A Nigerian poverty female minister ‘had 19million British pounds in several of her bank accounts:

18 April, 2024

 

By World Media

 

A corruption investigation into a suspended Nigerian minister whose job is to help poverty-stricken people has recovered £19 million from more than 50 bank accounts, a financial watchdog has alleged.

Betta Edu, the humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister, has been suspended since January over the alleged diversion of £505,000 of public money into a personal bank account.

Nigeria’s economic and financial crimes commission has now said that after six weeks investigating the ministry, it had found “many angles” to examine, the BBC reported.

Ola Olukoyede, the commission chairman, told the latest edition of the agency’s newsletter: “As it is now, we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into.

“That is no child’s play. That’s a big deal.”

President Bola Tinubu in early January ordered “a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transaction”, and officials suspended several government aid programmes.

At the time Dr Edu, 37, denied any wrongdoing. Her office said she had approved the transfer into a personal account, which was not in her name, but said it was for the “implementation of grants to vulnerable groups”.

The recovered money had already been transferred to government coffers, Mr Olukoyede said, but warned that the investigation could be lengthy.

He said: “We are exploring so many discoveries that we have stumbled upon in our investigation. 

“If it is about seeing people in jail, well let them wait, everything has a process to follow.”

Nigerians complain that Africa’s biggest economy and most populous country remains plagued by corruption, despite regular government vows to clean it up.

The country in 2023 scored 25 on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.

 

 

Omuddukirize wo bubudamo wano Mubwakabaka bwa Buganda(African refugee) nga ava Congo, ow'emyaka 93 abadde asula n'emisota, ne mubwavu obuyitirivu anunuddwa:

Mulindwa nga atawaana ne refugee we Congo atafuna nga ko buyambi bwonna wano Mubwakabaka bwa Buganda!
 
 
6 November, 2023

 

Bya Tonny Kayemba

 

MZEE Sylvano Ssengendo 93, Omutuuze w'e Kalagala mu ggombolola y'e Nakifuma mu Mukono ng’ ono abadde asula mu nnyumba eri mu mbeera embi era ng’ejudde emisota anunuddwa.

Ssengendo  ennyumba mw'abade asula ebadde yaggwaako oludda era nga yasibako bisanja nga enkuba bw’etonya emugwerako kw’ossa okulwanagana n'emisota egibadde gimuyingirira buli kiseera okuva mu kisiko ekimwetoolodde.

Ono olumu abadde asula njala oluvannyuma lw'okubulwa eky'okulya n’akimutusaako ate nga ataawanyizibwa ekirwadde kya aniya ekyetaaga okulongoosebwa.

Ono nga teyazaala mwana  nga ne baganda be agamba bafiira mu lutalo e Congo gye baali basibuka ye kwe kuwangangukira mu Uganda.

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Mulindwa(kkono) nga ali nomukadde munyumba gyamufunidde okupangisa 

 

 

The Judiciary worker, Mr Kisambira doesn't regret murder-suicide threats as junior workers in Uganda receive petty wages compared to their senior workers:

 

By World Media

Stanley Kisambira (R) talking to the media

Judiciary driver Stanley Kisambira whose audio clips in which he threatened to commit murder-suicide so as to kill a judge and his bodyguard has responded to the permanent secretary who gave him only five days to defend himself.

In a defense written by his lawyers from the Centre for Legal Aid, Kisambira says he doesn't regret his statements and has asked the judiciary PS Dr Pius Bigirimana to cease from further absurdity.

 

Kisambira, a driver of Mbale High court judge Godfrey Namundi can be heard in the audio clips complaining about salary disparities in the judiciary for drivers and expressing his dissatisfaction with earning Shs 200,000 since joining the justice system in 2008.

 

In the same clip, Kisambira is heard saying he is very annoyed, disgusted and can even ram into a stationary vehicle and kill a principal, bodyguard, and himself - three people at once which is more painful compared to a bodyguard who only kills one principal. This was in reference to the recent murder of the state minister of Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations by his own bodyguard Wilson Sabiiti.

