Soroti municipality member of parliament and former health state minister Mike Mukula who was sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty of embezzling Shs 210m of the Global Alliance Vaccine (GAVI) funds by Chief Magistrate Irene Akankwasa of the Anti-Corruption Court has attracted mixed reactions from the public in Uganda.

Mukula who was admitted to ward B1 of Murchison Bay Prison was allocated a prison number – MBP 148/2013 – and a yellow uniform is also the National Resistance Movement Vice chairman Eastern Region.
While serving as minister of state for Health (General Duties), Mukula allegedly requisitioned and signed for Shs 263m on behalf of the First Lady, Janet Museveni, which money was part of Gavi (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) funds donated to Uganda for treatment of children infected with HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.
Up to Shs 1.6bn of the fund was allegedly misappropriated, and the Health ministers at the time were held responsible, among other individuals. The other ministers were Jim Muhwezi (Health) and Dr Alex Kamugisha (state for Primary Healthcare).
However, court, on July 31 2012, ruled that Muhwezi and Kamugisha had no case to answer, but Mukula, who accounted for Shs 53m, was told to explain the whereabouts of Shs 210m.
In Teso now Mukula’s sentence is being seen as selective application of the law by a certain group of people since his other colleagues were set free and yet he was a junior Minister.

Julius Ochen a former local council five for Amuria District from Uganda people’s Congress (UPC) says they totally condemn the segregative way in which Mukula is being handled in the GAVI funds case and yet others people have been left free.

Mean while the National Resistance Movement chairman for Soroti District Charles Elasu said that people of Teso should not condemn the actions of court but wait for the appeal and stay calm as the law takes its cause.

Anxiety, sorrow and fear of superstition have griped the management and the entire staff of Radio Pacis in Arua-Uganda following the mysterious death of the finance administrator Mr. Bayo Justo at Arua Regional Referral Hospital on the 30th of September after a short illness.

Shocking revelations

Shockingly, during the funeral service on Sunday 3rd October 2011, Dr. Atiku, a surgeon at Arua hospital revealed to thousands of mourners at the home of the deceased in Zambia cell, Arua Municipality that the late Justo died of dangerous toxic substance which destroyed his liver and pancrease within a short time.

“Though the late Justo had high blood sugar and pressure, these could have not killed him within such a short time, we found his liver was rotting at a fast speed, he must have taken in some dangerous substance” Dr. Atiku revealed, sparking fresh weeping among the mourners.

Blame game

A reverend from the Anglican Church who presided over the funeral service publicly blamed the death of Justo on power struggle for his finance position by some of his close friends in the core management team at the Radio Pacis and Arua Diocese Media Center. “ Weare aware of the power struggle at Radio Pacis, someone at the station has been struggling to take up the late’s lucrative position and has work hard to ensure that he is no more, the place is now open for him” the reverend said causing more tears to roll down the chicks of the mourners.

Arrival of Radio Pacis staff ignites fresh blame

To add salt to injury, more than fifty staff of Radio Pacis arrived at the funeral place in an expensively hired Gaagaa bus, all smartly dressed in newly printed Red ‘T’ shirts. To their surprise, they were immediately greeted with jeers, words of insult and all sorts of blame words from the mourners.

The station manager Sherry Meyer who had just arrived from the Europe after fainting and collapsing twice due to too much pressure from the public for her poor handling of issues at the station sat perplexed as she could not officially be recognized at the funeral .

More suspicion and speculation continued at the funeral after it was discovered that one of the senior members of the management was unexpectedly missing at the funeral.

Radio Pacis management suspends staff over rumour on the death of Mr. Justo

Meanwhile two days after the burial of Justo, the management of Radio Pacis shocked the public after they suspended one of their junior staff working in the printery for “spreading rumour” about Justo’s death. Anguparu Gladys was reportedly suspended for two weeks on allegation that she informed other people who were not at the funeral of what transpired and the blame game on Justo’s death.

Rumours are that she may be dismissed from work for being a mouth piece for people who did not witness the shocking revelations at the funeral.

