Information is Power

The revelation comes on the back of an amended law that will require all motor vehicle owners to pay an annual fee in a larger plan that seeks to increase revenue mobilisation.  Previously, it has only been commercial vehicles that had been required to pay an annual license.  However, under the amended Traffic and Road Safety Act, 2020, government will require all motor vehicle owners, including private cars, to pay an annual license, whose fee is yet to be determined.  Speaking at the weekend, Mr Patrick Ocailap, the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, said they had discussed different ways through which road users would contribute to creating a sustainable road sector funding programme and decided to revive the road license, which had been scrapped in the 90s.  “Yes, it is one of the discussions. Remember, we used to pay the road license. The discussion took place around owners of motor vehicles in respect to contributing to what we are investing in roads and also co...

Starting in version 90, Chrome’s address bar will use  https://  by default, improving privacy and even loading speed for users visiting websites that support HTTPS. Chrome users who navigate to websites by manually typing a URL often don’t include “http://” or “https://”. For example, users often type “example.com” instead of “https://example.com” in the address bar. In this case, if it was a user’s first visit to a website, Chrome would previously choose  http://  as the default protocol 1 . This was a practical default in the past, when much of the web did not support HTTPS. Chrome will now default to HTTPS for most typed navigations that don’t specify a protocol 2 . HTTPS is the more secure and most  widely used scheme  in Chrome on all major platforms. In addition to being a clear security and privacy improvement, this change improves the initial loading speed of sites that support HTTPS, since Chrome will connect directly to the HTTPS endpoint without...

Employees at Daily Monitor and other Nation Media Group outlets in Uganda are uncertain about their future after the company announced that it would be re-organising itself to become more efficient, a polite way of saying they will be laying off some staff members. In a statement dated March 25, 2021 issued by Tony Glencross, the managing director of NMG in Uganda, the company said its performance had been greatly affected by Covid-19 and even the several cost-cutting measures instituted had not been quite successful. Glencross said under the circumstances, the company will have to make radical changes in its operations and change its business model from “traditional advertising to content-driven revenue.” This, he said, will “regrettably… result in a reduction of our workforce effective Wednesday, March 31, 2021.” “This is an extremely difficult decision especially in view of the prevailing circumstances and the impact it will have on those affected and their families,” Glencross’ sta...

The Minerals Protection Unit of the Uganda Police Force is to sensitise the locals in the Karamoja sub region ahead of the aerial survey that is yet to begin.  Aerial surveying is to be done in conjunction with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.  According to Mineral Protection Unit Commandant, SP Jesca Keigomba, the unit and the line ministry have embarked on a sensitization and alertness campaign in the districts of Karamoja to inform the locals there that the exercise is for the good of the country. The mineral protection unit has been around most parts of the country sensitizing the local artisans miners about the dangers of illegal mining that is taking place countrywide and advising them against the use of chemicals during mining. The sensitization comes after the arrival of two aircraft from a Spanish company,  XCaliber, on Tuesday.  According to SP Keigomba, aerial surveying is expected to improve mineral exploration, increase local and foreign i...

Facebook said it has disrupted a hacking operation that used the social media platform to spread iOS and Android malware that spied on Uyghur people from the Xinjiang region of China. Malware for both mobile OSes had advanced capabilities that could steal just about anything stored on an infected device. The hackers, which researchers have linked to groups working on behalf of the Chinese government, planted the malware on websites frequented by activists, journalists, and dissidents who originally came from Xinjiang and had later moved abroad. “This activity had the hallmarks of a well-resourced and persistent operation while obfuscating who’s behind it,” Mike Dvilyanski, head of Facebook cyber espionage investigations, and Nathaniel Gleicher, the company’s head of security policy, wrote in a post on Wednesday. “On our platform, this cyber espionage campaign manifested primarily in sending links to malicious websites rather than direct sharing of the malware itself.” Infecting iPhone...

