MUHOOZI PROMOTED TO BRIGADIER

Museveni promotes Muhoozi to brigadier Brig. Muhoozi Brig. Muhoozi By RISDEL KASASIRA Posted Tuesday, August 28 2012 at 01:00 In Summary Controversial rise? However, analysts have raised questions about the speed of the First Son’s ascent in the army but Muhoozi has repeatedly defended his advance as being on merit. Col. Muhoozi Kainerugaba was yesterday promoted to the rank of Brigadier and put in charge of a new-look Special Forces. President Museveni, who is the commander-in-chief, announced the changes yesterday. Brig. Kainerugaba, who is also the First Son, will command the Special Forces Command, formerly the Special Forces Group, which has been restructured and divided into Special Forces One and Special Forces Two. Special Forces One will handle VIP protection and will be under the command of Lt. Col. Sabiiti Magyenyi Mzee who has been promoted to Colonel while Special Forces Group Two has motorised infantry will be under Maj. Don Nabasa. They will both work under Brig. Kainerugaba. The special Forces Group Two has tanks, marines and other armoured vehicles. In a statement issued yesterday, acting Army spokesperson Capt. Chris Magezi described the restructuring of the presidential guard as a move to enhance the operations of the unit. “The President and Commander-in-Chief has also decided to re-organise the Special Forces Group (SFG) into Special Forces Command (SFC) which will be under the Overall Command of Brig Muhoozi Kainerugaba who has been promoted from the rank of Col.,” he said. “The re-organisation is designed to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the Special Forces Command in the conduct of its operations which among others include VIP protection and protection of strategic installations.” Share This Story Share Related Stories Museveni promotes Muhoozi to brigadier Others changes In other changes, Maj. Gen. Fred Mugisha, the former commander of the African Union Forces in Somalia (Amisom) who was also Commander Field Artillery Division, is the new Joint Chief of Staff, replacing Lt. Gen. Robert Rusoke who was last week appointed Ugandan ambassador to South Sudan. Brig. Charles Angina, the former chairman of the UPDF General Court-Martial, has been promoted to major general and returns to his former position of Chief of Staff Land forces, replacing Brig. Silver Kayemba. When asked about Brig. Kayemba’s new role, Capt. Magezi said: “More announcements would be made soon. There is no communication about him but more details are expected to be announced by the Commander-in-Chief.” The spokesman did not give any details. Col. Magyenyi, who holds a masters degree in biochemistry from South Africa, has been the SFG commander for the last one year while Brig. Muhoozi was attending a course in the same country. The promotion is another feather in Brig. Muhoozi’s cap, which has seen him rise from a second lieutenant in 1999. Observers have raised questions about the speed of the First Son’s ascent in the army with some suggesting that President Museveni could be grooming his son to run the country in future but Muhoozi has repeatedly defended his advance as being on merit. Army insiders say Brig. Muhoozi’s promotions have been backed by staff and command training in Sandhurst, UK, Fort Leavenworth, USA, Egypt, Nigeria, Israel, South Africa, and Uganda. ============================================== Brig. Muhoozi biography Born: 1974 Schools attended: Kampala Parents School, St. Mary’s College Kisubi and Kings College Budo... Marital status: Married Occupation: Commander of Special Forces Rank: Brigadier Joined Army: 1999 Role Models: Che Guevara, an Argentine Marxist revolutionary and guerilla leader; Salim Saleh, Fred Rwigyema and President Museveni Hometown: Rushere

