20100809
africanews

Former Olympique Marseille coach Gerard Gili is in talks with Ivory Coast's Football Federation to coach the national team.

20100809
africanews

Guineans have waited over a month for the second round of their first free election since independence, raising fears among observers that this delay could upset a fragile transition.

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irna

ehran, Aug 8, IRNA – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei urged the Isalmic Ummah to unity and fraternity.

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irna

Tehran, Aug 9, IRNA -- The Islamic Republic of Iran and Guinea-Bissau on Monday inked a joint statement and six letters of understanding on bilateral cooperation in various fields.

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reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan has selected 15 groups of companies to conduct feasibility studies for emission-cutting projects in nine developing countries to promote clean-energy technologies, a newspaper reported on Sunday.

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reuters

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - South Sudan's referendum on independence must either be delayed or some arrangements will have to be skipped, as time is too short to hold the vote as required, a referendum commission member said on Saturday.

20100808
reuters

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir warned foreign organisations they would be expelled if they disrespected government authority, deepening a stand-off with U.N. peacekeepers over six Darfuris wanted by Khartoum

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reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland launched a scathing attack on U.S. politicians on Sunday saying they were in no moral position to lecture Scottish ministers over the Lockerbie bomber's release.

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reuters

ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana's main opposition party named veteran leader Nana Akufo-Addo as its candidate for the 2012 presidential election, set to be the first such poll in the West African state after the start of oil production later this ye

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reuters

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - British supermodel Naomi Campbell's testimony at the trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor will be put to the test on Monday when her former agent is expected to contradict her over a gift of diamonds.

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reuters

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Uncut stones received by British supermodel Naomi Campbell after a 1997 charity dinner with South Africa's then-President Nelson Mandela are real diamonds, police said on Sunday.

20100808
reuters

KIGALI (Reuters) - Rwanda's President Paul Kagame is expected to win a resounding victory in Monday's election, partly due to the growth and stability he has delivered since the 1994 genocide and partly because of a crackdown on rivals.

20100808
africanews

Malawi consecrated moves for a new national flag. The event has been hurried up following constructive protests from the civil society and general public. The new flag, with red, black and green stripes from top to bottom, bears a white fully risen sun in the middle with rays spilling into the top and bottom stripes.

20100808
BBC

Swaziland's justice minister has resigned following allegations he was having an affair with one of King Mswati III's 13 wives. The prime minister said Ndumiso Mamba had resigned from his position as both cabinet minister and senator. He said it was because of "allegations circulating in the country".

20100808
africanews

A former and most feared intelligence chief in Malawi's single party rule, has said the late dictator and first Malawi leader, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, fathered three children.s.

50698
Since 9/11, international terrorism has, sometimes erroneously, been associated with Islam, so this Ramathan, let’s dismember our religion from this association,Nasser writes,
By Thursday next week, Muslims all over the world will be fasting, having started their holy month of Ramathan. Not eating from dawn to sunset, striving not to do anything sinful, and a complete change in behaviour among other things will be expected of them for 30 days. Mosques will be full to capacity, streets beggars will be “happy”, alms will be given to the needy and so many other good things will be done.

However, according to Sheikh Abdul Matovu, due to the recent terrorist incidents where they are said to have been involved, Muslims should use this Ramathan to rinse their religion. Since 9/11, international terrorism has been, sometimes erroneously, associated with Islam– Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab, and Al Ittihad al Islamia, among others. So far, for the July 11 Kampala double bombings, all the top suspects are Muslims - Ali Issa Ssenkumba, Idris Magondu, Hussein Hassan Agade and Mohammed Aden Addow.
Over time, there has been an international ‘conception’ that relates terrorism to Islam. Whenever terrorists strike, most people think it’s Muslim-related.

Regrettably, many terrorists groups have used the name Islam to promote their cause and this gave many non-Muslims a chance to asperse Islam and label the Muslims as terrorists. Deliberately ignored on the other hand, are terrorists who happen to be Christians or Jews. Terrorism as an act of violence has been committed by people from all religious and political backgrounds.