These Include : 1.Yoweri Kaguta Museveni National Resistance Movement (NRM). 2. Tumukunde Henry Kakurugu (Independent). 3. Mwesigye Fred (Independent). 4. Mayambala Willy (Independent). 5. Kabuleta Kiiza Joseph (Independent). 6. Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert National Unity Platform (NUP). 7. Katumba John (Independent). 8. Kalembe Nancy Linda (Independent). 9. Amuriat Oboi Patrick Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). 10. Mugisha Muntu Gregg Alliance for National Transformation (ANT)  11. Nobert Mao The Democratic Party (DP).

In just five years, president John Magufuli cemented his legacy, clearly demonstrating that with steadfast leadership, it is possible to sustainably transform a country. From the onset, Magufuli knew that fixing government inefficiencies, cutting back on wasteful expenditure, and widening the tax base would avail the country sufficient resources needed to bolster the economy.   Shortly after taking office in late 2015, he cancelled the symbolic Independence Day fete and directed all the funds budgeted for the event to be used to widen a part of a highway at Ubungo that was notorious for gridlocks in the main city of Dar es Salaam. This action saw Twitter awash with praise of the man and emergency of the hashtag #WhatWouldMagufuliDo? Citizens across Africa started mocking their governments and leaders to perhaps emulate the actions that Magufuli was taking to stop wasteful spending. In just five years of his leadership, Magufuli’s ambitious social and economic projects largely finan...

December 2005, Dr Besigye had returned from exile on 26th October 2005 and arrested three weeks after. He was nominated presidential candidate while in Luzira. We had gone to have him nominated with his effigy. He had been charged with treason alongside 22 others who included his brother. Dr Besigye is driven from Luzira maximum prison to the court martial in Makindye yet he’s slated to be at the High Court to present his bail application. The court martial wants to charge him for the same offenses and keep him on remand as M7 is campaigning. In the dock, the chairman of the court martial General Tumwine reads for him the charge: “Colonel Kizza Besigye and 22 others, you conspired to overthrow the government of Uganda using arms. Are u guilty or you are not guilty?” Besigye looks at him angrily without saying a word. Gen Tumwine repeats the charges and calls for a plea but Besigye keeps quiet.  Then Gen Tumwine changes and speaks in Runyankole, “Iwe Besigye, oyine amatu? nohurira n...

Before this financial year closes in June, government intends to distribute 1,500 solar-powered ipads with Internet to poor households to facilitate access to information and home-schooling. The teachers will be instructing learners from the school-based computer laboratories, which Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) installed in more than 1,000 secondary schools and tertiary institutions to support continued learning while learners are at home. The UCC executive director, Ms Irene Kaggwa, said the ipads will be procured at Shs3b under the Uganda Communications Universal Services Access Fund, which was introduced in 2010. The computers have been installed with content for Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology for O-Level education with hopes to upload more information in other subjects after evaluating how successful the project will be in three years. “This is the new normal. We are encouraging people to do e-learning and we believe that this is the time for the education se...

The Police on Sunday confirmed they had arrested the newly-elected National Unity Platform (NUP) Member of Parliament for Busiro North, Paul Nsubuga, who was caught on CCTV camera allegedly stealing a phone from one of the shops in Kampala. Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the arrest, adding that the suspect had been detained at the Central Police Station. The crime was allegedly committed in 2019. 'Police at CPS Kampala are holding Nsubuga for allegedly being involved in the theft of a mobile phone, itel 5625, silver in colour worth sh80,000, and was containing Airtel Money worth sh4.5m,” the Police spokesman said. “The matter was reported by Gloria Namengo, a businesswoman and resident of Kawempe Division in Kampala district,' Owoyesigyire said, adding that the case was registered under file number: CPS KAMPALA CRB 392/2021. Police noted that, according to Namengo, on June 3, 2019 at around 1pm at Inseria Properties Nakasero opposite...

