Kenya’s opposition said on Sunday it had postponed plans to swear in its leader Raila Odinga as an alternative president, easing political tensions and opening a window for possible talks with the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Opposition coalition NASA had planned to publicly “inaugurate” Odinga at a rally on Tuesday, Kenyan independence day, in what the attorney general said this week would be an act of treason.

Related post: Swearing in Raila Odinga as president would be treason- Kenya's attorney general warns

Kenyatta was re-elected as Kenya’s president with 98 percent of the vote in a repeat election held on Oct. 26 which Odinga boycotted.

He had beaten Odinga in the original poll, held in August, which was nullified by the Supreme Court on procedural grounds following opposition allegations of vote-rigging and other malpractices.

The plan to install Odinga as an alternative president had threatened to exacerbate rifts opened by an acrimonious election season that left more than 70 people dead in political violence

The communication of the adjourment was made by Senior Principal Magistrate Charles Yeteise as he was adjourning the case on behalf of the trial Chief Magistrate James Ereemye Mawanda.

Gashumba and his brother Innocent Kasumba are facing charges of  impersonation, forgery and being in possession of narcotics.

The two brothers are said to have conspired with one Ismail Kiyingi to  falsely represent themselves as officials from the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs in order to obtain money from two Dutch nationals under the guise of offering them contracts to supply trucks, troop carriers, water tanks, and other equipment to the Ministry of Defence.

The men are also facing charges of being in possession of marijuana and  having forged Identification cards of  Ministry of Defence officials and fake stamps from different ministries of the Republic of South Sudan.

The government has today officially announced that it will increase the payment of its Civil Servants in two phases.

 The Minister of Public Service, Muruli Mukasa made the official announcement of the salary increments at the Uganda Media Centre.

The minister was in the company of other cabinet ministers, including Security Minister Henry Tumukunde, Information Minister Frank Tumwebaze and State Minister for Finance David Bahati.

Muruli Mukasa also revealed the government sectors that have been targeted for salary increments in the next financial year

The Categories of workers in these sectors whose salaries will be increased are;


Primary School teachers, Secondary Science Teachers, Local Government Leaders, Soldiers in the UPDF from the rank of Private to Sergeant, Policemen from the rank of Constable to Sergeant, Prisons officers from the rank of Warder to Sergeant, Security officers at the junior intelligence level, All health workers and All Scientists

The minister said government will announce how much each of the public servants will be earning before the end of the year

According to the minister, the government has spent the last two years working on a strategy on how all Public Servants will be paid.

These proposed salary increments come at a time when different public workers including doctors, prosecutors and judicial officers have gone on strike in the last few months to demand better pay.

Judicial officers have resolved to hold off their planned strike until 12th February 2018.

The officers made the resolution during an Extraordinary General Meeting at the High Court In Kampala today.

While speaking during the meeting, Principal Judge Yorokamu Bamwine said cabinet is working on harmonizing salaries of civil servants so the government needs time to effect the judicial officers’ pay rise.

In August this year, the Judicial Officers laid down their tools demanding for better working conditions and increased pay.

After a series of negotiations with the government, they resolved to suspend the strike for three months.

Today, a majority of judicial officers resolved to extend the suspension of the strike after further negotiations with the government.

The deadline had to be settled through voting by show of hands. After the vote,12th February 2018 was agreed upon

However, the officers warned that they will resume their industrial action if the government does not meet their conditions by the deadline.

The Judicial Officers want the lowest paid among them to earn 10 million shillings per month and for the Chief Justice to be paid 55 million shillings.

Christmas appears to have come early for a section of public servants among them health workers and low ranking officials in security agencies.

This group of public servants will notice a positive change in their payslip effective July 2018.

However, the government’s basket of goodies announced by the Minister of Public Service raises more questions than answers.

Some Civil Society activists want to know where exactly the government will get the funds to effect the salary reforms without necessarily picking more from the tax payer’s pockets.

