A cross section of Ugandans that Uganda Correspondent interviewed via email believe that President Museveni is right to insist that foreign oil explorers working in Uganda today should build a refinery in Uganda and pay taxes in Uganda because it will benefit Uganda. The email survey was done after the Newvision newspaper reported in its 18th June 2010 Issue that Heritage Oil and Gas Company Ltd, an oil exploration company working in Uganda, had failed to agree with the government of Uganda on the question of whether or not Heritage Oil is liable to pay Capital Gains Tax in Uganda when it sells its interests in Ugandan oil wells to a company with better capacity to refine oil within Uganda. (more…)
Archive for June, 2010
National prayer is the final admission of defeat
It’s official. Corruption in Uganda has reached primitive and perhaps even satanic proportions. That much is settled. It is settled because President Yoweri Museveni himself has insinuated that Uganda needs God’s intervention to help it deal with the graft that has eaten away the soul of our nation. (more…)
The Ogole interview: Part 1
UC: Colonel, for nearly a quarter of a century, you have maintained a very loud silence on Ugandan politics. What have you been up to?
Col. Ogole: I left Uganda bare-handed to start a new life as a refugee. Like most refugees, I had to rationalise almost every aspect of my life to create an uninterrupted period that would enable me settle down and mature into my newly acquired second exile life. It has been very painful. (more…)
“IPC Volunteers Corps” launch campaign for change
By Our Staff Writer
The social networking site facebook is fast becoming a rich political mobilisation ground for Uganda’s top most politicians; especially the main party leaders. Museveni, Besigye, Otunnu, Mao, Muntu and a few lesser mortals all have some sort of presence on facebook. In the last few weeks, a hitherto unheard of organisation calling itself “The IPC Volunteers Corps” has also joined the fray. (more…)
Gambia military men “in coup bid”
Prosecutors in The Gambia have charged the former heads of the Navy and Army with plotting to overthrow President Yahya Jammeh; the BBC has reported. Former Navy Chief Sarjo Fofona and ex-army Chief of Staff Gen. Langtombong Tamba are accused of being part of a 2006 alleged coup attempt. Gen Tamba is already on trial alongside other army officials for his alleged part in a failed coup last year.
President Jammeh himself seized power in a coup in 1994. He has since won three elections amid opposition allegations of harassment. His critics however say that his government is using allegations of coup plots to intimidate potential rivals and settle scores. Some unconfirmed reports suggest that the arrests may be linked to the recent seizure of more than two tonnes of cocaine in the country.
Prosecutors say the two former military chiefs “refused or neglected to report [a coup plot] to the appropriate authorities within a reasonable period or time”, according to the AFP news agency. Another group of senior military officials and businessmen were arrested in March and accused of planning to seize power. Several people were sentenced to long prison terms over the 2006 coup attempt.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Boos greet England’s 0-0 draw with Algeria.
It was built as the game that would see England raise its game after the below average performance they put on against the USA in their first match. They even brought in Princes’ William and Harry for moral and royal support. None of it worked. For 93mins, they tried everything. England’s everything was however, not good enough; not for their funs at least! And, as soon as the final whistle went, the English funs, also known as the “Barmy Army”, made their feelings crystal clear by booing their team off the pitch. When asked what was missing, England and Liverpool captain Stephen Gerrard answered in one word: Goals! He then went on to add that “we lacked courage”. The frustration was written all over star striker Wyne Rooney’s face. He is known for his hot temper and he didn’t disappoint. He took a swipe at the booing English funs as he walked off the pitch.
England coach Fabio Capello summed it all up when he said “we lost too many chances. We gave away too many passes. It was not the same team that I know; the one that I saw during qualifying”. The pundits however believe England still has a chance to progress if they beat Slovenia in their next game. Not according to an angry England fun. “Fabio Capello wasn’t paid £5million to deliver mathematical possibilities. He is paid to deliver victories”. A more optimistic English fan however put a positive spin to the draw which seemed like a loss for England and said: “We are English. We always do it the hard way but eventually we always prevail over the enemy. Dunkirk spirit! Ask the Germans”. It was veiled and light hearted reference to the allied victory over Nazi Germany during the 2nd World War.
