“Nearly two weeks after shooting broke out in the compound of South Sudan’s presidential palace, the country’s president Salva Kiir, has shed some light on the day’s events. Gunfire broke out in the afternoon of July 8 at the presidential palace at a time when Kiir and his two vice presidents were in a meeting at the presidential palace. It then spread to other parts of the capital Juba. The fighting happened just a day before the country was due to celebrate its fifth independence anniversar…” (Africa News, 2016).
Tag: East Africa
Taban Deng Gai speaking to the press after replacing Riek Machar as FVP – English (Youtube-Clip)
“Taban Deng Gai speaking to the press in English after being nominated by the SPLM-IO Political Bureau to replace Riek Machar as the First Vice President” (The National Courier, 2016)
Seemingly the Ugandan Government bailing-out corporations… or is it way of Mzee to give monies to his loyal cronies?

There are talks of bailing out businesses or corporations in Uganda, as the failing; it is not only the Republic of Uganda or the Government of Uganda is striking more and more debt to fulfil the budgets. As that happens, the businesses together with Ugandan Banks are sustaining investments and fiscal monetary situation for industries and businesses; something that is occurring with a steady pace.
The Steady Progress from the National Resistance Movement comes with a price of loyalty of the cronies and the elite; that happen to be fundraising for the NRM-O before the General Election of 2016 and building the famous “NRM-House”, for some strange reason never sees the light of day. Dwindling away in T-Shirt Money and other ways of funding the expensive campaign of ruling regime.
Here is some of the companies and some information on them. There are many more, but this shows certain levels of questions and also, the needed for funding should be gone, except if the owners have allegiance to the NRM-Regime. So it seems like the Executive wants them to have debt and all of a sudden he needs to save them.

Shumuk Aluminium who has failed on loans; these loans are Shs. 8.2bn to DFCU Bank, Shs. 6.6bn to Baroda Bank and Shs. 17bn to Crane Bank. The Shumuk Group have been an industrial manufacture that has made everything from steel to plastic bottles in Uganda since 1984. That is now troubled in debt, has also gotten donor-aid or grants through Danish Aid in 2008 on the level of USD 170.102 and in 2006 a total USD 167.940.; Still with time been able to get unsustainable, really?
Roofing Steel Mines have failed loans; Shs. 201bn to IFC and Shs. 8bn to Diamond Trust Bank. Company’s assets supposed to be Shs. 15bn. It’s a company that has existing since 1994. “Mr. Sikander Lalani, Roofings Group has recently completed its ambitious expansion plan by commissioning Roofings Rolling Mills (RRM) limited, a Ugx320 billion(US$127 million) mega project which is set to change the face of steel manufacturing in the East African Region. This state of the art complex is located in Kampala Industrial Business Park, Namanve” (Constructionreviewonline.com, 2013). In 2014: “Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and his wife Jacqueline were the chief guests at the Serena event, hailing the Lalani family for creating jobs for Ugandans in their business empire and contributing to economic development of Uganda” (Scoop.co.ug, 24.01.2014). Apparently now the business of Lalani is creating a debt issue and not jobs.
BM Steel has debt of Shs. 66bn. President Museveni said this about the company in the 2015: “The recycled steel that is being produced by Casements, Roofings, Tembo Steel, BM Steel (Mwebesa), Modern Steel etc. cannot be used for very high-rise buildings, hydro-power dams etc. It does not have that strength” (Museveni, 29.04.2015). With this in mind the quality of the steel is low, but their debt is still raising, and the same apparently with Roofing as well, who has debt. Worrying sign?

