Parliament Select Committee in charge of the National Security Social Fund (NSSF) probe has asked NSSF big wigs to step aside to allow investigations to proceed.

While presenting the report before Parliament on 1st March, the Committee which was chaired by Mbarara City South Member of Parliament Mwine Mpaka recommended that NSSF Management that, Mr. Patrick Ayota, Steven Mwanje and Barbra Teddy Arimi, who participated in the initiation of Ugx 1.8 Billion budget for donations to step aside with immediate effect to allow investigations by Inspector General of Government (IGG).

The committee also recommended that Hon. Betty Amongi resigns in public interest with immediate effect for her actions in directing that Ugx 6 Billion be given to her Ministry.

Mpaka’s team noted that the actions of the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD), Hon. Betty Amongi in directing Shs.6billion to be availed to her ministry, amounts to abuse of office since the Minister is a supervisor of NSSF.

They added that there is no law empowering Amongi to do so since her ministry activities are financed through appropriation so her actions were prejudicial to savers funds and the just administration of the NSSF.

It should be remembered that while defending herself on why she asked for Shs.6 billion, Amongi disclosed that the  funds were not going to her office but rather were meant to Fund the popularisation of the recently amended NSSF Act.

“These activities will be undertaken by the NSSF in partnership with relevant entities, be it government agencies or private sector players. The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development will only provide oversight, and support the fund in the implementation of these activities, in line with its legal mandate as the Ministry responsible for social security,” she said.

This however was rubbished by former NSSF Managing Director, Richard Byarugaba who insisted that it was unheard of for a minister to ask for such funds from an entity they supervise.

Mr. Byarugaba adduced that when the request came in, he opened his eyes and asked if it was real because in his career as a public servant and private person, he had never got a request to fund his principal.

He divulged, “I would never have expected it to come from the Ministry of Gender, that is why I was awed. On a rather sad note, being my supervisor this (Shs.6 billion) is a clear case of conflict. How would we as a fund and I as the accounting officer demand accountability from my supervisor? How would I discipline my supervisor (minister) and the ministry in case they abused these funds?”

Siding with Mr. Byarugaba, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija also emphasized that the Shs.6 billion request was irregular and that the ministry can only request for funds to run its affairs from the treasury.

It is to this note therefore that the committee recommended that the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon. Betty Amongi, resigns in public interest with immediate effect.

The Committee also decided that the appointment of the Managing Director and Deputy MD for NSSF be vested and entrusted to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED).

By Kalamira Hope

Over 1000 Salt TV subscribers on Gotv have told Multichoice to refund their money if they switch off the Christian based channel.

In a letter dated 24th November, 2022, Multichoice Uganda General Manager Hassan Saleh, on behalf of Multichoice Africa Holdings CEO, Fhulufhelo Badugela wrote to Salt TV Managing Director Pastor Aloysious Bujjingo informing him that they will discontinue carriage of Salt TV, on GOtv after 5 January 2023.

In his letter, Mr. Hassan said, “The Channel’s low performance has remained consistent for an extended period of time. Regrettably, due to the ongoing performance failure and the very limited DTT capacity we will discontinue carriage of the Channel, on GOtv after 5 January 2023. Please note that carriage on DStv will continue uninterrupted: however, the channel performance will continue uninterrupted; continue to be monitored.”

“The letter constitutes notice in accordance with clause 5 of the Agreement. Given that carriage of the Channel on DStv will continue, all terms and conditions of the Agreement shall continue to full force and effect. we reserve all right, in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement,” Mr. Hassan added.

A message was sent to every GOtv subscriber informing them that Salt TV will be off GOtv come 5 January, 2023.

This has angered thousands of viewers who religiously follow the channel.

For the record, when salt TV was going to be placed on GOtv and DStv, believers from House of Prayer Ministries International (HPMI), the church that birthed Salt Media, ran a countrywide drive where believers from different parts of the country bought decoders from Multichoice.

Over 5000 decoders were bought in the drive during the promotion with people yearning to follow their favourite programmes especially the famous daily Lunch Hour programmes, Sunday service, Emisingi bible study programme that airs everyday from 8:00-9:00 and the deeply investigative news telecasts.

“There are so many channels currently on GOtv that have no viewership target and even viewers, but salt TV has all that. We are wondering which criteria Mr. Hassan used to come to a conclusion that Salt TV should be off.,” an insider told theGrapevine

The insider added, “Salt is the only brand that advertises all it’s programmes and campaigns without using any other media house and people positively respond from across the whole country. in 2022 alone, we organised crusades in Fort Portal, Mbarara, Masaka, Mbale, Jinja and Kololo airstrip, and these have all been attended by thousands of believers.

