Sunday, April 26, 2026
Home Blog Page 25

Here’s What Museveni Must Do To Ensure That Kiteezi Tragedy Doesn’t Happen Again

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

To ensure that disasters like Kiteezi don’t happen to Uganda again, the government must begin to adequately fund local government units like KCCA. This is so because what happened at Kiteezi last Saturday can potentially happen to any other Ugandan City. And these days Uganda has several other cities which are rapidly urbanizing. Examples include Gulu, Mbarara, Masaka, Jinja, Mbale, Arua, Hoima, Mbale, Fort City and others.

Like Kampala, each one of these cities will soon have a lot of people and this will make the garbage or solid waste management problem worse and more complicated in each of those cities. This means that the government of Uganda must learn to plan better and allocate more financial resources to these urban local government units than is currently happening.

And in doing this, the government of Uganda must start with Kampala because its the capital city on which other smaller and newer cities can benchmark. Even though we have sometimes have corruption problems of some of the money getting stolen, the government must adequately fund Kampala because there will be no short cuts or alternatives to doing that.

There is no way you are going to attract tourists and serious investors to Uganda when it’s capital city Kampala is not funded enough to provide basic services to the people such as solid waste management, road and street lighting infrastructure.

As Kiteezi has shown and taught all of us, we either fund KCCA with enough money or we risk having to live in a city that will always be choking on uncollected garbage heaps.

The other alternative is to keep underfunding Kampala and we end up with disasters like Kiteezi. There are many other disasters in waiting, as the Lord Mayor has been highlighting, including the Nakukolongo drainage channels which could in the not-so-distant future burst up and flood the entire Rubaga Division.

The government should mitigate all these impending disasters by giving KCCA enough money to have like 10 Kiteezis so that the city is sustainably clean and safe for of us.

The good thing is that KCCA already has its 165 acres of land at Ddundu in Mukono district near Gayaza which can be used to develop another garbage dumping site which is 4 times bigger than Kiteezi which is sitting on just 36 acres of land.

The MPs should relentlessly pressurize the President and Cabinet to make the funding of Kampala a priority because it’s the Capital City. The capital city must have high standards of hygiene and the best solid waste management systems or practices which can be replicated in the other newer cities of Uganda.

There is also another reason why President Museveni has to make funding Kampala a top priority of his government. 75% of the economic and business activities from which the government gets taxes, through URA, is done in Kampala.

This makes it fair, equitable and a must for the City’s development to be made a priority when the government is sharing out the national cake. Otherwise there is no way we can blame KCCA for failing to have a better garbage dumping site than Kiteezi when we didn’t give them money to do the job. The job that needs to be done is known and that is to put in place money to develop Ddundu so that Kiteezi gets decommissioned or closed down because it outlived its usefulness long time ago.

It was built and put in place for Kampala by the World Bank in 1996 and at that time Kampala had only 1m people whose garbage was to be dumped there yet today the City has 5m people who generate that garbage everyday of the week. The Kampala leaders at KCCA should be given money to put in place Ddundu very quickly so that Kiteezi can be safely closed down.

The government should also encourage private investors who want to partner with KCCA to turn the 2,500 tons of garbage generated per day into electricity. This will be a good idea because it will give the country an additional 10 mega watts of electricity onto the national grid.

And once we have that electricity generation project up and running, we actually won’t require even sinking billions in developing the Ddundu site because in that case, all the garbage will be used for electricity generation and KCCA garbage collectors won’t have a job anymore.

And even Ddundu will in the long term not be necessary because the city will no longer have any garbage to dump there. The billions for setting up more such garbage dumping sites like Ddundu or Kiteezi will then be saved and diverted to doing some other more useful service delivery work for the people of Kampala.

Smaller local governments like Wakiso and Kasangati town council should also be deliberately empowered to become better regulators of human settlements and housing construction in their rapidly-urbanizing area of geographical jurisdiction.

It, for instance, wouldn’t have been possible for people to build and unsettle in an unsafe place or area like Kiteezi if Kasangati town council leaders had been empowered and skilled on how to effectively regulate human settlements and housing construction in an urban setting like Kyadondo East which is less than 15kms from the Kampala City Center.

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via ultimatenews19@gmail.com

Soroti Security Guard Wins 300 Million From Fixed Games

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

A security guard in Soroti has shocked thousands after winning over 300 million from Uganda Bettors Association betting fixed games.

Osikab, a security guard attached to Securex, revealed that he was on the internet searching for betting tips when he landed on Uganda Bettors Association website.

“I was searching for usual betting predictions from the internet, then I saw a website called Uganda Bettors Association, when I visited the website, I saw different packages but I decided to go for fixed games since the description was convincing. After making payments, I sent them a WhatsApp message with my payment details, they gave me the ticket with all the instructions, I followed the instructions and relaxed. When games started, my pressure levels increased because I had paid a lot of money for these games, but finally the games won,” he narrated

Osikab now says that he has handed over his work equipment back to the company and he is now ready to start his investments.

