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    We Are Fade Up: KCCA PAC Members Vow To Resign Over Salaries

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    Minister Benny Namugwanya

    Members on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) have threatened to resign over delayed salaries.

    The members claim that they have not received any salary since February. The members add that to date they have even never been told how much salary they are supposed to earn.

    The five-member committee is appointed by the Lord Mayor to serve for five years but are eligible for reappointment for only one more term. The current committee is headed by Bob Kabaziguruka while others include Pontian Kaweesa, Ms Maria Nabbanja Ssentamu, Ms Betty Bainomugisha Ntuhe and Mr. Michael Tugyetwena.

    Section 58(13) sates that the expenses of the city’s PAC are charged on the consolidated fund, but it doesn’t stipulate how much members should earn.

    When contacted, the state minister for Kampala Affairs, Benny Namugwanya said, that the matter was presented to Public Service ministry and the ministry was still reviewing the salary structure as directed by the President that’s why the process delayed.

    She also begged the PAC members to be patient saying the salary review exercise has been completed.

    However, the Principal Communications officer at the ministry of Public Service, Joseph Ngobi punched holes in the Minister’s Remarks saying that, the ministry of public service has not yet received any communication from KCCA in regards to the salary of the PAC committee members.

    “ I have consulted with the responsible officers in the ministry but they are all saying there is no communication to that effect,” Ngobi said.

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    Lobbying For Parliament Top Jobs In High Gear; M7 Set To Summon NRM CEC To Appoint Parliamentary Commissioners, Committee Chairpersons…

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    Government Chief Whip in Parliament Hamson Obua has confirmed that before the end of December 2023, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who also doubles as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) chairperson is set to summon the party top organ the Central Executive Committee(CEC) to appoint new party parliamentary Commissioners and Committee chairpersons.

    He admitted that a number of NRM Members of Parliament have applied for the jobs to serve their party in parliament and CEC is going to study their application and appoint those they think deserve the positions.

    He explained that a number of factors will be considered and these include; Loyalty to the party, experience, expertise and leadership skills, religion, region and their previous performance in parliament.

    Obua explained that the party didn’t consider the resolution passed during the recent NRM retreat in Kyankwanzi Leadership Institute where it was proposed that the party parliamentary leadership be appointed by legislators.

    He disclosed that this proposal contradicts with the party constitution, so, to consider it, they need to first amend the constitution.

    theGrapevine has established that a number of NRM MPs who have applied for the said jobs are clandestinely lobbying before members of CEC and President Museveni’s other handlers to support them in their bids.

    The term of the Commissioners and parliamentary Standing Committees will expire in December 2023.

    Among those lobbying to be reappointed are: Solomon Silwany, Esther Afoyochan and Prossy Mbabazi Akampurira who have been sitting on the parliamentary commission.

    The Parliamentary Commission is chaired by the Speaker of parliament; Other members are deputy speaker of parliament, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Member of Parliament from opposition and Clerk to Parliament.

     

    By Grapevine Reporter

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    Inside Speaker Among Fight To Save Police Bosses M7 Ordered To Be Slapped With Criminal Charges Over Dusty Bukedea By-Election…

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    Speaker Anita Among

    Evans Ochieng, the Criminal law giant and also personal lawyer to flamboyant Speaker of Parliament Annet Anita Among has confirmed to the mighty Grapevine that he has filed a bail application at Soroti High Court for police officers who President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ordered to be slapped with criminal charges over dusty Bukedea district chairperson by-election.

    In June 2023, president Museveni directed Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke the commandant of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate allegations that government officials were involved in the dirty by-elections which resulted into injuring a one David Stephen Omagor who was denied the opportunity to participate in the by-election and was robbed of Shs163m.

    The by-election was won by National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Mary Akol who was supported by speaker Among.

    However, after the election, Museveni was told that Akol’s victory was as a result of violence orchestrated by party big wings in Teso region.

    Among the government officials who were arrested include; Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Wilberforce Tukei, the District Police Commander (DPC) Charles Okoto, the Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) Mahmoud Oluka and Dan Malinga, the District Councilor representing Bukedea Town Council.

    Upon arrest, they were charged with offences of neglect to prevent a felony and were released on Court bail.

    However, other officers who include; Alex Enguloit, the officer in charge of criminal investigations at Bukedea Central Police Station; Police Constable Onesmus Akankwasa; D/C Simon Peter Oriokot; Police Constable Difas Kamakoin and Police Constable Born Naibei were charged with offences of murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated torture.

    State alleges that the accused persons participated in the murder of Paul Anguria and Alex Enguliot.

