How smuggling ivory limits tourists from streaming in

Uganda Wildlife Authority executive director Andrew Seguya (C) with law enforcement officials display ivory impounded in Kampala in 2012. Mr Seguya says the consignment is used to make chop sticks and jewelry in Middle East, mostly China.

Kampala. It was supposed to be the biggest day to showcase Uganda’s tourism to more than 1,300 foreign delegates from the world travel industry. They had convened in Kampala for the Africa Travel Association Congress, the biggest event in Africa’s tourism.
Twenty two foreign journalists had been flown in as part of the country’s marketing initiatives of its tourism attractions to boost Uganda’s image amidst stories of Ebola and Marburg that were scaring away tourists.
Instead, it is the missing 1,335kgs of ivory from Uganda Wildlife Authority’s (UWA) strong room that dwarfed the international tourism conference.
“It was a wrong timing,” Mr Amos Wekesa, one of the leading tour operators in the country, said reflecting on Uganda’s embarrassment before the international tourism fraternity. The alleged theft put Uganda on the spot for poor conservation credentials.
The ivory in UWA’s stores is collected from dead elephants or rescued from poachers.
There is also a worldwide ban on ivory since 1989, with only two sanctioned sales to China and Japan in 1989 and 2007. All forms of ivory trade are also illegal in Uganda.
However, loopholes in the system expose the animals in the parks to the lucrative illicit trade. The ivory said to be missing in the stores has been valued at $1.1 million (Nearly Shs300 billion).
Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in Uganda’s economy. Last year, it grew at 21 per cent. The industry, therefore, has become one of the leading foreign exchange earners ahead of coffee, fish and fish products, tea and cotton.
More than $1.4 billion (Nearly Shs4 trillin) is collected in Uganda from tourism alone and there are more than 1.3 million arrivals in Uganda making tourism a lucrative business at the same time a sector no one should be playing about.
Mr Andrew Seguya, the custodian of the UWA, currently on leave, was attending an international meeting, the IUCN World Parks Congress in Sydney Australia.
During the meeting, Uganda came under attack as one of the eight countries accused of failing to do enough to tackle the illegal trade in elephants. The countries had just escaped sanctions when they presented actions plans to respond to the problem.
Mr Seguya, who is under fire for failing to secure the ivory, however, he denies wrongdoing, saying he instituted the stock taking exercise on the stock piles to ensure the safety of ivory.
“Since 2012 to date, two ivory stocktaking exercises have been conducted at UWA. The two stock taking exercises were conducted on my instruction in June 2012 and in September 2014,” he told Daily Monitor.
The two audits are the only ivory stocktaking exercises on record that have taken place in the country.
When UWA was established in 1996, no ivory was handed over to the wildlife agency, even when there were elephants dying naturally, or ivory confiscated from poachers or traders.
“The September stock taking exercise is yet to be concluded. I have only seen purported results of this stock taking in the media, complete with analysis,” Mr Seguya insists.
The results of the exercise are expected at end of this month and will be followed by analysis and subsequently any actions that will need to be taken.
President Museveni immediately ordered for investigation to pin the culprits while the US ambassador, Mr Scott DeLisi, said: “We hope there will be an investigation and that the culprits will be identified and prosecuted to demonstrate commitment to wildlife protection.”
Illicit trade in ivory has doubled since 2007 and more than tripled over the past 15 years, according to wildlife groups.
Between 430,000 and 650,000 elephants are said to be remaining in Africa,
Uganda and other African countries experienced a global increase in volumes of ivory under illegal trade from around 2010 to date.
Mr Seguya says seizures of contraband ivory have also increased in Uganda in recent years.
The country began to register a high number of elephants poached in the national parks between 2010 and 2013.
In 2010, Uganda lost 12 elephants. In the subsequent year, the country would lose the highest loss after more than 40 elephants were lost to poachers while 26 died in 2012 and 22 in 2013.
However, poaching is worse in neighbouring countries particularly Kenya and Tanzania where more than 200 elephants are lost annually.
However, Uganda is a weak link in regard to being a source and transit country. This is largely driven by weak wildlife laws when caught. Mr Wekesa says it works against conservation efforts if one kills a rhino for instance, and he is fined Shs50,000 when the same animals goes for Shs500,000 on the local market.
He also blames legislators from protected areas who encourage rersidents to poach.
The tour operator notes that in Tanzania, 420,000 jobs were created last year from tourism related businesses, adding that if MPs want jobs to be created, they must support efforts by sectors such as tourism.
On conviction, poachers or traders get a maximum of one year jail sentence or a fine of Shs1m. “As a result, many illicit ivory traders found Uganda to be a favourable environment from which to export ivory,” Mr Seguya says.
According to Mr Seguya, elephant population is on the increase despite the challenges of illegal ivory trade.
This is happening even as most African countries are experiencing rapid declines in elephant populations since 1990.
Figures from the elephant population census for key national parks in Uganda, elephants have increased in Queen Elizabeth from 150 in 1980 to 2,900 this year.
Murchison Falls park has recorded 1,350 in 2014 from 1,400 in 1980 and Kidepo registered 552 from 400 in the same period, according to UWA Monitoring and Research Unit.
Uganda has continued to witness an increase in populations of key wildlife species particularly elephants, buffaloes, hippos and other big game.
“We still have challenges with carnivores whose populations are declining but this is not unique to only Uganda,” Mr Seguya says.
Mr Edwin Muzahura, the marketing manager of Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), says tourists are sensitive on matters of conservation and ivory trade must be controlled.
Mr Stephen Asiimwe, the CEO of UTB, says UWA and other agencies should be given time to investigate the lapses.
“We need to look at the root. Let us look beyond the stolen ivory, where ivory coming from in the first place. All agencies and citizens should be concerned because conservation is everyone’s business,” Mr Asiimwe says.

