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    UK Nationals Grilled For Seeking Billions In Compensation From Isimba Dam Construction Fraudulently From Government

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    Two UK nationals have today been grilled by justice Catherine Bamugemereire’s land commission for fraudulently seeking compensation worth billions from government during the construction of Isimba dam.

    Mark Meyers the director of Wafting East African Limited and Paul Alex Ferguson the proprietor of Hairy Lemon Island hotel in Kayunga district were quizzed by the commission today. “Carline Aguti from the Ministry of Energy approached me and told me that government has established a compensation scheme for all the affected people during the construction of Isimba dam.
    She told me that if I wanted my business to be compensated for, I should get in touch with Kagga partners (Projected Affected Persons’ Consultant) to formulate a methodology of how my business can be compensated,” Ferguson told  Justice Catherine Bamugemereire led Commission.
    Earlier, the commission heard a shocking testimony from Myers who told the commission that he was at his home in Britain when he was told that there was compensation on Isimba falls where the Dam was going to be constructed. “I came back and I was told by Aguti that the Ministry of Energy was compensating people with businesses on the water falls. Since I was among the people with business, I felt I that I was a suitable candidate for the compensation. I asked her the methodology they were going to use to compensate me but she told me to just get in touch with Kagga partners,” Myers said.

    Ferguson told the commission that Kagga and partners valued his 11 islands where he had planted trees for adventure tourism, bird watching and 17 acres of farmland plus Lemon Island hotel at Shs800m. He said after being compensated with Shs800m he was advised by Aguti an officer from the ministry of Energy to ask for extra Shs3bn to relocate to another area, compensate his 14 workers who he was paying Shs120,000 each, the manager he was paying Shs800,000 and temporary houses.
    He said that out of the Shs800m he got from Isimba dam compensation, he paid Shs67m to his leaser who had taken him to court claiming he was a foreigner who was not supposed to get compensation and paid another Shs40m to his lawyers.

    Ferguson however found it hard to convince the Commission how he came to be compensated with Shs800m because basing on the report he gave the valuers, he was only seeking Sh20m. He was also asked why he is seeking another Sh3bn from the government. He said that money is for compensating his workers and business he is going to lose. The Commission later discovered that he pays his 14 workers only Shs100,000.
    Commissioner Joyce Gunza asked him to explain whether he was not just looking for money to establish an alternative business since his earlier business was only making loses. Ferguson denied the accusations insisting that even the auditors who audited his books of accounts discovered that it was making profits.
    He promised to bring certified copies of his audited books of accounts to the Commission.
    Myers said he was approached by Energy officials led by Aguti in 2017 and they told him that if the dam is completed he will no longer use the falls because the water will decrease.“I took Aguti’s advise because I get my income from wafting ventures, sport boating, bird watching and venture tourism and tourists from abroad have been coming and staying in my temporary houses,” he said.

    He said during his conversation with Aguti, he discovered that his Company will need money to look for and establish other sites where he can put his business and practice boat sport. He said that he sought advice from his lawyers of Sebalu, Lule and company advocates who engaged officials from the Ministry and Kagga on the methodology to be used in compensation.
    He said that he was told that he was going to be compensated for his employees he was going to lose after the construction of the dam and Shs400m for business loss per year. He said that his company has been paying a lot of taxes to government, paying NSSF for his employees. He testified that he invested two million dollars to start his business in 2013 and since his eviction from Bujagaali falls, he has been making losses. Justice Catherine wondered why she should not consider him among other people who are just seeking to profiteer from government projects given that his claim started in 2016 after the valuation and compensation had been completed in 2013.

    Myers said he is not after compensation from government but wants to know the future of his Company and business after the construction of Isimba dam. These are among the many witnesses who testified before the commission against officers in the energy ministry and UETCL on the fraudulent compensation of affected persons.
    On Isimba dam, the government is said to have compensated over Shs100Bn to ghost claimants. The commission is still investigating the matter.