On Friday, National Unity Platform supporter Fabian Luuka was laid to rest in Arua. The media was blocked from covering the funeral, according to NUP leader Bobi Wine. “We are informed that Fabian and three other young men from Maracha were on their way to Kakira as casual workers.” On a military manned check point in Luwero, they were found in possession of NUP membership cards. Four of them were dragged out of the lorry transporting them, two tortured, killed and its said that they were buried somewhere in Luwero in an undisclosed place while Fabian and another colleague of his were taken, tortured badly, Fabian dumped in Nakawa in a critical condition while the where abouts of his other colleague are unknown. The two who were killed on the spot are Agodri Azori and Obindu from same village with Fabian. The other missing one was from Terego. These young men had been recruited as casual workers in Kakira and were on their way being transported to work. When soldiers found them with NU...

UPDATE: Government has announced plans to supply 1500 solar powered tabs to the 'poorest' households in order to support the children in e-learning. Shs900m has been earmarked altogether for the tabs, internet, training and delivering, Stephen Otage reports.

Members of Parliament yesterday traded accusations on the floor of the House over how Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Deputy Jacob Oulanyah’s camps are conducting campaigns ahead of the showdown in the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) Central Executive Committee on who will head the 11th Parliament.  The battle for who becomes Speaker when the 11th Parliament convenes for it is first sitting on May 20 has attracted three people so far.  Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda on Tuesday declared his intentions to battle Ms Kadaga and Mr Oulanyah for the job.  For Ms Kadaga and Mr Oulanyah, it is likely to be a long-drawn-out battle as as both will have to first undergo vetting by the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) with endorsement to the NRM  parliamentary caucus.  During yesterday’s plenary presided over by  Ms Kadaga, the MPs raised concern over the unprecedented nature of the ongoing convert campaigns ahead of the elections.  Rising o...

At many polling stations across the country, my votes were 'donated' to other candidates in  a deliberate plot to cut my percentage. At this station for instance (Nakyesanja (O-Z) Takirambudde Ground, Wakiso), I polled 256 votes against Museveni's 47, but in their tally available here (https://www.ec.or.ug/2021-general-elections) all my votes were given to John Katumba and I was given 0.0.  Other places where this was done include Maganjo B C/U [NANO-NZ], Maya Primary school-Negambidde, Nakifuma East [NAN-Z] in Mukono, Nyakasojo COU in Kasese, Donga Borehole in Mayuge, Agwata Catholic Church in Abim, etc.  The DR forms in our possession point to one thing: this particular election was rigged in such a brainless way. We are in the process of uploading them, and you will see for yourself how amateurish Byabakama and his team were to ensure that Museveni remains in power against the will of the people. #WeAreRemovingADictator

The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Vicent Bagiire, has said that government will soon put out a call so that Ugandans can develop their own ‘Facebook’ which will be exported. Bagiire made these remarks while appearing on the 3rd edition of Spotlight UG, an E-Conference that aimed to give insights and prospects of the ICT sector in Uganda, on Monday evening. Facebook in Uganda has been blocked since January 12th, when social media platforms were restricted by the government in a bid to curtail hate speech during the January general elections. Although the internet and other social media platforms like Twitter and WhatsApp were later restored, Facebook remains blocked. Explaining this, Bagiire said that the government is trying to ensure that these global entities such as Facebook which make money from Ugandans, can come to the government and agree on fairgrounds. “We have national laws and they can’t operate in the country withou...

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has already embarked on assessment and mobilisation for political battles even before the dust settles on the January 14 election.   Different sources from within the NRM say President Museveni and the NRM secretariat have turned their focus on why support for the President drastically declined, especially Buganda and Busoga areas in the recent election and how to plug the holes. President Museveni was declared the winner of the 2021 presidential elections with 6,042,898 votes, representing 58 per cent of the valid total votes cast, which is the lowest percentage win he has posted since 1996 when he first stood for re-election.  The lowest percentage Mr Museveni had polled in the earlier election was 59 per cent in 1996. At the same time, Mr Museveni had never suffered defeats in Buganda and Busoga areas since 1996. That changed in January. Sources involved in the exercise say it is to be carried out throughout the country to...