UGANDA CAN SAVE MONEY, NOT EVEN SHS 19 BN SHOULD BE SPENT ON LC I ELECTIONS

It is one thing being in Government, and another to fail to make a proper assessment of the financial strength of the Government. From my assessment of things, Uganda should not even spend the shs 19 bn on LC I elections. My simple advice to those in Government is to stop being wasteful. What is important as of now is to change the law, and make it such that those elected under LC I do not need the use of secret ballot. Secondly, by now, the NRM Government should realize that the current developments don't help service delivery. Can we go back to a situation when the Chair Person's are elected say by the district officials in line of capacity to deliver. It is disgusting to see rubbish everywhere and no body bothers. The appointed chairpersons would work with just a few councilors, democracy does not mean have a kraal as councilors, we need quality and service delivery. So, the coming elections would better focus on electing just a few councilors to help reach the chairperson on development issues. Secondly, it is possible for chairpersons to get a pay from what they officially collect from the people. Throughout Uganda, people call for introduction letters, the deliver letters of introduction when they settle in new areas, those who buy land pay some fee, the identity cards, passport recommendation, etc. The monies generated from these undertakings are eaten at source and Government assumes that LC I don't get pay. This money is better than any pay you could imagine. When it comes to electing at LC I, there is no need of a register from the Electoral Commission. The villages have registers where member names have been written and photos in some instance. These can serve very well in the election of office bearers. If the NRM Government fails to realize the situation in which the country is, the more the country will sink. William Kituuka Kiwanuka --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LC I ELECTIONS FOR OCTOBER Uganda Government has set October 2012 for Local Council One (LC I) national wide Elections. “The Government has set aside October 2012 as the period during which village and parish local council elections will be conducted across the country,” the State Minister for Local Government Alex Onzima confirmed to Parliament. He says that about 50 billion shillings is required for the exercise that will be availed this financial year. Responding to a question for oral answer raised by Adjumani Woman MP, Ababiku Jessica, Onzima said that the Electoral Commission had already secured 19 billion shillings which the finance ministry hopes to top up with 49 billion shillings to enable the exercise take place. The state local government Minister says that consideration and approval of the Local Government Amendment Bill 2012 tabled before Parliament two months back will reduce on the cost of holding the Local Council elections. Currently if the bill is not amended Uganda needs 145 billion shillings to run the LCI elections.

EXCHANGING VALUE FOR NO VALUE

Today morning I met a guy selling under scrap what is in actual sense not scrap. These were bits of Iron bars which were in actual fact not scrap had he taken them to the right buyer, say those who make metal window frames. It is really sad to see one part with value for no value at all. The metal could fetch good price if sold to a right user, or even the actual owner would use them at an opportune time in future. I last learnt about the cost of scrap metal when it was below or about shs 300 a kilogram! I don't know the price now. William Kituuka kiwanuka

