19 televisions and radio stations hosted on the UBC mast to be momentarily switched off

 UBC is planning to upgrade their equipment in response to the digital migration program which should be completed before December this year of 2013. According to a notice released by acting managing director, Mr. Kihika Paul on July 31 asking all managers of the affected 19 radios and television stations to switch off their equipment before work starts. He said “this will allow contractors to remove the existing antennae and replace them with new ones”.

"UBC in partnership with Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is in the final stages of implementing the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) project for greater Kampala. We have reached the time of replacement of the antenna system to meet DTT requirements and this necessitates switching off all services to enable rigging work to complete the installations within the shortest possible time," Kihika added.

The list of affected tv stations includes; all UBC and its sister stations, NTV, NBS, WBS, Urban, CCTV, CRI, Citizen, East Africa TV, ITV, LTV, Miracle, Top and Record. The affected radio stations include; Sanyu FM, Super FM, BBC, Citizen Radio, East Africa Radio.

Mr. Kihika’s statement had indicated that the stations would be off from Friday August 2 up to Sunday August 4. However, reports indicate that this has been changed to Sunday for 12 hours.

He further said "We hope to complete the work on Sunday but if we don't, we shall have to extend to Monday (August 5)."  Kihika also explained that “the disruption is clear in the tenancy agreement which has a clause that allows interruption in their broadcast in need be”.

The closure on Friday to Sunday would have serious implications as many stations would have wanted to air out the celebrations to mark Kabaka Ronald Mutebi's 20th coronation anniversary. In addition several managers have indicated that they would lose a lot of revenue for in those busy weekend days.

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Parliament passes population Bill.

 Amidst a boycott of plenary proceedings by opposition MPs over what they deem to be the questionable manner in which Gen. Aronda Nyakairima was recently approved as Internal Affairs minister.  Parliament passed the national population council bill 2011. This  Council Bill was passed with minor amendments ,Among these included vesting the president instead of the Minister of Finance with powers to appoint the Director General of the National Population Council Secretariat

The bill which had its first reading in parliament early last year  is intended  to establish a national population council as a body corporate, ascertain the Population Secretariat as the secretariat of the Council; to provide for the Council’s composition, functions and administration.

The bill will also create a strong and effective oversight mechanism at the population council whose main function will be to formulate policies that give strategic direction on the implementation of the objectives of the national population policy.

The house was commanded to reserve appointing of the director general for the sector minister to ensure “that the reporting mechanism is clear and streamlined.” By  the report of the committee on Finance Planning.

The committee report was reluctant to the idea of the president appointing the Director General out of fear that such an appointee might refuse to submit to the National Population Council Secretariat.

This position which was supported by Hellen Asamo and Margaret Baba Diri was however opposed by a section of legislators including Milton Muwuma and Kyooma Xavier.

By vesting the power to appoint the Director General in the hands of the president in consultation with the sector minister, Muwuma and Kyooma urged, the aura of highest office in the land would lend clout to the Director General’s office.

If it becomes an Act of parliament after getting assented to by the president, the piece of legislation will become the country’s blue print in integrating population factors in development planning,  at all development levels,  in accordance with the National Development Plan.

Minister of State for finance (planning) Matia Kasaija said the bill will come in handy in government’s plans to align the population policy and programs with population related national policies.

Among these include analyzing, interpreting and documenting demographic trends including fertility, mortality, urbanization and migration and their implication on socio economic development.

Kasaija allayed fears that the bill is set to create layers of corporate bodies duplicating responsibilities on population issue, saying: “The bill will only supplement the work of National Bureau of Statistics.”

Uganda is set to conduct its first population census in more than a decade next year during which some of the body corporates created by the Bill will come in handy.

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Meddie Sentongo out of prison.

 After serving  18-month jail sentence in Luzira Prison .Meddie Sentongo, a Kampala business man walked to freedom on Tuesday morning.  On July 12, 2012 Anti-Corruption Court Judge Catherine Bamugemereire sentenced Bad Black to four years in prison after condemning her of fraud. Over the same crime, Ssentongo was sentenced to 18 months.

