HiPipo Money

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Watch out! The Superheroes are rocking up on a television channel near you.  So best you stay tuned to M-Net Movies – and especially M-Net Movies Showcase – on Dstv!

In October, M-Net Movies is hosting a gargantuan Superheroes Film Festival on M-Net Movies Showcase featuring the likes of Batman, Superman, Spiderman, The Fantastic Four, The X Men, Captain American, the Ghostbusters, Thor, The Avengers – and all their slick, yet tough-as-nails, nemeses, of course. 

 “This is the biggest Superheroes Movie Festival ever, “says M-Net’s Head of Publicity, Lani Lombard. “M-Net Movies has not only lined up hours of exhilarating entertainment created by these comic book legends; the heroes will also rock up every day of the week for an entire month. It’s a non-stop display of extraordinary powers, knocking down diabolic villains and saving mankind – all culminating into an epic television moment:  the premiere of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises.”

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises is M-Net’s must-see Sunday night blockbuster movie on 27 October at 20:00 and at 20:30 on M-Net Movies Premiere (Channel 103 on DStv). The movie generated $448 million at the box office and raises tough existential questions about the nature of vigilantes, while keeping viewers glued with plenty of action-packed scenes.

The Superheroes Festival will feature a superhero movie at 19:00 CAT until the 31st of October.  On Thursday  George Clooney swirls the cape around his broad shoulders and thereafter hands over one of the most sought-after roles in Hollywood to Christian Bale for Saturday’s Batman Begins and Sunday’s Batman: The Dark Knight.  In the second week of October the spotlight falls on Superman with five Superman movies!  The following week, all the Marvel comic figures move in in the guise of Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Iron Man and many more. But M-Net Showcase didn’t forget the unsung heroes.  They will get the M-Net Showcase salute with movies such as The Amazing Spiderman, Paperman, Blankman, Death of a Superhero, Unbreakable and Sky High.

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Mario Flo Grounds in Masaka were on Saturday transformed into a thrilling extravaganza as RnB sensation Aziz Azion and fast rising Rema gave a rousing performance to the massive crowd that had turned up for the Bell Fiesta.

The night began with the ultimate Bell Fiesta thrill, Human Table Football with eight teams, Mario Flo, Hummers, Bell FC, Nakayimba Boys, Flying Birds, Fabulous, Man-U Football Team and Kijabwemu FC lining up to test their skills and battle out for the grand prize of UGX 400,000.

Hummers FC had a creative game plan going into the group stages as they looped the ball above all the players to score, a tactic they used numerous times and surprisingly, it always worked.The final game pitted Hummers FC and Flying Birds who had all sailed through the group stages without a loss.

Hummers were at it again with their witty tactic but Flying Birds had already mastered it and for the first five minutes it seemed the game would end in a stalemate. However, Hummers scored just before the half time whistle and held on to the lead in the second half to clinch the prize money with a 1-0 thrashing of XFC in an entertaining match.

When the balls session was over, the beats and beers took over first with performances from the curtain raisers. Local artist Victor Kamenyo was a darling of the crowd emulating American rappers in a thrilling free style session on social issues and current affairs displaying his undeniable prowess as he did a rendition of Museveni’s “Want another rap”.

Aziz Azion did not disappoint as he brought the house down with his famous tunes like Beera Nange, Pesa Sina, Wrong Number, Nafunye Wampisa and Nakupenda much to the excitement of his female fans. Rema was also spectacular as she sang her greatest hits like Fire Tonight flanked by two dancers to cap Masaka Bell Fiesta in style.

The Bell Fiesta continues with its nationwide tour, and it is expected that music and soccer lovers will come out in crowds to get a first-hand experience of this exciting and challenging game that has so far rocked the country, Human Table Foosball, a first in Uganda.

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Today, the Parliamentary Committee on EAC affairs supported by TradeMark East Africa commenced a two day awareness workshop to focus on regional integration issues that call for key decision making and commitment on behalf of both Uganda and the EAC region.

 The workshop at the Serena Lake Victoria Hotel, Entebbe was officially opened by the Minister of EAC affairs, Honorable Shem Bageine, who gave a brief overview of the Ministry’s commitment.  “The EAC embraced the Common Market principles and its objectives in 2010 and it is planned that by 2015 the four freedoms involving the free movement of persons, goods, capital and services including the right to establishment and residence will be implemented in accordance with the commitments contained in the common Market Protocol. In consultations with other stakeholders, the Ministry has developed the Common Market Implementation of the protocol”

The workshop is part of ongoing work by the Committee on EAC Affairs to provide oversight and raise awareness of EAC matters. The EAC committee is cognizant of the challenges at hand which include low public awareness, delayed implementation of EAC decisions and directives, inadequate monitoring of compliance by EAC Partner States, slow domestication and harmonisation of laws.

