The Monitor (Uganda) articles from March 2011

The Monitor (Uganda) archives from March 2011

Akope, Mutawe Tee Off in Kenya Open.
March 31, 2011... Byline: Innocent Ndawula Deo Akope and Herman Mutawe, the only Ugandans in the 2011 Barclays Kenya Open, will hit the course at Muthaiga club in Nairobi today seeking to end a cut jinx in East Africa's Premier golfing event. No Ugandan has...

An All-Powerful NRM Not Good for the Country.
March 31, 2011... Byline: Daniel Kalinaki Five years after the return of multiparty politics, several opinion polls show falling demand for democracy. This is supported by the shrinking of space for public dialogue, both geographically and metaphorically, as...

Museveni Says No Asylum for Gaddafi.
March 31, 2011... Byline: Tabu Butagira President Museveni last night described as "utter rubbish" reports that Uganda had secretly offered asylum to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. This newspaper contacted the President through his Principal Private...

Road to Free And Fair Elections is Messy, If At All It Exists.
March 31, 2011... Byline: Karoli Ssemogerere The aftermath of the February 18 poll is becoming a mist. Uganda has a new Parliament, President and hundreds of other elected officials moments away from being inaugurated. Since 2005, Uganda has been a multi-party...

Correct Tourism Sector Wrongs Now.
March 30, 2011... For quite some time now, there has not been much to write home about Uganda's tourism sector. And this is not because there is a shortage of stories to tell about this beautiful country. The sheer lack of prioritisation and mismanagement of this...

Bad Urban Transport Planning Root of Traffic Accidents.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Emurwon Olupot The Saturdays Monitor of March 26 had a special report on the boda boda riders who, according hospital sources, are now a menace killing or injuring at least 10 people in the city daily. Effective action is needed...

Call for Government of National Unity is Unconstitutional.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Ofwono Opondo Bishop Zac Niringiye has proposed that President Museveni should form a "government of national unity", by appointing opposition political leaders into his Cabinet, some of whom incidentally have publicly rejected NRM's...

Sekagya Absence a Chance for Others, Says Bobby.
March 30, 2011... Uganda Cranes skipper Ibrahim Sekagya has been the bedrock of the gallant back four. He cuts supply to the opposing strikers with precision, controls the ball with calm under pressure and sometimes pops up with a necessary goal. The...

When Our Books And Newspapers Die, a New Exciting Age Will Begin.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Charles Onyango-Obbo In Uganda, the main newspapers all have their own printing presses--and fairly modern ones too. New Vision raised the game a notch not too long ago with a significant step-up of its printing presses, and The...

KCB Pledges Sh445 Million for East Africa's Leadership Training.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Faridah Kulabako The Kenya Commercial Bank Foundation has pledged about Shs445 million to support East Africa's leadership training programme to develop the next generation of leaders in the region. The initiative dubbed 'Acumen...

Owino Vendors Want Leader Arrested Over Fraud.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Robert Mwanje Traders at St. Balikuddembe Market commonly known as Owino, have demanded the immediate arrest of their chairman, Mr Godfrey Kayongo, accusing him of theft. Traders led by Mr John Bosco Kivumbi told the Kampala...

Opposition Leader Faces New Treason Probe.
March 30, 2011... Byline: John Njoroge For the second time in three weeks, detectives yesterday questioned Daily Monitor senior reporter, Tabu Butagira, for interviewing former Inter-Party Cooperation presidential candidate Kizza Besigye. It also emerged...

Villagers Flee Snake Invasion.
March 30, 2011... Byline: James Eriku Residents of Lingoto Village, Adilang Sub-county in Agago District are still gripped by fear after they woke up on Saturday to a bizarre sight of at least 60 snakes coiled within the same location. The residents said...

Arrest of Two Heightens Claims of ADF Regrouping.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Felix Warom Okello The arrest last week of two suspected rebels of the Allied Democratic Front in DR Congo has heightened claims of possible renewed attacks on Uganda by remnants of the rebel group. The army believes the ADF is...

Ntinda Shooter Arrested.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Emmanuel Mulondo and Melody Kukundakwe The Police yesterday said two of their officers suspected of involvement in the shooting that ended the lives of two people at Ntinda trading centre on Monday have been arrested. "We have...

United Nations Renews Sekaggya's Mandate.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Richard Wanambwa The United Nations (UN) has renewed the mandate of Ms Margaret Sekaggya as its Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. Ms Sekaggya has held the office since 2008 when she was first appointed...

