World Water Day in Uganda IN PHOTOS:German photographer Klabautermann captured these shots as Viva Con Agua marked #WorldWaterDay with a tour of Moroto, Karamoja by Ugandan musician Bobi Wine. Viva con Agua (VcA) is an international NGO supporting water and sanitation projects in Uganda. Bobi Wine visited the Viva con Agua and Welthunherhilfe water and sanitation projects, got involved in workshops by Breakdance Project Uganda, visited Moroto Municipal Primary School, and performed for the community alongside Maro, Octopizzo (Kenya), Megaloh (Germany), and many other artists. They will also shoot a music video together, to be released in all four of their countries to promote VcA activities. A #WeLoveYouganda Festival will also be held in Kamwokya, Kampala this weekend.
Christine Alalo is carrying the Ugandan flag in Somalia
A Ugandan Policewoman is playing a key role in AMISOM efforts to build institutional capacity in Somalia. Deputy Commissioner Christine Alalo yesterday led the police component of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) ) as they handed to the Somali Police Force (SPF) biometric and office equipment. They had a day earlier handed over a renovated Police Station. With economic conditions rapidly improving in Somalia and with relative peace in most towns, the country is rising again. AMISOM's effort is aimed an ensuring the Somali Police Force will play a crucial role in keeping the peace.
Somali Police Force get biometric and office equipment
According the AMISOM website, amisom-au.org the equipment is meant to help the Somali Police Force establish an up-to-date biometric database and also aid in the implementation of an efficient personnel and financial management system.
The biometric equipment will also be used by the SPF’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) fight various types of crime, among them, terrorism, kidnapping and robbery with violence, which are a major hindrance in the Federal Government’s efforts to secure the country. The gadgets will also aid officers in conducting investigations and prosecuting suspects. The equipment was handed over to the Somali Police Force Commissioner, Maj General Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud, by AMISOM Deputy Police Commissioner Alalo. The Somali police boss thanked AMISOM for its continued support to the SPF, saying the equipment will be put in good use to improve security in the city.
Somali Police get Renovated Police Station
A day earlier, AMISOM police handed over a newly renovated police station in Mahas to help improve the institutional capacity of the Somali Police and enhance the rule of law in Hiiraan region. The renovation of the station is part of AMISOM’s agenda to equip the SPF with the necessary infrastructure needed to enable it perform its duties efficiently. The facility, complete with furniture, was handed over to the Hiiraan Police Commissioner, Col. Issaq Ali Abdulle. “What we are doing here today is part of the stabilization program. When an area is recovered stabilization process begins and one of the programs undertaken is bringing police on the ground to ensure there is rule of law in the area,” Deputy Police Commissioner Alalo noted.
The handover ceremony was attended by the Hiiraan District Commissioner, Mohamed Macow Halne, and the AMISOM Sector Four Commander of the Ethiopian Defence Forces Col. Tsegay Teklay. As part of the program, 10 police officers from Mogadishu were also deployed to the station to help in the stabilization process. “Today we are handing over this police station that has been renovated by AMISOM Police. It was a dilapidated police station but it has been renovated to make it a suitable workplace for the officers,” Deputy Police Commissioner Alalo added. Speaking at the same function, the Hiiraan Police Commissioner, Col. Issaq Ali Abdulle, expressed his optimism in the stabilization process, describing the handover of the facility as a good start in securing Somalia. “The police officers I brought here today are only 10. It is a small number but we will increase the number. We will also bring transport and other equipment. We also hope to improve on the building. Everything has a start and I hope that the police officers will withstand the challenges and discharge their duties,” Col. Issaq Ali Abdulle said. Deputy Police Commissioner Alalo said the police officers deployed at the station are expected to roll out community policing and recruit volunteers. “They need not to just sit here but get out to the community and work closely with them because that is where crime is and the criminals live with the people know who is a criminal and who is not,” Christine Alalo said. The police station in Mahas is part of a number of renovated or newly constructed police stations handed over recently to the SPF by AMISOM.
Who is Alalo?
Alalo was appointed Deputy Police Commissioner on 9th June 2015, taking over from Mr. Benson Oyo-Nyeko who completed his tour of duty as the Deputy Police Commissioner in February 2015. Before joining AMISOM she worked with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) as a Police Advisor in Juba Sector for 2 years, from 2007-2009. Previously, she headed the Department of Child & Family Protection Unit, which is responsible for handling cases of child abuse and Gender Based Violence (GBV), in the Uganda Police Force. She hopes to share with the Mission her vast experience in policing spanning 15 years, but also learn more from the mission-considering its peculiarities. She will focus on reforms, restructuring and capacity building for the Somali Police Force.
