The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
APRIL
Makerere University scholar Stella Nyanzi strips
April 18: Ccontroversial scholar Stella Nyanzi made good her threat and stripped outside the office of the Executive Director of Makerere Institute of Social Research; the renowned academic Prof. Mahmood Mamdani.
Nyanzi, famous for her threats and antics, was protesting against a decision by the institute to remove her from the office to make space for a new program. In her protest video filmed while naked to her undergarments, Nyanzi accused Mamdani of dictatorial tendencies.
Museveni orders suspension of three engineers over shoddy work at Karuma dam
April 13: President Yoweri Museveni suspended three engineers from the Ministry of Energy accused of failing to detect and stop shoddy work at the ongoing construction of the 600MW Karuma Hydropower dam in northern Uganda. Those suspended were Senior Accounting Officer and former Ag. Permanent Secretary, Paul Mubiru, Principal Energy Officer, Henry Bidasala – Igaga, and one Cecelia Menya.
Uganda picks Tanzania for Crude Oil route
April 23: Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues a statement confirming that the proposed pipeline for export of crude oil from Uganda would go through the Tanzanian port of Tanga instead of Mombasa, Kenya which was the initial agreed route.
The statement was based on an announcement President Yoweri Museveni made after a meeting presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and Paul Kagame of Rwanda in Kampala. Tanzania was represented by its Minister for Foreign Affairs, Augustine Mahiga and the Minister for Energy and Minerals, Sospeter Muhongo. The decision was reportedly based on the lower cost of the Tanga route option.
Court bans defiance campaign
April 29: Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma banned the Forum for Democratic Change party’s “Defiance campaign” which was a protest against the February elections where the Electoral Commission declared Yoweri Museveni winner with 60.7%
The campaign entailed different forms of demonstrations such as their supporters staying at their homes every Thursday and going for prayers at FDC offices on Tuesdays. Supporters were also asked to boycott businesses and artists who supported President Museveni during the campaigns.
Kavuma issued an injunction against any activities of the campaign pending the disposal of the case in which Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana asked the constitutional court to render it unconstitutional. The government later withdrew this case.
MAY:
Eight convicted of 2010 Kampala bombings
In a verdict believed to be the first conviction of Alshabaab Militants outside Somalia, a member Issa Luyima was on May 26 convicted of terrorism for masterminding the 2010 twin bombing in Kampala which left over 70 people dead. Luyima together with his brothers Hassan Haruna Luyima and Muzafar Luyima, Hussein Hassan Agade, Idris Magondu, Selemani Hijar Nyamandondo, Habib Suleiman Njoroge and Mohamed Ali Mohamed were charged for terrorism, murder and attempted murder.
While Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo gave others life sentences, Hassan Luyima and Nyamandondo were given 50 year sentences. 45 year old Muzafar Luyima was given a lighter charge of serving one year of community service for he was just an accessory since he had knowledge of people planning the attacks. However, the judge acquitted five of the 13 suspects for lack of sufficient evidence to link them to the terror attacks at Kyaddondo Rugby Club in Lugogo and Ethiopian Village Restaurant in Kabalagala which went off as people watched the 2010 World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands.
Uganda cuts North Korea ties
May 30: Uganda announcing it was cutting military ties with North Korea to comply with U.N. sanctions over the country’s nuclear ambitions. The announcement was made following a meeting between President Yoweri Museveni and South Korea’s visiting President Park Geun-Hye.
Speaking to the African Union in Ethiopia, Park had urged African leaders to support international efforts to persuade its hostile neighbor, North Korea, to stop its production of nuclear weapons.
In Uganda, Park attended a state banquet Sunday hosted by Museveni and they signed 10 cooperation agreements in areas such as defense, health and education. North Korea has been training the Ugandan army, police, and intelligence services.
