KAKIRA SUGAR BAGGING

A war of rivalry in the sugar industry is taking a new twist with counter accusations against each other on the decline in production which they say  is leading to the resultant current high prices for sugar in the country.

The new players have pointed fingers to the old sugar players in the industry whom they says harvesting pre-mature canes which they say is a major cause for high sugar prices.

During a Monday meeting with Parliamentarians, members for either side were who appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism and Trade, Chaired by Ruhunda Alex, the Fort Portal Municipality MP  gave their views to the committee on the proposed sugar bill 2016.

A group of small sugar millers like Mayuge sugar factory, GM sugar factory, Kamuli sugar factory told the committee that the old or the bigger sugar cane millers are the problem to the sugar industry of this country.

According to the Mayuge sugar factory executive director, Patel Majhan, who submitted view on the behalf of the small or new sugar cane millers said the big players fear competition and instead want to tarnish their names.

“The bigger players in the sugar industry fear competition and because of that they buy premature canes from the outside growers before the smaller players go for them just because for them as small sugar cane millers they only buy sugar canes who are mature which are 18 months and above,” Patel to the committee.

The secretary of the millers association of sugar cane, Milan Dobariya, noted that the drought also affected the sugar industry just as it did with other commodities and says their coming into practice has not in any affected sugar production like it was believed by some of the MPs.

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Executive Director, the Land and Equity Movement in Uganda, Judy Adokoa

The Land and Equity Movement in Uganda which is involved in land rights and reforms has asked MPs to advocate for the withdraw of the proposed bill that seeks for an amendment to article 26 of the constitution  to provide for compulsory acquisition of land for government development projects.

The Executive Director, the Land and Equity Movement in Uganda, Judy Adoko, says that government should first amend the land Acquisition Act of 1965 so as that it is in  line with Article 26 of the constitution.

While addressing MPs during a workshop last week on customary land tenure system held at parliament , Adoko argued that by government proposing that the disputed compensation money be deposited in court I would be changing the purpose of court from that of deciding on disputes to that of a bank.

She said that the proposed amendment of article 26 of the constitution should not confuse functions of the institutions but put them to their intended use.

She added that the amendment is pushed to make easy for government to take the affected persons land.

The Woman Member of Parliament for Nwoya district, Lilly Adong, says that government should first ensure the people on customary land ownership get land registration certificates protecting their land before causing more land law amendments.

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Jennifer Musisi the Executive Director, KCCA

Kampala Capital City Authority  and the Solicitor General’s office are at loggerheads over the payment of property tax by educational institutions endowed by government.

An interpretation by the Solicitor General in September last year of the local governments rating act 2005 established that institutions that receive endowments from the government are exempted from paying tax..

This is an opinion that officials from KCCA have sharply criticized arguing that grants from the government are not endowments, the Executive Director, Jennifer Musisi asserts that these institutions make money from tuition and use city services making them liable to pay tax for these services.

The matter came to light when the officials appeared before the Committee of Statutory Authority and State Enterprises (COSASE) to respond to queries in auditor general’s report for the year 2013/14.

The report notes that city revenue amounting to 63.2 billion shs remained uncollected, this figure rose to 77bn shs the next year.

The city authority officials highlighted the challenges they face in collecting revenue and interventions they are putting in place to increase revenue collections.

Musisi expressed her disapproval of the solicitor general’s opinion.

Musisi also requested for an amendment to the law with regard to exempting properties in the city that are occupied by their owners. She argued that the law should be reviewed such that the rates are scaled in a progressive manner.

KCCA has always raised concerns about this law since owners of residential dodge payment of rates by claiming that they live in the houses and yet they rent them out.

She pointed an accusing finger at the affluent neighborhoods that she claims are not contributing any revenue to the city coffers.

MPs took exception to the fact that the government waived payment of property rate arrears in the FY 2015/2016 by government institutions and yet this money is appropriated.

The Committee Chairperson, Abdu Katuntu, was particularly displeased with this revelation.

He has requested for a list of defaulters of property rates to be presented tomorrow.

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Sarah Opendi, State Minister In-Charge of Primary Health Care.

In a bid to promote local pharmaceuticals from imported drugs, the government of Uganda through the health ministry yesterday announced a 10% increase from 2% to now 12% on the verification fees charged on imported drugs.

Addressing a news conference on Monday  in Kampala, the State Minister for Health In-Charge of General Duties, Sarah Opendi, said  Uganda has been importing 37 drugs which are also locally manufactured by drug companies here and that this has made it very difficult for the local companies to thrive hence the increment in the levies.

