Police in Uganda have arrested four persons all foreigners in connection with Sunday's twin bombings in Kampala. Uganda Police Boss Major General Kale Kaihura said the arrest of the four persons is linked to the discovery of an unexploded suicide vest in a disco hall in Makindye-a Kampala city suburb. - He said the vest contained ball bearings, as did the exploded bombs. Kaihura could not disclose the identities of those detained. He however noted that Somali nationals could be among those arrested. Meanwhile the death toll as a result of the bombings soared to 76 Tuesday. This followed the death of two other persons at Mulago hospital.

Uganda's army insists it will not withdraw from peacekeeping mission in Somalia due to the Sunday night bombings in Kampala by Al Shabaab- an al-Qaida-affiliated militant faction in Somalia. The twin blasts in Kampala that targeted people watching World Cup finals killed 74 people and left 70 others critically injured. - Al-Shabab spokesman Ali Mohamed Rage said Monday that they were responsible for the bombings. He said it was in revenge for the presence of Uganda’s army in Somalia. Now, Felix Kulayigye, Uganda's Peoples Defense Forces spokesperson, told our reporter that withdrawing is not the best option. He said those advising Ugandan army to withdraw are, “s…

The US President Barack Obama is calling the deadly bomb blasts that killed 64 persons including foreigners in Uganda last night "deplorable and cowardly," a spokesman said. "The president is deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting from these deplorable and cowardly attacks. - “.. and sends his condolences to the people of Uganda and the loved ones of those who have been killed or injured," National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. "The United States is ready to provide any assistance requested by the Ugandan government." Hammer said the United States was in contact with its embassy in Kampala and was in touch with th…

A series of bomb attacks has killed at least 64 people in Uganda's capital Kampala. Several others have been left severely injured. The attacks appeared to target those who were watching world cup finals last night. Two bombs went off at Ethiopian village restaurant in Kabalagala and two others at Logogo Rugby Club during the second half of the match. - Uganda’s police chief Major.General Kale Kaihura blames the attack on the Somalis’ Al shabaab militants who in the past have threatened to attack Uganda. Local television stations in Uganda have been showing pictures of dead bodies with parts missing lying at the scenes of the blasts and others in mortuaries. Dozens of tho…

About one million pilgrims from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and several other countries around the world have today assembled at Namugongo Martyrs shrine in central Uganda for celebrations to honour the Uganda Martyrs killed in 1886. - Uganda Martyrs' Day Celebrations are held every 3rd June at the Martyrs' Shrine, Namugongo. In Uganda, this day is a public holiday, which gives chance to millions of people from near and far to make pilgrimage to this Holy Land. This year’s Martyrs’ Day celebrations are organized by Moroto Diocese for the Catholics and West Ankole diocese for the Protestants. Uganda Martyrs were a g…

A historic football match took place in the Uganda capital Kampala when UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni played against each other to highlight the plight of war crime victims. The game that attracted several locals capitalized on the World Cup fever to draw attention to the cause. - They joined the match with 15 minutes to the end. Ban, in a blue shirt, represented the "Justice" team, while President Museveni - dressed in white - played for the "Dignity" team. They played for 10 minutes and President Museveni's team emerged victorious defeating the UN envoy one nil. The event comes ahead of a conference reviewing the progress of the…

The Ugandan government has announced that it will assist in the restoration of the vandalized royal mausoleum at Kasubi in Kampala. The structure that houses some tombs of Buganda's Kings was set ablaze Tuesday night by yet unknown people. - The announcement was made by President Yoweri Museveni Wednesday during an impromptu visit to the site where he directed for immediate investigations into the cause of the fire. “I am suspicious but I don’t know whether it was a deliberate act or an accident. Unfortunately these people have interfered with the scene of the crime because we would have been able to ascertain if it was intended arson. Government will see how it can assi…

Authorities in Uganda are studying what they term as strange mosquitoes that have invaded a district in the western region. The mosquitoes which have invaded Kabarole district are slightly bigger than the usual ones; feed day and night and cause skin rash on face and upper limbs of the people they bite. - Those they bite develop symptoms similar to those of chicken pox. Now, Dr Joa Oketch, the Kabarole District Health Officer says they have taken blood samples from 27 people who were bitten by the strange mosquitoes and tested positive to malaria. He identifies the affected areas as Mugoma zone 1 and 2, Buteebe parish in Karambi Sub County, Katojo prison and Kitere in Kibimba Ward, We…