Appointment of new Judges most welcome
The Judicial Service Commission, working hand in hand with the Office of the President, deserve to be given due credit for finally identifying appointing ten new High Court Judges. The Principle Judge, Justice James Munange Ogola, deserves a lot of credit too. It is he who has over the course several years shouted his voice hoarse trying to maintain pressure on the relevant authorities to appoint new Judges to help deal with the huge case backlog. As Principle Judge, he was indeed in the best possible position to pass judgement on the deficit on the Bench. (more…)
Darfur Rebels Surrender to ICC
Two Darfur rebel leaders have surrendered to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The men, Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain and Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus, were secretly indicted last year. They are wanted for war crimes in connection with the deaths of 12 African Union peacekeepers in 2007. Earlier this year, charges against another rebel leader to do with the same attack were dropped because of lack of evidence. ICC judges ruled prosecutors could not prove that Bahr Idriss Abu Garda, who also gave himself up voluntarily, had planned the attack on the Haskanita AU camp in September 2007. In a statement, the ICC said the two suspects would face the following three war crimes charges when they appear before the chamber on Thursday:
- Murder
- Intentionally directing attacks against peacekeeping personnel
- Stealing property
“It is alleged that the attackers, numbering approximately 1,000, were armed with anti-aircraft guns, artillery guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers,” the statement said. In January 2008, the UN took joint control of the peacekeeping force in Darfur with increased numbers and a stronger mandate. Last year, Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir was indicted on war crimes, which were the first issued by the ICC against a sitting president. He strongly denies the charges – and his government says figures of those killed in the Darfur conflict have been massively exaggerated.
According to the UN, an estimated 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur and more than 2.6 million displaced since ethnic rebels took up arms in 2003. A government minister and pro-government militia leader have also been indicted for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
Source: BBC Website
Let Kiboko be Met with Kiboko
“Opposition Warned on Planned Demo” was the news that the Daily Monitor brought us on Monday 14th June 2020. What is really going on in this terminally ill country called Uganda? Is this the democracy Museveni promised us in 1986? Nearly everything that is reported about our politics is simply depressing; and may in fact be a sign of the very turbulent political times ahead. How the so-called “Kiboko Squad” was allowed to beat up FDC President Dr. Kizza Besigye in full view of police officers is beyond me. It is simply unimaginable in any free and democratic society. And then you have IGP Kayihura unashamedly claiming that he doesn’t know where the “Kiboko Squad” came from and who commands them. So why didn’t General Kayihura order their immediate arrest if they were indeed on the streets without a nod and wink from the state? Should the IPC also recruit its own “Kiboko Squad” to counter the beatings they get every time they try to demonstrate? My answer is yes! Let Kiboko be met with Kiboko. Ugandans have nothing to lose now. After all, Uganda is already a failed state under Museveni’s dictatorship. So let’s destroy it and rebuild a better one thereafter. Enough is enough!
Stephen Ssengoba, Kampala
Are you the next “Corporal Afande”?
“Too much work and no play made “Jonny” a boring boy”! Remember that old adage? We do too and are conscious of it. We want to make our readers experience “Whole”; if you know what I mean! So, the Uganda Correspondent is today looking for the next “Corporal Afande”; someone who can make ribs literally crack during coffee breaks! Or do you think of yourself as the next Wahome Mutayi [RIP]; a man who could make fun out of the blunt look of a stone. In other words, how funny and creative are you or can you be? Perhaps you think of yourself as the next Austin Ejiet [RIP]; one of the greatest creative writers and satirist Uganda has ever had. If you think you fit the bill, Uganda Correspondent is “your very own platform”. Send a sample of your typical rib-cracking stories, real or fictitious, to editor@ugandacorrespondent.com and we shall publish it alongside other entries for our readers to judge. Perhaps for the first time in a very long time, we can guarantee you that a competent, professional, and totally impartial “Electoral Commission” will be appointed by our Editors to tally and declare the votes; NO RIGGING!
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