MP WANTS EVERY PRIVATE SCHOOL TO BE GIVEN SHS.100M BEFORE RE-OPENING
Legislators argue that the two year closure of these institutions due to the Covid-19 pandemic has crippled private institutions’ ability to continue in service delivery, a reason government must come in with a rescue plan.
“We are saying give each private school Shs100 million to be able to start, to paint, to clean the school and also prepare,” said Hon Michael Mawanda (NRM, Igara East). He added that, ‘some schools have lost property yet their main source of income is school fees from parents who have also been affected by the pandemic’.
He guided that the offer should be made to private schools that meet certain criteria set by government.
Mawanda explained that it will be hard for most private education institutions to mobilise funds and pay staff arrears, renovate the dilapidated structures and be able to provide education services.
“Mobilising money to start in this short time is not easy because even banks are reluctant to lend schools money because they are not sure whether schools will be able to pay,” he said.
He called on government to also support the schools in offsetting salary loans obtained by teachers who have failed to meet their obligations.
“Schools guarantee loans for their workers; these are salary loans and workers have not been working. The banks have recalled the guarantees and it is the schools to pay these loans,” he said.
Mawanda said this while appearing before the Committee on Education and Sports on Tuesday, 09 November 2021. He was accompanied by Kyankwazi Woman MP, Hon Christine Sendawula and Mityana North MP, Hon Muhamad Nsegumire. The three moved a motion urging government to provide a recovery package for private education institutions.
They clarified that private education institutions are not seeking for free money, but a loan that would either be refunded in a long run when schools have stabilised or at interest free.
They also proposed tax incentives to private schools where government would waiver the payments or have them staggered for a period.
“Government can say you have been paying income tax but in the next three years do not pay; they can either waive the payment or stagger the payment to assist these schools jump start,” Mawanda added.
The Committee Vice-chairperson, Hon Cuthbert Abigaba re-echoed the need for government to ‘rescue’ private institutions, but wondered if the parents and learners would benefit from the incentives.
“We know the schools are struggling but how do the rest of the stakeholders benefit from these incentives? How does the parent expect to benefit from this incentive because the pandemic has also hit parents?’ asked Abigaba.
Hon Sendawula said the ultimate beneficiary for the incentives are students, recognising that private institutions consume the majority of the educational needs in the country.
MPs want school fees to be reduced both in government and private schools as a move to assist parents who lost jobs and businesses due to the Covid-19 lock down.

DR. MUSENERO TO BE PROBED FOR MISAPPROPRIATION OF SHS 31BN
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among has called for an investigation into allegations of misappropriation of Shs31 billion against the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Monica Musenero.
The Deputy Speaker’s directive followed revelations by Ntungamo Municipality MP, Hon Yona Musinguzi that Dr Musenero misused the funds meant for development of Covid-19 vaccines. Musinguzi who tabled a number of documents said the money had been sent through the Presidential Scientific Initiative on Epidemics (PRESIDE).
Among who chaired the sitting of the House on Tuesday, 09 November 2021 said that she would name the members of the select committee to investigate and report to the House.
Musinguzi alleges that Shs31 billion that Parliament appropriated to the ministry for the manufacture of Covid-19 vaccines was channeled to PRESIDE, which he says is not a registered organization.
“In its definition it should be a company; it is not registered anywhere but it is receiving big sums of money under the disguise of some scientists who have come together to produce for us a corona virus vaccine,” Musinguzi said.
Musinguzi accuses Musenero for faking payments to scientists who he said deny receiving money from the ministry or Preside.
“On the summary of project disbursements, there is a doctor at Uganda Virus Research Institute whom she [Musenero] purportedly sent shs1.8 billion but the doctor has never seen the money,” he said.
Musinguzi presented a letter where the Auditor General questions how PRESIDE started operating and whether a feasibility study had been conducted to award it the shs31 billion. This Musinguzi says puts the tax payers’ money at risk.
Parliament also learnt of a letter where the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation wrote to Musenero to account for the Shs31 billion. Musinguzi said this raises doubts on the integrity of the minister.
“If I am lying, then why was the Permanent Secretary writing to her to account for the money?” he asked.
He revealed Uganda does not have the required laboratory recommended for the manufacture of vaccines adding that the money will go to waste.
“I want to assure this House, as a scientist, that research and development of vaccines can only be done in biosafety laboratory at level 4 and that level is only in South Africa on the African continent,” said Musinguzi adding that, ‘the ones on Makerere University and Uganda Virus Research Institute are at level 2’.
Dr. Musenero is also accused of employing her relatives in PRESIDE.
“I have information on these officials impersonating as government officials. One of them is Dr. Masanza Michael, the husband to Musenero and the other is Abel Walekwa, who is a niece to the minister,” Musinguzi said.
Attempts by the Chairperson Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon Remigio Achia to state that the matter was before the committee p proved futile.
Musinguzi said the committee has not handled the matter. “I remember the chairman saying he had requested for reports from the minister and she had refused. You said since she had refused, let her come here and be grilled,” Musinguzi said.
Igara West MP, Mbwatekamwa Gaffa asked Among to have inquiries into all presidential initiatives saying all have been mishandled.
“Anything that concerns presidential initiatives on science has issues; the presidential initiative on bananas has not helped the community at all. There is another initiative on treating bilharzia but when we visited it, we found nothing on ground,” Mbwatekamwa said.

