Uganda’s main media houses last week reported a number of important issues that Uganda Correspondent feels its weekly readers deserves to know about if they missed.  Read excerpts from those stories in our news round-up here.

EC releases 2011 election road map

By Samantha Seruyange

The Electoral Commission has finally unveiled the much awaited road-map to next year’s general elections.  The Commission had set October 25 and 26 2010 as the official nomination dates for candidates intending to run for president.

Mr. Ongaria Joseph, the commission’s deputy chairperson in his speech during a media briefing held at the EC headquarters, hoped for a smooth and transparent process in what early indications suggest could be a much more animated contest.

He also added that all presidential candidates will be nominated by the commission on the given dates. Presidential and parliamentary elections are set to take place between Feb 12 and March 1st. Unlike the past years where candidates paid cash at the nominations table, this time they will be required to pay the fee in the bank and only present the deposit slip, said Mr. Sam Rwakoojo, the commission’s Secretary.

Candidates must be between the ages of 35 to 75 with at least an “A” level qualification and must pay a sum of 8million shilling; Rwakoojo added.  All presidential candidates must also gather signatures from 100 people from at least two thirds of all districts in Uganda to support their nomination.  They must also present two passport size photographs and three copies of nomination forms.  Thereafter, each candidate will receive a transport fee of 20million shillings plus security to help them during their campaigns.  The Commission however warned that the transport fee will not be hiked despite the creation of many more new districts. samanthaseruyange@rocketmail.com

Africa lacks good leaders, Mbabazi

Security Minister Amama Mbabazi has said the Movement government opted to abandon the presidential term limits due to lack of able leaders.

Mr Mbabazi, who also doubles as the NRM secretary general, told a jubilant crowd at the inauguration of Kibuku District on Thursday that Africa is not undemocratic as assumed by the western world but only lacks leaders with vision to steer their governments into modern democracy.

He said term limits would disable a capable leader from achieving modern democracy “because a leader who comes in has his own ideology that may not be consistent in building the goal that the NRM government ushered in 1986”.

“…You know efficient and able leadership is very scarce on this African continent so when you get a chance to have a good one like Uganda has now, you do not need to misuse it.  So we had to amend the constitution to remove term limits to let Ugandans enjoy the able leadership of President Museveni”; Mr. Mbabazi said.

Source:  www.monitor.co.ug

I did not organise Namboole booing, VP Bukenya

National Resistance Movement leadership should work to stop intrigue and the blame games if the party is to consolidate its support ahead of the 2011 general elections, Vice President Gilbert Bukenya has said.

“The NRM should stop the politics of intrigue.  Why should Bukenya be blamed for what happened at Namboole?  If I did it as they allege, then that means I have better commanding skills”; Prof. Bukenya said.  He added that “…People were disgusted; they didn’t eat the whole day at Kololo and there was no registration and was not party to the MTN machines that failed to deliver money to our delegates”.  NRM delegates that gathered at Namboole booed Mr Mbabazi when he tried to deliver his speech as Secretary General of the party.

“I am an honourable member of the party and vice chairperson; I can’t be involved in activities that undermine our party structures or individual leaders of the party. My interest is to mobilize people for development and increase the support for our party,” he added.  Prof. Bukenya, Trade Minister Kahinda Otafiire, Lwemiyaga legislature Theodore Ssekikubo and Prof. Elijah Mushemeza have expressed interest in replacing Mr Mbabazi.

Source:  www.monitor.co.ug

Ex NSSF MD Jamwa granted bail

Former National Social Security Fund managing director David Chandi Jamwa was granted bail on Friday and will be reporting from home to court over the criminal charges he is facing.

Mr Jamwa was, however, required to deposit his passport to the Anti-Corruption Court registrar, his three sureties each bonded at Shs100 million.  Mr Jamwa is facing charges of abuse of office and causing financial loss of Shs2.7 billion to the Fund, the charges he has since denied.  Justice John Bosco Katutsi ordered Mr Jamwa to appear before Buganda Road court Chief Magistrate Ms Irene Akankwasa on Wednesday next week for the hearing of the case.

Source:  www.monitor.co.ug

DP “Mafia” working for NRM, Nambooze

The Democratic Party could lose some of its members who went against their party’s resolution and joined the Inter-Party Cooperation.  The move by MPs Betty Nambooze [Mukono North], Erias Lukwago [Kampala Central] and Dr. Lulume Bayiga [Buikwe South] to join the IPC threatens to split the already fractured party even further.

Nambooze said DP’s refusal to cooperate with others is victory for a “mafia group” within who are working in the interest of the ruling NRM party.  However, Mr. Mwaka Lutukumoi, the DP spokesperson, said “…after over 50 years of existence, DP is in the hearts of the people.  So it can’t be weakened by the departure of individuals”.

Fred Mukasa Mbidde, DP’s Legal Advisor, said that Nambooze, Lukwago and Lulume are politically “too young” to affect the party’s fortunes.  If they had spent more than six years in politics, then their departure would affect the party”.

Source: www.observer.ug

Pressure group “Ssuubi 2011” sets its demands

The newly-created Buganda region pressure group Ssuubi 2011 or “Hope 2011” has said it will only support candidates who are ready to push for kingdom interests in next year’s general elections.

Launching the pressure group activities in Kampala yesterday, Mr Medard Lubega, the group coordinator and a former Mengo minister said they will reach all corners of the kingdom to canvass votes for pro-kingdom candidates regardless of their political affiliation.  “We have been used for so long [as Baganda] and the time is now to mobilise the masses to vote for change”; he said.  Mr Lubega clarified that Ssuubi 2011 was not a political party but a “self liberation crusade” for Ugandans who have lost hope in the 24-year NRM rule.

Source:  www.monitor.co.ug

Rule by law, US Envoy tells government

The United States has asked the government to allow for “fair competition” in the countdown to 2011 elections and prepare to accept whatever the vote outcome.

US Ambassador to Uganda Mr Jerry Lanier, speaking on Thursday during early celebrations to mark his country’s 234th Independence, said, “…I want to call upon the government of Uganda to be a government of laws, one, in which the law is the protector of all honest citizens and the tool by which lawbreakers are punished, whatever their role or social status”; said Lanier.

He added that America’s ‘cooperative friendship’ with Uganda will be preserved and extended if Kampala renews its commitment to ensure the forthcoming polls are “free, fair, transparent and by peacefully accepting their outcomes”. This, he said, entails allowing those with “unpopular views to freely express those views in a non-violent fashion”.

On June 9^th, the “Kiboko Squad”, working alongside police, whipped FDC President Dr Kizza Besigye for trying to demonstrate against the Electoral Commission which he accuses of being impartial.

Deputy Prime Minister Eria Kategaya, who represented the government at the function, said “…Uganda, as a young democracy, will benefit from your experience of democracy. Freedom and liberty are the cornerstones of any democracy.”

Source:  www.monitor.co.ug