EFFORTS TO FIGHT ILLICIT TRADE

There is an ongoing general capacity building, logistical support to acquire high tech equipment for surveillance and monitoring of the illegal ivory trade. Cabinet approved the Wildlife Policy in March and the technical review of the Wildlife Act was concluded and amendments are before the first Parliamentary Council.
UWA says they have recruited and trained 634 rangers in the last three years and set up an 80-man intelligence force to combat wildlife crime.
Police have sniffer dogs currently undergoing training at the police canine section that will be deployed on the porous borders as well as at Entebbe International Airport. There are also plans to acquire other high tech equipment, including a helicopter for UWA for wildlife surveillance and monitoring.
The Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) provided two ivory detectors to UWA.
One of the detectors deployed permanently at airport, has been instrumental in the ivory seizures. Last year, 13 of the 20 arrests of illegal ivory possession took place at the Entebbe.
The detectors have also been very handy and helpful for on spot checks along major high ways following intelligence tip offs of vehicles carrying ivory.
The measures have resulted in the seizure of more than 500 Kgs of illegal ivory and arrest and prosecution of 22 suspects in connection with illegal ivory trade between 2011 and November 2012.
In 2012, six pieces of raw ivory weighing 26kg was in August was seized while on transit to Kampala after tip off and the culprits arrested and successfully prosecuted.
In September 2012, three separate seizures were made involving 30kg of worked ivory at Entebbe Airport and a Chinese national arrested, two pieces of worked ivory and seven bracelets of worked ivory confiscated in a major operation in Entebbe and 279 pieces of worked ivory impounded in another operation in Entebbe.
Ivory is smuggled in forms of spears, polished ivory, bangles, necklaces, Finger ring, and Horn shapes.
Some culprits have, however, been just cautioned and left to go, or, fined to up to Shs.2.3 million. Dong Fuxian, a Chinese national was found in possession of 700gm of ivory in a form of a status on October 25, 2013.

Numbers

25,000
Number of elephants that were killed in 2012 in Africa.

40
Highest number of elephants lost in the country in 2011.

30
Estimated number of arrests related to smuggling of ivory made involving nationals of Uganda, Vietnam, China, Kenya and Sudan.

Christina Aguilera Returns to The Voice as a Mentor For Team Gwen Stefani Three Months After Giving Birth

Christina Aguilera can’t wait to reclaim her red throne on The Voice! The pop diva, 33, who is set to return to the hit NBC singing competition for season 8 this spring, revisited the show on Monday, Nov. 24, serving as a guest mentor for Team Gwen Stefani
Aguilera, who welcomed daughter Summer Rain with fiancé Matt Rutler in August, looked incredible just three months after giving birth. Wearing a loose printed red top, black skinny jeans, and her signature stilettos, the original Voice coach advised Stefani’s three remaining contestants.
Prior to the live episode, the “Hollaback Girl” crooner, 45, tweeted, “Tonight #TeamGwen is getting the #GirlPower treatment with @xtina,” to which the “Beautiful” singer replied, “SO FUN! xo.”
Aguilera worked closely with the artists, giving them critical notes on their song selections for the Top 10. 
“I love being able to come here and be on the opposite side of the spectrum as a mentor,” she said, adding, “Gwen, can you please take it home this year? Get a female to win it!”

                                                           Gwen and Gavin's sweetest moments

 

Riots erupt after US jury fails to indict killer officer

Protestors display signs outside the White House on Monday in Washington, DC following the announcement that the white policeman who shot and killed an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Missouri, will not face charges

Ferguson. Protesters set buildings ablaze and looted stores in the US town of Ferguson on Monday after a grand jury chose not to press charges against a white officer who shot dead a black teen.
US President Barack Obama and the family of late 18-year-old Michael Brown appealed in vain for calm after a prosecutor said a grand jury had found the policeman acted in self-defense.
The shooting of Brown back in August sparked weeks of sometimes violent protests and a nationwide debate about forceful police tactics and race relations in America.