SHAMIM MALEMBE, SSEGIRINYA’S LAWYER CLAIMS HER LIFE IS IN DANGER
Shamim Malende, the lawyer representing MPs Allan Ssewanyana and Muhammad Ssegirinya has said that her life is under threat.
The two incarcerated legislators are battling charges of murder, terrorism and other charges.
Speaking to The Media, Malende said she officially informed the Masaka Grade One magistrate Grace Wakoli.
“The situation is not good because I have been receiving some threats. It is hard to lay my fingers on the actual people because I have been trailed on several occasions. There have been unknown people contacting and telling me to be careful because my life is in danger, ” she said.
Malende said that she reported the issue to Nansana police adding that she is very determined to continue with her legal representation of the pair.
“I have opened a case at Nansana police station because that is where I was at the time. I wanted it to be on the court record that my life is under threat. What we want is the state to expedite the investigation and if there is any avenue for the review of their bail conditions, option of appeal, we are exploring all that,” she said.
Meanwhile, the state prosecutor Richard Birivumbuka revealed that they have completed investigations and are ready to proceed to the High Court for trial.
Birivumbuka noted that the state is not aware that Ssegirinya is not at Luzira Murchison Bay hospital where he was taken after his health condition worsened.
Malende however emphasised that her clients need to access medical attention from specialised doctors as soon as possible before their situation worsens.
“We need the government to be directed to allow them access specialised medical attention from their own doctors, their own hospitals of their choice and the court has said it is okay,”said Malende.
The MPs are accused of killings three people and attempted murder in the greater Masaka sub region.
The case was adjourned to November 23 2021.

POLICE OFFICER SHOOTS DEAD GIRLFRIEND, INJURES PASSER BY
The territorial Police at Nsangi are investigating a murder by shooting of Sarah Nabukenya, a teacher at Buddo Preparatory School, and an attempted murder of Mark Busulwa.
It is alleged that yesterday at about 10:00 PM, a police officer Corporal Sam Ewuku went to visit Nabukenya, who is believed to have been the girlfriend, only to turn his rifle against her.
He shot her dead. He later turned the gun to a passerby Busulwa and injured him on the hand.
The case was reported at Buddo Junior Police Post that later involved Kampala Metropolitan South to have him arrested.
The suspect was intercepted at Katwe Police Station and arrested.
He is currently detained at Central Police Station Kampala as investigations continue.
The motive of the shooting has not been ascertained.
The body of the deceased person was conveyed to city mortuary.
The injured person is still responding positively to treatment, according to Asp Luke Owoyesigyire, Deputy PRO KMP.