Namunkekera Agro Processing Industries Ltd (NAPIL) has an outstanding debt of Shs. 4.8bn to the Uganda Development Bank. It was incorporated 25.06.2007. It is a business run by the family member of President Museveni, General Salim Selah. In 2015 Gen. Selah said this: “made these remarks as he toured 40 agriculture projects under the umbrella of Namunkekera Agro Processing Industries Limited (NAPIL) in Kapeeka” (NTV Uganda, 20.03.2015). So the Government will on this bail-out the family member for his miscalculation on the Agricultural investment.
Job Coffee got a debt of Shs. 21.3bn to Stanbic Bank. In the month of September 2014 number 7 exporters from Uganda, with 7,960 bags of coffee. Total market share of 2013/2014 we’re 1.97%. What has happen since is not easy to know, but what is certain is that they have accumulated debt.
Simba Group owned by Patrick Bitature has debts of Shs. 210bn. In 2012 Forbes wrote this about him: “Bitature is the founder and chairman of Simba Telecom, East Africa’s largest mobile phone retailer with over 100 modern retail outlets in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya Telecom. The company is also the largest mobile phone airtime distributor in the region. Bitature owns Protea Hotels Kampala, a 5-star hotel located in the upmarket suburb of Kololo in Kampala. He is also chairs the Uganda Investment Authority and Umeme, an energy distribution firm which is gearing up for an IPO on the Uganda Stock Exchange” (Nsehe, 06.11.2012). In 2015 in the African Report said this: “When asked about his net worth, he says: “That I don’t talk about. I have shares in listed companies in London, Johannesburg and here. The share prices keep changing. All I know is that I have a portfolio of different companies.” He says Simba Group employs more than 1,700 people” (Mbanga, 19.06.2015). Certainly he should talk about his net-worth now as his being bailed-out in Uganda, maybe he should sell some of the companies in London and Johannesburg, if he is as rich as that or maybe it is just big-talk?

Grapes Construction has a debt of Shs. 100bn to Stanbic Bank. Who owns the Freedom City Mall in Kampala; The owner of Grapes Construction is subsidiary of Grapes Group who is owned by John Ssebalamu. In 2014 he had an issue with the Kenyan renter at the mall of the Company UCHUMI: “At the end of last year, it emerged that Ssebalamu the owner of Freedom City had sued UCHUMI for failure to pay him arrears amounting to over Shs340million” (Red Pepper, 2014). In 2015 he had monies to spend on the NRM: “John Ssebalamu shs100M”. This Shs. 100m was going to build the NRM House, so the coins given seems to give back profits. (Xclusive.co.ug, 28.06.2015).
Sojovalo Hotel has debt of Shs. 8.3bn to the Kenya Commercial Bank. The owner William George Kajoba also gave Shs 50M to the NRM House(Xclusive.co.ug, 28.06.2015). So with this new project from the government, the pledge in 2015 gave a hand back to the businessman and his Hotel close to the Kabaka in Kampala.

Krone Uganda Limited owes Shs. 2.5bn to the Tropical Bank; the business has 3.000 empolyees. Krone Uganda Ltd is the largest miner and exporter of wolfram (tungsten). In the Daily Monitor in 2015, this was written about the company: “the ministry refused to allow them export three containers – 20 metric tons of wolfram worth about Shs1.4 billion ($450,000) that is stuck in various warehouses. They are charged Shs640, 000 ($200) every day as “demurrage” (charges that the charterer pays to the ship-owner for its extra use of the vessel) since February” (Musisi, 18.07.2015). So the government own policy on mining and Value-Added Producing is the reason behind the debt growth of Krone Uganda Limited.
MS Frank Ssonko Ltd owes Shs3.5bn to the Crane Bank, but got assets worth Shs. 9.9bn. Another one is Ahmed Zziwa owes Shs. 10bn, but has assets worth Shs. 20bn. Ahmed Zziwa are the owner of Anglo Fabric (Bolton) limited who imports and sells soap in Uganda. Steven Mukasa owes Shs. 10bn. While having Shs. 40bn in assets. Even owning land on Makerere University, at the level of 8 Acres and even at one point was putting Prof. Baryamureba for stealing Shs. 140m of building material from him in 2010. So he must be NRM guy!
I hope this was enough for now. Not to talk about too much tax-money given away in the name of saving them, instead of making the rich even richer! Peace.
Uganda: Single Entry Visa goes from 100USD to 50USD (15.07.2016)

President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Thursday 21st July 2016 appealed to Dr. Riek Machar to return back to Juba so that they can continue with the implementation of the Peace Agreement

“I am appealing for your return while reiterating my 100% commitment to ensuring your protection as I did on that fateful night of Friday the 8th of July 2016. I wish to inform you that in the interest of time I will be expecting a response from your good self within forty eight (48) hours so that we establish contacts…..”
Burundi Communiqye de Presse-Enquete sur l’assassainat de l’Honorable Hafsa Mossi (22.07.2016)

Press Release: Humanitarian Needs Spike for 83,000 Displaced in Wau, South Sudan (22.07.2016)

