Wednesday 27 July 2016

11.2 trillion: URA's revenue performance FY 2015/16

Doris Akol faces the press with her 2015/16 FY figures. URA PHOTO


Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner General Doris Akol Wednesday July 27 explained the revenue collection figures for 2015-16, and projections for 2016-17.

Below, live tweet feed:


Wednesday 20 July 2016

How social media's transforming Uganda’s political and social landscape




The second annual Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Social Media Conference was held July 19 at the Kampala Serena Hotel. It brought together key stakeholders from academia, government, civil society and the media to have a constructive exchange on the opportunities and challenges of the growing social media sphere and to assess how it is shaping the political and social landscape in the country.

In his keynote address Daniel Kalinaki, Managing Editor, Regional Projects and Convergence Nation Media Group said "social media are transforming the way audiences engage with information, authorities and institutions of traditional power in Uganda but participation is yet to give way to contestation of dominant narratives and entrenched power structures."

Below, we share tweets from the event, and at bottom, the Keynote Address.





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Below is the keynote address by Daniel K. Kalinaki, Managing Editor, Regional Projects and Convergence Nation Media Group, delivered at the second annual Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Social Media Conference that took place in Kampala on 19 July 2016.



Monday 11 July 2016

Ugandans put UNRA, Police on the spot - #AskUNRA #AskUPF


Ugandans on twitter have put the Uganda National Road Authority and the Uganda Police Force on the spot on road safety. The social media discussion was initiated by UNRA to help raise road safety awareness. Follow the conversation here.





Thursday 7 July 2016

RIO: Two more qualify at National Championships

Nakaayi

Ayeko hit 10000m qualifying time





A lot of action, many brave runs but only two new qualifiers.

Uganda's two-day National track and field Championships were crowned on Thursday with Olympic qualification times for Thomas Ayeko (10000m) and Halima Nakaayi (800m). 

Historic results they were as well, as it is the first time Ugandans are qualifying for the Olympics at the national championships courtesy of a modern track and new timing equipment. 

With few days to the qualifying deadline of July 11, 22 Ugandans have already hit the 2016 Rio Olympic minimum standards, but only 17 will make the trip - unless more qualify this weekend.

First to qualify at Namboole was Ayeko. Stretched by 10000m ace Tim Toroitich, Ayeko stunned a strong field Wednesday to become the 4th in contention for one of the three places in the 25-lap race.

KCCA athletics club's Ayeko benefited from the participation of 4 of 7 marathoners who have hit the Olympic qualifying time, plus 10000m ace Toroitich who set a blistering pace.  Ayeko took over the lead in the last 7 laps to better the qualifying mark by 3 seconds.

The Uganda team looks set to be picked primarily using the best times run, so Ayeko 27:57.03 will be on the waiting bench.

Joshua Cheptgei (10000m and 5000m), Timothy Toroitich (10000m) and Moses Kurong (10000m) qualified earlier with better times. 

Assured of a place is Nakaayi, who capitalised on a stunning run by Dorcus Ajok and Winnie Nanyondo, to qualify on day 2, Thursday. Nanyondo, who has already qualified set the pace and dropped off but Ajok, leading by close to 10 metres, fell 30metres to the finish.

Nanyondo raced past to win in 2:01.44 (Olympic qualifying time 2:01.50).





Ajok: What might have been

The race that will however remain on fans' mind for a while is the 800m women race.

Nanyondo, who has already qualified set a blistering 500m pace, but by the time she was giving way, Ajok was fully in charge. She took a 20 meters lead into the final 100m, she tripped and fell down 30 meters to the tape.

Nakaayi, who was second, raced past - and when the clock was stopped, she had qualified. If Ajok had not gone down, she was well into Olympic qualification time  - and to many - the national record would have fallen.

Uganda will next month send her biggest contingent of track and field athletes to an Olympics. 

Up to 21 athletes have met the Olympic qualifying team, but with quotas set for all races, Uganda's team will feature at least 17 - four better than Seoul 1988. Outside athletics, only two boxers will be part of the Uganda team to Rio.


"I think we have a good team that can better our performance at the London Olympics where we got one gold," athletics federation president Domenic Otuchet said in Kampala.  (see story Uganda to name team)

"This team looks solid enough to bring three medals, but to better London Olympics, one of them has to be gold." 

“We will pick the best depending on performance,” Uganda athletics chief Otuchet said early this year.
Athletes who have qualified
Women 6: Winnie Nanyondo (800m), Halima Nakaayi (800m) Stella Chesang (5,000m), Peruth Chemutai (3000mSC), Juliet Chekwel (10000m) and Adero Nyakesi (marathon)

Men marathon 7: Stephen Kiprotich, Solomon Munyo Mutai, Robert Chemonges, Kiprop Jackson, Abraham Kiplimo, Alex Cheskit and Moses Kipsiro.

