Kanyamunyu Denied Bail, Co-accused Freed

The High Court in Kampala has this afternoon denied murder suspect Mathew Kanyamunyu bail, but granted the same to his brother Joseph Kanyamunyu and lover Cynthia Munwangari.

Kanyamunyu, his lover Munwangari and his brother Joseph were arrested on November 17^th, 2016 over the murder of Kenneth Watmon Akena, a child rights who was shot near Game Shopping Mall and later succumbed to gunshot wounds.

Kanyamunyu, who is to celebrate Easter in Luzira prison, is suspected to have shot Akena in the stomach on November 13^th, 2016 for allegedly scratching his vehicle, a Land Cruiser Prado.

The court presided over by Justice Yasin Nyanzi has granted the duo a noncash bail of Sh5m on grounds that they were mere accessories to the crime because they knew about it but never reported the matter.

While their 8 sureties most of them close relatives have been bonded Shs50m not cash.

The suspects applied for bail barely one and a half months after their first attempts being unsuccessful.The first application was unsuccessful because they failed to adduce exceptional circumstances like ill health or advanced age to warrant their release.

The judge has ordered the suspects to report before the Deputy Registrar in Charge of Criminal Matters Emmanuel Baguma every 14 days for 4 months.

Magogo Meets Club Officials over FUFA Women Elite League

By Emmanuel Sekago

The FUFA President Eng. Moses Magogo has hailed officials of teams playing in the FUFA Women Elite League for the support they have rendered towards development of the women football in Uganda.

Magogo yesterday met the officials of the clubs in the top flight at FUFA House where they shared ideas on the administration and development of the game.

“I know how much sacrifice, passion and commitment you have towards women football. FUFA appreciates your efforts and we shall continue to give a helping hand to take the game to another level,” he said.

He however added that; “there are areas that need improvement in the women’s game. We are working with FIFA to work on professionalizing women’s football in Uganda. We have been at amateur level but next season you will all notice a big difference.”

The Women’s league is categorized as a development project and FUFA has taken precautionary steps to develop the game.

The FUFA President discussed on pertinent issues like development of the game, transfer of players, club licensing, funding, administration, refereeing, National team, Mama Becca cup, FUFA Women’s Cup, Marketing and Communications of the game.

He also took time to explain to the club officials the issue of Wakiso Hills who are no longer taking part in the Women’s league but will be allowed to take part next season.

On the issue of the National Women’s team the FUFA President cautioned officials on assembling players who have not been summoned by the technical team and end up playing unsanctioned games. He also talked about the National team’s future participation on the continent.

“Our National team has been recomposed due to the developments in the women’s game. We want to get back to Africa. We need to do a lot of homework before getting back to the continent. Such developments for women football will make the Crested Cranes strong,” stressed the FUFA President.

“Let us desist from assembling players and referring to them as National team without FUFA’s consent. In Kabale, a team purported to be Crested Cranes was assembled by individuals who used it to play a game on Women’s Day. This is a disciplinary matter that will be handled by our judicial bodies. We want to grow the Crested Cranes brand so that it starts attracting sponsors,” added Magogo.

About the FUFA Mama Becca Women’s Day cup and Women representation in the Assembly, Magogo said;“We shall meet and review the tournament. We can make it better than it is now. Mama Becca did a lot for women’s football.”

He also highlighted that the FUFA Women’s cup final will be played in Busia.

“We introduced the FUFA Women’s Cup to give players more games to play. Let us all go to Busia and support the two teams that will have made the final,” rallied the FUFA President.

‘FUFA has increased Women’s representation in the Assembly. FWEL will have a representative and referees have had their delegates increased but one of them must be a woman,” noted the FUFA President.

FUFA President concluded by notifying the clubs that there will be club licensing for all the clubs next season in the FUFA Women Elite League.

Companies Gear Up For FUFA Corporate Gala

Preparations for the third edition of the FUFA Corporate Gala are on a high notch.

Launched a few weeks ago at the FUFA House in Mengo, Kampala, the gala continues to grow through leaps and bounds since inception in 2014.

This year’s gala will be held at Philip Omondi Stadium, Lugogo on 29th April 2017 starting at 9am to 6pm.

According to the FUFA marketing director Esther Musoke, registration is 1.5M with the federation offering meals and Drinks for all the participants.

