Uganda became an overnight celebrity in the world of gold miners and traders when President Yoweri Museveni during this year’s State Of The Nation address on 7^th June said the country had discovered a deposit of 31 million tonnes of gold ore in Busia district.

The revelation by the president attracted mixed reactions from members of the public and especially miners and gold traders. The president, confident as always, also said that the country would earn more than $12 trillion.

Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) spokesperson Mr Solomon Muyita told Reuters that an estimated 320,158 tonnes of refined gold could be extracted from the 31 million tonnes of ore. In Uganda, gold deposits are found in Karamoja sub-region and districts Busia, Bugiri, Namayingo, Kasanda, Buhweju and Bushenyi.

Unbelievable 31 Million Tonnes

To many industry players, the president’s disclosure was laughable and didn’t sit well with them. Mr. Don Bwesigye, a mineral & energy policy analyst, in an article published in the Daily Monitor newspaper, disputed the president's gold figures based on statistics from the US Geological Surveys.

The Surveys, according to Mr. Bwesigye, indicate that 244,000 metric tonnes of gold, the equivalent of 268,400 tonnes of gold, have been discovered in the world to date, of which 187,000 metric tonnes (205,700 tonnes) have so far been produced, leaving a balance of 57,000 metric tonnes (62,700 tonnes) of known reserves.

"This implies that Uganda’s gold discoveries surpass global gold discoveries by 115.5 times. Did the President confuse ounces with tonnes,” Mr Bwesigye questioned in the article.

The Wagagai Factor & Optimism

The government launched the construction of a gold refinery on 7th October 2021, under the management of Wagagai Mining Company Limited, a Chinese company with a vast gold mine in Busia, eastern Uganda.

According to reports, the company owns the gold mining right of 9.24sq km in Busia and about 20m tonnes of gold ore resources. The Refinery will occupy 300 acres of land covering Alupe, Akipenet, Amagoro and Amonikakine villages in Buteba Sub County valued at $200m.

Rising & Falling Gold Exports

Uganda registered a surge in gold trade in FY2020/21 due to, among others, Uganda’s improvement in refinery capacity which translated into becoming the regional gold-processing hub.

Mineral products registered the highest import growth in FY2020/21 (US$ 2169.16 million) from US$ 1,093.29 million in FY2019/20. Gold accounted for 90 percent of the growth.

However, in FY2021/22, the country registered a decline in import receipts from US$640.95 million in Q4 FY2019/20 to US$53.06 million, US$57.76 million, and US$54.24 million in Q1, Q2, and Q3 respectively.  This is attributed to the introduction of a new tariff on gold exports in FY2021/22.

Better Data To Stop Illicit Gold Trade 

Since Uganda got a gold refinery in Entebbe, its gold exports have been rising. Industry pundits say the gold mining activity in Uganda dominated by artisanal mining was insufficient to match the exports.

It was highly thought that Uganda was being used as a route for illicit gold trade from DR Congo. And indeed, early this year, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), sanctioned Mr. Alain Goetz, the African Gold Refinery in Uganda, and a network of companies involved in the illicit movement of gold valued at hundreds of millions of dollars per year from DR Congo.

According to a report by the United Nations independent group of experts on Congo, governments need to improve and make public their gold trade data to help stem smuggling and violence around mines in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Mineral Development Programme

The government of Uganda is running the Mineral Development Programme whose goal is to increase the exploitation and value addition to selected resources for job-rich industrialization.

The government under the mineral development programme increased exploration and quantification of priority mineral resources, and commissioned a gold mine in Busia district on 5^th October 2021, with reserves estimated at 12.5 million ounces of mineable gold (equivalent to US$16 billion in gold reserves).

The government also conducted an evaluation of mineral reserves, conducted aerial and geological mapping, as well as Geochemical and Geophysical Surveys of Karamoja region, and in December 2021, Samta Mining and Minerals Ltd started exploratory drilling of Nickel mineralization at Atiak in Amuru District.

