New Vision (Uganda) articles from March 2010

New Vision (Uganda) archives from March 2010

Inflation Falls to 7.5 Percent.
March 31, 2010... UGANDA'S headline inflation rate eased to 7.5 percent in March from a revised 8.1 percent in February driven by a fall in food prices, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. "During the month, the food prices index dropped by 1.6...

Sheik Held Over Kasubi Fire Utterances Appears in Court.
March 31, 2010... THE Masaka sheik who allegedly accused President Yoweri Museveni of being responsible for the Kasubi tombs fire has appeared before court charged with libel. Muhammad Musa Matovu Kigongo a Democratic Party diehard was appeared before Moses...

FDC Wins Kyambogo Guild Race.
March 31, 2010... FREDRICK Etyang of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has won the Kyambogo University Guild Presidency amidst irregularities. Voting took place on Tuesday in an election exercise where candidates campaigned for two weeks. Etyang, a 26...

Ex- MP Lukyamuzi Wins Unfair Dismissal Case Against IGG.
March 31, 2010... FORMER Rubaga south Member of Parliament John Ken Lukyamuzi has won his case for wrongful dismissal from Parliament against the Inspector general of government. Lukyamuzi was dismissed from Parliament after he failed to declare his income and...

Corruption On the Rise.
March 31, 2010... Byline: Conan Businge Corruption cases reported to the Police last year more than doubled compared to 2008, according to the 2009 Police report.There was also an increase in cases of ritual murders and deaths in accidents. The report,...

Family Speaks Out On Kasubi Suspect.
March 31, 2010... Byline: Francis Kagolo and Juliet Lukwago THE wife of a man who told the Police he set ablaze the Kasubi tombs has doubted his statements. Harriet, the wife of Joseph Musoke, yesterday said although they had separated about four months ago,...

Centum to Offload Its U.S.$6 Million Stake in Rift Valley Railways.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Emojong Osere Investments firm, Centum, has opted to offload its shares in Rift Valley Railways (RVR), paving way for fresh restructuring of the company managing the Kenya-Uganda railway. The company, in a Monday statement,...

Mbabazi Declines to Appear Before Ghogm Probe Team.
March 30, 2010... SECURITY Minister Amama Mbabazi has declined to appear before the Parliamentary Public Accounts. Mbabazi, a member of the Cabinet CHOGM sub-committee that was charged with organising the Commonwealth Summit in 2007, was due to appear before...

Support Newspapers in Education, Teachers Tell the Government.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Ayiga Ondoga It was a new world of learning last week when The New Vision's Newspapers In Education conducted a workshop for head teachers in Mbale. The two-day workshop held at Mbale district headquarters, Maluku and Northroad...

Wabudeya, Mafabi Clash Over CHOGM.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Madinah Tebajjukira Presidency minister Beatrice Wabudeya yesterday clashed with the public accounts committee chief, Nandala Mafabi, during the probe into CHOGM expenditure. Wabudeya had appeared before the committee to explain...

Former PRA Rebel Dies in Canada.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Charles Ariko Samuel Nathan Okiring, a former city advocate who was accused of having connections with the People's Redemption Army (PRA) rebels, has died in Canada. A close friend, Patrick Merikol, yesterday said Okiring died...

EU Builds 15 Nursing Schools.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Conan Businge The European Union has finalised the construction of 15 nursing and training schools in various parts of the country at sh46b, according to the EU ambassador, Vincent De Visscher. The schools were built in Mulago,...

Courts to Sit On Weekends.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Andante Okanya The Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki, has told judicial officers to be prepared to work overtime and on weekends to clear the case backlog. Cases categorised as backlog are those that are more than two years old. ...

Electoral Commission Revives Biometric Registration of Voters.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Barbara Among The Electoral Commission has revived the suspended voter biometric registration system. The decision comes with the revelation that a German company, Mühlbauer Technology Group, has won the contract to implement...

Kajubi Telephoned Witchdoctor 42 Times.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Hillary Nsambu A senior security officer with the MTN company, Samuel Rugasira, has produced computer printouts showing that Godfrey Kato-Kajubi telephoned his witchdoctor, Umar Kateregga, 42 times between October 15 and 31, 2008. ...

MPs Grill KCC Officials Over Kijjambu Absence.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Mary Karugaba and Henry Mukasa Drama ensued at Parliament yesterday when Kampala City Council (KCC) officials tried to defend the failure of the town clerk, Ruth Kijjambu, to appear before the MPs but ended up contradicting...