No ground for charges
St Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch said Officer Darren Wilson had fired 12 times after getting into an “altercation” (noisy quarrel) with Brown, and that the jury had found no grounds to file charges.
As McCulloch rounded off his summary of the grand jury’s decision, Brown’s mother burst into tears and the crowd began to chant: “Hey, hey, ho, ho! These killer cops have got to go.”
Members of an angry crowd outside the police station where Wilson had been threw bottles and stones. A police car was set alight and nearby stores looted.
Riot officers responded with teargas, batons and flash grenades, and running battles broke out in the streets of the St Louis suburb, with armored cars moving slowly through the area.
Looters smashed their way into a mobile phone store opposite the police headquarters and ransacked it.
Pam Bailey, a retiree from St Louis in her 60s, said she had expected the decision. “I have lived long enough to know that African Americans are not considered human beings,” she said.
Protest marches began in several more US cities, including New York, Chicago and the capital Washington DC.
Outside the White House in Washington, a crowd waved signs urging the government to “Stop racist police terror.”
Inside the executive mansion, US President Barrack Obama made a rapidly-organised televised appearance to appeal for calm in the Midwestern town, echoing the sentiments of the dead teenager’s family.
Michael Brown’s parents have lost more than anyone. We should be honouring their wishes,” President Obama said.
“I also appeal to the law enforcement officials in Ferguson and the region to show care and restraint in managing peaceful protests that may occur.”

Michael Brown’s family speaks out

The family of slain black US teen Michael Brown said they were “profoundly disappointed” by a grand jury’s decision not to charge the white police officer who killed him, but pressed for calm.
Brown’s mother Lesley McSpadden, in tears after the St Louis County prosecutor announced the grand jury’s decision, was hugged by supporters outside the police station in Ferguson, Missouri.
“We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions,” the Brown family said in a statement. “We respectfully ask that you please keep your protests peaceful. Answering violence with violence is not the appropriate reaction.”

Janani Luwum knew of a coup plot by Acholis - Ford

Ms Margaret Ford during the interview in Kampala last week

I am a farmer’s daughter who grew up in a typical village in Nottinghamshire [in the UK] overlooking Lincoln Cathedral. I come from a Christian family but was dismissive of the Billy Graham sort of evangelism, until when I attended a youth rally in Sheffield in 1970, then I was a secretary with the Church Missionary Society (CMS) youth department in London.
When the Church of Uganda wrote to the CMS requesting for a missionary secretary to work with the new Bishop of Gulu, I was posted to Uganda where I arrived in January 1972. When he left Gulu after being appointed archbishop in 1974, I stayed there working with the new Bishop Benon Ogwal.
Two years later when Janani’s secretary, also a missionary secretary from the CMS in London, went on leave and got engaged, Janani asked me to come and work with him in Kampala. I recall one Saturday morning Bishop Ogwal called me to his office and said, “I have received a letter from the Archbishop asking you to go and work with him in Kampala.”
By May 1976 I was a resident of Namirembe hill, residing just below the provincial office. On Namirembe hill we lived as a family, food and water were in short supply. Kampala turned into a city of rumours. No venturing out after sunset and at night we kept awake, fearful of midnight knocks on the door.

Things fall apart
A number of events started happening that grabbed the Archbishop’s concern. First was the death in June 1976 of Teresa Nanziri-Bukenya. The eight-months-pregnant then warden of Africa Hall [Makerere University] paid with her life when she refused to sign a false statement about the disappearance of a Kenyan girl. When Janani heard of her death, he wept.
When students learnt of Teresa’s death at the beginning of a new academic year, they wanted to stage a strike to register their protest, but the vice chancellor prevailed over them.
However, on August 3 when the army had surrounded the university because students had opposed the way Amin’s son who was flashing his gun around the university and the way his security detail was treating them Janani went to the university where he found all offices closed.
The following day he returned to the university with Cardinal Emmanuel Nsubuga to meet the vice-chancellor, who did not tell the two religious leaders what exactly was happening at the university. He painted a calm picture at the campus only to hear later that students had been herded into trucks and taken to Makindye Military Police Barracks. It took the intervention of the vice president to have the students released.
Outside the university fiasco was the raid at Entebbe airport by the Israeli commandos to rescue their nationals in a hijacked plane. Amin reacted by accusing the Kenyan president Jomo Kenyatta of supporting his enemies. In response, Kenyatta reminded him of Uganda’s trade debts to Kenya, and ordered no more goods to come into Uganda through Kenya until all the debts were settled.
This caused a fuel crisis; public transport came to a standstill making the already bad situation worse. Church officials and government institutions were given a small allocation of petrol, for instance Mengo hospital was allowed to keep one ambulance on the road.
These events forced both the Anglican and Catholic churches to make political criticism, a thing they had desisted from doing for some time. The first of the joint religious efforts to bring government to account for its actions was when Janani and Cardinal Nsubuga agreed to call the bishops of both churches to a joint meeting at Lweza. Also invited was the Mufti of Uganda.
I drove to Lweza with Janani on the morning of August 26, it was Thursday. Janani was asked to chair the meeting and I was one of the three secretaries appointed to take minutes of that meeting, one from each religious group present. Those in the meeting were convinced that it would be wrong to keep quiet about what was happening in the country. They discussed the killings, harassment, looting and the excessive power given to the intelligence officers.
The meeting ended having agreed to have a meeting with the president to talk things over and to share their concern, but it was never granted. Instead, Amin sent a warning to Janani reprimanding him for having held a meeting without permission, and demanded minutes of the meeting, which were also sent to him. From this time on, Janani was seen by the authorities as the leader of those opposed to the government.
After the daily office prayers at 8 O’clock, people would walk in the office saying “My husband has not come back,” or “my son has been taken” and Janani would jump into his car and go to the various places where people were often taken and ask why a particular individual had been arrested.
Initially, the security men would apologise saying “Oh your Grace, we are very sorry, we did it by mistake” and release the person. But this was short lived as the killing and disappearance continued in bigger numbers.
During the annual coup anniversary in 1977, Amin declared a number of days public holidays to celebrate the anniversary, with the main celebrations at Nakivub stadium. Janani attended. When he returned, I asked him who else was there.
“I, the cardinal, Amin, and the soldiers were [at Nakivubo], but there were no people. This upset Amin very much,” Janani said.
The following weekend was the consecration of the new Bishop of Ankole at Bweranyangi grounds where close to 30,000 people attended.
In his sermon that day, Bishop Festo [Kivengere] said to the new bishop: “You have now been given a position of leadership, are you going to use it to uphold people or to push their faces into the dust.” People knew that Festo was saying this to Amin; his leadership was not upholding people but putting them down. On the way back to Kampala I recall Bishop Okoth saying to Janani, “If you and Festo are not careful you will get us all killed.”

