NRM Chief Whip in Parliament, Ruth Nankabirwa congratulated Gulu Municipality MP, Betty Ochan upon the appointment adding that the NRM was “happy with her appointment and will work with her to take the country forward. 

“We shall give you full support in the conduct of your office because Uganda is for us all and we need to work together,” she said. 

Govt. Chief Whip, Ruth Nankabirwa, congratulates Aol and assures her of government support as the position is provided for in the law. Nankabirwa also congratulates outgoing @LOP_UGANDA Winfred Kiiza and other MPs appointed by the Opposition #plenaryug @JacobOulanyah @Jadwong

— Parliament of Uganda (@Parliament_Ug) August 8, 2018

Ochan officially took office yesterday, August 8 replacing Kasese Woman MP, Winnie Kiiza who has served in the capacity since 2016. 

READ ALSO:

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President Museveni officiates at International Women’s Day celebrations in Dokolo. Photo Daily Monitor

President Yoweri Museveni has said that women are the base of society and, therefore, should not be marginalized.

Museveni made the remarks during the celebrations to mark International Women’s Day held at Busuubizi Core Primary Teachers’ College in Mityana district. This year’s theme is “Empowerment of Rural Women and Girls: Opportunities and Challenges.”

President Museveni said that from the very beginning, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) did not agree with the old societies’ practice of marginalizing women and went ahead to recruit them into the liberation Army even when everyone thought they would not be able to fight.

“When fighting Idi Amin in 1979, we recruited women in FRONASA but our partners did not agree with us and thought that women should be in the kitchen preparing meals for the soldiers. But in 1986, when we were totally in charge with no power sharing, we recruited them,” he said.

The President said that apart from the Army, the NRM government has also empowered women to join politics, get education and own property.

“We empowered women to join politics by creating the position of the District Woman Member of Parliament. That is why we have so many women in Parliament today,” he said.

ALSO READ: Museveni meets old friend, Dr. Pierre Perrin

He said that because of the NRM policies, women have now joined the Army yet previously they were only in the Police Force. In education, the President said that the number of girls joining university has also increased since the government introduced the 1.5 points affirmative action.

Regarding the issue of property ownership, the President said that men had monopolized property ownership and women would not inherit property but this has since then been changed.

“A girl would not inherit where she was born or where she was married but we moved very carefully in our guerilla way and said nobody should sell the marital home without the consent of the wife,” he said.

Museveni also used the event to award over 20 Police Officers with medals on Women’s Day. Internet Photo

President Museveni called upon parents to allow their daughters and widows inherit property.

“In my family, I will leave my daughters property just like my son General Muhoozi Kainerugaba will do,” he said.

He, however, cautioned women against marrying for wealth citing that wealth was not only found in marriage. He said women should be empowered so as not to be dependent on men.

“I want to appeal to the MPs here, that after dealing with roads, hospitals, schools and security in the budget, we should put more money in the wealth funds,” he said.

The President also asked Local Government officials to stop collecting taxes from low earners such as ‘muchomo’ and gonja (plantain) grillers along the roads. Collecting taxes from such people, he said, can cause you a lot of curses because those people are already poor.

President Museveni also warned men against domestic abuse. He said in his 50 years with his wife, Janet Museveni, he has never raised a hand against her.

“If you see a man beat a woman know that he is stupid and a coward. If a man wants to fight someone, he should look for a fellow man to fight with. If you beat a woman and after, wear pants that you are a man, I cannot respect you,” he said.

Mr. Museveni called upon women to report men that beat them so that they are arrested. He added that women should be empowered so as not to stay in abusive relationships because they are dependent on the men who beat them.

On the issue of crime and the recent killings of women in Entebbe and Nansana, President Museveni said that government would procure all necessary equipment to defeat the rapists, kidnappers and murderers.

“We concentrated much on defeating terrorists and rebels but we are now going to procure whatever is necessary to defeat these criminals,” he pledged.

He revealed that the security agencies have made a number of arrests in the Entebbe, Nansana and Bukomansimbi murders. He, however, expressed disappointment in the escape of some suspects arrested in Bukomansimbi for murders during Christmas time last year. He wondered why the Prisons authorities had taken the suspects to court without handcuffs, which eased their escape.

