Bebe Cool Urges Museveni to See the Bigger Picture in European Football

[Nile Post] Singer Moses Ssali, popularly known as Bebe Cool, has shared his perspective on the advantages of watching European leagues and emphasised the significance of adopting successful foreign models.

I Thought I Was Signing Meeting Attendance List - Bukomansimbi MP On Censure Signature

[Nile Post] The Woman Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukomansimbi District, Ms Veronica Nanyondo, has asked the Speaker of Parliament to consider her withdrawal of support for the motion seeking to censure four backbench commissioners.

Activists Call for Open Conversation On Menstrual Hygiene to Keep Girls in School

[Nile Post] Activists championing menstrual hygiene have called for an open conversation on menstrual hygiene management to ensure girls remain in school.

Turkish healthcare group opens first office in Uganda

Acibadem, a leading medical group in the private healthcare sector in Turkey, has inaugurated its first information office in Uganda. The inauguration on May 29 was marked by the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Acacia mall.

Several representatives of Acibadem Group’s board and Uganda’s top officials graced the event. Among others İlyas Benveniste, the Acibadem business development director, Mehmet Fatih, the ambassador of Turkey, Nusura Tiperu, Uganda’s ambassador to Turkey and Serdar Dervişoglu, the honorary consulate of Uganda in Istanbul.

This investment provides an option for Ugandans to get super specialised treatment in Turkey which are cost-saving compared to European countries.

During her remarks, Tiperu stated: “What you have is a tested institution,” adding that Acibadem is a reliable medical facility. Uganda will give you all the necessary support that is required.”

The group’s girector of International Business Development, Ilyas Benveniste, emphasized that Acibadem’s expansion to Uganda is a confirmation of good relations between Uganda and Turkey, which he said date back decades. He added that the investment also embodies Turkey’s commitment to bilateral relations with Uganda.

For instance, there will be exchange visits involving specialists from the two countries. It was further revealed that Acibadem has a partnership with local universities, including Kampala International University, which he said is a good thing in terms of knowledge sharing.

Acibadem’s country representative and Kampala office manager, Dr Jackson Abusu Ojera, said the expansion to Kampala is part of the group’s global reach, with the latest being Kampala (Uganda), Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, and Holland.

Dr Ojera said although Acibadem is prominent in the healthcare sector, it may not have everything and, thus, he said, collaboration with local sector players is key. 

{loadposition inarticle}

Absentee fathers force women into birth controls

At just 26 years old, Hadijjah Namutaawe a resident of Kabale village, Kalungu district, already has four children.

However, when she noticed the rate at which she was producing babies, she decided to enroll for family planning by taking up a three-year implant where she is currently running a second year with it.

Namutaawe got to know about family planning during her visits to Kabale Health Centre III for immunization of her children. While here, the health workers would sensitize mothers about the benefits of family planning and so when she returned home, she had a discussion with her husband and together, they agreed to use family planning.

According to the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey Report 2022, Uganda’s fertility rate has declined from 5.4 birth per woman in 2016 to 5.2 birth per woman in 2022. One of the contributors to this decline has been the increased access to family planning services and availability of a wide range of contraceptive methods.

The RISE programme

For the last five years, Marie Stopes Uganda, with support from the UK government, has been implementing the RISE programme (Reducing high fertility rates and Improving Sexual reproductive health outcomes in Uganda). The main goal of the RISE programme was to reduce high maternal mortality rates through improving access to modern contraceptive choices to men and women in need.

The five-year programme has tackled barriers to the uptake of family planning by delivering innovative community and service-level interventions in 86 districts across seven regions of Western, West Nile, Karamoja, North Central, South Central, Eastern and East Central.

According Dr Peter Ddungu, the deputy country director, Marie Stopes Uganda and the RISE project team lead, by March 2024, the programme had served over 2.30 million clients; providing over 4.7 million contraceptives/ family planning services and generated over six million Couple Years of Protection (CYPs).

20 percent (449,320) of the clients reached with family planning services have been young people below 20 years. Additionally, 3.9 million people were reached with Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) messages.

One of the ways these services have been extended to the public has been through monthly community health outreaches to 406 public health centres across the country. During such an outreach at Kasenge Health Centre II, Wakiso district, over 50 women gathered at the health facility for family planning services.

Dr Stephen Mutegeki, head of Outreaches at Marie Stopes Uganda said they target lower-level health centre facilities because they are the ones closer to the communities and the people who access services from them are among the demographic that are multidimensionally poor so they may not have access to some of these high quality sexual reproduction services because of financial constraints.

“Over the last five years, we have seen communities transforming and changes in attitude. Initially we had resistance for uptake of family planning services especially being driven by the husbands yet they are the decision makers in the communities that we go to. However, in addition to service delivery, we execute a social and behavioral change model where we go into the communities and interact with the village health teams, political, religious and cultural leaders to try and transform their attitudes about family planning. This has been successful because the number of people who have taken up family planning services has gradually increased over time,” he said.