Radio Pacis which won an ‘All Africa BBC award in 2005’ is currently characterized by fear of superstition among staff members, high staff turn over, fear of some staff members going under water to keep their jobs and sexual harassment of female employees by their male supervisors.

More information about the late Bayo Justo and Radio Pacis can be obtained from www.radio pacis.org. ENDS

Social communicators in all the dioceses in Uganda have pinned the management of radio Pacis based in West Nile, Arua Uganda for withholding and diverting millions of SIGNIS funds meant to upgrade their staff academia.

In a recent meeting of social communicators to commemorate the world communications day at Kabale town in south western Uganda, participants questioned why Radio Pacis has failed to show accountability for donor funds sent yearly to the station for training staff.
According to a reliable source that attended the four days meeting, the participants expressed disappointment over the consistent failure by the station director Tonino Passolini and station manager Sherry Meyer to attend the diocesan communicators meeting of Catholic Radios in Uganda.
“Since 2005, Radio Pacis has been sending junior staff to this meeting, who do not provide core information on accountability and they have never given a report on how many staff members they have sent to school with funds from SIGNIS” a participant in the recent Kabale meeting angrily remarked.
SIGNIS is a Catholic charitable organization in Italy that offers financial, human and networking services (internet) to the Catholic Radios. Every year, SIGNIS sends money to the managers of the Radio stations to send their staff for further studies in Journalism within and outside Uganda.
Another witness from the Kabale meeting revealed that instead of presenting issues on behalf of the station, the only representative from Radio Pacis (News Editor) spent most of his time touring Kabale since it was his first time to reach there, and this made the rest of the participants to instruct him to take their words to his Director and Station Manager.
Classified information from our agencies in Italy also reveal that the two top managers of Radio Pacis received millions of shillings for staff training, remuneration and equipment and now the Vatican is demanding accountability for all the funds that have been remitted to Arua Diocese Media Center account since 2005, when the current station manager Sherry Meyer (USA) deported the then station manager Maria from Austria to take up her job.
Local reports in West Nile also indicate that many priests and the Christians in Arua Diocese are not happy with the self appointment of the station director and the station manager who, both lack required qualification to manage a Media House.
According to the registrar of community organizations in Arua, Radio Pacis was tactfully registered in the names of the station director and the station manager to keep off the Diocesan administration from knowing and directly dealing with the donors. END

Former Arua district LC 5 chairman Andama Richard Ferua has been arrested and subsequently jailed for failing to pay 25 million shillings rent arrears that accumulated during his first term of office.

Ferua was arrested by court bailiffs last evening and taken to Arua government prison after he failed to pay his former land lord Mustafa Adirisi the former vice president of after staying in house located at Anyafio an upscale suburb of Arua town.

While appearing before Arua grade two magistrate’s court on orders of the chief magistrate, Ferua who looked helpless could neither deny nor accept the civil charge read against him as there was even no body to rescue him to pay the debt.

Because of the problem magistrate Alioni sent Ferua to Arua government prison to spent six months or pay the 25 million shllings if he wants to regain his freedom.

At first when Adirisi opened a civil suit against Ferua, the rent arrears had accumulated to 14 million shillings and court ordered him to pay but he failed to pay the money forcing the former land lord to secure court order to have the form district boss arrested and jailed yesterday.

According to Alioni, it was embarrassing and sad moment for the person of high profile who managed the whole district for at least 10 years to be arrested and taken to jail because of failing to pay rent but this should sound as warning to others who will want to do the same in future.

According to the civil debt procedures, Ferua will spend the six months in jail if he fails to clear the 25 million shillings, then the prison authorities will renew another contract to keep him for another six months just like that until he pays or court declares him bankrupt or the land lord accepts to settle the matter out of court.

Andama Richard Ferua has also the vice president of the Uganda Local Government Association during his 2006-2011.

On hearing the news of Ferua’s arrest the current LC 5 chairman Wadri Sam Nyakua and the RDC Arua Ibrahim Abiriga tried their best to rescue their former district boss up to night hours but their efforts were fruitless the condition was that Ferua pays the debt.

