‘I AM STILL FIRM AND SOLID’ – ODOKI

Justice Benjamin Odoki

Odoki has recently been at the centre of public debate following President Yoweri Museveni’s decision to reappoint him on a two year contract even after his retirement.

However, opponents to the reappointment say that it contravenes Article 144 (1) (a) of the constitution which bars any person aged 70 years and above to be appointed or to act as Chief Justice.

The Uganda Law Society is seeking to challenge the legality of the reappointment of Odoki; and on Thursday resolved to write to Odoki asking him to reject the appointment. They are also to petition Parliament to decline Odoki’s approval.

But in a veiled response on Friday, Justice Odoki said, “I am still firm and solid. I still love my country and as long as I have energy, I promise to serve my country.”

Odoki was speaking at a ceremony to install the state minister for water Betty Bigombe as a goodwill ambassador for Always Be Tolerant (ABETO) in Kampala.

ABETO is a non-governmental organization that promotes values of peace and democracy. The NGO organizes peace awards to personalities that are instrumental in upholding and promoting peace in Africa.

Justice Odoki said that he is a strong believer in constitutionalism to which he has spent a considerable amount of time of his life promoting, and contributed to the formulation of the 1995 Constitution.

“I want to assure Ugandans that I will respect it until I go to my grave. I also urge all Ugandans to respect the constitution,” Odoki added.

Bigombe was installed goodwill ambassador in recognition of her role in pacifying northern Uganda as well as initiating contact with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony for peace talks.

Odoki who is also a goodwill ambassador of ABETO said, “I have the fullest trust that the involvement of Betty Bigombe as ABETO’s goodwill ambassador will be of great value to ABETO and the nation as a whole. She has a brilliant track record of serving this country in various capacities.”

The ABETO chairman Moses Musana noted that the recent action by the Uganda Law Society to suspend Attorney General Peter Nyombi from the professional body was disrespectful and demonstrated intolerance.

UGANDA’S JUSTICE MINISTER LASHES OUT AT AFRICAN LEADERS....

KAMPALA – Justice and constitutional affairs minister Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire has lashed out at African leaders and governments that spend most of their time engaging in political survival at the expense of delivering services to its citizens.

Justice and constitutional affairs minister Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire

Otafiire said on Monday that Africa is lagging behind in development largely because of leaders who have failed to plan for their citizens.

Speaking as chief guest at the opening of a five-day symposium on civil registration at Speke Resort Munyonyo, the minister warned that time is up for such leaders and governments.

“When leaders or a government cannot plan for its people and deliver services, that government is meant for the slaughter house.

“You cannot govern when you cannot fulfill the covenant between you and the people who put you there,” he said.

Otafiire said Africa is lagging behind because most leaders have not invested in science.

The symposium, that has drawn delegates from 14 countries, including Angola, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Belgium and India, is organised by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau.

It is aimed at enhancing innovations for the improvement of national civil registration and vital statistics.

The countries are here to understudy Uganda in the area of registration of births and deaths given that Uganda is the first country to pioneer the Mobile Vital Records System.

Under the system, births and deaths are recorded in real time in 135 hospitals countrywide using mobile phones and the Internet.

John Kerry said that "US has evidence that sarin gas was used in SYRIA ATTACK...."

The US has evidence that the chemical nerve agent sarin was used in a deadly attack in Damascus last month, Secretary of State John Kerry says.

He said samples from hair and blood gathered after the attack "tested positive for signatures of sarin".

The US blames the Syrian government for the 21 August attack. President Barack Obama has vowed punitive action but wants Congress to vote on it first.

Syria dismissed the delay and said it was ready for any strike.

UN experts have been in Syria gathering evidence to determine whether chemical weapons attacks have taken place on various occasions. They have now arrived in the Netherlands with samples for analysis.

The biggest and deadliest apparent attack took place on 21 August in east Damascus. The US says more than 1,400 people were killed.

Washington said only the Damascus government has the capacity to launch such an attack.

Syria has denied it was responsible and blames the rebels.

Mr Kerry implied that the US evidence was supplied by its own sources, rather than via the UN inspectors.

"In the last 24 hours, we have learned through samples that were provided to the United States that have now been tested from first responders in east Damascus and hair samples and blood samples have tested positive for signatures of Sarin," Kerry said on NBC's Meet The Press.

"So this case is building and this case will build."

The US has previously said it had similar evidence of sarin use in other attacks.

Mr Kerry also said he was confident that Congress would give its approval for the US to launch strikes against Syria after it reconvenes on 9 September.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said Mr Obama's decision to delay the strikes pending a vote in Congress was just "a political and media manoeuvre".

He said Syria was "still prepared" for any attack.

The state-run Al-Thawra newspaper said Obama's decision was "the beginning of the historic American retreat".

'Failure in leadership'

Syria is known to have extensive supplies of chemical weapons.

Mr Obama has often said that using them would cross a "red line", prompting US intervention.

On Saturday, Mr Obama said any action would be limited, ruling out a ground invasion.

Congress is due to reconvene on 9 September, meaning any military operation would not happen until then.

The BBC's Jeremy Bowen in the Syrian capital, Damascus, says there is some relief in the city among those who feared that US attacks could start this weekend.

He says the delay could give the government time to move some sensitive military equipment.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner examines what is known about the 21 August attack

The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) said President Obama's decision to delay any strikes in Syria was a "failure in leadership" and could "embolden" the forces of President Assad.

The UK has ruled out taking part in any attack, after Prime Minister David Cameron failed to win the support of parliament last week.

That leaves France as the only other major power that has said it could strike against Syria - though it says it will not act on its own before the vote in the US Congress

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said his country will defend itself against any Western "aggression".

GOOD NEWS...!!! Nelson Mandela discharged from South African hospital....

Nelson Mandela has left hospital and has gone to his Johannesburg home, where he is continuing to receive intensive care, the South African presidency says on its website.

The announcement came a day after officials denied reports that the 95-year-old had already been discharged.

The statement says Mr Mandela condition remains critical and at times unstable.

South Africa's first democratically elected president has been in hospital since June with a lung infection.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate is revered around the world for leading the fight against white minority rule and preaching reconciliation with the white community despite being imprisoned for 27 years.

'Celebration'

"His team of doctors are convinced that he will receive the same level of intensive care at his Houghton home that he received in Pretoria [hospital]," the presidency statement says.

It says his home in the suburb of Houghton has been "reconfigured to allow him to receive intensive care there" and he will be treated by the same health care personnel who have been looking after him since 8 June.

If necessary, he will be readmitted to hospital, the statement says.

The BBC's Andrew Harding in South Africa says this is not the discharge of a man who has made a significant recovery but the transfer of a patient from an intensive care ward in a hospital to a specially built intensive care unit in his own home, presumably in line with his family's wishes.

But he notes that some people will take some encouragement from the fact that his doctors have said he was fit enough to make the 55km-journey (34 miles) and says such a decision will not have been taken lightly.

"It is a day of celebration for us, that he is finally back home with us," said his grandson Mandla Mandela.

On Saturday, sources close to Mr Mandela told the BBC and other international media that he had already returned home.

This was denied by South Africa's presidency, which handles all communications about the former leader's health.

Mr Mandela's lung condition is said to result from the tuberculosis he contracted during the 27 years he spent in prison for taking up arms against white minority rule.

He is been hospitalised four times in the past year and his latest stay lasted 84 days.

He became president after 1994 elections - the first time black South Africans were allowed to vote - and stepped down five years later.

His last public appearance was at the 2010 football World Cup, which South Africa hosted.