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Lassa Fever Outbreak in Nigeria, 29 Dead

Miiro Allan — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 08:51:40 +0000

An outbreak of Lassa fever has been confirmed in Nigeria, 29 killed and 195 cases of the disease.

According to the Nigerian authorities, a national emergency operations centre had been activated to coordinate the response “to the increasing number of Lassa fever cases” across the country

Lassa fever is endemic to the West African country and its name comes from the town of Lassa in northern Nigeria where it was first identified in 1969.

Previously, cases of the disease have been reported in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo and Benin – where it killed at least 9 people in 2016.

A map showing West African country.courtesy photo

Lassa fever

Lassa fever, also known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF), is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus.

Symptoms for Lassa fever

Fever
Weakness
Headaches
Vomiting
Muscle pains

Prevention measures WHO

Avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons.
Discourage rodents from entering homes such rats
Disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households

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Kitatta’s lawyer, Muyanja expelled from court over misconduct

Agnes Tumuheire — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 08:08:51 +0000

City lawyer Jimmy Muyanja, one of former Boda Boda 2010 leader Abdallah Kitatta representative lawyers,was ordered out by General Court Martial chairman, Lt Gen Andrew Gutti, for alleged misconduct during the trial proceedings.

Disaster bloke loose when Muyanja stood up and banged the table, accusing prosecutor Maj Raphael Mugisha of gesturing to a witness, Pte Richard Kasaija, during a cross-examination.

“My lord, the prosecutor is here signalling answers…” he shouted while banging the table saying “it is unacceptable.”

Abdallah Kitatta (in yellow T-shirt) and lawyer Jimmy Muyanja at the General Court Martial in Makindye yesterday. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA.

The behavior irritated the court martial who reacted by dispensing the lawyer telling him not to return for future hearings.

“Are you silly? Whom are you banging tables for….get out. Military Police should escort this man, never come back to my court,” Lt Gen Gutti rumbled.

Still raged, Lt Gen Gutti shorn-off Mr Kitatta’s application to present CCTV footage to disproof Pte Kasaija’s that the accused possessed a gun and military supplies.

Lt Gen Andrew Gutti: Internet photo

Pte Kasaija, attached to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), testified that Mr Kitatta was found in possession of a pistol with five bullets and military uniforms at the time of his arrest while the latter’s co-accused persons were found with an SMG rifle with 20 bullets, machetes, iron bars, military uniforms and sticks, which they held while planning to carry out a demonstration.

Mr Kitatta has been on remand in military prison since February. He is jointly charged with 12 others, including Mr John Ssebandeke, a crime preventer from Nabweru in Wakiso District over alleged unlawful possession of firearms.

Mr Kitatta and his co-accused will stay on remand until September 10 to enable prosecution present the second witness.

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Police rescues two children from kidnappers in Kireka

Herman Nnyanzi — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 09:18:51 +0000

Kampala Police have interrupted a vehicle and rescued two children from suspected kidnappers who had asked for three million Uganda shillings payoff from the parents. According to the children, suspects tricked them into moving with them to buy some cakes and later disappeared with them without the approval of the parents.

The father Hajji Musa Muliika yesterday 5th August 2018 at 8am reported to Bweyogerere Police Station a case of kidnap of his two children namely; Nakula Muliika Rahma and Muliika Diin Tajudiin from their home in Kigandazi Zone – Bweyogerere after failing to trace them.

The police trackers located the calls made by the suspects to Lugazi as they kept asking for the three million Uganda shillings payoff to discharge the children. On realising that police was closing down on them, the suspects drove the children back to Kireka and were seized in a vehicle Toyota Hiace registration number UBB 724M.

Toyota Hiace vehicle which was used by the kidnappers

The children were found in good health and have been re-united with their parents.

The two suspects whose names have been withheld upon questioning claimed that they had no intention of harming the young girls but rather to get money in form of payment from the parents.

The OC. Bweyogerere ASP. Mike Mugabe said the suspects who are facing kidnap related charged have currently been transfered to Kira Division Police Station to help police with investigations before being arraigned in court and the vehicle suspected to have been used in commission of the crime has been impounded.

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Sugarcane growers petition Parliament over tax

Herman Nnyanzi — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 10:27:16 +0000

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has promised to mediate between the ministers for trade, agriculture and finance and sugarcane growers in a bid to seek a long lasting solution to problems in the sugarcane industry.
The Speaker gave this assurance while receiving a petition from the Uganda National Association of Sugarcane Growers who are seeking exemption from paying one per cent withholding tax provided for in the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga addressing the sugarcane outgrowers led by Kilak North MP Anthony Akol (L) at Parliament

Represented by Isa Budhugo, the Chairman Busoga Sugarcane Growers Association, the petitioners said the tax on the gross amount of payment of sugarcane in excess of shs1 million as prescribed in the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2018 was unfair.
“If the withholding tax is meant to be charged on profit, and we are not getting profit, then it becomes irrelevant. The price was deliberately reduced by millers to shs100,000 and now there is no profit,” said Budhugo.
The petitioners called on Government to bring sugarcane farmers and millers together in a bid to establish a fair sugarcane pricing formula or factors that ought to determine sugarcane prices.
“Such factors should at the minimum enable farmers to cover the cost of growing, harvesting and ferrying of the cane to the factory and their profits,” the petition read in part.
Dr. Ibrahim Micheal Okumu, an Economist and sugarcane grower, noted that the costs incurred by a sugarcane out-grower from the production process to the mill wasn’t reflected in price determination, hence losses for the farmer.
“The regulatory framework must be clear and speak to what kind of costings ought to be captured on the price determination framework,” said Dr. Okumu.