According to Shamim Monero, a Muslim student at the Islamic University in Uganda, some terrorists were not Muslim but used religion to support their task.
“It is very unfair for terror to be associated with Islam. Kony and Lakwena used religion to blind their followers, but was it Islam?” She asks emotionally
.
According to Jamal Omar Habib, a Muslim from Kisenyi in Kampala, after the recent bombings in Kampala, many, including security operatives, started watching Muslims closely. “Some people look at us as terrorists because we dress in Islamic attire, more so when you are of Somali origin or look Somali,” says Habib.

Shaban Nkutu, a student at the Islamic University in Uganda, also condemns those who relate Islam to terrorism and says human life should be taken only in the fight for justice. According to him, it’s the law of the land that differentiates between justice and injustice, so it’s in a government’s power to kill for injustice.
Islamic teachings condemn terrorism. In most instances, terrorist claim that they kill people in revenge. But, the Quran asks us not to allow anger drive us into temptation: “Do not be provoked by your conflicts with some people into committing injustice.” 5:8.

Following the 9 11 bombings in America, Islamic organisations and Muslims all over the world condemned the act, calling it cowardly.
“Attacking innocent people is not courageous, it is stupid and will be punished on the Day of Judgment. ... It’s not courageous to attack innocent children, women and civilians. It is courageous to protect freedom, it’s courageous to defend one and not to attack,” Shaykh Muhammed Sayyid al-Tantawi, imam of al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, Egypt, said at the time.

As we fast this season, let us unite as Muslims and cleanse our religion of this association with terror, by being good examples in society through being peaceful. The religion of Islam should not be confused by what these so-called Muslim terrorists have done. They actually, by the definition of the Quran, are not Muslims or at least as much Muslims as the Ku Klux Klan are good Christians. We should not let our emotions overcome our logic and understanding.

— Additional reporting from the Internet

506098
President Museveni has given a stern warning to cultural leaders not to engage in active politics, saying this might cause violence in the country.

“The cultural leaders must play their olubimbi literally meaning their part but not to actively get involved in politics because this might cause turmoil in the country,” President Museveni said while launching the Bamasaba cultural circumcision ceremony in Mbale District on Friday.

“My advice to you is to play the roles and responsibilities within your boundaries.”
Mr Museveni said the Movement government fought and restored traditional institutions because it was important to allow people preserve their norms.

Abusing benefits?
“We knew the benefits of restoring these institutions but it would sound bad if they abuse them by actively getting into politics,” he added. The traditional imbalu (circumcision ceremony) takes place after every even year and this year’s event took place at Bumutoto cultural grounds.

Thousands of people walked several kilometres as far as Western Kenya, Sironko, Bududa, Bulambuli, Manafwa, Mbale and other surrounding districts to witness the ceremony.

The President commended the Bamasaba for inviting their colleagues [Bakusu] from Western Kenya, which shows a sign of unity as Uganda and other countries are geared at creating the East African Community (EAC).

“I don’t personally agree with the issue of borders. These were grave mistakes created by the colonial masters because this divided people and yet they speak the same language. This is why I am agitating for the creation of the EAC,” Mr Museveni said amid applause from the mammoth gathering.
President Museveni further said that people should not fight over borders because “we are one”.

“Fighting should not be a solution but let us come together for unity in Africa in general. Countries like Congo and Sudan will join us later,” he said adding that agitating for EAC does not mean “I am looking for food. I have my cows”. Some international scientists have recommended circumcision as a means to curb the spread of HIV/Aids.

But Mr Museveni urged young people not to think that with circumcision they will be safe from the scourge and should guard themselves against contracting the disease.
Mr Museveni pledged to provide a vehicle to the newly elected Bamasaba cultural leader, the Umukuka Wilson Wamimbi, who is former high commissioner to Canada.
In response to a request made by the host chairman, Mr Charles Walimbwa, President Museveni promised to allocate part of National Forestry Authority land located at Bugema to Bumutoto cultural site for expansion.

President Museveni, who donated Shs10 million towards the function, also backed the proposal of carving Namisidwa district out of Manafwa District after the leaders in Manafwa locked horns over the matter.

506097
In the previous part of the serialised research into the life of fallen former president Godfrey Binaisa, we talked about his days as a lawyer. In this last part, Fred Guweddeko narrates how Binaisa spearheaded the economic boycott until he was deported to Karamoja:-

When Augustine Kamya, the UNM chairman, was arrested over the boycott, his lawyer Binaisa, negotiated with the prosecutor, Mr K S Fuad, to reduce the political temperature by preferring a mild criminal charge. With the mild criminal charge, Binaisa showed that Kamya could not be denied bail. The government was relying on Binaisa to mitigate the boycott.