Among the drugs affected by the new guideline, include; Amoxline, Albendazole, Dextrose, Paracentamole, Orals among others with the selection made following the ministry of health and National Drug Authority’s (NDA) assessment of domestic manufacturers’ capacity to sufficiently meet the demands for the 37 selected medicines.

However, the Executive Director, NDA Dr. Donna Kusemererwa, says that the new guideline will see the country’s health sector increase procurement of locally manufactured drugs from 20% to over 83% annually.

Government has also assured the general public to fully trust the locally manufactured drugs saying they also provide the same treatment just like those imported from India, Germany, UK and the USA.

Skeptics have however, questioned the manner quality will be assured in addition to pricing of the drugs.

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executive director, Private Sector Foundation Uganda, Gideon Badagawa

The executive director, Private Sector Foundation Uganda, Gideon Badagawa has decried the high certification fees for goods saying this has kept many new businesses off operation and now demands that government reduces on the fees so as to attract more businesses for the certification process.

Speaking at the opening of the annual trade facilitation expo recently at Lugogo, Badagwa mentions that the private sector carries the biggest national employment percentage standing at over 60% and if such huddles still exist in their way then they will not start up which will be reflected in low employment opportunities created for Ugandans leaving the country suffering with a high unemployment rate.

He further points out the decreasing markets where local products have been moving as now South Sudan among other markets have closed yet the local market cannot swallow the products produced.

However, the state minister for trade industry and cooperatives, Mike Werikhe says the ministry has set up a special desk to handle issues raised by SMEs with the aim of stimulating small businesses for sustainability.

The trade expo is geared at exposing SMEs to more business opportunities as well as creating business linkage with others.

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The Executive Director, Enterprise Uganda, Charles Ochichi reveals that they are soon unveiling a new product that will see 200 young micro entrepreneurs trained in better business management with Ochichi saying this is intended to grow the country’s entrepreneurship base to scale down unemployment.

According to the Director, there are criteria one has to follow before he or she is taken on for the training and among them is being a youth who has started business for not less than two years and banks with Stanbic bank. Ochichi also strongly warns young entrepreneurs to always mind about tapping into their funds to have better longevity of their businesses.

Presenting a paper on tapping into business success in Kampala, Ochichi attributes the continued collapse of Ugandan business to failure by the proprietors to look back and reflect on the steps that moved  their businesses to great heights which most of the time puts them and their businesses at cross roads.

Ochichi continues to advise young entrepreneurs to desist from ignoring certain classes of people noting that this is an avenue of locking out useful advise which sometimes grows business and also asks them to always have a continued learning culture.

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Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA) president, Betty Olive Kamya has warned Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago of interfering with Kampala Executive director, Jennifer Musisi’s work inKampala.

Kamya who is also the former MP for Lubaga North says that Lukwago should leave Musisi to do her work as he does his because the people of Kampala want services but not wars between Musisi and Lukwago.

She says that Lukwago and Musisi have better chance to improveKampalaif they work together. Kamya says that power struggles would ruin the city andUgandaat large.

Kamya further accuses Lukwago of inciting violence amongst taxi operators and UTODA saying such acts don’t portray him as a good leader.

However Lukwago says he criticises the manner in which KCCA and Ms Musisi as a person conducts KCCA activities. The Lord Mayor says that Musisi conducts duties meant to be executed by the lord mayor without the consent of the Lord Mayor.

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 The Lord Mayor of Kampala, Erias Lukwago earns 16.7 million shillings while his deputy earns 11 million shillings.

The chairpersons of Kampala divisions/Division Mayors receive 10.7 million shillings each and their deputies get 8.2 million shillings. Kampala district councilors receive 4.45 million shillings and the division councilors get 3.5 million shillings.

The least paid staff member in Kampala district earns 1.8 million shillings according to the new salary structure and that person is a messenger.

Ultimate Media

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Pastor Mulinde is currently being treated in Israeli after an acid attack on his face and back. Mulinde, 38, went to Israel on Jan. 5. Pastor Haruna Male of Gospel Life Church International says that Mulinde will be discharged in March.

To travel to Israel Mulinde got financial and logistical help from Jerusalem Online University Executive Director Andrea Gottlieb of Philadelphia.

Pastor Mulinde was attacked with Acid on Dec 24th outside Gospel Life Church international on Entebbe road.

Mulinde claims that his attackers shouted “Allah Akbar” (God is great) after pouring acid on him. He believes that he was attacked by Muslims.

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 The Executive Director of KCCA, Ms Jenifer Musisi says that the authority wants the traffic light in the city to be functioning. She says this will end cases of theft in the city due to darkness. She was speaking to KCCA Councilors inKampalatoday evening.

 Ms Musisi says that when the traffic lights are functioning that means good flow of traffic at night. She says that installing the street lights will kick off soon.

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