In Museveni’s tonight’s address on Covid-19 following the last one on 30th July 2021 where he eased the lockdown, the president has this evening announced new measures in addition to the existing and also eased the following sectors that had been locked
Weddings, burials and social events to now have 200 people from the 20 people.
Places of worship can now open with 200 people with social distancing and other SOPs
Casinos, gaming, betting shops and gyms will also start operating under strict guidelines and close by 6pm
Cinemas and bibanda, Bars, Concerts, disco halls, performing artists and beaches to continue closed until at least 4.8 million priority population are vaccinated.
Curfew remains at 7:00pm- 05:30am and Boda boda to be off the roads by 6:00pm
On the issue of schools, the president emphasized the need to at least vaccinate 550,000 teachers. However post-secondary institutions (institutions of higher learning) will open from 1st November 2021 on condition that all teachers and non-teaching staff are vaccinated. Also if at least 330,000 students aged 18 years and above in post-secondary institutions should be vaccinated as soon as possible. The rest of the classes to remain closed until January 2022.
Comedian Swengere alias Hussein Muyonjo has confirmed that he has parted ways with his longtime friend who is also the current Mayor of Jinja City Mr. Kasolo Peter Okocha on NUP party ticket.
Swengere was a strong pillar in Kasolo’s Campaigns for Jinja Mayor-ship and he fought tooth and nail to see that his close pal wins the elections.
In a Brief statement posted on his social media handle, swengere confirmed their split but refused to disclose the reasons why they have parted ways.
“I will not disclose any further details concerning the reasons why I nolonger work with Mr. Kasolo. I personally wish my brother all the best on his new walk of life until we meet again.” Swengere states.
However, inside rumors suggest that Mr. Kasolo secretly had an arranged meeting with President Museveni at hi Kisozi Farm barely 2 months in office of Mayor of Jinja City.
It’s said that Kasolo’s action of meeting Museveni angered Mr. Swengere who’s a strong diehard of Bobi Wine and NUP party. Therefore, Kasolo Is being seen as a traitor
Uganda champions – Lady Doves have little reasons to grumble and return home with excitement after finishing third in the just concluded CAF Women Champions League zonal qualifiers in Nairobi, Kenya.
Central Bank of Ethiopia cut short their CAF champions league quest on Monday but they responded to that fall with a 2-1 downing of Tanzania heavy weights Simba Queens on Thursday to win bronze.
Spencer Nakachwa and goal hunter Fazila Ikwaput scored for the believers while Aisha Djafar found the consolation for Simba Queens two minutes to final whistle.
Silencing non believers
Few women football disciples rated the team from Masindi with high regard before they kicked a ball in Kenya but they have now exited the tournament without losing a game in normal time and conceded just twice in five outings and return home with their chests out and USD.10,000 rich.
“We are excited that we have emerged third in this tournament after defeating Simba Queens that has a lot of good players with vast experience,” head coach Fred Musime said after the win.
Musime added that: “This victory has motivated my players and it has equally impressed our club president – Julius Mugisha.”
“We have gained a lot of experience from this tournament. We shall return home and fix in the missing parts.”
Refusing to lie down
Lady Doves painfully lost 5-3 to CBE after kicks from the penalty mark following a one all stalemate after extra time with ambitious ones predicting the team to choke in the placement match given the weight of their Tanzania opponents.
However, the Uganda Women Super League champions had other ideas as they took a deserved lead and added a second before they conceded late on in the game.
Lady Doves Celebrating a Goal
“We never lost hope after losing the semi final to Central Bank of Ethiopia. We worked harder thereafter at least to win this bronze medal,” club captain Daisy Nakaziro revealed.
Gaining Experience
“It was our first time playing cross boarder clubs. We have gained a lot of experience nevertheless. We shall return home and right what did not go well so that we come back to this competition as a better team,” she added.
Sharp shooter Fazila Ikwaput found the net five times in this competition as goalkeeper Nakaziro raced away with the golden glove.
Champions
Brace hero Jentrix Shikangwa lifted her team shoulder high to the inaugural continental showpiece when her two goals guided Vihiga Queens to a 2-1 victory over CBE in the finals of the qualifiers.