The Corporate companies shall be allowed to conduct their own activations for the period of the tournament.

15 corporate companies have already confirmed to take part in the gala.

Meanwhile National Water and Sewage Corporation’s Swalleh Ahmed is already eyeing a hat-trick in one of the matches he will play.

Peace stars as Lightening ‘strikes’ the Hearts Mavericks

Lightening Loughborough made it six wins out of six with a 66-57 victory against the Hearts Mavericks during the Vitality Netball League in the United Kingdom.

Uganda Netball Cranes captain, Peace Proscovia led the assault for the Hearts Mavericks with game high 55 goals.

Mavericks led for the opening two quarters of the closely contested game.

They had a six goal’s advantage by the end of the first quarter 12-18 before Loughborough narrowed the margin to three points 28-31 by the mandatory half time break.

Lightening took control of the game, for the first time on the night when Peace Proscovia scored to make it 35-34.

They continued with the dominance to open up a 4 goal lead 48-44 by the end of the third quarter.

Lightening scored in the final three seconds of the goal to make it 66-57 at the apex of the game where Airey Rebekah made her debut for the university side.

Goal attacker Rose Morgan Smith was a thorn in the flesh of the University team.

Rwanda Education Ministry Denies Firing Ugandan Teachers

The Rwandan Ministry of Education has trashed reports which have been circulating to the effect that teachers from Uganda have been fired from public schools in Rwanda.

Since last week, reports have been circulating that all Uganda teachers working in Rwanda had been banned from continuing teaching in public schools.

However, the Ministry on Tuesday evening issued a statement dismissing the reports as ‘fabrication.’ The reports circulated online via social media and some news platforms for several days, causing tension in schools.

The ministry noted that since Rwanda adopted English as a medium of instruction in 2008, teachers from East African Community member states, including Uganda have played a significant role as educators and mentors.

“Among 885 mentors who were recruited in 2010 to coach Rwandan teachers, 472 were Ugandans on contracts that ended in July 2015. However, Ugandan teachers continue to teach in various schools in Rwanda. According to the Rwanda Education Board’s 2016 Teachers Placement, 256 out of 499 foreign teachers in public schools are Ugandans,” the statement read in part.

@Rwanda Times

Leila Juggling Radio & Segawa

We recently revealed that sexy singer Leila Kayondo is dating celebrated city Casanova John Segawa.

The two were smoked out at Jahazi Pier, Munyonyo on Sunday during the third edition of Roast and Rhyme. Segawa arrived with Leila at the event and they were all smiling like a newlywed couple. Leila, who seemed smitten, couldn’t stop holding the actor.

Now, the latest information indicates that Leila has been seeing singer Radio behind Segawa’s back. Reliable sources intimated to us that Leila has been dating Radio for months now. Leila spends most of her time with Radio at Neverland house in Makindye.

“Leila is into Radio and they have been spending quality time together. They often spend time together drinking and listening to music. Radio has promised to write a song for Leila that will bring her back to the music scene,” a source said.

It should be noted that Leila made a magical comeback into the singles’ world after breaking up with her longtime lover Sangoma SK Mbuga.

The two had a steady relationship until Mbuga reportedly battered the charming singer while hanging out at Auto Spa bar in Munyonyo. Things fell apart after the incident and the two have since then called it quits.

Juliana Pulls Seductive Pose

She is one of the most loved female artistes in Uganda. She is not only known for her great voice but also her elegancy and decency. Juliana Kanyomozi gave her fans more than they bargained for after she posted a picture in a seductive pose.

Dressed on a white dress, she was seated beside the swimming pool at Speke Resort Munyonyo. The picture has so far garnered more than 9.5k likes.

Men have been lingering on her timeline not only commenting about her picture but also salivating.

A one Kato John Bakasara posted; “Well isn’t it too cold where you are. Oh can be there to give you that fire n cheer. Ok. Looks like ur thinking miss you and your charts.”

Here are some of the comments

300 Civilians Killed In US Iraq Airstrike

 The United States of America has been criticized for allegedly killing over 300 civilians in west Mosul air strikes since Iraqi forces and the US-led coalition launched an offensive last month to push ISIL out of Iraq.