However, Mutegeki added that there are still isolated cases of gender-based violence because of the myths and misconceptions about family planning methods and what they can do to a woman’s body and he therefore acknowledged that there is still a lot of work to do in the community to address that.

Josephine Nabyonga, the nurse in charge at Kasenge Health Centre II said some of the reasons the women give for taking up family planning is that most times their men leave them to cater for the families alone and so they come for the services such that they prolong the duration they can have children again so that they plan better for their families.

“The mothers tell us that they are now the heads of families and so due to the hardships they experience while trying to look out their families, it provokes them to go and seek for these services so that they can be able to have a number of children they can ably look after with the little they can afford to get,” she said.

SUSTAINABILITY

As the RISE programme comes to an end in June this year after its five-year life span, Marie Stopes and its implementation partners are confident that the services they have providing in the communities they have reached are going to continue being extended to those who need them.

Dr Ddungu said that the sustainability aspect was top priority when the programme was being designed and that is why it was delivered through three service delivery channels; the outreach component, public health system strengthening component and the private sector component.

“Through public health system strengthening, the RISE programme has supported capacity building at over 325 facilities through on-the-job mentorship of over 750 health workers to provide quality contraceptive services. The mentorship program has skilled health workers through peer learning to build confidence and competence to deliver high-quality family planning services, particularly long-acting contraceptives which are now routinely provided at these facilities,” he said.

He, therefore, believes that even when Marie Stopes pulls out, the health workers they have trained including the Assistant District Health Officer in charge of maternal health will still be able to provide these services to the people.

Aidah Muwanguzi, the deputy district health officer, Kalungu district said that before the RISE programme came in, they had a very high number of short-term methods like injectaplans and contraception pills being given in their government health facilities, not because the women were only inclined towards short-term methods but because that was the available capacity within these facilities.

She added that some health workers stationed in different health facilities within the district were identified and trained on offering different family planning methods especially the long-term ones and these in turn also trained other fellow health workers on the same.

“The number of long-term methods being dispensed in our facilities has increased. Since these health workers are stationed at the facilities, women can now get these services anytime unlike before when they first had to wait for an outreach which would come by once a month,” she said.

Muwanguzi is, therefore, confident that even if the project is ending, there is going to be continuity of services because the health workers who have been trained are going to continue offering these services and that actually right now, there is no midwife in Bukulula sub-county that doesn’t know how to offer any family planning method.   

“And the good thing is that government facilities don’t have a high attrition rate which gives the project a leverage when it comes to sustainability because we are sure that we are not going to lose out on the skills acquired because most of these health workers are going to stay at these health facilities for a long time,” she added. 

{loadposition inarticle}

Regulation and caution crucial for artificial intelligence in healthcare

Protecting patient privacy and surveillance, confidentiality, patient-clinician relationships of trust, love, respect, empathy and sympathy, informed consent and customized treatment plan are some of the ethical issues to observe as artificial intelligence technologies penetrate healthcare.  

Others include minimization of data misuse and erroneous decisions due to data bias and discrimination, lack of fairness, paucity of relevant data, inaccurate or incomplete data, and cybersecurity in its various aspects, writes JOHN MUSINGUZI.

The caution was given by Dr Sylvia Nabukenya of the Infectious Diseases Institute as she presented at the launch of the Health Intelligence Lab (AI Health-Lab) at the college of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), Makerere University on May 30, 2024.

Nabukenya said because AI algorithms work on available data, there are potential risks of the ethical dilemmas of AI systems perpetuating or exacerbating disparities in healthcare outcomes among different demographic groups. Other concerning issues include how AI applications collect, store and use patient data, and how third-party vendors of AI-based healthcare solutions conduct themselves.

Officially launched by Dr Aminah Zawedde, permanent secretary of the ministry of ICT and National Guidance, the lab’s mission is to drive innovation in AI research to effectively address and overcome pressing health challenges. The lab will deepen the knowledge and applicability of AI’s transformative capacity; develop practical AI approaches to health issues; and facilitate interdisciplinary cooperation and partnerships.

FOUR PROJECTS SO FAR

Dr Rose Nakasi, a lecturer at CoCIS that won a Google grant of $1.5 million (about Shs 5.6 billion) and the head of the lab, said they started with malaria and tuberculosis diagnostics, later added cervical cancer and intestinal parasites, and intend to add more diseases and health conditions in future.

Nakasi said her AI lab will help free up overworked medical personnel and also make diagnoses faster and more accurate. AI is not a replacement for medical personnel; rather, it is a support tool, she asserted. So, in the lab, they develop tools and solutions including web applications that support and ease diagnosis and treatment procedures. The lab has four active projects so far.

Prof Tonny Oyana, the principal of CoCIS, highlighted the enormous potential this new lab brings for Uganda. He counseled students to build networks that lead to authoritative and influential referees, aim at teambuilding, build friendships within the lab, and advised faculty to mix and blend with students.