 

In a May 16 letter, Bigirimana accused Kisambira of misconduct, saying he would have used the right means as provided for under the public service standing orders as a public servant, other than running to social media to address his grievances.

 

"Inciting violence and threatening to intentionally cause an accident is unprofessional, criminal and punishable in the strongest terms. In addition, uttering false information that you are only paid Shs 200,000 contravenes section F-r of the public service standing orders."

 

As such, Bigirimana asked Kisambira in the letter to explain his act of gross misconduct within five days of receipt of this letter. Failure to do this, Bigirimana threatened to subject Kisambira to disciplinary measures including dismissal from the judiciary.

 

But in response, Kisambira's lawyers say that it was premature for Bigirimana who is also the judiciary's accounting officer to convict him of gross misconduct.

 

"Further to yours HC/P 10701 dated 16 May 2023, prematurely convicting our client of gross misconduct” and threatening to subject him to “further disciplinary measures including dismissal from the judiciary service,” we are instructed to reply as follows," reads the one-paged letter response.

 

The letter adds: "With great respect, your indecorously worded missive was not only premature and misconceived, but has also brought the judiciary service into disrepute."

 

According to Kisambira's lawyers, their client accepts no liability whatsoever for the contents or circulation of the audio clip at issue.

 

"A private communication, it contains protected political opinion and does not reasonably imply what you allege (incitement to violence, threatening accidents, uttering false information, etc).... as you rightly stated, our client did the right thing to express his dissatisfaction." reads the letter.

 

According to the Centre for Legal Aid, Bigirimana's reference to section p–b of the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders 2021 which talks about the procedure for conducting government, is plainly disingenuous and hereby "denounced, with contempt".

 

"You stretched the interpretation of that section by falsely implying that the alleged audio clip was an “official correspondence…which came into the possession of our client in the course of his official duties...Please cease and desist from further absurdity," advises the letter.

 

The lawyers further indicate that Kisambira enjoys what they have described as absolute immunity under the law to freely express his dissatisfaction in a peaceful manner, without fear of retaliation or victimization by his employer or the state.

 

"Take further notice that pursuant to sections 6(1) and 75(g) of the Employment Act 2006, you are barred from targeting an employee's political opinion as the reason for dismissal or imposition of a disciplinary penalty," adds the response.

 

To support their response, the lawyers have quoted several laws that they say Bigirimana as accounting officer of the judiciary should have looked upon before writing to Kisambira. They say the public service regulations on code of conduct further bars him from implementing any disciplinary procedure before the completion of proper investigations.

 

Accordingly, they have asked Bigirimana to terminate what they have described as a travesty of justice, and immediately provide Kisambira a decent package of appropriate interventions to address his dissatisfaction.

 

Following the audios by Kisambira, he was arrested and detained at Kampala Central police station for two days but he was later released on police bond.

 

Sources in police said that he had to be released because it was not right in their view to take him to court simply because he had talked about his grievances and that the best solution is for the judiciary to review his salary.

 

On social media platforms, Kisambira has been hailed as brave for exposing the low salaries of judiciary rank-and-file members. A fundraising campaign has been initiated to support Kisambira in obtaining legal representation and welfare.

 

The campaign encourages donations, emphasizing Kisambira's role as a whistleblower who spoke out about the exploitation of the judiciary. The flyer states, "Kisambira is ready to be punished or sacked but won't be silenced."

Nb

It is a very good debate that is going on especially for the workers' pay in this country just after the recent celebration of the International Workers' Day on 1st May, 2023.

Apart from that African politics of Uganda National Resistance Movement, the workers day celebrations were about a living wage.

 

The Union members and their struggles all over the world have their International Workers Movement. Eight-hour day movement that advocated 8 hours work for any worker. 8 hours recreation. And 8 hours rest.

One cannot see any wrong with this worker discussing about his small wages as compared to the wages of some of the African workers who are very rich multi-millionaires in this country!