“This is one of the dreams I had when I started betting, I wanted to win a lot of money but it didn’t come early, I’m surely happy that it has finally come! I would highly recommend everyone who has been struggling with betting to try this site and thank me later,” he said.

>>>This is a sponsored Article<<<

How Mbarara Police Man Won Over 200 Million From Sports Betting

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

Mbarara police man has shocked his colleagues after winning over 200 million from Uganda Bettors Association Fixed Games.

The law enforcement officer, whose identity has been concealed for security reasons, revealed that he won this money without any expectations since he has never seen someone win that kind of money.

“I paid for these games but I never at any single point expected it to turn out to be true, I was just on my own then I saw a story of how a security guard won more than 300 million from the same association, I said okay, let me also give it a try, I contacted them and they briefed me on how to make payments, after paying, they sent me the games but I couldn’t stake on my own so they helped me stake, I sent them my stake with my bank details. The following day, they shared with me the screenshots of the ticket and the deposit. Still I didn’t believe anything of this kind until I received a bank alert of a deposit, even this one, I still had doubts until I went to the bank to check my account balance,” he narrated.

“After seeing the account statement, I almost ran mad! I shouted on top of my voice,”

Asked what next after winning all this money, he said he will not reveal now but as others, he won’t quit his job since he loves to serve the country.

“It’s too early for me to retire from the service, I need to sit down and draw an investment plan for this money,” he revealed.

If you are interested in winning with them, please go to their website here: Uganda Bettors Association

>>>This is a sponsored article<<<<

ANALYSIS: Why Kiteezi Problem Is Bigger Than Erias Lukwago’s KCCA

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

Saturday morning, Kampala was gripped with bad news after the Kiteezi landfill infrastructure collapsed, leading to loss of life and damage of property. As of Monday evening, 25 people had been confirmed to have died in the tragedy. Many more are in hospitals nursing severe injuries as government ponders what to do next.

On his part, President Museveni has spoken on the tragedy and offered some emergency monies to support families through this difficult period. Many have been rendered homeless and are being supported by the government, from the temporary shelter camp which has been erected at Kiteezi CoU Primary School, through the OPM, KCCA and Uganda Red Cross.

President Museveni has directed his State House Comptroller Jane Barekye to support the affected families with some money as a more comprehensive compensatory intervention is being worked out. In agreement with NEMA, which years ago declared all places adjacent to the 28-year-old KCCA garbage dumping site unsafe for human habitation, the President has demanded to know why the Kasangati-Wakiso area local government authority permitted people to build houses and settle in such a clearly unsafe place.

Rescue operations are continuing being spearheaded by UPDF, Police, Uganda Red Cross and representatives from KCCA. It’s being hoped that more bodies could be retrieved and life saved through the continuing digging through the ruble at the collapsed Kiteezi dumping site. Many citizens are understandably angry and a lot of blame has inappropriately been directed at Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago’s KCCA.

Maybe Lukwago inadvertently provoked some of this belligerence himself when he rushed to apportion blame in a very partisan manner as opposed to coming off as restrained, uniting, measured and more inclusive than the he spoke on Saturday as he went around the collapsed site. There was no need for the blame game even when the country is already counting down to 2026 during which Lukwago will be seeking reelection as Kampala Lord Mayor, just like President Museveni will be.

The truth of the matter is that the decommissioning of Kiteezi, which Lukwago and his entire KCCA leadership have been calling for, is long overdue. The garbage dumping facility was first established for Uganda by the World Bank in 1996, which is now 28 years ago. As of that time, Kampala roughly had 1m people coming around to eke a living from it everyday.

Today, this has greatly changed. Kampala has 5m people depending on it to eke out a living and still surviving on the Kiteezi landfill whose capacity was designed 28 years ago to cater for just 1m people! It’s also instructive that the site at Kiteezi, which is 13kms from Kampala City Centre was, as of that time (1996), not built in a manner that complied with globally accepted best practices; the World Bank involvement not withstanding.

Back then, 28 years ago, Kiteezi was a remote part of Kampala and the site wasn’t near or surrounded by any human settlement like is the case today. As of that time, it was a wasteland where no one was living. There was simply no incentive for any sane human being to consider building a house and begin living there.

But as of today, the population explosion resulting from rapid urbanization around Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and other surrounding areas, has prompted humans to inevitably settle in all sorts of places including Kiteezi; totally oblivious of the dangers that come with poor sanitation conditions and the potential collapse of the landfill, as has happened.

This isn’t something over which anyone can blame KCCA which in any case is only concerned with dumping of the garbage there (on its own site called Kiteezi) without being vested with jurisdiction or authority to allow or disallow human settlements into villages surrounding Kiteezi. There are many powerful nice houses in the Kiteezi neighbourhood, whose construction has had to be cleared by the local authority which is Kasangati Town Council, supervisable by Wakiso district local government, and not Erias Lukwago’s KCCA.

