We can exist without your money! NUP, FDC tell off Museveni and IPOD

Feb 10, 2022

Opposition political parties-National Unity Platform (NUP) and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) have told off President Yoweri Museveni that their establishments can exist even without receiving money from government and Interparty Organization for Dialogue (IPOD).

While meeting with the Secretaries-General of political parties that coalesce under IPOD at State House Entebbe on Wednesday, President Museveni proposed that there is a need to emend a law that bars political parties that have refused to actively take part in IPOD activities from accessing funding.

He said that there is no reason why eligible political parties that have refused to participate in IPOD activities should continue to receive funding from the government or IPOD.

“Also, this is a forum to sort out our issues and should bring together all the parties represented in the parliament. However, others do not want to cooperate, I think such parties should not qualify for government funding under the IPOD arrangement. There should be a law somewhere,” Mr Museveni said.

However, on Thursday the FDC Spokesperson, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda informed President Museveni that they don’t receive money because of IPOD but they receive it because it’s under the law governing political parties in Uganda.

“We don’t receive this money because of IPOD but it’s the law (the Political Parties and Organizations (amendment) act, 2020, so Mr Museveni wants us to join his tea party group to fool us. We shall never do that. Even if he asks Parliament to amends this act, we shall not join it and we can exist without that money,” the Kira Municipality legislator said.

Joel Ssenyonyi the spokesperson of NUP, in the same way, also told President Museveni that their party will never join what he called the tea club that helps the latter to fool the western countries that he can seat and negotiate with those opposing his government yet in an actual sense nothing agreed on has ever been implemented.

ICJ orders Uganda to pay $325 million in DRC case

Feb 9, 2022

International Court of Justice

DECISIONS

✳ The total amount of compensation awarded to the DRC is US$325,000,000. This global sum includes US$225,000,000 for damage to persons, US$40,000,000 for damage to property, and US$60,000,000 for damage related to natural resources.

406.

✳ The total sum is to be paid in annual instalments of US$65,000,000, due on 1 September of each year, from 2022 to 2026. The Court decides that, should payment be delayed, post-judgment interest at an annual rate of 6 per cent on each instalment will accrue on any overdue amount from the day which follows the day on which the instalment was due.

✳ The Court is satisfied that the total sum awarded, and the terms of payment, remain within the capacity of Uganda to pay. Therefore, the Court does not need to consider the question whether, in determining the amount of compensation, account should be taken of the financial burden imposed on the responsible State, given its economic condition

The Hague, Netherlands | THE INDEPENDENT | 

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Uganda to pay $325 million war reparations to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Today’s ICJ judgment of $325 million compensation awarded against Uganda for invading and causing atrocities in DRC as part of the Second Congo War (1998-2003) only covers one area in a conflict that involved nine states and 25 armed groups that left millions dead and displaced.

The case is 16 years old, as on June 23, 1999, the DRC instituted respective proceedings in the ICJ against its eastern neighbors Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda relating to violations of international law in the context of the Great Lakes conflict.

In an article inArticles of War, Ori Pomson a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Law of the University of Cambridge states that, “Whereas the parties discontinued the proceedings against Burundi and the Court dismissed for lack of jurisdiction reinstituted proceedings against Rwanda in 2006, the Court adjudicated on its merits the DRC’s application against Uganda and issued a judgment in late 2005.

Its ruling was for reparation, but negotiations on the matter between Uganda and DRC failed over the years.

In today’s ruling, court noted that the reparation awarded to the DRC for damage to persons and to property reflects the harm suffered by individuals and communities as a result of Uganda’s breach of its international obligations.

“In this regard, the Court takes full cognizance of, and welcomes, the undertaking given by the Agent of the DRC during the oral proceedings regarding the fund that has been established by the Government of the DRC, according to which the compensation to be paid by Uganda will be fairly and effectively distributed to victims of the harm, under the supervision of organs whose members include representatives of victims and civil society and whose operation is supported by international experts. In distributing the sums awarded, the fund is encouraged to consider also the possibility of adopting measures for the benefit of the affected communities as a whole.”

Bobi Wine Sets Tough Condition For Talks With Museveni

Bobi Wine Sets Tough Condition For Talks With Museveni

National Unity Platform (NUP) and its leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine have largely ruled out talks with President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni, saying it would only be possible under one condition.

Recently, NUP MP and former presidential candidate Abed Bwanika, urged Bobi Wine to hold talks with Museveni so that detained supporters can be released.

According to NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi, there is no need for talks with Museveni over the detained supporters, but added the party will pursue all legal and lawful means possible to have those incarcerated released.

“When you allow us to meet him and plead with him, it will mean we are guilty. Yes, we are concerned about our colleagues and we continue visiting them in prison and also go to court when they are brought. This shows solidarity,” said Ssenyonyi.

“We shall continue to use the law to see our colleagues freed like many have been released. [The government] should expedite their trial if they have any evidence against them. Why are they delaying the trial? We believe in the law of this country and we shall continue following that.”

Speaking at the burial of Godfrey Serwanga, the father of his former body guard William Ntege aka Kyuma-kya-Yesu in Jongoza, Kalisizo, Kyotera District, at the weekend, Bobi Wine said the only way NUP cannot talk to Museveni is through the provisions of the law.