The Executive Director of Anti-corruption coalition, Cissy Kagaba says the salary increment may not be enough motivation to workers without essential tools to do the work.

While announcing the salary enhancement, the public service ministry warned against inefficiency.

However, the Executive Director of Foundation for Human rights initiative, Dr Livingstone Sewanyana, says supervision is the way to go in order to bring order in the house.

A series of reports have over the years documented ghost workers in public service, corruption and absenteeism.The civil society activists fear those behind the inefficiencies and graft could instead benefit more.

The reforms in the salary structure of public servants come amid sustained strikes particularly this year by many public service workers among them doctors, nurses and state prosecutors over low pay and poor working conditions.

State Prosecutors have called off their strike, which has been going on for the just over two months.

The Prosecutors who had gone on strike to demand better working conditions and better pay voted to call off the industrial action after the government released a plan to increase salaries of all public servants.

The decision to call off the industrial action was made during a meeting of the Uganda Association of Prosecutors.

A majority of prosecutors voted to end the strike because they said they were satisfied with the progress of the dialogue they have had with the government over their demands.

The Chairperson of the Uganda Association of Prosecutors, David Baxter Bakibinga, says they will resume work as soon as possible.

Those working around Kampala will be expected to resume work immediately.

The prosecutor's decision to call off their strike comes as the government has released a plan to increase salaries of public servants in phases over the next two years.

The Uganda law society has noted an upsurge in cases of illegality that have ultimately led to several human right violations.

This stems from their fourth quarterly report on the state of rule of law.

While launching the report in Kampala, the chairman of the Advisory panel Professor Fredrick Ssempebwa, said security forces, including the police, have maintained a bad image as regards rule of law.

Director of public prosecutions Justice Mike Chibita credited the Judiciary for an improvement in services to people.

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga announced the new regulations while opening Parliament at the end of a brief recess.

The regulations are intended to prevent a repeat of the scenes of September 27th when men believed to be part of the Special Forces Command stormed parliament and forcefully removed some Members of Parliament.

The speaker also added that the Parliamentary police and other security officials should wear name tags at all times.

She also ordered for the blocking of the entrance to parliament from the direction of the President’s Office.

The Speaker further raised the issue of respecting the proper parliamentary dress code as she pointed out that some lawmakers had recently taken to dressing inappropriately.

The leader of Opposition, Winnie Kiiza applauded the Speaker for her role.

She, however, noted that a number of questions still remain about the identity of the men who stormed parliament.

Francis Zaake, the Mityana municipality MP who was badly injured during the brawl in parliament, told the house that he had not yet fully recovered.

He also criticized the operations of parliament’s medical board.

The Speaker of Parliament later suspended further debate on issues relating to the chaos of 27th September saying the matter was the subject of an ongoing court case.

Police and other security forces have been named as the leading violators of humans rights in Uganda.

This was in a State of the Rule of law report publisheUgandahe uganda law society.

The Report on the State of the Rule of Law is a compilation of incidences that confirm or go counter to the spirit of existing laws, which occurred between October and December this year.

The report notes that there was a marked increase in incidences of human rights abuses especially relating to the activities around the contentious move to amend article 102(b) of the constitution with the aim of removing the presidential age limit. 

Professor Fredrick Ssempebwa the chairman of the Uganda Law Society advisory panel said security forces including the police have continued to be some of the main violators of human rights in the country

Ssempebwa says the fourth quarter of 2017 was also marred by a conflict in mandate especially among the different security organs some of whose agents engaged in acts of physical, emotional and mental torture against citizens.

The report also points out acts of alleged corruption, with the most high profile one involving bribery accusations against Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kuteesa.

The President of the Uganda Law Society, Francis Gimara says the state has continuously ignored the recommendations from earlier quarterly reports.

Representatives of Uganda Police Force, which was mostly mentioned in a negative light in relation to violations of human rights, were not in attendance, and efforts to reach them for a comment were futile.

Public Service Minister Muruli Mukasa’s announcement that government would increase the payments of civil servants and that they should return to work, may not be the ultimate answer to the doctors’ demands.