The truth of the matter is that the weekend disaster wasn’t totally unanticipated. It was predictable and foreseeable that this infrastructure would cave in and cost lives which is why KCCA technical wing, and later on the political wing led by the Lord Mayor, raised a red flag long time ago. Its the reason why KCCA, having realised Kiteezi wasn’t viable anymore, acquired alternative land (135 acres) several kilometers away in Ddundu in Mukono district so as to facilitate the decommissioning or closure of Kiteezi.

However, all this was curiously frustrated by lack of funding in billions and generally lack of adequate support from the central government. Developing the Kiteezi-like solid waste management infrastructure at Ddundu requires billions of shillings, which only the central government (whose total tax collection is 75% comprised of taxable activities in Kampala) can avail.

On their own, KCCA can’t do much because everything they collect in Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) is passed on to the consolidated fund which is controlled by the central government and not the Lord Mayor.

Imagine the pain that comes with sitting in office, drawing out mitigation and intervention plans, clearly showing that you know what to do but you can’t do it for all those years. You are constrained and can’t do it because the cash you require to do the job hasn’t been availed to you.

Literature on KCCA website indicates that as early 2012, almost 10 years before the current Executive Director took office, KCCA took steps to improve solid waste management services in Kampala.

They considered the Public Private Partnership approach to be the most sustainable way to do this by collaborating private sector investors who had showed willingness to replicate the Ethiopian model by turning garbage into electricity or energy.

This is already being done in Ethiopia and other countries and doing so would kill many birds with one stone for Kampala. It would rid the city of garbage while at the same time generating almost 10MWs of electricity which would be sold and transferred to the national grid. The same initiative would create employment for Kampala’s young people besides creating additional revenue collection opportunities for the GoU through taxes for URA.

The same would save the taxpayer and government of the burden of having to spend on putting up a Kiteezi-like solid waste holding infrastructure as all the garbage would now simply be converted into electricity and thereby eliminating the need of having a dumping ground for it. The guys desiring to commercially utilise the garbage for electricity generation only needed to be guaranteed by the GoU, which is all they required as they went about globally fundraising for the the garbage-to-energy project.

Gratefully, the World Bank-affiliated International Finance Corporation (IFC) was on board and had offered to provide the Transaction Advisory Services to actualize the PPP. The IFC even carried out a feasibility study and confirmed the viability of the PPP project.

As of that time, small local Ugandan companies contracted by KCCA were collecting up to 30% of the garbage in Kampala by picking it from households in well off neighbourhoods, at a monthly fee of between Shs20,000 and Shs30,000.

They would pick or collect garbage from the homes at least once a week. This indicated the essentialty and prior involvement of the private sector in Kampala’s solid waste management activities. The proposed PPP was only going to strengthen such collaboration between KCCA and private sector actors. A few challenges were noted too and the IFC document proposed mitigation measures to make things better.

The IFC feasibility report also raised a red flag on the fact that Kiteezi, which has been taking up to 50% of the 2,500 tons of garbage daily generated and collected from Kampala, had been overstretched and long overdue for decommissioning. The same document also referred to safety and environmental concerns relating to continued failure to decommission or shut down Kiteezi.

The entire PPP and proposed decommissioning plan failed because the GoU was unable, refused or failed to issue out the guarantee the investors required to go fundraising for the project to convert garbage to energy (that guarantee was only required to signal government’s commitment to the proposed PPP).

In case, they aren’t comfortable working with the private sector, which the IFC feasibility study had established to be viable and necessary, the GoU had the alternative of going it alone by prioritizing funding of the operationalisation of the Ddundu solid waste management infrastructure.

This required, and still requires, hundreds of billions of shillings which the Museveni government hasn’t been able to promptly provide. All these frustrations have left the hands of the leadership at KCCA tied; knowing what needs to be done and not being able to do it because you haven’t been financially capacitated.

The Ddundu site was long acquired by KCCA and it covers up to 135 acres of land but it hasn’t been developed as yet again largely because KCCA hasn’t obtained the required levels of financial and political support from both the executive and even Parliament.

Besides the funding, political support is required to overcome curious resistance the Mukono political leaders are putting up while inciting Ddundu residents to resist relocation of KCCA’s garbage processing infrastructure and equipment from Kiteezi to larger and more spacious Ddundu.

Members of Parliament, including Kiteezi area MP Nkunyingi Muwadda, haven’t been as deliberate and outspoken on the Kiteezi issue as would be ideal. If they had, maybe the Ddundu residents’ resistance and hostility would have been circumvented long time ago.

In fact, as they clobbered him on Saturday, Kiteezi residents demanded to know why their Kyadondo East area MP Nkunyingi Muwadda hadn’t been able to use the Parliament platform they gave him in 2021 to publicise their plight and the Kiteezi disaster which had been impending for more than 10 years.

They rejected his opportunism and obscurantism of putting the blame on KCCA yet it was his primary duty as area MP to ceaselessly push the central government to release the required funding to have Kiteezi decommissioned and KCCA garbage dumping relocated to Ddundu.

Nkunyingi was also appropriately tasked by his own voters to explain why he hadn’t found it necessary to collaborate and work with the Kasangati town council and their supervisors at Wakiso district local government to prevent human settlement into areas surrounding the Kiteezi landfill as NEMA had prudently recommended several years ago.

