The Monitor (Uganda) articles from January 2012

The Monitor (Uganda) archives from January 2012

Shades for the Season.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Grace Kenganzi Today's bright sunshine, and dusty roads have seen more people wearing sun glasses or shades as we call them more often. But you will find that not everyone looks stylish in them and this is because we just wear shades...

Parliament Appoints Kibirige Parliamentary Service Clerk.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Sheila Naturinda Ms Jane Kibirige's appointment as the de-facto Chief Executive Officer of the Parliamentary Service has been formalized, and all preparations are ready to receive her as Clerk this month. Ms Kibirige will enter...

Nodding Disease, the New Terror in Acholi Sub-Region.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Agatha Ayebazibwe About 2003, symptoms of a disease started appearing in the northern Uganda. For lack of name, it was baptised from one of its notable symptoms - Nodding. Now almost every family in most of Acholi sub-region has a...

Drivers Ask for Lower Charges As KCCA Takes Over City Taxi Parks.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Abdu Kiyaga Under new guidelines to revive public transport services in the city, Kampala Capital City Authority says each driver will, starting Wednesday February 1, pay Shs155, 000 per month to operate from the parks. The monthly...

Mark My Word - Let Nation Host Africa Cup of Nations.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Mark Ssali It has been mooted before but not taken up, and there is no better time to revisit the idea. Let us host the Africa Cup Of Nations. Having tried in vain to ignore the ongoing tournament because we are not there, I have come...

Abong Retains X-Country Title.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Lydia Bakumpe Cerina Abong retained the Kyabazinga Regional Cross-country 12km senior men's title after clocking 41:25 minutes in Jinja on Saturday. Michael Ssali finished second in 42:47 minutes. In the Western Region...

Islamic Banking Can Avert the Looming Global Financial Crisis.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Nathan Were 2010 and 2011 will always be remembered as the periods when global economies struggled to remain afloat. The global financial crisis in 2010 and the euro zone crisis of 2011 that has spilled over to 2012; the occupy...

Kampala City Planning Director Agaba Re-Arrested.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Ephraim Kasozi & Andrew Bagala Suspended Kampala Capital City Authority Director of Physical Planning George Agaba was yesterday re-arrested and was being detained at Jinja Road Police Station by press time. Police sources said...

Getting Governance Principles Right.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Richard Branson At a recent conference in the British Virgin Islands, I was asked to imagine that the country was one of my new companies: What would I do to help it perform better? There are skills that a CEO can bring to...

Gulu Landlords Protest Demolition of Buildings.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Jacky Adure Landlords in Gulu Municipality whose houses face demolition by the authorities have protested the exercise saying the procedure used to identify dilapidated buildings was irregular. The landlords under their umbrella...

Court Throws Out Theft Charges Against City Trader.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Betty Ndagire The Buganda Road Magistrate's Court has dismissed charges of theft and simple robbery the state brought against Mr Paddy Serunjonji commonly known as "Shobi" for lack of incriminating evidence. Magistrate Grace...

Timber Trade Fortunes Hang On Receding Forest Cover.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Ismail Musa Ladu The informality of Uganda's timber business has kept it away from the proper scrutiny and standardization that is often associated with formal businesses. But this has not stopped the business from becoming more...

Sale of Nation Railways Assets in Kenya Halted.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Nelson Wesonga The sale of Uganda Railways Corporation's assets in Kenya has been halted, Mr David Ssebabi, the director of Privatisation Unit, has said. Without elaborating, Mr Ssebabi said the Divestiture and Reform...

Entrepreneur Offers Interest-Free Loans.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Flavia Nalubega Driving his old Isuzu pick-up, he has one thing in mind: being the next big enterprise in Uganda. Driven by innovativeness, the young man is thinking on his toes all the time to make ends meet. 29-year-old Emmanuel...

Editors Case Pushed to Tuesday.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Anthony Wesaka The ruling of on a case against two Daily Monitor editors accused of forging President Museveni's letter on Bunyoro/Bafuuriki question, was yesterday deferred to Tuesday next week, as it was reportedly not ready. Mr...

Mbale Man Hit By Iron Bar Thugs.
January 31, 2012... Byline: David Mafabi Simon Ojatuum, a manager at Faith radio station in Mbale, is fighting for his life in Ward 3A in CURE Children's Hospital. He has a deep cut on the back of his head, which has been bandaged. He has broken jaws, his...

