The Government plans to put a ban on all dangerous chemicals and skin lightening chemicals entering the Ugandan market.

This follows the cabinet’s approval of the transformation of National Drug Authority to National Food and Drug Authority.

The new authority will block all dangerous chemicals, lotions and creams from entering Uganda.

Speaking before the cabinet on Thursday, the Minister of Information and National Guidance, Hon Rose Namayanja said some of these chemicals include mercury and hydroquinone that are in many lotions and creams.

These chemicals put many women at the risk of getting skin cancers, diabetes, hypertension among other diseases.

“Cosmetic known to contain hazardous skin lightening chemicals like mercury and hydroquinone will not be tolerated. Abuse of some of these cosmetics is already exposing some of our people to health risks like diabetes, hypertension, kidney ailments and heart disease,” said Hon Namayanja.

Cabinet also aims at blocking blood based products sometimes categorized as pharmaceutical products with the risk of exposing patient to blood transmitted diseases like Hepatitis B. Some biological products like hormones also categorized as pharmaceutical products if not effectively regulated may also expose consumers to diseases like diabetes, hypertension, kidney damage and heart disease.

Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Health to urgently commence the process of drafting amendments to the National Drug Policy and Authority Act, 1993, to pave way for creation of the NFDA.

When the Bill gets to Parliament, Cabinet will also appeal for bi-partisan support due the urgency to protect enhance protection of our citizens.

Renowned NRM leaning blogger Olaxess Isma who was recently anointed the ‘president’ of bloggers is in the spotlight after clips of him making reckless statements glorifying the murder of civilians in the deadly November 2020 clashes have emerged on social media. The video resurges at a time when the NRM government claims to be holding opposition blogger Kajjubi Fred Lumbuye who they claim has been using online platforms to attack government officials and members of the first family.

Olaxess a blogger who returned to Uganda from Sweden to settle for a contract with the NRM government is well known for his insensitivity and lack of intellect in his analyses on Facebook and government owned media stations like Urban TV. In the aftermath of last year’s free Bobi protests, Olaxess excitedly commended the soldiers who clamped down on protesters during the November protests triggered by the arrest of then presidential hopeful Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert aka Bobi Wine.

The clashes ended with the murder of over 54 people. In Olaxess Isma’s view the number was even less and that more Ugandans had to ‘die’ for the government to remain in power. He spoke with impunity and appreciated the army for meting out terror on citizens he claimed were against the regime.

“We shall spill blood blood. We are going to resist even if it means spilling blood we shall spill it. Bobi Wine can’t scare us. We have the guns we shall kill his supporters till they abandon their plan to topple the government,” Olaxess ranted in the video. “You an agent of imperialism. We are the National Resistance Movement and we shall not be scared of you. We shall thump you Bobi and you return to your home blind,” he warned.

He added that Bobi should be maimed and the NRM sees what the international community shall do. “Let him be taken to Nalufenya and we see what BBC will do. We want you to be released when you are handicapped so that your family can learn some lessons,” he added in the leaked video.

The same blogger is reportedly an agent of Kampala central MP Muhammad Nsereko who deploys him to attack the person of Bobi Wine.

Uganda’s Solomon Mutai won the 21km category of the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon on Sunday clocking 1:02:54 beating Kenyans in their own backyard.

Joel Kipkemei (1:03.07) and Mathew Kiprotich (1:35.04) from Kenya were second and third positions respectively.

Mutai also won the Safaricom Mombasa International Marathon in Kenya back in August.

The 20-year-old from Bukwo bagged Ksh.150.000 (Shs4.5m) from his run.

In the women’s category, Goretti Chepkoech beat Agnes Chebet and Pascalia Jepkorir to the finish line.

For the 42km distance race, Kenneth Mung’ara and Winfridah Kwamboka were the overall winners.

Mung’ara clocked two hours, 12 minutes and 28 seconds winning Ksh.1.5m (Sh45m) while Hosea Korir finished second.

Meanwhile, Police’s Fred Arapsudi won the National Half Marathon Championships men’s title in Kapchorwa over the weekend. Dickson Huru (1:16:42) from the UPDF was second.

Vanice Chemutai of Prisons (1:37:04) took the women’s title and Irene Chemusto of Prisons came in second clocking 1:41:00.

“It was a mere joint statement not a political coalition,” Basalirwa speaks about the Hotel Africana opposition meeting.

JEEMA President Hon Asuman Basalirwa has come out to clear the air about what exactly transpired at Hotel Africana when the opposition ‘Galacticos’ met , penned and released a joint statement on the status of elections in Uganda.

Appearing on one of the top political shows in the country, Basalirwa med it clear that what transpired at Africana was the usual joint statement presser but there was nothing to do with forging a coalition aimed at ousting Gen Museveni out of power.

Basalirwa added that his party have not been informed or called for any meeting by the opposition counterparts to sign any agreement making them part of any coalition.

He further added that coalitions in Uganda have in the past failed to yield the expected results and thus as JEEMA , they are reluctant to enter in to such agreements.

He however made it clear that JEEMA is willing to work with any opposition political party or pressure group on agreed upon terms but not to surrender their sovereignty to any one.

Being a senior politician and legal officer, Basalirwa’s words paint a carbon copy as to how far the opposition may be far from uniting to form a joint force that can try to oust Gen Museveni out of power.