Category Archives: Uganda

Buganda MP warns Museveni that his people will take up arms and fight for democracy and rule of law

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BUGANDA MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WARNS MUSEVENI THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL TAKE UP ARMS, AND FIGHT FOR THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

A MEMBER of Ugandan Parliament from Buganda Kingdom has warned that members of the Baganda community, the most populous group, has issued a stern warning to president Yoweri Museveni, saying that his people would consider the option of taking up arms and fight, if the government fails to implement democratic  policies and the rule of the law.

Hussein Kyanjo, who represents Makindye West in the Uganda Parliament, said democracy and the rule of the law are the wishes of the majority of Ugandans, and that the Bagandas will not hesitate to take up arms and fight for their rights, if President Museveni refuses to adhere to the principles of democracy and the rule of law in the country.

In an emotional speech before 1000 delegates ate the Buganda conference, held at the Hotel Africana last Thursday, Kiyanjo said that the majority of the Ugandan wants the federalism system of government.

The MP quoted President Museveni as having repeatedly told Ugandans that, “if a jigger is in the foot the best solution is to remove it.”

“Some people in my constituency keep on suggesting that if the government has failed to adhere to democratic rules, then we should then overthrow them”. Kiyanjo was further quoted by the government owned NEWVISION in its latest edition as having told the emotionally charged meeting that would be the only alternative to the current political stand off between Buganda and the government.

The ruling NRM , he said, fought in the bush was for democracy, but if it has failed to abide by the rules of the democratic games, then the Baganda would resort to war as an alternative. means of solving he current political stand-off.

“When you oppress the people, you expect them to resort to violence. We do not want to be like Somalia where violence is the order of the day. I want to be frank that if we fail to get power through democracy, then we shall use force”, the MP said.

Earlier on, Kiyanjo had clashed with Major Kakooza Mutale of the NRM, who rubbished the conference, by saying that the question of power cannot be discussed at such a forum.

“How can someone come here and insult us by saying that power is not discussed? Power belongs to the people. There is a different between power and force. What your government has is a force not power”, the MP told the major.

Closing the conference, the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Mutebi, defiantly renewed his demand for a federal system of government, despite repeated warning by President Museveni that cultural leaders should stay out of politics.

“The finding of Odoki’s Commission were that the majority of the people of Buganda and over 60 per cent of the rest of Ugandans wanted federalism. This is the authentic voice of Ugandans. So why deny them that right?”, the Kabaka asked, attracting prolonged applause and ululations.

Kabaka Mutebi called for federalism system, not only for his Buganda Kingdom, but for all parts of Uganda. He said the 1962 constitution had not fully addressed the federal question, because the system had been denied to other parts of Uganda, and granted to the others.

The Kabaka explained that by the time colonialists came to Uganda, there were established nations, which he said, must be repeated and revived.

Calling his Buganda Kingdom as a multi-tribal nation, the Kabaka, in an unusual long speech, said his people had welcomed and incorporated people from all background.

“We are people of one family, and live in peace and harmony. We talk to each other honestly and with mutual respect .This costs nothing. Therefore, members of our family have concerns, which must be adhered to.

Excitement and emotions ran so high that some  of the participants kept chanting, “bayes likenoinyin nsi la Buganda {landlord aye Nyanja tenanyirwa{the one who can make you sick}. These emotions were fueled MP Hussein Kytanjo’s hard hitting attack on the NRM government, and a cultural group dance “Teibafanana Abifuna”, which entertained the delegates.

The song in vernacular translates like, “We are fighting for Buganda excited the advocacy of “federo”and Buganda but some are betraying us and “Aklanyomoynomo zikusanje baroyoma nnyinimi nyasibayo nebi”{ you despise the king, then you have lost it].

Earlier, the DP Presidential candidate, Mr Norbat Mao, PPP party leader, Bidandi Ssali, and the former High Court judge, George Kanyaihamba jointly declared their support for the federal system of government in Uganda.