Police in Uganda have arrested one of the most-wanted suspects in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Former intelligence Chief Idelphonse Nizeyimana is accused of organizing the killing of thousands of ethnic Tutsis - including the respected former queen. He was arrested two days ago as he traveled to Kenya from the DRC. - He was arrested by Interpol and has been flown to Arusha in Tanzania to be tried in the Rwanda genocide court seating there. Niziyimana was arrested at Exotic Inn Hotel in Rubaga division, a suburb of Kampala the capital of Uganda. The Police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba said Nizeyimana is believed to have entered Uganda through the Democratic Republic of Congo using fake…

A section of African presidents and heads of states have grilled journalists at the ongoing Smart Partnership Dialogue at Munyonyo in Kampala Uganda. The politicians took advantage of the unique and rare opportunity to question the media of their interest in telling bad stories about the continent. - The first question to journalists was by President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania who wanted to know why the media were always interested in telling bad stories about Africa and when that attitude is likely to change. The journalists, in reply, said that it is the ideology that forms the base of their reports and that is where the economy is based. But the journalists suggested a couple of train…

Uganda estimates an overall economic loss of between USD 2 to 8 billion in the last 10 years to the Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) disease. Scientists further estimate a production loss of about 53% in cooking bananas in the next 10 years in the country if the disease is left unchecked, a plant journal said. - According to a study published in the May issue of the Plant Disease Journal, food security for about 100 million people and income to millions of farmers in the Great Lakes region of East and Central Africa face great threat from the deadly disease. BXW, a bacterial disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum was first reported in Uganda in 2001. It has since been repor…

Egypt has extended humanitarian assistance to the government of Uganda targeting areas of the country that are severely affected by food shortage and food security. This was revealed by the Egyptian Ambassador to Uganda, Reda Bebars, who paid a courtesy call on Janet Museveni at State House, Nakasero. - The areas to benefit are especially Karamoja Sub-region and Northern Uganda. The food stuff that will go to Karamoja includes 70 tons of corn flour, 30 tons of sugar, 100 tons of salt and 999 cartons of vegetable. Kitgum district will, under the same arrangement, receive 13.3 tons of corn flour and 17.5 tons of salt. In her speech, Museveni thanked the Egyptian government for the positi…

The UNs Millennium Campaign is calling on African states, civil society organizations and the private sector to allocate more resources into the treatment of malaria as agreed in the 2000 Abuja declarations. African heads of states pledged to halve the Malaria mortality of African people by 2010. - Yet with just one year left to the deadline, malaria remains one of the leading health hazards in Africa. The 2008 World Malaria report indicates that malaria claimed 881,000 lives in 2006, of which 91% (801,000) were in Africa, 85% were children under 5 years of age while half a billion of the African population became ill and unable to work. Now, with this current situation of people dyin…

Uganda's Director General of health services, Sam Zaramba said the prevailing T.B drug shortage will end soon. "The Ministry of Health and our counterparts in Finance met and resolved to provide for $1.4 billion to stock the T.B drugs in health units after two week that drug shortage will be solved," he said. - Dr. Zaramba was addressing residents of Kalungu in Masaka District during his fact finding tour of the health centers and hospitals. He advised the districts to in the meantime use the Primary Health Care (PHC) funds to access T.B drugs for clients in health units. “In two weeks time, the T.B drug stock out crisis will be over but in the meantime the districts …

An immunization exercise targeting vaccination of children aged 5 and below in over 30 districts in Uganda against the wild polio virus kicks off this 21st March till Sunday 22nd March 2009. The minister of Health said this comes after cases of wild polio virus were confirmed in the northern Uganda. - Dr. Stephen Malinga said the situation puts the country at risk. Ugandan districts bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan were recently put on high alert after health officials warned of a possible outbreak of Wild Polio Virus. Dr Malinga said over 30 districts in the north, north western and central regions are under the threat of the Wild Polio Virus (WPV). He said t…

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been wasted on rural water projects in Africa, threatening the health, livelihoods of millions of vulnerable people according to briefing paper by the International Institute for Environment and Development. This comes ahead of the celebration of World Water Day. - Tens of thousands of boreholes in rural areas have fallen into disrepair, depriving poor communities of water because donors, governments and nongovernmental organizations have built infrastructure but ignored the need to maintain it. The paper provides a 30-point checklist of features that rural African water supply systems need to succeed. They include the right technology, community owne…