VOTING AND DIVISIONS IN THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA

Source: The Clerk to Parliament VOTING IN PARLIAMENT Decisions in Parliament are arrived at through voting. Voting refers to a formal expression of preference on a matter or issue under consideration. TYPES OF VOTING The Parliament of Uganda practices the following types of voting: Voice voting Secret vote Roll Call Tally and; Division Show of hands. VOICE VOTING This refers to voting by Members’ pronouncement of ‘Ayes’ or ‘Nays’ when a question has been put by the Speaker or Chairperson. The Speaker/Chairperson shall then declare the results. SECRET VOTE The secret vote is a voting method in which a voter’s choice on a matter or election is expressed confidentially. The key aim is to ensure the Member records a sincere choice without fear or favour or undue influence. In Parliament, this method of voting may be used: To decide on any matter under consideration in the House; During the election or removal of a person holding office under the Constitution or any other law; and Removal of a Parliamentary Commissioner. ROLL CALL AND TALLY This involves calling out Members’ names from the attendance register to ascertain the preference of vote of each Member as either an ‘Aye’ or ‘Nay.’ In Parliament, Roll Call and tallying is done when: Voting at the 2nd and 3rd reading of the Bill for an Act of Parliament or to amend a provision of the Constitution Censuring a Minister. Deciding on an appeal from the President or a reference from the Appointments Committee under Rule 146 of the Rules of Procedure. DIVISION A division is one of the forms in which the decision of the House is ascertained. Normally, when a motion is put to the House Members for and against it indicate their opinion by saying ‘Aye’ or ‘No’ from their seats. The Speaker goes by the voices and declares that the motion is either accepted or not by the House. If the declaration is challenged, the Speaker orders that the lobbies be cleared. The division bell is then rung and as entire network of ells installed in the various parts and rooms in Parliament House and Parliament House Annex. Members rush to the Chamber from all sides heading to the call. After the bells stop, all doors to the Chamber are closed and nobody can enter or leave the Chamber till the division is over. RULES PERTAINING TO A DIVISION Whereafter the Speaker or the Chairperson has announced the results of the voting and immediately forty or more Members stand in their places signifying their disapproval of the outcome of the vote, the Speaker or Chairperson shall order for a division; on the other hand, the Speaker or Chairperson can order for a division at his/her discretion. When a division has been ordered, the lobbies shall be cleared for the purpose. The Speaker or the Chairperson shall direct the ‘Ayes’ into the lobby on his/her right and the ‘Nays’ into the lobby on his/her left and appoint two tellers for each lobby and one for those who abstain to count the votes. The tellers then take positions by the rear doors to the respective lobbies and all Members shall enter the lobbies by those rear doors and shall leave through the fore doors back to the Chamber. “Fore doors” refers to those doors on the sides of the Chamber nearest to the Speaker; while “rear doors” refer to those doors on the sides of the Chamber furthest from the Speaker. The Members shall then have their names recorded as they pass through the rear doors although Members who are incapacitated by some physical infirmity or disability shall for purposes of a division be counted and recorded in the House. The Speaker shall then direct that the rear doors giving access to the division lobbies from the Chamber be closed. Names of Members wishing to abstain shall also be recorded and finally; When all Members wishing to vote have left the division lobbies, the tellers shall return to the Chamber and shall report the number of those who have voted in their respective lobbies, and those who have abstained, to the Speaker or the Chairperson, who shall then declare the results of the division. The rear doors giving access to the lobbies from the Chamber shall then be unlocked. In the case of error occurring in the course of a division concerning the numbers recorded which cannot otherwise be corrected; the Speaker or the Chairperson shall direct the House or the Committee to proceed to another division. VOTING IN ERROR Where a Member states that he/she voted in error or that his/her vote was counted wrongly, he/she may, immediately before the Speaker announce the figures and before the Speaker declares the results of the division, move to have his/her vote correctly recorded. EQUALITY OF VOTES If the numbers in a division are equal, the motion shall be considered lost. VOTING BY SHOWING HANDS This arises when a question has been put up by the Speaker for a vote and Members express their preference by show of hands. The Speaker then asks separately the Members to indicate by raising their hands to indicate ayes or nays and abstention, for the Clerk to count. ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE The person presiding in Parliament or Committee shall not be eligible to vote. The Speaker or Deputy Speaker, Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson of a Committee while not presiding, shall retain his/her right to debate and vote. A Vice-President, Prime Minister or a Minister who by virtue of article 78 of the Constitution, is an ex-officio Member of Parliament, shall not be eligible to vote in the House. A Member having any interest in any matter before the House shall declare the nature of his/her interest in the matter and shall not vote on any question relating to that matter. Where a Member fails to declare his/her interest any other Member may raise the matter in the House and the Speaker may order that member not to vote to the matter and may refer the conduct of that Member to the Rules, Privileges and Discipline Committee for investigation and recommendation to the House for action it may consider appropriate.