“A lab is a home for incubating ideas, and building friendships and synergies. A lab offers opportune space to integrate several perspectives and solutions to solve various problems; so, you need to adopt the ‘team science’ concept in all your activities, be flexible and talk to one another,” Oyana counselled.

Dr Alfred Andama, head of Microbiology Lab at Mulago national referral hospital, called for utilization of AI to investigate even the internal structures of various parasites.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT AI

Presenters and panelists noted that AI, like any other technology, is a double-edged sword; it has advantages and disadvantages or unintended consequences. However, they all pointed out that majority of fears about AI are due to the technology being new and not experienced by many people; with time, the fears will evaporate.

There was optimism that the more common AI becomes, appropriate regulations against risks and abuse will be legislated and implemented. Speakers called for more public sensitisation about benefits of AI and against misconceptions and weird fears of AI displacing human beings.

“Human beings will still remain relevant. Just repackage and reeducate yourself, and enter a different field if AI is affecting you adversely or you are worried about it because of limited knowledge about it. Bridge your skills through practice, and by locating yourself where the experts are. You can self-educate through platforms such as YouTube. Endeavour to learn multitasks, but finding somebody better than you brings even more benefits,” Oyana advised.  

Dr Myers Lugemwa of ministry of Health said there are always resisters and outliers in society that will remain negative towards AI no matter what.

“We need to be assertive and move forward, because such people will always be around. We have to move on, train experts to use data to build useful models; train people to use new applications; and always consider and store any piece of data sets as capable of being utilised by AI in future times,” Lugemwa said.

{loadposition inarticle}

MPs to journalists: Stop blackmailing us

Kalangala District Woman MP Helen Nakimuli has expressed concerns over corruption within the fourth estate, where some journalists write false stories about members of parliament to extort money from them.

“Most of the journalists are bought off, most of their media houses are bought off, and they don’t publish stories the way they are supposed to be published. I have been told that some of you [journalists] blackmail some MPs by writing false stories about them to extort money from them,” she said during a parliamentary press plenary organized by the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) at Ureka hotel in Kampala.

The event was themed “Empowering Democratic Governance, Citizen-Centric Parliament, Information Access, and Press Freedom in Uganda.”

Nakimuli explained that when journalists write false stories against MPs and the MPs complain, the journalists demand money, such as Shs 2 million, to retract the story.

“Don’t expect an MP that you blackmailed or wrote a false story about to fight for your rights like free press or minimum wage. But for me, even if you write false stories about me, I won’t give you [journalists] any money. I know you do this due to poor pay. But let’s keep professional ethics since we need each other,” she said.

Nakimuli described a corrupt journalist as someone who engages in unethical practices such as accepting bribes, distorting facts, or fabricating stories for personal gain.

“This behavior compromises the integrity and credibility of journalism, violating principles of accuracy, objectivity, and transparency,” she said. She requested the government to ensure journalists are paid fairly, as they are crucial to governance in Uganda.

“I request journalists to stay professional, and not be compromised at the cost of people, family, and this country since you are supposed to give voice to the people and keep the government in check,” she said.

Nakimuli also advised MPs to fight for people’s rights and work towards establishing a minimum wage bill to ensure fair treatment for all workers.

Richard Sebamala, MP for Bukoto Central, also advised journalists to fight for their rights and protest against the government for a better minimum wage.

“I have never seen journalists fighting for their rights, like free press, coming out with banners protesting against poor pay, going to Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) requesting for their rights. Nobody will fight for you. It has to begin with you,” he said.

Apollo Tusiime, secretary general of UPPA, explained that the nature of journalists’ work prevents them from protesting because many work for private media companies that can terminate their contracts if they protest against the government.

“This is why we can’t do it (protest) ourselves and request people like MPs to fight for our rights in Parliament,” he said.

Sebamala assured journalists that MPs would join their fight for rights if journalists also voiced their own concerns.

“If you [journalists] fight for others’ rights, why can’t you fight for yourselves? I will raise your issues in parliament as you want it to be, but you have to help me and we work together,” he said.

Nakimuli also urged MPs to ensure the whole country gets free internet services to improve businesses, citing examples from other countries such as Rwanda.

Kyambogo defilement case: Frustration grows as police fail to nab fugitive don

Five months after his case file was sanctioned for aggravated defilement of a 16-year-old visually impaired girl, the whereabouts of Kyambogo University don, Dr Lawrence Eron, remain unknown.

Dr Eron, who was also found to be HIV-positive, absconded from police bond on December 14, 2023. The police tasked his three sureties—Lawrence Olobo, Gertrude Adoch and Paul Among—to produce him before the Division Police Commander (DPC) at Jinja Road police division on January 22, 2024.