Nigerian musician Triky Tee, real names Timmy Sinclair, is set to perform at Kabira Country Club on Valentine’s Day. The former Big Brother house mate is already in the country.

Revelers will prior to the main event have a meet and greet chance with Triky Tee. The event will be hosted by another former Big Brother house mate Denzel Mwiyeretsi.

Triky Tee, born in 1985 in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, is a Nigerian creative artist and one of the 20 contestants of the 2020 Big Brother Naija reality show.

Kabira Country Club has lined up a variety of fun activities, promos, offers and discounts to enable their customers celebrate love on Valentine’s Day.

With 95 luxurious guest rooms and exceptional amenities, Kabira Country Club is perfect for a relaxing getaway and somewhere to hold a special event or an impressive venue for a business gathering.

To celebrate Valentine's Day with customers, Kabira Country Club is offering all these affordably. The hotel recently announced this year's Valentine's Day offers on its social media pages.

"Valentine's Day is around the corner. Don't miss out on this once in a lifetime chance to showcase your love with our special packages. We are ready to make your day worth the memories here at Kabira Country Club," Ajit Singh, the hotel's general manager said.

Kabira Country Club is offering Valentine's accommodation offers with rooms starting from Shs395, 000 and above while dinner will be at Shs169, 000 per couple and a 50% discount for resident couples and a free glass of sangria. There will be live music and roses on arrival.

“Make your Valentine feel the love and care you have by offering a treat at Kabira Country Club amid romantic atmosphere at attractive prices. We offer wide range of amenities that will help you relax, credible and timely room service,” Singh explained.

Kampala Parents' School has announced that in conjunction with National Identification & Registration Authority (NIRA) will be conducting the Child National Identification Number (NIN) & Birth Certificate Registration.

To enable the smooth running of the exercise, parents or guardians will have to provide an assortment of paperwork, requirements and details about themselves and their children – both nationals and foreigners.

To apply and register for birth certificates, parents need to bring notification of birth from the health facility or division where the birth occurred, fill in the notice of the birth of a child NIRA form 3 (to be provided) and copies of parents National IDs (at least one parent).

In case the parents are deceased, and LC letter or guardian's ID, a copy of the declarant's ID were applicable, and payment receipt of Shs5, 000 (five thousand shillings only) and bank charges of Shs2, 3000 for Nationals and USD40 for foreigners are applicable.

To apply for the NIN, parents need to have a notice of birth duly filled and signed by mother or father or declarant present at the time of birth, copies of parents' national IDs (at least one parent), the physical presence of the child, copy of declarant's ID where applicable.

Kampala Parents School said the registration will happen on Tuesday, 8th February for P.4 & P.5; Wednesday, 9th February for P.2 & P.3; Thursday, 10th February for Top Class & P.1 and Friday, 11th February for Middle & Baby Class. The time for registration is between 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The health benefits of swimming include building body endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness, weight control, healthy heart and lungs and tones muscles among other benefits.

In the New Year, you can achieve all of these if you choose to have a swim at the magnificent Forest Cottages’ state of the art swimming pools especially now that foresty hotel recently announced New Year swimming membership rates.

Forest Cottages recently stated that the new membership fees have now been revised to just Shs10, 000 per day, Shs200, 000 per month and Shs2m annually for kids while adults will pay Shs20, 000 per day, Shs200, 000 per month and Shs2m annually.

The hotel also announced a special package for families, at only Shs350, 000 per month and Shs2.5M for a full year. Forest Cottages has certified lifeguards to attend to clients when the pool is in use.

“Our pools are suitable for all levels of swimmers. The courtyard pool is the central point of the complex. It is 25m in length; ideal for laps, sunbathing or just relaxing and being served by our stewards. The family pool has a splash pool ideal for toddlers,” the hotel said.

Also, Forest Cottages revealed that clients booking for these new rates at the hotel get exclusive access to its additional health club facility that includes a spa mania, steam, and sauna bath, and a gym on a complimentary basis.

Forest Cottages is located in a quiet part of Naguru Hill in Bukoto, a posh Kampala suburb.