African Union Snubs Libya Talks in London.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Tabu Butagira and Argaw Ashine The gulf between Africa and the West on how to tackle the Libya crisis widened yesterday with African Union representatives boycotting a scheduled summit in London on the subject. Mr Jean Ping, the AU...

Worker Fired for Holding Two Jobs.
March 30, 2011... Byline: David Mafabi The law prohibits for any civil servant from holding two government positions at the same time. But the rule was disregarded by one civil servant in Mbale, who continued to serve in two jobs within the civil service. That...

Local Appointed to Manage Libyan-Run Hotel.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Martin Ssebuyira The Libyan African Investment Portfolio, the body responsible for supervising Libyan investments in Africa, has replaced the general manager LAICO Lake Victoria Hotel with a Ugandan, days after Kampala promised to...

Moyo SPCs Storm District Chairman's Office Over Pay.
March 30, 2011... Byline: John Njoroge A mob numbering more than 100 people, claiming to be former Special Police Constables (SPC) and crime preventers yesterday stormed the Moyo LC5 chairman's office, demanding payment for what they said were "services...

Telecom Firms Urged to Reduce Mobile Money Fees.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Walter Wafula Mobile Money channels have become a convenient way of sending and receiving money in Uganda. However, the cost of transactions remains prohibitive to millions of Ugandans, according to one mobile banker. Mr Matthew...

URU Pleased With Schools Progress.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Ismail Dhakaba Kigongo To think that Namilyango College School reaching all three finals of the Coke Rugby Schools' League finals represents a one-man show is completely wrong, at least according to Ramsey Olinga, the Uganda Rugby...

Truck Drivers Raise Fees Due to High Fuel Prices.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Faridah Kulabako Importers will have to pay more than double the price to move cargo from Mombasa port to Uganda after truckers announced new transport rates in response to rising fuel prices. In a media notice issued recently,...

Army Ready to Fight Corruption - Kulayigye.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Alfred Tumusahbe The army, if brought on board, can do a good job in the fight against corruption in the public sector because of the Force's precedence in wiping out the vice from its own institution, the army spokesperson has said....

Muwonge Unfazed By Return of Giants.
March 30, 2011... Byline: James Ssekandi Even with the return of the top guns in the National Rally Championship (NRC), leader Susan 'Super Lady' Muwonge is not alarmed. Two-time NRC winners Ronald Ssebuguzi and Ponsiano Lwakataka, and current champion...

Ssekikubo's Rigging Motion Blocked.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Yasiin Mugerwa A crucial motion that seeks a resolution of the House to investigate allegations of electoral malpractices during the February 18 elections was yesterday blocked amid anger from opposition lawmakers. Realising that...

Irish Officer Tips Police On Minimal Force in Riots.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Emmanuel Mulondo, Martin Ssebuyira and Anita Imalingat The Irish Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Nacie Rice, has advised Ugandan police against indiscriminate use of force while dealing with the public. The comments come at a...

Minister Sued Over Reflexology Prohibition.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Anthony Wesaka Two umbrella reflexology centres have sued the Health Ministry over last week's ban on the practice. The United Reflexologist Association of Uganda and Alleluia Reflexology Health Solution and Nutrition Centre...

Monitor Launches Two New Products.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Ephraim Kasozi The Advertising Department of Monitor Publications Limited has introduced two pullouts in a move to enhance knowledge of readers about the various issues that affect their lives. The National Roads Journal, a...

Despite Rising Prices, Farmers Still Earn Peanuts.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Ambrose Bugaari The prices for most agricultural commodities are shooting up daily in Uganda. However, farmers are still paid peanuts for their produce and are yet to fully benefit from rising food prices. The questions that have...

Govt Buys Fighters Jets From Unknown Source.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Sheila Naturinda Ministry of Defence officials are under instruction not to talk about transactions related to the purchase of military fighter jets, MPs heard yesterday. Appearing before the Parliamentary Accounts Committee, the...

Foreign Companies Agree to Pay Billions for Oil Fields.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Walter Wafula Total a French oil company and the China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) have agreed to pay $2.9 billion (Shs6.9 trillion) for stakes in Tullow Oil's assets in Uganda. British firm Tullow Oil yesterday announced...

African Union Snubs Talks in London.
March 30, 2011... Byline: Tabu Butagira and Argaw Ashine The gulf between Africa and the West on how to tackle the Libya crisis widened yesterday with African Union representatives boycotting a scheduled summit in London on the subject. Mr Jean Ping, the AU...