Having failed to trace Dr Eron, the police recently arrested Olobo and Among, but the court released them on bail last week. The ministry of Education and Sports and the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) have now expressed concern about the delay in investigating this “high-profile” case. Both NUDIPU and the ministry want the police to expedite their investigations into this matter, which has triggered widespread condemnation from disability organizations.

In a letter dated May 8, 2024, the First Lady and Education minister, Janet Museveni, wrote to Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka requesting further intervention in the case of Dr Eron. This followed her initial referral of the case to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) for investigation.

“This is to request you to intervene so this young girl can get justice,” Museveni stated in the letter. She also attached two 2023 letters written to her by the chairperson of the Uganda National Association of the Blind, Francis Kinubi, and the chief executive officer of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), Esther Kyozira, for further guidance.

Speaking to The Observer last week, the ministry of Education and Sports spokesman, Dr Denis Mugimba, expressed the ministry’s dissatisfaction with the progress of the investigation.

“We are not pleased with the investigations because they have not reached a logical conclusion. This is bad and unfortunate since the case involves the most vulnerable victim, a learner with special needs,” Mugimba said.

He further elaborated, “There’s still some laxity in the investigations. I am not aware of any updates from the police to the ministry because this matter has dragged yet justice needs to prevail. If a case is reported, the investigations should be expedited because justice delayed is justice denied, especially if someone suspected of committing a crime remains at large. This case should be addressed once and for all.”

Whereas Museveni has not yet received a response from Kiwanuka almost three weeks later, Mugimba said the ministry is still hopeful about receiving positive feedback from his office. He explained that the ministry does not intend to file a fresh case but noted, “It looks like someone is sleeping on their job in this investigation.”

Esther Kyozira, the CEO of NUDIPU, agreed with Mugimba on the slow progress of the case. “We are not satisfied with the pace at which investigations are conducted. The loophole lies with the police. If a file is sanctioned, we expect the police to follow up on the matter diligently. They have tried to arrest some sureties but releasing them on bail further complicates the case,” Kyozira said.

SHS 10M BOUNTY

“We don’t know if there is corruption at play because everything is frustrating. The police have all it takes to apprehend the suspect if they are interested in the matter. If not, police should come out openly to inform the public where they have hit a snag beyond telling us that they have failed to trace his whereabouts.”

As part of the investigation, police spokesman Fred Enanga recently appealed to anyone with credible information leading to the arrest of Dr Eron to pass it in confidence to the nearest police station or call 0741111333 at the CID headquarters in Kibuli. A cash reward of Shs 10 million awaits the successful informant.

“We believe the suspect is still hiding within the country, with the help of his closest relatives and friends. We want to warn anyone who is found harboring or aiding his escape that it is an offense. CID headquarters has processed a warrant of arrest and submitted it to Interpol to issue a Red Notice against him,” Enanga said. He reiterated that there is no hiding place out of reach for “wanted persons.”

Enanga urged the suspect to turn himself in and defend himself, while a “wanted poster” of him has been made available on the police website and social media platforms.

KYAMBOGO INVESTIGATIONS

Meanwhile, Kyambogo University vice chancellor Prof Eli Katunguka reported that internal investigations found Dr Eron culpable for gross misconduct, including sexual harassment, acts or omissions damaging to the university’s image and status, and unprofessional or unethical behavior. Additionally, charges of insubordination and abscondment of duty emerged.

“The willful insubordination arose after he was invited in writing through his personal lawyer and official email to appear before the committee. He didn’t come despite giving the investigators prior assurance that he would face them,” Katunguka said.

On May 30, 2024, Dr Eron was expected to appear before the board to respond to the committee’s findings, but he was a no-show. His summons had been received by one of his children.

Sources informed The Observer that neither his family nor his lawyer wrote to the board explaining his absence from the scheduled meeting. Nevertheless, the board meeting proceeded in his absence on Thursday last week.

PUBLIC SUMMONS

A source further revealed that the board has since agreed to publish Dr Eron’s summons in the papers “so that all options are exhausted before a final decision is reached.”

By making the summons public, the board will set a new date. If he doesn’t show up in this last chance after 14 days of the notice, the disciplinary rules allow the appointments board to take a decision ex parte based on the available evidence.

“The chances of him [Eron] surviving a dismissal are close to zero because he is not working and you can’t retire him since he didn’t request it. The public may conclude that the university is slow. Still, there’s a need to explore all options so that in the future, Kyambogo is not dragged to court for unfair dismissal from service,” a source privy to the investigations said.

The source insisted, “If the entire police, with all its mechanisms to hunt him down, has not yet apprehended him, how do they [public] expect Kyambogo to bring the culprit to book?”

Kyambogo University has withheld Dr Eron’s full salary since March 2024. His role as dean of the Faculty of Special Needs also ended in December 2023.

Esther Kyozira urged the victim’s parents not to accept bribes in any way to ensure justice takes its course. She said while such cases are tempting for the suspect, who may want to silence them, they should stand firm. NUDIPU has handled cases of defilement among minors with disabilities, but this is their first case involving a high-profile person.