Journey to martyrdom
Janani’s official residence was raided by security operatives who searched for weapons and accused him of being part of a group plotting a coup against the government. When this happened, everybody was disgusted and this led to the calling of a meeting for all Anglican bishops. After the meeting, a small team was set up to draft a response to the raid at Janani’s home.
Festo and I were part of the draft committee, his choice of words was very critical of the government. I typed the letter that was to be presented to Amin, but I can tell you there is always a Judas in every situation. This letter was leaked from the provincial office because Amin got wind of the letter before it got to him.
However, Janani had told me earlier that there are some Acholis planning a coup. He knew something was afoot, he knew his people and they confided in him. But I know he was not involved in the coup plans, his idea of forgiveness was against that of the Acholis of kill your enemies. Amin knew the best way to get Janani was to accuse him of plotting against his government.
I had plans of travelling to Kisumu [in Kenya] to sort out tuition related issues of one of the girls I was supporting before the events at Namirembe happened. Following these events, I decided to postpone my travel but Bishop Festo insisted that I leave and take the letter to Bishop Henry Okullu of Kisumu.
Bishop Festo told me, “Tell Henry time has come for the world to know what is happening in Uganda.” Bishop Okullu had contacts in foreign media having been a journalist earlier. I confirm that it’s me who took that letter out of Uganda and it found its way to London before Amin received his copy.
With that letter in London, Amin could no longer hide what he was doing. Thereafter, he was determined to get rid of Janani. He called together a big meeting which was like a trial of Jesus where they separated him from the rest and later killed him.
I returned from Kenya on a Thursday just after the death of Janani and on Saturday the bishops decided that I should not stay in the country and must leave immediately. I was taken over the border by a fellow called John; he had been involved in smuggling bibles in the country, pretending to be two expatriates going to Kenya for a weekend break.
Along the way, I tore the minutes of the last bishops meeting and scattered the pieces along the road. Also before departure, I and the provincial secretary then, Canon Wesonga, burnt all church records showing how much foreign aid it was receiving, thus creating a gap in the church archives.
When I got to Kisumu, Bishop Henry asked me to write what had happened in Uganda. And in May 1977, I went back to England and I did some research and wrote the manuscript for the book Janani, the making of a martyr published in 1978.

Missionary refuge

While in London, the CMS got a request from the archbishop of Juba asking for a secretary missionary. That was how I ended up in Juba in late 1978 where I stayed until 1983. My leaving Juba was caused by a book The Uganda Holocaust in which the author mentioned me by name as the person who had taken the Bishop’s letter out of Uganda.
When my identity was made public, it was no longer safe for me to stay in Juba. The authorities in Sudan learnt that I had been living in Juba and they sent police to pick me up, fortunately I was in London on leave, my neighbour alerted the CMS in Nairobi of the situation and they stopped me from coming back.
I stayed in London until 1984, until another request a missionary secretary from the Bishop of Egypt came and I was assigned to Egypt where I stayed for 10 years, and eventually I retired in Lincoln in 1995 because by that time I was 65 and at that age I could not be hired. I had reached the retirement age. But I kept my links with the Anglican Church in Uganda, Sudan and Egypt.

 

Maid in torture video faces murder charge

Mr Kamanzi and baby Arnella in Kampala

KAMPALA

Police have amended the charge sheet of the 22-year-old maid, who was caught on camera brutalising one-and-half-year-old child, from torture to attempted murder.

Jolly Tumuhirwe, the maid in the footage, had been remanded in Luzira prison by the Nakawa Magistrates Court for torture under Section 41 of the Anti-Torture Act and was set to re-appear in court on December 8.

However, Mr Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, said in a press statement: “The charge against her has been amended to attempted murder upon re-perusal by the Resident State Attorney and the pending lines of inquiry in advanced stages.” He added: “The maid admitted to partly hitting the infant with a torch, a process that was captured in the video clip. She was further subjected to medical tests and established to be a person of sound mind.”