Heroic Welcome for Cranes.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Andrew Mwanguhya The Uganda Cranes finally touched down at Entebbe International Airport last evening, almost five hours after their scheduled arrival, following a plane mishap in Nairobi. Uganda were returning from Guinea Bissau...

Application for UK Visas Now Online.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Tabu Butagira and Karen Mukama Ugandans intending to travel to the United Kingdom will, beginning end of May, have to mandatorily apply for visas on-line, according to changes announced yesterday. The UK High Commission in Kampala, in...

Decline in Batu Price Didn't Reflect Market Position.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Arthur Nsiko British American Tobacco Uganda (BATU) released its Financial Year 2010 (FY10) results with a 40% growth in Profit after Tax (PAT) and therefore Earnings per share (EPS). The directors recommended a final dividend of Shs...

'UTL Not Affected By Sanctions'.
March 29, 2011... Uganda Telecom Limited has not yet been affected by the United Nations resolutions that were adopted by member states on February 26, a senior official at the company said yesterday. "At UTL, operations continue and we want to assure our...

State House Fronts Kadaga for Speaker.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Yasiin Mugerwa The race for the position of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker yesterday took shape after information from State House indicated that President Museveni had settled on Ms Rebecca Kadaga and Mr Fox Odoi to head the 9th...

Oil Agreements Should Boost Investor Confidence.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Grace Makoko Back in the days when getting a visa to Europe in search of greener pastures was the order of the day, a friend of mine decided that she too would attempt to obtain a visa to paradise. She did her homework and found out...

Bishop Blames Domestic Violence On Bickering.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Richard Muzaale The bishop of Busoga Diocese, Dr Micheal Kyomya, has blamed the high rate of domestic violence in the country on failure to observe Christian teachings, norms and violating the marriage oath. Dr Kyomya, who was...

Three Killed As Police Officer Shoots At Mob.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Benon Herbert Oluka and Melody Kukundakwe Just two months ago, Augustine Rubingo welcomed to the world a new bundle of joy when his wife bore him a second child. Yesterday, the 29-year-old taxi driver's own life was crudely...

Pastor Held Over Election Malpractices.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Rajab Mukombozi Court in Kiboga District has remanded a pastor of Elim Church over allegations of inciting violence during the just concluded general elections. Pastor Joash Haguma Gasana was the chief campaigner for Ms Rose...

Activists Oppose HIV Bill.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Otushabire Tibyangye Women living with HIV want Parliament to delete some clauses in the HIV and Aids Prevention and Control Bill that they say promote stigma. They took issue with the clause that criminalises failure to disclose...

Commercial Bank Holding of Govt Securities Declines.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Martin Luther Oketch Holding of government securities in the primary market by commercial banks has declined by 7 per cent following an active secondary market that has picked up in the country. The decline in holding of government...

Akope Sets New Kitante Course Record.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Innocent Ndawula Uganda Professional Golfers Association (UPGA) captain Deo Akope has had a tough beginning to the 2011 season. He has traversed the continent participating in four events on the Sunshine Tour and KCB Circuit in...

Voter Bribery Has Turned Our People Into Beggars.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Anne Mugisha The cliché that our people have been turned into beggars by failed government policies came alive in the most disgraceful manner during the campaign period. At the bottom of the rung were the village hobos...

To Curb Corruption, Promote Mindset Change.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Nick T. Twinamatsiko One of the most alarming realities in our country today is the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. The 'poor' are becoming extremely poor, the rich extremely rich. This state of affairs, while...

Mbale Gets New Town Clerk.
March 29, 2011... Byline: David Mafabi The Ministry of Local Government has moved to end the three-week vacuum left by the interdiction of former Mbale Municipality town clerk with the appointment of Mr Joseph Kimbowa. Mr Kimbowa, who has been serving...

Kiggundu Comment Irks Gulu Residents.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Cissy Makumbi Statements by Electoral Commission chairman Badru Kiggundu that he will be around to conduct the 2016 general elections has not gone down well with the opposition in Gulu following the reported massive irregularities...

Storm Leaves 100 Families Homeless.
March 29, 2011... At least 100 families in Ntenjeru County, Kayunga District, have been left homeless after a storm destroyed their homes and household property over the weekend. The Kayunga Town mayor, Mr James Katumba, said the Sunday evening storm razed 56...