However, the United Nations (UN) said on Tuesday that the death toll could exceed 400 if new killings are verified. “This is an enemy that ruthlessly exploits civilians to serve its own ends, and clearly has not even the faintest qualm about deliberately placing them in danger,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said in a statement.

He added that “ISIL’s strategy of using children, men and women to shield themselves from attack is cowardly and disgraceful. It breaches the most basic standards of human dignity and morality.”

Hundreds of thousands more civilians are still trapped inside west Mosul after Iraqi forces and the US-coalition recaptured the city’s east from ISIL in January 2017. However, the US and Iraqi forces have been accused by human rights activists of conducting indiscriminate air raids, in which hundreds of innocent people have been killed and others maimed.

Amnesty International’s Donatella Rovera said field research in east Mosul showed “an alarming pattern of US-led coalition air strikes, which have destroyed whole houses with entire families inside.”

@Al-Jazeera.

Kadaga Flags Off 102 Middle East Consultants’ Youths To Dubai

By John Nanyumba

The speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga yesterday flagged off 102 youths from Middle East Consultants LTD (MECL) to go and work as taxi drivers, general cleaners and security guards in Abudhabi. The colorful ceremony that was attended by the parents of these youths took place at MECL head offices in Muyenga, Kampala. Kadaga was welcomed by MECL managing director, Gordon Mugyenyi, co-director Fred Keitongo, and area DPC SP Ben Mugerwa.

In her speech, Kadaga commended MECL for the unrelenting efforts of contributing to the nation’s development by finding employment for Ugandans.

“As parliament, we ensured that before our youths are taken for work abroad, all the set conditions are met. For example, how much salary they will be earning, what kind of jobs are they going to do, the leave offer, hours of work per day among others,” Kadaga said. She added that; “I am glad to tell you that Middle East Consultants is one of the companies that met all these conditions long time ago and that is why I can even come to see off our youths.”

Turning to the youths, Kadaga encouraged them to go and work very hard and bring as much money home as possible. She further encouraged them, by the help of Mugyenyi, to make sure they register with the Uganda mission in Dubai so that they can easily get help in case of any problem.

After the speech, Kadaga handed over to youths; their passports, yellow fever cards and air tickets under Ethopian airlines.

In his speech, Mugyenyi told Kadaga that they have fulfilled all the required conditions to ensure safety of these youths.

“I am glad to tell you that this year alone, we have a target of sending 5000 Ugandans for work abroad. Since the start of the year, we have sent over 800 and all are working. I want to thank the parliament of Uganda for giving us an opportunity to send off our sons for employment,” Mugyenyi said.

Prior to all this,Mugyenyi took the youth through what they will go through during their long travel and employment journey. He cautioned them against all forms of misbehavior and not forgetting about their parents when they get money.

Importantly however, Mugyenyi cautioned the parents against misusing the boys’ money when they send it back for development.

BAD ECONOMY: ‘Big Names’ Bounced at St Mary’s Stadium Over Entrance Fee

Security at St Mary’s Kitende stadium on Tuesday showed a no nonsense character when it blocked the self-proclaimed ‘Big Names’ from entering without presenting tickets.

Vipers FC on Tuesday was playing a Uganda premier league game with Proline FC.

However, fans got shocked to see security at the entrance stopping club officials from entering without paying. Some of those who were embarrassed at the gate include; the club ambassador Wycliffe Luyombya, Tadeus Kitandwe the coordinator of Azam TV Clue, URA FC player Hamis Kiiza Diego, and the old boy of the club Hassan Wasswa Mawanda.

It should be noted that Vipers FC management set constant fees for its fans to watch home match at Ordinary @10,000 and VIP @20000 respectively.

But it is surprising that these self-proclaimed big names could not raise this little money, reason why they were bounced at the entrance.

Several journalists from media houses around Kampala who are used to fluking matches were also bounced and ordered to either cough the money or disappear from the club premises.

Kaweesi Murder Probe Hits Snag

Police Investigators are yet to make any headway in identifying the person who issued death threats to Andrew Felix Kaweesi days before he was assassinated twelve days ago.

The threats are one of the leads that police is following in trying to bring to look for the assassins of Kaweesi, his driver Godfrey Mambewa and body guard Kenneth Erau. The trio was gunned down on the morning of March 17 when gunmen ambushed the car in which they were traveling near Kaweesi’s residence in Kulambiro, Kampala.

