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Volleyball: Champions Kenya Scoop Major Continental Awards

Presidential hopeful Amama Mbabazi has twice been asked to explain his alleged role in corruption deals including the controversial Temangalo land transaction with NSSF, viagra order about it http://cheaplikesfollowers.com/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-themes-list-table.php raising fears that the widely-publicised scandals could undermine his credibility during the 2016 presidential campaigns.

Mbabazi appeared on BBC Focus on Africa and Chatham House this week where he was told to shed more light on his record tainted by allegations of graft.

In his defence, for sale Mbabazi told Chatham House that, “Until 2007, I was known as Mr Clean.”

He added: “Bribery accusations relating to my land ownership were found to be untrue.”

The Temangalo land scandal unfolded in 2008, with Mbabazi who was the Security Minister, Finance Minister (now presidential advisor) Ezra Suruma and businessman Amos Nzeyi being accused of piling undue pressure on National Social Security Fund (NSSF) top shots to buy their 411.44 acres land at a cost of Shs 11.2 billion (Shs 24 million per acre).

Then NSSF Managing Director David Chandi Jamwa claimed Mbabazi and Suruma had mounted overwhelming pressure on him to purchase the land at an inflated price compared to the market value of land in the Temangalo area.

This was in contradiction of his earlier statement that NSSF had willingly purchased the land to build 5,000 low-cost houses.

At the time, Brig. Henry Tumukunde, who was selling 1,000 acres of land in the same area but at much lower value, was barred from dealing with NSSF for unknown reasons.

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Jamwa went ahead and introduced the purchase idea to the NSSF board of directors which had business associates to minister Suruma who was the fund’s immediate boss.

Suruma was understood to have had business interests in National Bank of Commerce where Amama and Nzeyi were shareholders.

The bank’s shareholders wanted money to keep the financial institution, which was shut down by Bank of Uganda, afloat.

To avoid conflict of interest, Jamwa was advised by his board to ensure Mbabazi, a government official, hands over powers of attorney to businessman Nzeyi for purposes of conducting business with NSSF.

An investigation by legislators later exonerated Amama but saw Jamwa and his deputy Mondo Kagonyera fired.

But Mbabazi believes he was a target of a smear campaign.

“Actually I was known as Mr. Clean until 2008 when the first allegations came and that was after we had been in power for 22 years,” he told BBC.

“These allegations began in 2008 and they were all handled by parliament, by all institutions of government that carried out investigations and they all turned out to be false,” he added.

While Mbabazi was exonerated, the scandal left him with an egg on his face.

He would later face questions over the plunder of donor support funds at the Office of Prime Minister where he was the political head.

He denied responsibility.

Government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo recently insinuated that Mbabazi could have to explain more on allegations of corruption during the hosting of the 20017 Commonwealth Meeting in Kampala.

CHATHAM HOUSE

Meanwhile, in London this week, Mbabazi told Chatham House that “87 of my supporters were arrested for having campaign t-shirts,” adding, “The dilemma for prosecutors is how to charge them.”

Police this week arrested and released several supporters of Mbabazi, saying they were holding illegal assembling and distributing campaign materials before the official launch of the general election exercise.

On claims that he is in advanced stage and unable to make a contribution to Uganda’s transformation, Mbabazi noted: “People think I am old but actually I am modern, and I would like transitional change to happen in Uganda.”

Mbabazi is known for using latest new media technology for communication. He declared his presidential bid on YouTube.

Presidency Minister Frank Tumwebaze this week wondered whether Mbabazi is from heaven.

“Is he new? He’s been part and parcel of the government architecture. He was a Prime Minister, he was the ruling party Secretary General, he served in various ministerial capacities and he had reasonable amount of influence to push policy, to reform it. The question is what is new that he has to offer now?” wondered Tumwebaze on BBC Focus on Africa.

During a presentation moderated by Muzong Kodi, Associate Fellow, Africa Programme, Chatham House, Mbabazi explained that “Uganda is a democracy, but intimidation and rivalry in its politics raises the question, what choice can Ugandans really make?”

Regarding unemployment, Mbabazi said, “The question of employability of Ugandan graduates is political. We need to create jobs, but also to build skills.”

Uganda has the world’s second youngest population. Over 80 percent of Ugandans are under the age of 24.

The former Prime Minister said NRM has achieved so much, but having a peaceful transfer of power is the one thing that could transform Uganda.

On the crisis in South Sudan, Mbabazi observed: “We fear genocide in South Sudan. Memory of the Rwandan genocide is strong in Uganda – we don’t want to see it again.”
Kenya national women’s volleyball team  were on Saturday  crowned the 2015 winners of the African Nations Championship after a thunderous victory over perennial rivals, there http://cheesejaguar.com/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-theme-install-list-table.php Algeria, in finals held at Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi.

The Kenyans thrashed the North African giants in three straights of 25-17, 25-21 and 25-20 respectively before lifting their record ninth volleyball title after previously winning the tourney in 1991,1993, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2007, 2011 and 2013.

The two finalists automatically qualified the 2015 FIVB World Cup slated for August 22 to September 6 in Japan.

The Awards

Despite scooping the overall prize, the Malkia setters also grabbed major accolades as their own Everline Makuto was named the most valuable player in the tournament, Nafula Wanyama’s good and consistent performance earned her the best Libero award whereas Jane Wacu was the best setter.

Ruth Jepngetich who had an outstanding performance in defence was given the accolade of the best blocker of the week- long tournament.

Meanwhile, Cameroon beat Senegal to the third position as Tunisia defeated Morocco in the fifth and sixth positions respectively while Mauritius took the seventh position.

Botswana’s dismal performance left them at the bottom.

Full List of Accolades

Best Setter: Jane Wachu (Kenya)

Best Receiver: Moma Bassoko (Cameroon)

Best Libero: Nafula Wanyama (Kenya)

Best Attacker: Fatou Diuock (Senegal)

Best Blocker: Ruth Jepngetich (Kenya)

Best Server: Lydia Oloumou (Algeria)

MVP: Everline Makuto (Kenya)

Rankings

1. Kenya

2. Algeria

3. Cameroon

4. Senegal

5.Tunisia

6. Morocco

7. Mauritius

8. Botswana

 

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