At the ceremony, Michel Sidibe, the Executive Director of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), was awarded the distinguished order of the Nile Medal for his contribution towards the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda.

Mr. Sidibe called upon the government and civil society to put women and girls at the center of all their policies, roles and strategies and to ensure zero tolerance to sexual harassment.

Other 147 medals under the categories of Nalubaale Medal, Golden Jubilee and the Special Police Award, were given out to outstanding citizens for their contribution to the country.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, thanked the NRM government for making amendments such as the creation of the District Woman MP position that has seen the percentage of female MPs in Parliament go up to 35%.

“I hope in the next elections, we shall achieve 50% representation,” she said.

Hon. Janat Mukwaya, Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, called upon government ministries to work for the empowerment of women. She said it was not only up to her Ministry to promote women empowerment but other ministries, such as that in charge of water, to ensure that women have access to water for domestic use and farming.

Minister Mukwaya also thanked President Museveni for introducing the Women Fund that she said has benefited 43,977 women, 80% of whom were from rural areas.

“If more money is out in the fund, we shall empower many more women,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of the Chairperson of the Uganda Women Council, Helen Grace Osamo, noted that the policies and laws initiated by the NRM government have uplifted the life of 76% of Uganda’s population in rural areas who are mainly women and girls.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator, Rosa Malango, applauded the government for creating enabling policies and legal environment towards women and girls. She, however, called for more action on the issue of child marriages.

The Vice President Edward Ssekandi, the Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, the Deputy Chief Justice Owiny Dollo, the Chief of the Defense Forces General David Muhoozi, the NRM deputy Secretary General Richard Todwong, MPs, heads of diplomatic missions in Uganda and a delegation of MPs from Malawi attended the celebrations.

ALSO WATCH: President Museveni Takes a Swipe at Police at Women’s Day Celebrations in Mityana

Source: State House Uganda

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Adoa beat Forum for Democratic Change’s Alice Alaso in the Febraury 18 elections to clinch the seat.

According the results by the Electoral Commission, Adoa polled 48,762 votes against Alaso’s 32,651 votes on the polling day.

Serere district returning officer, Atim Awori declared Adoa as the winner of Serere district woman member of parliament. Adoa beat Alaso with a big range of 16,111 votes.

However, Alaso logged a petition saying the elections were not free and fair and was marred by intimidation from state operatives who she said tortured her supporters.

While speaking to the media, Alice Alaso, the FDC vice president for Eastern Uganda, explained that the loss of the FDC at parliamentary level was not due to FDC’s waning support but the resistance it faced from the state machinery.

“Our supporters were tortured, beaten and killed by the state institutions including the military and police. This was done where the use of money could not work,” said Alaso, who lost the Serere Woman MP seat to NRM’s Hellen Adoa.

Alaso narrated that what the opposition was up against in Teso sub-region, for instance, was not just the ruling party but a combined force of the state machinery.

“When the campaigns started, there was a whole battalion of the army that was deployed here. But, a week to the end of the campaigns, another contingent was sent in. This army did not only intimidate our supporters, but they physically tortured opposition supporters,” she said.

Alaso added that her supporter Dennis Eyoru was killed on the eve to the election, and also spoke of pre-ticked ballots.

“We have evidence of a car from the ministry of gender that carried the pre-ticked ballots. This car moved with boxes of pre-ticked ballots and we could not do much as people. We raised alarm to the electoral commission but no one came to our help,” she said.

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Electoral Commission Chairman Badru Kiggundu.

The electoral commission has issued a warning against fraudsters whom they say use the name of the body to mislead the unsuspecting members of the public especially on the on-going nullification of results for Members of Parliament by  Courts.

In a press release to journalists, the acting EC Chairperson, Dr. Joseph Biribonwa said they had received reports of a one Moses Kanaruchiko whom he said had been masquerading as an ‘Inspector of Elections’ to fleece unsuspecting members of the public.

“We do not have any staff in the names of Moses Kanaruchiko on our team. Furthermore, the position of ‘Inspector of Elections’ does not exist in the Electoral Commission structure and Kanaruchiko’s business card is a forgery, which has been designed to take advantage of unsuspecting members of the public,” the notice signed by Dr.Joseph N.Biribonwa, the acting Chairperson, Electoral Commission.