The police have so far arrested 15 suspects in connection to the murder, some of them using composite images based on eyewitness descriptions. Police detectives have also received statements from the family members and some close friends of the fallen Assistant Inspector General of Police Kaweesi indicating that he had received numerous threats on phone prior to his murder.

According to a reliable source within the Special Investigations Division (SID) who is part of the investigations, there were a number of text messages sent to Kaweesi threatening his life.

“After we received the information about the death threats, we perused through Kaweesi’s phones and found some messages. We have since been trying to trace the faces behind the messages,” says the operative.

Before Kaweesi was shot and killed he received threat messages on his mobile phone
URN has learnt that three mobile telephone numbers which police was trying to trace were found not to have been registered. While Kaweesi’s replacement as police spokesperson, Asan Kasingye, was not willing to comment on the progress of this particular murder investigation, he says existence of unregistered simcards has blocked very many investigations.

“People buy these lines, use them to threaten or even defraud people. These sim cards are then disposed, making it impossible to trace them,” Kasingye says.

Police has since asked the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to switch off all unregistered sim cards.

In March 2013, UCC launched what it called a mandatory Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card registration setting a deadline of August 2013 for all mobile phone users to have registered their cards. The deadline, however, passed quietly.

In November 2015, UCC wrote to all mobile telecom players to register all their subscribers or face consequences. The consequences, UCC warned, included revoking licenses, fines or disconnection.

To this day, however, thousands of sim cards are still in operation without being registered. UCC has said it will switch off all unregistered simcards by midnight today.

By URN

Meningitis outbreak kills 269 in Nigeria

An outbreak of meningitis in Nigeria has killed 269 people in recent weeks, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said, as Africa’s most populous country and aid organisations attempt to tackle the surge in infections.

As of Monday, 1,828 suspected cases of meningitis were reported with 269 deaths in 15 of the country’s 36 states, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said on Twitter late on Tuesday.

The centre said on its website that 33 people died of meningitis in 2016.

More than 2,000 people died from an outbreak of the disease in Nigeria in 2009, with basic healthcare limited in rural parts of the country, where most people live on less than $2 a day, despite the country’s huge oil resources.

Meningitis is the inflammation of tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord which can be caused by viral or bacterial infections. It spreads mainly through kisses, sneezes, coughs and in close living quarters.

The NCDC said it was now working with the World Health Organisation, the U.N. Children’s Fund and Medecins Sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders, to try to control the outbreak.

@Reuters

Works Ministry Reveals Why CAA  MD Was Fired

 The Ministry of Works and Transport has come out to reveal why the Managing Director of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Rama Wenceslaus Makuza was fired on Tuesday this week.

Susan Kataike, the Public Relations Officer of Ministry of Works and Transport, revealed yesterday that Makuza’s contract has been terminated in both CAA and the country’s interest.

Kataike said that “The CAA Board, chaired by Engineer Edward Mike Ndawula, appraised Makuza as part of a routine process, and, as she put it, “found his performance wanting.”

She added that; “the Board then submitted its report to the line minister, Eng. Monica Azuba Ntege, who discussed the appraisal results with both the Board and Makuza himself, before cracking the whip.”

Kataike noted that the performance appraisal showed bellow average performance by Makuza and it was imperative that he be relieved of his duties.

Kataike says CAA Deputy Managing Director, Dr. David Mpango Kakuba, has been appointed acting Managing Director with immediate effect.

She also added that Minister Azuba has directed the CAA Board to find a substantive replacement for Makuza as soon as possible, adding that the process will start in earnest.

The Inspectorate of Government and parliament are investing corruption cases in CAA, a case in point being reports of Shs5.4Bn paid to a group of city lawyers controversially contracted to collect a debt the government had accepted to pay.

UPDF Seals Off Mineral Deposit

Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers yesterday sealed off the marble mining site for DAO Marble Africa Limited in Moroto district.

Captain Isaac Oware, the 3rd Division UPDF spokesperson confirmed the deployment, saying the army moved in and cordoned off the site after receiving information about the likely destruction of property and lives at the site.

Oware, who didn’t divulge details, says the presence of the army at the site is meant to deter criminality. DAO has been mining marble from Rata village in Rupa Sub-county since 2013.

