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PROFILE: Who is Justice Simon Kakuru

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The year 2018 saw one of the panel bench of constitutional court judges hearing a petition challenging the legality of the 2017 age limit, issue a dissenting judgement.

This bold gentleman was justice Kenneth Kakuru, 65, who has died this morning at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi where he was according to family reports diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Kakuru was famed amongst his legal peers for his openness whenever making a judgement. So many speak of him a bold pillar who always held firm for whatever he perceived to be right.

In the petition against the removal of the age limit in 2018, Kakuru wrote a dissenting judgement where the constitutional court upheld parliament’s decision to remove the presidential age limit of 75 years which allowed Museveni to seek a 6th elective term in office.

“There is always danger that if the constitution is not strictly complied with, our hard earned democracy shall degenerate into authoritarianism which leads to totalitarianism and dictatorship”- said justice Kakuru who was the only dissenting judge on the lifting of the age limit.
The entire constitutional amendment act… is unconstitutional and therefore null and void, and all it’s provisions ought to be expunged from the constitution of Uganda”- Kakuru further said turning into a darling whom Ugandans hailed as a hero.


We take you through the portfolio of this distinguished legal officer who has been hailed for his composure when issuing landmark judgements.

Justice Kakuru was a son to Reverend Eliakim Kamujanduzi, a renowned elder and senior educationist who denied the Omugabe of Ankole His Highness Charles Rutahaba Gatsyonga, Holy Communion at Ruharo Parish saying he (the Omugabe) was polygamous.
Kakuru was born in Uganda in 1958.
Kakuru attended local schools for primary and secondary education
He studied law at Makerere University and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.
Later he graduated with a Master of Laws (LLM) degree.

He obtained a diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, in Kampala.
He also held a Master of Arts degree in Education Policy Planning and Development, from Kyambogo University.
On January 14, 2012, he married Charity Nankunda Kakuru.

Prior to joining the bench, in 1987 Justice Kakuru, who specialized in public interest litigation, together with other senior lawyers established a law firm, Kakuru & Company Advocates, based in Kampala.
He founded and by the time of his death, Kakuru was a non-executive director of Greenwatch Uganda, an environmental advocacy whose mission is to promote public participation in protection and managing of the environment.
Kakuru was associate professor at the Uganda Pentecostal University and an external examiner at the Law Development Centre in Kampala.
Justice Kakuru was a member of the Uganda Law Society, the East African Law Society, and the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide among other Law bodies.
He was appointed a justice of the Court of Appeal in 2013.
Kenneth Kakuru married the late Winnie Ikiriza Kakuru on September 12, 1987 and together they had three children, Sama, Tracy and Rose. Ikiriza died in 2009

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Trump Foreign aid freeze, Should we, as Africans, continue looking to the West for survival?

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So, Museveni and his henchmen have continuously labeled H.E. Bobi Wine as being funded by the West, a claim that is entirely false. Ironically, these same people are now the ones lamenting and crying after Trump halted their funding.

This exposes their hypocrisy and raises an important question that I need you to pay attention to: Is it America’s responsibility to fund us as a nation? Should we, as Africans, continue looking to the West for survival even after trump Trump Cuts Aid, or should we take charge of our own destiny? We must all answer this.

That put aside, Trump Foreign aid freeze should serve as a wake-up call to all African leaders: handouts from the West will never and never develop our nations. True development comes from within, through the proper management of taxes, national resources, prioritizing the welfare of citizens, and fostering self-reliance. Instead of begging for aid, Our governments must focus on tax efficiency, industrialization, value addition to raw materials, and fighting corruption that drains billions from public coffers.

Take Uganda under dictator Museveni as an example, a regime so financially mismanaged that it has to sometines borrow money just to pay civil servants, what a shame. Uganda’s public debt has skyrocketed beyond 90 trillion shillings, with a significant portion being external debt. Yet, there is close to non to show for it. Infrastructure projects are riddled with inflated contracts, funds meant for healthcare and education are looted, and public services are in a state of decay. Just take a look at the government hospitals and schools near you.

Meanwhile, the ruling elite enjoys lavish lifestyles, flying in private jets and driving luxury cars, getting medical care from London, India, USA etc all at the expense of the struggling taxpayer.

All you need to know Uganda isn’t an isolated case because Across Africa, Majority of leaders have failed to harness the immense wealth of the continent. Despite abundant natural resources; gold, oil, diamonds, fertile land, and a youthful population, many African nations remain dependent on foreign aid and predatory loans. China, the IMF, and Western donors continue to tighten their grip, dictating policies that serve their interests while keeping Africa trapped in debt. How can a continent so rich remain so poor? So sad they’re all crying after Trump halted the aid.

The answer lies in leadership. Africa cannot progress under dictairs like Museveni who prioritize personal enrichment over national development. We must break free from this cycle of dependency and debt. It is time for African leaders to: Actually Trump is instead helping us to be self reliant.

>Reduce bloated government expenditures by cutting unnecessary administrative costs, excessive military spending, and luxury benefits for politicians.

>Invest in industries and manufacturing to ensure Africa exports finished products instead of raw materials, which enrich foreign economies.

>Strengthen accountability mechanisms to eliminate corruption, enforce transparency, and recover stolen public funds

>Empower local businesses by supporting small and medium enterprises, creating policies that favor homegrown industries over foreign monopolies.

