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    Why Age Limit Committee May Be Disbanded

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    By Otim Nape
    The chaotic scenes that played out yesterday in Parliament as the Legal & Parliamentary Affairs committee sat to commence scrutinizing the Magyezi-sponsored Constitutional Amendment Bill took some by surprise. Led by Semujju Nganda, Medard Segona, Monica Amoding, Gerald Karuhanga, Abdul Katuntu and others, MPs-in almost a bipartisan manner-raised many procedural issues clearly aimed at derailing committee proceedings.

    The motivation was clearly political and not just need to protect parliamentary procedure. Unable to take in the heat, Magyezi, Moses Balyeku and their other comrades fled the meeting and left behind a written submission. The scenes were pretty ugly yet the worst is yet to come. With militants like Semujju taking center stage, you can be sure it will get worse in the coming days. And in today’s Morning Briefing we discuss the likely scenarios and how this will end. Firstly the UCC boss Mutabazi will be coming out with directives banning live media coverage of the committee proceedings because government believes watching the MPs’ antics inspires other Togikwatako fans outside Parliament to fight harder each time MPs come for consultation. But before we get to that, the MPs are going to become rowdy and possibly exchange blows and shed some blood in the committee room. With the likes of Semujju Nganda and Jackson Rwakafuzi being on opposing sides, this scenario is very likely at some point if the provocations we saw yesterday are anything to go by. Of course the Togikwatako MPs, who have decided we either win or there will be no parliamentary decoram at all, are playing merely politics having rightly concluded they can’t prevail on the game of numbers outside the committee. It’s also true those opposed to their antics, including chairman Oboth-Oboth, are also politically motivated and this shouldn’t surprise anybody because Parliament isn’t a seminary but a political theater. In order to demonstrate neutrality which Katuntu said yesterday is the very minimum all expect of him, Oboth will do many things and take positions and rulings aimed at demonstrating he is independent and hasn’t been compromised by State House as Semujju Nganda alleged at yesterday’s sitting. As he demonstrates that impartiality, Oboth will most likely be misunderstood by Museveni and Nankabirwa to be a saboteur and since they have the numbers, the money and a friendly Parliamentary Commission and a cowed Speaker, the duo may say okay let’s disband and have a new committee composition. This is very likely because for many leaders in this country, moral obligations and the processes through a decision is reached, don’t matter anymore.
    To many actors in Uganda today, the end will justify the means (unlike Gen Muntu who keeps saying the process is as important as the outcome). Procedurally to disband the committee and re-constitute its membership, the House must be in session but procuring this isn’t a problem for M7 and Nankabirwa. With their numbers, they can get the MPs sign up to compel the speaker to recall Parliament which is mandatory on her once the required signatures have been raised. Yesterday’s chaos aside, there are many other motivations why it serves M7 and his NRM to have the committee reconstituted. In its current composition, they aren’t even sure of the numbers because even some of their own NRM MPs have previously declared they don’t support lifting of age limits e.g. Bwamba County MP Richard Gafabusa, Agaba Abbas, Monica Amoding and others. Even the independent MPs’ support can’t be taken for granted. There is Anna Adeke who is FDC-leaning independent. Gerald Karuhanga is also FDC-leaning independent. The other is Oboth-Oboth himself whose objective approach to things continues to rattle many in NRM. Then you have the noise makers led by Semujju Nganda, Moses Kasibante (independent), Medard Segona, Mathias Mpuuga, Wilfred Niwagaba (independent) and ofcourse Abdul Katuntu whose grasp of the law and Parliamentary rules even Oboth-Oboth and other colleagues on the NRM side respect. Even Connie Galiwango who is NRM can’t be taken for granted having recently announced her people are opposed to life presidency and she must act in a manner that is consistent with their views. This briefing clearly shows you that there is no way M7, with all his money and numeric strength in the 10th Parliament, is going to restrain himself and allow the Magyezi proposal to be messed up by a committee whose composition he has many levers to determine. It’s true the plenary can overrule the committee report and vote to fortify the Magyezi proposal even when the committee disapproves of it but that would politically diminish M7’s clout and would make the life presidency project look like it has been imposed on the population using NRM numbers in plenary. That would-be neutral witnesses like the MUK law dons have written calling the committee and the entire process a sham isn’t good for legitimacy of the committee exercise which the chaos are also discrediting even further. Ex-CJ Benjamin Odoki, eminent as he is, has also stated he won’t be appearing before the committee despite the invitation Oboth extended to him. Besigye too says he won’t be subjecting him to a sham exercise and his views might be bought by other former presidential candidates, a thing that will further dent the exercise. The other likely scenario that will negatively affect M7 is when the committee goes upcountry for regional consultations. In the absence of money to solicit for good views, the public is likely to spontaneously flock these regional meetings and denounce life presidency or at worst even cause chaos there. Will Mutabazi allow all this to be broadcast live? Most likely no because allowing such will be emboldening the Togikwatako fans in other parts of Uganda. Yet to lock out the general public and turn them into closed sessions, you need to have an extremely loyal (even fearful) chairperson or cadre like Edward Sekandi or Kale Kayihura. Oboth, who used to sleep in Ofwono Opondo’s Mukono house, maybe Musevenist but too objective and independent-minded to accept such orders from State House. He is a lawyer with a lot of pride and independent mind. Unlike many Musevenists, Oboth, a former very excellent State Attorney until 2010,
    believes he still has a name to protect unlike many fellow Musevenists who don’t care anymore. To them the end will justify the means. Not so with Jacob Oboth-Oboth hence the more reason why the extremists in the M7 inner circle won’t tolerate the committee in its current composition.