Karamoja Needs Concerted Effort to Develop, Says Envoy.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Steven Ariong The EU ambassador to Uganda, Robert Ridolfi, has urged leaders from Karamoja region and the UN agencies working in the arid region to work as a team to create sustainable development among Karimojong communities. ...

Company Goes Green With Eco Forklifts.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Agencies As the quest for a cleaner and a better environment increases, the challenge remains for various industrial players to go green and adopt eco- friendly options to cut down on any emissions that could be dangerous to the...

Mwiri Win On Debut.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Innocent Ndawula Busoga College Mwiri made a winning debut as the Second Division National League got underway at four different ovals on Sunday. The Mwiri students edged Jinja Association of Cricket Clubs (JACC) by 20 runs in a...

NRM Plots to Oust Kezaala.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Nelly Nelson Otto The newly-elected NRM councillors of Jinja Municipality are divided over attempts by the party leadership to block them from being appointed by Mr Mohammed Kezaala to his cabinet. Mr Kezaala was re-elected as...

Nation, Kenya Cotton Prices Rise in Face of Drought.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Tabitha Wambui Despite the harsh dry condition in most parts of the country for the last couple of months, revenues from cotton have not been so adversely affected but the trade is anticipated to bring more revenue to the country...

Lwakataka Crestfallen After Masaka Defeat.
March 29, 2011... Byline: James Ssekandi Undefeated at home in five years, many expected Ponsiano Lwakataka to win the Umospoc Challenge Rally in Masaka at the weekend. Having missed the National Rally Championship (NRC) season-opener in Mbarara last month,...

Government of National Unity Will Stop the Militarisation of Our Politics.
March 29, 2011... Byline: William G. Naggaga On February 28, Mr Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, leader of People's Progressive Party (PPP) and presidential aspirant in the just concluded elections, penned a letter to his old friend, President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM...

Higher Education Council Stops Award of Honorary Professorship.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Richard Wanambwa The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has passed a new law which bars universities and other institutes from awarding honorary professorship.The NCHE Executive Director, Prof. Abdu Kasozi, told Daily...

Drug-Resistant TB Cases On the Rise in Kitgum, Say Medics.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Sam Lawino Health workers in Kitgum District have reported an increase in cases of drug-resistant Tuberculosis in Lamwo and Kitgum districts, posing a new threat to the medics. The National Coordinator for HIVAids Programme in the...

Gonza Takes Zabasajja Crown.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Abdu Wasike Simon Gonza emerged champion of the Zabasajja Memorial Rapid Chess Championship that climaxed Sunday at Hotel Africana. The Mulago Knights player amassed seven-and-a half points to prevail at the tournament in its third...

Public Accounts Committee to Grill Defence Over Fighter Jets.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Yasiin Mugerwa Top officials in the Ministry of Defence will be questioned by the Public Accounts Committee today about a controversial purchase of fighter jets and other military hardware. While ministry officials were supposed to...

Bravo Cranes But We Can Do Better.
March 29, 2011... After a decade, the national football team, The Uganda Cranes, did us proud last Saturday by winning an away game in the quest for a place at the African Nations Cup tournament. The more exciting thing about the Saturday 1-0 away win in...

Uncertain Future Surrounds Japanese Aid.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Walter Wafula Development projects supported by the Japanese government in Uganda are seen suffering financing setbacks in the near future due to the earthquake that hit the country earlier this month. Ms Eri Ogawa the Head of...

Private Sector Imports of Capital Goods Go Up.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Martin Luther Oketch The latest macroeconomic development in Uganda shows that the private sector is importing more of capital goods than consumer goods to expand on the size of their firms and produce more to sell in the regional...

African Dictators Are Glorified Stooges of the West.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Nicholas Sengoba Embattled Libyan leader, the 'powerful' Col. Muammar Gaddafi, is probably hiding somewhere in a bunker, biting his nails. But things have not always been like this. The self-declared 'King of Kings' and a horde of...

Security Officials Cautioned Against Violating Human Rights.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Flavia Lanyero The Uganda Human Rights Commission has urged Internal Security Organisation (ISO) operatives to follow the Constitution and respect human rights. Speaking during a workshop on educating ISO officials on human rights...

FDC Asks Government to Reclaim Food Stores.
March 29, 2011... Byline: Emmanuel Mulondo The Forum for Democratic Change has, in light of the rising food prices and shortage, called on the government to change its policy on the feeding the nation and reclaim the national food stores it privatised....