The residents called out Nkunyingi Muwadda and directed him to stop being simplistic while seeking political capital out of their community misery. Having perceived and delcared him a mere media attention-seeker, the local residents attempted to beat him up but Nkunyingi Muwadda was saved by Police which had been deployed at the Kiteezi tragedy scene.

The local residents made it clear to him that, as area MP, that if he indeed was keen and interested in a more sustainable situation, he should have used his position as MP to pressurise the central government to provide the required financing for the Kiteezi dumping site to have been decommissioned long time ago.

While rejecting Nkunyingi Muwadda’s populism, the local residents unequivocally demanded that the central government provides the required financing so that the same disaster never happens again.

And gratefully, as KCCA resorts to using Entebbe Municipality’s garbage dumping ground at Nkumba along Entebbe Road as a temporary solution, the President has signalled his readiness to enact comprehensive and sustainable interventions which simply imply that the GoU is beginning to graduate from small-small interventions in favor of adequately investing in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area’s solid waste management going forward and for posterity.

One only hopes that Parliament, which will be having a session this Tuesday afternoon, comes out strongly and decisively call on the central government to avail the required funding so that no Ugandan citizen or Kampalan ever gets to die in Kiteezi-like circumstances again. For that is the only way to ensure that the 25 Ugandans so far confirmed to have perished in the weekend disaster, don’t die in vain.

There have also been online blogger attacks on Erias Lukwago, which are actually simplistic and unfounded. It would be escapist to blame Kampala’s service delivery inadequacies, including those relating to Kiteezi, to him as a person merely because of his relentless opposition to the President, because even other local governments which are famously headed by Gen Museveni’s political allies aren’t doing any better.

This failure or refusal by the NRM government to adequately fund local governments is widespread and ought to be appreciated and confronted as such across the country because there is simply nothing peculiar to Kampala. All the other LC5 Chairpersons, including in areas governed by President Museveni’s supporters, are stranded as Erias Lukwago, if not even worse, when it comes to funding social services delivery to their electors.

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via ultimatenews19@gmail.com

New Scandal As Ministry Of Finance Pays 600m To Bukedi Cooperative Union Without Documentation

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

As the trade ministry permanent secretary Ssali Busuulwa and MPs like Mawanda Micheal continue to rot in Luzira prison, a fearless official at the ministry of finance and planning has gone ahead to pay 600m to Bukedi cooperative union without any, verification or documentation.

The government of Museveni has since 2011 been paying large sums of money to cooperative unions to compensate them for the buildings, cars, hard cash and whatever else they lost due to the liberation wars of 1979 and the 1980s which brought Museveni to office.

The total money which government is supposed to pay goes up to 500bn to the different cooperative unions allover the country of Uganda. Bukedi is one of those which have been getting free money without anyone in government questioning them for fear of big man Godfrey Ekanya of FDC and a long serving MP for Tororo county.

But the 600m paid to them not very long ago directly from the finance ministry has left the president a very bitter man because of the fact that staunch opposition boy Ekanya has a lot of influence on that cooperative union of Bukedi.

The payment is said to have been scandalous because there was no documentation nor verification report to show what the money was being compensated for and what exactly Bukedi cooperatives union exactly lost to justify such compensation.

In his report of last year, former parliamentary trade committee chairperson Mpaka Mwine had listed Bukedi among the cooperatives unions with a lot of corruption and accountability problems.

This latest 600m has actually created problems and caused members and their leaders in executive to fight over it as they demand for accountability.

This latest scandal of 600m is becoming public at a time when her Baganda tribemates and her leaders in the Masaka Catholic church diocese are grumbling that their own Geraldine Ssali was only a victim of circumstances.

Saying that their daughter is being witch-hunted and persecuted because she has no godfathers in government, recently the Masaka Catholic church officials, whose Bwavu Mpologooma cooperative society received several billions for which Ssali was sent to Luzira, threatened to refund the cash to protect the church’s image.

When she became permanent secretary in July 2021, Ssali prioritized Bwavu Mpologooma’s compensation because her own grandfather had been a key figure in it and she personally knew a lot about the unfair circumstances under which the Society was wound up by the government.

She worked hard to ensure that Bwavu Mpologooma is given priority ahead of Masaka cooperative union which had the support of powerful people from Masaka like Mathias Mpuuga, Haruna Kasolo, Edward Sekandi, former minister of finance Giraido Ssendawula and many others.

One Catholic church priest from Masaka a few days ago was overheard fuming; ‘Why are they mistreating Ssali who is innocent because she simply walked into a ministry which was already a crime scene in as far as that Cooperatives scandal is concerned?”

The disgruntled priest wondered why the investigations covered only Ssali without doing anything on what happened under her predecessors like the late permanent secretary Ambassador Onen and Grace Choda who was the acting permanent secretary before she was posted at the trade ministry.