Upon release, Kamya did not reduce the political temperature of the boycott as negotiated by Binaisa. He instead raised it by declaring at a mass rally on March 9, 1959: “From now, 10 minutes to six, all trade in Uganda is transferred into the hands of Africans. From this hour, no African should enter into non-African shop.”
The UNM was proscribed and its overall leaders remanded to Luzira Prison.
Binaisa withdrew from the defence of Kamya and organised a British lawyer replacement called Roland Brown. Then, without explanation, Binaisa advised boycott de-listing of some items, but the uncontrolled anti-colonial mobs ignored.
Downing colonial rule?
Popular violence of the boycott was so high that it began raising expectations of downing colonial rule in Uganda. Binaisa advised the committee leaders to rename the UNM calling it UFM. An educated E.M.K. Mulira was placed in the leadership. Binaisa promised the government and companies greater control of the boycott.

The boycott violence however increased. The UFM was also proscribed and its leaders detained under the Deportation Order Law. Binaisa engaged a British Lawyer, Christopher Showcross for the legal defence of the detained boycott leaders while he [Binaisa] continued holding political and commercial negotiations.
The Governor and security officials were threatening Binaisa to make sensible negotiations. The Uganda treasury was collapsing without tax revenue.

The British import and export firms in Uganda, Indian commercial houses and traders and at this stage the commercial banks were begging Binaisa to control the boycott.
Binaisa was soliciting cash from the commercial interests to stop the boycott. Binaisa was also paying cash to meet the costs of the full-time boycott violence teams.
Binaisa and the remaining boycott committee leaders and the public were more than convinced that the colonial government was weakening under the economic violence pressure.

After the second boycott organisation, UFM was banned; Binaisa floated the UFC under another educated leader Mr Kitayimbwa with more promises to depoliticise and control the violence.

The boycott increased with Binaisa no longer controlling the official items list. The violence also increased and the boycott extended to stopping village farmers from selling food for the city.

Curfew was declared in five sub-counties in Buganda. Military patrols were deployed. A British captain commanding peace keeping troops in Masaka was attacked and seriously injured by the boycott mobs.

Over 10,000 natives had lost jobs with Indians and British firms. Governor Crawford banned the boycott umbrella organisation (UFC). Binaisa, who was leading the boycott items committee, floated another organisation titled UFU under Haji Kayongo.

As the boycott was recording nine months, the Binaisa-led three-member negotiating team reached agreement with the Governor. It was to transform the militant violent action into civil demands. Binaisa was to present the civil demands of the violent boycott mobs. The new leader of the boycott, Haji Kayongo, rejected Binaisa saying the people wanted to oust British rule through economic boycott violent action.
Binaisa replaced the illiterate Haji Kayongo with the polished Father Spartus Mukasa as leader of the boycott UFU organisation. Binaisa organised through Father Mukasa to translate boycott violence into civil demands. The man of God declined involvement in crooked activities and stepped down.

Binaisa then appointed Salongo J Kyeyune as leader of the boycott UFU organisation. Police asked Kyeyune to stop the boycott violence but he demanded independence as a condition.

Changing titles
With time, options and credibility running out for him over this crisis, Binaisa assumed leadership of the boycott Movement, under a new title of ‘Uganda League’. He issued demands for ending boycott violence; Self Government by January 1960 (three-months time), Independence by January 1961, Ending curfew, arrests and prosecution of boycott suspects and release of convicted boycott prisoners.
In the subsequent negotiations with the colonial authorities, Binaisa said that his demands were on ending the boycott violence, but not the boycott. The eight months patience of wheel-dealing with Binaisa ran out.

The colonial police had compiled evidence on everything Binaisa had done as a boycott committee member. Evidence linked Binaisa with the Uganda Underground Movement (UUM), which had been throwing petrol bombs at the business premises of violators of the boycott.

