By Moses Agaba Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police spokesperson Police in Rukungiri District are investigating circumstances under which a casual labourer assaulted to death his colleague to death and in retaliation the locals lynched him to death. ASP Elly Maate, the Kigezi Sub Region Police Spokesperson has confirmed the incident saying that it occurred on Tuesday evening at Omukayembe Trading Centre in Muyanje cell, Bwambara Sub County in Rukungiri District the tow deceased have been identified as Julius Beinomugisha, 40, and Nelson Niwatuha Ndyagabondo, 25. Julius Beinomugisha Kato, aged 40, and Nelson Niwatuha, also known as Ndyagabondo, aged 25, were engaged in a gardening contract for a local resident named Nsheija. However, what started as a routine work arrangement turned deadly on the evening of May 14, 2024, at Omukayembe trading center. Eyewitnesses reported that tensions escalated between Julius and Nelson after they consumed alcohol while working. They say...

Prof Rubaihayo Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda People’s Congress supporters are mourning Professor Patrick Rubaihayo who passed away on Wednesday. “He stood for UPC and by UPC until death. He never moved a foot anywhere. And yet there were many attempts to take him away,” said former UPC Vice President and Chwa County MP, Livingstone Okello Okello. Rubaihayo was one of the few UPC loyalists that kept its fire burning when the NRA/NRM party banned political party activities. He continued to serve the party after the death of Dr. Apollo Milton Obote and worked under the Miria Obote and Ambassador Olara Otunnu administrations. Rubaihayo was MP for Mbarara Central and Minister for Agriculture and Forestry in the 1981- 85 Obote government. He was also the National Chairman and treasurer Uganda People’s Congress from 2004-2009. ‘Very highly moral person’ Okello Okello is one of the politicians who worked with Professor Patrick Rubaihayo....

The Royal Academy of Engineering will host the final of the 10thAfrica Prize for Engineering Innovation, the continent’s largest engineering prize, on 13 June 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. From an initial shortlist of 16 innovators creating sustainable, scalable engineering solutions on the continent, four finalists have been selected to present their innovations to the judgesin front of both a live and online audience. Registration for this event is now open. In 2024, the four finalists have developed solutions including an environmentally-friendly roofing material made from recycled plastic, a smart healthcare platform providing direct access to vital healthcare information via WhatsApp, a location-based mobile appconnecting customers to independent agents for on-demand rubbish collection and disposal, and a solar-powered tool using AI and machine learning-enabled cameras to detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases. These innovations directly address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, sustainable cities...

Owoyesigyire Wakiso, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Six children aged between two and 16 years have perished in a fire at Mulanda B, Kisubi parish, Kajjansi town council, in Wakiso district. The fire whose cause isn’t yet established razed the house of Bakita Ayang, a South Sudanese national on Wednesday morning. Locals alerted Kisubi police station which took about two hours mobilize the fire brigade and by the time the fire was contained, the lives of six children had already been lost. Only two adult women were rescued and are currently receiving treatment at Kisubi hospital. Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson, said locals tried their best to save the children’s lives but in vain because the fire swiftly engulfed the whole house giving neighbours no chance to save the victims. “A tragic fire outbreak occurred in Mulanda B, Kisubi, resulting in the loss of six young lives,” Owoyesigyire explained....

Police have identified a thug who hacked a client at a cash office in Nateete, on the outskirts of Kampala. The suspect has been identified as Ashraf Kiiza, an employee at Bashir Grain Millers. Kiiza attacked Sam Turyamuhaki on Monday at around 8 p.m. when he walked into the cash office with a machete and a hammer leading to a fight between the two. He was overpowered and left the scene, albeit after injuring the victim. “I was verifying eight million Shillings that had been handed to me by the owner of grain miller Bashir. A man unexpectedly entered the office carrying a sack. In a terrifying turn of events, he pulled out a panga and hammer and started demanding the money I was counting,” Turyamuhaki told police. In the video, Kiiza is seen placing the sack on the waiting chairs as Turyamuhaki counts money seemingly unbothered. However, Kiiza picks...

A farmer transporting produce to market on one of the newly constructed roads. PHOTO URN Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | West Nile Sub-region leaders have decried the delayed commencement of road construction works under the National Oil Seeds Project (NOSP). Launched in July 2021, the National Oil Seeds Project, one of the Uganda government’s initiatives to support farmers involved in oil seed production, value addition and infrastructure development for market linkage is being implemented in 81 districts. Under the project, the government plans to construct and rehabilitate 2,500 kilometres of roads situated in and around the six oil seed clusters and installation of drainage structures to improve local-level public transportation infrastructure to facilitate the commercialization of the oil seed sector. However, speaking during a regional planning and review meeting for the project in the Arua district on Tuesday, the leaders challenged the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF)...

Effective 13 May, 2024, Eng. James Nkamwesiga Kasigwa was appointed the new Executive Director of scandal ridden Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). However, his stay may be short-lived if the current developments are to go by. It has now emerged that he may have not been the best candidate for the job after all. A whistleblower alleges that whereas the job attracted over six candidates, two successful candidates were recommended to the scandal ridden line Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives led by elderly Francis Mwebesa by UNBS board or call it National Standards Council to make a final decision, Nkamwesiga was reportedly not among them. A concerned citizen George Ahimbisibwe, through his lawyers of Wanambugo and Co. Advocates is Nkamwesiga’s tormentor. It goes without mention that Eng.Nkamwesiga is replacing Dr. David Livingstone Ebiru, who was once implicated in allegedly bribing UNBS officials to maintain his job, charges that were...

In Africa, countries like Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda are seeing rapidly growing BPO industries COMMENT | ANGELLA KAKUMIRIZI | Businesses worldwide are increasingly adopting Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) to manage their non-core functions. From customer service roles, such as call centers, to back-office processing that includes claims, payments, finance, and procurement, BPO has become the norm for enhancing efficiency and allowing companies to channel their efforts, energy, and creativity into boosting productivity. Indeed, available statistics indicate that the BPO market is estimated to be more than US$260 billion and is expected to exceed $500 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research. Interestingly, much of this revenue is destined to countries like the Philippines, India, Ukraine, Poland, Mexico and Brazil, which boast of vibrant BPO industries employing hundreds of thousands of young people. In Africa, countries like Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya,...

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today held a meeting with a delegation of Chinese investors, led by Mr. Yang Yi Xin, the Vice President of Sinohydro Corporation Limited at State House, Entebbe. Sinohydro Corporation Limited, a Chinese state-owned hydro power engineering and construction company, was contracted by the Ugandan government to build the $1.5 billion (approximately Shs5.6 trillion) Karuma Hydropower station in Kiryandongo District. During the meeting, President Museveni and the investors focused on how to enhance cooperation in hydropower projects within Uganda. President Museveni expressed enthusiasm about the proposed ventures. “I am glad to hear about the Olwiyo-Nimule transmission project. That’s a very good idea if you have got the model of investing,” he said, before assuring the investors of the government’s support. Mr. Xin highlighted the significant strides made in the 400kV Olwiyo-Nimule transmission line and the associated substations project, emphasising its crucial role in Uganda’s power master...