Police Rescue Suspects From Mob.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Dalton Wanyera The Police in Iganga have rescued two people from being lynched by angry residents. The suspects, one of them a witch doctor, were arrested after they were accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl. An angry...

From the Press Gallery - to Be Or Not to Be Married?
March 28, 2011... Byline: Yasiin Mugerwa We're in the evening of the 8th Parliament. This August House will be officially dissolved on May 12 to pave way for a new Parliament, but the backlog in the House is disturbing. For instance, action on some Bills...

Opposition MPs Query Awarding of Diplomatic Passports.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Isaac Imaka The government is not following the National Leadership Hierarchy guidelines while issuing diplomatic and official passports, opposition legislators said on Friday. The MPs questioned the way the Ministry of Internal...

Government to Promote Tourism in North.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Nelson Wesonga With peace now prevailing in northern Uganda, the government has embarked on promoting tourism in the region. The State Minister for Tourism, Mr Serapio Rukundo, said northern Uganda has numerous tourist attractions...

Lukiiko Summoned to Review Kings Law.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Robert Mwanje The Katikkiro of Buganda Eng. John Baptist Walusimbi has summoned the Lukiiko (kingdom parliament) to review the recently enacted traditional leaders' law. Addressing journalists at Mengo on Friday, Eng. Walusmbi said...

Business Community Sensitised On E-Tax Payment.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Viola Nabimanya The Uganda Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with Uganda Revenue Authority to assist the tax body in the promotion of the e-tax payment system in Uganda. Speaking during a sensitisation meeting in Kampala last week,...

Speaker Okays Motion to Probe Vote Rigging.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Yasiin Mugerwa Parliament is expected to vote on a key motion that calls for an inquiry into the allegations of widespread vote rigging, ghost voters, missing names, violence and bribery and other forms of electoral malpractices in...

Kamya Endorses Coalition Raids On Libya.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Mercy Nalugo Uganda Federal Alliance president, Ms Beti Kamya, has backed the attack on Libyan leader Col. Gaddafi and urged the government to come out and make a firm stand on the uprisings. Addressing the press at Parliament over...

Health Activists Raise Concern Over Fate of HIV/Aids Patients.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Rajab Mukombozi There is growing concern on the fate of HIV/ Aids patients if donors pull out of funding HIV/Aids treatment and care in the country. Speaking during a meeting between Mbarara District local government and Mulago...

Seven More Points Will Deliver History.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Andrew Mwanguhya If we were to give a gong for best player of Uganda's campaign after three games so far, it would take a tough call between forward David Obua and goalkeeper Dennis Onyango. Obua, Cranes' lead scorer with two...

Cranes Players Share Sh64 Million.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Andrew Mwanguhya From the Lino Correia artificial turf, hotel, and to the beautiful night skies of the capital Bissau - there was not much time to waste. It was party time. From the 22nd minute when David Obua slotted in the winner,...

Why African Dictators Are Troubled By Uprisings.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Christopher Omara There are strong reasons for African dictators to tremble in the wake of political defiance at their doorsteps. The demands being raised by the pro-democracy movements in the affected countries are not different from...

British Investors Urge Nation to Improve Marketing.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Walter Wafula United Kingdom-based investors have advised the government to strengthen its marketing efforts to draw more foreign investments to Uganda. A group of 20 investors under the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who...

Uganda, Burundi Send More Peacekeepers.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Risdel Kasasira Uganda and Burundi will each add 2,000 peacekeepers in Somalia by mid this year to raise the number from 8,000 to 12,000, an increment approved by the UN Security Council in December last year. The offer to increase...

Heathens Edge Rhino.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Ismail D. Kigongo There is no doubt in the minds of many that it's only a matter of time before MTN Heathens are crowned Nile Special Rugby Premier League champions for the fifth time. Viable competition has been very hard to find...

Government Struggles to Explain Depreciating Shilling.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Stephen Otage The spiralling cost of living in the country is giving the government a heavy tongue to explain. At a press conference on Saturday Finance Minister Syda Bbumba and Bank of Uganda Deputy Governor Louis Kasekende laboured...

Competition Limiting Fuel Price Escalation, Says Government.
March 28, 2011... Byline: Faridah Kulabako The government has said that oil prices would be much higher had it not been for the current levelled competitive environment in the country. Addressing the press in Kampala on Friday, Eng. Hilary Onek, the Energy...