Champions Vihiga Queens Celebrating
The Kenya side will now join seven other clubs in Egypt for the tournament that will be staged later this year.
Uganda Premier League rookies Gaddafi Football Club have unveiled three officials that have joined their executive body. The exercise took place at the Club’s office in Jinja city on Thursday September 9.
Jacob Odur better known as manager Odur lead the new recruits and comes on board as the vice president and head of finance.
Veteran sports journalist – Richard Kimera will be the Event, Branding and Marketing manager while budding sports journalist – David Mwesigwa has returned to the team to boost the communications department. He has been poached from Busoga United.
From L-R Edwin Ocen, David Mwesigwa, Jacob Odur & Richard Kimera
Club president – Edwin Ocen also confirmed that Paul Mukembo has been retained as the club chief executive officer and also revealed that the team will host their UPL matches from Gaddafi Arena that is situated in Gaddafi army barracks.
The Soldier Boys defeated big league heavy weights Proline FC to seal promotion to the topflight league.
Prof. Charles Kwesiga the Executive Director UIRI along side the Team from UBTEB
The Uganda Industrial Research Institute has signed an MoU with the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB).
Speaking at the signing ceremony, UIRI Executive Director, Prof. Charles Kwesiga said that the UIRI–UBTEB collaboration is aimed at improving the quality and competencies of TVET graduates.
UIRI’s Executive Director Prof. Charles Kwesiga Signing The MOU
Prof. Kwesiga added that the partnership is in line with the objectives of UIRI’s Machining, Manufacturing and Skills Development Center in Namanve which will provide a platform for apprenticeship for technicians and engineers.
This MOU is crucial in the fulfillment of the Government priorities in the NDPIII and TVET Policy in regard to the involvement of the World of Work in TVET Delivery and Assessment.
As Ugandans continue heaping praise on the men’s national basketball that had put up a spirited fight at the continental competitions currently only in Rwanda but hit a dead end when the Silverbacks lost to Cape Verde last night, there’s also another side of the coin that Ugandans should know now.
Disturbing reports coming in indicate that the Silverbacks who were set to report back after their quarter final loss of 79-71 to Cape Verde in a game that was graced by Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame have been denied to leave the hotel over unpaid bills despite funding of UGX340m from Government.
It’s further reported that the Uganda National senior Basketball team is at the wall of shame and won’t exit Park Inn Hotel where they have been staying during the competitions until payments are made.
BREAKING: The Silverbacks have been denied exit at the Park Inn hotel in Kigali until they fully clear the unpaid bills and a prolonged stay will inflate the already existing cost.#AfroBasket2021pic.twitter.com/5I7Xv96YJF
Prior to the competitions, Commander Land forces (First Son) Muhoozi Keinerugaba through his twitter revealed that he has talked to the Minister of Education and sports (first lady) Janet Museveni to extend support to the Silverbacks who were short of funds to make it to Rwanda.
The Silverbacks, the National Men’s Basketball Team, will take part in the @AfroBasket tournament in Kigali, Rwanda after securing funding from Government.@NCSUganda1 Gen. Sec., Dr. Bernard Ogwel handed over Ugx 340m to @FubaBasketball President @khamdas2 to facilitate the team pic.twitter.com/fWp99ekk6D
Later it was revealed that first lady took action and an envelope of UGX340m was delivered to the Silverbacks by National council of Sport’s general secretary Dr Benard Ogwel. But what went wrong that our team is now held in Rwanda amidst the brewing tensions between Uganda and Rwanda that has kept the boarder closed for now over two years.
Yesterday the junior minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refuges Ms Esther Anyakun confirmed that a request from White house of Uganda to host at least 2000 refugees from Afghanistan had been accepted by president Museveni since Uganda has a long history of hosting refugees from across the continent.
Afghanistan fell into the hands of the Taliban Terrorist who’ve fought to take power for the past 20 years since 2001. Things became worse when America withdrew its troops, the rebels advanced to the capital after taking over several cities across the mountainous country, this was followed by fleeing of the president Ashraf Ghani and later the terrorists took over the presidential palace.
The lethal fighters have since changed the country’s name to Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan that will be governed on the Islamic values of Shariya law. Many Afhanis are scampering to free the country for fear of being under this tough rule or being persecuted for their close ties with the Americans.
