Besigye finally free
Uganda’s opposition leader was today granted bail in his on going treason trial in the capital, Kampala. High court judge, Wilson Musene granted Kizza Besigye bail Tuesday morning. ‘I’m very, very happy to be free, for now,’Besigye said outside the courtroom.
Besigye was arrested in May and charged with treason after releasing a video in which he held a mock swearing-in ceremony to protest what he claims was a fraudulent election in February, won by President Yoweri Museveni.
An official from Beisgye’s Forum for Democratic Change party said the bail decision showed the “regaining of credibility” by the judiciary, which is sometimes accused of being controlled by the government.
Juba airport reopened
South Sudan reopened its main airport today following fights that left 272 people dead. The airport resumed its normal operations after the president ordered for a cease-fire Monday evening.
Speaking in Nairobi, Chol Ajongo, South Sudan’s ambassador to Kenya, said the “situation is now calm in Juba”, saying those who were behind the violence had been “dislodged from the city and are being dissuaded from harming innocent civilians in residential areas.”
“The President has ordered that the airport be opened and public servants go back to work. As we speak, the airport should be operational unless some airlines decide not to go back to Juba. “If they decide to fly to Juba, they can land safely and the town is safe,” he said.
Mumias sugar on the spot over low sugar prices
The agriculture regulator has put Mumias Sugar Company on the spot over the low price at which the firm is selling its sugar despite the listed miller struggling to make ends meet.
Mumias is selling a 50 kilogramme bag of sugar at Sh4, 100 while the competition sells theirs at Sh4,400. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority (AFFA) said that the low price is affecting Mumias’ recovery plans.
AFFA director-general Alfred Busolo said he would discuss the matter with the company’s management today to understand the rationale behind the low pricing.
“We do not understand why the factory is selling its sugar at a lower price of Sh4,100 at a time when the rest of the millers are selling at above 4,400,” said Mr Busolo.
Police officer dies, 3 others injured in accident
A police officer was killed while his three colleagues were injured Tuesday morning in a crash involving their vehicle and a lorry at the Kithyoko bridge on the Mwingi-Thika road.
The Ngutani Police Station vehicle and the lorry were heading to Thika. On reaching the bridge, the lorry rammed into the police vehicle.The driver of the police vehicle died on the spot while his three colleagues were taken to Mwingi Level 4 Hospital.The driver of the lorry escaped after the incident.
No confidence in IEBC – poll
Kenyans’ confidence in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) managing the next general election has dropped over the last seven months, according to a new opinion poll.
The poll shows that the confidence levels have dropped from 40 per cent last November to 34 per cent last month. It shows that both Jubilee and Cord supporters have gradually lost confidence in the embattled electoral body over the period.