However, sources reveal that  Dfcu bank officials visited the site two weeks back after which they returned with heavily armed UPDF officers, who have since been deployed at the site for several days now.

Pharun Yday Patnaik, the former Chief Executive Officer of DAO Marble Africa limited declined to comment, saying he left the company in December last year. Andrew Mukiibi, a shareholder in DAO, says there are managerial issues that they are going to sort out soon.

However, Gabriel Data, a Principal Geologist with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, says they haven’t received any official communication regarding DAO and Dfcu.

DAO has been involved in disputes with its own staff, members of the community and Moroto district local government over the payment of salaries and royalties

Ministers Clash Over Economy

As Ugandans gang up on Mutebile

Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has called a crisis meeting today (Thursday) to reprimand Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and heads of government agencies who are acting in a floppy way regarding the President’s written directive on the Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BuBu) policy.

In his two page letter dated 28^th March, 2017, Rugunda wants all the concerned officials to report to his OPM Board room today 30^th March 10am without fail. He reminds his addressees that BuBu is the only way to provide market for locally produced products and thereby create employment which is why the big man from Rwakitura won’t tolerate any elusiveness regarding his directive urging all government MDAs to consume local products in all their procurement decisions.

Among those Rugunda wants to attend without fail include Executive Director UNRA, URA, PPDA, NPA, UMA, Private Sector Foundation and Eng Kasingye the Coordinator Standard Gauge Railway among others.

Among ministers, Rugunda’s letter shows the following must attend: Amelia Kyambadde of Trade, Matia Kasaijja of Finance, Attorney General William Byaruhanga, Irene Muloni of Energy, Jane Ruth Aceng of Health and the one of Works among others.

CABINET CONFUSION

Rugunda’s letter calling for a crisis meeting comes on the heels of another one by Presidency Minister Ester Mbayo directing the same MDAs to do something that will clearly correspond with BuBu and what it seeks to achieve-increasing market for local products for all Ugandan firms.

In her undated letter of two pages, Mbayo gives directives aimed at making government-owned Uganda Printing & Publishing Corporation (UPPC) a monopolist in the printing industry. She directs all government MDAs to ensure 40% of all their printing jobs are given to UPPC yet BuBu, which she claims to be implementing, requires support to all local firms which must compete without necessarily ring-fencing opportunities for some firms while crippling others.

Mbayo quotes a directive the President gave in 2007 and was strongly supported by UPPC MD Irene Muwanguzi in arguing that ring-fencing 40% is the only way UPPC, which is supposed to be the government security printer, will grow with other printing giants in the region. The President’s directive Mbayo quotes is dated January 15^th 2007.

Mbayo says even when it was issued 10 years ago, the president’s directive is still in force because “it has never been rescinded.” By copy of her letter, Mbayo directs all cabinet colleagues to ensure accounting officers heading MDAs under their respective dockets give 40% of the jobs to UPPC or else risk being in trouble for defying the President’s 2007 directive.

However, critics among cabinet colleagues have faulted her for not being realistic because the UPPC she is promoting doesn’t have production capacity and equipment to handle that volume of work. There are fears on getting such big jobs, capacity-deficient UPPC might end up subcontracting foreign firms to do the work and dupe MDAs as if it’s done at UPPC offices Entebbe.

It’s also argued by MPs that such a blanket directive will cripple the private sector which BuBu primarily seeks to grow. We failed to get Mbayo as she never took our calls but UPPC MD Irene Muwanguzi insisted UPPC has the capacity to print 40% of the government work.

“We have new machine and we have equipment and can perform once we get work. It’s like a chicken and egg what comes first: This is a scenario one depends on the other; once there is work there will be equipment. We have equipment which are lying idle and we really need work. It’s one of the avenues for UPPC to recapitalize itself and grow again,” said Muwanguzi whose headship of UPPC was recently reinstated via court order.

MUTEBILE ATTACKED

Meanwhile, for opposing BuBu painting it as contrary to ideals targeted under EAC and other regional economic integration initiatives, BoU governor Emmanuel Mutebile has come under strong criticism. This was on Tuesday during a consultative meeting MPs organized to consult private sector leaders on the Local Content Bill now before Parliament where it’s being spearheaded by MPs Muyanja Mbabali and Patrick Nsamba of Kasanda.