Mr Enanga cautioned employers to reflect on the selection criterion of their domestic staff, arguing such acts could be linked to “psychological problems suffered by maids and helpers”. Ms Mary Karooro Okurut, the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, yesterday commended the restraint of Arnella’s parents.

“Given the magnitude of torture meted out on their child, anybody would have picked the nearest object and killed the maid but he followed the law. We are also forwarding to Parliament the 2014 Children Amendment Act to strengthen the law on child abuse,” she said.

Mother narrates tortured baby’s ordeal

Baby Arnella Kamanzi strikes you with her contagious smile. Her charming baby white eyes and cute lips twinkle as she throws her tender arms and legs around her mother and mutters an innocent word or two. The moment a stranger holds her, those cheerful eyes get teary and a strange frown overlaps the adorable sweet smiling face. She screams and struggles to liberate herself. When her parents embrace her, the jolly face returns instantly and beams with an even brighter smile that mellows your heart.

For the last three days, baby Arnella has arguably been the most passionately discussed topic on social media. In the video, a visibly angry Jolly Tumuhirwe is seen feeding baby Arnella using a spoon, forcefully putting the spoon in her mouth and angrily barking at her while she herself partakes of her food from the same plate and spoon. The baby vomits on the floor. Tumuhirwe pauses, gathers her anger and viciously throws the baby off the couch, hitting her head on the tiled floor. She follows her, spanks her severely with a torch as the girl cries her heart out. She then kicks her and puts her entire weight on the girl’s back before dragging her to be washroom, where the recording ends.

Thus is the emotive power of the video that when Daily Monitor visited the 18-month-old baby at her parents’ home in Nalya, a Kampala suburb, the family was yet to recover from the ordeal.

Her mother, Angella Mbabazi, is still overwhelmed with emotion that a narration of the ordeal leaves her with bouts of tears, often breaking down. “Another maid had recommended her to us. She told us she was from the village (Rukungiri). It is only after this nasty incident that she told us she was actually a maid in Nakulabye before coming here,” she told this newspaper yesterday.

The mother of two said whenever she attempted to dig out her background, Tumuhirwe would shift in the couch, get sweaty and blubber a standard one-word response. Ms Mbabazi did not read between these lines that signaled danger early. She hoped one day her house-help would open up. She had only worked with them for 26 days.

As days went by, the two parents returned home from work only to find Arnella limping, with wounds and bruises. Not once, not twice. Tumuhirwe feigned ignorance and gave a standard response coated with a thick Rukiga accent, “Simanyi.”

“Whenever we returned home we would find the house clean, she would bathe the children, feed them and take them to bed. Our first born goes to school so no one could tell us the source of Arnella’s bruises. That is when we installed CCTV cameras in the house,” she shares. After fixing the close circuit television camera (CCTV), the parents again found their daughter unwell and checked the footage, only to find the horrific video of a near-hell experience.

On November 13, Mr Eric Kamanzi reported the matter to Kiwatule Police Post where he tendered in the video. The maid was immediately arrested and the case transferred to the Divisional Police Headquarters at Kira Road for better management.

Asked if she considers employing another maid, since theirs is a young couple barely in the afternoon of their careers, Mbabazi is speechless and gets emotional, falling on her husband’s chest. “It is sad. I can’t describe how I feel. We shared the video on social media so that other parents can learn from it,” she says, adding, “By the grace of God, baby Arnella is fine. She got medication and recovered. She is well and God protected her, we are grateful.”

At this point, baby Arnella innocently interrupts her, keeping her eyes off strangers, as though to cement fear for anyone else but her parents. The effect of the brutality meted out on her speaks volumes.

Maid captured on video torturing baby to appear in court on December 8

KAMPALA:
The Maid that was captured appearing to be torturing a toddler in a video is set to appear in court for a second hearing on December 8.

The video that went viral on social media on Friday depicting a maid torturing a two-year-old toddler has sparked mass outrage.

In the video, which went viral on Facebook, Jolly Tumuhirwe, a 22-year-old housemaid in Naalya in Kiwatule suburb, appears to be battering the baby with a hard object on the face. When the child starts vomiting, the video shows the maid throwing her heartlessly on the floor of the living room. She then beats her with a hard object before standing on the baby’s back several times and the toddler groaned in pain on the floor.

Police said the motive of the assault had not yet been established but added that Tumuhirwe had worked for the couple’s home for only 26 days. The parents said the baby had been discharged from hospital and was improving.

“We took her to the hospital for medical checkup and she is ok. We will be returning to the hospital next week,” the girl’s mother only identified as Angela said by telephone yesterday.

Suspect remanded
According to the police spokesperson Fred Enanga, the case was reported by the girl’s father Eric Kamanzi on November 13 at Kiwatule Police Post after he had viewed the footage of CCTV camera installed in the house.

The matter was transferred to Kiira Police Division. After the investigations, the maid was charged with torture in Nakawa Magistrate’s Court on Thursday and remanded to Luzira prison.

Mr Enanga said Ms Tumuhirwe was charged under Section 3 of the Anti-Torture Act. The section stipulates several offences including “systematic beating, all of which attract a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail on conviction. However, Enanga said the police had sought advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions to amend the charge to attempted murder which attracts up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on conviction.