A global crackdown on the poisonous pollutant mercury has been agreed by environment ministers at the end of the UNEP Governing Council in Kenya. The landmark decision, taken by over 140 countries, sets the stage for the lifting of a major health threat from the lives of hundreds of millions of people. - Governments unanimously decided to launch negotiations on an international mercury treaty to deal with world-wide emissions and discharges of a pollutant that threatens the health of millions, from fetuses and babies to small-scale gold miners and their families. They also agreed that the risk to human health and the environment was so significant that accelerated action under a voluntary…

Kenya emerged first in the Africa category of The Greatest Race on Earth 2008/09 (GROE) followed by Uganda and Zambia as first and second runner-ups respectively. Uganda's Joseph Nsubuga finished seventh overall in Sunday's Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon. - Kenya’s Cyprian Kiogara Mwobi and Winnie Nyansikera won the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon. The wins secured victory for the Kenyan men’s and women’s teams and took home USD 80,000 for each team. Mwobi completed the course in a blistering time of 21:14:57 to set a new GROE series record of 08:59:49, an amazing 00:09:27 quicker than the previous record. Nyansikera also set an impressive time, cross…

A Peace Agreement has been signed between the Government of Burundi and the opposition party - the Peripehutu of Agathon Rwasa hope to bring peace to the central African nation. Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni presided over the signing as the regional Chairperson of Burundi Peace Initiative. - The one-day summit was witnessed by regional leaders who included the Zambian President, Rupia Banda and the Vice-President of Kenya, Kalonzo Musyoka in the Burundi capital of Bujumbura on Thursday. Other regional leaders who witnessed the historic ceremony were Prime Minister Musengo Punda of Tanzania and the President of the African Union (AU) Commission, Jean Ping. Under the Peace Agre…

The government of Uganda has assured investors that it is to provide them with land to ensure value addition to local products. President Yoweri Museveni said that the government is to provide the land in order to promote the export of textiles as well as generate enough revenue for the local market. - President Museveni gave the assurance at State House, Nakasero, at a meeting with the Turkey based Kucukcalik Industry which has a linkage in the Textile Industry. He said that government is concentrating in infrastructure development particularly roads, railways and electricity which are crucial in promoting industries. The chairman of Kucukcalik, Yasar Kucukcalik said, besides the text…

Several heads of state from Central, East and Southern Africa have been meeting in Kampala, Uganda. The summit has since Saturday been discussing economic and trade liberalization, trading arrangements among the regional blocks and infrastructural development among others. - Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni lamented that disunity was the biggest disease failing development efforts in Africa. He stressed that uniting economically would help liberate Africa economically. Museveni observed that lack of economic integration coupled with slave trade that lasted over 300 years, European colonialism, neo-colonialism, among others, are factors that greatly contributed to the marginalizati…

Countries around the world are marking the first ever Global Hand washing Day, in an effort to mobilize and motivate millions around the world to wash their hands with soap. The UN declared 2008 International Year of Sanitation. It reinforces the call for improved sanitation and hygiene practices. - Hand washing with soap is one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent diarrheal disease and pneumonia, which together are responsible for approximately 3.5 million child deaths every year. Global Handwashing Day is an initiative of the Public Private Partnership for Hand washing (PPPHW), which is spearheaded by UNICEF; USAID; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; World Ban…

Over 1,400 visually impaired people in Uganda regained their sight in 2008, under the "Seeing is Believing" programme. It is under the auspices of the Standard Chartered Bank in partnership with Sight Savers International. The bank invested over 100 million shillings (USD 60,976) in the project. - Sight Savers International contributed materials worth 40 million shillings (USD 24, 390). Lamin Manjang, the bank’s Chief Executive Officer said that avoidable blindness is not just a health issue, it is an economic issue. He noted that it does not only deprive people from their sight but also deprives them of education and a job, rendering them economically dependent. Manjang …

Uganda is immune from the ongoing world financial crisis, President Yoweri Museveni has assured the nation. He assured investors that the financial systems of the country are strong and sound. The president emphasized that there is no need to panic following the current global financial plunge. - Speaking at the just ended 46th Independence anniversary celebrations at Kololo ceremonial grounds in Kampala, he stressed that the country’s financial sector had been regulated and banks have been following prudent lending procedures. The colorful function that was attended by delegations from Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Somalia, also witnessed the inauguration of the new colors o…

A Burundian young artist has been selected among four others worldwide to lend their support in the fight against climate change. Guy Jayce Nindorera is taking part in a project dubbed - Paint for the Planet - an exhibit and auction of children's art in New York, the USA to raise awareness on the issue. - Nindorera said that his painting was inspired by the situation in his country but also by reading various articles around the world “where people are dying of hunger and other catastrophes such as the tsunami, floods and deserts, due to human actions. As a result human beings become victims of their own interventions.” Launched on Wednesday, the Paint for the Planet webs…

Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has urged the international community to assist the interim government of Somalia to establish a strong army for the country. He said that without a strong army the war torn country cannot establish its authority. He said by so doing levies can be collected for development. - Museveni, was receiving credentials from new Ambassadors and High Commissioners to Uganda at State House, Entebbe. The incoming Somali Ambassador to Uganda, Sayyid Ahmed Sheikh Dahir, a petroleum engineer, conveyed a message from President Abdullah Yusuf Ahmed to President Museveni. He hailed the President for Uganda’s contribution to the peace process in Somalia. He said that the Soma…

Ugandans are being warned against buying fake computers circulating on the market in the country. Janet Kamawu, manager of IT Computer Company based in Kampala said most of the fake computers on the market originate from Asian countries. She said the fake computers bear names of reputable computer firms. - She is calling on the National Bureau of Standards to crack down on those who import such fake computers. Dr. Hamadoun Toure, the Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union has urged the government of Uganda to create an Internet security to protect the public especially children there from phonograph and other related materials. He warned that although Uganda wa…

Uganda is expected to host the first ever children's center for HIV/AIDS services in Africa that would be giving free HIV/AIDS services to children. It is being established by Baylor International pediatric Aids initiative and will be commissioned by President Museveni at Mulago hospital soon. - Dr Adeodata Kekitinwa, the executive Director of Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation says they have used 2.2 million dollars to establish the center at Mulago hospital in Kampala. She said the center will cater for 180 patients per day and urged parents to take their children there for free treatment. She also expressed concern that care for HIV/AIDS children has lagged beh…

The world could reach its four billion mark of mobile phone subscribers by end of 2008, if the drastic increase in mobile phone usage in Africa continues. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) said Africa remains the region with the highest annual growth rate in mobile phone subscribers. - In a press statement, Dr. Hamadoun Touré, the ITU Secretary- General describes this as a viable business opportunity. He said the African continent added over 60 million new mobile subscribers and it represents some 90 percent of all telephone subscribers, and mobile penetration in the region is close to 30 percent. He added: “Less than 65 million new subscribers during 2007. At the begi…

As rich country leaders gather in Accra, Ghana, to discuss the quality of the aid they provide to developing countries, European NGOs are concerned that without a strong and progressive common position from EU governments, this meeting will amount to little more than lip-service. - A press statement from CONCORD, the European Confederation for Development NGOs calls on the European Union, as the world's largest donor of official development assistance, to demonstrate leadership on aid effectiveness and agree on ambitious and measurable actions to reform aid and ensure it reaches those that need it most. Over 1,000 officials from donor and developing countries will meet in Accra from…

A thirty-two year old chimpanzee in Uganda has given birth, increasing the number of rare primates in the country. Murungi's child has increasing the number of the chimpanzee population at Kyambura gauge in Queen Elizabeth National Park to eighteen. - Jack Twerebere, a tourism ranger guide at the gauge says that the birth of the new kid is much important especially at this time when the chimpanzees on African continent face greater extinction due to climate change, poaching and encroachment on their habitants by man. He says that the sex of new born baby which is suspected to be a female “is yet to be identified because its mother is still shielding it from rangers, tourists a…

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been visiting Uganda, on a state visit that has made him the first Egyptian leader to visit Uganda since the time of the pharaohs. - Mubarak arrived in Uganda Wednesday and was received on arrival at State House by President Museveni. The receiving ceremonies also included a 21-gun salute and inspected a guard of honor mounted by officers and men of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces. Among other issues, his visit was meant to discuss with his Ugandan counterpart the ICC charges against the President of sudan al-Bashir and how to end the Darfur conflict. Other issues ranged from the conservation and proper use of river Nile water, to health and a…

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni says that his government will not hold further negotiations with the Lord Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony (photo). The President made the remarks yesterday shortly after meeting the First Vice President of Sudan General Salva Kiir who is in Uganda on an official visit. - “What remains is for him to sign the peace agreement,” Mr. Museveni stresses. President Museveni also hailed the prevailing good relations between Uganda and Sudan. He disclosed that during their talks they discussed the border security, infrastructure and other issues of bilateral cooperation. Speaking at the same occasion, General Salva Kiir reiterated that r…