Black was convicted for embezzling US$3.9m from the company she jointly owned with her ex-lover, a British engineer, David Greenhalgh. Evidence given by the acquaintances whose help they sought in their fraudulent quest as well as accountants and bank officials was to pin them  in court.
The Judge noted that when Meddie needed documentation with a resemblance of any professionalism to convince Greenhalgh for money, "he naturally failed to pay to the back street engineering firm to which prosecution witness Peter Michael Lule belonged…."The documentation concerned the Bill of quantities and Lule attributed its authorship to Alkon (U) Ltd on advice of Meddie who wanted it to be associated with a stronger brand of Alcon.

The Documentation was needed to convince Greenhalgh to send US$8m to Daveshan Developments company" from which he and Black would siphon it. And since Black was the only signatory to the company because Greenhalgh was far away in Britain.The judge noted that although the US$8m did not come, the US$3.9m that was wired was taken off by Black and at the same time, an equivalent of the withdrawn dollars would be deposited on Meddie's account by her.

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Government of Uganda asks universities to give more bursaries.

International university of East Africa is one of the newest universities in Uganda. The university has reduced 40% of its tuition fee for Ugandan student the states minister for primary education Dr. Kamada Bataringaya said on representing Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi that all institutions of learning should emulate International University of east Africa   by increasing the number of free bursaries given to students.

At a one day opening function of International University of east Africa the occurred over the r weekend. Dr Kamada  Bataringaya  added “ government is  about  to start  it’s scholar ship curriculum  to finance all those joining high tertiary institution.

 Talking about the 40% tuition reduction, the vice chancellor, Prof Dawoud Shenouda says it applies the duration of the course being under taken. The international student’s will receive 20% reduction of the under taken course. Basing on this institutional tuition reduction policy, 600 students have been attracted to the institute.

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Toro Queen mother to host African Queens

Queen mother Best Kemigisa was recently appointed Board Member of the Global Power Women Network Africa representing all Cultural and Traditional leaders of Africa.

Last month, she attended the global power women Network Africa conference which was attended by First Ladies among other influential African women in Abuja Nigeria. At the conference, ways on fighting Violence against women and children among other issues that affect the African women were discussed. Issues on how Africa can deal with zero new HIV infections, and Zero maternal and child mortality were also talk about.

She is now set to host the first ever African Queens and First   Ladies conference in Uganda in September. According to information from Kemigisa’s office, the conference is aimed at raising awareness in combating HIV/AIDS among women and children.

Best Kemigisa who has been instrumental in fighting violence against the girl child is optimistic the conference will help the African continent generate ideas on how best HIV can be prevented for a better Africa.

The conference will be hosted in Kampala. It will run for two days starting September 4 to 6.    But the Venue is yet to confirmed.

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Ugandan’s should value national ID

According to Uganda’s constitution, it’s legible for every citizen aged18 and above to possess a national identification card. On July 15, 2013 the immigration board started issuing out in Kampala at East Kololo primary school as well as Uganda museum .on July 29, 2013, the exercise will then be spread out in the all of Kampala and eventually to far districts.

However, citizens that qualify for these ids are those whose bio metrical information was captured during the national voter’s registration exercise that occurred in 2010. Those that missed out on the above exercise have been given chance to register by 2015 December

Importance of national id

Timely registration and monitoring of citizenship birth, marriages, deaths, aliens and refugees etc

•  Provision of social services such as education, health, cross border immigration and passport control

• Employment-pension contributions, benefits and insurance

• Law enforcement that is ability to track illegal activities and criminals e.g financial transactions, money laundering etc

• Electoral processes

• Tax administration that is collection and management of taxes

• National population statistics (censuses, surveys, segregation and monitoring trends for planning purposes etc)

It is for this reason that Article 18 of the Constitution specifically states that “The state shall register every birth, marriage and death occurring in Uganda”. In addition, Article 16 of the Constitution establishes the National Citizenship and Immigration Board whose functions as spelt out in the Citizenship and Immigration Control Act include:

• Registering and issuing national identity cards to the citizens of Uganda.

• Issuing Ugandan passports and other travel documents

• Granting and cancelling citizenship by registration and naturalization

• Granting and cancelling immigration permits

• Registering and issuing national identity cards to both Ugandans and aliens etc.

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