Bomb material at Shs27,000, generals plot terrorists blow

Shocking investigations from Nairobi revealed that as long as one had Shs26,000 in their pouch and they wanted to make a bomb, the material was readily available on the market.
Although the sale of such material was supposed to be tightly controlled by the government, a group of journalists from the Daily Nation managed to buy several components, which, once assembled could blow up a large room.
Bomb experts there said the material included a non-electric detonator, a length of safety fuse and half a kilo of top-grade fertiliser used in flower farms.
At the backdrop of bloody explosions that rocked the city a fortnight ago, questions were raised as to whether the same material could have easily been smuggled into Uganda and assembled the deadly bombs.

Suspected terrorists
Of course we cannot forget that two of the suspected terror attackers were arrested in Kenya before they were handed to the Ugandan authorities.
From the US came news that a suspected al Shabaab associate was arrested a day before the bombs went off in Kampala. Investigators there said Zachary Adam Chesser was planning to travel through Uganda on his way to Somalia to join the terrorists.
But news of Chesser’s arrest did not stop African top military generals from plotting an offensive to smoke out the al Shabaab from their hideouts.

Peace enforcement
Most of the opinions put forward by some of the delegates gathering in Kampala for the African Union summit reflected the need to change the position of Amisom soldiers from peacekeeping to enforcing peace. The move was greatly welcomed by the Somali security minister.
AU members even pledged to send more troops to Somalia hours after al Shabaab insurgents attacked UPDF bases in Mogadishu. The terrorists were, however, repulsed.

Cheap plots
Do you have Shs100,000 and a ‘tall relative’ at the Kampala City Council high table? Here is your chance to own a prime plot in the city centre.
Members of Parliament on the Local Government Accounts Committee were shocked when they were told that, under unclear circumstances, private individuals acquired prime land in posh residential areas, thanks to Kampala District Land Board.
But, as usually happens, the blame game started. City officials pointed fingers at their government counterparts in the Ministry of Lands for not providing the required advice.Meanwhile, Shs2.3 billion cannot be traced from the KCC collection accounts at Stanbic Bank.
The money that was deposited by the Ministry of Water as ground and property rent before 2008, was withdrawn immediately by an official from KCC.

More deaths
The Lake Victoria water turned wild for a group of traders who were travelling from Jjaana Islands in Kalangala District to Kasenyi Landing Site in Wakiso District.
Of the 56 occupants believed to have been sailing in the alleged overloaded boat, only four of them survived the fatal accident.
Local authorities at the landing site said the boat was loaded with timber and silver fish yet the tide was high. They also said the sailors did not have safety equipment.
Police was later to halt the search for bodies of the victims after recovering only one.

Best trick
When Jinja Grade II Magistrate Okitwi Odutu allegedly received Shs100,000 from Ms Esther Sebulime, it did not occur to him to check for extra marks on the notes.
However, truth dawned on him when officials from the Inspectorate of Government arrested him, saying the money he had received was a bribe to release a suspect on bail.
It all started when Ms Sebulime complained that she was ‘coughing’ too much to have her brother at Kirinya Prison released by Mr Odutu.

jtugume@ug.nationmedia.com