Lawmakers have questioned the involvement of a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) owned company in private security services saying it is likely to cause confusion amongst the public.  

Last year, the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the commercial arm of the UPDF ventured into private security, a move that has now raised concern among Members of Parliament (MPs). 

MPs on the Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) raised the issue while meeting the Managing Director of NEC, Lt. Gen. James Mugira on Friday, 05 July 2024. 

AUDIO Mayanja

The Committee’s Deputy Chairperson, Hon. Allan Mayanja tasked Mugira to explain the constitutionality of the UPDF’s involvement in provision of private security services. “Is this not contradictory to Article 210 of the Constitution,” asked Mayanja. 

Mugira explained that the NEC does not utilise personnel from the UPDF, but rather recruits veterans, Uganda Police Forces, civilians and returnees from countries like Iraq. “Those form the core of the man power. We are registered under the police because even the licenses are issued by the police,” said Mugira adding that, ’the fire arms we use are not ordinarily used by UPDF but semi-automatic rifles which are used by other private organisations and the UPDF does not pay salaries for the workers’.

AUDIO Mugira

Hon. Yusuf Nsibambi (FDC, Mawokota County South) advised against recruitment veterans saying that majority of Ugandans still assume that veterans are under the control of the army. “The support is okay but the distinction between a veteran and a serving military officer, as laymen we cannot differentiate and any abuse may be attributed to the army because the line is not clear,” Nsibambi said. 

Mugira agreed that there might be a misconception between retired and serving soldiers but clarified that those still serving in the army are taken care of by the government whereas the veterans are not. 

“The problem is largely misconception; people need to understand and support it for the interest of the country. Our boys who have been providing services in United Arab Emirates and other countries are absorbed and given employment,” said Mugira. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and newly elected British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have expressed their shared commitment to deepening relations between South Africa and the United Kingdom in several areas of cooperation, including the just energy transition.

Prime Minister Starmer placed a call with President Ramaphosa this morning, Sunday, 7 July 2024, to express his interest in working closely with South Africa as part of executing the strong mandate given to the Labour Party in the general election on Thursday, 4 July 2024.

President Ramaphosa congratulated Prime Minister Starmer on his electoral victory and said the Statement of Intent framing South Africa’s Government of National Unity incorporated many objectives shared by the two new administrations.

The two leaders viewed today’s discussion as a continuation of the deliberations in which they engaged in November 2022 when President Ramaphosa visited London on the first State Visit hosted by His Majesty King Charles III. Sir Keir Starmer was at that time the leader of the opposition Labour Party.

President Ramaphosa described the bilateral relationship as a special bond and said South Africa wished to see greater alignment with the UK at the national and multilateral level, with South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 in 2025 providing one such opportunity.

President Ramaphosa foresees closer cooperation with UK in the political, social, people-to-people, diplomatic, trade and investment and climate change domains.

The Prime Minister agreed that the G20 would be a platform for advancing shared interests in climate change, economic growth and the eradication of inequality.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.

On his first visit to EUCAP Somalia in his role as Civilian Operations Commander, Mr. Stefano Tomat commenced a comprehensive duty trip in Somalia. His visit includes key meetings with the Somali and international counterparts, visits to EUCAP Somalia’s Field Offices in Bossaso and Hargeisa and facilities, and observation of the Mission’s engagements throughout the country.

By meeting with Somali counterparts, the Civilian Operations Commander aims to support the Mission in fostering stronger partnerships and ensuring that EUCAP’s efforts are well-integrated with Somali needs. The duty trip also serves to stay abreast of the Mission’s activities on the ground and to discuss achievements and challenges experienced by EUCAP Somalia.

Additionally, the visit includes interactions with the Senior Management Team and discussions with Mission Members to gain awareness of the operational environment.

This visit underscores the EU’s commitment to supporting Somalia’s security and governance through active engagement and collaboration, in line with the EU-Somalia Joint Operational Roadmap.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of EU Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia).

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a delegation, comprising participants in the conference of Sudan’s political and civilian groups, hosted by Egypt.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Dr. Badr Abdelatty and Director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamal.  Also in attendance were a number of representatives of regional and international parties, including the Foreign Minister of Chad, senior officials from the UAE, Qatar, South Sudan and Germany, as well as representatives of the African Union, the Arab League and the United Nations, and the Ambassadors of France, the United Kingdom, Norway, the European Union and Saudi Arabia in Cairo.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Ahmed Fahmy, said the President expressed his appreciation for the participants’ response to Egypt’s invitation to convene this crucial conference, which is held under the slogan:” Together to Stop the War”. The conference convenes amid a critical historical moment Sudan is passing through, which requires creating a conducive climate to unify the visions of the Sudanese on ways to end the war. President El-Sisi emphasized that Egypt will spare no effort or any attempt to bridge the gap between the various Sudanese factions, end the war and ensure restoring security and stability and maintaining the resources of the Sudanese people. The President underscored the importance of concerted efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution that fulfils the aspirations of the Sudanese people and ends Sudan’s deep, multi-dimensional crisis, with its disastrous consequences across all political, social and humanitarian levels.

President El-Sisi underlined that the Egyptian State exerts its utmost effort, bilaterally, regionally and internationally, to confront the repercussions of the Sudanese crisis, by providing all forms of support, in a way that reflects the specificity of Egyptian-Sudanese relations. Egypt continues to dispatch large humanitarian aid shipments to Sudan, in addition to hosting millions of Sudanese brothers in Egypt. Politically, the President stressed the need for the transition to the political path of the crisis to include the participation of all parties, in accordance with the Sudanese national interest. The slogan “Sudan First” should be the driving force for all sincere national efforts, in addition to the need for any credible political process to be based on respecting the principles of Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and preserving the state and its institutions, being the foundation of the unity, building and stability of Sudan and its people, emphasizing Egypt’s keenness to coordinate and cooperate with regional and international partners to resolve the Sudanese crisis.

The Spokesman added that the speakers, symbols of the Sudanese political and civilian groups, expressed their deep appreciation for Egypt’s sincere efforts in support of Sudan since the beginning of the current crisis, which embodies the depth of the ties that unite the peoples of the two countries as well as the unity of history and destiny the two countries share. They stressed that they welcome the Egyptian leadership’s efforts to bring the viewpoints of the Sudanese parties closer to end the current crisis. This is in addition to the support that Egypt provides to the people of Sudan, whether through its tireless efforts to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation across vast areas in Sudan, or through its generous and kind hosting, by both the people and government, of the Sudanese people in their second home, Egypt, which demonstrates the eternal fraternal relations that bind the two countries and peoples.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.