 

 

IN UGANDA, THERE SHOULD BE EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH AN AFRICAN SOCIAL WELFARE:

The Inspector General of Government, Ms. Kamya has decided to audit the lifestyle lives of government officials so that she can be able to arrest corrupt officials:

 24 October, 2021

The new Inspector General of Government, Ms Beti Kamya. PHOTO/DAVID LUBOWA

The office of Inspector General of Government (IGG) plans to adopt lifestyle audit to catch corrupt public officials in the next five years. 

IGG Beti Kamya said her vision is to quickly reverse the massive theft in public offices by making citizens know that the cost of corruption is why they cannot have the services they pay for.

“We want to exhibit the faces of corruption in every classroom, living room place of worship, entertainment and every bedroom so that everybody can recognise it,” she said.

Ms Kamya, who was meeting the European Union (EU) delegation led by Ambassador Attilio Pacifici in Kampala on Thursday, cited the case of multi-billion property confiscated by the court from Geoffrey Kazinda and forfeited to government.

Ms Kamya said in the lifestyle audit, the IGG would push for even primary school children to recognise illicit wealth at home and ask their parents whether their salary can afford the new expensive car, luxurious houses, overseas schools and holidays they enjoy abroad.

 

The poor African man with a walking stick

 

“We want teachers in posh schools to give home work to their 10-year-olds in 5th Grade to write down their fathers name, place of work, job title, and car they drive and its cost, a picture of their houses and discuss it openly in class,” she said.

Ms Kamya said she also wants adults and children to start being embarrassed and ashamed of their unexplainable wealth.

“We value our engagement with the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah and ask for support to rally MPs in the fight and we intend to engage the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice and the Leader of Opposition in Parliament,” she added.

Findings

Ms Kamya said preliminary findings show that Uganda is losing Shs20 trillion annually to corruption, which totals our entire annual revenue collection from taxes.

“It is criminal that poor Ugandan break their backs to work and pay taxes, but very few people take it all for themselves to live luxurious lifestyle and have massive wealth that they cannot consume in their lifetime,” she said.

Ms Patricia Achan, the deputy IGG, said through the Leadership Code Act, they will raise the verification activity, beginning with the staff of the IGG, then verify wealth declaration of all accounting officers.

“The intention is to rescue at least 20 percent of the Shs20 trillion lost per year,” she said.

 “We need to give corruption a face, unmask and expose its face so that everybody can recognise it. It will incite Ugandan to despise it, hate and avoid it,” she said.

Ms Cissy Kagaba, the executive director of Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda, said adopting the lifestyle audit was a good measure, but the IGG should capture every one and not pick on only a few individuals.

“After the lifestyle auditing, we want to know what next because people often make declarations, but the issue of verification has been a challenge,” she said.

 

About lifestyle audit

Lifestyle audits, also known as lifestyle checks or lifestyle monitoring, are an accountability tool that can be used to detect and prevent corruption. Such audits are conducted when the visible lifestyle or standard of living of an individual appears to exceed their known income level. The detection of such discrepancies can raise the red flag, warranting closer inspection.

In such instances, an assessment of the individual’s income, assets and investments can be undertaken to determine if such seemingly extravagant expenditures could have come from illicit gains. If the audit shows a mismatch between a person’s known income and assets compared to their lifestyle and spending patterns, then there is an increased risk that the person is deriving alternative income from sources that constitute a conflict of interest or illegal activity, including embezzlement and bribery.

As verification often includes assessments of an official’s household, the approach is particularly helpful in detecting whether corrupt proceeds could have been under the names of family members or associates.

Lifestyle audits are best used in conjunction with other anti-corruption measures, including the criminalisation of illicit enrichment, establishing obligations for regular declarations of assets, incomes and interests, as well as unexplained wealth orders.

However, the viability of this approach is contingent on public access to the content of asset and income declarations, and the interest and ability of civil society to engage in lifestyle audits concealed.