“Federalism will deal with corruption, restore the prestige of the government institutions, and bring redress for imbalances in economic prosperity,” said Mr. Mao.

Ex-Judge Kanyaihamba, blasted beneficiary Buganda personalities, who have failed to defend the federal system of government to protect their status, survival and business aggrandizement.

In their final resolution, the participants stressed that Buganda is not seeking special status, but want federalism for all Ugandans.
It also called for a convention for all the communities of Uganda to have a dialogue on the federal system of government.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Uganda Parliament Passes the Controversial local Government bill that would kill tribal kingdoms

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UGANDAN PARLIAMENT HAS PASSED THE CONTROVERSIAL REGIONAL GOVERNMENT BILL, SEEN BY OBSERVERS AS A MOVE TO DISMANTLE TRIBAL KINGDOMS.

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo in KISUMU city.

UGANDAN parliament on Tuesday afternoon last week passed a controversial Regional Government Bill 2009, which observers and political pundits were quick to point out, that the new legislation is aimed at dismantling the tribal kingdoms and traditional rulers in that country.

The Bill was tabled in the House by the country’s regional Minister, Adolf Mwesige. The Bill is expected to operationalize Article 178 of the Republican Constitution, which stipulated among other things that, “where two or more districts shall be free to cooperate in areas of cultural activities and development.

When a traditional or cultural leader exists in the region, that particular leader shall be the titular head of the regional government”. In other words, he will be a symbolic head who cannot make any decision for the region.

Critics of the new Bill, however, raised a number of issues, which they said must be addressed. They argue that although there is no problem as far as the legality of the Bill is concerned once it starts operationalising Article 178 of the constitution, there is a big problem of creating regional authorities in some places and not in other regions.

An opposition FDC party MP, Abdu Katuntu, who is also a lawyer by profession, set the debate alive by saying that he was of the opinion that the government should have come up with a uniform formula in regional government. ”We should by now be talking about uniform legislation that covers the entire country”, he added.

The lawyer-cum-politician further argued that creating another layer of government in some places and not in other is not good for Uganda.

On the provision that is making traditional cultural leaders titular heads of the regional governments, Katuntu was of the view that this provisions is basically meant “to calming of the nerves of the Baganda, so that they do not clamor for federal system, commonly popular as “federo””.

Then MP wondered aloud as to what will happen in the neighboring Busoga Kingdom, which is currently facing succession problems?
Buganda’s Attorney General, Apollo Makubuya, says Mengo is preparing to present its stands and position on the Bill. He says, Mengo is disappointed that the government went up to the stage of tabling the Bill in the House, without giving the Buganda Kingdom ca hance to negotiate as they had requested earlier.

“Uganda Kingdom”, said Makubuya, “want federal status {Federo} with a regional Prime Minister elected by the Lukiko {Traditional Parliament}, composed of the{ Kabaka’s appointees} and not by the population as proposed in the new Bill”.

Mengo {Buganda} also wants more control of land and taxes. The Mengo establishment, which allows the President of Uganda to take over the regional government, where there is  a failure to recognize regional sovereignty.

The Buganda is also opposed to the demarcation of MENGO municipality and Kampala City without consultation with the Buganda Kingdom, and so is the Entebbe town, which is housing the  State House, also right inside the Buganda Kingdom, and where he State House is situated.

“We will form the opinion and present it to the Lukiko, and the Lukiko will pass resolution on the matter that will be passed on to the  government of Uganda” said the Buganda’s AG.

Madame  Beth Kamya {FDC} pointed out that the Adoki Commission had established ,later confirmed by the Ssempebwa Commission, which reported that 68 per cent are in favors of the federal system. “On regional Tier, you do not share resources. It is up to the government to work out modalities on providing a grant. We do not want government grants, but a share of our resources,” she said.
‘We shall not accept the proposals contained therein the new regional constitution 2009”,she added..

Other critics of the new legislation say that the Bill will cause confusion in the country, where already decentralization system is in place to bring service nearer to the people. They also opposed pegging culture to the administration of the regional government.
“Why do you create another government with political, legislative, administrative, executive and cultural functions?”, the Opposition MP, Christopher Kabuzanga of the FDC wondered.