Men other events 8: Joshua Cheptgei (10000m and 5000m), Timothy Toroitich (10,000m), Phillip Kipyeko ( 5,000m), Ronald Musagala (1,500m) and Benjamin Kiplagat (3,000m SC), Jacob Kiplimo (5,000m), Moses Kurong (10000m), Ayeko (10000m)








FULL RESULTS OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS






******


Countdown starts


The countdown to Rio 2016 has started. 

On Monday, the Olympic Games Rio 2016 Official Theme-Music video was released. Alma e Coração - Thiaguinho and Projota.






DOWNLOAD FULL SCHEDULE BELOW

Wednesday 6 July 2016

KCCA's Ayeko beats 10000m Olympic qualifying time at Namboole

Ayeko (left) thanks Toroitich for running a race that helped him qualify for Rio
today in Namaboole. PHOTO BY LOUIS JADWONG

The last event of day one of the National Athletics Championships turned out to be the highlight, with Thomas Ayeko running the 10,000m in 27.57.03 hit the Rio Olympics qualifying time.

KCCA athletics club's Ayeko benefited from the participation of 4 of 7 marathoners who have hit the Olympic qualifying time, plus 10000m ace Tim Toroitich who set a blistering pace. Ayeko joins 20 other Ugandans who have bettered the minimum Rio times.

Ayeko took over the lead in the last 7 laps to better the qualifying mark by 3 seconds. He however becomes the fourth athlete to hit the mark in the 10000m race. 

A maximum of three athletes are taken per race and Ayeko can only make the final team to Rio if Cheptgei pulls out of the 10000m.

Joshua Cheptgei (10000m and 5000m), Timothy Toroitich (10000m) and Moses Kurong (10000m) qualified with better times earlier. 


Day one of the national athletics championships Wednesday July 6 at Namboole saw several finals- long jump, shot put, 1500m and steeplecahse - but with times registered far below the Olympic qualifying times.

Day two is Thursday, and among the highlights is expected to be the 5000m men's final and women's 400m final.

Uganda will next month send her biggest contingent of track and field athletes to an Olympics. Up to 21 athletes have met the Olympic qualifying team, but with quotas set for all races, Uganda's team will feature at least 16 - three better than Seoul 1988.





"I think we have a good team that can better our performance at the London Olympics where we got one gold," athletics federation president Domenic Otuchet said in Kampala.  (see story Uganda to name team)

"This team looks solid enough to bring three medals, but to better London Olympics, one of them has to be gold." 

The toughest competition has been in the marathon, where eight athletes hit the qualifying mark - 7 men and 1 woman. Country's can field a maximum of 3 athletes per event.

Favorite to lead the marathon team is Olympic Champion Stephen Kiprotich.

Others - not in any particular ranking are - Solomon Munyo Mutai, Kiprop Jackson, Robert Chemonges, Abraham Kiplimo, Alex Cheskit and Moses Kipsiro. Uganda will send a team of 4 marathoners, three men and one woman - Adero Nyakesi. 

“We will pick the best depending on performance,” Uganda athletics chief Otuchet said early this year.

Kiprotich has run 2:07:46 and 2:06:33 in the Tokyo marathon (FULL STORY CLICK) where he finished 4th early this year. Chesakit has run 2:13:06, Mutai 2:10:42, Kiprop 2:15:16, Kiplimo has a best time of 2:09:23 in 2014 and Kipsiro clocked 2:15:48.


Jackson Kiprop finished 7th today in 29:20.1 in the 10000m,
Athletes who have qualified
Women 5: Winnie Nanyondo (800m), Stella Chesang (5,000m), Peruth Chemutai (3000mSC), Juliet Chekwel (10000m) and Adero Nyakesi (marathon)

Men marathon 7: Stephen Kiprotich, Solomon Munyo Mutai, Robert Chemonges, Kiprop Jackson, Abraham Kiplimo, Alex Cheskit and Moses Kipsiro.

Men other events 8: Joshua Cheptgei (10000m and 5000m), Timothy Toroitich (10,000m), Phillip Kipyeko ( 5,000m), Ronald Musagala (1,500m) and Benjamin Kiplagat (3,000m SC), Jacob Kiplimo (5,000m), Moses Kurong (10000m), Ayeko (10000m)














******


Countdown starts


The countdown to Rio 2016 has started. 

On Monday, the Olympic Games Rio 2016 Official Theme-Music video was released. Alma e Coração - Thiaguinho and Projota.