The President of the Uganda Medical Association Dr Ekwaro Obuku said there are more demands to be met.

He says the issue of supplies and the issue of senior house officers has not been met and insists that these are easy to meet, and the government should ensure that they meet them.

At his press conference on Monday, Mr Mukasa said the government had decided to raise the salaries of most of its civil servants.

He, however, did not mention any figures as per the demand of the doctors and other civil servants.

Dr Obuku says they will give cabinet a benefit of doubt, and wait for it to meet its promises.

Last month, a leaked salary review report showed that remuneration for medical workers would be increased, with the starting salary for a medical doctor put at five million shillings.

It is not only the doctors agitating for increments in remuneration.

Just yesterday, state prosecutors called off their strike that lasted more than two months.

Also, teachers have frequently protested over the government’s failure to raise their salaries.

Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has promised she will solicit funds to ensure that Busoga kingdom continues to hold the Ekigangu retreat.

She was speaking at the second Ekigangu in Kamuli district.

This is a  youth gathering that draws, children from the age of 7 to 10 years from the 10 districts of Busoga.

The goal is to build strong cultural norms and promote ethical values in Busoga.

A 2017 survey on fish stocks in Lake Victory shows that there is an increased number of Nile perch species which contributes the biggest fraction of the total fish tonnage exported every year.

Addressing a news conference at Uganda Media Center in Kampala, Dr. Athony Tabu the Director of  National Resources Research Institute said that the increased number of Nile perch is attributed to the recent UPDF enforcement team that has been patrolling Lake Victoria against illegal fishing.

However, there is a reduction in tilapia and silverfish stocks. Uganda earns over 406 billion shillings from fish exports alone.

The death toll from a multiple car crashes at the Sachangwan black spot along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway has risen to 16.

The Tuesday accident involved thirteen vehicles. It happened when the brakes of a truck coming to Eldoret failed and crashed into the vehicles from the opposite direction.

More than sixty others are receiving treatment in various hospitals in Molo and Nakuru.

A report on fish stocks in Lake Victory 2017 shows that there is an increased number of Nile perch species which contributes the biggest fraction of the total fish tonnage exported every year.

Addressing a news conference at Uganda Media Center in Kampala, Dr Anthony Tabu from National Resources Research Institute said that the increased number of Nile perch is attributed to the recent UPDF enforcement team that has been patrolling Lake Victoria to stamp out illegal fishing methods.

Lake Victoria is the second largest freshwater lake in the world and is threatened by pollution from three countries in  East Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. 

Scientists from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania recently conducted a 30-day fish stock monitoring survey in Lake Victoria which shows that the quantity of Nile perch has gone up.

The survey shows that the size of Nile Perch has remained small, less than the minimum size of 50 centimetres permitted by law. Nile Perch matures in two years.

However, there is a reduction in tilapia and silverfish stocks.

Fish stocks have also been rapidly depleted as a result of illegal fishing methods and pollution

Uganda earns over 406 billion shillings from fish exports.

With the new era of technology and the use of mobile money-making transactions versatile, receiving bribes directly has become unfashionable.

Judicial officers and police officers who rank highly in taking bribes have changed tactics to avoid detection

This revelation is contained in a survey conducted by  Legal aid service providers network

The Acting Registrar of the Judicial service commission Julius Mwebembezi says corrupt judicial officers and the police prefer to receive money through these accounts to avoid detection.

Mwebembezi was launching a report by Legal aid service providers network on corruption within the judiciary and the police.

Advocates according to the research, were also singled out amongst the biggest graft offenders. 

The Acting Registrar of the Judicial service commission Julius Mwebembezi says the Judiciary intends to sanction a probe on this dossier

Last year, some Judicial officers were trapped receiving bribes on their mobile money accounts. 

However, the current legal framework does not provide a mandate to Bank of Uganda to supervise mobile money transactions, which hinders the fight against graft

The Inspector of Court Justice Immaculate Busingye revealed that cases of giving false Affidavits to courts of law are rampant.