     

    By Jamil Lutakome

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    Attorney General, DPP Oppose Anti-Homosexuality Bill

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    The Attorney General and the deputy director of Public prosecutions (DPP) have opposed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023.

    While appearing before the parliamentary committee on legal affairs on March 18th, the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka said the Anti-Homosexuality Bill is a duplication of existing laws.

    “Our criminalisation of homosexuality clause 9 of the new is a duplication since it is catered for in CAP 120 of the penal code,” he said.

    The Attorney General said the penal code is supposed to be the main penal law of the county, adding that it is hard to detect, investigate, prosecute and sentence homosexuals since the act is done in private.

    The deputy director of Public prosecutions James Odumbi was in agreement with the Attorney General.

    However, officials from the Ministry of gender labour and social development supported the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

    Hellen Asamo (state Minister for disability affairs) and Rose Lilly Akello (state Minister for ethics and Intergrity) both agreed that it was important to have the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023.

    These argued that the Bill, if passed, will protect the cherished cultural values of Uganda and protect children against the acts of sexual minority rights activists.

    Abdul Katuntu told the committee that, though homosexuals do the act in private, crimes are not only committed against individuals but society.

    President Museveni said Thursday that he needed a scientific opinion on homosexuality and that the subject would be discussed conclusively another time.

    The parliamentary committee on legal affairs is currently scrutinising the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 that was spearhead by MP Asuman Basalirwa.

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    Hoima District LC5 Chairman Dies In Car Accident

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    Police in Kiboga registered a fatal accident on March 17th that claimed the life of the Chairman LC5 Hoima District Kirungi Kadiri.

    Kirungi, brother to Tumusiime Amlan (RDC Kikuube District), was involved in an accident at Mataagi village, Bukomero Town Council along Kampala – Hoima highway.

    Kirungi and his escort Police Constable Otim Bosco died on spot during the incident.

    The accident involved motor vehicle registration number UAH 053Q (Prado Land Cruiser) and UBB 059Z (Fuso fighter).

    According to traffic police spokesperson Faridah Nampiima, the incident was caused by a driver who was trying to dodge a pothole.

    “It is alleged that motor vehicle Reg No UBB 059Z which was travelling from Kampala to Kiboga side and being driven by a yet to be identified driver on reaching Mataagi bridge, tried to dodge a pothole. The vehicle swerved off from it’s Lane on to it’s right hand side, and met motor vehicle UAH 053Q which was heading to Kampala side from Hoima,”Nampiima said.

    The bodies of the deceased (Karungi and Otim) were taken to Kiboga hospital mortuary for postmortem.

     

     

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    SMACK SAGA: Archbishop Dragged In Bro. Mpanga’s Woes – More People Complain about Bro.Mpanga After IGG Dossier…

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    Bro. Simon Mpanga and Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere

    The noose on St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) headmaster just keeps getting tighter.

    Following a recent petition to the Inspectorate of Government (IGG), which we published here, several other complaints, mainly from the Brothers of Christian Instruction of the Catholic Church to which he belongs have come out to pin Bro. Simon Mpanga on a litany of cases.

    The Brothers are not happy that Bro. Mpanga and his scheming cartel have dragged the Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere into their deals.  They say, the 66-year-old Bishop is naively being dragged into the selfish cartel’s schemes without really understanding their underlying motives.

    “We respect the hierarchy of the church but Archbishop involving himself on which brother should head our schools is wrong. That should be left to the religious superiors of brothers and sisters because they know their people better and their opinions should be respected. Likewise, you can’t ask a Brother or a sister to appoint a parish priest for the parishes. As we respect the church we can’t talk everything there are many other things the man of God has done that we can’t bring them at table,” they state.

    According to a source who called us with additional information, Mpanga’s crooked ways of doing things started long time back.

