Sim card registration deadline

August 31 is now the deadline set by the Uganda Commissions Commission for Sim card registration. That is only the latest after a series of set deadlines and extensions of the same. The requirement for Sim card registration was announced almost a year ago. The messages were aired on the radio and TV, sent through on mobile phones and printed in the newspapers.

MUSEVENI SPEAKS OUT ON TEACHERS' SALARIES

President Yoweri Museveni has spoken out on the issue of increasing pay for the teachers, judicial officers and public servants in the security field, outlining how the Government plans to deal with the matter.

In a detailed statement issued on Tuesday, the President also explained the Government’s tax policy and defended the imposition of taxes on water and kerosene.

“Everybody in Uganda needs to be reminded that the NRM never taxes production activities. We never tax machinery for factories coming into the country, raw materials, scholastic materials, medicine and agriculture. We only tax luxurious consumption — beer, perfumes, cigarettes and petrol,” the President noted.

“We added bottled water, kerosene and a few others this year because they are consumer items and we need money to build roads, dams and other items of infrastructure mentioned above,” Museveni added in a statement.

“If we do not expand the revenue base by attracting and retaining investments, how then shall we pay better salaries and develop more infrastructure?,” Museveni wondered.

He said the Government plans to use the additional revenue that will be generated during the next financial year (2014-2015) to “deal with the additional priorities such as the pay for judicial officers, teachers, public servants in the security field and scientists.”

He said this financial year, the Government’s priority will be investment in infrastructure — roads and electricity.

Government starts monitoring internet use

The government has started monitoring all transactions and conversations conducted over the internet. This is said to be a measure to secure the public against cyber crimes as well as increasing national security.
The development follows a recent wave of cybercrimes targeting banks, telephone companies, government agencies and individuals. 

RECOMMENDABLE FOODS FOR PEOPLE WHO DONATE BLOOD

Vegetables, fruits, millet,  peas, sim sim, soya beans and milk and  two servings of raw vegetables a day.

“It is best to take them as salads, Most of the components can’t withstand high temperatures as they make them inactive.”

For blood formation, foods rich in folic acid, zinc, copper and phosphorous

These include; cabbage, lettuce, cornflower and spinach. Others are herbs including hybiscus and red beet roots.
also lean red meat and liver are also rich in iron, which helps in the formation of blood.
What you need to know before you donate blood
Two weeks prior to blood donation, it is advisable to increase intake of iron rich foods such as red meat, beans and dark green vegetables like spinach.

The night before, one should have a good night’s rest — at least two hours before the donation. Also have something light to eat and drink extra fluids the day before and on the day of donation.

Furthermore, on the day of donation, avoid fatty foods, as these appear in the blood several hours after eating and can affect the tests carried out on the blood and Drink plenty of fluids over the following 24 hours to rehydrate

Schools asked to emphasize mathematics.

The Ministry of Education’s assistant commissioner in charge of private schools, Ismail Mulindwa, has urged students and teachers to put more emphasis on mathematics.

Presiding over at this year’s annual prize-giving ceremony for the best students in the mathematics contests in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions at Makerere University on Saturday, he said the ministry still considers mathematics as a foundation for studying other relevant courses at higher levels.

“The Government is undertaking curriculum reforms with mathematics being one of the eight learning areas being considered,” said Mulindwa.

In the new curriculum, Mulindwa observed that mathematics will be modified to meet the needs of the 21st century.

Annually, Uganda Mathematical Society (UMS), an umbrella body, which brings together mathematics teachers, organises maths contests.

KABAROLE DISTRICT COUNCIL SAT THIS WEEK

Kabarole district council sat of Tuesday 25,  Among the the key issues that were presented include;

The state of the district report 2012/2013 that was presented by the district chair person Hon Rwabuhinga Richard, the 2013/2014 budget estimates presented by the secretary for finance, Planning and administration Hon Stella Kyorampe, reports from town councils and district executive committees were also presented.

In his report the district chair person appreciated the work played by the government of Uganda in supporting Kabarole District financially and also appreciated partner organizations such as Rwenzori information Centres Net work (RIC-NET) which supported the district with E- society resource centre which has empowered the district Staff with ICT skills and timely access to current information, Baylor Uganda and many others to mention but a few,

The council also attracted many district leaders where we had Woman M.P Kabarole district Hon Businge- Rusoke Victoria, Hon Kagwera Stephen M.P Burahya, Deputy RDC Kabarole, Chief Administrative office Kabarole DR Juma Nyende, district technocrats and representatives from civil society organizations. The details of the budget estimates and state of the district report can be found on the district website www.kabarole.go ug.

MPS REFUSED TO PASS TEACHERS PAY

HEALTH workers, teachers and other government employees who may have expected their salary to hit their accounts soon, may have to wait a little longer.

Parliament yesterday rejected a proposal by finance state minister Fred Omach to expeditiously approve a sh46b supplementary budget without following the usual procedures. The bulk of the money was meant to cater for salaries for the month of May.

According to Omach, some of the employees have not received their salaries since April.

Accountant General Gastavio Bwoch said the Government last week released sh120b for salaries, but there was still a shortfall that would be covered through a supplementary budget. He said they would borrow the money from Bank of Uganda and other sources.

However, unlike in the past when Government spent first and sought approval later through a supplementary budget, this time, Parliament has to approve the supplementary first before the money is spent. This is because the ministry has gone over and above the required ceiling of 3% of the approved budget.

Public Service state minister Sezi Mbaguta told MPs that: “We are required by law to have completed all the payment processes by the 20th of every month. We do not want to enter a new financial year with salary arrears.”

Presenting the supplementary budget schedule II, Omach said the money was urgently needed to resolve the looming financial crisis in government ministries and departments.

“Madam Speaker, this is an emergency. There is a crisis in Government. Secondly, we urgently need money to pay salaries for health workers and other government employees,” he said.

Omach had tabled a motion seeking to suspend rule 47 to enable MPs to pass the budget without it being scrutinised by the budget committee. If the motion had been passed, Parliament would have constituted itself into a committee of supply, made a report and then passed it.

But MPs, especially from the opposition, rejected the proposal, arguing that the supplementary documents had gaps.

The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Nandala Mafabi, said: “We have just passed sh45b for health workers. Who are these new people? Where did their money go? We need the list. Secondly, the budget committee has experts who can competently scrutinise this supplementary and report to us.”

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga said the document had significant errors that needed to be corrected and sent it to the budget committee. “Let them scrutinise it and notify me when they are ready,” she said.