Kennedy Okello one of the Personal Assistant to Kampala Lord Mayor Ssalongo Erias Lukwago has confirmed to Grapevine that his boss was rushed to India for further medical attention.

A few weeks back, Lukwago returned back into the country from Nairobi Kenya where he was rushed on recommendation of his doctors in Uganda after his health condition worsened.

Doctors in Nairobi asked Lukwago and his family to prepare for a surgical operation that they were going to carry out on him.

Lukwago told Prince Dr. Kassim Nakibinge Kakungulu the titular leader of Muslims in Uganda during the Eid prayers that doctors in Kenya diagnosed him and found out that he had problems from his neck into his spinal cord and the only way to save him was through an operation.

However, at the last hour, a decision was taken that Lukwago should be taken for India where they expect to give him more specialised medical treatment.

“On a medical journey to India upon referral by physicians to have a specialised Anterior Cervical Disc and Fusion surgery to remove the bulging C6-7 Disc that has bothered me for two months with excruciating pain at the back and upper left limb. All will be well, with His Grace,” Lukwago posted on his X account.

Lukwago’s health troubles started during Covid-19 and he was rushed to Nairobi. There were fears from his supporters that their man was poisoned.

Lukwago’s sickness comes at a time when his political career is under threat with National Unity Platform (NUP) leaders; David Lewis Rubongoya the party Secretary General, Chief Party Moblizer and also elder brother to Bobi Wine Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu, Ali Kasirye Mulyanyama the Makindye Division mayor all eyeing to take over his office come 2026.

Lukwago pleaded with Prince Nakibinge to intervene and stop his political enemies from using his health condition against him.

By Hadijjah Namagembe

Controversial Bukoto Central Legislator Richard Ssebamala has asked fellow political opposition politicians to use the trader’s tax grievances against Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) to push President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni out of power.

He claims that in many countries that had political revolutions, traders were very fundamental because they are the ones who pays taxes that run the country.

He adds that he is very sure that if the political opportunity is carefully used, it can spark the overthrow of the Museveni government.

He explains that for a long time, Museveni have been controlling traders which has led to many dissociating themselves from the opposition. But now, they are the ones looking for them.

He notes that because Museveni is in a financial crisis, he cannot resolve the issue of taxes since he needs money to facilitate his stay in power.

That is why and traders also should be encouraged to continue placing on the button very sure that positive political results will be yielded.

He made the allegation as Museveni plans to meet traders again at Kololo independence grounds on 7^th May 2024 to make his final announcement of the issue of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing System (EFRIS) which traders are protesting.

Uganda Revenue Authority’s John Musinguzi Rujoki the Commissioner General insists that EFRIS is the only way that will help both government and traders reach a fair ground when it comes to tax collection.

Fred Bamwine the Commissioner in the president’s office declared that the current practice that URA is using to collect taxes is here to stay.

Meanwhile, as the traders are strategising and holding frequent meetings on the way forward after Museveni’s Kololo meeting, Brig. Gen. Christopher Ddamulira Sserunjogi the Director Crime Intelligence in police has saved him from another nasty strike.

Noordin Mukuye the chairperson of the Aggrieved Oppressed Voiceless Tax Drivers Kampala Uganda confirmed to theGrapevine that they have cancelled their planned strike which was take place on 29^th April 2024.

He explains that the cancellation of their meeting comes days after meeting Brig. Gen. Ddamulira convinced them that their grievances are going to be forwarded to the concerned government offices and they will be addressed within the shortest time.

Mukuye who is also the Masuulita tax park stage chairperson said that in their meeting with Brig. Gen. Ddamulira, they pleaded with him to help them talk to Works and Transport Senior Minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Dr. Dorothy Kisaka, Maj. Gen. Godfrey Katsigazi the Acting Inspector General of Police and URA’s Rujoki to address their complaints.

Among the issues they want government officials to address include; express ticket, high fuel prices, paying for Public Service Vehicle, Park User fee which they pay annually and other taxes which they pay both in URA and in KCCA.

Mukuye and his team also want the concerned government offices to organise the election of their new leaders which will help them solve their grievances after accusing the current leadership of their umbrella body the Federation of Uganda Taxi Operators (UTOF ) of using the offices to enrich themselves.

Mukuye accuses UTOF chairperson Rashid Ssekindi of leading a team criminals who mistreat and torture taxi drivers and conductors to force them to pay illegal money to them and when the they refuse, they confiscate their cars.

He added that each day, each car pays between Shs.4000- Shs.5000 in a public park in Kampala yet president Museveni banned such payment.