According to the local government Act, a district chairperson is entitled to a free house that is paid by the district council and according to records obtained from the office of the chie administrative officer Arua, the district used to pay Ferua’s house rent through his bank account but it is not yet clear how he failed to remit the money to his former land lord.

Richard Andama Ferua’s problems started in 2006 when he was accused of presenting forged academic papers to the electoral commission during the 2006 general elections while seeking re-election on the NRM ticket that forced him to use a lot of money to bail himself out of the case that was filed by his opponent Dan Opima who lost the elections.

Because of debts from both individuls and bandk all the Banks in West Nile had also put ban on him from borrowing money from them unless all the debts he has in the banks he borrowed from are offset. END

The high court in Arua was today Friday 10th June filled with ululations after Justice Joseph Mulangira dismissed with costs an election petition filed by Mr. Angualia Laus Richard, challenging the election of Alex Onzima, the MP Maracha constituency and also minister of state for local government.

The high court chambers in Arua was fully packed as the high court judge read his judgment on the petition, analyzing the issues raised in Angualia’s petition and the responses to it by Mr. Onzima one after another. ‘I have read and analyzed the issues presented before this honorable court and I’m ready to proceed with my ruling” Mr. Mulangira said.

Angualia accused Mr. onzima Alex of among other issues, voter bribery, not complying with electoral laws and prayed for cancellation of Onzima’s victory in the recently concluded Presidetial and Parliamentary elections and that court should order for fresh elections, but the judge dismissed the petition saying all the affidavits presented by Mr. Angualia were based on hear-say.

“ The petitioner (Angualia) did not tell this court the truth on the two affidavits you swore when I called Joyce Andezu the commissioner of oath to find out, we found out that the signature on the affidavit was that of Mr. Alioni Marcello the G two magistrate here in Arua not that of the Commissioner of Oath as you claimed, this was not an affidavit at all!” Mr. Mulangira said.

The judge added “A petitioner must present all facts that offer true proof on his allegations to the satisfaction of the court; instead you relied on the wishes of the court. There must be that kind of evidence that is true. Angualia’s affidavits do not stand the taste of the matter in court and that they were outside the law”

Angualia’s lawyer Kaleb Alaka of Alaka and company advocates kept a low profile as justice Mulangira proceeded with his ruling.

Jospeph Mulangira further said Mr. Angualia systematically failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the bribery allegations by Mr. Onzima to women groups in Maracha, Moslems, and a donation of iron sheets to Kakwa primary school. The judge said Mr. Angualia’s complains were misplaced and therefore dismissed the petition with costs.

Hon. Alex Aadroa Onzima was represented by Counsel Jonathan Tiyo on behalf of Okello Oryem and company advocates.

In his reaction after the ruling, Minister Onzima said Angualia should learn a lesson not to behave like a child. “Angualia has failed to grow, he is like a child younger than the unborn baby. No one has ever dragged me to court since I joined politics, that’s why president Museveni agreed to work with me and assigned me with the responsibility of a Minister. Angualia must meet all the costs we have incurred and of this and the previous courts” the furious but joyous loking Onzima said.

Mr. Onzima thanked the people of Maracha that stood by him ‘ I want to thank all the people who have stood by me including those from Terego, I will work together with you’ the Minister said.

However Agualia Laus Richard said the judgment was not right. “It’s our right to go to court and we are going to appeal against this judgment. This is very unfair judgment infact we are going to appeal right now” Angualia said but ruled out queries on whether he thinks the judge was bribed to make the judgment in the manner he did. END

Arua district persons living with HIV /AIDS (PHA’s) and civil society network (CSO’s) have demanded for an immediate action by the Government of Uganda to improve maternal and child services in the district to reduce on what they say is ‘an unacceptably high maternal deaths arising fro deliveries.

In a well attended advocacy get-together in remembrance of late Hon. Jennifer Anguko, a district woman councilor for Bileafe Sub County in Terego district, who died in Arua Regional referral Hospital during child birth, the over 200-members emphasized the historic constitutional court petition on maternal deaths and made a demand to end such deaths.