Source: Transparency International

OBUSILAMU MU AFRICA NGA BWEKIRI MU MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA

Posted on 6th December, 2015

The African Union is trying to remember older people’s rights in its self-determination:

By Joyce Namutebi

Added 28th January 2016 

 

State Minister for the Elderly and Disabled, Sulaiman Madada, says that older persons in Uganda are not discriminated against.

 

Older persons from Uganda and other African countries have complained that they are discriminated against and denied their human rights.

 

This is according to an organisation called HelpAge International, which is urging African heads of state to adopt a protocol on older people’s rights, at the 26th Summit of the African Union meeting in Ethiopia this week.

 

“Older people across Africa can face harmful, negative ageist attitudes and behaviour,” a press release issued by the organisation said.

 

The release said that when asked how they were discriminated against, an older person from Cameroon said, “The doctor avoids touching me when consulting me.”

 

A man from Uganda was quoted as having said: “I am considered a spent force with nothing left to contribute to society, that I have had my turn and should give way to the youth.”

 

Quoting Article 32 of the Constitution on affirmative action, State Minister for the Elderly and Disabled, Sulaiman Madada, however, clarified that older persons in Uganda are not discriminated against.

 

He said that in 2009, a national policy on older persons was developed to ensure that the issues affecting them are addressed.

 

Madada also cited the enactment, in 2013, of the National Council for Older Person Act which created colleges for election of older persons on councils, and the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) programme.

 

An older person from South Africa said: “South Africa is no different to most other nations, in that older persons often are discriminated against or experience inequality in society.”

 

Older women and men, the release said, are also denied their human rights across different aspects of their lives. They are subjected to different types of violence and abuse, denied access to health care and an adequate standard of living and treated with disrespect because of their older age.

 

In a study conducted by HelpAge International in Mozambique in 2012, the release noted that 74 per cent of older people surveyed said they had experienced at least one form of violence and abuse since the age of 50, 22% said their health needs had been neglected, 30%  said they had been refused work while 27% said they had been refused a loan. 51% said that other people looked down at them and or treated them in a humiliating, shameful or degrading way.

 

The Regional Director at HelpAge International Dr Prafula Mishra said, “Adoption of this Protocol provides the opportunity for African heads of state to demonstrate their commitment to every African’s human rights, at every stage of their life. It is a fitting way to mark the beginning of 2016: African Year of Human Rights.”

 

“This protocol provides a framework for governments to end ageism and discrimination against older people in Africa,” Head of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns, HelpAge International, East, West and Central Africa, Jamillah Mwanjisi said.

 

  “Adopting the Protocol would be a significant step by governments and provide them with a framework to help them meet their human rights obligations towards people in older age. It also provides us with an advocacy tool which we can use to challenge the ageist attitudes and behaviour that occur at every level of society, from the individual up to large institutions,” he added.

 

The protocol reaffirms the rights of older people in Africa and outlines what governments must do to protect them.

 

It covers a wide range of rights including prohibition of all forms of discrimination against older people; access to justice and equal protection before the law; social protection, the right to make decisions and protection from abuse and harmful traditional practices.

 

 HelpAge International, based in London, helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives.

Islamic idealogy in Africa as it should be in Mecca, Saudi Arabia for the African moslem black woman:

Aug 19, 2015
Muslim women properly dressed in the sight of Muslim men

Women in Saudi Arabia are registering to vote for the first time in history, more than four years after King Abdullah granted equal voting rights.

They will be allowed to vote in municipal elections due to take place in December and can also stand as candidates.

"[Voting is] a dream for us," Jamal Al-Saadi, the first woman to register in Medina told the Saudi Gazette. "[It] will enable Saudi women to have a say in the process of decision-making."

Human rights campaigners have welcomed the move, but warn there is still a long way to go in the fight for gender equality in the conservative Muslim nation.

Saudi Arabia has an abysmal human rights record, particularly with regards to protecting women. Although in recent years the rights of women have been incrementally extended, their actions are still severely restricted.

"This long overdue move is welcome but it's only a tiny fraction of what needs to be addressed over gender inequality in Saudi Arabia," Amnesty International's Karen Middleton told The Independent.