Land Owners Want Land Titles Probe.
March 30, 2010... Land owners have asked the Government to institute a commission of inquiry into fraudulent land titles. Speaking recently at the first national conference on land, the treasurer of the Uganda Land Owners Association, Emmanuel Efumbi, said...

Vocational Students Pass Mandatory Skills Tests.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Conan Businge Seventy percent of students assessed after graduating from vocational institutions passed the mandatory skills test, according to results released by the Government yesterday. The examinations were conducted by the...

Govt Urged to Fund Air Ambulances.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Rehema Aanyu The Uganda Ambulance Services group, has appealed to the Government to set up an emergency fund for airlifting accident victims for immediate medical attention. The organisation's chief executive, Eric Walford, said...

Nasasira Wants Tough Action On Errant Drivers.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Darius Magara Works and Transport minister John Nasasira wants driving permits of drivers found breaking the law cancelled. He also urged the courts to treat traffic cases seriously. Nasasira said the Government would buy more...

Woman Delivers in Police Cell.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Florence Nakaayi A couple in Kawempe, a Kampala suburb, had their baby born in a Police cell following their arrest over domestic violence. Ponsiano Ndugwa and Sylvia Nakasiga had been detained at Kawempe Police Station for...

Teacher Trainers Get Motorcycles.
March 30, 2010... The Government has received 39 motorcycles from UN children's agency to help improve the supervision of primary teachers in rural schools. The motorcycles were handed over to four primary teachers colleges in Moroto, Gulu and Loro at a...

Jinja Hosts Fun Rugby on Good Friday; Busoga Gets First Win.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Johnson Were and Usher Komugisha It will again be fun on Good Friday at the Jinja Rugby Club ground, the venue for the fifth edition of the Nile Fun Rugby Festival. Yesterday, Nile Breweries announced a sh25m package for the event at...

AAR Carry Day in Corporate League.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Swalley Kenyi AAR underlined their ambitions to win the 2010 Corporate League soccer event with a clean sweep on the opening day at Kampala Rugby ground on Sunday. The medical service providers, who were only praised for their...

Country's Top Soccer Referees Unfit.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Swalley Kenyi Uganda's Football Referees Association (UFRA) got their biggest embarrassment when 11 of their leading match officials failed a FIFA fitness test at Namboole on Monday. In an impromptu test conducted by South African...

UOC to Reignite Olympism Project.
March 30, 2010... Byline: James Bakama Uganda Olympic Committee is reviving the OLYMPAFRICA project - a program that promotes the spirit of Olympism amongst the youth. Launched in 1998 by then IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, the project is aimed at...

Byaruhanga Reassesses Pearl of Africa Rally Route.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Douglas Mazune Not one to take chances, KCB Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally clerk of the course Stephen Byaruhanga has decided to reassess the route in the wake of the current heavy rains. The rally, the third on this year's Africa...

NIC Easily Win Kasese Netball Rally.
March 30, 2010... Byline: David Namunyala Five-time champions, NIC had an easy ride as they retained their title at the sixth edition of the national netball rally that concluded on Saturday in Kasese. The insurance side kept their unbeaten record in the...

Premier Poised to Win Silverware.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Norman Katende Premier Cricket Club are poised to win their first silverware since returning from oblivion, at the Twenty20 Easter Cricket tournament that starts Friday. The tournament replaces the traditional Easter weekend...

Patrick Isiagi Quits KCC Bench.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Swalley Kenyi It appears problems at KCC FC, which spilled over from last season are not about to get over. After the departure of head coach Sam Ssimbwa to Kenyan champions Sofapaka two weeks ago, club vice chairman (technical),...

Creation of New Districts Defended.
March 30, 2010... Byline: John Semakula A commissioner in the Ministry of Local Government has defended the creation of new districts, saying they strengthen decentralisation. Patrick Mutabwire, the commissioner in charge of local council development, said...

Mbabazi Defies CHOGM Probe.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Henry Mukasa and Mary Karugaba Securtiy Minister Amama Mbabazi has again snubbed the parliamentary oversight committee and challenged its mandate to summon him in relation to expenditures by his ministry during the Commonwealth...

Six Killed in Arua Road Accident.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Frank Mugabi Six people were killed and 25 others admitted in hospital with various injuries after the truck they were travelling in crashed along the Arua-Rhino Camp road yesterday morning. The northwestern regional traffic...