Uganda’s acceptance to host the 2000 Afghani refugees has since sparked debate with many questionings why of all countries, Uganda was quick to welcome them. Of these who are not happy with the decision is National Resistance Movement big man Francis Babu who says Uganda has enough problems to solve than concentrating on housing refugees in addition to the over one million from the neighbors South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, DR Congo, Somalia among others.
“America has enough States to take just 2000 refugees, why are they pushing us to take them? We have already paid a price for being in Somalia, do we want more? Francis Babu, NRM Member”. Says Francis Babu while being hosted at NTV Uganda.
It’s reported the refugees are set to be temporarily hosted in Uganda at Namboole stadium before being relocated to another country probably the United States.
The search for the missing Turkish based blogger Fred Kajjubi Lumbuye has taken a new twist as British High Commission has confirmed making independent investigations on the whereabouts of the blogger.
This has been revealed by the Kyadondo East Member of Parliament who doubles as Shadow Foreign Minister Muwada Nkunyingi who has been one of the top lawyers who have been following up Lumbuye case since he was “kidnapped”.
According to the legislator, The British High Commissioner asserted that they started and will continue to make independent investigation on LUMBUYE whereabouts and related circumstances as to cause and involved actors.
According to Muwada who met with the The British High Commissioner Kate Airey Obe, maintains that that Britain accord much respect to Freedom of Speech and Human Rights values.
READ HERE FULL POST
#LUMBUYE: I returned to Uganda for urgent engagement with the BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER “KATE AIREY OBE”
I interacted today with the British High Commisioner at her Residence in Kampala. In attendence was SIMON TUCKER, The First Secretary Political Affairs, British High Comission. We shared alot on Parliamentary Democracy & Foreign Relations.
Among issues l tabled was the Arrest / kidnap of LUMBUYE in Turkey, His continued Missing and the announced Deportation by Uganda Government.
The British High Commissioner Confirmed that they are Concerned with Lumbuye whereabouts,and have noted with concern the overwhelming public and social media concerns on Lumbuye Fred Kajubi.
She maintained that Britain accord much respect to Freedom of Speech and Human Rights values.
The British High Commissioner asserted that they started and will continue to make independent investigation on LUMBUYE where abouts and related circumstances as to cause and involved actors.
The Search for LUMBUYE Remains on Course and all initiated Legal efforts in Turkey and in Uganda remains ongoing.
Museveni, Janet Museveni With The Olympic Medalists
President Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni yesterday gifted Uganda Olympic medalists – Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo and Peruth Chemutai new luxurious vehicles and in his rhetoric as usual, he promised them monthly stipends from government and building homes for their parents.
That the trio collectively won four medals amidst hurdles faced by sport in this banana republic such as dilapidated training facilities, administrative shortcomings, corruption and inadequate funding etc shows what a great show their performance was as per standards of our doomed monarchy. It was a fantastic moment as medalists grinned from ear to ear as they received keys for the monster rides.
But now that they have got these multi million wheels, what next?? history suggests the giver and his government will forget them even before fulfilling all the pledges and they and many of their counterparts will struggle to find better training facilities to prepare for future competitions and their lack of them may compel some to either seek refuge from neighbors Kenya or depend on their foreign based management companies to find them modern training facilities in European countries.
Limited facilities or lack of them in our country leaves a huge number of athletes sidelined, hopeless and their skills not honed and in most cases many of them quit the sport or participate only for leisure purposes and stall at an amateur level.
Cheptegei Jubilates after getting the ride from President Museveni
In his speech, the president bragged that the trio’s success was bred by peace in the country and his UPE programs and even advised athletes to join his armed forces so they could get the leverage to train with freedom. I was stunned by his hollow claims.
Indeed if peace and his UPE programs alone were enough and key ingredient to athletes performance at international stage, why then did we win only four medals? why only three of the 25 competitors the nation fielded touched medals? and why only 25 participants from a nation of more than 46 million people qualified for the Tokyo Olympics?
That was absurd and deceitful of him.
Government to award individuals because of their excellency is a good deed but for Uganda’s case, and in sports, its unsustainable. The country has more than 51 sports disciplines and some with around six national teams. It’s unfathomable to believe this government can award every individual sportsman that excels if the 51 or so disciplines coincidentally produce participants and they shine at international competitions in a space of two or three years.
