Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kitgum District has launched a 55 million Shillings afforestation project in five public primary schools. The project, funded under the Local Climate Adaptive Living (LoCAL) initiative, aims to enhance climate resilience and support sustainable development in the district. According to David Oyok Wany, the Kitgum District Natural Resources Officer, the project will involve the planting of trees on a 5-acre piece of land in each of the five selected schools.   The beneficiary schools include Agoromin Primary School in Orom Sub-county, Lokira Primary School in Labongo Amida Sub-county, Ocetoke Primary School in Labongo Layamo Sub-county, Namokora Primary School in Namokora Town Council, and Orom Primary School in Orom Sub-county. Oyok revealed that the schools were selected based on their vulnerability to natural calamities, including storms that have recently destroyed rooftops in the area. He emphasized that the project will not only support environmental conservation...

No well intentioned traveller will ever risk using an airport that poses a security threat to his or her life and property. Security, like safety, is a top priority for the aviation industry, and is embedded in all operations. That’s why it’s critical to manage it properly. That’s why according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ‘INSIDER THREAT TOOLKIT’ (created by the Aviation Security Panel’s Working Group on Training) , a thorough background check and vetting must be done during the recruitment process for airport employees especially those that need unescorted access to airside and security restricted areas, and persons with access to sensitive security information. For ICAO, these measures are non-negotiable as they seek to reduce the risk of recruiting staff who may present a security concern by their actions. As noted in the ICAO Aviation Security Global Risk Context Statement (Doc 10108 – Restricted), terrorists consistently look to exploit vulnerabilities...

  Bombo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda People’s Defence Forces has dismissed as fake a letter circulating on social media that indicated Lt.Gen Peter Elwelu had been summoned to the Court Martial for backbiting the CDF Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The letter, purpotedly signed by Brig. Gen Kulayigye had asked Elwelu to appear in court today. The UPDF, on their X account, have stamped the letter “FAKE”. The letter emerged days after General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of Uganda, rook ro X and attacked Lieutenant General Peter Elwelu, calling him a “buffoon” and “completely unworthy” of serving in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). DETAILS TO FOLLOW Source link

A Ugandan based in Germany Steven Sunday, has won the crown for Mister Africa international, while Wafula Denis aka wafula_of_uganda has won Africa’s top model title, and a regional title for Mr Eastern Africa 2024. Mister Africa International has come to its conclusion with Wafula Denis from Uganda trailing fourth behind a Germany based Ugandan Steven Sunday who claimed the African pearly crown passed on to him by the former mister Africa international winner 2020 – Dr Emmanuel Umoh of Nigeria. The battle of the African Kings drowned contestants from 30 African countries, but has ended with Steven Sunday- a Ugandan; claiming the crown. It is the first time in our country’s History for a Ugandan pageant winning an international crown. Wafula_of _Uganda, as he’s known on his Instagram page, won the title for Africa’s top model and the regional title of Mr East Africa. The chiselled “Shaka zulu” lookalike,...

COMMENT | Steven Mwesige | A flurry of incidents in the news of cybersecurity breeches in recent weeks are a cause for concern, but with a better understanding of cybersecurity need not be our new reality. In the old days, when transacting with your bank it was mostly face-to-face transactions. You would walk into the bank, line up to be served, meet a bank official who would help you transact whatever you wanted. That looks very crude these days where only two in ten transactions are carried out over the counter at PostBank, a statistic that is mirrored across the industry. The adoption of automation and Information Technology (IT) has been good for industry clients, who need not come to the banking hall anymore to transact business, but can carry out their business 24 hours, seven days a week in the comfort of their homes. This increased convenience has improved efficiency on...

On Thursday, 19 December, 2024, the RedPepper (online) published a News article titled “BEATING, SHOOTING…Ssembabule Residents Live in Fear of Rogue Diplomat, Petition DPP”. Amongst other matters, this publication reported that Mr. Ninsiima Robert Mugimba is a well-known untouchable person in Lugusulu, Ssembabule District where he continuously commits many felonious offences and none has ever been prosecuted in courts of law. The story was based on a petition by alleged victims sent to The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dated 28 June, 2022. However, further investigations by RedPepper have revealed that the cases mentioned are old and were settled amicably. One of the incidences reported about is that of 14th December, 2020 during the NRM primaries campaigns, where it was alleged that Mugimba while exchanging words with a one Kashaija Hannington in the town of Lugusulu-Ssembabule over different political camps, pulled out a pistol and shot Kasheija’s leg. A police...

ADEN, Yemen | Xinhua | Two U.S. Navy pilots ejected safely after their fighter jet was shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, said the U.S. military. “The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. Both pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries, according to the statement. The apparent friendly fire incident came the same day U.S. forces conducted airstrikes on a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility reportedly operated by the Houthis group within Sanaa, Yemen. “CENTCOM forces conducted the deliberate strikes to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks against U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden,” CENTCOM...

Gridworks has entered into a Joint Development Agreement with the Government of Uganda to deliver the Mbale-Bulambuli-Kween transmission line in eastern Uganda, which will boost the uptake of more renewable power in the country. Gridworks, a subsidiary of British International Investment, the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, will develop the transmission line as a privately financed Independent Power Transmission (IPT) project. This is the second IPT in Uganda that Gridworks is developing. It will support Uganda in meeting its climate targets, as well as the country’s economic development, industrialisation, and energy access goals. The new infrastructure includes almost 80km of high-voltage transmission lines and two new substations allowing the evacuation of up to 250 MW of renewable generation in the Mount Elgon area onto the national grid. This includes up to 100MW from existing and planned hydropower plants and 150MW of power from a new solar park near...

OPINION | Bwanika Mastula | In fiscal policy, systematic indexation of individual tax brackets is crucial for equity and economic stability. As nations grapple with complex taxation systems, regular adjustments to tax brackets in response to inflation and economic shifts are increasingly necessary. A tax band, or tax bracket, is a range of income levels subject to a specific tax rate. Indexation adjusts economic variables like salaries, taxes, interest rates, and government benefits to reflect changes in the cost of living, inflation rates, or other economic indicators. The primary goal of indexation is to preserve the purchasing power of money over time, ensuring that income, savings, and investments do not lose value in real terms due to inflation. This article highlights the need to regularly review tax bands considering changing economic conditions through indexation. The Current State of Tax Bands in Uganda The last indexation of tax bands in Uganda was in...

A section of National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaders in Bugisu Sub-region has threatened to vote out Mike Mukula, the party’s National Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda, citing neglect and unfulfilled promises. Gerald Simbatta, the NRM Publicity Secretary for Sironko District, accused Mukula of ignoring local party leaders and only engaging with them during election periods. Simbatta expressed regret over supporting Mukula for the position, which also secures him a seat on the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC). He added that with elections for party structures approaching, they are considering backing another candidate for the position. Ambassador Charles Walimbwa Peke, NRM Chairperson for Manafwa District, echoed the concerns, saying Mukula’s failure to visit and address challenges in the region is disappointing. Walimbwa emphasized that frequent engagement with local party structures is crucial for resolving issues and reinforcing party strength. In response, Mike Mukula defended his record, attributing the lack of regional...