"Let's not forget that Saudi Arabian women won't actually be able to drive themselves to the voting booths as they're still completely banned from driving," she says.

In a country where a woman cannot even open a bank account without her husband's permission, here are several other things women in the Muslim kingdom are still unable to do:

Go anywhere without a chaperone

Saudi women need to be accompanied by a male guardian known as a 'mahram' whenever they leave the house. The guardian is often a male relative and will accompany women on all of their errands, including shopping trips and visits to the doctor.

Such practices are rooted in "conservative traditions and religious views that hold giving freedom of movement to women would make them vulnerable to sins," according to The Guardian.

In one extreme case, a teenager reported that she had been gang-raped, but because she was not with a mahram when it occurred, she was punished by the court. The victim was given more lashes than one of her alleged rapists received, the Washington Postreports.

The Saudi Arabian government recently announced that it was considering lifting restrictions on women that would allow them to travel without the approval of their relatives, but human rights groups warn the move is likely to be vetoed by senior clerics.

Drive a car

There is no official law that bans women from driving but deeply held religious beliefs prohibit it, with Saudi clerics arguing that female drivers "undermine social values".

In 2011, a group of Saudi women organised the "Women2Drive" campaign that encouraged women to disregard the laws and post images and videos of themselves driving on social media to raise awareness of the issue in an attempt to force change. It was not a major success.

Saudi journalist Talal Alharbi says women should be allowed to drive but only to take their children to school or a family member to hospital. "Women should accept simple things", he writes for Arab News. "This is a wise thing women could do at this stage. Being stubborn won't support their cause."

Wear clothes or make-up that "show off their beauty"

The dress code for women is governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law and is enforced to varying degrees across the country. The majority of women are forced to wear an abaya – a long black cloak – and a head scarf. The face does not necessarily need to be covered, "much to the chagrin of some hardliners," says The Economist. But this does not stop the religious police from harassing women for exposing too much flesh or wearing too much makeup.

The dress code was extended to all female television presenters earlier this year. The king's advisory body, the Shoura Council, ruled that the women should wear "modest" clothes that do not "show off their beauty", according to Arab News.

Interact with men

Women are required to limit the amount of time spent with men they are not related to. The majority of public buildings including offices, banks and universities have separate entrances for men and women, the Daily Telegraph reports. Public transportation, parks, beaches and amusement parks are also segregated in most parts of the country. Unlawful mixing will lead to criminal charges being brought against both parties, but women typically face harsher punishment.

Go for a swim

Reuters correspondent Arlene Getz describes her experience of trying to use the gym and pool at an upmarket Riyadh hotel: "As a woman, I wasn't even allowed to look at them ('there are men in swimsuits there,' a hotel staffer told me with horror) — let alone use them."

Compete freely in sports

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia proposed hosting an Olympic Games without women. "Our society can be very conservative," said Prince Fahad bin Jalawi al-Saud, a consultant to the Saudi Olympic Committee. "It has a hard time accepting that women can compete in sports."

When Saudi Arabia sent its female athletes to the London games for the first time, hard-line clerics denounced the women as "prostitutes". While they were allowed to compete, they had to be accompanied by a male guardian and wear a "Sharia-compliant" sports kit that covered their hair.

Try on clothes when shopping

"The mere thought of a disrobed woman behind a dressing-room door is apparently too much for men to handle," says Vanity Fair writer Maureen Dowd in 'A Girl's Guide to Saudi Arabia'.

Other more unusual restrictions include:

  • Entering a cemetery
  • Reading an uncensored fashion magazine
  • Buying a Barbie

However, explains Dowd, everything in Saudi Arabia "operates on a sliding scale, depending on who you are, whom you know, whom you ask, whom you're with, and where you are".

But things are slowly beginning to modernise in a country that has historically had some of the most repressive attitudes towards women.  "Women in Saudi Arabia are highly educated and qualified," says Rothna Begum from Human Right Watch. "They don’t want to be left in the dark."

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