Ms Tumuhirwe will re-appear in court on December 8.

Utility

The torture video was released a day after another horrific event in which another two-year-old Allan Ssemaganda was run-over by a Kampala Capital City Authority vehicle. The child had been taken to the authority headquarters to be breast fed by the mother who was due to appear in court at City Hall. The KCCA officials insist the knocking was not intentional but accidental.

 

Now or never for Uganda Cranes

Cranes striker Geoffrey Massa looks to the heavens during the game against Togo. Cranes will need prayers going into tonight’s game against Guinea

March 16, 1978; the day Uganda came closest to winning Africa’s biggest football showpiece only to fall 2-0 to hosts Ghana in the final.
Sadly, it has been one painstaking wait ever since. Eighteen Nations Cup tournaments have since been played and Uganda have only come agonisingly close. Not close to winning the title, but earning rights to compete for it.
That wait could end tonight. That agonising suspense could face its extinction today if Uganda can fashion a draw against Guinea in Group E’s final 2015 Afcon qualifying game at Casablanca’s Complexe Mohammed in Morocco.
The needed point would see Uganda move to eight, and in Equatorial Guinea - the 2015 hosts - regardless of the result between Ghana and Togo in Tamale. Ghana are on eight while Cranes opponents today, who they beat 2-0 in Kampala, are level with Uganda on seven. Togo are bottom on six.

Any winner today will progress among the top two although a draw in their respective games will see Uganda and Ghana, who the Cranes better head-to-head, qualify. “For us it is a dream,” said Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic ahead of the tie to be officiated by Senegalese referee Malang Diedhiou,
“It is our driving force. It will be tough against Guinea but we really want to get the best out of ourselves and we look forward to qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations.”
His Guinea counterpart Michel Dussuyer, whose side thrashed Togo 4-1 at the weekend, is aware of the task at hand. “We must remain focused on our game and our goal,” he told local press, “I told them (his players) that victory in Togo is useless if it is not followed by a victory against Uganda. “Uganda concedes few goals. This is a team that is difficult to maneuver but we will have to find an opening.”
Uganda have conceded just thrice while Guinea eight times, including Geoffrey Massa’s brace in Kampala.
Micho is expected to employ a balancing act since he cannot go all out in attack, nor can he set out to defend for a draw. The agile Guineans will punish any lapse in concentration.

The Serb is likely to make at least three changes by starting Godfrey Walusimbi – returning from suspension – at leftback at the expense of Brian Majwega.
Dennis Onyango should retain his place in goal with skipper Andy Mwesigwa, Savio Kabugo – scorer in the 1-0 victory over Ghana, and Isaac Isinde completing the back four.
Geoffrey ‘Baba’ Kizito is likely to replace Farouq Miya in the middle alongside in-form Tonny Mawejje to add more protection to the back four. Daniel Sserunkuma, so impressive against Ghana when he replaced Yunus Ssentamu, should help Mike Sserumaga and Kizito Luwagga to craft chances for Massa in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Danger man Soumah Seydouba, hat-trick hero against Togo, is likely to trouble Uganda the most.

Cranes probable
Dennis Onyango, Godfrey Walusimbi, Andy Mwesigwa (captain), Savio Kabugo, Isaac Isinde, Tonny Mawejje, Geoffrey Kizito, Luwagga Kizito, Mike Sserumaga, Daniel Sserunkuma, Geoffrey Massa
Subs: Robert Odongkara, Habib Kavuma, Martin Kizza, Khalid Aucho, Farouq Miya, Brian Majwega, Robert Ssentongo
HEAD TO HEAD
Afcon qualifiers, 10/09/2014:
Uganda 2-0 Guinea
WCQ, 23/04/2000: Guinea 3-0 Uganda
WCQ, 08/04/2000: Uganda 4-4 Guinea
Afcon finals 1976: Guinea 2-1 Uganda
Uganda (1 win), Guinea (2 wins), 1 draw
Fifa ranking: 55 - Guinea, 84 – Uganda

Jennifer Lopez Reacts to Marc Anthony's Engagement to Shannon De Lima

Jennifer Lopez has reacted to ex-husband Marc Anthony's new engagement to Shannon De Lima.

Nothing but love from Lopez! Jennifer Lopez stayed upbeat when asked about ex-husband Marc Anthony's recent engagement to model Shannon De Lima.
"I'm happy for him," she told New York Daily News (via Philly.com) of his impending nuptials. "I am totally single. It's not going to be forever. Someone great will come along."
 Earlier this week Anthony, 46, proposed to De Lima back in March, and the couple are set to walk down the aisle in mid-November in the Dominican Republic.
As the Latin singer prepares to wed, Lopez has been making the rounds promoting her new tell-all memoir, True Love. In it, she gives details on her relationship with Anthony and how their marriage fell apart.
"Things between Marc and me weren't perfect," she admitted in the book. "Our marriage was never the kind to glide along peacefully. From the beginning it was tumultuous, passionate and explosive.''

