Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Egypt’s top diplomat is in Addis Ababa to discuss controversial Ethiopian plans to build a dam on the Nile that Cairo fears will impact its water supplies, his ministry said Monday. Construction of the massive dam on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia has poisoned relations …
Read More »Low turn-out as George Weah contends to lead Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia | AFP | Liberian former international footballer George Weah and Vice-President Joseph Boakai joined voters in casting their ballots on Tuesday as they went head-to-head in a delayed run-off vote for the country’s presidency. Voters were choosing a successor to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is stepping down …
Read More »Who burned down President Kabila’s residence?
Bukavu, DR Congo | AFP | A residence of President Joseph Kabila was burned down early Monday in a suspected militia attack that killed a police officer in the Democratic Republic of Congo, witnesses said. So-called Mai-Mai armed groups were probably trying to steal goods from the building in Musienene, …
Read More »IN THE INDEPENDENT: 2017 year of Togikwatako
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The top stories of this week’s The INDEPENDENT. COVER 2017 year of Togikwatako: The falsehoods & false hopes. THE LAST WORD RPF celebrates 30 years: How the struggle to liberate Rwanda has shaped the character of post genocide reconstruction. AGE LIMIT When Kadaga fumbled …
Read More »UPDF strikes rebel camps in eastern DR Congo
Ugandan army strikes rebel camps in eastern DR Congo Kampala, Uganda | AFP – Michael O’Hagan | Uganda’s army said Friday it had launched attacks on a shadowy rebel group in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where the militants killed 14 UN peacekeepers earlier this month. Army spokesman Richard Karemire …
Read More »Latest clashes highlight fragility of South Sudan ceasefire deal
Aba, DR Congo | AFP | As South Sudan’s warring parties haggled over a ceasefire deal this week, dozens of refugees streamed into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, fleeing what they said was a fresh government offensive. The apparent push to recapture the key rebel stronghold of Lasu came as …
Read More »How Ugandan MPs voted to scrap presidential age limit
Kampala, Uganda | AFP | Ugandan lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to remove presidential age limits, paving the way for President Yoweri Museveni to serve a sixth term in office. The highly controversial bill passed with 315 votes for, 62 against and two abstentions, after three days of chaotic debates in …
Read More »From A to Z: How they voted
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | How MPs voted Wednesday afternoon on the motion for the second reading of the report (317 YES, 97 NO ) on the Uganda Constitution Amendment Bill 2017, paving the way for the lifting of the term limits on the presidency, return of presidential term …
Read More »Presidential term limits back, age limit lifted and 7 yrs for MPs
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament on Wednesday voted to lift the term limits on the presidency, reinstated term limits in the Uganda constitution and extended the term of Members of Parliament from five to seven years. The Constitution Amendment Bill 2017 first passed into a second reading by …
Read More »AGE LIMIT: Yes 317, No 97
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Constitution Amendment Bill 2017 has passed the Second reading with the requried two-thirds majority. The vote result was 317 YES, 97 NO. For the vote to be carried, it required two thirds which is 289 of 434 MPs. The House has already started considering …
Read More »
The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price