“We do not know what we did to Museveni as Catholics and people from Masaka Catholic diocese? The Cooperatives payments work began in 2011 and how then do you jump on Ssali who is hardly two years at the ministry? If it’s about tackling corruption and the president is being honest about this, why don’t they show interest in what happened for all those years before Ssali became the permanent secretary?”

The priest ranted while adding that Ssali has never been in touch nor done any deals with all those MPs she is being charged with over alleged connivance over cooperatives cash. This fallout might politically hurt Museveni and his NRM in Masaka area come 2026.

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via ultimatenews19@gmail.com

Advocating for a Deforestation-Free Supply Chain Law in Uganda: A Sustainable Future for the Forests

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

By Okot Tony

In the heart of northern Uganda, a collective voice is rising among media practitioners and conservationists advocating for a deforestation-free supply chain law. Their focus is primarily on products such as sugar, which have been linked to alarming rates of forest land clearance. Livingstone Langol, a devoted member of the Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC), calls the Ugandan government’s recent approval for expanding sugarcane plantations “an unforgivable shame for all investors, government leaders, and local collaborators.” The forests, which provide essential ecological benefits, are being compromised for short-term agricultural gains.

Forests are not just a collection of trees; they are vital ecosystems that provide numerous benefits. They act as carbon sinks, absorbing CO2 emissions, thus helping to mitigate climate change. They provide habitat for countless species of wildlife, contribute to the water cycle by maintaining rainfall patterns, and prevent soil erosion, which is crucial for maintaining fertile land. Without forests, ecosystems would collapse, leading to dire consequences for sustaining life on our planet.

Langol insists that “sugar production should be closely monitored at both domestic and international levels to effectively curb future deforestation.” He urges the Ugandan government to not only uphold existing forestry laws but to also enact new guidelines ensuring that products manufactured in Uganda maintain a deforestation-free status within six to ten years. He believes that such legislation is crucial to protect invaluable ecosystems and set a precedent for responsible investment practices.

Journalist Ronald Odongo from Lango sub region highlights the ongoing danger, revealing, “What has happened in Gulu and the Acholi sub region is increasingly being mirrored in Lango, despite our existing laws.” The National Forestry and Tree Planting Act 2003 and subsequent regulations have proved insufficient in preventing forest depletion. Urgent action is required, as the Uganda Deforestation Regulation (UDR) is slated to come into force before 2026, aiming to create compliance frameworks for key commodities such as sugar, beef, leather, soybeans, and oil.

Arthur Owor, an Environment Conservationist in Gulu says that these regulations not only safeguard Uganda’s forests but can also establish stringent standards beyond national borders. The international market, including the European Union, the United States, and China – one of the largest players in commodities – is increasingly prioritizing deforestation-free products. This shift could enhance Uganda’s export potential while ensuring responsible sourcing.

Frederick Dramadri, a journalist based in Arua City, asserts, “Uganda can replicate successful international models to protect our forests from encroachment and hold environmentally exploitative investors accountable.” He highlights the devastating situation at Zoka Forest, where unique flora and fauna, including the rare flying squirrels, are under threat due to aggressive logging facilitated by heavy machinery. “With a deforestation-free supply chain law in place, the exploitation of our natural resources would have been prevented,” he argues.

As advocates push for this vital legislation, the benefits of a deforestation-free supply chain become ever clearer. It promises a sustainable future for Uganda, ensuring that forests remain intact to fulfill their roles in climate regulation, biodiversity preservation, and community well-being. It’s a path that not only protects the environment but also fosters sustainable development in alignment with global climate goals.

Let us take a step towards safeguarding our natural heritage. The time is now to support a deforestation-free supply chain, ensuring that economic growth does not come at the expense of our precious forests.

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via ultimatenews19@gmail.com

Gov’t To Incur More Costs Due To Less Electricity Demand In West Nile

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

By Mike Rwothomio

From decades of turbulent electricity, to projected reliable electricity, the majority of the over 3 million people of West Nile have reasons to smile after getting connected to the national grid. The potential Gulu-Olwiyo 132 kV line portion of the Kole-Gulu-Nebbi-Arua Project completed last week formally extended the transmission grid to the west Nile sub region.

According to the ministry of energy and mineral development, West Nile now has 90 mw of the Gulu-Olwiyo 132 kV line portion of the Kole-Gulu-Nebbi-Arua project with only 6mw electricity demand.

Though the demand is projected to increase to 10mw in 12 months’ time, experts from the ministry say there is need “to find a way to grow electricity demand in the area” .If the 132kV is not maximally consumed, the government will start to incur other costs of managing the voltage since the distance between the line and the ground generates an over voltage.

The ministry of energy and mineral development has apparently invested in little more equipment on the transformers and substations at Arua and Kole to sink power that may be lying idle.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, whilst commissioning the project at Thatha cell, Thatha division, Nebbi municipality on August 3, 2024, emphasized the need for establishment of more industrial parks in the region to consume the abundant power.

“We now have enough power in the granary, therefore what I will recommend is to develop industrial park somewhere in west Nile near the power”

He also advised leaders to “get some land where the industrial park can be established to consume the 90 megawatts”.

