Author: Admin
By Chipo Brenda The newly inaugurated fifth Pharmacy Board of Uganda will continue its crucial role under the Pharmacy and Drug Act of 1971. Led by newly appointed Chair Dr. Henry Mwebesa, who also serves as the Director General of Health Services, the board regulates pharmaceutical practices and manages medicines. The members, including Dr. Mwebesa, were sworn in for a three-year term, with the oath administered by His Worship Ayebare Tumwebaze. During the ceremony at the Ministry of Health, Tumwebaze highlighted the oath’s significance as both a legal and moral commitment. He emphasized that it requires members to perform their…
By Chipo Brenda The U.S. Mission in Uganda, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has delivered over 5,000 MPOX testing reagents to help curb the spread of the virus in the country. The consignment was presented by U.S. Ambassador to Uganda, William W. Popp, as part of efforts to prevent the further spread of MPOX. “This is one of the larger initiatives by the U.S. to help track MPOX and prevent it from becoming widespread in various regions,” Ambassador Popp explained. The donation is aimed at supporting the Ugandan Ministry of Health, particularly in areas at higher…
By Kajjubi Fred SEATIN has urged EALA to enact policies safeguarding indigenous seeds from extinction, threatened by industrial seeds. Addressing the EALA Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources Committee, they emphasized GMOs’ inability to withstand climate change, advocating for government support in developing resilient indigenous seeds. Members of civil society organizations, led by the Southern and Eastern Africa Trade and Negotiations Institute (SEATIN), appeared before the East African Legislative Assembly’s (EALA) Agriculture, Tourism, and Natural Resources committee on Monday. They urged the committee to take immediate action to safeguard indigenous seeds, which are facing extinction due to the proliferation of industrial…
Wakiso Woman Representative Betty Naluyima has called on the leadership of Uganda Parliamentary Women Association (UWOPA) to actively engage all Members of Parliament, local leaders and the communities on roles of the Marriage Bill 2024 in order to protect the marriage and family institution. The Marriage Bill recently tabled before parliament emphasizes equal property rights,protection of minors and provides for recognized marriages in the country. Speaking during a training session for journalists on the provisions of the bill in Kampala organized by (UW0PA) in partnership with Stand for Her land Campaign—a global initiativ , Naluyima also UWOPA Member expressed her…
By Julius Adiga Uganda’s Parliament has dismissed accusations that Speaker Anita Among made tribal comments against the Baganda during Thursday’s heated debate on the National Coffee Amendment Bill 2024. According to Mr. Chris Obore, Director of Communication and Public Affairs, a video circulating online shows the Speaker consulting with the Clerk at the microphone during the debate. However, Obore claims that the video does not capture the full context of Speaker Among’s remarks, and some individuals are misinterpreting her words. During the debate, some MPs argued that the National Coffee Amendment Bill 2024 was an attempt by the government to…
Madi-Okollo MP Joanne Okia backs UCDA dissolution, citing benefits for coffee cultivation Madi-Okollo Woman MP Joanne Okia (NRM) has voiced her support for the dissolution of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA). The National Coffee (Amendment) Bill 2024 aims to abolish the UCDA and integrate its functions into the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (MAAIF). Despite controversy surrounding the decision, with some Buganda MPs alleging it seeks to economically undermine their region, Okia dismissed these claims in an interview. “The question of why the people of Northern Uganda are not supportive of the rationalization of UCDA doesn’t arise…
Parliament has rejected the National Tribunal Bill, 2024, which sought to establish a single tribunal and dissolve various existing tribunals, including the Tax Appeals Tribunal and the Electricity Disputes Tribunal. The rejection was primarily based on concerns that the bill contravenes Article 152 (3) of the Constitution. During the plenary session on October 24, 2024, the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs presented its report, followed by a minority report highlighting constitutional ramifications. Hon. Jonathan Odur (UPC, Erute South) emphasized the importance of the Tax Appeals Tribunal as a constitutionally protected entity, arguing that the framers of the 1995 Constitution…