Regarding the ministry’s stance, Dr. Denis Mugimba emphasized the need to intensify awareness campaigns among learners with disabilities on how to protect themselves in high-risk situations to deter potential abusers.

{loadposition inarticle}

Victims tell harrowing stories about the dark side of moneylending Apps

As the cost of living in the nation increases, characterized by rising prices of goods and services, many Ugandans with smartphones have fallen prey to numerous moneylending apps advertised on social media platforms.

These apps provide quick loans, which most Ugandans use to obtain the funds necessary for their survival. Despite the Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority’s efforts to ensure that most moneylending apps operating under their jurisdiction follow set guidelines, an online campaign on X, trending with the hashtag “#IllegalOnlineLoanApps,” has highlighted significant issues.

The campaign, led by Ronald Egesa, a cyber forensics investigator and longtime activist, revealed that many Ugandans have become victims of the growing number of apps flooding the digital space. These apps offer loans with very high interest rates, and when borrowers fail to repay, they are subjected to harsh debt collection tactics.

Borrowers face unorthodox debt collection methods such as data shaming on social media platforms, intimidation and threats. These practices have led some Ugandans to suffer from depression, lose respect among their peers, and, in the worst cases, lose their jobs.

In an interview with Rachael Vanessa Muhwezi, the manager in charge of Microfinance Institutions at the Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority (UMRA), she noted that unregistered and unlicensed moneylending apps have caused havoc in the digital financial space. She explained, “These apps use intimidation, threats, blackmail, and data shaming against people who fail to meet their loan obligations.”

UNRA REGULATIONS

Muhwezi highlighted that UMRA has established guidelines to regulate the practices of moneylending apps that are registered and licensed by UMRA. These digital lending guidelines ensure that app-based moneylenders do not abuse their clients through harsh methods like data shaming.

She quoted Regulation 15, subsection C, issued under Digital Lending Regulations, which states, “A digital credit provider must not make unauthorized or unsolicited calls, social media channels, or messages to customers’ contact lists who were not parties to the loan transaction.”

Muhwezi emphasized that such practices are illegal and those who engage in them risk being shut down and removed from the financial sector of Uganda.

“As a regulator, we also assure the public that any loan product app that is abusing the sector, after the issuance of the guidelines, will be addressed. We will work with Google and aggregators to ensure that these illegal apps, which aren’t registered by UMRA, are shut down,” she said.

Additionally, the Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority doesn’t license any institution giving out loans without a physical office. Most of the apps registered under UMRA have offices, providing a mechanism to trace where they carry out operations.

“There is no licensee who operates a moneylending app and doesn’t declare those apps. According to the digital lending regulations, each institution that operates a moneylending app should be operated by one company,” Muhwezi said.

However, in another interview, Ronald Egesa, the brains behind the campaign against the loan applications, highlighted the weaknesses within UMRA that enable the continued illegal operations of these loan applications in the country. He explained that his research led him to discover that only three loan applications licensed by the UNRA are harassing Ugandans by operating over 33 illegal applications.

“The people from UMRA are not doing their task. They have slain Ugandans in their duty to regulate these lenders. These companies are running apps that are not in the names of the licensed entities, something that is against the guidelines, and the regulator is looking on,” he said.

Egesa revealed that UMRA compensates victims who are bold enough to report the matter, raising concerns about whether they are also third-party players in the illegal operation of these moneylending applications.

“The director of Supervision at UMRA told me they have a history of these people coming to compensate complainants who go the extra mile to follow up this matter with UMRA,” he said.

He explained that the loan applications use pre-registered numbers to operate as a way to avoid activating mobile money services, which could potentially reveal the identities behind the numbers. By keeping the numbers unlinked to specific individuals, the operators can use them to harass borrowers through insults and incessant calls without being easily traced.

NAUSEATING ROBOCALLS

Additionally, he said that the loan apps employ Sim Boxing technology, allowing them to run robocalls that continuously switch numbers, making it challenging for authorities to track and identify the perpetrators.

This highlights a weakness on the side of telecommunication companies because they continue to allow these numbers to operate. On the other hand, this poses a significant security risk as criminal syndicates could exploit this loophole, further complicating efforts to combat illegal operations in the country.

Furthermore, he stated that loan applications acquire personal data from borrowers when they install a mobile application and request permissions to access various aspects of the device, such as the camera, contact list, call logs, and text messages.

“If the borrower grants these permissions, they are essentially giving electronic consent for the app operators to access their information. This means that the operators behind the app can then retrieve and utilize the borrower’s personal data, including contacting their listed contacts and potentially threatening them. By exploiting these granted permissions, the loan applications can access sensitive personal information and use it for their own purposes, which can lead to privacy breaches and harassment of borrowers and their contacts,” Egesa said.

Egesa suggested that for these loan applications to operate legally, they must adhere to the regulations and guidelines set forth by regulatory authorities such as the Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority and the Bank of Uganda.

