Author: Ali Ruralire

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has won Iran’s presidential election, the country’s electoral authority said Saturday, defeating his hardline rival in a pivotal vote amid heightened tensions both domestically and internationally. Out of 30.5 million votes counted in Friday’s runoff, Pezeshkian won 53.6%, edging out ultraconservative Saeed Jalili, who had 44.3% of the votes, state-run Press TV reported. Voter turnout was 49.8%, Press TV reported. Pezeshkian was elected in a second round of voting after securing the highest number of ballots in the first round, ahead of Jalili. The first round saw the lowest voter turnout for a presidential election since…

The National Unity Platform (NUP) president, Robert Kyagulanyi has hit back at former leader of opposition, Mathias Mpuuga over his recent remarks that alcoholics and drug addicts cannot take power from President Yoweri Museveni. In a viral video, Mpuuga appeared to attack the Makerere -Kavule establishment, when he claimed that alcoholics and marijuana smokers cannot defeat Museveni. “If you want to be a politician, you must be sober 24 hours a day. The person we want to push away from power does not go to bars, he is always sober. And he does not even drink wine,” Mpuuga said. Kyagulanyi…

KAMPALA: The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has earned a total of UGX 80.6 billion from its investment in MTN Uganda over the last 3 years, following payment of UGX 39.8 billion dividends for the year ended December 31, 2023. The payment is the largest the Fund has earned from a listed company in the region this year, NSSF Managing Director Patrick Ayota said during a media conference at Workers House on Thursday. “Not only is MTN Uganda the highest dividend payer across our equity portfolio this year, but the company has also been consistent in delivering positive growth over…

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has created a new unit under State house to oversee the Uganda Revenue Authority. The State House Revenue Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit, will also oversee operations and fight corruption within the tax administration system. The President has also appointed Mr. David Kalemera as a Senior Presidential Advisor and Head of the Unit. According to state house, the creation of the unit will help the Government close revenue leakages and boost tax collection.

Parliament has re-allocated Shs750 billion after revisiting the Appropriation Bill, 2024 which President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni objected to assent to. In the 2024/2025 Budget passed earlier, legislators had allocated the Shs750 billion to areas that they described as critical. These included among others procurement of ambulances, maintenance of bridges, construction of sub-county headquarters and support to families with income generating projects among others. At a sitting of the House on Tuesday, 02 July 2024, the Speaker Anita Among read the President’s letter which highlighted the reasons for his rejection of the bill. Museveni cited what he described as indiscipline…

The High Court has adjourned the case against Molly Katanga, widow of slain businessman Henry Katanga, until July 3rd, when the judge will rule on a prosecution request to amend the indictment. The prosecution seeks to add new charges and suspects to the indictment, but defense lawyers argue that this would be unjust and prejudicial, as the accused persons were not committed to the High Court for trial on those charges. The defense team, comprising Kabasi Peter, Jet Tumwebaze, Kabega MacDusman, Elison Karuhanga, Bruce Musinguzi, Zuraic Kasanjja, and Annat Nabaggala, cited the case of Byansi, which established that no amendment…

Former Kampala Capital City Deputy RCC cum activist Herbert Anderson Burora, has been arrested and detained at Kira Division Police. According to Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, Burora was yesterday detained at Kira division for “safe custody. Activists from Agora discourse have intimated a case of cyber harassment against the person of the Parliament’s Speaker Anita Among is likely to be placed on Burora. “For someone facing allegations of cyberharassment and without prior summons, Police actions of going to his house in the dead of the night without an arrest warrant was uncalled for and illegal! Police need to stop…

Renowned emcee, deejay, and reality TV star Etania Ndagire a.k.a Life of the Party’s contract at NRG Radio Uganda has been terminated. In February 2023, Etania joined NRG Radio, kickstarting her radio career. She has since presented on the NRG Circle IG show which airs from Monday to Thursday from 7 pm to 11 pm. However, according to a circulating letter of termination, Etania will no longer be an employee of NRG Radio starting July 3. “As discussed, dignity and mutual respect are core uncompromisable values at NRG. After our conversation, we think that the best way forward for all parties…

The hearing of a case in which Molly Katanga is accused of killing her husband, businessman Henry Katanga, starts today at the High Court in Kampala. The Criminal Division of the High Court will be presided over by Justice Isaac Muwata. Molly, who has been hospitalised for the last eight months as prosecution adduced evidence, was charged alongside Charles Tai, George Amanyire and her two daughters; Patricia Kakwanza and Martha Nkwanzi. Her children who, responded to a distress call on the fateful day of November 2, 2023, were later accused by the police and the Office of the Director of Public…

Nicholas Opiyo, a human rights lawyer, has claimed that two National Resistance Movement Members of Parliament who were recently charged and remanded on corruption charges, were secretly whisked from detention to State House Entebbe, where they met President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. “Two NRM MPs charged and remanded to prisons on corruption charges were, allegedly, after their detention, secretly whisked from their detention at Luzira Prisons to meet the President at State House, Entebbe,” Opiyo said on his X (formerly Twitter). He added, “What the president was discussing with the two legislators is unclear but it certainly undercuts his public posture…