Recent months have seen Courts throw out a number of MPs a majority from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) for mostly having insufficient academic papers and failure to adhere to electoral guidelines by some candidates among the outstanding issues.

There has also been a public debate on the criteria the National Resistance Movement Electoral Commission together with the National Council of High Education (NCHE) used to verify academic papers for MP candidates whom Courts later found to be lucking the minimum A ‘Level Certificate as a prerequisite for vying as an MP.

This situation has in most cases caused friction with the NRM Electoral Commission and the NCHE with each denying responsibility for the mess.

Biribonwa warned the public not to deal with fraudsters like Kanaruchiko without ascertaining whether they are indeed officers of the commission.

Kanarachiko has since been arrested and a file opened against him at Jinja road police station under reference number; 97/11/07/2016

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Melyvn Lorenzen, Werderbremen striker has not yet decided his commitment with Uganda

The 21-year-old will not feature in Africa Cup of Nations qualification match when Botswana will take over Uganda Cranes on Saturday June 4, 2016.

“Decision time [for Lorenzen] will be after the match against Botswana,” Uganda FA communications manager Ahmed Hussein said.

He impressed for Uganda Cranes in a 2-0 defeat friendly match played with Zimbabwe  at Rufaro stadium in Harare on Tuesday.

Lorenzen was born in London and qualifies to play for both Uganda and German through his father and mother respectively.

Uganda coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic praised the contribution Lorenzen had made during his time with the squad.

“We shall definitely miss the extra impetus he would have brought to the team as we saw in the friendly match against Zimbabwe,” the coach said.

“So for now we shall concentrate on the able players we have in the team to accomplish our mission.”

The coach will be worried about the fitness of striker Faruku Miya, who plays in Belgium for Standard Liege, after he missed the loss to Zimbabwe with concussion.

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The match was played in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations qualification match with Botswana scheduled June 4th 2016.

A brace from Tennage Hadebe in the first half  gave the Harare stars more confidence ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualification match with Malawi while pondering Crane’s chances ahead of Botswana.

Melvyn Lorenzen was given his debut chance to shine in Uganda Cranes jersey and was very impressive.

Cranes will continue with their preparation in Zimbabwe before traveling to Botswana on June 3rd 2016.

The Cranes first eleven that took part in the game include; Robert Ondongkara (GK), Denis Iguma, Godfrey Walsuimbi, Isaac Isinde, Murusgid Juuko, Hassan Wasswa, Luwagga Kizito, Yassar Mugerwa, Geoffrey Massa (Capt), Lorenzen Melvyn, Emmanuel Okwi

Substitutes;Denis Onyango, Joseph Ochaya, Aucho Khalid, Tony Mawejje, Edris Lubega, Erisa Sekisambu and Davis Kasirye.

Meanwhile, at Moi Sports Centre Kasarani in Kenya, the visitors Sudan held ten-man Kenya to a 1-1 draw after  second half substitute Francis Kahata was sent off for a second bookable offense on the 90th minute.

Nazar Hamid put  Sudan in the lead twenty four minutes into the game against a run of play, a scoreline which stood into the interval.

However, the Harambee Stars showed resilience and equalised in stoppage time through Mandela header from Victor Ali Abondo free-kick.

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On the former Tooro Prime Minister John Katuramu,he can only be pardoned if his family reconciles with that of Prince Happy Kijanangoma.

— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) January 19, 2016

Museveni’s comments came after the locals asked him to release Katuramu but he said he is in touch with Katuramu’s wife whom he advised to reconcile with the family of the late.

Museveni also granted a city status to Fort portal after they finally agreed with neighboring villages to be incorporated into the municipality in order to raise the required number of 300,000. He says the deal had failed to take off because the municipality lacked the required number hence the need for negotiations with neighbors in order to get the number.

On the question of Fort Portal city, I will support this if those pushing for it incorporate surrounding villages. pic.twitter.com/MfOxAfn6gy

— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) January 19, 2016

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Museveni on the campaign trail

Meantime at the first rally held at Namugongo Primary school playground in Bwamba county Bundibujo district Museveni told the people of Bwamba that much has been done in this place but what is remaining on the side of governmemt is to construct Lamya road Bridge connecting to Congo and the Bridge connecting Semuliki to Congo.

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