ABOUT 500 academics at Makerere University are to lose their jobs in the ongoing restructuring, the university announced yesterday.
The process, expected to be concluded in May, involves a comprehensive review of the curriculum and workload per lecturer, according to vice-chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba.
Besides, due to budgetary deficits, the university has not been paying them promptly. This caused most of the strikes that plagued Luboobi’s reign.
With the ongoing restructuring, officials hope to curb such challenges.
New Vision 2nd March 2010
Minister snubs MPs again
Information minister Kabakumba Masiko yesterday failed to appear before the CHOGM probe committee for the second time.
After waiting for over an hour, the probe chairman, Nandala Mafabi, asked the committee police if it had delivered the summons. The Police said it had delivered the summons on February 2.
Kabakumba was to appear before the MPS to defend a statement allegedly accusing the committee members of torturing witnesses.
New Vision 2nd March 2010
Works engineers admit lying to CHOGM probe
There was drama in the CHOGM probe committee yesterday when engineers who were involved in the procurement of street lighting admitted that they had lied to the committee. They were forced to apologise.
Sadres Kabbyanga, a civil engineer with the ministry of works and J.K. Mukiibi from Entebbe Municipality, were cautioned but await further action from the committee.
The engineers had engaged the committee chaired by Nandala Mafabi (FDC) for about two hours, defending the tendering process for the provision of street lights during the CHOGM event.
New Vision 2nd March 2010
NAADS recovers sh3.2b
ABOUT sh3.2b lost under the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme has been recovered, the board chairman, Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe, has said.
Musheshe said sh1.2b was recovered from Lira district.
He said in Iganga district, the NAADS officials who swindled about sh340m, had also started paying it back.
He informed the stakeholders that the NAADS funds should be invested in food security for crops like cassava, yams and sweet potatoes.
New Vision 2nd March 2010
Anti-Homosexuality Bill will not be withdrawn – Speaker
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, has told those opposing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill that it will not be withdrawn.
He has instead advised them to present their views before the parliamentary legal affairs committee for consideration.
New Vision 2nd March 2010
Loan schemes need to be transparent
Two loan schemes for university students were announced by the Government last weekend. The first scheme, communicated by the President, is meant for unemployed university graduates. Through the fund they will get interest-free or low interest loans to start up an income-generating activity.
The second scheme, announced by the education ministry, targets bright private students who are too poor to afford university education. Both initiatives are good news for Uganda’s youth and their parents. Youth unemployment is one of the biggest problems Uganda is facing. Every year 300,000 young people enter the labour market for only about 8,000 jobs.
A contribution of 0.5% of loan amounts is deducted during disbursements. Everything should be done to ensure that commendable initiatives like these are not again killed by abuse or corruption.
Daily Monitor 2nd March 2010
450,000 sign to kill anti-gay Bill
Almost half a million people have petitioned Parliament to drop debate on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
Religious leaders and HIV/Aids activists handed a copy of the petition with signatures, collected mainly through the Internet from all over the world, including Uganda, to Speaker Edward Ssekandi on Monday.
Canon Gideon Byamugisha, the first practicing African religious leader to declare he was living with HIV, and a prominent campaigner against the disease, handed over the petition. Retired Anglican Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo accompanied him and the two men described the law as “draconian” and demanded for its withdrawal.
Daily Monitor 2nd March 2010
Fugitive Rwandan General fled through Malaba, says Kutesa
The Rwandan government has thrown the net to catch Lt. Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa wider after a reliable source said the renegade former military chief, initially reported to be hiding in Kampala, had escaped to South Africa.
Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa was however noncommital about the whereabouts of the general.
Daily Monitor 2nd March 2010
Credit crunch: 90 million more poor people in 2010
The current economic crisis could push 90 million more people into extreme poverty worldwide by the end of 2010. Some 2 million children could die in the next five years if the crisis persists. In sub-Saharan Africa, the global economic crisis could undermine recent progress through declines in commodity prices, tourism earnings, exports, remittances, and private capital flows.
Daily Monitor 2nd March 2010
Uganda’s economy has potential to grow at 8% - Kasekende
Uganda is slowly recovering from the effects of the economic slowdown that hit the world in 2008/9. The Deputy Governor Bank of Uganda, Dr. Louis Austin Kasekende, spoke to Martin Luther Oketch about Uganda’s economic growth prospects.
Daily Monitor 2nd March 2010
Government ministries stuck with money in first half of the year
Over Shs555 billion that was supposed to be utilised by key government sectors in the first half of 2009/10 financial year was not spent as a result of poor absorption. Sectors including; education, health, works and transport, agriculture, water and environment were allocated Shs2,676 billion during the aforementioned year released on a pro rata basis and only Shs2,121 billion was spent. The amount excludes taxes and arrears.