>Develop a self-reliant mindset where Africa finances its own development instead of begging for aid that comes with strings attached.

The future of Africa lies in economic independence, self-sufficiency, and visionary leadership. We must demand better from those in power and reject leaders who keep us in perpetual poverty while mortgaging our future to foreign interests. It is time for Africa to rise, not as a charity case for the West, but as a strong, self-sustaining continent built by its own people.

I remain #Jbmuwonge

contact@jbmuwonge.com

#Peoplepowerourpower

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Hajj Ashraf Semwogerere pens down a letter to H.E.Bobi Wine and Mathias Mpuuga

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bobi wine mpuuga

Asalaam alaikum.

A LETTER TO PRINCIPAL ROBERT KYAGULANYI Bobi Wine AND HONORABLE MATHIAS MPUUGA.

The Cuban revolution.

General Arnaldo Tomás Ochoa Sánchez was chosen by Defense Minister Raúl Castro to become the head of Cuba’s Western Army. Since this branch of the military protects Cuba’s capital city, Havana, and its top leaders and installations, the position would have made him the third most powerful military figure on the island, after Commander in Chief Fidel Castro and General Raúl Castro (today Secretary general of Cuban Communist party.).

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What was expected to be a routine background check prior to the announcement of his appointment began to unravel, however, when at appointment, the government accused Ochoa of corruption, which included, but was not limited to, the sale of diamonds and ivory from Angola and the misappropriation of weapons in Nicaragua. As the investigation continued, links were found to other military and Ministry of the Interior officials who were engaged in even more serious crimes: taking pay-offs from South American drug-traffickers, including Pablo Escobar and General Manuel Noriega in exchange for letting them use Cuban territorial waters for drug drops and pick-ups.

General Raúl Castro, who was very close to Ochoa personally, later said he pleaded with Ochoa on a number of occasions to come clean and reveal everything so they could move forward. When Ochoa refused to cooperate, on June 12, the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces announced his arrest and investigation for serious acts of corruption, dishonest use of economic resources, and abetting drug trafficking.

When Ochoa sat before Fidel Castro in the President’s office, he humbly accepted to have betrayed the revolution and asked the commander in chief to do what was necessary to keep the revolution strong. Castro signed his death warrant.

At dawn on July 13, 1989, Ochoa was executed by a firing squad along with three senior officers of the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Ministry of the Interior , after a military court convicted them of drug smuggling.

Meanwhile, the Cuban revolution grew stronger despite the fact that their major rival United States was a superpower and a stone throw away from their island.

THE NRM/NRA REVOLUTION;

During the NRM/NRA bush war, several Kadogos mostly from Buganda were executed for just stealing chicken or Cassava of Wanainch. This was the bush war code of conduct. It acted as a deterrent to other rebel soldiers to instill discipline. Those who were around in 1986 when NRA stormed Kampala will tell you how well disciplined these soldiers were.

Today, there is a crisis in the NUP revolution. Where a high ranking Soldier like Ochoa of Cuba has betrayed the revolution. In the NRA bush language, the soldier has stolen from Wanainch.

For the Revolution to stand its time, I beg Honorable Mathias to act like Owekitiibwa and tell the principal to do what is necessary exactly like what Ochoa did. And to Principal Kyagulanyi, please do like Federal Castro. Please sign that warrant. The revolution is just beginning to keep its code of conduct. nobody should be above it. A revolution without discipline turns into banditry. What Dr Apollo Militon Obote had referred to NRA.

DP and FDC have a lot for reference.

Hajj Ashraf Semwogerere.

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Justin: Rt. Hon. Mathias Mpuuga asked to Resign After Admitting Taking Irregular Service Award 500 Million

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Former Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga asked to Resign by the NUP party to resign from the position of Commissioner of Parliament after admitting to having taken part in an irregular service award amounting to UGX 500 million.

Mathias Mpuuga asked to Resign
Former Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga

There is an ongoing online protest under the hashtag #UgandaParliamentExhibition. The protest aims at exposing the massive corruption, abuse of office and gross mismanagement of public affairs by the leadership of Parliament and other leaders.

Unfortunately, the protest has not only revealed grand corruption on the side of NRM leaders. Some leaders on the opposition side have had serious allegations of corruption leveled against them. Specifically, our former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and current Parliamentary Commissioner, Rt. Hon. Mathias Mpuuga alongside three other Parliamentary Commissioners have been accused of irregularly awarding themselves huge sums of tax-payers’ money on the pretext of “Service Awards”. Under the scheme, Rt. Hon. Mpuuga was allocated 500,000,000/= (Five Hundred Million Uganda Shillings).

On Wednesday 28th February 2024, the President convened an urgent meeting comprised of senior leaders of the Party including all Deputy Presidents and some of our senior legislators. At the meeting, Rt. Hon. Mpuuga admitted that he indeed took part in this wrong doing and apologised for the same. In light of this, he was strongly advised that the moral thing to do in the circumstances is to step down from his role as Parliamentary Commissioner with immediate effect.

The nation will recall that the values of the National Unity Platform are Discipline, Reliability, Inclusiveness, Integrity, Patriotism and Service. All actions of corruption and abuse of office go contrary to these values. They also go contrary to the Integrity Oath which every leader of the Party swore at the start of this term.

We therefore ask our leaders at all levels to do self-reflection and recommit themselves to these values and the Oath they took to shun and fight corruption in all its forms.

Mathias Mpuuga asked to Resign
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