Christianity Vs Culture - Was Kabaka Justified?
January 31, 2012... Byline: David Sseppuuya One of the more memorable lines in the classic film The Sound of Music is a sweet refrain sang by lead actress, Julie Andrews, that "the hills are alive/ with the sound of music". Where the movie explored the...

Policeman Who Shot Bebe Cool Gets Nine Years.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Juliet Kigongo A policeman, who shot local musician Moses Ssali commonly known as Bebe Cool two years ago, has been sentenced to nine years in prison. Alfred Achikane was yesterday convicted over attempted murder in connection with...

Cotton Farmers Want Shs46 Billion Accounted for.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Ephraim Kasozi Cotton farmers have demanded accountability for Shs46b that was collected from them by the Cotton Development Organisation (CDO) in the 2010/11 season. The farmers claim the Shs600 they were asked to pay as taxes per...

Senior One Selection Starts Thursday.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Al-Mahdi-Sssenkabirwa Government yesterday changed the venue for the selection of Senior One and technical school students from the usual Mandela National Stadium, Namboole to Wonder World Amusement Park -Kansanga. The two-day...

Common Market Lags Behind As EA States Jump to Single Currency.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Yasiin Mugerwa Even before the implementation of the Common Market Protocol takes root, the Council of ministers is pushing for a single currency, a move that potentially puts the cart before the horse in the regional integration...

As Financial Guardian Bou Must Be Prompt and Tougher.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Kenneth Atugonza For the past couple of months, there has been a debate on interest rates and their impact on the economy. This follows a period of record high inflation and a slowing down in economic activity. Although the consensus...

Weighing Currency Trading Options.
January 31, 2012... The use of leverage in currency trading is perhaps the biggest source of opportunity and stunning returns but also a significant source of investment risk that traders must know about. The commonly presented picture of glowing investment...

Does NWSC Really Work?
January 31, 2012... The Sunday Monitor editorial about NWSC is very spot-on. While it has all along been pampered as a case of a successful public enterprise, the truth is different. The country still lacks safe, clean, secure, reliable water. This should be the...

Mbarara Leaders, Society Clash Over One Billion Shilling Project.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Rajab Mukomobzi Leaders in Rwampara County in Mbarara District are protesting government's plan to have the Shs1.4 billion tea planting project in the area channeled through Rwampara Rural Enterprises Savings and Credit Society Ltd....

Primary Commodities Post Negative Growth.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Halima Abdallah Uganda will continue depending on donor funds for development should the agricultural sector continue exporting primary commodities whose volumes have registered negative growth for the first time in 10 years. ...

How SMEs Can Stay Afloat in Harsh Times.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Ismail Musa Ladu These are particularly challenging times for small and medium entrepreneurs. Record breaking interests rates and double digit inflation coupled with rising electricity tariffs and high fuel prices are all conspiring...

Mombasa Residents 'Steal' Otafiire's Sugar.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Ephraim Kasozi & Richard Wanambwa Residents of Mombasa City in Kenya have allegedly broken into a warehouse and stolen sugar that was imported by Justice Minister Kahinda Otafiire, which a Kenyan high court ordered to be destroyed...

Kabakumba - I Am Still Innocent.
January 31, 2012... Byline: George Muzoora Despite being forced to resign her ministerial position over accusations of abuse of office, Ms Kabakumba Masiko says she is committed to fighting corruption. The former Minister for Presidency and Kampala Capital...

Nodding Disease Is a National Problem.
January 31, 2012... I happen to come from one of the sub-counties which are worse hit by this epidemic. Surprisingly, the authorities of the responsible ministries (Disaster Preparedness, Children's Affairs and Health) seem unbothered and reluctant to save lives of...

Police Block Teachers From Holding Meet.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Abdu Kiyaga & Patience Ahimbisibwe Police yesterday blocked a meeting organised by Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu to meet teachers who have maintained their demand for a 100 per cent salary increment. However, before the...

Shortage of Funds, Ignorance Hinder Fight Against Leprosy.
January 31, 2012... Byline: Felix Warom Okello & Clement Aluma The fight against leprosy in Yumbe is being hindered by shortage of funds and health workers, stigmatisation and misconception among residents that the disease cannot be cured by modern medicine,...

