By Sharon S. Tibenda

6^th Dec 2010

Landmine experts at work

Uncleared minefields in northern Uganda’s Lamwo district have prevented thousands of people displaced during the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency from returning home, IRIN news has reported.

Mr. Mathew Ocen Akiya, a local government official, is reported to have said “…these people can’t go to their villages [in Agoro sub-county] unless the place is cleared and declared free of the landmines”.  Mr. Akiya added that up to 10,000 people were unable to go home.

Mr. Geoffrey Onek, a 59yr old IDP who still lives in one of the camps told IRIN news that he was put off returning to his home after a landmine killed two people.

“…I tried going back home in 2006 but a landmine killed two people.  I saw how my neighbour Okello was hit by a landmine in Mica [his home village] in 2006. (more…)

By John Stephen Katende

6^th Dec 2010

The West African state of Ivory Coast is embroiled in a deep political crisis after two rival Presidential candidates swore themselves in; (more…)

By John Stephen Katende

29^th Nov 2010

Extreme right, "The accuser" Mr. Sam Akaki in Oslo

The scene was the 2010 European Social Forum conference that took place in Oslo-Norway between 19^th and 21^st November.  There, the International Criminal Court [ICC] prosecutors became the prosecuted.  The ICC, represented by its Deputy Prosecutor Mrs. Fatau Bensouda, was put on trial before the ‘court of public opinion’ and charged on several counts.

Addressing a meeting (more…)

By Timothy Nsubuga

29^th Nov 2010

Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura

Gen. Kale Kayihura’s police force recruited nearly 30,000 “election police” officers and hastily trained then in a military establishment in preparation for the 2011 elections, Uganda Correspondent can exclusively reveal.

Our police source, the same Senior Superintendant of Police [SSP] who (more…)

By Dennis Otim

29^th Nov 2010

President Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday appealed for more international support to bolster the African Union [AU] force in Somalia.  The President, who took time off his campaign for re-election, made the appeal during a brief visit to the Somali capital Mogadishu.

Wearing full combat fatigues, Museveni met his Somalia counterpart President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed at the airport along with Somalia’s new Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and some members of a fresh, streamlined cabinet that was approved by parliament on Saturday. (more…)

By George Murumba

29^th Nov 2010

Barred President Bashir

Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir has been barred from attending the 3rd Africa-European Union (EU) summit that kicks off today in Libya.

Unable to stave off the mounting pressure from a host of European governments to exclude Bashir from the summit, Libya’s Foreign Affairs Minister finally succumbed and advised President Bashir not to appear for the summit for fear that his presence could trigger a European protest walkout.

President Bashir is the first sitting African President to be indicted (more…)

By Dennis Otim

22^nd Nov 2010

UPC President Otunnu

UPC Party President Dr. Olara Otunnu yesterday turned his full charm offensive to soften previously hostile Luwero residents who attributed much of their troubles to Obote’s UPC government.

At a campaign rally in the area, Otunnu sought to lay the blame for the Luwero deaths squarely at Museveni’s door.  “…President Museveni has been lying to you people of Luweero that he has plans to compensate you following your devastating suffering during the war. He (more…)

By George Murumba

22^nd Nov 2010

Opondo on attack

The opposition’s attacks on both President Museveni and his record are a calculated effort that will end in futility, the government has said.

Reacting to Uganda Correspondent’s story “Tears roll as Besigye’s campaign message sinks in” last week, the ruling NRM Deputy Spokesperson Mr. Ofwono Opondo said the opposition’s attacks on Museveni is a “…calculated syndicated effort that will end in futility because most of the crucial local constituencies know the facts including the causes of poverty and jiggers in many areas”. (more…)

By George Murumba

22^nd Nov 2010

Sudan's JEM Rebels

President Yoweri Museveni’s government has dismissed allegations from Sudan that it is supporting the Darfur based Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels.

Sudanese authorities accused Kampala of harbouring JEM rebels who are fighting President Omar Bashir’s government in the troubled region of Darfur.

Khartoum says since it implemented security arrangements with Chad and closed the Chadian border earlier this year, JEM rebels are sending their troops to (more…)

By John Stephen Katende

22^nd Nov 2010

LRA rebel fighters

The network of European NGOs for advocacy on Central Africa [EurAc] has said the military strategy against the LRA will have no lasting impact without dialogue and negotiations.

In a statement issued in Brussels-Belgium on November 15^th, EurAc said it had read with great interest the various reports and declarations by Human Rights Watch, Resolve, Enough, and the International Crisis Group on the problem of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). (more…)