COURTS FAILS TO RECONCILE PASTOR BUGINGO AND EX WIFE TEDDY
The court mediation process that is meant to reconcile Pastor Aloysius Bugingo and his estranged wife Teddy Naluswa has failed.
According to a report filed by the New Vision newspaper, a source privy to the mediation said the process has hit a dead end. High court Family Division presided over by Justice Joseph Murangira has since set January 25th, next year to hear the case.
Teddy had made several attempts to have the matter resolved but she has not been successful.
Also, on April 29, Justice Murangira directed Bugingo to first consider the option of mediation before the case should be heard.
Bishop Joshua Lwere was named as the mediator.
However, Pastor Bugingo and his lawyer rejected the proposed mediator accusing him of bias, therefore, leading to the failure of the first mediation process.
According to Bugingo’s lawyer, Ronald Ruhinda, Bishop Lwere is a biased mediator and an interested party.
Lwere is the general overseer of the National Fellowship of the Born-again of the Pentecostal Churches of Uganda. He is also the founder and senior pastor of Grace Assembly.
The second mediator, the Executive Director of the Uganda National Roads Authority, Allen Kagina, has also failed to make headway in reconciling the couple.
Court mediation is a private process where a neutral third-party person helps the involved parties in discussing and trying to resolve the dispute. Whereas there can be mediation, the process can remain voluntary in that the parties are not required to come to an agreement.
Bugingo filed a divorce case in 2019 at Kajjansi Magistrate court in Kampala against his wife and sought dissolution of their marriage.
Naluswa opposed the dissolution of their marriage, saying what God has already put together no person can separate.

MP ZAAKE AND BESIGYE SUMMONED OVER “RECKLESS STATEMENTS” AGAINST MUSEVENI
Fred Enanga the police spokesperson says those summoned are four time Forum for Democratic Change Presidential Candidate and the leader of the People’s Front for Transition Rtd Col Kiiza Besigye and NUP’s Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake Butebi.
Enanga says police have picked interest in the statements made by the duo in their media interviews and they have taken steps to open up a file as they investigate the statements made by the two politicians.
Zaake while appearing on one of the Television stations in the preceding week is said to have issued reckless statements antagonising the presence of the sitting duly elected government.
“We do take such anti-democratic utterances seriously, because of the potential of creating panic and fear in the public,” Enanga said. “Some political party activists, believe they are above the law in this country, which is not true,” he added.
Some pundits however believe police is simply targeting MP Zaake Francis who may cause a heavy panic for the ruling NRM party in the looming Mityana woman MP byelection. “They simply want to eliminate Zaake out of the polls so it can he a smooth walk for Nabakooba,” says Ahimbisibwe, a political science student at Makerere. “Besigye comes as a scapegoat to have Zaake apprehended. On the other hand, it may be a strategy to promote Besigye and his People’s Front for Transition,”he adds.

THOUSANDS FLEE DR CONGO AMIDST WAR
Thousands of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo have fled from fresh fighting in their country to Kisoro district in western Uganda.
Dan Ndikumwani , the Kisoro Deputy Resident District Commissioner, has confirmed to our reporter that many refugees had crossed over to Uganda and many more were coming.
RDC Ndikumwani revealed that Ugandan forces on Sunday night 7th November 2021 were put on alert after fighting broke inside Bunagana area in North Kivu which is just 5 kilometers from the uganda border where 5 military barracks were over run by M23 rebels
Ndikumwani says that they have been allowed to enter into the country without documents as this is an emergency.
“As security we are doing our best to screen them as the district leadership are in preparations to transport the refugees to Nyakabande transit center in kisoro”- Ndikumwani added.
Refugees moving to Bunagana
Around midnight, heavy fighting started until when M23 forces were dislodged and pushed beyond their base in Rusthuru as 5 barracks were overrun.
Abel Bizimana the Kisoro LC5 boss says that hundreds are flocking bunagana from North kivu as renewed fighting that took place thus asking for government intervation.
” Today a river-like flow of refugees from North Kivu was seen at Bunagana, therefore we are asking the office of the Prime Minister for intervation”. Said Bizimana.