Another FDC MP, Reagan Okumu said, in Acholi region in the northern Uganda, there is no overall leader, since the Paramount Chief there is elected to serve for only a period of time.

The controversial Bill provides for the establishment of committees or organs within the regional parliament. The standing committee on cultural matters shall have the exclusive jurisdiction on the “cultural matters”. That includes the choice and establishment of committees or organs within the regional parliament.

The standing committee on cultural matters shall have exclusive jurisdiction on the cultural issues within the region which shall include the choice of  sub-clans leadership, traditional leaders, sites clans units and cultural protection, which is in conformity with the constitution of Uganda.

Each regional government shall be required to have a regional chief executive officer, who in turn shall also be the accounting officer for the region. The CEO shall also be the head of public service and administration security officer.

Madam Alice Alaso {FDC} contended that before the law is passed, “It is so important, you should have a thorough look at the document. If you pass it in hurry then you are going to mess the district local governments”. While the opposition MPs were up in arms against the Bill, the ruling NRM party MPs supported it and agreed with the Local government Minister.

Dr Sam Luonoki says he believes that for regional blocs to have certain interests, the regional tier arrangement can be good .
Like in the case with the Land Bill, the NRM government is capable of using its majority in Parliament to pass the Bill amid protests from Mengo and the Opposition MPs.

A former presidential candidate, Obed Bwanika cautioned the government against using its parliamentary majority in pushing the Bill through. “They are there to enact the law, but we shall mobilize the people to reject it”, he said.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Museveni maintains Grip at Migingo

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Folks,
What is Museveni and his police doing at Migingo, Kenya’s Rocky Island in Kenyan Territory?  This is territory invasion and abuse.  He, Museveni, is Trespassing and has Transgressed consequence of Treasonary charges, including performing Crime against Humanity at Migingo.
Kenya’s Coalition Government has failed to put its house in order, and to protect its people from acts of invasion, and from providing security to protect its Citizens.
Security is a fundamental rights to all Citizens. This kind of situation can only happen in a Failed State.  Kenya has protrayed itself in many ways as a Failed State, requiring an urgent Interim Government instituted, as well as Museven to face charges at ICC in the Hague, for invasion and intrusion in Kenya with wanton killings.
He has committed Violation of Human Rights, using his policemen to harass and kill Kenyans from Migingo.  He must pay for all lives he has killed in Kenya. His mission is to continually and illegally hold Migingo at ransom, so he can slowly and surely kill, and eventually wipe out Luos in Nyanza. This must stop immediately.  He must unconditionally vacate MIGINGO.
We people, must develop a wall to protect our poor helpless people at Migingo,  and push for cases such as these. We must not allow to be tramped on and be made a laughing stock.  We must flash out Museveni, and place him where he belongs, and make sure he gets a room at the Hague as soon as possible.
Museveni is polluting life at Migingo. He is a sneaky poisonous and dangerous human-kind-animal.  We must, at all cost, keep him at bay.  The more he sneakily maintains his stay at Migingo, the more he pollutes the environment there.  He is an environment pollutant.
The whole world must condemn in principle, and DEMAND for environment protection by sending him to Hague.  This kind of animal is no good around human habitation.
Thanks,
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

FGM OFFENDERS IN UGANDA NOW FACE LIFE IMPRISONMENT AFTER PARLIAMENT OKAYS BILL

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UGANDA NOW OFFICIALLY BANS FEMALE CIRCUMCISION AND ANY OFFENDER CAN BE IMPRISONED FOR LIFE.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

UGANDA Parliament on Thursday last week passed a controversial Bill prohibiting female genital mutilation {FGM}.

According to the SUNDAY VISION, the Bill now criminalizes the practice, prosecutes offenders and protects the victims.

FGM is the removal of the external female genitalia. A person found guilty of aggravated FGM will now be liable to life imprisonment.