THE MANNER OF EFFECTING AMENDMENTS IN PARLIAMENT IN UGANDA

Source: The Clerk to Parliament DEFINATION OF AN AMENDMENT An amendment is defined as a subsidiary Motion moved in the course of a debate on another Motion, suggesting another option of proposal and decision on the main motion and question. An amendment may relate to a clause of a Bill or a Motion. OBJECTIVE OF AN AMENDMENT The objective of an amendment is either to modify a proposal before the House with a view to increasing its acceptability or to present to the House a different proposition as an alternative to the original question. TYPES OF AMENDMENTS Amendments may be divided into three categories: For omission of words, figures or punctuation marks; For substitution of words, figures or punctuation marks; and For addition or insertion of certain words, figures or marks. NOTICE OF AMENDMENT Notice of amendment to a Motion or Bill should be given in writing and signed by the Member giving notice and handed to the Clerk to Parliament. MOVING AN AMENDMENT An amendment to a Motion in the House can only be moved after giving written notice to the Speaker. Amendments are only applicable during the interval between the proposing and the putting of a question before the House, that is, during the time which is normally used for discussion. An amendment shall be moved after the question has been proposed by the Speaker, and it can be moved by the Member whose name appears on the notice of amendments or another Member can move the amendment in the name of the Member whose name appears but it shall be communicated to the Speaker. AMENDMENT OF NOTICES OF MOTION The Speaker may permit a Member to move an amendment to a Motion without notice if in the opinion of the Speaker; the amendment does not materially alter any principle embodied in the motion. This Principle also applies on amendments to bills. If the amendment proposed by a Member differs substantially from the Motion of which notice has been given, a Member may move a different Motion in accordance with the Rules of Procedure without attempting to make an amendment to the Motion on the floor of the House. AMENDMENTS TO MOTIONS The following conditions are adhered to while amending Motions: When any motion is under consideration, an amendment may be proposed to the Motion if it is relevant to the motion. Any amendment may be proposed to the amendment if it is relevant to that amendment. Any amendment moved and permitted by the Speaker shall be put in writing by the mover and delivered to the Clerk. No amendment shall be permitted if in the opinion of the Speaker it substantially alters the principle of the question proposed. A Member may move an amendment after the question upon the motion has been proposed by the Speaker and before it has been put at the conclusion of the debate upon the Motion. After an amendment has been disposed of, the Speaker shall put the question. In case two or more amendments are proposed to be moved to the same motion, the Speaker calls upon the movers in order in which their amendments relate to the text of the Motion. A Member may amend an amendment after the question on the original amendment has been proposed by the Speaker and before it has been put at the conclusion of the debate. The Speaker shall propose the question upon the original amendment as amended, as the case may be. Where an amendment requires that some words be deleted, the question to be proposed by the Speaker is “That the following words be deleted.” Where an amendment is to insert words in, or add words at the end of a Motion, the question to be proposed by the Speaker is “That the following words … be inserted (or added). Where an amendment is to delete words and insert or add other words instead, a question is proposed “That the following words … be deleted from the question,” and if the question is agreed to, the question is then proposed “That the following words … be there inserted (or added). If Upon a vote, Members do not agree to the first question, no further amendment is proposed to the words which were to be deleted. After the Speaker has proposed a question to an amendment and another amendment is proposed to it, the last mentioned amendment is dealt with as if it were the original Motion until all amendments to it have been disposed of. AMENDMENTS TO BILLS Amendments to Bills in the House are considered by the Committee of the Whole House chaired by the Speaker. The Clerk calls the number of each clause or sub-clause of the Bill in succession for consideration. If no amendment is proposed on the clause, or if all proposed amendments have been disposed of, the Chairperson proposes the question “That the clause (or the clause as amended) does stand part of the Bill.” CONDITIONS OF AMENDMENTS TO BILLS The Committee of the Whole House considers all amendments to a Bill. These include; proposed amendments contained in the report of the Committee which considered the Bill, proposed amendments on notice, amendments presented to the Committee and were rejected and amendments that were not presented before the relevant Committee. The Chairperson may permit that minor amendments proposed on the floor without notice are considered and may also refuse to consider any amendment of which less than one day’s notice has been given. Where any proposed amendment requires a subsequent amendment to carry meaning, notice of the subsequent amendment is given before the 1st amendment unless the Chairperson permits otherwise. In case two or more amendments are proposed to be moved to the same clause, the Chairperson calls upon the movers in the order in which their amendments relate to the text of the Motion. Where two or more proposed amendments seek to attain the same objective but in different ways, the Chairperson may call upon the sponsors of the amendment to reconcile them in order to achieve a harmonized position. All amendments moved should be consistent with other clauses that have already been agreed or any decision that has already been taken by the Committee of the Whole House. The Chairperson shall propose the question upon the original amendment or upon the original amendment as amended as the case may be. An amendment, new clause or new schedule may be withdrawn at the request of the mover by leave of the Committee of the Whole House before the question has been put. If the question has been proposed on an amendment to an amendment to a clause or schedule, the original amendment may not be withdrawn until the amendment to it has been disposed of. Unless an amendment to the preamble is necessary as a result of the previous amendment to the Bill, it shall not be considered. If any amendment to the title of the Bill is made necessary by an amendment to the Bill, it is made at the conclusion of the proceedings but no question is put that “the title (as amended) stand part of the Bill” or shall any question be put upon the enacting formular. CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS Certain amendments particularly to Bills may be consequential. Consequential amendments are those amendments which come about as a result of amending the principal clause or the main proposal on which such provisions are dependent. Thus, as a result of amending the main provisions, consequential amendments are automatically effected.