Binaisa was arrested on October 7, 1959. His Uganda League was proscribed. Attorney General Dreschfield informed High Court: “Binaisa was directly and indirectly responsible for the reign of terror that had swept Buganda Province since early 1959, for the burning of houses, slashing of crops, assault, intimidation, etc, …. so as to gain his own selfish ends.”

Binaisa indictment constituted a very long list of boycott offences.
It was difficult to press most of the charges on Binaisa. This is because all along the commission of the boycott crimes had all along been working with the Police, Governor and commercial corporations.
In the trial, Binaisa was described by the Attorney General, Mr Dreschfield, as a double-dealer who had pretended to prevent but was instead fanning the boycott. The overall aim of Binaisa in the boycott was to cause the collapse of the colonial government in Uganda. He had not wielded full control of the boycott as he had all along been claiming in his negotiations with the colonial government and the affected parties. Binaisa financially benefitted from companies [illegally] seeking to be delisted from the [illegal] boycott.

Since he was the sole and a generous funder of the boycott activities, personal use of the solicited funds could not be dismissed. The greatest survival of Binaisa from conviction on higher charges lay in the failure of the Colonial Police to identify and link him with the leader of the organised violence gangs.

Clever Museveni
This was an illiterate but clever and violent man called Museveni. He was a Nte [clan] Muganda turned Rwanda migrant. He was funded by Binaisa. Museveni was later to lead the violence in the KY Movement against his former master in the KY vs UPC 1962-64 clashes. Museveni had been funded by the Binaisa chaired boycott committee to execute the more violent mission of the UNM boycott of burning the premises of traders, homes of Ugandans who violated the boycott orders.

506096
Poor work relations among three diplomats at the Uganda Embassy in Kinshasa, DR Congo have disrupted operations and threatened to soil the country’s image, the ambassador has revealed.
In a letter to the Foreign Affairs permanent secretary, Uganda’s top envoy in DR Congo, Ambassador James Kinobe, said; “As the situation stands today, the Mission cannot deliver effectively.” According to sources, Ambassador Kinobe is on a collision path with Ms Nurh Byarufu, the first secretary /political affairs and Ms Fulgensia Tumwesigye, the second secretary/ commercial affairs.
Maj. Kinobe, a former state minister for Youth, said in his letter that the conflict originates from how the mission finances were handled. He also said that his call for accountability and transparency on how money is spent given that Ms Byarufu, who doubles as the accounting officer, was a single signatory to the account, sparked bad blood.
“The second one has been about my demand for finance committee meetings. I realised that Byarufu was not used to the practice of discussing financial matters transparently in meetings and used to handle them privately with the then Head of Mission,” Maj. Kinobe wrote.
Maj. Kinobe says Ms Tumwesigye is the main impediment to the operations of the Embassy. “I do not have anything personal against her and I honestly do not know the motivation for destructive actions,” he said.
Attempts to reach Ms Tumwesigye failed but Regional corporation minister Isaac Musumba said political heads at the ministry asked Ambassador James Mugume to handle the matter but they hadn’t received feedback. Ambassador Mugume was not answering our calls by press time.