Life is slowly returning to normal in Somalia
AMISOM's role
The African Union Mission in Somalia is an active regional peace support mission set up by the Peace and Security Council of the African Union with the full support of the United Nation. AMISOM, as a multidimensional Peace Support Operation, is mandated to take all necessary measures, as appropriate, and in coordination with the Somalia National Defence and Public Safety Institutions, to reduce the threat posed by Al Shabaab and other armed opposition groups, They also aim to assist in consolidating and expanding the control of the Somalia government over its national territory and establish conditions for effective and legitimate governance across the country. AMISOM staff comes from a wide range of nations across Africa. The Force Headquarters of the military component, for example, is staffed by officers from Burundi, Cameroon, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia. The bulk of its troops though come from six countries: Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone.
**SOURCE: Story adapted from Amisom wesbite and @amisomsomalia
5.15pm: VERDICT RAPE, MURDER by his troops: Former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba found guilty by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on all five counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. "Chamber finds Bemba guilty as commander of rape, murder AND pillaging as war crimes, and murder and rape as crimes against humanity."
STATEMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT Judgment in the Bemba case to be delivered on 21 March 2016: Practical information ICC-CPI-20160314-MA198 Situation: The Central African Republic Case: The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo On Monday, 21 March 2016, at 14:00 (The Hague local time), Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will deliver the judgment in the case The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo. The Chamber is composed of Judges Sylvia Steiner (Brazil), presiding, Joyce Aluoch (Kenya) and Kuniko Ozaki (Japan). A summary of the judgment will be read during a public Court hearing by the Presiding Judge, in the presence of the accused and his Defence team led by Peter Haynes QC, the Office of ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, and Legal Representative of Victims Marie-Edith Douzima-Lawson. Background: Jean-Pïerre Bemba Gombo is allegedly criminally responsible for two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape and pillaging) allegedly committed in the context of the situation in Central African Republic in 2002-2003. The trial in the Bemba case started on 22 November 2010 and the submission of evidence in the case was closed on 7 April 2014. On 2 October 2014, upon the Defence's request, the Chamber reopened the evidentiary hearing, for purposes of hearing further testimony. This further testimony concluded on 24 October 2014. The Prosecution, the Defence, and the Legal Representatives of Victims made their closing oral statements on 12 and 13 November 2014.
Arsenal's Alex Lwobi is in Nigeria. England cannot believe it. If he plays a full international this weekend, it will mean that Iwobi who was born in Lagos and has recently been the subject of an international tug-of-war between England and Nigeria, will have settled the issue in favour of the African giants
Chances of Alex Iwobi changing his mind & playing for England?? Zero. He's in Nigeria ready to play for Nigeria. https://t.co/aTYqhjANMj
He gained caps for England's Under-16, 17 and 18 teams and played as a substitute in a 2–0 friendly defeat to DR Congo. He is a nephew of former Super Eagles captain Jay Jay Okocha, has played a friendly match, but will not be officially tied to Nigeria until he plays in a competitive game.
Nigeria take on Egypt twice in four crucial days in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers starting Friday.
A glimpse of Iwobi's obvious talents were first seen during pre-season, when Arsene Wenger's included him at the last minute to a touring squad to Singapore. He then netted against Lyon in the Emirate's Cup in August.
Early this year, Wenger had said: “I have a hesitation about loaning him because I think this guy could very quickly play.” “It’s the first season he trains with the top team and I think it would help him a lot to see the quality of the players around him. He can play on the left, on the right, behind the striker, even No9. He scores goals in training. He’s one who, when he was a kid, could pass you by if you don’t watch well in training but I personally like his game.”
In a sign of the confidence his new club have in in him, Ugandan international Farouk Miya was part of the team as Standard Liege lifted the Belgium Cup yesterday at the King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels.
Miya was on the bench as Standard Liege's Croatian striker Ivan Santini headed the winner three minutes from time to snatch their 7th Belgian Cup with a 2-1 final victory over holders Club Brugge.
VIDEO: Miya arrives for the final
Jean-Luc Dompe had earlier put Standard Liege in the lead that lasted 10 minutes. Israeli international Lior Rafaelov, who scored the winner in last year's final, had put Bruges back in the game.
It was just the second game (CLICK HERE to READ STORY) that Miya has featured in after joining the club from Uganda's Vipers last month. His first game was a week back, coming on as a substitute in his club's last regular season match.
Miya is now expected to return to Uganda for international duty. Uganda takes on Burkina Faso in two games in 4 days next week! MORE PHOTOS
The one week retreat for the new Members of Parliament of the ruling party NRM has ended today with a military shooting exercise. "Chief shooter" was President and Commander In Chief Yoweri Museveni who showed off his expertise, tactics and skill at target shooting during the exercise at National Leadership Institutue Kyankwanzi. President Museveni explained the importance of being steady and calm for perfect target hitting.
