16 July 2024 Experts recommend enactment of policies that require both public and private entities to have qualified personnel on their boards to avert corrupt tendencies, poor governance and mismanagement of corporations. Speaking during a media briefing, the Chief Executive Officer League of East African Directors Phiona Wall says in the recent past, corporate entities have been appointing board members based on their prominence and influence, factors she says have led to their collapse. “Governance is very important , we have seen the cases of corruption in the press, the cases of mismanagement and sometimes its not that these people set out to do the wrong things, its always because right things are not very clear” Wall said. She was addressing the media briefing ahead of the 3rd League of East African Directors Convention to be held on the 25th July 2024 at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala. Wall notes that regulations are required to compel organizations appoint qualified individuals to run the boards. She notes that the convention provides an opportunity for learning new things. Wall notes that its an opportunity for people get to know better ways of practicing good governance. She is upbeat this will help in getting rid of corrupt tendencies in both the public and private entities. The Director League of East African Directors (LEAD) Jimmy Sserugo reveals that they are also rolling out specialized Environment Social Governance training for organizations to acquire skills and best practices on how to implement it. Sserugo stresses that it is key for companies and organizations to prioritize the ESG aspects warning that failure to do so entities risks failing to unlock their opportunities and potential. Story by Wycliffe Sebunya
16 July 2024 Legal experts caution judges against President Yoweri Museveni’s call to deny bail to corruption suspects, stating that it violates the law. During a recent Cabinet retreat at Kyankwazi, President Museveni urged the Judiciary to categorize corruption as an offense not eligible for bail. In an interview with Journalist at Parliament Medard Lubega Ssegona a seasoned Lawyer who is also Busiro East MP emphasizes that while President Museveni has the freedom of speech, judges should not consider his statements and should instead adhere to the law. Ssegona asks President Museveni to refrain from making statements that undermine people’s fundamental rights.
11 July 2024 The defense lawyer in a case in which former students of St Bernard Secondary School Manya in Masaka are accused of torching a school dormitory in 2018, files an application seeking to stay trial of the accused persons, citing violations of their human rights. On November 11, 2018, fire gutted the senior three boy’s dormitory at the school, leaving 10 students dead and 36 others injured. Led by Counsel Sam Ssekyewa, the lawyers of accused presented an application in which they seek to be acquitted citing gross violation of fundamental rights of the former students of Manya SS by keeping them on remand for over 5 years without trial. Ssekyewa told court that the accused persons rights and freedoms have been infringed upon by the respondent in the course of investigations, prosecution, charge and indictment before the court. He said that the fundamental guarantees accorded by the law to the accused persons as juveniles at the time of their arrest and detention in, at police and remand to prison were breached by the state and her agents rendering the subsequent trial a nullity. The presiding judge, justice Nakintu, agreed with the defense, staying the proceedings of the case until the application of is determined by the court. The accused persons were further remanded to masaka central prison until next week for hearing and determining of the application filed by defense team.
16 July 2024 Experts recommend enactment of policies that require both public and private entities to have qualified personnel on their boards to avert corrupt tendencies, poor governance and mismanagement of corporations. Speaking during a media briefing, the Chief Executive Officer League of East African Directors Phiona Wall says in the recent past, corporate entities have been appointing board members based on their prominence and influence, factors she says have led to their collapse. “Governance is very important , we have seen the cases of corruption in the press, the cases of mismanagement and sometimes its not that these people set out to do the wrong things, its always because right things are not very clear” Wall said. She was addressing the media briefing ahead of the 3rd League of East African Directors Convention to be held on the 25th July 2024 at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala. Wall notes that regulations are required to compel organizations appoint qualified individuals to run the boards. She notes that the convention provides an opportunity for learning new things. Wall notes that its an opportunity for people get to know better ways of practicing good governance. She is upbeat this will help in getting rid of corrupt tendencies in both the public and private entities. The Director League of East African Directors (LEAD) Jimmy Sserugo reveals that they are also rolling out specialized Environment Social Governance training for organizations to acquire skills and best practices on how to implement it. Sserugo stresses that it is key for companies and organizations to prioritize the ESG aspects warning that failure to do so entities risks failing to unlock their opportunities and potential. Story by Wycliffe Sebunya
16 July 2024 Legal experts caution judges against President Yoweri Museveni’s call to deny bail to corruption suspects, stating that it violates the law. During a recent Cabinet retreat at Kyankwazi, President Museveni urged the Judiciary to categorize corruption as an offense not eligible for bail. In an interview with Journalist at Parliament Medard Lubega Ssegona a seasoned Lawyer who is also Busiro East MP emphasizes that while President Museveni has the freedom of speech, judges should not consider his statements and should instead adhere to the law. Ssegona asks President Museveni to refrain from making statements that undermine people’s fundamental rights.
11 July 2024 The defense lawyer in a case in which former students of St Bernard Secondary School Manya in Masaka are accused of torching a school dormitory in 2018, files an application seeking to stay trial of the accused persons, citing violations of their human rights. On November 11, 2018, fire gutted the senior three boy’s dormitory at the school, leaving 10 students dead and 36 others injured. Led by Counsel Sam Ssekyewa, the lawyers of accused presented an application in which they seek to be acquitted citing gross violation of fundamental rights of the former students of Manya SS by keeping them on remand for over 5 years without trial. Ssekyewa told court that the accused persons rights and freedoms have been infringed upon by the respondent in the course of investigations, prosecution, charge and indictment before the court. He said that the fundamental guarantees accorded by the law to the accused persons as juveniles at the time of their arrest and detention in, at police and remand to prison were breached by the state and her agents rendering the subsequent trial a nullity. The presiding judge, justice Nakintu, agreed with the defense, staying the proceedings of the case until the application of is determined by the court. The accused persons were further remanded to masaka central prison until next week for hearing and determining of the application filed by defense team.