The meeting was at Imperial Royale Hotel where speakers bashed Mutebile like there was no tomorrow. Ex-Minister Daudi Migereko wondered how a whole Central Bank governor can publicly contradict a government policy and asked the Finance Ministry represented by David Bahati to call him (Mutebile) to order. Bahati, while closing the meeting, confirmed that Mutebile was clearly out of order in attempting to discredit a government program which was agreed to by cabinet as one of the ways to achieve Vision 2040.

The vision 2040 envisages manufacturing sector to grow by 50% in the next 23 years remaining to reach 2040. This can only be achieved in the objectives of BuBu and other similar initiatives are achieved fully. Amelia Kyambadde told the meeting the governor’s utterances are clear testimony the frail man from Kabale lacked correct appreciation of what EAC and COMESA partners states have so far done regarding local content inside their own borders.

She cited examples of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia as some of the countries already implementing the equivalent of BuBu. Agaba Raymond, who is the commissioner for internal trade, said the commitments contained in EAC, COMESA and other protocols don’t deter Uganda from developing own policies like BuBu to protect growth in certain sectors against exposure to foreign competition.

Prof Victoria Sekitoleko, who has previously worked for international organizations, wondered why any sane human being would question why Uganda needs BuBu, an intervention she maintained was even long overdue. She argued that Uganda is actually late and called for the fast tracking of the local content legislation MPs Nsamba and Mbabali are championing in Parliament.

Price Water Coopers Uganda Country Director Francis Kamulegeya disputed Mutebile’s brand of economics and declared his organization’s support for the bill saying it’s the only way we can consolidate what BuBu and PPDA Reservation Schemes seek to achieve. He pledged PWC technical support to the two MPs sponsoring the local content bill currently underway in Parliament.

Kanyamunyu Returns to Court Today

The incarcerated city businessman, Matthew Kanyamunyu who is the key suspect in the murder of child rights activist Kenneth Akena, is today expected to appear before High court judge Yasiin Nyanzi to hear reasons why he was denied bail on Tuesday.

Kanyamunyu and co-accused (girlfriend and brother) on Tuesday appeared before the same court seeking for bail, but to Kanyumunyu’s surprise, his co-accused were granted bail while for him was denied and taken back to Luzira maximum prison where he have been for the last four months.

Court granted the duo a non-cash bail of Sh5m on grounds that they were mere accessories to the crime because they knew about it but never reported the matter.

However, Judge Nyanzi said he would not explain at length his decision to grant bail to only two of the suspects facing the same charge and promised to give the detailed explanation today.

“I will not give a detailed explanation for why I have declined to grant Matthew bail. I will give the explanation on March 30,” the judge stated after granting bail to Munwangari and Joseph.

During the hearing of the bail application, Ms Immaculate Agutoku, the principal state attorney, strongly objected to the release of the trio on bail.

Agutoku argued that the application for bail was being brought to court for the second time yet it was declined because the offence committed was of a grave nature, and that the accused had not given any exceptional circumstances such as grave illness, or advanced age to warrant their release on bail pending trial.

Defence lawyer Caleb Alaka, however, asked the court to release his clients on bail, saying applying for bail is a constitutional right, which should not be denied.

Prosecution alleges that the three suspects on November 12 last year, while on Kampala-Jinja road near Malik Car Bond opposite Uganda Manufacturers Association showground in Nakawa Division, with malice aforethought, caused the death of Akena by shooting.

Sudanese Referees to Handle KCCA game Against Al Masry

By Emmanuel Sekago

The Africa football body CAF has appointed Sudan officials to handle the CAF Confederation Cup match between Kampala Capital City Authority FC and Egypt’s Al Masry at Phillip Omondi Stadium. The game will be played on 8^th  April. 2017.

Mahmood Ali Mahmood Ismail is the man in charge and will be assisted by Waleed Ahmed Ali first assistant referee and Mohammed Abdallah Ibrahim second assistant referee.

Meanwhile CAF has appointed Tunisian referees to handle the return leg match in Cairo on 14^th  Apirl 2017 and Youssef Essrayri is the man in charge, assisted by Jridi Faouzi first assistant referee and Marwene Saad second assistant referee.