Mr. Museveni added that the project has fulfilled the government commitment of serving the people of west Nile “proving that the argument of people that we have neglected west Nile were disruptive”.

He further stressed the need for export of the electricity to the neighboring countries like South Sudan, DR Congo amongst others “to attract factories confidently”

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has emphasized the need for development of more industrial Park in west Nile for maximum utilization of the newly commissioned Gulu-Olwiyo 132 kV line portion of the Kole-Gulu-Nebbi-Arua Project extending the transmission grid to west Nile sub region.

The long awaited World Bank funded project cost us $ 638 (shs 2 trillion) according to permanent secretary ministry of energy and mineral development, Eng. Irene Batebe.

She added that the national launch of the Electricity Access scale-up project will increase access of electricity energy at household level, commercial enterprises, industrialization, public institutions amongst others, further commending the World Bank for funding the project, assuring that “we will be making additional projects to ensure our people are fully connected”

The 132kv line portion has put to bed the years of turbulent power in the sub region with the population of over 3 million people from the fourteen districts of Zombo, Nebbi, Nebbi municipality, Pakwach, Madi-OKolo, Terego, Maracha, Obongi, Yumbe, Koboko, Moyo, Adjumani, Arua city and Arua district.

West Nile leaders reacts

Jackeline Opar, the LCIII Chairperson of Thatha division who double as the Dean of Association of LCIII in Nebbi, lauds government for fulfilling its long term commitment to the west Nile people further appealing for “connection of more areas in the division’’

She added that “power is important but we have a big problem of road, we pray that the president hear our prayers”

The LCV chairperson of Nebbi district Emmanuel Orombi, commended the government for the great millstone, calling for connection of more sub counties in the district. He also noted that in the past months, there has been improvement in power supply as compared to the previous years.

“We thank government for this initiative but honorable minister, we are drawing to your attention that only 10% of our sub counties are connected with power, it is our prayers that all these other remaining sub counties and even the few that seems to be connected, power just pass through them like Akworo, Jupangira, Nebbi Municipality, Erussi with Parombo, the rest out of 16 are still living in darkness or using solar” Orombi said

The MP for Nebbi municipality Hashim Suleiman, appealed for more connections mentioning that “the municipality still falls short of connectivity despite housing the Nebbi Substation. most of our 46 different cells in Nebbi municipality need to be connected since it hosts the main substation”.

He also rallied residents to make maximum use of the power at their disposal to cause fundamental change in their livelihoods.

Meanwhile William Anyama, the LCV Chairperson of Moyo reminded the government about lack of key rural electrification components that has left out many parts of West Nile, appealing that “we have many sub county headquarters, schools, government institutions like health center IIIs which are not connected”.

He further stressed the need for better coordination between officials from the ministry of energy and local leaders revealing how on several occasions “technical staff from the ministry bypass local leaders whilst implementing important government projects thus creating confusion”

By 2040, the government of Uganda that still has power generation capacity of 2000mw plans to increase it 52,400 mw.

Though connected to the national grid, the West Nile sub-region still has some areas like Obongi district without power poles.

The minister of energy and mineral development Ruth Nankabirwa says the completion of the power project fulfills the constant demand the West Nile leaders have been pushing for years. She also commended the World Bank and development partners for their full support noting that “as Uganda, we are moving forward to energy transmission, but allow me say West Nile is on fire, because last time you put me on fire but now, I am turning back with result”.

She added “the consumers’ needs to be connected that is when we shall be talking business, the industries in Arua and those others coming up, in Nebbi, and those big town centers in the region are going to consume this electricity, the schools, health centers will consume this electricity and we shall be happy”

The minister further noted that, government ‘s standpoint is not to stop at the substation but to proceed with rural electrification calling for patience on rural connections. She assured of the soon completion of the 6.5 Mw Nyagak III power station in Zombo district, that will add on the already existing electricity in the region.

Responding to the rural connection demands made by different west Nile leaders, the minister calls for patience saying “we are not throwing these requests in the basket, we are moving ahead with them, specifically on Obongi district”

Meanwhile, a representative of the world bank country commissioner, expressed the organization’s support toward the scale-up intervention expressing hope that the established infrastructure will facilitate the expeditious implementation of many government programs in the region.

He added that “Our interventions are designed to respond to government policies including NDPIII, SDG7, and priority programs towards increase access to clean and modern energy”

According to the ministry, under the Electricity Access Scale-up Project, all customers within the radius of 90meters will benefit. The customers will require no pole or a pole service to be connected.

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via ultimatenews19@gmail.com

TOP STORY: Mbarara University Gets New Vice Chancellor

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

The search for a new Vice Chancellor at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) has concluded with the appointment of Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika. The appointment follows a nail-biting process conducted by the Vice Chancellor Search Committee (VCSC), which commenced in January 2024.

A distinguished academic with extensive experience in public health and higher education leadership, Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika, beat four other candidates that were shortlisted to contend for the university’s top academic and general administration position.

Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika’s prospects for winning the battle of brains started when the Vice Chancellor Search Committee scored her overall performance at 84.3%, followed by Dr. Joel Bazira with 81.8%, Prof. Amon Agaba Ganafa with 80.7%, Dr. Juliet Mwanga-Amumpaire with 75.3%, and Dr. Lynnette T. Kyokunda with 72.2%.

The Vice Chancellor Search Committee (VCSC), established under Section 31(3) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001 (as amended), and Section 9.2 of the MUST Council Charter (2021), was charged with identifying and recommending the most qualified candidate for the role.

Chaired by Prof. Philippa Musoke, the committee included two University Council members, Dr. Stevens Kisaka and Dr. Medard K. Bitekyerezo, alongside three University Senate members: Eng. Dr. Dorothy Okello, Dr. Evarist Nabaasa, and Prof. Musoke herself. The Academic Registrar, Dr. Martha Kyoshaba Twinamasiko, served as the Committee’s Secretary.

The search process involved several key stages, including the development of operational documents, advertisement of the position, shortlisting of candidates, due diligence, and final evaluations through interviews and public presentations.

A total of eleven applicants expressed interest in the position, with five being shortlisted based on their qualifications and adherence to the specified criteria. The shortlisted candidates underwent a comprehensive evaluation process, culminating in interviews and public presentations designed to assess their suitability for the Vice Chancellor role.

The candidates were evaluated across three stages: shortlisting (30%), interviews (50%), and public presentations (20%).

In her profile, Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika also served in various senior roles, contributing significantly to policy development and institutional growth. Dr. Joel Bazira, an Associate Professor known for his work in microbiology and his dedication to advancing clinical research, has held several administrative positions and is praised for his ability to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Prof. Amon Agaba Ganafa, a seasoned educator and researcher with a strong background in engineering and technology, has been instrumental in developing innovative educational programs and has a proven track record in academic management.

The other two candidates are Dr. Juliet Mwanga-Amumpaire, also an Associate Professor, who is a respected figure in medical research with extensive experience in public health projects. She has been involved in numerous international collaborations, enhancing her expertise in global health issues.

Lastly, Dr. Lynnette T. Kyokunda, another Associate Professor, specializes in educational leadership and curriculum development. She has played a key role in advancing educational standards and is highly regarded for her contributions to teacher training and development.

After a comprehensive evaluation process, the top three candidates—Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika, Dr. Joel Bazira, and Prof. Amon Agaba Ganafa—were recommended to the University Council by the University Senate. The Council then selected Prof. Byakika-Kibwika as the top choice and forwarded her name to the Chancellor.

Subsequently, the Chancellor, Prof. Charles Olweny, officially appointed her as the new Vice Chancellor. The formal appointment was marked by the signing of her Instrument on Friday, August 2, 2024, by Prof. Olweny and Dr. Warren Naamara, the Chairperson of the University Council, who handed it to her.

The Committee expressed its appreciation to all applicants for their participation and to the various university bodies for their support throughout the critical process.

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via ultimatenews1@gmail.com

TRUTH FINALLY COMES OUT: Here’s Why Some Media Outlets Lied About ICT ministry Cars

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

This weekend sections of online media produced a screaming story which showed that the ICT & national guidance ministry permanent secretary Professor Aminah Zawedde had single-handedly decided to purchase one Toyota Land Cruiser VX for herself to do ministry work at Ugx965m-on August 31 2022.

The online story also falsely showed that the permanent secretary had disregarded government procedures governing purchase of vehicles.

The bitter truth of the matter is that the two vehicles were bought from Cadam enterprises Ltd which is based in Naguru at a total of Ugx950m which came to Ugx1.2bn when VAT and other taxes are included.

The two vehicles were for Ministers at ICT viz-one for Chris Baryomunsi and another for state minister Godfrey Kabyanga. So, all this shows that Ugx950m was for two vehicles and not one.

When Baryomunsi rejected the vehicle saying much as it was new and model 2022, it was smaller than expected. It was small because Toyota’s newer models are smaller than their predecessors, made years earlier.

So the one for Baryomunsi was allocated to the office of permanent secretary to facilitate ICT development related activities. But the process had started at the beginning of 2021, long before Professor Zawedde became permanent secretary at ICT & national guidance ministry.

As early as February 2021, former  PS Vincent Bagiire and then minister Judith Nabakooba were already writing letters to UCC and other government ministries and entities to facilitate the buying of the two vehicles.

In February 2021, Bagiire wrote to UCC asking the executive director to use the non-tax revenue monies to facilitate the purchase of two brand new vehicles for ministers at ICT.

This news investigator has seen letters of Nabakooba to public service minister Muruuli Mukasa asking him for permission to allow the purchase of two vehicles for her ministry. Muruuli Mukasa replied quickly and authorized the ministry of ICT & national guidance to buy the two cars.

This procedure of writing to Mukasa explaining everything has to be followed because the President put in place a directive many years ago directing all ministries to reduce purchase of vehicles which can only be purchased after getting written permission of Muruuli Mukasa and the ministry of public service.