What Did Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger Know And When?
March 30, 2010... Byline: Opiyo Oloya As Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Easter, trouble is brewing about the Vatican's handling of allegations of sex abuses involving Catholic priests. At the heart of the scandal is the Catholic Church's...

A Feat Born Out of Diligence - MUK Honours Female Professors.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Frederick Womakuyu CLAD in a black and white striped gomesi, Prof. Victoria Mwaka walked forward to receive her award. She was one of the 10 women who were recognised for their academic excellence, which enabled them to climb the...

Man Confesses to Torching World Heritage Site.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Herbert Ssempogo, Annet Naluggwa and Edward Anyoli A MAN yesterday walked to a Kampala Police station and allegedly confessed setting ablaze the Kasubi Tombs, a renowned world heritage site. The March 16 inferno at the royal tombs,...

Cocoa Boom in Bundibugyo - a Tale of Gloom And Bloom.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Frederick Womakuyu Semu Nderema smiles as he stands under a cocoa tree. This is the biggest cocoa harvest he has had in almost 10 years. In 1999, he had a small harvest and last year there was none. Nderema, a resident of Kikindu...

Bukenya Should Appear Before PAC.
March 30, 2010... There are conflicting opinions on whether or not Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya under the Constitution can be asked to appear before the public accounts committee that is probing the CHOGM expenditure. Bukenya was the chairman of the Cabinet...

North Kigezi Gets New Secretary.
March 30, 2010... The Bishop of North Kigezi Diocese, Dr. Edward Muhima, has appointed the Rev. Godfrey Rwabugoga the new diocesan secretary to replace John Muhumuza who died in February. Muhima announced the appointment on Friday during a land board committee...

Former Ankole Premier Buried.
March 30, 2010... The former prime minister of Ankole Kingdom, James Kahigiriza who died last week, was buried on Sunday at his home in Rwebishuri village. In a speech read by the first deputy Prime Minister, Eriya Kategaya, President Yoweri Museveni described...

Mumbere Clears Officials to Join Politics.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Michael Karugaba The Rwenzururu king, Charles Wesley Mumbere, has written to his prime minister, clearing officials who want to participate in the coming general elections. In the March 22 letter to Constantine Bwambale, Mumbere...

Low Repayment Rate Killing SACCO's.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Chris Ahimbisibwe Leaders of savings and credit co-operative societies (SACCOs) have expressed worry over the high demand for loans yet the repayment rate is low. The leaders said this is hindering the operations of SACCOs, adding...

Expert Tips Govt On Landslides.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Andante Okanya and Justus Akampa An expert on landslide management has advised the Government on ways to avoid a repeat of the Bududa disaster. Mary Goretti Kitutu, the environmental information systems specialist at the National...

Buyende Officials Ask for More Cars.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Tom Gwebayanga The administration of the newly-created Buyende district is facing transportation problems after its mother district, Kamuli, gave them only one vehicle. Speaking at a council meeting at the district headquarters...

Mbale MP to Beautify Town.
March 30, 2010... The newly-elected MP for Mbale Municipality, Jack Wamai, is to import grass from Zambia as part of his project to beautify the town and help it regain its lost glory. Wamai made the disclosure recently while mobilising the residents to clear...

Bugembe Gets Sh396 Million for Sanitation.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Esther Mukyala and Charles Kakamwa The UN-Habitat Programme has given a grant of sh396m to Bugembe town council to provide clean water and improved sanitation. UN-Habitat supports urban centres to achieve the millennium development...

Official Warns of Starvation in Butaleja.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Daniel Edyegu The Butaleja district chairman, Richard Waya, has warned of starvation following the recent flood that swept the district. Waya said the floods, a result of torrential rains in the Mt. Elgon region, caused River...

No UK Contestant At 'Miss Uganda' 2010.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Sebidde Kiryowa Miss Uganda 2010 is underway but with marked differences from last year's organisation. In 2009, organizers came under heavy criticism when, Maria Namiiro, who had earlier on been crowned Miss Uganda UK in London,...

Centum to Offload Its $6 Million Stake in Rift Valley Railways.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Emojong Osere Investments firm, Centum, has opted to offload its shares in Rift Valley Railways (RVR), paving way for fresh restructuring of the company managing the Kenya-Uganda railway. The company, in a Monday statement,...