To work within the legal framework, the loan apps should ensure that only aggregate borrowers who are in good standing with UMRA and other regulatory bodies are allowed to operate. This means they must conduct thorough due diligence on their borrowers, verify their identities, assess their creditworthiness, and comply with all licensing requirements.

Additionally, the loan apps should refrain from engaging in underhanded methods such as harassment, unauthorized data access, and illegal debt collection practices. By operating transparently, ethically, and in full compliance with the law, these applications can contribute positively to the financial ecosystem and provide legitimate financial services to borrowers in need.

Egesa also pointed out that it is essential for the loan apps to prioritize consumer protection, data privacy, and regulatory compliance to ensure sustainable and lawful operations within the financial sector.

VICTIMS

When The Observer reached out to one of the victims of these applications, who agreed to be interviewed under the condition of anonymity, she shared her distressing experience. Due to financial struggles, she acquired a loan from Centehub Plus, an online moneylending application, after receiving constant notifications on her phone about instant loans.

She explained that she borrowed Shs 50,000 but received only Shs 24,000, which implied an interest rate of 108.3%. She was required to repay the money within seven days. When she failed to do so, the debt rapidly accumulated to Shs 100,000.

“They started calling me on the third day, demanding repayment and threatening to call all the people on my contact list if I didn’t comply,” she said.

“They sent messages to all my contacts, attaching my picture and labeling me a fraud, urging people not to engage with me.”

She added that some of her friends and family were told different amounts of money she allegedly owed to Centehub. This was followed by harassing messages and calls, with some of her contacts being told that she had been arrested by the police.

Due to her medical history, this situation caused her significant stress, resulting in persistent headaches from the name-calling, insults, and vulgar language used in the calls.

“They spoiled my reputation by calling my friends and family and even threatened to cause harm if I did not pay,” the victim recalled.
Additionally, she mentioned that the data shaming led to her suspension from work for two weeks after her bosses found out. Even after returning to work, she received a warning letter cautioning her about such incidents, implying that she could be fired.

Another victim, who The Observer interviewed under the condition of anonymity, revealed that after failing to repay the Shs 100,000 loan within the grace period, he was shocked to wake up one day and find a WhatsApp group created by the debt collectors from the loan application. The group included all his contacts, and the debt collectors were shaming him and calling him all sorts of names.

“I acquired the loan because I was having some financial constraints at home, but after receiving the loan, I started getting frequent calls from the debt collectors arrogantly asking me to pay back or else they would do something bad,” the victim recalled.

He explained that the debt shaming devastated him, resulting in his reputation being tarnished even among people who held him in high regard. The debt collectors exaggerated the amount of money he borrowed.

“I had to call some of the contacts the debt collectors reached out to explain what really happened. Their actions resulted in the loss of job offers that people usually gave me,” he said.

When The Observer reached out to Timothy Kajja, a legal associate at KTA Advocates, he noted that government organizations especially the Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority should work hand in hand with the Ugandan Communications Commission (UCC) to ensure that illegal moneylending apps are blocked from operating in Uganda’s digital environment.

“UCC should be able to identify the moneylending apps that don’t fall under the jurisdiction of UMRA and block them from operating in the country, just like they did with Facebook,” he said.

Kajja noted that the illegal loans given out by unregistered moneylending apps are channeled through mobile money-based networks. In most cases, when borrowers fail to repay, they are exposed to data shaming. He called upon players like MTN and Airtel to ensure that they do not allow moneylending apps to operate without the required licensing from UMRA.

“Bank of Uganda should also take action against other PSO aggregators that enable unregistered moneylending apps to offer loans without a license. They should demand that these apps be licensed by UMRA,” Kajja said.

Speaking about the act of data shaming carried out by illegal moneylending apps operating in Uganda’s digital space, Kajja noted that Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Regulations of 2021 do not permit the sharing of personal data without consent.

{loadposition inarticle}

Among sanctions: parliament faces global isolation

On May 30, 2024, the USA government imposed sanctions on Anita Among, the speaker of parliament, and other high-ranking Ugandan officials due to allegations of corruption and gross human rights violations.

Among those sanctioned are former minister of Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu, former minister of State for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu, and minister of state for Finance Amos Lugolobi. These individuals are accused of significant corruption, including the misuse of public resources and the diversion of materials intended for Uganda’s most vulnerable communities.

The sanctions highlight how these officials allegedly abused their positions for personal gain at the expense of the Ugandan people. Additionally, Peter Elwelu, the former deputy chief of defence of the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), was sanctioned for his involvement in severe human rights abuses.

Specifically, Elwelu is accused of commanding UPDF forces that carried out extrajudicial killings, a serious violation of human rights. These actions by the USA government underscore a commitment to addressing and penalizing corruption and human rights abuses globally.

Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the USA State Department, explained the implications of these sanctions, stating that the designated Ugandan officials are generally ineligible for entry into the USA.