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    NATIONAL

    Namibian Ambassador Kirumira Set To Face Criminal Charges As Police Bosses Floor Him In Multbillion Case…

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    Businessman Godfrey Kirumira

    Justice David Matovu the Mukono High Court judge has dismissed with costs an application filed by flamboyant city businessman Godfrey Kirumira who also doubles as the Namibian honorary consul against top police bosses and the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka.

    Kirumira filed the application arising from the main suit against Liberty ICD Limited who he accused of grabbing his kibanja situated on Kyaggwe Block 113 plot 392 Namanve in Mukono district.

    In his application, Kirumira accused police officer Anatoli Katungwesi, the Kampala East regional police commander; Erasmus Twaruhukwa, the police legal director; Edirisa Kyeyune, the Mukono district police commander; Norah Akide, the Namanve police station commander of disobeying the court order.

    In his affidavit, Kirumira accused the defendants of defying a court order stopping the surveying of the land on which his Kibanja is located.

    He also wanted Ambrose Ocol the State Attorney in the Attorney Generals chambers to be subjected to cross examination for defending the accused persons without their instructions.

    However, Ocol told court that he received instructions to represent the defendants from the Attorney General Kiwanuka.

    He insisted that the defendants allowed the surveying of the land legally which is procedural in their work and they cannot be sued individually.

    He explained that the survey was done with the guidance of Twaruhukwa who was implementing the Court Order issued by Justice David Batema in 2021.

    “Police officers cannot be sued individually because this would set a bad precedent in the country which can lead to police failing in their activities,” Mark Muwonge, another State Attorney, told the court.

    Justice Matovu agreed with the respondent and dismissed the application with costs explaining that it was filed to waste courts time.

    He set 27th November, 2023 as a date when he is going to visit the locus to ascertain the truth of the matter through interacting with neighbours to the contested land.

    He directed Kirumira’s lawyers led by Francis Ssebowa to make sure that their client is present during the ground interaction.

    According to Court documents, Kirumira claims to have bought the kibanja from Yokana Galikwoleka Mukasa who died in 1996.

    However, Liberty ICD lawyers led by Esau Isingoma of K&K Advocates claim that Kirumira acted fraudulently including directing his alleged employee a one Steven Muwongo to put his thumbprint on the sales agreement insisting that the contested agreement was signed in 2017 yet Mukasa died longtime ago.

    Kirumira is also accused of fraudulently paying only Shs1.27m as stamp duty on the contested 85 acres of land yet according to the government chief valuer, he was supposed to pay Shs573m.

    Sources at K&K Advocates intimated to theGrapevine that Kirumira’s action are criminal in nature and he is likely to face criminal charges over undervaluation of the property which is under dispute.

    However Kirumira’s lawyers were allowed to appeal against justice Matovu’s ruling at the Court of Appeal.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

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    CELEBRITY GOSSIP

    WAR AT THE MIRUNDIs: Mirundi Junior In Tears After Family Seeks Court Order To Remove Family Name From Him For Sleeping With Old Women For Money…

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    Mirundi Junior with socialite Don Zella. Inset is Tamale Mirundi

    Joseph Tamale Mirundi Junior, the controversial son to maverick senior presidential advisor on media Joseph Tamale Mirundi is in tears after his family sought for a Court Order to remove the family from him because of shaming them.

    Mirundi senior revealed that last week, he summoned his family for a meeting at his Zana home along Entebbe road to discuss what to do for his son who is disgracing the family.

    He added that among the family members that attended the meeting included; his soft spoken son John Mirundi, a lawyer practicing with the Parliament of Uganda, Winnie Mirundi, Dr. Tamale Mirundi and all his wives and children.

    He explained that before the final discussion is taken, as a chairperson of the meeting, he gave all the members time to discuss the matter after providing tangible evidence including a recorded audio and video when his son Junior was declaring himself chairperson of young of men who get married to old women for money.

    Mirundi said that his elder sons turned furious when they saw their younger brother Mirundi Junior advising fellow youths in the group to be very carefully when handling old women and to do whatever they tell them to do including; washing their knickers, massaging their private parts, exercises every time and taking man power so as to satisfy them in the bed.

    Mirundi said that in the meeting, there was fear that very soon, Junior might declare himself a homo because they (homos) have money and are ready to give it to anyone who does their will.

    Before a final decision was taken to remove their family name from Juniour, Mirundi senior took the family through the great history of the Mirundi name which they inherited from their grandfather Yowana Mirundi of Rakai district.

    Mirundi said that Yowana Mirundi was a brave man, a fighter who fought in the Second World War and was among the awarded ex-servicemen in Uganda.