    They were arrested from Kachumbala in Bukedea district.

    Highly placed sources at the Office of the Speaker revealed to theGrapevine that their boss directed his lawyer Ochieng together with Caleb Alaka to make sure that the accused persons are released explaining that they are being persecuted by her opponents in Teso region because of their allegiance to her.

    Among trusts Alaka and Ochieng so much because they were the ones who saved her from one of her competitor for Bukedea district woman Member of Parliament seat Hallen Akol who fought up to the Supreme Court challenging Among’s unopposed win.

    Akol accused late Wilson Masalu Musene of conniving with Among and denying her the opportunity to contest for the same seat in 2021 parliamentary election when a court order issued to Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama not to nominate her on allegation of not having the required academic papers.

    Sources explained to theGrapevine that two top government officers including one army general persuaded President Museveni to take a directive to apprehend the said security officers with the aim of weakening Among’s political ambitions.

    Sources claimed that the female politician who reported Among to Museveni for fueling violence in Bukedea is very sure that with Among’s popularity, her chances of retaining his top government job in the coming years is limited.

    Sources added that the female politician from Teso directed that the officers who are still in prisons be imprisoned in Soroti not in Bukedea fearing that they can be released without her knowledge and she is seriously following the bail application filed by Ochieng.

    But Among is also using her contacts which she used to release the Bukedea district RDC and the DPC to help the remaining officers secure their freedom.

    Sources added that Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s visit to Bukedea relieved some pressure off Among because her enemies were moving around the entire region telling voters that she is in bad books with the first family.

    In Bukedea, Among declares support for Gen. Muhoozi as the next President of Uganda replacing his father. She explained that in Bukedea, they believe in father, son and the holy spirit.

    Henry Peter Adonyo, the Soroti Resident High Court Judge has not yet announced the day to entertain the officer’s bail application.

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

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    Troubled Businessman Ham Kiggundu Supporters Beg M7 Save His Empire; Spill Secret Plans To Auction His Properties…

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    Businessman Ham Kiggundu

    Supporters and sympathies of troubled businessman Hamis Kiggundu the proprietor of Ham Enterprises Uganda Limited and Kiggs International Uganda Limited want President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to save their man’s empire which is under threat after the Supreme Court judgment.

    Last week, Supreme Court justices; Owiny Dollo (Chief Justice), Justice Faith Mwondha, Justice John Mike Chibita, Justice Percy Night Tuhaise and Justice Steven Musota unanimously dismissed Kiggundu’s appeal against Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) in the Shs120bn case.

    The Justices declared that the Shs41bn loan which Kiggundu secured from DTB Kenya was legally issued.

    They directed the Commercial Division of the High Court judge who is going to try the matter again to only concentrate on facts not legality.

    However, sources close to Kiggundu’s lawyers claim that the controversial businessman has instructed their lawyers to file a constitutional petition in the constitutional court challenging the Supreme Court decision insisting that it contradicts with the national constitution especially on grounds of fair hearing.

    Even though Kiggundu is still very determine that he is going to save his multibillion empire through courts of law, his supporters led by senior presidential advisor on media Joseph Tamale Mirundi, who also claims to be a relative to Kiggundu, have pleaded with president Museveni to save the youthful businessman’s empire.

    “I pray that President Museveni’s attention will be drawn to this young man’s troubles. He has to save him like he has been saving other people even those in the opposition like late John Ssebaana Kizito, businessman Mukwano and James Mulwana when their empires were threatened by mafias,” Mirundi said.

    He added that he has recorded audio evidence when mafias in business and legal circles from Uganda and Kenya are strategising on how to finish Kiggundu and his properties once they are put up for sale.

    Mirundi claims that the people he branded as mafias are targeting Kiggundu’s properties, especially the newly completed Nakivubo stadium.

    Highly placed insiders at K&K Advocate who represented DTB Bank revealed that they are done with summation of the court costs that the Supreme Court awarded them which are in billions of shillings.

    The justices of the Supreme Court awarded DTB bank with 50% of the total costs at the court of appeal and at the Supreme Court.

    K&K Advocates whose founding partners are Kiryowa Kiwanuka, the country’s Attorney General and Edwin Karugire, a commercial law giant and also son-in- law to President Museveni, is currently one of the expensive law firms in the city and their instruction fee are high and most of the times they charge in dollars.

    Kiggundu’s lawyers led by Fred Muwema, who is currently out of the country on special legal duties and Robert Friday Kagoro are also strategising on how to finish DTB Bank even though they suffered a setback at the Supreme Court.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

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