Top Police Officer Knocked Dead

By Isaac Tugume

A senior Uganda Police Force (UPF) officer has this morning been knocked dead along Entebbe Road.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Moses Ocita, who was driving his  car registration number UAD 171W, died on spot when he crashed into a Toyota Super Custom registration number UAT 610S, which was coming from the opposite direction, in Lubowa, off the Entebbe- Kampala highway.

ASP Ocita was in charge of Bulenga Police Station. Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Emilian Kayima confirmed the tragedy, saying the accident occurred at Lubowa.

Kayima said that; “ASP Ocita was rushed to Mulago Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His body is in Mulago awaiting postmortem.”

He added however that the police are hunting for the driver of the killer vehicle who didn’t stop after the accident but sped off and is currently in hiding.

Over 150 Migrants Drown In Sea

At least 150 Gambian migrants are feared to have died after a boat they were travelling on capsized in the Mediterranean Sea early this week.

A few of the survivors who included a little boy were rescued by a humanitarian vessel, the Iuventa, whose crew found the boy hanging onto a fuel tank in the sea. He was transferred first to an Italian Coast Guard ship, then to a Spanish frigate and brought to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa early on Wednesday.

According to Italian media, the boy says “Everyone else died.” The boy said they left Sabratha, Libya, two days ago on a rubber boat with 147 sub-Saharan Africans on board, including five children and some pregnant women.

“But there’s some hope that the Italian Coast Guard picked up others,” said International Migration Organization (IOM) spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo in Rome, after speaking to staff in Lampedusa.

Most of the passengers were from Nigeria, Mali and Gambia. An estimated 5,000 people died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean in 2016. On Wednesday the Golfo Azzurro, a humanitarian vessel, rescued about 400 migrants – mainly from Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Gambia and Bangladesh – including 16 women and two children.

@Al Jazeera

Janet Responds to Nyanzi Attacks

The first Lady Janet Kataha Museveni says she has forgiven the vicious insults against her in a Facebook rant by academic and social media critic Stella Nyanzi.

The controversial Stella Nyanzi took to her social media page yesterday to criticise what she says were irrational statements made by Janet Museveni when she asked parents to guard against exposing their children to danger by cramming more than two children on Boda Bodas while going to school.

Stella Nyanzi, who first shot to the limelight when she stripped naked in protest at Makerere University over what she said was unfair treatment by her boss, Prof Mahmood Mamdani, has continuously been embroiled in social media attacks about the regime. In her characteristic writing, Nyanzi uses sexual imagery and sometimes vulgar language to expose what she says is rot within the regime.

The latest of such attacks is one on the first lady Janet Museveni. In the post which is heavily peppered with sexual imagery and descriptive language, Nyanzi accuses Janet Museveni of pronouncements which she says are misinformed and leave her aloof.

However, in an exclusive interview with NTV today, Janet said that she has failed to comprehend the reasons for, and extreme nature of, Nyanzi’s attacks.

Janet Museveni says she does not understand why Nyanzi feels the need to be insulting and she adds that she still does not know what wrong she committed to deserve that kind of language and all names she has been called.

“I want to tell people that I honestly forgave that lady because I can’t understand how an educationist can use that language to use about anybody”, said the First Lady

Janet says the post was brought to her attention by concerned friends who asked to take action given the rage in the Facebook post.

This is not the first time, Nyanzi has had an attack on the First Lady through her Facebook page. She has previously criticised her for not allocating money for sanitary pads, a promise made by President Yoweri Museveni during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Janet, in her defence has severally said the budget cuts which affected all ministries are to blame for the delay in distributing sanitary pads.

In response to criticism that she is out of touch and aloof, Janet Museveni countered by saying she has previously served as the MP for Ruhaama in Ntungamo, which is a rural constituency inhabited by many poor people with whom she had constant interactions.

She also added that as the minister for Karamoja, she traversed the length and breadth of the region and had numerous interactions with many of the areas poor people

Mrs Museveni maintained that she is keenly aware of the plight of Uganda’s poor and those who say she is out of touch are wrong. But she adds that she will not hesitate to tell people how they can take responsibility for their situation and improve their lives.

The First Lady says she’s committed to encouraging Ugandans be more responsible about their lives and the lives of their children.