    He concluded by fronting a proposal which was passed to remove the Mirundi name from Junior to teach a lesson to other young members of the family to be very careful with his father’s name.

    After the name Mirundi removed from Tamale Junior, he was renamed Tamale Sekima Junior and a resolution was taken directing John Mirundi, the lawyer son to kick off the process of getting a Court declaration removing Mirundi name from all Tamale Junior’s documents including the National Identity Card and academic papers.

    Mirundi noted that in the meeting, he assured Junior’s mother that removing his family name from his son doesn’t mean that he has disowned him.

    He told her that Junior is still his son and he loves him but what the meeting did was in the interest of protecting their family.

    He noted that he has been too patient with his son during his ventures with old women.

    He gave the scenario when he desired to sleep with celebrated singer Sheebah Kalungi, then Don Zella, then Tasha Namale who battered him and others who give him money.

     

    By Grapevine Reporter

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    MY MONEY

    NCBA Bank In Spotlight Over Fraudulent Advert With Intent To ‘Deal’ Top Lawyer’s Multi-Million-Shilling Property…

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    NCBA MD Mark Anthony (R) and a copy of Tibeingana's letter to the bank

    A city lawyer and property mogul has accused NCBA Uganda of trying to defraud him of value by selling his prime property in Kampala by employing underhand methods

    Deox Tibeingana, also a property developer, accuses NCBA Bank Uganda of trying to sell off his property by maliciously advertising the same.  He says that in doing so, they are trying to actualize a fraud.

    On Monday, September 25, 2023, the bank advertised the lawyer’s property in Mbuya for sale in the Daily Monitor, with a call to the occupants to vacate. He attached a letter from the bank granting him 30 days extension from 16th September 2023 but even before the lapse of the days given, the bank was advertising. This obviously means his efforts are now useless.

    For Tibeingana, it raised a red flag.

    “They put up a notice for ‘occupants’ to vacate property knowing that I voluntarily vacated the property under the false presumption that they (the bank) would respect common sense and sell the property by private treaty,” he says.

    Tibeingana reveals that by going ahead to advertise, NCBA bank was cementing its reputation as a financial institution that thrives on other people’s misfortune.

    Tibeingana, who had a financial obligation with the bank, said he approached the bank, when it was still being headed by Mr. Anthony Ndegwa, with proposals on how he could pay part of the loan to a tune of UGX 1 billion.  However, they were unrelenting and he flew to Nairobi at the bank’s head office where he got positive feedback.

    “In Nairobi, they accepted my proposal to sell off the Estates in Kireka to pay off the principal. However, what followed was the most unprofessional and childish display of personal vendetta from the bank. They said that since I had gone to Nairobi, they would frustrate me and refused to accept an immediate part payment of UGX 670m insisting I must pay UGX 1 billion in one lumpsum,” he says.

    Part of lawyer Tibeingana’s letter to NCBA

    According to Tibeingana, it went on for one year with interest accumulating at 36%. Eventually, after frustrating me, the Managing Director called to say he was going to sell off the property in piece meal and had buyers. They became the brokers for my properties and were negotiating with clients to pay them inducements on the side and sold all the property that way.

    Tibeingana also accuses the then MD of meeting up with his (Tibeingana’s) business rival, a notable loan shark, at a Golf Course Hotel, and devising means to frustrate him.

    “I engaged lawyers (Kyazze & Kyankaka advocates), after I got wind of the MD’s meeting with the loan shark. They put it to him that since I had constructed the apartments and had shown steps to create value and pay the bank, their scheme was bound to fail,” he says.

    He recalls that in 2020, he requested the bank to release to its lawyers the land title for plot 8A Mbuya Road so he could create condominium titles to sell the houses he had constructed and pay the bank.  They refused his request for 6 months while his account ran on penal interest.

    According to Tibeingana, the bank eventually relented but he had to first raise 10% of the agreed sum before he could get the title. After depositing UGX 250M, the title was released and the condos created.  “I was able to pay the bank UGX2.5Billion in 30 days after selling 5 of the 43 condos that were created.  Upon payment of these monies, It was another battle to get my titles released as management was “too busy” to sign all the 38 mortgage releases,” he narrates.

    Tibeingana recalls that on two separate occasions, officials from the bank approached him proposing a gentleman’s agreement to sign sham mortgage documents of UGX 3.88bn and UGX 3.97bn in a period of 3 days to fool BOU auditors. He further narrates that “…I was shocked to later learn that these too had been registered against my properties as legal charges. It was against that fact that I filed a suit to challenge the thuggery of the bank,” he says.

    He reveals that out of the UGX3.5b lent to him by the bank, he has so far paid back more than UGX7.5b, but the bank now claims they are still demanding UGX 1.6bn.

    “We reached an agreement and I vacated the building so that the bank could tour prospective buyers after they declined my offer to participate in disposal of the property. Hardly a week has passed and the bank is keeping with its culture of advertising a property under a mortgage Act, whereas the agreement was a gentleman’s deed to sell under the insolvency act by all players,” he says.

     

    By Grapevine Reporter

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