Immediately after getting the goodies from the president, Cheptegei is running a fundraiser for his high altitude training ground in Kapchorwa which he believes will produce more Cheptegei’s, Chemutai’s and athletes across the country.
Cheptegei’s Fundraiser For His Training Centre
His speech and actions were intended to hijack sporting success that his government entirely failed to father. Ideally, awarding individuals should apparently not be Mr. Museveni’s (government’s) chief priority or undertaking in sports.
As it has been exemplified elsewhere, sport has the potential to make its own money and pay its main actors and all their disciples handsomely if supported. All our industry needs is a jump start in form of big funding and therefore, should be rewarded as a whole for the benefit of the entire population and also enable it produce more CHEPTEGEIS, CHEMUTAIS , or even a MAYWEATHER, a SERENA WILLIAM, a NADAL, a JOKOVIC, a GAUCHO or a MESSI or a RONALDO senior.
Globally, sport has become a vibrant commercial and economically profitable industry. It is a vital sector of economic activity and spans from organization of sports events, sports tourism, sale and trade of sport products, construction and maintenance of sports venues, medical treatment and rehabilitation, research and development, and marketing and advertising.
It also hatches numerous job and business opportunities for example trainers/coaches, sport doctors, civil engineers, sport journalists and commentators, transporters, referees, retailers of sports goods and equipment, administrators, stewards etc.
It is also part of the budding important leisure industry and as such, has a wide scope of benefits such as boosting productivity, individual and community development as well as reducing the burden of ill health on society.
Additionally, it has far reaching positive effects on national economy due to its close relationship with other sectors including tourism and hotelier, education, manufacturing and real estate etc and this boosts gross domestic product and income per capita.
Therefore, it deserves the space and support from the government just like any other traditional industry, not mockery and scornful speeches.
Please the government should adopt a clear futuristic sports policy, create an independent sports ministry or authority with sound heads to spearhead Uganda’s sporting ambitions.
Recognize sports as an industry, collaborate with respective sports federations to empower learning institutions – both government and private to promote industry-based Sports Education Programmes or even establish model schools to nurture talent in specific sports.
Explore the idea of giving tax holidays to sports related entities and tax exemptions on sports equipment.
Allocate fat budgets to the industry and invest in sports infrastructure through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
This is a chorus that has for long been sung by a host of sports aficionados. Unfortunately, it has been heard but not listened to, and therefore, we should drum it louder than before until they listen.
Uganda is a rich country. Our greatest undoing is poor allocation of resources, corruption and lack of vision.
We can also mobilize more money if we slice a percentage from the huge funds spent on our useless MPs, inept ministers and presidential ill advisors and apportion it to this sector after all our super talented president can effectively run this block without them.
Sports industry in Uganda will never develop without government will and it’s big input, and there is no such a time than this for the rulers of this land to appreciate and realize the huge impact that sports can have on our economy.
Written by Hambari Jojo. The writer is a Sports Journalist
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this article belong to the writer and not that of Ultimate News Uganda, its affiliates, or employees. Send your article to ultimatenews19@gmail.com or Whatsapp: +254797048150 to have it published.
Police has today clarified that they don’t have Fred Kajubi Lumbuye in their custody as it was expected following several assurances from the state minister for Foreign Affairs Hon Okello Oryem.
This comes at the backdrop of contradicting information regarding the Turkey based Museveni critic who was reportedly arrested from Istanbul Turkey last week.
Lumbuye’s arrest has dominated headlines in Uganda since he was on top of Museveni’s most wanted blogger said to have announced him dead almost a month ago.
On Friday last week government through the foreign affairs state minister assured the country that Lumbuye and 15 others were enroute to Entebbe after being deported by the Turkish government but his whereabouts remain a mystery two days later.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga while addressing the media said they don’t have Lumbuye, Internal affairs spokesperson Jacob Siminyu and sources at Entebbe airport say they haven’t checked in anyone in the names of Fred Lumbuye, leaving the question of his whereabouts unknown.
He could be in Uganda held in detentions not known to Uganda or still in Turkey.
Keep it here as we follow up events unfolding concerning Fred Kajubi Lumbuye.