ERA Wants Umeme to Cut Losses.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Ibrahim Kasita The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has turned the heat on the power distributor, UMEME, to reduce energy loss, expand the network and improve customer care. "Inspite of investing $76m, impact on losses is...

Opposition Doesn't Have What It Takes to Beat NRM.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Moses Byaruhanga As the political climate gears towards the 2011 general elections, some parties like DP and UPC have already elected their presidential candidates. Ugandans will hopefully have a broad choice from which to elect a...

Soldier Held Over Illegal Car Deals.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Herbert Ssempogo A UPDF lieutenant has been detained over dubious trans-border car deals. Benon Mutabazi Busagwa, attached to Bombo Army headquarters, is at the Central Police Station in Kampala with two accomplices, Ben Buyi and...

DP Wants Free Election Body At Makerere.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Jude Kafuuma The Democratic Party (DP) has advised Makerere University vice-chancellor Venansius Baryamureeba to let the guild council electoral commission operate independently. "The chairperson of the university council together...

Doctors And Nurses Clean Mulago Hospital.
March 30, 2010... Byline: Eddie Ssejjoba Doctores and nurses at Mulago Hospital yesterday hang up their gowns and cleaned the patients' wards as the strike by the cleaners entered its second day. The hospital staff, who included clinical officers and...

MPs Probe Vice-President Over Summit Spending.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Mary Karugaba MPs on the public accounts committee (PAC) have insisted that Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya must appear and explain the decisions he took as chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee charged with organising the Commonwealth...

Murder Convict, Arinaitwe Appeals Against Death Sentence.
March 29, 2010... A murder convict, Richard Arinaitwe has appealed against his death sentence handed down to him by the High court in December 2003 for murdering an American woman. Arinaitwe, also former law student at Makerere University says Justice...

Country, South Africa Are Determined to Trade.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Jacob Zuma Last week South Africa President Jacob Zuma was on a state visit to Uganda. While here he addressed the South Africa-Uganda Business Forum. Below is his speech Your Excellency Mr President, ministers and deputy...

Otafiire Attacks Besigye, Otunnu.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Felix Osujo and Barbara Among Trade and Industry minister, Maj. Gen. Kahinde Otafiire has called FDC party president Col. Kizza Besigye "a power hungry politician not worth following." Otafiire was commissioning 38 groups under the...

Country Needs One Million Houses.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Joyce Namutebi Uganda has a deficit of over 1.56 million housing units, with rural areas being the most affected, the latest report on urban development indicates. The rural areas have a shortage of over 1.29 million housing units,...

Mother Camps At Police Over Son's Acts.
March 29, 2010... A 69-year-old mother on Wednesday camped at Seeta Police Station in Mukono district and vowed not to leave until the Police arrested her son, whom she accused of battering her. Oliver Nabukeera of Bukerere village in Goma sub-county sat at...

Former Ministers Clash At Function Over Sectarianism.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Caleb Bahikaho Former health minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi and his former deputy, Dr. Alex Kamugisha, have accused each other of sectarianism. The two, who met at a thanksgiving ceremony at Katurika Child Development Centre...

Government Appoints 350 School Teachers.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Conan Businge The government has appointed 350 more secondary school teachers. The teachers include assistant education officers and headteachers who are on probation. According to the report signed by the Education Service...

Fuel Hits 3,150/- Mark.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Chris Kiwawulo The price of petrol has hit the sh3,000 mark in the past few days as fuel shortages continued to worsen across the country. Dealers said shortages were being experienced across the East African region, attributing...

FDC to Sue Government, Police Over Rukiga Assault.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Patrick Jaramogi and Brenda Akoth The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) yesterday said it was dragging the Government to court following the injuries allegedly inflicted on Ingrid Turinawe, the party's women's league chief. ...

Ex-Combatants Ask Govt to Resume Pay.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Ali Mambule Former UPDF soldiers and LDU officers under the reserve force have asked the Government to respect their services and resume paying their wages. The former combatants said although they were guarding civilians under the...

Indians, Chinese Worst Environment Regulation Violators.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Gerald Tenywa Indian and Chinese investors are the worst violators of environmental regulations set by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). NEMA chief Aryamanya Mugisha said developers from the two countries often...

Inspectors Ordered to Close Sub-Standard Schools.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Patrick Jaramogi School inspectors in Kampala should close schools that do not meet the set education standards, the state minister for primary education, Kamanda Bataringaya, has ordered. Kamanda, who was officiating at the annual...