According to the Bill, a person commits aggravated FGM where death occurs, the victim is disabled, or is infected with HIV/AIDS.

A person who carries FGM shall be liable to imprisonment for 10 years. People who aid the process shall be jailed for five years.

The Bill now awaits to be signed by President Museveni to become law.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

The fragile Coalition government of Kenya is being run by the international bullies behind the scenes, using paid hit men like Kofi Annan and Moreno Ocampo

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The fragile Coalition government of Kenya is being run by the international bullies behind the scenes, using paid hit men like Kofi Annan and Moreno Ocampo

From:  Akech

My fellow country men/women;
(By the way, I do not have PhD, so be kind to my rumbling below)

While most of you are taking shots at each other over the squabble between Raila and Ruto, the fragile Coalition government of Kenya is being run by the international bullies behind the scenes using paid hit men like Kofi Annan and Moreno Ocampo.

Annan and Ocampo are paid consultants representing the interests of NATO (United States, Great Britain, and Europe) in their war against terrorism. The US has invested a lot of capital in Mwai Kibaki since that State Dinner hosted by George W. Bush at Whitehouse in his honor in 2003. Because of this relationship with Mwai Kibaki, PNU is the US, Great Britain and European Union favored ruling party in Kenya.

The Mau saga and The Hague stick were merely ploys introduced to dismantle and put ODM out of commission. It would be a miracle if the Pentagon members can manage to sort out their differences and realize that those poor Kenyans who flocked their rallies were counting on them to bring real changes in Kenya! Apparently, it does not look like the big egos will allow them to do that. I wonder whether these people are not just concerned about themselves, immediate families and their close fiends.

What is more worrisome is that there are parallels between the implosion within ODM right now and what was happening in Rwanda a few months before the 1994 genocide.

(1)US has been a staunch supporter of Paul Kagame and his Rwanda Patriotic Front since its creation by Tutsi exiles in Uganda. The leaders in the RPF army were trained and equipped by US and its European allies.

(2)A year or two prior to Rwanda genocide of 1994, there were a series of power sharing negotiations between the government of Rwanda, under President Juvenal Habyarimana and the then leader of Rwanda Patriotic Front, Paul Kagame, held in Arusha, Tanzania.

(3)During these negotiations, the Rwandan government was pressured and threatened with international sanctions by the US and his European allies to grant power sharing concessions to RPF. Habyarimana granted so many concessions to RPF that made it difficult for the president to justify to his hard line supporters that he was not handing over ruling powers to a minority ethnic group, the Tutsis, under leader Paul Kagame.

During the colonial rule and shortly after independence from the Belgians, the Tutsi minority had supreme powers over the Hutus (85%) and other tribes.

(4)The last straw came just a day before the beginning of the genocide. The hardliners in Habyarimana party were unable to standby and watch what they saw as a military coup by Paul Kagame and his Tutsis minority, through continuous pressure from US and it allies. That day, the plane carrying the Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana (Hutu), and Burundi President Cyprien Nitanyamira (Hutu), who were retuning from reconciliation meetings in Arusha, Tanzania, was brought down by a surface-to-air missile just, before its landing at Kigali Airport. The Rwanda genocide began a couple of hours later that night , April (6-7) 1994

(5)To date, the person or people responsible for the downing of the plane have never been identified. Yet there are international investigators in Rift Valley trying to talk to the locals to unearth who exactly incited the 2007 elections riot that killed 1,000 Kenyans.

Yet, US, France, Great Britain and the European Union have never seen it fit to employ their superior investigative methods to unearth who assassinated the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi on the eve of Rwanda genocide. They have left that single episode to speculations:- Could it have been the Hutu hardliners who were afraid of impending takeover of government by advancing Tutsis RPF, or was it Paul Kagame and it RPF, who wanted to take the power from the Hutus? The environment created was such that either side could have been responsible

************************************************************
(1)ODM has been vilified by international press since the beginning of 2007 Kenyan election campaigns.