5060695
The government has declared five days of mourning fallen former president Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa, starting today. According to the funeral programme released by the government yesterday, the late Binaisa is to be buried on Wednesday at a yet to be disclosed place.
Minister for Information and National Guidance, Ms Kabakumba Masiko, yesterday announced at the Uganda Media Centre that flags would fly at half mast, as a symbol of national mourning.
Lawyers of Uganda’s fifth president say the former head of state had said he wished to be buried at Kololo ceremonial grounds next to former president Yusuf Lule and independence struggle hero Ignatius Musaazi. However, Ms Kabakumba said the wish for a Kololo burial wasn’t known to the government. “Family members from the UK and the US will arrive in the country on Saturday. Monday at 5pm, the body will leave Mulago for Parliament where a guard of honour will be staged,” Ms Masiko said.
Binaisa is survived by seven children, four of whom live abroad. “There will be an overnight vigil at Parliament and the following day will be the signing of the condolence book and paying of last respects,” she said.
Parliament will in a special session then pay tribute to the late in the afternoon; after which the body will be transported to his home in Makindye for an overnight vigil. The motion to pay respects to Uganda’s first independence Attorney General is to be moved by Prof Apolo Nsibambi and seconded by the leader of Opposition Prof Ogenga Latigo.
There will also be a funeral service at Namirembe Cathedral on Wednesday to be followed by his burial at 1 pm. Binaisa died in his sleep on Thursday morning at his Makindye home and a post-mortem report by Mulago Hospital indicates the 90-year-old died of cardiac arrest.
Opinion leaders speak out
Prof Tarsis Kabwegyere, who was a member of the National Consultative Council that put Binaisa into power, will greatly miss him because of his “intellectual humour and his Oxford English” that earned him the title Queen’s Counsel (QC). Binaisa’s role in the drafting of the infamous 1967 constitution that outlawed the Buganda Kingdom still lingers in his detractors’ minds.
Binaisa’s legacy in the eyes of contemporaries
Mr William Nyakatura, Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister. He was a gentleman, patriotic, in the past he worked under a wrong regime (Obote I) as an Attorney General where an arbitrary constitution was done under him but as a person and president for 11 months, he was a jolly and responsible man.
Prof Ogenga Latigo-Leader of Opposition
Binaisa was a key player in drafting the indigenous Constitution during former President Dr. Apollo Milton Obote’s regime. His role then demonstrated a sign of unity as someone from central Uganda was seen to work diligently with someone from the north. This dispelled the myth that there is nepotism in Uganda. So we will dearly miss him as a man who greatly contributed to the development of this country.
Prof Tarsis Kabwegyere, Disaster Preparedness minister. He was a scarce person. He was an educated elite who spoke good English. When we elected him chairman of the UNLF, he spoke in Oxford English and everybody was impressed. He was humorous and humane. He assumed the office of the President in a peaceful manner .He excelled as the queen’s Councilor (QC). I will miss his intellectual humour.
Israel Mayengo,a Member of Binaisa’s small Parliament of 30 people
I have known him for so many years. Before he became President up to the time he went into exile. We met in Moshi but he never attended the conference that toppled President Idi Amin.He was stopped at the gate. When I went back to the hotel, I found him smoking a cigarette and he told me that (the late) Kayira had locked him out of the Moshi conference. But I will always remember him for his total devotion to all Ugandans. He never discriminated against any tribe. The Acholis,the Banyankole,the Baganda and people of other tribes all felt they were at home.
Charles Peter Mayega
He is one of the technical people who crafted the 1967 Constitution which abolished kingdoms particularly the kingdom of Buganda. But later in life he identified himself as an ardent subject of the Kabaka. I remember him as the president who was here when the state was volatile at the time of cold blood murders when people were being gunned down. Mengo has since forgiven him and he has always been keen on what has been going on concerning the Kabaka and the kingdom.
Prof Apollo Nsibambi
He took charge when he became president. Uganda had gone through a lot of instability and the military factor was extremely significant. The military commission, however, accepted Binaisa’s decisions although it controlled and had a lot of power. Tanzania had assisted to overthrow Amin and the Tanzanian factor was also crucial. There was no civilian supremacy in his days. May he rest in peace.”
Francis Atugonza, Hoima town council chairman
Binaisa participated in the manipulation of the constitution in 1967. He has been part of the problem of this country. He set a precedent of changing constitutions in this country which has persisted to-date. He challenges us as leaders to leave a legacy behind well knowing we shall be judged by the decisions we take while still in office especially those who manipulate constitutions.
Prof Dan Nabudere
I knew Binaisa when we were organising the Moshi Conference in the US. He did not represent any of the 22 organisations. So, he was not included in the UNLF arrangements. He came into the picture when Lule was removed as president. He was in Nairobi and some factions within the UNLF fronted him to replace Lule. Among them was the faction led by President Museveni. I remember him as a patriotic Ugandan who was among the few Ugandans that fought hard to unite the country. I worked with his government until he was overthrown by Obote. He was Attorney General for a very long time in a turbulent period.
Bidandi Ssali
He was a nationalist who lived a political life. As President, he struggled very much to keep the UNLF umbrella government but in the end, he was defeated. I remember him as one who dared control the army by appointing the then army commander, the late Oyite Ojok as high commission, which actually led to his downfall. He was a person of integrity who never used his position of leadership for personal gains. He was a mentor who instilled values of leadership into people. I got interested in him in 1962 when I had just left the university. I also served as minister in his government. He had his shortcomings but who doesn’t?