As Schools Open, Listen to Teachers.
January 31, 2012... Most schools opened for the new 2012 academic year yesterday. For many students, it must be an exciting moment being back at school after a long two-month break. We appreciate the Ministry of Education directive that schools must get down to...

After-Effects of War Still Affecting Education Standards in Acholi.
January 31, 2012... Reading through the media collections of the statistical data of last year's Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), one could clearly see that the last few years of relative peace and stability in the Acholi Sub-region has not significantly weighed...

Afidra Finally Wins MVP Award.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Ismail Dhakaba Kigongo Twelve years after he was first nominated for the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Isaac Afidra finally won the most prestigious award in local basketball. Afidra beat two-time winner and DMark Power teammate Ben...

Mwami Sets Out to Revive National Team Fortunes.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Lydia Bakumpe Hours after being named Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) chairman, Richard Mwami, delighted with new responsibility, spoke of his desire to see Uganda return to Division two. The men's side was relegated to division...

UCC, Telecom Firms Set to Meet Over Service Quality.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Flavia Nalubega The Uganda Communication Commission will next month hold a meeting with telecom executives to among other things discuss the increasingly deteriorating service quality, according to Eng Godfrey Mutabazi the UCC...

Meet the Maid Who Inspired Her Charge to Score Agg 4.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Turiho Mukama A good job. Much as she could not progress with her studies the nineteen year old girl inspired her guardian's daughter, Turiho Mukama When one of the top performers in last year's Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE)...

How I Do It - Filming Country's Nature Television Show.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Rafsanjan Abbey Tatya Ever since I started talking about my upcoming wildlife TV show, Uganda Wild at Heart, I have been faced with loads of questions from both enthusiastic and inquisitive people. I have had to explain to them...

Orangutan - World's Endangered Ape.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Flavia Lanyero If one is to talk about apes in Uganda, it would be a gorilla, chimpanzee or baboon. But many miles across the ocean in Indonesia is a species of apes called the Orangutan, an only member of the ape species on the Asian...

NiE - The Support Schools Need to Improve Education.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Steven Tendo A lot has been said about the poor state of Uganda's education but few solutions are being given. Two reports by the education tracking organisation, Uwezo have variously described school children as unable to make simple...

100 Years Since Madhvani Set Up Modest Shop in Busoga.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Dalton Wanyera Mark Antony in Julius Caesar asserts that: "The evil that men do lives after them and the good is often interred with their bones." An Indian Ugandan-turned businessman, entrepreneur, industrialist and philanthropist,...

Patriotism - Nationalism or Just Indoctrination?
January 30, 2012... Byline: Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa They braved the hot weather and spent two weeks doing military drills, sometimes bare-footed in the scotching sun. Every morning, they would be seen shooting and assembling guns with a lot of enthusiasm. These are...

Are Life Skills Courses the Solution to Weakness in the Education System?
January 30, 2012... Byline: Ivan Okuda With all its fixed programmes and water tight rules, calling school prison comes naturally to a number of students. But one can't help wondering what name they would coin for a course of three weeks with exactly the same...

Sweden Moves to Boost Local Standards Capacity.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Ismail Musa Ladu Scenarios of local products being snubbed in international markets because of quality related issues could be something of the past, but only if the minister of Trade, Ms Amelia Kyambadde, ensures that the proposal by...

Community Tries to Save School From Closure.
January 30, 2012... Founders of a community vocational secondary school in Iruhura, Kasenda sub country in Kabarole district are sending a SOS appeal to government to help them save the school from closing. The community founded the school in to deal with the twin...

Wildfire Razes 32 Huts in Napak.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Steven Ariong Residents of Lomerimong village, Nawaikorot Parish in Napak District, at the weekend were left homeless after a wildfire destroyed at least 32 grass-thatched houses. The fire according to the parish chief, Mr Juma...

Chancellor Urges Firms to Employ Fresh Graduates.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Alfred Tumushabe The chancellor of Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Prof. Peter Mugyenyi, has called for national affirmative action to find jobs for fresh graduates. Speaking at the university's 18th graduation...

Tough Term As Schools Open Amid High Costs.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa & Abdu Kiyaga As the First Term for primary and secondary schools starts today, government has warned all schools against time wastage at the beginning of the term, saying it hampers syllabus coverage . Mr...