(2)To make the Coalition Government work, Raila and ODM have made many concessions to accommodate PNU and have been, deliberately, assigned tasks which put this political party members at odds with each other, as well as their supporting Kenyan voters, who are now left dangling in the air. Yet, through Kofi Annan, more pressure is being exerted by the international powers and directed primarily at the Prime Minister and his team. The pressure has definitely taken its toll!

(3)Raila has become the axe man in implementing policies which only help put him in conflicts with his base supporters in Kenya, particularly, Rift Valley.

(4)The current implosion within ODM has created an atmosphere in which anyone outside ODM party members can harm either Ruto or Raila or both. Should something like this happen, some ODM supporters will be blamed for a nightmare like that!

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While ODM attention is directed towards the squabbles within Kenya, a barrage of NEW laws and rules of engagement in the newly re-created East African Community (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi), with dire consequences to Kenya and Kenyans are taking shape. The continuous disagreements between PNU and ODM in Kenya make it difficult for anybody to determine who is representing ODM’s views or or the views of those who gave them support at these EAC negotiations!

One thing is clear; the well known proxy warriors in East Africa and Lake Victoria regions, Paul Kagame and Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, are now the alpha dogs in the EAC. These are the same well trained, battle hardened Ugandan and Rwandan proxies who have been wreaking havoc in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where over a million Congolese have been killed, and a million others rotting in refugee camps!

This is the resources looting war the world is not interested talking about. Things are just getting worse with resource lootings in the Congo. New East African Community members are getting into the mineral act:

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/-/2558/670830/-/qxs6gjz/-/index.html

The borders between these five EAC countries are becoming porous. One does not need a passport to go in and out of each territory! During the 2008 political turmoil in Kenya, it was rumored that Ugandan forces were seen in Western Kenya and Kisumu District, and there has been Migingo Island issue in Lake Victoria. Next time around, it will be the Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi army chaps who will be wreaking havoc in Western and Nyanza Provinces, and they will not need a permission to come in. This is already taking shape, while majority of Kenyans’ attention is focused elsewhere!

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/-/2558/817786/-/py73rlz/-/index.html

Kofi Annan and Moreno Ocampo have not yet seen it fit to pay one visit to Laurent Nkunda, Paul Kagame’s right hand man, who is responsible for killing and damaging millions Congolese on behalf of multinational corporations. Nkunda is now living in Rwanda, negotiating the terms for his unconditional release.

What exactly did William Ruto do that has made Annan and Ocampo be hot on his trail? Is he worse than Kagame and Nkunda? I am not trying to minimize the deaths of 1,000 and displacement of 35,000 Kenyans during the 2007-2008 election turmoil. I am merely directing your attentions to what some members of EAC are doing in DRC, and what they may be capable of doing in Kenya should things fall apart!

REPEAT, WHILE KENYANS’ ATTENTION IS FOCUSSED ON POLITICAL TURMOILS WITHIN, THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY LAWS WITH DIRE MILITARY AND TRADE COSEQUENCES ARE BEING SHAPED BY THE RESOURCES WAR LORDS WHO ARE NOW MEMBERS OF EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY!

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/opOrEd/comment/-/434750/817950/-/bpuxnr/-/index.html

Uganda Women Prisoners are demanding to have sex with their husbands inside the prisons

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UGANDAN WOMEN INMATES ARE DEMANDING TO BE ALLOWED TO HAVE SEX WITH THEIR HUSBANDS WITHIN THE PRISON WALLS.

REPORTS leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

WOMEN inmates at Luzira main Prison in Uganda have asked to be granted the right to have sex with their husbands within the prison walls!!

This, they argued would help in the speedy rehabilitation of prisoners, the government owned daily the NEWVISION reported this morning.

The report appearing in latest edition says, the demand was made on Tuesday this week  at the Luzira Prison’s Women Wing during a ceremony to mark the International Human Rights Day.

The Luzira Prison, which is located about 9 miles east of the capital on the western shoreline of Lake Victoria has a special women wing, which the report says is currently holding  306  prisoners.