The number of people seeking shelter at the UNMISS site and the Cathedral increased rapidly in early July due to fighting in neighboring areas.
JUBA, South Sudan, July 22, 2016 – An estimated 83,100 people remain displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance in Wau, South Sudan, following clashes in late June.
While IOM continues lifesaving assistance for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Wau town, humanitarian agencies have been unable to access IDPs sheltering in areas south of town, where insecurity has severely hindered access in recent weeks. “Securing access to areas outside of Wau is critical to providing assistance to an estimated 38,000 people displaced and in urgent need of help,” explained Andrew Gethi, who leads IOM’s humanitarian operations in Wau.
IOM staffers have been unable to travel to areas south of town, including IOM’s temporary clinic in Ngisa. Insecurity is also stalling plans to rehabilitate boreholes south of Wau to ensure displaced populations have access to safe drinking water. The fighting in late June and subsequent skirmishes have exacerbated already existing high needs due to insecurity that has affected the area since late 2015.
IOM teams are providing safe drinking water for an estimated 25,000 people sheltering near the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) base in town, as well as providing shelter support for IDPs living near the base and in collective centres.
As camp manager of a protected area located next to the UNMISS base, IOM has begun site improvement to respond to the increasing numbers of IDPs and resulting overcrowding. IOM health workers also manage two temporary clinics at the South Sudan Red Cross and the Cathedral in the town of Wau, providing general health care consultations, vaccinations, maternal care and psychosocial support.
The number of people seeking shelter at the UNMISS site and the Cathedral increased rapidly in early July due to fighting in neighboring areas. While the population influx has stabilized, many IDPs have told IOM staff that they believe their neighborhoods remain unsafe and that they would require more information on security conditions before making a decision to return home.
Humanitarians remain concerned about conditions in Raja, further northwest in Western Bahr el Ghazal, where access to affected populations remains restricted following heavy fighting in mid-June that reportedly displaced thousands.
Unpredictable security conditions persist in much of the country, including the capital Juba, where fighting in mid-July displaced over 15,000 people. Amid increasing concerns regarding food insecurity and political instability, the UN estimates that 6.1 million people are in need of humanitarian aid in South Sudan this year.
Press Release: Over 26,000 people flee to Uganda to escape uncertainty in South Sudan (22.07.2016)

The influx continues to be characterised by a high proportion of women and children (more than 90%).
GENEVA, Switzerland, July 22, 2016 – Thousands of people continue to flee uncertainty and fighting in South Sudan. Since fighting erupted on July 7 between forces loyal to President Kiir and First Vice President Machar, 26,468 people have crossed into Uganda’s northern region, including 24,321 in the previous six days alone. The influx continues to be characterised by a high proportion of women and children (more than 90%).
Yesterday, an estimated 8,337 refugees crossed in to Uganda from South Sudan, a new record high since the influx began and in 2016. An estimated 6,500 crossed in Elegu, 659 in Moyo, 156 in Lamwo and 642 in Oraba while 380 arrived in Kiryandongo Reception Centre.
The influx is severely stretching the capacity of collection points, transit centres and reception centres. Elegu collection point is full to the extent that it is not possible conduct a head count. New arrivals figures in Elegu are based on an analysis of trends throughout the day. On Wednesday night, more than 7,000 people slept at Elegu collection point, significantly beyond its 1,000-person capacity. Similarly, Kuluba collection point is hosting 1,099 refugees, compared to its 300-person capacity. Torrential rains are further hampering registration efforts.
New arrivals in Adjumani report continued fighting between forces loyal to President Kiir and those loyal to First Vice-President Machar. There are reports that armed gunmen continue to loot properties, forcibly recruit boys and young men, and murder civilians in Magwi.
Another Uganda People’s Defense Force convoy evacuating Ugandan nationals from South Sudan is expected today. On previous occasions, a large number of refugees have taken the opportunity to flee the country by accompanying the convoy.
Breaking: SPLM-IO Gen. Taban Deng Gai soon to replace Dr. Riek Machar for the First Vice President of South Sudan
“According to Mr William Ezekiel, the SPLM/IO spokesman in Juba and a leader of the Shilluk community within SPLM/IO told the media that movement is planning to replace Dr. Riek Machar with Taban Deng Gai” (Dominic D., 2016).
South Sudan crisis: President Kiir not prepared to wait indefinitely for Machar’s return (Youtube-Clip)
“South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir, says he’s not prepared to wait indefinitely for his vice president, Riek Machar, to return to the capital, Juba. He has threatened to replace his rival in order to get the country’s peace process back on track” (CCTV News, 2016)

