SUNDAY - Museveni departs Uganda for UAE
President Museveni departed for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a three-day visit. While there, he held high level meetings with government officials and the business community fronting Uganda's priorities, business opportunities in Uganda accompanied by the investment incentives offered by his government.
Through his Twitter handle, the President said the discussions revolved around Uganda’s need for value addition to the raw materials produced in the Pearl of Africa. He signed two agreements with the UAE to boost tea and energy sectors.
MONDAY - Ambassador Galiwango and Former MP Toolit Dead
A double tragedy befell the political arena following the death of Dr. Hassan Wasswa Galiwango, Uganda's high commissioner to Kenya and Seychelles together with former Omoro County MP in the eighth Parliament Simon Toolit Akecha. Galiwango, aged 64 died from Heart failure at Nairobi Hospital whereas Toolit died at Lacor Hospital from an untold illness.
Galiwango was eulogized as a Dedicated Patriot and Distinguished Diplomat. Simon Toolit, a former FDC member was last year fronted by National Unity Platform as its flag-bearer in the Omoro County by-election, following the death of MP and former Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah. He was defeated by Oulanyah’s son Andrew Ojok, who contested on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket. At the time of his death, Toolit, was the Acting Head of Policy for NUP.
TUESDAY - Schools Hike fees and Arts Teachers threaten to strike
Ahead of the new academic year, a number of schools hiked their fees despite the government's Directive deterring them from doing so. Schools say the hikes are triggered by the current inflationary pressures.
Our survey shows that some schools in Wakiso, Mukono and Kampala have increased fees from anywhere between Shs100,000 and Shs600,000. On the other hand, arts teachers in both secondary and primary schools want their salaries enhanced by 100 percent in the next financial year or else they lay down their tools.
In a letter addressed to the Public Service minister, teachers questioned what they called “double standards” when the government increased salaries of their counterparts running the rule over science subjects by 300 percent.
WEDNESDAY - Speaker orders Audit into COSASE committee
Hon. Anita Among said the performance of COSASE in processing the Auditor general's reporter 2020/2021 is of great concern to Parliament. According to the speaker, the committee considered four out of the 107 entities probed by the auditor general.
"And I don't want to say shame on us the House but shame on you Cosase. It's you people who have failed. We have invested a lot of money in the committee but we have not got results," she said
Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, the committee chairman however pinned Parliament over failure to debate reports his committee had so far handled, particularly the controversial Uganda Airlines report accusing the speaker of playing delaying tactics by not considering the report over unclear reasons.
THURSDAY - NSSF holds an emergency Board Meeting
It was learnt that the NSSF board held an emergency meeting earlier in the week to resolve a leadership crisis that raised questions about the fund's governance. The Meeting came following the leaking of a letter in which Gender and labour Minister Betty Amongi made serious allegations of corruption and mismanagement against Mr. Richard Byarugaba, the former Managing Director of the Fund. The wide-ranging inquiries into the matter were subject to ongoing investigations by the IGG - the Fund's Spokesperson Barbara Teddy Arimi said they were not at liberty to discuss them.
FRIDAY- Aviation Authority to probe Extortion Claims, Expose Corrupt Staff
Following a growing concern about how travelers are being ripped off their hard-earned money at the airport, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) says it is investigating these accusations of corruption, extortion and misconduct of immigration officials
The majority of the complainants alleged that even with an air ticket, a visa, a passport and all other travel documents, airport staff could still stop one from travelling or entering the country. CAA Public Affairs Manager Vianney Luggya has asked those who have more information on this matter to come forward.
“Soon we shall publish a list of people whose security passes were withdrawn for engagement in such malpractices and banned from operating at the airport or on its behalf, in any way whatsoever,” he said.
SATURDAY- UNRA Seeks shs690b for Road Maintenance
UNRA is allocated shs307 billion annually which is only 44.5 per cent of their required budget, according to Ms Mary Kutesa, their legal director. In the past financial year, they only received shs.235 billion off the shs307 billion. To fully address the maintenance challenges, UNRA said it required additional funding equivalent to shs383 billion coming to a total of shs690b.