New Crime Wave Hits Kampala City.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Steven Candia and Cecilia Okoth The police yesterday warned of a new wave of crime that has hit the city involving people employed by owners of commercial buildings breaking into shops and stealing property. The police said such...

UNHCR Recommends Community Policing.
March 29, 2010... Byline: John Semakula The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) wants the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) to carry out community policing as a means of establishing a good relationship with the public. The acting president of the commission,...

Don't Vote for Corrupt Leaders - NGO.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Charles Ariko Transparency International Uganda has urged Ugandans not to vote for corrupt politicians in the 2011 general elections. Robert Lugolobi, the executive director of the NGO, yesterday said disassociating with corrupt...

Ministry Wants Foreign Students Details.
March 29, 2010... Byline: John Semakula The Ministry of Education and Sports is soon coming up with a policy requiring foreign students in the country to be registered by their institutions and their names submitted to the ministry, the commissioner in charge...

Akankwasa Gets Bail in NFA Graft Case.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Edward Anyoli The Anti-Corruption Court yesterday granted bail to Damian Akankwasa, the suspended executive director of the National Forestry Authority (NFA), accused of corruption. Akankwasa is said to have allowed the forestry...

Maroons On Course for League Comeback.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Swalley Kenyi Maroons FC are on course to return to the Uganda Super League after their 100% winning streak in at the on going FUFA Big League. Maroons, who have won all their four games, pipped Masaka Municipal Council 1-0 on...

Ace Ssebuguzi Wins Lubiri Rally Sprint.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Douglas Mazune National champion Ronald Ssebuguzi powered his Mitsubishi Evo5 through the muddy track to win the Race-to-Race Masters Sprint at Lubiri on Sunday. The Jomayi Property Consultants sponsored Ssebuguzi clocked seven...

Sh200 Million Commonwealth Games Funds Go Missing.
March 29, 2010... Byline: James Bakama Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) lacks funds to prepare for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games and will rely on their marketing division to secure support from corporate firms and government. It turns out that money -...

Titans, A1 Are Sprite Favourties.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Charles Mutebi The KIU Titans will be favourites to blow past the Power Youth Heaters when the two sides meet in the lucrative Sprite FUBA Challenge today. The two sides were meant to face-off on Sunday but the games were postponed...

Cranes Goalie Dhaira Abandons AS Vita.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Fred Kaweesi Cranes goalkeeper Abbey Dhaira has abandoned Congolese club AS Vita. Dhaira, who was yet to officially sign with Vita, has decided to return to the country and could rejoin URA FC if the defending league champions...

Luswata Cup Quarterfinals.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Norman Katende Defending champions Tornado Cricket Club reached the semi finals of the season opening Luswata Cup, with an eight wicket win over Tamil Lions. But Premier only made the same stage via a nerve wracking bowling on the...

Kipsiro Looks Forward to Gold in Poland.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Samson Opus For some, winning a bronze medal after a silver in world cross country may be a mean achievement. But not for an industrious athlete like Moses Kiprop. For him it is an inspiration that has rekindled his hopes of better...

Brave Odong Spurs Budo to Final Victory.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Johnson Were Marvin Odong's loss of his father earlier in the day could not stop the flanker from leading his King's College Budo side to the Coca Cola Schools Rugby trophy. Odong was instrumental in Budo's 8-6 victory over rivals...

NGO Donates Motorbikes.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Cornes Lubangakene Care International has given out equipment worth sh133m to its implementing partners in Gulu, Kitgum, Amuru and Pader districts. The move is part of the NGO's 15-year programme in the Acholi sub-region. The...

Ex-Rebels Train in Farming.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Frank Mugabi Over 500 former rebels in West Nile have received modern agricultural skills to ease their reintegration into civilian life. The training was conducted by the Amnesty Commission with funding from the Peace, Recovery and...

Army Builds School in Otuke.
March 29, 2010... Byline: Patrick Okino The UPDF Construction Brigade has arrived in Baralegi village in Okwang sub-county, Otuke district, to build a new Baralegi Primary School. The old premises of the school were taken over by the Presidential Guard Brigade...

Mucite Gave Up Her Lucrative Job, City Life to Grow Jatropha.
March 29, 2010... Byline: George Laghu It may seem weird that a young woman would quit a well-paying job and the comfort of the city, for rural life. But this is what 27-year-old Magdalene Mucite, known to her friends as Maddy, did. She did this to pursue...