Upon perusing through the available documents, it has emerged that the process to buy the two vehicles started long before Professor Zawedde became permanent secretary at ICT. She only happened to be in office as of August 2022 when UCC finally managed to get the money. All the letters she wrote were just follow ups to what had started long before she became the permanent secretary at the ministry.

Being bankers for Cadam enterprises Ltd, Centenary Bank was involved in securing the payment guarantees on behalf of the supplier to prove that all would be well.

This news blog has seen correspondences from a number of Centenary Bank managers all of which indicating that their client had been contracted to and indeed delivered two Toyota Land Cruiser VXs at a cost of 362,450 dollars of which 70% or 253,715 dollars came in late 2022 as first installment or payment from UCC; acting or paying on behalf of the ministry of ICT & national guidance.

The letters written by Joseph Lutwama, Twesigye Wycliffe, Paul Lubega, Angela Amuge-all managers at Centernary Bank-indicate that the Ugx950m was being paid for the purchase of two ministry vehicles and not one.

The payments guarantee the Bank executed on behalf of Cedam enterprises Ltd to facilitate the supply and delivery of the two vehicles was valid for one year and was valid up to July 28th 2023.

Mellan Mugaya, the authorised signatory and the finance & administration manager at Cadam enterprises Ltd also confirmed in writing that the Ugx950m they were being paid through their Centenary Bank Lugogo branch was for the supply and delivery of two brand new model 2022 Land Cruiser VX cars, and not one as the online news reported.

And all this procurement was authorized and authenticated as legit by both the PPDA and the solicitor general through their written authorization and no objection dated June 13 2022.

On that date, F Nyamwenge wrote on behalf of the solicitor general clearly showing the contract between Cadam enterprises Ltd and the ministry of ICT & national guidance was compliant with all laws of Uganda governing public procurement.

In that letter, the attorney general’s chambers allowed the usage of non-tax revenue collected by UCC to purchase vehicles for their mother ministry as follows: use of Ugx950m to purchase two brand new 2022 model vehicles for ministers at ICT & national guidance from Cadam enterprises Ltd. Another Ugx949m was for buying 5 double cabin pickup trucks from M/S Victoria Motors Ltd to facilitate activities related to ICT development.

The relevant documents, letters and correspondences this investigator has seen show that UCC and the mother ministry had a memorandum of understanding that was put in place long before Professor Aminah became permanent secretary.

The agreement requires that UCC can use part of the non-tax revenues it collects to pay suppliers of the ministry of different things including vehicles, conference facilities, events management and other things.

That is how UCC money had to be used to purchase the two vehicles, which Muruuli Mukasa called tools of trade to enable ministers to do their work.

The way it works is that the ministry gets a supplier with whom they sign a contract and get the goods or supplies delivered but the tax invoices for payment are sent to UCC because it’s supposed, as per the MoU, to use part of the NTR it collects to pay off creditors for the mother ministry.

This NTR relationship between the ministry and UCC was for many years existing and will remain in place even after Professor Aminah Zawedde has left the stage.

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via ultimatenews19@gmail.com

WE DIDN’T ACT CORRUPT: ICT Ministry Explains Ugx965M Spent On Vehicles

By
Linda Njoroge
-
0

The ministry of ICTs and national guidance has dismissed as false the weekend online media reports showing that Ugx950m was on August 31st paid to Kampala car bond Cadam enterprises as price for the purchase of one Toyota Land Cruiser LC 300 VX in the year 2022 August.

In a Sunday press release, the ministry said they paid Ugx965m to buy two vehicles and not only one as online news indicated. “We acknowledge the media reports regarding the procurement of vehicles at the Ministry of ICT & National Guidance, which alleged the purchase of a single Government vehicle for UGX.965M. It is crucial to clarify that, as opposed the allegation of a single vehicle costing that much, two vehicles were procured-not one.”

The press release went on to add that; “The procurement process was open bidding and strictly adhered to the guidelines set by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), and cleared by the office of the Solicitor General, ensuring transparency and accountability. All requisite approvals and processes were adhered to.”

The two vehicles that were bought have the following number plates; UG 0057N and UG 0058N and they are doing ministry work. “The Ministry of ICT & National Guidance is committed to the principles of open government, operating under a framework that prioritizes transparency and openness to all citizens. We invite the media and public stakeholders to visit our facilities to verify the existence and proper use of the two procured vehicles.”

It went on; “We value and thank the media houses for their interest and vigilant role in overseeing public transactions. We are open to dialogue and further discussions to foster an understanding and transparent communication. Your engagement is essential in upholding the standards and integrity of public services. For more information or to schedule a visit, please contact us on our digital channels.”

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via ultimatenews19@gmail.com

1...242526...174Page 25 of 174

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Ultimate News publishes Balanced, Factual and All round News From verified Sources From Uganda, East Africa and The World Over.

Contact us: ultimatenews19@gmail.com

FOLLOW US

©Ultimate News 2024, All Rights Reserved. DESIGNED BY ACCORD COMMUNICATIONS LTD