The proposed amendment of the constitution on the matter of the presidential age limits has been a matter of debate since mid this year.

The Bill was tabled by MP Raphael Magyezi in October and Parliament’s Legal Committee scrutinized it and is preparing to present its report.

However, already another proposal to extend the elective offices of the presidential and parliament from 5 to 7 years has been discussed by the NRM parliamentary caucus.

The Interreligious Council of Uganda says this matter should not be rushed and could best be settled through a national referendum. 

The Council Chairperson, who is also the Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje also wants the proposed amendment to be handled separately from that of the presidential age limits.

Mubaje also gave an update on the developments of the proposed National Dialogue.

The Pastoral letter will be translated into six local languages which include Luganda, Lunyoro, Lugbara and Lunyankore.

A man at Kasenyi Landing site in  Katabi town council, Entebbe stunned locals in the area today when he wedded three women at ago in a traditional Muslim wedding.

The three co-wives all dressed in white gowns and a matching bouquet of flowers wedded a  local Matooke trader, 50-year-old Muhammed Ssemanda.

A local sheikh presided over the traditional Muslim wedding.

Two of the women, 48-year-old Salmat Naluwugga and 27-year-old Jameo Nakayiza are sisters, while  24-year-old Mastula Namwanje is the youngest.

The brides praised their husband being for being a considerate man.

The  unusual in Kasenyi wedding attracted crowd and  they were  divided  over  the ceremony

However, the groom defended his action and promised to accomplish another fete of taking his three wives together for a  pilgrimage to Mecca.

After the wedding, the husband and wives head to the beach

Workers MP Dr Sam Lyomoki has demonstrated the spirit of remorse and seeking forgiveness from State Minister Jennifer Namuyangu following unpleasant comments he made about her on the floor of parliament.

Lyomoki apologized during a prayer session at Parliament today.

The prayers started with call  to tolerate each other and promote peace in the country

The representative of workers in parliament Dr Sam lyomoki asked for forgiveness from the minister of state for local governments Jenifer Namuyangu at a prayer session held at parliament yesterday to pray for the legislators

Dr Lyomoki told the legislators who had converged in the parliamentary conference hall that he was sorry for his actions

Dr Lyomoki's actions moved the minister to tears as she  listened to his remorseful speech

In many cases people who are wrongly prosecuted run back to court demanding compensation.

Now the Head of the  High criminal court Division Wilson Kwesiga is calling for compensation provisions in the criminal prosecution for victims who are wrongly prosecuted.

Kwesiga made the appeal during a Judicial workshop on sentencing guidelines for magistrate courts in Kampala.

Kwesiga says poor people are the biggest victim in these circumstances, which makes it hard for them to access justice.

The deliberations were made during a half-day workshop aimed at discussing sentencing guidelines and directions for magistrate courts in Kampala.

One of the objectives of these guidelines is to provide principles and guidelines to be applied by courts and to provide a mechanism that promotes uniformity, consistency and transparency in the sentencing of non-capital offences.

However, Director for Public Prosecution Mike Chibita and Principal Judge Jorokamu Bamwine were against Kwesiga's proposal.

The archbishop of Uganda Stanley Ntagali cautioned the ninth parliament to vote wisely on the age limit bill.

Ntagali says the members of parliament shouldn’t  focus on themselves but on the issues affecting the country’s political affairs to pave away for the young generation.

He made the remarks while reading his  Christmas message to Christians at Namirembe Cathedral in a press conference.Ntagali used the press conference to advise the tenth parliament not to focus on themselves while debating on issues of age limit bill which is expected to be tabled in parliament on Monday. 

He also expressed his dismay on how the government handled their proposal of a review commision which was to be given the mandate to hold public hearings on the issue of constitutional amendments.Another issue tackled by the archbishop is the corruption which government has failed to curb.Several reports have named Uganda as one of the most countries in Africa, with Transparency International's corruption index putting us at 151/176 countries.