“If they claim Salt TV has no viewers, how did we manage to get all those believers to these different grounds in their thousands without any drives, posters or billboards? How did all those people know about these crusades and even attend them in large numbers?”

“We suspect some wrong elements are using some Multichoice bosses to destroy it’s integrity and fight misguided wars which will damage the reputation of the company,” this angry insider said.

“But let us use common sense, how can you say that a TV Station like Salt has viewers on GOtv but has no viewers on the platform of their core market, GOtv? It really beats our understanding,” the insider further told theGrapevine.

“I remember when Pastor told us that Salt TV is going on GOtv, we mobilized neigbours, friends and relatives to buy GOtv decoder. I mobilized over 20 people and they each bought decoders. And these people are still using these decoders and follow Salt TV religiously, how do you them tell me that you are switching it off?” Viola Nabisubi from Bwaise told our reporter.

According to IPSOS, Salt TV is the number one religious television in this category. Among the secular TV stations category, Salt TV is among the top six TV stations.

Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, one of the chief coordinators of Muhoozi army asked if Bujjingo is being witch hunted by elements who hate Muhoozi.

“Our friend & Pastor Bujjingo to be removed off GOtvUganda for supporting Gen @mkainerugaba but why? @MultiChoiceGRP & @DStvUganda let’s be Fair!!!” Balaam Tweeted

Pastor Bujjingo is the official pastor who prays at all Gen Muhoozi’s functions.

With pressure mounting from viewers, On December 22, 2022, Mr. Innocent Mugume, the Dstv Technical Sales Team Leader asked Multichoice management to make further research and new consideration before taking any action (removing Salt TV from GOtv).

“I hereby report about the complaints I have got from several customers concerning the rumours going around about Salt Tv Media being scrapped off. I have personally received a number of calls and messages from over 200 faithful pay-tv viewers that pay monthly and annual subscription because of Salt tv on both Gotv and Dstv platforms. My suggestion is that management should make further research and new consideration before taking any action,” Mr. Mugume pleaded with his bosses.

By Sandra Mukisa

The Administrators of the Estate of Sir Edward Walugembe Muteesa II, the former King of Buganda have hired President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni lawyers to battle city businessman Dr. Muhammad Buwule Kasasa at the Supreme Court over the juicy Mutungo land.

theGrapevine has exclusively learnt that Kabaka Mutebi’s siblings led by Prince David Kintu Wasajja, Princess Dorothy Nassolo, Princess Sarah Kagere, on behalf of their family have instructed K&K Advocates, a law firm owned by President Museveni’s son-in-law Edwin Karugire and the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka to proceed with the appeal after losing at the Court of Appeal.

Last month, three justices of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Christopher Gashirabaki, Justice Elizabeth Musoke, who has since been promoted to the Supreme Court and Justice Eva Luswata dismissed the appeal from the royals and declared Kasasa as the owner of the said land.

The contested land is measuring 640 acres situated at Mutungo, Luzira hill in Nakawa Division Kampala district on Kyadondo Block 237 plot 39, 29, 48, 56, 67, 59, 69, 81, 82, 88, 111, 112, 114, 115, 142, 148, 150, 335, 97, 70, 138, 131, 154, 155, 178, 179, 388 and 410.

Buganda royals claim that Kasasa grabbed their father’s land when he was exiled by former president Milton Obote in 1966 Buganda crisis.

However, Kasasa has evidence that he bought the land legally from the bank after it was mortgaged by the registered owners then Lake View properties limited who bought the land from Muteesa himself during his broke days in exile in UK.

theGrapevine has also established that Kasasa, through his lawyers of SK Kiiza & Company Advocates has protested the royal’s move to hire Museveni’s lawyers to present them at the Supreme Court citing conflict of interest.

The lawyers claim that K&K Advocates cannot represent the petitioners when Attorney General Kiwanuka, a senior patner in the law firm, is a party in the appeal.

The Attorney General was sued jointly with Kasasa and lawyers insist that his law firm cannot represent the other party.

“We are of the strong view that as much as a party is at liberty to choose a lawyer, K&K Advocates is not a suitable law firm to represent parties who are at the same time suing the government through the Attorney General. Definitely, Kiryowa Kiwanuka the Attorney General would be conflicted in this matter,” Kasasa’s lawyers protested.

Kiwanuka was not reached for a comment because he was not picking our calls by press time.

By Sengooba Alirabaki