The late Anguko Jennifer died in Arua referral hospital in 2009 during labour while another pregnant woman also died in 2010 in Mityana hospitals during child birth.

The members clad in black ‘T’ shirts with the writing “End maternal deaths, we demand
for better services for pregnant mothers” cited among other challenges the following: segregation by some medical workers, drunkenness, some health workers extorting money on free drugs, absenteeism from work, wrong prescription of drugs by some health workers among others.

The RDC Arua Major Ibrahim Abiriga, the Medical Superintendent Dr. Oduu Bernard, Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Sam Ogenwroth, the newly sworn LC 5 Chairman Wadri Sam Nyakua, all failed to attend the function neither did they sent any representative.

The group urged government to increase health sector budget, train and employ more Doctors and Nurses. “The government should establish more health center fours and equip them fully for the mothers, our convergence here today should send a signal to the president as he forms his cabinet that he should give priority for the health sector” Mr. Kokole a member of PHA’s in Arua said.

It’s estimated that 16 pregnant women die in Ugandan hospitals every day, a trend that the activists say is worrying. END

The Member of Parliament for Obongi County in Arua district Hon. Kapa Hassan Fungaroo has launched a fundraising drive to renovate the dilapidate houses of former Ugandan vice president in Iddi Amin’s government General Mustafa.

Mr. Fungaroo launched the drive in Arua town recently during a press briefing on the current political situation in Uganda while in Arua town. General Mustafa is currently on a sick bed in a rented house in Kampala.

The MP, recalling memories of his recent visit to the former president said some people in government want General Mustafa to first die and then remember him. “We shall not wait for his death first! As we continue to get useful history from him, let us mind about the state of his houses in Keri (Koboko district) and here in Arua” the legislator noted.

“We shall hold meetings very soon in Koboko Yumbe and Arua to raise money for the renovation of his two houses because the government has never fulfilled its promise of renovating them” and we are going ahead to mobilize people and collect money for this cause” the fury looking Fungaroo explained.

‘We know that our former leaders acted willfully to this government but to date they have been abandoned’, noted Mr. Fungaroo. He urged the people of west Nile and Arua district in particular to contribute money generously for the renovation the dilapidated houses.

In a related incident, Mr. Fungaroo blamed some of the former and current leaders from West Nile for what he called betrayal of their own people.

Fungaroo said the will hold weekly meetings to work on the houses, which he said the government has ignored to work on to date. END

The Arch Bishop of Gulu Arch Diocese Rt. Rev John Baptist Odama has cautioned government against attacking peaceful demonstrators. Odama made the remarks during the consecration and installation of the new Bishop of Nebbi Diocese Rt. Rev. Sanctus Wanok at Nebbi Catholic cathedral on Saturday 30^th April 2011.

Bishop Odama, who was the main consecrator, urged the new Bishop to stand firm amidst all the political challenges he is bound to encounter. “   This is the situation you are going to be in, innocent people being shot especially the child in Masaka and just yesterday, four people were shot dead in Gulu, why should people who demonstrate peacefully be killed by the very forces that are supposed to protect them? We bought the guns to defend out territorial integrity and not to kill fellow Ugandans”? The firm speaking Odama said as he preached before the consecration of the new Bishop, drawing applause from thousands of Christians that turned up to witness the occasion.

Bishop Sanctus Wanok was elected at the beginning of the year to succeed the now retired Bishop Martin Luluga after serving for fourteen years in the diocese.

Nineteen Bishops attended the function including the Popal Nuncio his excellence Paul Tchang In num, his eminence Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala and other top dignitaries from government.

The second deputy prime minister and also te minister for public service Henry Kajura represented President Yoweri Museveni who declined to attend the function.

Bishop Sanctus Wanok received 30 million shillings from the president, who also promised to give him a car, value not disclosed.

Christians from the different parts of Gulu province and other provinces including those from DR Congo thronged Nebbi Catholic cathedral to witness the occasion.

Bishop Wanik is the 3^rd Bishop since the creation of Nebbi Catholic diocese from Arua Diocese in 1996.  END