DOWNLOAD FULL SCHEDULE BELOW

JULY 4: President Museveni speech - Entebbe Raid commemoration and Regional Summit





Uganda on July 4, 2016 hosted Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the world commemorated 40 years since the Entebbe Raid. The event was followed by a regional summit on security attended by leaders from Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

Here is President Museveni's speech in full.






Tuesday 5 July 2016

Uganda to name Olympic track and field team this week

Mutai (left) and Kiprotich (right) favourites to get two of
Uganda's three marathon places in Rio

31 DAYS TO GO: The national athletics championships Wednesday July 6 and Thursday 7 will offer Uganda's home-based runners a final chance to book a ticket to the Rio Olympics that start on August 5, 2016. 

The national championships at Mandela Stadium Namboole, were originally scheduled for July 15, but have had to be brought back in order to beat the Olympic qualification deadline of July 11. (see schedule bottom)

Uganda will next month send her biggest contingent of track and field athletes to an Olympics. Up to 20 athletes have met the Olympic qualifying team, but with quotas set for all races, Uganda's team will feature at least 16 - three better than Seoul 1988.



"I think we have a good team that can better our performance at the London Olympics where we got one gold," athletics federation president Domenic Otuchet said in Kampala

"This team looks solid enough to bring three medals, but to better London Olympics, one of them has to be gold." 

The toughest competition has been in the marathon, where eight athletes hit the qualifying mark - 7 men and 1 woman. Country's can field a maximum of 3 athletes per event.

Favorite to lead the marathon team is Olympic Champion Stephen Kiprotich.

Others - not in any particular ranking are - Solomon Munyo Mutai, Kiprop Jackson, Robert Chemonges, Abraham Kiplimo, Alex Cheskit and Moses Kipsiro. Uganda will send a team of 4 marathoners, three men and one woman - Adero Nyakesi. 

“We will pick the best depending on performance,” Uganda athletics chief Otuchet said early this year.

Kiprotich has run 2:07:46 and 2:06:33 in the Tokyo marathon (FULL STORY CLICK) where he finished 4th early this year. Chesakit has run 2:13:06, Mutai 2:10:42, Kiprop 2:15:16, Kiplimo has a best time of 2:09:23 in 2014 and Kipsiro clocked 2:15:48.


File photo of Chesang on way to World Mountain title


There will also be 4 in the other long distance races, the 10000m and 5000m.

The long distances will have; Juliet Chekwel (10000m), Joshua Cheptgei (10000m and 5000m), Timothy Toroitich (10000m),  Moses Kurong (10000m)

Others are Phillip Kipyeko ( 5000m), Jacob Kiplimo (5000m) and World Mountain running champion Stella Chesang (5000m).

Benjamin Kiplagat and Jacob Araptany, joined by Peruth Chemutai will feature in the 3000m Steeplechse, Ronald Musagala in the 1,500m and Winnie Nanyondo in the 800m, will be the fifth woman on the team.

Overall, Uganda is expected to field 18 - 16 athletes at least, and two boxers. The team will be named after the national trials.

Uganda’s track and field team at the last Olympics in London was the biggest (11 out of 15) since Seoul 1988 when we had 13.  Kiprotich’s gold in London 2012, was the first Olympic medal since Davis Kamoga’s bronze in 1992 and one of only two gold Uganda has won at the games. The first gold was by Akii Bua in 1972, one of only 7 medals Uganda has won at Olympics track and field.



"Thank God, we will certainly have bigger numbers this time. The numbers will however mean nothing if we do not return with medals," said Otuchet.

Otuchet said team preparations are in advanced stage, with the team coached by veteran coach Benjamin Longirosi in camp in Bukwo. Taking care of the camp is sports administrator Peter Chelangat and chaperon Grace Chesang.

Only Kiprotich and Nyakisi are not yet in, having asked to train with their international colleagues in Kenya.

Athletes who have qualified
Women 5: Winnie Nanyondo (800m), Stella Chesang (5,000m), Peruth Chemutai (3000mSC), Juliet Chekwel (10000m) and Adero Nyakesi (marathon)

Men marathon 7: Stephen Kiprotich, Solomon Munyo Mutai, Robert Chemonges, Kiprop Jackson, Abraham Kiplimo, Alex Cheskit and Moses Kipsiro.

Men other events 7: Joshua Cheptgei (10000m and 5000m), Timothy Toroitich (10,000m), Phillip Kipyeko ( 5,000m), Ronald Musagala (1,500m) and Benjamin Kiplagat (3,000m SC), Jacob Kiplimo (5,000m), Moses Kurong (10000m)














******


Countdown starts


The countdown to Rio 2016 has started. 

On Monday, the Olympic Games Rio 2016 Official Theme-Music video was released. Alma e Coração - Thiaguinho and Projota.






DOWNLOAD FULL SCHEDULE BELOW