“The Department is also taking steps to impose visa restrictions on multiple other Ugandan officials for undermining the democratic process and repressing members of marginalized or vulnerable populations in Uganda. These individuals are responsible for, or complicit in, the repression of Ugandan members of political opposition groups, civil society organizers, and vulnerable communities in Uganda,” Miller said.

Miller emphasized the broader impact of such corruption: “Impunity allows corrupt officials to stay in power, slows the pace of development, facilitates crime, and causes an unequal distribution of resources, which can affect underrepresented and underserved populations disproportionately.”

Additionally, the USA Department of State designated the spouses of some of these officials, including Among’s spouse, Moses Magogo Hassim; Kitutu’s spouse, Michael George Kitutu; and Lugolobi’s spouse, Evelyne Nakimera, rendering them also ineligible for entry into the United States.

These USA sanctions come approximately a month after the UK imposed similar designations on Nandutu and Kitutu, highlighting a growing international stance against corruption and human rights abuses in Uganda.

International/Commonwealth meetings

As sanctions take effect, the speaker of parliament, who also serves as the chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), is expected to miss the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) scheduled to take place in Sydney, Australia, from November 3 to 8.

This anticipated absence is due to the close relationship between the UK and Australia, which likely extends the reach of the sanctions. The conference will include a meeting of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), the 67th CPA General Assembly, and sessions of the CPA Executive Committee, among other events.

Earlier this year, the speaker missed Commonwealth day, an annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations, which took place on March 11, 2024, in the UK. This day is observed by people across the Commonwealth, spanning Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas, the Pacific and Europe.

In January, the Commonwealth of Nations hosted the 27th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC).

This meeting was attended by thirty-three speakers and presiding officers from more than twenty-five Commonwealth parliaments. The speaker’s expected absence from the upcoming CPC underscores the broader implications of the sanctions on Uganda’s international engagements and parliamentary diplomacy.

Implications of sanctions on parliament

Interviewed for this story, Godber Tumushabe, a lawyer and policy analyst, highlighted the severe implications of the sanctions imposed on Speaker Anita Among and other officials.

“The sanctions limit what they are able to do,” Tumushabe noted. “For Among, it is even worse because this is an entire institution of government. It is unreasonable to have the overall head of parliament restricted in terms of travel and financial transactions.”

Tumushabe further criticized Among’s refusal to step aside despite the allegations against her. “It is very disadvantageous for the country. I still don’t understand why someone like Among, with all the allegations against her, doesn’t have the courage to step aside and let the institution of parliament operate normally. She probably looks at herself more than the country she serves.”

He added, “The speaker can delegate someone to represent her, but parliament and the country are going to lose out because we are not going to fully participate in any form of partnership that requires speaker-level engagement.”

George Musisi, a lawyer and human rights activist, echoed these sentiments, stressing the impact on parliament’s image.

“Being blacklisted affects the image of the institution of parliament and, therefore, the house cannot further any discussions in the fight against corruption in international forums,” Musisi said, adding, “The sanctions will limit the financial transactions of the speaker since America and the UK control most of the financial transaction platforms like MasterCard, Swift, and others. The only way to have her freed is for the ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage these nations.” Musisi concluded, “Parliament is not losing much but its image. It is bad enough to hear that the head of the institution is sanctioned because of corruption.”

Peter Walubiri, senior counsel and political analyst, emphasized the moral and operational challenges.

“The speaker should enjoy high moral ground to be able to preside over the institution of parliament. If there is a cloud over the speaker’s head, it lowers not only her esteem but also the house she presides over.”

He pointed out the logistical difficulties, saying, “It also may cause difficulties where the speaker has to discharge business of the parliament in terms of attending meetings outside the country, and the speaker cannot attend because of travel restrictions. It clearly makes it difficult for her to carry out some of her duties, including representing the parliament of Uganda in some international forums.”

Walubiri also raised concerns about the broader credibility of parliament. “A legally and politically disabled speaker raises doubts about the credibility of parliament. You should be trying your best to lead your institution. But if your leader is limping and parliament cannot do anything to get a straight leader, it may cast doubt on the entire institution. So, it casts a bad light on parliament in the community of nations.”

Ugandans face the wrath of sanctions

Uganda has seen several of its high-profile officials face international sanctions due to allegations of corruption and human rights abuses. The repercussions have significant implications for both the individuals involved and the country’s reputation on the global stage.

In 2018, former Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kutesa, who served as president of the UN General Assembly from 2014 to 2015, was accused of receiving a $500,000 bribe from Chinese national Patrick Ho of the China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC). This bribe was allegedly in exchange for obtaining “business advantages” for the Chinese energy company.

In 2019, former inspector general of police (IGP) General Kale Kayihura and his immediate family members were sanctioned for corruption, human rights abuses, and bribery. The USA Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) accused Kayihura of leading a police force involved in serious human rights abuses against Ugandan citizens and for his role in corruption.