                                                                            Marc and Shannon
Anthony waited in the wings for years after first meeting Lopez in the late '90s. Lopez divorced her first husband Ojani Noa in 1998, married backup dancer Cris Judd in 2001, had a two-year romance with P. Diddy, and was engaged to Ben Affleck in 2002 before settling down with Anthony. The couple welcomed twins Max and Emme in 2008, and announced their split in 2011.
Anthony has four other children from his previous relationships with Dayanara Torres and Debbie Rosado. This will be his third marriage.
   

Solange Knowles Marries Alan Ferguson in New Orleans Wedding: Details, Plus See Her Stunning Pre-Wedding Jumpsuit!

Solange Knowles married her video director fiance Alan Ferguson in New Orleans on Sunday, Nov. 16,
The 28-year-old DJ and Ferguson, 51, were feted by a close-knit group of friends and family, including the bride's big sister Beyonce, brother-in-law Jay Z, and mom Tina Knowles.
The bride wore a stunning, low-cut white jumpsuit with a cape. Her groom sported a matching all-white suit. The couple rode white bicycles up to their wedding venue at Holy Trinity Church in the Bywater area of New Orleans, as several locals congratulated them. The stunning venue, which has been used as a shooting location in several films, was decorated with four trees covered in white lights and large hanging lights.
Us broke news earlier this week that the "Losing You" singer-songwriter was set to marry near her Louisiana home, where she lives with her 10-year-old son Julez. Before exchanging vows, the couple enjoyed a movie night with Bey on Friday, followed by their rehearsal dinner on Saturday.

 Over the summer, Knowles gushed about her future wedding location in an Instagram post. "Thank you nola for giving me so many wonderful, rich, and endless days of joy," she wrote. "For giving my son one of the best summer experiences. For the night I danced until 8 am in a place filled with nothing but love. I fall in love with you more and more every day. You are magic. I am grateful."
Knowles' famous family often makes headlines, but her relationship hasn't. In a rare moment, Knowles opened up about her beau via Instagram on July 21. "Boyfriend took this of me the other night when we got home from dancing," she captioned a pic of herself. "I was happy. I am happy here."
She also shared personal photos with Ferguson from her 28th birthday in June, and sounded off on her past relationships to Harper's Bazaar in March. "Luckily, I dated all of the losers ages ago," she explained. "My love life has been stable for a while."
This is the second marriage for Knowles. She wed Julez's father Daniel Smith in February 2004, later confirming their split in 2007.


 

Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 7, Episode 2 Recap: Apollo Nida Finally Admits That He Lied About Kenya Moore's Sexts

On The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Phaedra Parks' husband Apollo Nida admitted he lied about Kenya Moore's sexts!

Well, this is awkward. In the Nov. 16 episode of Real Housewives of Atlanta, Apollo Nida sets out to dot his I’s, cross his T’s and right all his wrongs with everyone before he leaves for prison…everyone except for his wife, Phaedra Parks. During son Ayden’s dentist appointment, the parents do their best to save face for their two boys, but the tension can be felt even through the world’s strongest Novocain haze. They virtually ignore each other throughout the whole ordeal before leaving in separate cars and going their separate ways.
“Apollo has basically broken up our family,” Phaedra says.



Cynthia Bailey and Peter Thomas are a whole lot happier on their side of town. Cynthia’s riding high from her Ebony Magazine “Sexy at Any Age” spread -- and Peter, supportive as ever, plans a celebration for her at his newly reopened Bar One lounge. He asks her about the guest list, and she strategically excludes a few particular names.
“I’m ridding myself of all negativity and negative people…being friends with NeNe is a full-time job. It was way more draining than my fibroids could ever be,” Cynthia shares. So guess who isn’t invited to the party?
Though they said “I do” months ago, Todd Tucker is still dealing with the wrath of his wicked stepmother, Kandi Burruss’ Mama Joyce. Kandi, the ever-dutiful daughter, prepares to buy her mom a new home down the street from her and Todd, who isn’t too thrilled about his new neighbor

Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker struggled with Mama Joyce's move in the Nov. 16 episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

“She knows how to push your buttons,” Todd tells Kandi. “I just want everybody to be happy,” Kandi counters. Mission: Impossible.
At Kenya Moore’s place, her friend Brandon comes over for an impromptu rescue operation. Kenya’s still playing the role of the recluse after her fight with Porsha Williams but is growing tired of hiding.
“I was a working actress! I still want to be that actress, that model, that producer, that director, that writer,” she says.
Kenya and Brandon also dish about Atlanta’s hottest topic -- Apollo’s 8-year prison sentence. Brandon, who got into a huge fistfight with Apollo at NeNe's disastrous "pajama" party last season, has clearly moved on…and Kenya finally wants to do the same. She’s baaack!
Kandi shows her mom the new house and, surprisingly, she loves it. It wouldn’t be a Mama Joyce moment if she didn’t express her skepticism for Kandi’s new family, though. While she apologized to Todd’s daughter, Kaela, for her less-than-maternal behavior, Mama Joyce won’t be doling any sorries out to Todd’s mom, Miss Sharon…whom she almost fought before the wedding!
“She escaped a good butt-whooping,” she tells Kandi. She’s an OGG -- an Original Gangsta Granny.
NeNe Leakes, our favorite showgirl, prepares for Cirque du Soleil Zumanity's sold-out opening night Las Vegas show. NeNe’s usually the portrait of confidence, but she shows a side that most haven’t seen before -- and almost lets her stage fright get to her.

