New York, US | THE INDEPENDENT | The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in Ethiopia was again brought for debate at the United Nations Security Council, with Egypt warning that “a nation of over one hundred million souls – is facing an existential threat”. FULL SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS PARFAIT ONANGA-ANYANGA, …
Read More »SAFETY FIRST: Tokyo 2020 will have no spectators
Tokyo, Japan | THE INDEPENDENT & XINHUA | The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) and the Government of Japan (GoJ) have met today, and agreed to COVID-19 restrictions that will see no spectators at the main venues. …
Read More »Saving Lake Wamala
Can nature rescue small lake with rich history that mystics and conservationists have failed to save? Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | It is a small 97 sq mile lake on the western edge of Uganda’s central region and quite shallow; just 4.3 metres at its deepest. So compared to Lake …
Read More »Inside EAC’s US$91.7milion budget
The spending plan comes at a time the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged economies through lockdowns | THE INDEPENDENT | The East African Community has tabled before the East African Legislative Assembly a US$91.7milion proposed budget for the Financial Year 2021/22 compared with US$97.6 million in the Financial Year 2020/21, with a …
Read More »DR Congo joining the East African Community
Is Tshisekedi dangling an economic deal for non-economic reasons? Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Felix Tshisekedi has been busy on the regional integration front since he became president of the Democratic Republic of Congo two years ago. But he has particularly been busier this year. On June 25, President Tshisekedi …
Read More »Mobile money cash for COVID-19 poor
Why Nabbanja is right and others wrong Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government is attempting a new way of getting a Shs100, 000 (Approx.US$28) one-off cash relief to people who might have slipped into poverty as a result of the ongoing 42-day lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19. …
Read More »Who gains, loses in new Uganda internet tax?
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has started implementing the new 12% excise duty on airtime and internet data, among other fiscal measures for the year 2021/2022 that started Thursday. The new tax was part of the amendments in the Excise Duty Act and replaces the Over the …
Read More »Domestic Work: 500 Ugandan girls fly to Middle East daily
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 500 girls leave Uganda each day for domestic work in the Arab World, an official from the Internal Affairs Ministry has revealed. Agnes Igoye, the Deputy Coordinator for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons in the Internal Affairs Ministry, says that although several …
Read More »Zambia gives first president Kaunda grand farewell
Lusaka, Zambia | Xinhua | Zambia has held a grand funeral for the country’s first President Kenneth Kaunda. Held at the Show Grounds, a venue for holding agricultural and commercial shows in Lusaka, the country’s capital, the state funeral attracted hundreds of people, including leaders from different parts of the …
Read More »BOU: Mobile money transfer will add value to money
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mobile Money services have now been completely detached from the regulation of the Uganda Communications Commission to that of the Bank of Uganda (BOU), amidst questions and fears from the customers. Last month, the Bank of Uganda started implementing the National Payments System Act …
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