NUP DISOWNS REPORTS OF IT PLANNING ILLEGAL RIOTS AND PROTESTS
The National Unity Platform(NUP), has trashed as baseless allegations by security operatives that the opposition Party is plotting illegal protests countrywide .
This follows an announcement by police spokesperson Uganda Police Fred Enanga that the party plans on holding demonstrations aimed at disorganising the peace and tranquility of the nation.
Enanga stated on Monday during a weekly security briefing at the police headquarters in Naguru,Kampala that the opposition party is conniving with political activists to hold senseless protests.
“Many youth groups are not interested in participating in these senseless acts of violence and we want to greatly thank them for being peaceful, But there are still those that intelligence is indicating that are willing to participate in the protest and their motivation is looting,causing violence and destroying property.
He further explained “In Kasese there are already four suspects in the NUP cells,these were charged to Court with conspiracy to commit a felony of treason ,they are accused of mobilising people from Ntoroko ,Fort Portal Bundibogyo andHoima to hold massive violent protests’’.
However ,NUP Spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi, has denied these reports from Police. Ssenyonyi explained to the media during a briefing today,that it is hungry and corrupt security operatives are scheming for money from the regime and hiding under NUP.
He further mentioned that NUP has always been transparent in its activities and would have announced nationwide protests if it had plans.
“Everything we do we announce publicly because there is nothing we do outside the law .Our thinking is that security leaders are broke and looking for money ,when they want money from the regime hey will put up a scene and ask for money to quell demonstrations and buy teargas and Mr.Museveni releases money when he feels his chair is threatened .’’he said
Ssenyonyi has also called upon the government to release four of NUP members who were arrested from Kasese district last week on allegations of treason.The four include Bwambaale Geoffrey, Mumbere Isaac, Basisa Brian and Isande Adonozio.
NUP last attempted to hold nationwide protests in February after they withdrew from court a petition challenging the victory of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni but that never happened .
Since then the party has never made any public pronouncement of demonstrations challenging President Museveni’s government.

“WE ARE READY TO COUNTER ALL RIOTS AND ILLEGAL PORTESTS” POLICE TO OPPOSITION
Police has continued to claim that the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, other violent groups, and actors are planing to hold riots and political demonstrations beginning this week.
Police says that they have gathered intelligence and they are ready to counter all riots and illegal protests across the country.
“Although the extent of the threats cannot be predicted, we are taking no chances after dismantling a NUP cell in Kasese district.
At least 4 suspects were arrested and charged to court, on conspiracy to commit a felony of treason. These include Bwambale Geofrey, Isande Atonozio, Basisa Brian and Mumbere Isaac,” says Police.
Police explains that the group had started mobilizing people from Ntoroko, Bundibugyo, Hoima, and Fort portal, for massive riots, burning of key government installations, blockage of Mpondwe border point, among others, during the months of November and December 2021.
In addition, the Political Crimes Department has opened case files against Hon. Francis Zaake and Rtd. Col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye, for making inappropriate statements about them using all possible means to cause change to a democratically elected government, before 2026.
“We do take such anti-democratic utterances seriously, because of the potential of creating panic and fear in the public. Some political party activists, believe they are above the law in this country, which is not true,” says Police.

POLICE RELEASES 12 TERROR SUSPECTS
Security has released 12 suspects arrested following the recent bomb blasts at Komamboga and on a Swift Safaris bus killing two people and injuring others.
According to Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, following the incidents, security arrested 48 people but after screening, the number has since been reduced to 36 after some were released.
“Sometimes were arrest family members or friends to hep us lead to the wanted suspects. Some of those arrested helped us get those we wanted,”Enanga said.
The Police spokesperson said since their operations target agents, collaborators and terror operatives, a number of people suspected to have links to them are arrested but later released after screening and using them to get useful information leading to the arrest of the most wanted people.
“After screening, we are left with 36 suspects who have close links to the terror activities but our operations to arrest others are still ongoing.”
Security recently blamed ADF terrorist group for last month’s bomb attack at a pork eating joint in Komamboga , a Kampala suburb.
It is said that an ADF sleeper cell in responsible for the attack and according to the police spokesperson, the attack was a revenge for continued security operations that have dismantled the group.
It was also reported that some of the suspects who participated in the attack had either been trained in the DRC by ADF itself or in Sudan on how to carry out suicide attacks.