Parliament Approves Bill to Integrate National Forestry Authority into Ministry of Water and Environment for Improved Efficiency and Cost Savings Parliament has approved the National Forestry and Tree Planting (Amendment) Bill, 2024, to integrate the National Forestry Authority (NFA) into the Ministry of Water and Environment. This move, highlighted by Minister Hon. Beatrice Anywar, aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plan III, focusing on efficiency and resource optimization. The Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Geoffrey Feta, MP Feta Geoffrey said rationalizing the National Forestry Authority will save government Shs22 billion in Financial Year 2024/25, and…
By Julius Adiga The government has issued a strong warning to money lenders, urging them to stop accepting national identity cards as collateral for loans. This warning was conveyed to Parliament by the Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi. In his statement, Muhoozi condemned the practice as “deplorable” and emphasized that it must be halted immediately. He explained that confiscating national identity cards as security for loans violates the dignity of citizens and undermines the intended use of these important documents. “The Government of Uganda is fully committed to protecting the rights and dignity of our citizens…
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has withdrawn the Uganda National Kiswahili Bill, 2023 paving way for the Ministry of Education and Sports to re-table the proposed law. The Minister of State for Gender and Culture, Hon. Peace Mutuuzo, subsequently, withdrew the Bill during plenary sitting on Tuesday, 22 October 2024. “In yesterday’s meeting, Cabinet reconsidered its earlier position on hosting the Bill from the Ministry of Gender to the Ministry of Education,” Mutuuzo said. Speaker, Anita Among, referred the Bill to the education ministry. On 17 October 2024, the Minister of State for Education and Sports (Sports), Hon.…
By Dominic Ochola The Government has signed a Supply and Purchase Agreement with Global Gases Group to establish a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage facility and cylinder manufacturing and filling plants. The facility, set to be constructed in Luzira by 2026, aims to boost LPG usage across the country. It will produce 500,000 cylinders of various sizes (3 kg, 6 kg, and 12 kg) annually for Ugandan consumers and an additional 2 million cylinders for the East African Community market over the next 20 years. Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, stated…
By Goloba Richard The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Thomas Tayebwa has reaffirmed Parliament’s resolve and commitment to continuously support the vision of His Excellency President Museveni of transformation of Uganda, through industrialization, but mostly on value addition on Uganda’s raw materials like Iron ore, coffee, milk, maize, etc. He was speaking during a series of engagements on his oversight tour of Tembo Steel and Sino Uganda Mbale Industrial Park on Friday with some Members of Parliament, at Tembo Steel, he discovered that they use 100% iron ore from Muko in Kigezi sub-region, which was recently declared to be…
By Goloba Richard The Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Anita Annet Among has wooed United States citizens to come and invest in Uganda, this was during a meeting with the leadership of Global Impact Leadership Alliance (GILA) headed by the CEO Dr. Larita Rice Barnes and Bishop Juard Barnes who were in the country on the invitation of Parliament for the 26th National Prayer Breakfast, which was held on Tuesday. Dr. Larita Rice and Bishop Juard Barnes were keynote speakers during the youth conference held in Entebbe last weekend as part of the prayer breakfast. Speaker Among welcomed their plans…
The periodic operation Shujaa review meeting sitting at the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces Mountain Division headquarters in Muhoti Fort Portal City has closed after two days of intense deliberations. The meeting that was opened on Monday 30th September 2024 by the Commander Land Force Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga attracted commanders from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) led by Maj Gen Nyembo Abdallah Bath and Maj Gen Bruno Mandevu. Lt Gen Kayanja thanked the two Heads of state, His Excellencies Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni President of the Republic of Uganda, and His Excellency Felix Thsilombo Tshisekedi…
By Bbale Nickson A team of Members of the Parliament on Science, Technology and Innovation Committee led by Chair Alex Niyonsaba and Deputy Chair Dr. Asiimwe Florence Akiiki visited one of the Projects in Mbarara that benefitted from the Innovation Fund. The Project is entitled Cassava Starch Extraction Machine ( CASEM). While this project is relevant to Uganda, especially in the Northern and Eastern Region, and received a funding of 89 Million there is still a lot to be done to achieve the intended goal. The Project is located in the wrong area that does not produce Cassava and hence…