“We are working under a challenging situation and we need help from government. We are tortured in public like kids and our children and wives no longer respect us because they see us being tortured by Ssekindi’s men in public. Meanwhile, KCCA is looking on and we want the president to handle our issue as he did to traders,” Mukuye said.

theGrapevine has also established that bus drivers and operators at Namayuba bus park are also planning to strike over the high taxes URA and KCCA collect from them.

City businessman John Bosco Muwonge who is the owner of the park has also added another Shs50,000 on the amount of money they pay claiming that URA has also raised the tax he pays.

However, when contacted, Moses Birungi Mawejje the spokesperson of UTOF denied all the allegations placed on their federation and their chairperson Ssekindi.

He advised his colleagues that they are not going to resolve their issues through striking.

Deo Kiyemba of Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) has disclosed that the problem is not that Ugandans don’t want to pay taxes but the problem is with government which uses taxpayers money in luxurious spending and corruption practices.

He was supported by Makerere University senior Economist Dr. Fred Muhumuza who advised government to reduce luxurious expenditure because Ugandans are also struggling financially.

By Hadijjah Namagembe

The Commercial Division of the High Court Judge Patricia Kahigi Asiimwe has directed Brookside Company Limited’s Vincent Omoth the company’s marketing manager and Atii and Kati company limited to compensate Gloria Akech with Shs50m plus 15% interest annually from the date of the judgment for violation of her copyright work.

The judge further with immediate effect stopped the defendants from using the plaintiff’s work for marketing their products without her consent.

According to Court records, Akech through her lawyers of Citadel Advocates told Court that in December 2021, she approached Brookside Company with an idea to run a campaign aimed at marketing their products like fresh dairy milk.

In her proposal, Akech’s idea involved assuring the public that when you take a Brookside product, it extends your life.

Through her affidavit, she explained to Court that her marketing concept was that Brookside would sell its milk products by gathering women in Uganda to discuss different topics and during the discussions, the women would be enjoying taking milk as a means of publicizing the milk brand.

Her marketing concept was submitted in form of demonstration videos and a document that contained a proposal.

She gave them to Omoth and explained to him her vision of the campaign and that the goal of the campaign was detailed in the plan.He proposed a monthly budget of Shs7,500,000.

Akech stated that Omoth assigned her to work with Atii and Kati Company which is an events and marketing company and Monica Kulabako Ineza was assigned to coordinate the campaign.

Omoth further instructed Akech and Kulabako to coordinate and look for the venues, snack suppliers, and women to whom the brand will be marketed.

Akech stated that, Omoth asked for a budget which she submitted in an email dated June 2022 but she was surprised when he started becoming elusive and later discovered that he conspired with Kulabako’s company to bring on board another person in the names of Bahati Hilda Sabiti to run her fresh dairy campaign using her work.

She insisted that she never consented to Bahati using her demonstration videos and proposals claiming that she together with other defendants illegally used her work.

However, the defendants through their lawyers of M/S Ntwali & Co. Advocates pleaded with court to dismiss Akech’s claim adding that her budget did not align with their marketing strategy which they used to target their audience and she was informed.

In his affidavit, Omoth insisted that him and his company never signed any agreement with Akech and they even denied ever naming her as their brand ambassador given that in their company, there are clear processes followed for approval of a supplier which commences with the issuance of a Local Purchase Order which they never issued to her.

He challenged Akech to provide court with evidence showing that she was contracted by their company as a brand ambassador.

Omoth stated that Akech adopted the material aspects for her proposal from him therefore, she cannot claim novelty and originality regarding the proposal and demonstration videos presented to court as evidence.

After examining the evidence before her, the presiding judge discovered that the demonstrated video and documented proposal passed the originality test for copyright protection.

He thus declared that the work under contestation originated from Akech.

One of the witnesses testified that prior to receiving Akech’s work, Omoth had not previously received any similar proposal which means that her works were the first proposal that he received.

The witnesses further told Court that Omoth received Akech’s proposal and that of Bahati which means that it is possible that the proposal submitted to Atii and Kati Limited could have gotten into the hands of Bahati. He added that it is also possible that Omoth passed Akech’s proposal to Bahati given that there is substantial similarity in the two proposals.

The judge found out that Bahati had access to Akech’s works which resulted into infringement of her copyright.

The judge explained that Akech proved to court that she generated her content with the aim of benefiting from it and it is the reason why she took it to Brookside so that they pay her, but instead they decided to violate her copyright and handed it over to Bahati.

Bahati is a known television personality who previously worked with Dr. Kin Kariisa’s Next media.

By Sengooba Alirabaki