The notable among the inmates was Miss Lydia Draru, the woman who last month confessed to killing the former UPDF Commander in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and also in South Sudan, Major-General James Kazini.  She is currently remanded in this facility while waiting for her murder trial to commence on dates yet to be fixed by the High Court.

The plea by women inmates was delivered to the guests by a prison’s women choir in a song entitled “Rehabilitation in Prison”, saying it was their inalienable right.

However, the Commissioner General of Prisons in Uganda, Mr Johnson Byabasaijja, rejected the plea out rightly, saying the privileges cannot be granted under the prevailing situation.
The Commissioner was further quoted as saying that the Uganda Prison Service has far more pressing issues to deal with, like improving the welfare of prisoners.

“We are not in a position to even talk about conjugal rights now. We have to get you enough rooms, together with basics. After that then we will be able to talk about these rights,” Byabasaijja said.

When contacted by the paper to give his legal opinion over the issue, one Kampala lawyer, Mr Isac Afuna commented, saying that every married woman prisoner has a right to have sex with her spouse.

“Currently, the people have not yet pushed for it. But a married woman prisoner has a right to enjoy her conjugal rights,” the lawyer said.

Several countries have provisions allowing prisoners conjugal rights. These include the United States, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, Denmark, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.

The ceremony was jointly organized by Human Rights Network and the Uganda Human Right Commission.

Guests included the Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda, Joroen Verhaul. The visit to Luzira main Prison, was intended to show solidarity with women prisoners and raise awareness on human rights concerns.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

LAXITY IN CROSS BORDER SECURITY IN EAST AFRICA COMMUNITY COUNTRIES

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LAXITY IN CROSS BORDER SECURITY IN EAST AFRICA COMMUNITY COUNTRIES
From: Fuambo Janyandito

There are daily reports of car thefts near Kenya-Tanzania border, Burundi-Tanzania border, Rwanda-Tanzania border, Rwanda-Uganda border and Rwanda-Burundi border.

This seems to be coinciding with the noble initiative of opening up
borders within the region.

The signing of E A common market protocol does not mean the national security law enforcement and customs agencies should go to sleep.

Why should vehicles pass through border posts without security personnel confirming the ownership and relationship of the driver and the vehicle when vehicles are crossing borders?

Thugs are already taking advantage of this laxity and a vehicle stolen in Isiolo, Kenya can easily cross Uganda into the thin air of Congo.

The national governments should not let security personnel hide under free movement, as they plan together with the thugs, to prey on unsuspecting East Africans.

A Tanzanian in Kenya should always be ready to explain why he is in Kenya, and vice versa, and the public should be trained to promptly report strangers who are neither employed nor doing business. Without harrassing such fellow East Africans who could be visiting, they should be tracked closely.

Security within the community should be well thought out so that new avenues for crime are blocked.

New baby bull rhino is born in Uganda after nearly 30 years since rhino population was decimated by poachers.

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UGANDA HAS A NEW BABY BULL RHINO, AFTER ITS FIRST BABY BULL NAMED BARACK OBAMA WAS BORN SIX MONTHS AGO.

Conservation News By Leo Odera Omolo

UGANDA has seen its second rhino born at the Nakasongola Wildlife Sanctuary this year. The country had its hitherto large herds of rhino population wiped out and put into extinction by poachers about thirty years ago.

After giving birth to a bull calf named Barack Obama six months ago, another male calf was produced at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary last weekend.

The arrival of a healthy baby male calf now brings the total number of rhinos in the country to eight. The number is expected to increase to nine, because another pregnant mother is expected to deliver next month.

The new calf is also a bull and has been named Augustu. This is second rhino calf to be born this year. It bring the number of rhinos born in Uganda to two in 28 years.

Augustu’s mother, Bella, was brought to the country from Solio Ranch in Kenya, but had a still birth in March. .

Currently, the baby and mother are living in seclusion. They are being closely monitored by Ziwa Sanctuary rangers and are reported in good health conditions.

