Uganda Cranes in tough World Cup group, draw Egypt, Ghana and Congo

DRAW: Africa Zone, Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers

Group  A: Libya, Guinea, DR Congo, Tunisia

Group B: Zambia, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria

Group C: Gabon, Morocco, Mali, Ivory Coast

Group D: Burkina Faso, South Africa, Cape Verde, Senegal

Group E: Uganda, Congo, Egypt, Ghana

Uganda has been put in the same group with Ghana and Egypt in Friday's draw for the World Africa qualifiers. Ghana and Egypt have been to the World Cup finals before.

Cranes coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic sounded unfazed after watching the draw from his Kampala base. He said his eyes are firmly on Africa Cup of Nations qualification first, after which the World Cup will come into focus.

Uganda plays their last AFCON match in September against Comoros. Victory will see Uganda Cranes qualify for the Nations Cup finals for the first time since 1978.

The World Cup qualifiers are due to start a month later.

" We are focusing first on AFCON qualifiers believing that we can qualify for the first time in 39 years. Once we finish that we shall fly on the wings of confidence go to play World cup qualifiers where we need to meet top class teams with no pressure on us," Micho said.


"Against these giants, the mental part is most important. We need to break jinx of Egypt. Technically we shall be up to standard but question is can the whole country stand behind us with just 10 percent of a budget compared to others we are competing against?"

"Ugandans need to know that others in Africa look at us like Bodaboda stranded in race of Formula1. I don't agree with them as we can play against any team only worry I have can that Bodaboda have some fuel of support?" 

The toughest group has Zambia, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria battling for one World Cup place. Only group winners qualify for Russia 2018.

Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria are seeking third consecutive World Cup appearances. 

Group qualifying starts this October, continues in November and there will be four rounds between August and November 2017. The Group winners qualify for the Russia World Cup finals.

MATCH DAYS
1: Oct 3-11 2016 Ghana vs Uganda
2: Nov 7-15 2016
3/4: Aug 28-Sept 5 2017
5: Oct 2-10 2017

6: Nov 6-14 2017

LIVE: URA analyses Uganda's budget 2016

The Uganda Revenue Authority together with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development will help tax payers understand what they are up against in the budget that was read last week.

The panel breaking down the budget includes Dickson Kateshumbwa URA Commissioner Customs, Francis Kamulegeya Country Partner Price Water House Coopers.

Others are Henry Martin Saka Commissioner Domestic Taxes URA, Doris Akol Commissioner General of URA, Moses Kaggwa Commissioner Tax Policy MoFPED.

URA's Stephen Magera is the moderator.

TAXES down

•    All LED Bulbs and lamps - VAT down starting July 1, 2016
•     Agriculture Machinery  exempted
•     Furniture for hospitals
•     Import duty not to be charged on imports from COMESA
•     Maternity (mama) kit to be zero rated (Import duty)
• 
  

TAXES up

•     Cigarettes
•     Ready to drink spirits
•     Fuel
•     Sugar tax sh50 to sh100
•     Motor vehicle lubricants duty from 5% to 10%
•     Sweets
•     TAX exemptions on these
•     Cesspool emptiers and Concrete Mixers pulled by a prime mover import duty applicable at 0%
•     Base Oil import duty applicable at 0% for one year
•     Maternity (mama) kits to be zero rated (Import duty)

Domestic Taxes 

•     A buyer of a motor vehicle required to notify URA about change of ownership within 3 months.
•     Changes made on Company mergers
•     New policy to reduce double taxation
•     Amendments in income tax related to petroleum industry
•     Employees of diplomatic communities/locals to announce earnings
•     NO VAT on goods used on donor aid projects
•     There has been re-classification of items like wheat and light bulbs
•     Refund of excise duty in approved health care products

URA administrative measures related to budget, focus on

•     Wrong registration details to be cleared up
•     Failure to amend registration details
•     Registration of business for fraud purposes
•     No licence for business without a TIN
•     Taxpayer Registration Expansion (TREP)
•     Receipts
•     Unregistered business

Here is a live feed from the session at Hotel Africana in Kampala. BELOW, full budget speech.



#ManyaBudgetYo Tweets

FY 2016_17 Budget Speech_Final Final by The Independent Magazine

Launch Event: Curious Journalist's Guide to Data

On March 24, 2016 the Tow Center launched “The Curious Journalist’s Guide to Data” – a research project led by Tow Fellow Jonathan Stray. (The report is available to download and read at the Tow Center’s GitBook repository.) In this book, Stray examines the principles behind data journalism and, more broadly, the fundamental ideas behind the human tradition of counting things. (source TOW CENTRE for Digital journalism)

Here is the AUDIO






Here is The REPORT

Curious Journalist s Guide to Data by jadwongscribd

East African Community sets eyes on Vision 2050

We know our @jumuiya history.A new chapter..a more vibrant #EAC comes in with #EACVision2050 https://t.co/Tfr3u2L17q pic.twitter.com/r7RkdlEmQ6

— EAC Sec General (@LMfumukeko) June 2, 2016

The East African Community Vision 2050

It is envisaged that by 2050 EAC will have been transformed into an upper–middle income region within a secure and politically united East Africa based on the principles of inclusiveness and accountability.

The EAC Vision 2050 lays out a broad perspective in which the region optimizes
the utilisation of its resources to accelerate productivity and the social wellbeing
of its people. It portrays a future East Africa with rising personal prosperity in
cohesive societies, competitive economies, and strong inter-regional interaction.


Source @jumuiya   

Here is how Vision 2050 will be achieved:

Read or download (below)

EAC East African Community Vision 2050 by jadwongscribd