News; A trip that was organized for five legislators from Uganda to the Central African Republic (CAR) to ascertain the suffering caused by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels has been postponed over security concerns. The trip, which was scheduled to take place on Friday, was postponed to a date yet to be established according to the Charity organization Invisible Children, which is in charge of facilitating the MPs’ travel. Some of the legislators who were supposed to travel are Reagan Okumu the Aswa County MP, Gilbert Olanya, the Kilak county MP and three other members of parliament from western and central Uganda. According to Olanya, a communication from the government of Central African Republic noted that the situation in the country was not good, adding that the MPs would visit when the security is guaranteed. Early this year, the Seleka rebels overthrew the government of President Francois Bozize, an act that affected the hunt for LRA leader Joseph Kony. Since 2006, LRA have been hiding in the jungles in the DRC, Sudan and the Central African Republic from where they attack villages and commit atrocities against civilians. Police in Elgon region are investigating four teachers of Nabuyonga Primary School in Mbale Municipality for allegedly inciting their pupils to storm a police station. On Thursday, more than 200 pupils of the school located in Industrial Division stormed Mbale Central Police station protesting the arrest of their deputy head teacher Jerry Kisewa Othieno was arrested accused of beating and injuring a pupil of the school who later lost her eye. It is alleged that on that day, Othieno came to class and found the children making noise. A pupil who witnessed the incident said he asked them to keep quiet but one of them, Swabra Namugga, remained talking. He warned her twice and on the third occasion, picked stick and hit her. Chaos immediately followed when Namugga began to bleed from the eye. School authorities rushed her to a nearby clinic and later to Mbale Hospital, where doctors there advised that she be taken to Benedictine Hospital in Tororo which has eye specialists. Othieno fled the school and went into hiding until Thursday morning when he was arrested. His arrest, however, did not go down well with the pupils who claim the victim was in the wrong. The pupils marched from their school along Nabuyonga Rise; ran through Pallisa Road and Republic Street and stormed Mbale Central Police station demanding for the release of their head teacher. Gerad Tushime, the Mbale District Police Commander together with other officers who were present at the time tried in vain to persuade the children to go back to school. Police then threatened to use teargas and paper spray on the children. The police led by the DPC escorted the children up to the school.But summoned the headtecher to be questioned alleging him to be behind this move. Government has drafted a bill to regulate the use of indigenous and complimentary medicines. Sarah Opendi, the State Minister for Primary Health Care, notes that a bill entitled The Indigenous and Complementary Medicines Bill 2013, was approved by Cabinet on September 11 and will provide a regulatory framework for traditional healers. Opendi says the proposed bill, yet to be tabled in Parliament, has objectives to define and standardize the concept and provide acceptable standards of indigenous and complementary medicine practice as well as multi-practices in collaboration with modern medicine sectors. Opendi notes that over 60% of the general public here in Ugandan seek the services of traditional and comprehensive practitioners both in urban and remote areas. She says that although the herbal medicines are of greater importance in public healthcare in Uganda and other developing countries, it has not been adequately regulated Over 53,000 motorcycles have been registered by Kampala Capital City Authority—KCCA in the just concluded Boda Boda registration exercise. The exercise that started on October 4th had met stiff resistance in its initial stages with the cyclists threatening to lynch the KCCA officials. However, after several consultations and meetings, the exercise went on smoothly until the deadline day on October 31. Several boda bodas had requested for the postponement of the exercise, claiming that many people had not registered by the closure of the exercise. However, their pleas were rejected by the KCCA officials who now say they are proceeding to the next stage. Peter Kaujju, the KCCA Supervisor of Communications and Media Relations, says the whole exercise has been a success He says after that, anyone who operates illegally without registration will be prosecuted. Kaujju says after marking the stages, they will issue out numbers to all registered members after which distribution of reflector jackets and helmets will commence. He says this will help in decongesting the city and reducing the rate of accidents. Two Congolese refugees in Kyangwali settlement camp in Kyagwali sub-county Hoima district have been arrested for alleged murder. Twenty-eight year old Timothy Ndayambaze and Habimaana Kibarize who is aged 35, are accused of attacking and killing a 17-year-old boy identified as Charles Magezi, a resident of Nyapindi village in Kibaale district. Godson Nimanya, the officer in charge criminal investigations at Hoima police station, says the deceased went missing on October 13, ten days before his body was found decomposing and dumped along a valley near Kiina landing site on the shores of Lake Albert. Nimanya says on the day he went missing, the deceased had visited his friends in Kyangwali refugee camp where they had booze together with the suspects but he never reached home. He says the suspects have been arrested to help police with investigations to ascertain the cause of death. A Local Defence Unit (LDU) staff is in detention in Moroto Army barracks for reportedly selling a firearm to a suspected criminal gang in Kotido district in what the military describes as a treasonable act. No. AX 001129 Pte. Simon Peter Dengel a fortnight ago allegedly sold his gun No. 84MP5717 with 30 rounds for Shs. 700,000. The suspect is attached to the LDU detachment in Kotido district. Lt. Jimmy Omara, the UPDF 3rd Division Public Relations Officer confirms the arrest and detention of the suspect. He explains that the army has sufficient evidence that the said soldier sold off his gun to a gang that is at large. He adds that the suspect went into hiding after selling off his rifle in Kotido town. He was arrested in Moroto town trying to escape to unknown destination. Omara says the police already have a clue on how to recover the firearm. He appeals to the public to be on the watch out and report any criminality in their areas of residence. Residents of Mafubira Trading Centre here in Jinja District were treated to free drama as boda boda riders made an ambush and washed their colleagues who don’t want to shower . A gang of boda boda men in the area launched a campaign to wash all fellow boda boda riders who take bathing as a taboo. Those who tested a tough wrath of their colleagues include one identified as Faruku and Owuchu who body hygiene were wanting. Our news man caught up with those who orchestrated the campaign and they vowed to continue with their move for the good of their job. UPDF vows to continue to prosecute all Army officers who are implicated in the negligence of their duty while in Somalia to avoid tarnishing Ugandas Image. The forces spokes person, Col. Paddy Ankunda tells journalists that the officer implicated in the illegality have been lined up in the court martial and will have to face all the charges and punishment for failure to man their duties professionaly. Evaluation of a one year Child Well Being Project in the North and North Eastern Uganda indicate that there is reduction in violence against children and women. The project spearheaded by the Private Sector Foundation and Bernard and Van Leer Foundation in Apac, Kumi and Nakapiripiti districts intended to improve early childhood development, access to education and basic services. The Lead Researcher Dr. Eddy Walakira says an evaluation of the project indicates that there has been a 46% reduction of violence against women and children in the last one year from the 54% that had been recorded earlier. Dr. Walakira attributes the positive results to behavioral change and appreciation by the perpetrators mainly men that conflicts can be resolved through dialogue other than violence among other factors.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 06:28:17 +0000