INTERRUPTION OF DEBATE DURING PLENARY IN UGANDA PARLIAMENT

Source: The Clerk to Parliament A Member contributing to a Motion ought to be heard in silence. However, he/she may be interrupted by another Member rising on a point of order, matter of privilege, point of information, point of elucidation or point of procedure. POINT OF ORDER A point of order is a matter raised concerning the breach of rules of Parliamentary procedure. It can also be raised on other matters requiring Parliament to proceed in an organized manner. A Member may raise a Point of Order if any Member: Uses offensive, abusive, insulting, blasphemous or unbecoming words or to impute improper motives to any Member or makes personal allusions. Attempts to reconsider any specific question upon which the House has come to a conclusion during the current Session. Presents issues without making reference to the subject matter under discussion. The Speaker shall make a ruling on a Point of Order before the House proceeds with Business. If the Speaker accepts the Point of Order, it is said to be sustained. If not, it is said to be overturned. POINT/MATTER OF PRIVILEGE A point/matter of privilege may be raised by any Member in the House who thinks that the privileges of the House have been breached or are about to be breached rendering it difficult for the House to proceed with its business. For instance strangers are not allowed to sit in the Chamber and so a Member may rise and bring this to the attention of the House and demand that the strangers withdraw from the House. The Speaker would then direct the strangers to withdraw immediately from the House. POINT OF INFORMATION A point of information is a request made by a Member desiring to provide additional information to a Member holding the floor through the Speaker. A Member may rise on a point of order to update, correct or nullify information given by a Member holding the floor. It is the prerogative of the Member holding the floor to allow another Member to give information; and once he/she accepts to take information, the time spent doing so is deducted from the time that had been allotted to the Member holding the floor. POINT OF PROCEDURE Debates may be interrupted upon a point of procedure; and where a Member rises on a point of procedure the Member holding the floor shall immediately resume his/her seat. Where a point of procedure has been raised; except by leave of the Speaker, no other Member rises until the Speaker has decided upon the matter. A Member interrupting debate on a point of procedure shall state the specific rule of procedure that has been breached by a Member holding the floor. Where effect has been given to the decision on the point of procedure, the Member who was speaking is entitled to proceed with his/her speech unless the decision prevents him/her from doing so. POINT OF ELUCIDATION A Member may rise on a point of elucidation to seek for an explanation that serves to clear up, cast more light and remove any obstacle that would prevent him/her from understanding an issue. When giving leave to interruption debate the Speaker shall follow the following precedence: Point/matter of Privilege Points of procedure; Points of Order; Points of information, elucidation

THE DEATH OF THE GREAT NEIL ARMSTRONG AT 82 IS SAD

Neil Armstrong was a quiet self-described nerdy engineer who became a global hero when as a steely-nerved pilot he made “one giant leap for mankind” with a small step on to the moon. The modest man who had people on Earth entranced and awed from almost a quarter million miles away has died. He was 82. Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon July 20, 1969, capping the most daring of the 20th century’s scientific expeditions. His first words after setting foot on the surface are etched in history books and the memories of those who heard them in a live broadcast. While in school in 1969, we got news that Neil Armstrong had been the 1st man to step on the moon. Today, it is sad to learn that the fate of man has claimed the great Armstrong as it has to claim all those living. Armstrong lives a name; however, for the least developed countries like Uganda, the advancement in science is hindered by bad politics, poor priorities and corruption. While we have the advantage of just copying what the pioneers in science did, some of our leaders are busy with wrong policies and others just looting the resources that would help the advancement. The few scientists we have been able to get are not given worthy incentives; hence brain drain is the order of the day. May the Almighty God rest Armstrong’s soul in eternal peace By William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Former US astronaut, Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, has died at the age of 82. Armstrong underwent a heart bypass surgery earlier this month, just two days after his birthday on Aug 5, to relieve blocked coronary arteries. As commander of the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969. As he stepped on the dusty surface, Armstrong said: “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.” Those words endure as one of the best known quotes in the English language. Neil Alden Armstrong was 38 years old at the time and even though he had fulfilled one of mankind’s quests that had loomed for centuries and placed him at the pinnacle of human achievement, he did not revel in his accomplishment. He even seemed frustrated by the acclaim it brought. “I guess we all like to be recognised not for one piece of fireworks but for the ledger of our daily work,” Armstrong said in an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” programme in 2005. He once was asked how he felt knowing his footprints would likely stay on the moon’s surface for thousands of years. “I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up,” he said. James Hansen, author of “First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong,” told CBS: “All of the attention that… the public put on stepping down that ladder onto the surface itself, Neil never could really understand why there was so much focus on that.” The Apollo 11 moon mission turned out to be Armstrong’s last space flight. The next year he was appointed to a desk job, being named NASA’s deputy associate administrator for aeronautics in the office of advanced research and technology. Armstrong’s post-NASA life was a very private one. He took no major role in ceremonies marking the 25th anniversary of the moon landing.