“All the rhinos are wild and roam freely on the 70 square kilometer Sanctuary…. The birth of both calves was totally natural. Our third cow Kori, who also came from Solio Ranch in Kenya, is heavily pregnant, and we are expecting her to calve either in December or early in January next years”, said the chief executive, Mr Genade.

The first baby rhino, Barrack Obama, who was born on June 24,2009, is said to be doing well, according to Mr Genade. “Obama has so far doubled in size and is a very busy boy! He runs like the wind and the rangers struggle to keep up with his energy”.

The two calves are Uganda’s first rhinos to be born in Uganda since the extinction of the black and white rhinos in that country in the early 1980s.

Rhino Fund Uganda, a non governmental Organization [NGO}, runs the Ziwa Sanctuary, which was formed in the 1990s to mobilize funds and technical expertise to bring back the rhinos. Their first initiative was to import rhinos from privately owned Solio Ranch in Kenya.

The two imported rhinos, Sherino and Kabila, are kept at the Uganda wildlife Education Centre. The NGO and Uganda Wildlife Authority are preparing to import six more rhinos from South Africa early next year.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

UGANDA OIL TECHNICIANS TO TRAIN IN CUBA

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UGANDA IS TO SEND ITS OIL TECHNICIANS FOR EXPLORATION AND DRILLING TRAINING IN CUBA, FOLLOWING PRESIDENT MUSEVENI VISIT TO HAVANA.

Business Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

Uganda is to send oil technicians to Cuba, a country which has been successful in oil and gas production, for training, the NEWVISION has reported this morning..

The government-owned daily says in its current edition that the plan to cooperate in the oil industry follows Uganda’s major oil and gas discoveries in the Albertine Graben region, stretching about 23,000 square kilometers from the West Nile to the South-Western tip district of Kanungu..

While visiting the Energas SA Plant at Veladero Matanza Province in Cuba yesterday {Thursday}, President Museveni said Uganda will use the gas from the oil wells for generating electricity.

A total of 34 oil wells have so far been drilled in the Albertine region,32 of which have oil deposits.

The resources, according to the energy minister and oil companies, can sustain long term oil production that could propel the country to the top 50 oil producers in the world.

Sources in the Ugandan ministry of Energy disclosed that the exploration has attracted about {Ushs 961.7 billion} in direct foreign investments. The figure is expected to go up to USD 900 million{Ushs1.7 trillion} by January. Five exploration areas have been licensed to prospecting foreign companies.

The four oil prospecting companies include Tullow Oil, Heritage Oil and Gas, Dominion Petroleum and Neptune Resources..

According to the press release from State House Entebbe, President Museveni, who has been in Cuba for a four day visit, reported to have congratulated Cuban people for locally drilling oil and gas successfully, utilizing it to benefit their country..

President Museveni went to Cuba soon after attending the just concluded Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting {CHOGM} in Trinidad and Tobago. He is being accompanied by the First Lady and cabinet ministers as well as permanent secretaries.

He was further quoted by the NEWVISION as saying, “I was in Cuba 22 years ago. The country had not discovered oil by then, but I am happy to find that for the last ten years, Cuba has become one of the oil and gas producing nations”.

The was shown around by Vadeva Garcia, Cuba’s Oil and Gas Minister, who briefed the Ugandan leader and his entourage about the progress of Cuba oil exploration and productions associated gases using new engineering concepts and technology.

She told the visiting Uganda delegation that oil and gas production in Cuba was a strategic national project, which was closely monitored from exploration, extraction and utilization.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

African Union says foreign mercenaries from African nations and other countries are fighting alongside Somali terrorists

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THE AL SHABAAB ISLAMISTS TERRORISTS IN SOMALIA HAVE ACQUIRED THE SERVICES OF FOREIGN MERCENARY FIGHTERS RECRUITED FROM KENYA,UGANDA AND OTHER NATIONS.

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

KENYANS, and Ugandans are among more than one thousand foreign militants fighting alongside Al-Shabaab forces to overthrow the UN and African Union supported Transitional Somali Government..