“If we are to meet and hold talks with Museveni, it must be within the provisions of the law,” said the NUP president.

“However, you are not going to torture our people, remove their nails, cut them and, again, call us for talks; to talk about what?”

It was not clear under what law the talks between Museveni and Bobi Wine would take place — if they were ever to happen.

At least 40 civilians killed in DR Congo machete attack

At least 40 people were killed when machete-wielding militiamen attacked a site for displaced people in strife-torn eastern DR Congo, a monitoring group and local sources said Wednesday.

"At least 40 civilians were killed with edged weapons last night in Plaine Savo" in Djugu territory, the US-based Kivu Security Tracker (KST) said on Twitter.

Local officials and civil society sources put the toll at more than 50 dead, while the army's spokesman in Ituri province, Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, gave provisional figures of 21 dead.

The KST said the suspected attackers were from a notorious armed group called CODECO, blamed for a string of ethnic massacres in the area.

The Djugu area, bordering Lake Albert and Uganda which lie to the east, is the theatre for a bloody, long-running feud between the Lendu and Hema communities.

Fighting between the two groups flared between 1999 and 2003, claiming tens of thousands of lives before being quelled by a European Union peacekeeping force, Artemis.

Bank of Uganda speaks out on legality of money bearing late Mutebire’s signature

KAMPALA – Bank of Uganda has disregarded information circulating on various social media platforms claiming that the banknotes bearing the signature of the late Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebire, the former Governor expired or shall soon expire and cease to be legal tender as false information.

According to the press release statement made on Bank of Uganda’s official twitter handle, the change of office or demise of the person who signed on bank notes as Governor does not in any way affect the validity or legal status of the banknotes that he or she signed.

In the same statement, Bank of Uganda has clarified that the design, features and characteristics of the currency banknotes, include, among other things, the signature of the Governor.

Bank of Uganda noted that current banknotes remain legal tender until they are determined otherwise by the bank of Uganda, which is the only lawful authority entrusted with the mandate to issue currency banknotes.

Bank of Uganda has advised the public to disregard the false information that is circulating on different media platforms claiming that the banknotes bearing the signature of the former Governor expired upon his demise.

The bank has also cleared the air that all denominations of the banknotes issued by the Bank of Uganda bearing the signature of the former Governor remain legal tender and can be used to carry out cash transactions, settle financial obligations and give monetary value.

Primary Six pupil killed in suspected girlfriend battle

NEWS – Shock and panic have engulfed residents of Bison Maguria parish in Western Division, Tororo Municipality after receiving news of the sudden death of a 16year old boy.

The deceased Owinjo Patrick who has been a primary six pupil at Aturukuku primary school who was found lying in the bush near the railway line in the area.

According to his mother Koko Rose, Owinjo left home at 7:30pm in the evening to the nearby trading center but unfortunately never returned forcing her and relatives to mount a hunt though they didn’t succeed.

In the morning as one of her neighbors known as Masumbuko woke up in the middle of the night narrates that he heard some people chasing each other and thought it was the normal games of teenagers.

However in the morning, as a young girl was going to wash clothes at the nearby river, she saw somebody lying as if he was dead. She so informed Owinjo’s mother who together with other rushed him to Tororo main hospital where he died upon arrival.

The District Police OC CIID ASP wakoli Suleiman Moses confided to this reporter that postmortem discovered that Owinjo had been injured on the head and private parts.

Wakoli appeals to the members of the community that incase anyone has relevant information pertaining this death to render it to Police to aid in investigations and bring this culprits book.

The case has been registered at Tororo CPS under CRB 125/2022.

Three family members die in house fire, one hurt

Feb 2, 2022

What you need to know:

Police suspect the fire could have spread from a charcoal stove on the verandah to the room where the victims stored fuel in jerrycans.

Three family members have been confirmed dead and another seriously hurt after a fire broke out in their home in Fika-Salama ward, Mbale Northern City Division in Mbale City.

Police said the Tuesday evening fire started from one of the rooms where the deceased identified as Jamal Mutoto, 30, Sowedi Impiangu, 35, and Wilberforce Naifuge aka Buyinza 20, stored fuel which they had been selling in jerrycans and bottles as a family business for a long time.

Ekesa Konstant, 30, is undergoing treatment at Mbale regional referral hospital and he’s said to be in critical condition.

“Preliminary reports indicate that fire is suspected to have spread from a charcoal stove on the veranda to the room where the deceased, who were petrol dealers, had been stocking their fuel in jerrycans,” the Elgon region police spokesperson, Mr Rogers Taitika, said.

Mr Moses Okello, a boda boda rider and eyewitness said the neighbours tried to rescue the deceased but failed.

“One of the deceased forgot to fasten the lid on the jerrycan containing petrol and as the woman was lighting the charcoal stove, it caught fire and it spread very fast,” he said.

Ms Anna Naula, another resident, said the police were called to extinguish the fire but by the time the fire brigade arrived, it was too late.

Mr Richard Wekesa, a resident of Nakaloke town council, said the deceased were burnt to death as they tried to rescue their properties.

"After the fire outbreak, the three wanted to rescue the things in the house but unfortunately fire caught them in the house and burnt them to death," he said.