 
    

Vision Volleyball Camp win league title at first attempt

Vision Volleyball Camp players celebrate their momentous achievement. 

 Kampala

Vision Volleyball Camp (VVC) became the fifth team to win the women’s title of the NSSF Volleyball League and in the process ended Ndejje Elites’ two year reign.

VVC defeated Ndejje 3-1 in the best of five series but had to fight tooth and nail to come out 3-2 victors in game four. “The girls fought a good fight, it was obvious from the onset that Ndejje were not going to go down without a fight,” said VVC coach Hannington Nsubuga.
“But we were stronger mentally, and it was evident in the crucial moments of the game,” he added.

Ndejje had the better service that seemed to trouble VVC and they duly took the first set 25-22.

VVC’s opposite attacker Peace Busingye started to bite, setter Viola Akisa composed herself while Josephine Nammanda, Vivian Adeke were all spot-on with their cover.

Blocker Irene Adeke and Joan Nabuuto made vital points off the block, as VVC won sets two and three 25-18, 25-17 respectively.

VVC almost gave it away as contentment took its toll and Ndejje won the fourth 25-23.

The tie-breaker offered little with VVC establishing a commanding 8-4 lead, that shortly after grew to a championship point at 14-10. Nabuuto went to serve for the match point. Her target was Saidat Nnungi who butted the ball for VVC to win 15-10.

“Inexperience cost us the title, but we will return next season a much stronger side,” Ndejje coach Johnson Kawenyera said.

For a club started just this year, VVC’s league crown was a staggring ninth title in 11 finals. In the men’s final, KAVC made sure it goes to the wire after they defeated Sport-S 3-2 in game four of the series.

Uganda has Kabugo to thank as Afcon dream remains alive

  Savio Kabugo is carried by teammate Mawejje after Uganda beat Ghana at Namboole.

2015 Afcon qualifier
Yesterday’s result
Uganda 1-0 Ghana, Namboole
Standings
P W D L GF GA GD Ps
Ghana 5 2 2 1 8 6 +2 8
Uganda 5 2 1 2 4 3 1 7
Togo 4 2 0 2 5 5 0 6
Guinea 4 1 1 2 4 7 -3 4
*Table does not include Togo-Guinea result

Kampala

Savio Kabugo definitely took Emmanuel Adebayor’s advice. His committed run from his half under coach Micho Sredojevic’s frantic urging on the touchline was quite a tale.

The central defender arrived in time to connect Mike Sserumaga’s searching corner after a run that underlined the hard work he has put in during training. Perhaps he had also taken on Adebayor’s advice of continuing the hard work after the two defeats to the West Africans.

That ninth minute header ensured a crucial 1-0 victory over the fancied Ghanaians in the penultimate 2015 Nations Cup qualifier at Namboole last evening.

It may not be a collector’s item as he sneaked in on the blindside but will remain in the young man’s memory.

It was the first goal for the Sports Club Victory University (SCVU) defender in five Nations Cup qualifying games; his senior debut coming against the same opposition in the 1-1 first leg stalemate in Kumasi.

Uganda will now travel to Casablanca, Morocco to face Guinea on Wednesday knowing victory will end the 37 painful years of absence from the Afcon finals. The Cranes are now on seven points, one behind Ghana. Togo, who are on six, and Guinea – two points less, was a late kick off.

Under the watch of close to 30,000 spectators, Ghana had the earliest chance, Uganda conceding a corner and Christian Atsu delivering it immaculately. But, Majeed Waris could only hold his head in frustration after missing the ball.
Uganda’s chance the other end instead drew deafening noise, the Cranes winning a corner thanks to Geoffrey Massa’s pressure on a Ghanaian defender.

The resultant corner was the moment everyone hoped for. Sserumaga, on his return to the fold after two years in the cold, drilled it past everyone in the Ghanaian box for Kabugo, in his virgin 20s, to nod home.

The Usain Bolt-esque gun posturing celebrations that followed from Kabugo only emphasized the importance of the goal. A loose fan was not to be left out, sprinting across the pitch and past Ghanaian goalkeeper Razak Braimah in stupid ecstasy.

Ghana needed something. Waris latched onto a pass down the left, beating skipper Andy Mwesigwa. The defender applied a rugby strategy, bringing Waris down to pick his yellow card.

Striker Yunus Ssentamu’s ankle, which has troubled him all week, soon gave way allowing a first half forced substitution. Daniel Sserunkuma replaced him. The Gor Mahia striker soon threaded a delicious pass to Sserumaga but John Boye intercepted.

The second half was an equally open affair, Tonny Mawejje releasing Sserunkuma on the left but Gor Mahia man losing footing.

Ghana stand-in skipper Andre Ayew was kept quiet before being substituted late on, but even when he created openings, Atsu and Waris were disappointing.
Substitute David Accam could have rescued a point for the Black Stars but Dennis Onyango saved brilliantly from the Ghanaian’s half volley.