Monitor Editors' Case to Be Decided Today.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Ephraim Kasozi A City Magistrates Court will today determine whether or not two Daily Monitor editors should defend themselves over allegations of forging President Museveni's letter on the Bunyoro/Bafuruki land question. Makindye...

Social Amenities Key for Hospitals.
January 30, 2012... Sunday Monitor yesterday reported yet another harrowing story about our gravely flawed healthcare. The legendary tales of dilapidated hospitals, poor staffing and drug shortage aside, this is a case of unstable power supply. According to the...

There Is Every Reason to Charge Agaba With Murder.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Wandera Ogalo I was lucky to be taught criminal law in my first year at Makerere University by the late professor Abraham Kiapi.He was a master of the subject and indeed wrote several books on law generally. Criminal law is still...

Makerere Gets Shs800 Million Extra Funds.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Patience Ahimbisibwe The government will give a supplementary budget of Shs800 million to Makerere University following discussions after the university closed last year for a month. While addressing the general assembly for both...

Museveni Says District Boards Fuel Land Fights.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Dan Wandera The escalating land conflicts through mass evictions of bibanja (squatters) holders by landlords in many parts of the country is partly due to the weaknesses of the district land boards, President Museveni has said. Mr...

Water Crisis in Mbarara Worsens.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Alfred Tumushabe Severe water shortage in Mbarara Municipality and the neighbouring areas entered the fourth week yesterday following constant load-shedding and failure by the National Water Sewerage Corporation to adjust accordingly...

Former Legislator, Susan Nampijja, in Coma After Night Attack.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Agatha Ayebazibwe & Andrew Bagala Police are hunting for a man believed to be an ex-boyfriend of Ms Susan Nampijja to help them with investigations into an attack that has left the former Rubaga South MP and two of her housemates...

Archdiocese Offers Kampala Couples Free Mass Wedding.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Nelson Wesonga The Archdiocese of Kampala is to conduct a free mass marriage ceremony for members of its congregation who want to marry but cannot raise fees. At the minimum, it costs Shs200,000 to be wedded in a church whereas...

Adjumani-Amuru ,Land Conflict , Families Homeless.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Martin Okudi & Cissy Makumbii About 200 residents of Amuru District on Friday attacked and displaced 20 families in the neighbouring district of Adjumani over a land dispute. The local council chairman of Zoka Central Village...

Sewage System Serves Beyond Capacity.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Robert Mwanje & Betty Ndagire Kampala's sewerage system, which was constructed in 1940 and last expanded in 2004, can only serve one million people of the current 4 million city residents. Information available to this...

Kasese Cleared of Land Mines.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Thembo Kahungu Misairi At least 10 out of 22 mine fields in Kasese District have been cleared by the Uganda Mine Action Centre. The UMAC team leader, Mr Dickens Ochen Okello, said the land mines and the unexploded devices were left...

Police to Inquire Into Shooting At Journalist.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Abdu Kiyaga The government has promised to carry out investigations into the shooting at Daily Monitor journalist Isaac Kasamani while he covered a rally organised by pressure group Activists for Change last week. Addressing a...

Police Is Mandated to Protect All Citizens, Including Journalists.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala By the end of 2011, Human Rights Network for Journalists -Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) had recorded more than 80 cases of journalists who had been mistreated by the Uganda Police Force...

Clergy Ask Government , Involve, IDP Resettlement.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Emmanuel Opio Religious leaders in Lango sub-region have asked the government to consult them while planning the resettlement of internally displaced people. The clerics said neglecting their input in identifying and counselling...

Kamya Demands House Recall Over Nodding Disease.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Robert Mwanje & Agatha Ayebazibwe Uganda Federal Alliance president Beti Kamya has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadagga, to recall Parliament immediately to discuss the nodding disease that has hit parts of...

400 Masaka Squatters Homeless As Land Is Sold.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Issa Aliga More than 360 residents of Kasozi Village in Buwunga Sub-county have been evicted after their landlord sold off the acreage to a businessman. The squatters said they were given a notice from Masaka court dated January 21...

Lukwago, Councillors Feud Deepens.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Robert Mwanje At least 26 councillors have vowed to drag Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago to the disciplinary committee, citing misconduct over his corruption allegations against them. Through their representatives Mr Bernard...

Government Launches New Gun Policy.
January 30, 2012... Byline: John K. Abimanyi In its efforts to curb the abundance and abuse of small and light weapons, the government has launched a new policy on firearms and ammunition. The policy calls for a new legal regime to oversee the acquisition,...