This startling revelation was made yesterday in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, by the AU Special representative for Somalia, Wafula Wamunyinyi, a former Kenyan MP-turned diplomat..

The AU representative also listed Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, America, Tanzania ,Sudan as countries where Al-Shabaab militants have recruited its foreign fighters.

Speaking at the opening of a confidence building workshop for the Somalia peacekeeping mission, dubbed AMISOM, Wafula Wamunyinyi pointed out that the presence of Al-Qaeda in Somalia is real and the world should be put on notice.

The AU diplomat observed that the managers and operational commanders of Al-Shabaab belong to Al-Daeda.

“If we don’t put our hands together, the Al-Qaeda will take over Somalia and then spread its terrorists activities to other neighboring African nations, considering the grip they have on Somalia,” Wafula Wamunyinyi said.

“With the involvement of foreign fighters, we need to adopt a new approach towards the conflict in Somalia, away from the perception that these are sub-clans fighting.”

The Special representative informed the two days workshop, held at Speke Resort Munyonyo, that Al-Shabaab has established training camps with Al-Qaeda’s help and financial assistance. “With Al-Qaeda training, you know what to expect, suicide bombing and kidnaps,” he noted.

The AU official said Al-Shabaab foreign fighters strength is currently being estimated to be approximately 1200, half of whom are said to be Kenyans. But others are scattered in other smaller towns, scattered all over the Horn of African nations, and as such the exact figure cold not be assessed.

Wafula Wamunyinyi noted that the foreigners holding important positions within Al-Shabaab establishment as Sheikh Mohamed Abu Faid, a Saudi Arabian born, who is the financier and current ”manager”of the group, while one Abu Musa Mombasa is the head of security and training operations. Mombasa purportedly arrived in Somalia recently from Pakistan to replace Saleh Ali Nebhan, a Kenyan who was killed in US military operation.

Another important foreign element is Abu Mansur Al-Amrik,an American, heads the finance and payroll department of the foreign fighters, while Muhamed Mujijir, a Sudanese is in charge of recruitment of suicide bombers, said Wafula Wamunyinyi.

Also l listed is Ahmed Abdi Godane, an Al-Qaeda graduate from Afghanistan,and Abu Suleiman Banidiri, a Somali of Yemen descent.
Wafula Wamunyinyi said AMISOM has been able to collect valuable information about the fundamentalists through intelligence gathering . “Several militant foreign fighters have also been killed, “ he added.

The AMISOM spokesman, Major Bohoko Bargye told the government owned newspaper, THE NEWVISION that he had personally talked to the three of the Ugandan Al-Shabaab fighters, who issued threats against him, claiming that they knew his whereabouts, and the whereabouts of all his relatives back home in Kampala.

Ajor Bargye said the three spoke Luganda,Kifumbira and Iteso, local dialects in Uganda respectively. He said one of the Ugandan mercenaries had told him that he was a member of the Alliance Democratic Forces {ADF}, a rebel group that is fighting the Ugandan government and operating inside the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Majr Bohoko noted that despite the challenge posed by the militants, the AU mission would not demand a change of its mandate.

Al-Qaeda involvement was not a secret, he observed, saying the terrorists published their presence on the various websites, claiming they were in Somalia to defend their Muslim brothers.

“Going by the information we have gathered, these people are fugitives. They are being sought for by security agencies and criminal investigators for criminal activities, in other countries and were now caught up in this web”.
“They are creating anarchy because they don’t know where to go next if the conflict in Somalia get solved,”said Major Bargye.

He went on saying that Al-Shabaab Islamist Extremist want Somalia to be portrayed as a no-go area, a country that cannot be rectified, so that social criminals from around the world can continue operating from it with impunity.

The two day conference was intended to create awareness among the media and civil society organizations on current and potential peacekeeping troops contributing countries.

Uganda and Burundi are the only countries that have contributed soldiers to the AU mission..

Djbouti, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Malawi promised to send troops, but they have not done so. Out of the 8,000 soldiers needed to pacify the Somali capital, Mogadishu alone has 5,000 deployed.

Ends
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