    While he was in the formation house at Kanywa training for brotherhood, he got involved in a well-orchestrated money scandal in which he duped Bro. Gerald Byaruhanga, who was then in charge of students in the training.  He convinced him (Bro. Byaruhanga) to hand over to him the entire students’ welfare budget after presenting him forged papers that the borrowed money was to make super normal profits. He however never received a penny back.

    “That was the end of the story.   The community suffered for a long time sometimes they could go to bed on empty stomachs because of Mpanga’s devilish actions,” they reveal.

    They further say that Bro. Mpanga kept convincing Bro. Gerald Byaruhanga that things were going to be okay until he couldn’t stomach the lies any longer. The matter was reported to the Provincial Superior and his council and they immediately recommended that Bro. Mpanga should be expelled.

    The source further adds that Bro. Mpanga pleaded for pardon and was given a second chance after Bro. Gerald interceded on his behalf with Bro. Superior. That wasn’t the last of his follies.

    This website has learnt that his money problem followed him while at Kasasa where the then Bro. Tony Lubwama headmaster by then put him in prison because of the money he ate from Tanzanian students. It was Bro. Mutebi who bailed him out.

    At St. Mary’s College Kisubi which he is now fronted to head, he is accused of eating money of the students who were going outside the country for debate and some have completed their S6 without getting their back. He purported he would process passports and visas for them to go attend debate in South Africa and USA whilst they were in s.3. Whereas some who pushed hard were refunded by the school. Others were not so lucky and left the school four years later without their money nor passports.

    They narrate that when the Brothers learnt the behavior of their colleague they vowed not to work in their schools and that’s when Mr. John Agaba former commissioner and former Brother got him a place in Trinity College Nabbingo.

    “Things didn’t go well at Nabbingo and Bro. Mwebe former provincial tried to get him a place at SMACK but Mr. Mwaka who was a caretaker of the school then refused him because he knew his dubious character through Bro. Edward Bukenya who had worked with Mpanga and chased him because of his actions.  When Mr. Mwaka left SMACK, Bro. Mpanga somehow sneaked back in” they detail.

    It is also revealed that while at SMACK, he deceived a parent that the school vehicle was stuck in a bond and that it required 7000 USD for taxes and the parent gave it to him while it was for his personal use. The parent has never been refunded to date.

    And when news started circulating that Bro. Mpanga was among the short listed for SMACK leadership, the college Chaplain went to provincial and shared his concerns about the impending disaster this would bring on SMACK.  He warned him that if you want SMACK to die give it to Bro. Mpanga. The Chaplain also warned the Brother Superior at SMACK a one Bro. Pius Ochwo about Bro. Mpanga.

    They also point out that the SMACK Entebbe House was renovated four years ago with tenants. He collects money that is never remitted on the school account it goes to personal use. They also say that he got shs30m from the school claiming that he was going to renew the lease for the SMACK Entebbe house which up to date has never been processed or even accounted for. Imagine this is the fellow now being put in charge of over 3 bn collected every term. He will devise means to steal the money. Little wonder that he involves himself in every procurement even for tomatoes.

    His greed is unprecedented for a man who is supposed to live a life of chastity. One wonders where does this money go? One theorizes that he is using the brotherhood to amass wealth and as soon as he is in position to live the life he craves outside brotherhood, he will then quit the institution.

    They also claim that during the Covid 19 days, he stood surety for an accomplice at Entebbe Police who was accused of stealing a motor vehicle. The accomplice jumped bond and  police was looking for Bro Mpanga who went in hiding until the issue was resolved.

    In the missive sent to the IGG, it was pointed out that during lock down, he embarked on a go fund me crusade to raise money from unsuspecting parents under the guise of collecting funds to give the teachers who were suffering from the ravages of the lock down. He collected so much money but ate all of it. His insatiable appetite for money and the length to which he will go to get his hands on money is astounding.

    It is theorized that being the con act that he is, the board members backing him have a perfect ally in whom contracts and other works will be lined up through their stooges and money will be siphoned. The brothers are shocked that old boys through their SMACKOBA group are looking on while a wolf is being put in charge of the sheep.

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