Nema Orders Kinawataka Developer to Restore Wetland.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Stephen Otage An unknown developer, who has been filling the Kinawataka Wetland with murram for the last four months, has been ordered to remove the soil. The order follows reports that the developer defied guidelines of the...

Help Me Understand Why Money Can't Be Found to Manage Nodding Disease.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Margaret Vuchiri Please don't talk about rolling out action plans, waiting for results from the Centres for Disease Control or lack of funds. That analysis is far too simplistic. What the Ministry of Health is doing, or rather not...

28 Months Later, Sept. Riots Suspects Yet to Be Tried.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Ephraim Kasozi Suspects who have spent the last 28 months in Luzira Prison where they were remanded on terrorism charges in connection with their alleged participation in the September 11, 2009 riots want their charges quashed. The...

Regional Parliament Opens Debate Today.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Yasiin Mugerwa The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) officially opens its sessions this afternoon. High on the agenda will be a debate on accounts for 2010/11 followed by Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) Bill...

Museveni to Mediate in Banyarwanda Wrangles.
January 30, 2012... Byline: Stephen Wandera President Museveni has offered to reconcile Rwandans living in Uganda fighting for leadership positions. Addressing a joint news conference with his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame at State House, Nakasero, on Friday,...

Councillors Threaten to Censure Mbale Boss.
January 30, 2012... Byline: David Mafabi The Mbale District executive is facing mounting pressure from councillors and civil society activists who are demanding that they resign over allegations of corruption and abuse of office. On Friday, councillors in a...

Makerere Varsity Land Title Missing.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Yasiin Mugerwa The land title for Makerere University has gone missing, the Auditor General, John Muwanga has revealed. Although the title deed for the largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning in the country is...

The Most Unloved Woman.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Dennis D. Muhumuza Mr President, as you celebrated 26 years in power this week, I spent the day thinking about my country and what should make me a proud Ugandan, but went to bed with a disturbed mind. Every time I hear the aching...

Tunisians Banned and Deported.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Fred Kiyingi Musisi In Uganda it is normal for journalists from print and electronic media to storm the pitch immediately after the final whistle to get comments and photographs. However, during international tournaments it is...

Taxi Tales - Travelling With Lovers.
January 29, 2012... Byline: David Tumusiime The woman tottered out of our very early morning taxi, remembering to pull down her very short red dress when it was too late. "Oh, oh, oh! Let that one not be a married woman because we men have suffered with women...

Fire Destroys 300 Acres of Forests in Hoima.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Francis Mugerwa More than eleven central forest reserves in Hoima district are under threat of deforestation as wild fires continue to rake havoc. Over 300 acres of Bujaawe Forest Reserve was this week razed by fire. The Acting...

NRA's 1986 Victory - Luck Gave Power to Museveni.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Timothy Kalyegira On Thursday January 26, 2012, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) commemorated their 26th anniversary since acceding to power in Uganda. Their leader, Yoweri Museveni, was sworn-in on January 29, 1986 and has...

Take Heart Agaba, All Will Be Well.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Don Wanyama Dear George Agaba, I know it must be a tough time lying on that jail floor at Jinja Road Police Station, with only four blank walls to stare at. For a man who had grown accustomed to moving around in a 4-wheel drive car...

Thomas Cook India, and the Incredible Journey of Discovery.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Nafha Maani Ebrahimi I believe in fate. I also accept the fact that for everything there is an appropriate time. However, when time came to finally make a trip to India, I had no intention to leave that to fate! A serious...

Gifted By Nature - the Red Throated Bee-Eater.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Andy Gooch The Red-throated Bee-eater is a stunning green, red and turquoise bee-eater. This bird is essentially west African but extends into Uganda along the north western region. Red-throated bee-eaters are species of bird in...

Too Bad When Peasant Meets Urbanite.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Ndinawe Byekwaso Without considering the failures associated with the pro-market reforms, Uganda is implementing another round of austerity measures. For instance, according to the agreement reached with the IMF 'the government's...

Dreams From Selling Banana Juice.
January 29, 2012... Byline: Ivan Okuda The first time I meet him is at his Hotel Diplomate during an interview with his daughter, Angela Katatumba. Before our interview, she is distracted by the sight of an elderly man calmly pacing up and about the hotel...