to being a close friend of Isa Ahmed Luyima, who has since recorded an extra-judicial statement, saying he “smuggled the suicide bomb jackets” into the country. The jackets were assembled in Somalia.

Security was tight at the court and the magistrate’s chambers were sealed off by security personnel for the entire period of the confession.

At least 79 revellers lost their lives in the bomb blasts that went off at Kyadondo Rugby Club in Lugogo and the Ethiopian Village Restaurant in Kabalagala as they watched the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. Somalia’s al-Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the blasts.

Ends