Some of the sugarcane growers discussing

The petitioners noted that the Withholding Tax had been introduced in the Bill without involving sugarcane growers, “… yet Members of Parliament from sugarcane growing areas had not enlightened their constituents about the tax,” said Budhugo.
The Speaker called on the petitioners to exercise patience as an appointment is sought for them to express their concerns to the line ministries concerned.
“I will get to the Prime Minister and the three ministers, agree on a date and let you know when to meet them so that you can tell them this yourselves,” said Kadaga.
On withholding of tax on payments for agricultural supplies, the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2018 proposes that a person who makes a gross payment for agricultural supplies in excess of shs1 million shall withhold tax on the gross amount of the payment at the rate of one percent, if the payer is designated by the Minister to withhold tax.

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Social media tax here to stay, government

Agnes Tumuheire — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 08:11:51 +0000

The cabinet of Uganda has agreed to retain the taxes that were imposed on social media and mobile money and only a revision in the latter will be considered.

Socila media graphic -Internet Photo

According to the Uganda minister of information and communication technology, Frank Tumwebaze, the mobile money tax is to be reduced from 1 to 0.5 percent charged on only withdrawals but the 200 shillings daily tax levied on social media users per day will not be tampered with.

However, the mobile money tax will not apply to utility transfers like paying water, electricity and school fees and the Over The Top (OTT) tax will be charged on social platforms like Whatsapp, Facebook, and Twitter but not on emails and google searches.

Several demonstrations were staged by the public and various activists across Uganda especially in the Kampala capital to show dissatisfaction towards the tax.

On July 7, 2018, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobiwine launched a campaign dubbed “This tax must go” and he called upon all Ugandans to stand together in the bid to scrap off the tax. Unfortunately, the arrests that ensued maybe fruitless due to the cabinent’s decision.

David Bahati, Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development put forth that government’s target is to collect an annual amount of about 32 million U.S. dollars from the 10 million social media users in Uganda.

“We want to get more options so that you can pay the social media tax quarterly or annually instead of the daily, weekly and monthly subscriptions,” Bahati said (The Observer, July 17, 2018).

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Government should advance review of mobile money, social media tax – Kadaga

Herman Nnyanzi — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 05:50:29 +0000

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has urged government to move expeditiously and present amendments to the recently passed Excise Duty (Amendment) Act that introduces taxes on mobile money transactions and social media.
“This bill was passed into law so it should not be handled lightly. There is urgent need to harmonize the existing law as it was passed, along with current demands,” Kadaga said.
The Speaker said this during a plenary sitting on Thursday, 12 July 2018, following the Prime Minister’s commitment to introduce an amendment to the Excise Duty (Amendment) Act 2018.
Quoting Rule 118 of the Rules of Procedure, the Speaker said that an urgent bill may be introduced to the House with publication.
“Where the House determines that a bill is urgent, it may be introduced and copies distributed to Members and taken through all its stages in a day,” she added.

Rebecca Kadaga, has urged government to rush review of mobile money and social media tax

Kadaga also stated that, “alternatively, a private member may introduce an amendment bill for this purpose”. She however, noted that private members’ bills face challenges of certificates of financial implication, instead, she advised, the Prime Minister and Cabinet could move the amendments.
“We don’t have capacity to intervene in any amendment for now, apart from waiting,” said the Speaker.
Hon. Paul Mwiru (FDC, Jinja East Municipality) raised concern on the one per cent charge on mobile money deposits that was executed by telecom companies following the implementation of the new law, of which deduction had not been accounted for in the amended law.
“URA later clarified that they were not supposed to make that deduction, but the telecom companies had already collected this money from the public,” Hon. Mwiru said.
Kadaga asked MPs to wait for the bill before they can debate the matter, saying all matters raised in relation to it would be discussed in context of the bill upon being brought to Parliament.
The Excise Duty (Amendment) Act 2018 that took effect on July 1 2018, imposed a one percent tax on mobile money transactions, as well as a daily shs200 payment to access Over The Top (OTT) platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram among others.

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Parliament won’t interfere in mobile money and social media taxes – Kadaga

Agencies — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 17:47:01 +0000

By Imran Bataliwo

The Speaker of parliament Hon. Rebecca Kadaga has ruled that the house will not interfere with mobile money and social media taxes.

Rebecca Kadaga was expected to comment on whether the August house could put on hold and act after government rejected demands from the MPs to suspend the implementation of the excise duty amendment act of 2018 that introduced the controversial taxes on social media platforms and mobile money transactions.