Sigal Mandelker, Treasury under secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated, “We are targeting Uganda’s former police inspector general Kale Kayihura for using corruption and bribery to strengthen his political position, as units under his command committed serious human rights abuses.”

In December 2021, Major General Abel Kandiho, the former head of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), was sanctioned by the USA Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). These sanctions were part of a broader action targeting high-profile Iranian and Syrian officials for serious human rights abuses and repressive acts targeting innocent civilians, political opponents, and peaceful protesters.

These sanctions highlight a pattern of punitive measures against Ugandan officials accused of corruption and human rights violations. The international community’s actions signal a strong stance against such abuses, aiming to hold individuals accountable and promote justice and transparency.

{loadposition inarticle}

NRM must revisit its service awards stand

The party is working tirelessly and obsessively to ensure that a motion to start the censure of...

Ssekikubo hits back at Nanyondo over demands for Censure signature withdrawal

Lwemiyanga County Member of Parliament Theodore Ssekikubo has mocked Veronica Nanyondo, his Bukomansimbi counterpart for claiming she was hoodwinked into signing the Commissioners’ censure motion, under the pretext that she was appending her signature on an attendance list for the meeting called by Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi. His remarks are in response to a letter purportedly authored by Nanyondo, distancing herself from the censure motion, demanding to have her signature withdrawn because it was reportedly obtained in bad faith and she was misled. This came just hours after the NRM Caucus directed their party MPs not to sign the censure motion against Commissioners of Parliament until they receive guidance from President Museveni, who is their national Party Chairman. Addressing […]

Opposition to boycott SONA

With just a day to this year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) the Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi has announced that the opposition will boycott Thursday’s event because the president’s speeches are ritualistic. Ssenyonyi told journalists that president repeats statements he made in the 1990s and 2000s, adding that such speeches are a mockery to Ugandans, so the opposition will not accompany the president in this year’s ritual. He also told journalists that Ugandans are currently interested in hearing how the president is tackling corruption as opposed to defending it and how president Museveni is working to cut down on his expenditure at State House. This was after it was revealed that State House spends Shs2bn per day, adding […]

Ugandan Referees to oversee Djibouti, Ethiopia game

 Uganda Referees have been appointed by the continental football governing body, CAF to officiate the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers game between Djibouti and Ethiopia. Ali Sabila Chelengat has been appointed centre referee and will be assisted by countrymen Ronald Katenya and Hakim Mulindwa as First and Second Assistant Referees respectively. While Nigeria’s Shantal Shuaibu Amiru will be the referees assessor. Djibouti host Ethiopia on Sunday June 9th 2024 at El Jadida Stadium, Morocco in the preliminary round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers where Tanzanian official Mohammad Khalid Abdallah will be the match commissioner.  

13 suspected Kampala City bandits charged, remanded

 13 suspected bandits alleged to have been robbing innocent Ugandans of their valuable properties including hand bags, mobile phones, cash and other items from city streets have remanded to Luzira Upper Prison. The group led by 26-year old Stephen Omirambe,  a loader at Nebbi Park and resident of Kazo in Kawempe division have appeared before Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi and have been charged with aggravated robbery. However, the presiding magistrate did not give them a chance to take plea on Capital offences which attracts a maximum penalty of death upon conviction. His worship Kayizzi has advised them to apply for bail before the High Court which has jurisdictions over the matter. The suspects have been ordered to […]

800 acres of Namanve Industrial Park to be reserved for green belts  

Namanve, previously a forested area, was in 1991 degazetted with 2,200 acres set aside to...

 Uganda’s Cricket Cranes, its strange past, and a season of harvest 

I would never have imagined that cricket would be played in anything but white. That the helmet...

NRM MPs ordered not to sign censure motion.

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Caucus has directed their party MPs not to sign the censure motion against Commissioners of Parliament until they receive guidance from President Museveni, who is their national Party Chairman. Addressing journalists at parliament earlier today, the Caucus’ Deputy Spokesperson and MP for Kibuku County, Herbert Kinobere said the NRM MPs who have already signed the motion may be required to withdraw their signatures after receiving guidance from the President. Kinobere also denied reports that the NRM has been intentionally silence on corruption and excessive expenditures in Parliament, saying the Party is investigating the allegations and will address them accordingly. He emphasized that the Party’s guidance is essential, and they will update the House on […]

Son kills father in Masindi

Police in Masindi are holding a 28-year old man identified as Nelson Okecha, a resident of Nyakabaale village in Kibibira parish in Kiruli sub-county for allegedly killing his father. The deceased has been identified as Mansi Omwoch aged 68, the Local Council One Chairperson of Nyakabaale village. Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson says Omwoch had organized a family meeting after suspecting that his son of stealing solar panels and this reportedly angered Okecha, who picked a machete and hacked his father, killing him on the spot.    

Ugandan students shine in Chinese language competition

The Asian superpower is continuously strengthening its footprint on the African bloc