Six Ugandan young stars who travelled to Brazil for a training stint at the famous Brazil Football Academy have returned home and are marvelled by 'a lot of skills they acquired during the one week training'. - Paddy Atugonza, Godfrey Buni, Abel Eturudde, Robert Magomu, Ceasar Sapeo and Luwaga Kizito were picked from the 16th Copa Coca-Cola tournament in Arua. They had occasion to train in different aspects of the game under a coaching staff led by the Academy’s Technical Director and former Brazil World Cup winning coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira and another World Cup USA 1994 Hero, Bebeto. The 2008 International Coca-Cola Football Camp is a continuation of a major globa…

One of the leading telecom companies, Uganda telecom, has embarked on a drive to improve computer literacy in schools in the country as part of the larger ICT4D millennium goal. The company says it will donate 5 computers each to 33 schools and tertiary institutions. - The company says it will donate 5 computers each to 33 schools and tertiary institutions around the country. “These computers will not only help the students get a better understanding of computer science and ICT but may also be used to educate members of the larger community,” Kaheru Mark, the company’s Public Relations Officer told journalists. he continued to revealed that, “ so far, Kyebambe …

A plant for assembling tractors locally targeting both domestic and regional markets has been commissioned in Uganda. Uganda - Iran (UGIRAN) tractor assembling plant is a joint venture between Uganda and Iran, which hold 40% and 60% of shares respectively. - Uganda is represented by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) shares while Iran is represented by Iran Tractor manufacturing Company (ITMCO). Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the plant with an appeal to all development partners and industrialists to invest in agro-processing in Uganda if farmers are to be motivated to produce and engage in meaningful commercial agriculture. President Museveni said that alt…

Uganda president Yoweri Museveni has petitioned the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to push for the resolution of the conflict in the Sudanese troubled region of Darfur. He was addressing the 35th meeting of foreign ministers in Kampala on Wednesday. - “You can not expect black people to see black people being killed and think they will stay aloof. It is not a correct calculation. It is not wise. It is provocative. It must be resolved,” President Museveni said. “You cannot support Palestinians who are being killed by the Jews and then you think that we shall keep quiet when black people are being killed by somebody else,” President Museveni lamented, stre…

A 13-year-old Cameroonian running clean-up campaigns and tree plantings is among 700 children from around the world attending a UN environment conference in Stavanger, Norway for children who are engaged in environment conservation in their communities. - Other remarkable children taking part in this conference include a 13-year-old Australian who is making a documentary called ‘A Kid’s Guide to Climate Change’, for which he interviewed a local indigenous leader, visited a wind farm and a wave generator, and built a model solar car, a 14-year-old Indian who is campaigning against water waste in his community and a 13-year-old American who has helped organize a recycling dri…

The government of Uganda has warned that climate change is slowly ravaging the nation's natural resources. The warning came today as the world marks international day of combating desertification. - Engineer Hillary Onek, Uganda’s minister of Agriculture, Animal industry and Fisheries says that there is growing evidence that poverty, desertification , land degradation and drought continue to worsen with increased climate change. “The increasing frequency of drought contributes to the widespread poverty, marginalization, famine and mass population displacement,” Engineer Onek continued to laments. He is calling for focusing attention on the needs of pastoralists…

Uganda has set aside over 60 billion shillings for purchasing and providing Antiretroviral Drugs to those who need them. This is part of the neatly 99 billions shillings, the government has allocated to the health sector to extend improved heath services in the country. - “An additional Shs. 98.69 billion has been provided to the health sector of which Shs. 60 billion will be for the provision of Anti-Retroviral Treatment to all who require them. The balance of Shs. 38 billion will support Referral hospitals and health centers in sub counties and parishes throughout the country.” Dr Ezra Suruma, the Uganda’s minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development read while …

Scientists are working on a water harvesting system to recycle steam from cooling towers and allowing buildings to collect their own water supplies from the air. The study is inspired by the way the Namib Desert Beetle of Namibia harvests water from desert fogs. - Scientists are working on a water harvesting system to recycle steam from cooling towers and allowing buildings to collect their own water supplies from the air. The study is inspired by the way the Namib Desert Beetle of Namibia harvests water from desert fogs. The beetle lives in a location that receives a mere half an inch of rain a year yet can harvest water from fogs that blow in gales across the land several mornings ea…

One of the largest telecoms company-Uganda telecom has embarked on a massive USD 150 million project to expand and improve their network. To date the firm has put up 95 new sites all over the country is hoping to make telecom affordable for most Ugandans. - In this project, the telecommunication company will be more than doubling the number of base transmission stations that they have in the country with the aim of providing more access to communication. “We are plugging the holes and providing network in areas where it was not there before. We believe that all Ugandans should enjoy our very affordable rates and that they have a right to a quality network.” Kaheru mark, the co…