The Speaker of the Parliament Hon. Rebecca Kadaga

She rather told the MPs that once a bill has been passed as a law, it can only be changed through an amendment but not a mere directive. Kadaga further noted that whereas there is public outcry the government should be allowed to make adjustments through the proposed review.

The Speaker also asked government to expeduct the process of amendment or a private members bill will be cleared for discussion.

Meanwhile members of parliament including Medard Lubega Seggona (Busiro East), Paul Mwiru (Jinja municipality) want the government to revert the money that was collected from mobile money deposits.

Government to review social media and Mobile Money taxes

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I have decided to protect the Members of Parliament, said Museveni

Agencies — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 16:46:16 +0000

By Ruth Sierra

Yoweri Museveni the President of Uganda has ordered deployment of army sharp shooters and the purchase of escort cars for MPs’ protection in his letter to Minister of Finance Matia Kasaijja.

This came in shortly after Members of Parliament raised concerns over threats of insecurity particularly, a concern raised by Gulu municipality MP, Hon. Lyandro Komakech during the sitting on Wednesday, 11 July 2018. “There have been messages on social media threatening that on the 17th of this month, there is going to be an attack,” Hon. Komakech said.

Hon. Komakech told Ministry of Defence to present a statement on the state of security in the country

“The Members of Parliament have been singled out for intimidation and possibly attack also. I have, therefore, decided to protect the Members of Parliament,” said Museveni. This seems like a response to assassinations of high profile individuals, the recent one being Arua municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga.

It should be noted that alternative measures such as installation of the CCTV cameras, registering of sim cards using national IDs among others were sighted in order to curb crime. These measures were introduced after the assassination of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, Sheik Maj. Mohammed and other Muslim sheiks.

Museveni also noted that, “The Members of Parliament already have some Police guards. Those will stay with them. I will, however, add two other elements: the sharp shooters of the army and follow up pickup trucks.” He concluded by telling Minister of Finance, “Act fast. I thank you and I expect speed.”

Museveni said the UPDF sharp-shooters will get personal body armor and helmets that are bullet proof.

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Government to review social media and Mobile Money taxes

Agencies — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 10:40:05 +0000

By Ruth Sierra

A new amendment of the excise duty tax bill on taxes imposed on both social and mobile money is due next week in parliament following protests from the public as tear gas and live bullets rocked Kampala.

Journalists, artists, business men, students and other activists raided the streets of Kampala yesterday dressed in red protesting against the taxes imposed on social media and mobile money amidst live bullets and teargas from the police.

Hon Robert Kyagulanyi, leads activists during a demonstration against new taxes

These taxes which were imposed effective 1^st July have been always criticized by the public. The concerns were followed by a release of a statement from President Museveni which he shared via social media in which he said, “The 1% was a miscommunication. The actual figure was 0.5%, half of one percent.” This was to apply on mobile money taxes. He rather referred to social media as a “luxury.”

Prime Minister Rugunda told parliament that government’s decision will be communicated in 7 days. File photo

The demonstration was followed by, a session of the parliament which resumed from its 3 weeks recess period. The Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda announced plans by government to propose an amendment to the Excise Duty (Amendment) Act 2018, “Government is now reviewing the taxes, taking into account the concern of the public,” said Rugunda.

Speaker Kadagga directed Finance Minister Matia Kasaija to apologize to parliament as he was reluctant to consider business from his Ministry. The speaker also tasked the Prime Minister to explain whether Ugandans will keep paying the taxes during the 7 days period.

MP Cecilia Ogwal inquired about the money that had been; “May we know where the money is being kept and how much has been collected so far…you must return the money that has been collected from the people,” Other MPs like Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi want the entire act to be scrapped off.

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Bobi Wine beats police intellligence in yet another round

Agencies — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 05:49:31 +0000

By Atugonza Jeff

As earlier stated on social media, Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu also known as Bobi Wine managed to accomplish his word as it came to pass today morning. Bobi and a group of other people stormed the city and began their protests against the recent Social Media tax and the Mobile Money tax that had made almost every Ugandan at least understand a pinch on what this times financial budget was all about.

The demonstration started from Mini Price heading to the Parliament as demonstrators moved in a Cain format to keep them solid from any destructions.

Bobi Wine joined by other activists in Kampala on July 11, 2018 in Kampala during a demonstration to protest a controversial tax on the use of social media.

However, as they approached the City Square, they were invaded by the police which could not allow the demonstrations to continue towards the parliament. They started rioting with the police and teargas with live bullets immediately filled the air. All this was happening as the police tried to pull Bobi to their ‘Kabagali.’

Bobi Wine (C) Kataaha (L) and A pass (R) during the match this morning

Nonetheless, this did not stop the people from flexing with police as they tried to save their MP and within a few minutes, ‘People Power’ manged to overwhelm the police and the Ghetto President was smuggled to one of the nearby building however it didn’t stop the police from the hunt. They managed to enter the building and continued with the search and people immediately tipped Bobi and quickly he disappeared.

Later on, the police got to know that Bobi Wine’s next stop was at parliament as he was being interviewed by some of the journalists on exactly what was going on.

The failed search again scorned police as they now plan to write a letter to the Speaker of Parliament demanding for the arrest of one of her members for further questioning.

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