Following discussions between TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) and the Parliamentary Committee EAC, areas for support were identified including:

• Raising awareness and understanding of EAC issues and processes among parliamentarians and border communities
• Enhancing monitoring of compliance at national level and by other partner states
• Ensuring EAC is mainstreamed in national policies, plans and budgets.

“A while ago we supported the parliamentary Committee EAC to carry out a number of studies, and realized the protocols are good but unless Uganda comes up with complimentary measures, we may not benefit much from these protocols, and we know  many of the complimentary measures come from parliament. A case in point, is the big informal private sector which can’t be established in the region because they don’t meet the basic requirements, they are not registered. Despite the millions of dollars in possession of the traders downtown Kikuubo , they can’t trade beyond Uganda. There is need for parliament to support them with laws & policies that support SME s in Uganda.” said Allen Asiimwe, TMEA Country Director.                                                                                                                                                                                      

Honourable Sarah Mwebaze, Chairperson Parliamentary Committee EAC thanked members for turning up in big number and emphasized the need for increased awareness of EAC affairs. “There issues regarding the EAC in almost all departments of government, and for this reason, through the support of our partners TMEA, we decided to engage Chairpersons and vice chairpersons of Sectoral committees, Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry and the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in order to ensure that pertinent issues are brought on board and given due consideration by other committees. At the end of this session, we shall all be informed and be able to explain salient issues at the grass root. We realize the need to increase the level of awareness and sensitization of EAC affairs in the public domain”                                                           

Areas for discussions include: status of EAC (CMP and MU); EAC Regional Integration indicators for key sectors (based on Uganda’s commitments and budget call circular 2013/2014); Update on the Customs Union and key issues; Update on the Single Customs Territory & Trade Facilitation Initiatives; EALA laws for domestication; harmonization of laws;  elimination of NTBs and status (Regional and National initiatives); Citizens Awareness on Regional Integration; and opportunities for youth in the EAC. 

The expected result from the 2 day workshop will be that the chairpersons will be able to engage their members on EAC issues and also prioritize EAC issues in their committee deliberations.

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Rotary- a global humanitarian organization, has planned five forums of young professionals, youth, scholars, community activists and Rotary members. The aim is to find ways of working in unity towards the common goal of making the world a better place. The forums, referred to as Rotary International Presidential Conferences, will be hosted by the Rotary International (RI) President Ron D Burton.

In Africa, Uganda has been selected as the host of the Rotary International Presidential Africa Youth Conference (RIPAy) 2013 from 4th – 5th November, 2013. It will be held at Hotel Africana, under the theme “Engage Rotary Change lives: Taking Charge of the Future” The conference will bring together over 2,000 young professionals, Rotaractors, Rotarians, Interactors and well-wishers.

Rotary is divided into Districts and Uganda belongs to District 9211, which covers Uganda and Tanzania. The head of this district is District Governor (DG) Emmanuel Katongole. He said the conference is, “An immense honor for Uganda to host an event of this magnitude. It is also a global recognition of the work and selflessness of thousands of Rotarians in Uganda.”

The RI President will arrive in Uganda on 3rd November 2013. He will hold meetings with senior government and business leaders, visit Rotary projects and chair the youth conference at hotel Africana. Mr. Burton will also participate as a “Good will Ambassador for Rotary” in the promotion of proper Hand Washing with soap.(Wash his hands following the 5 WHO recommended steps guided by the Project committee) at Kiwuliriza Primary School. He will also distribute mosquito nets and reproductive health kits to expectant mothers and young children.

Outside Uganda, the Rotary International Presidential Africa Youth Conferences will be held in India for the Asia Continent, United Kingdom for Europe and Brazil for the Americas. The Uganda conference Host is District Governor Emmanuel, the convenors are Trustee of Rotary International Sam Owori of the Rotary Club of Kampala and Past District Governor Geeta of the Rotary Club of Muthaiga Kenya.

About Rotary

Rotary is a global humanitarian organization with more than 1.2 million members in 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary members are men and women who are business, professional and community leaders with a shared commitment to make the world a better place through humanitarian service.

Rotary’s top priority is the global eradication of polio. Building on its successful collaborations for polio eradication, Rotary is forging partnerships with other established organizations to achieve common humanitarian goals in the following six areas: peace and conflict prevention/resolution; disease prevention and treatment; water and sanitation; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; and economic and community development. The grants support major international projects with sustainable, high impact outcomes. Rotary in Uganda is made up of more than 70 clubs spread all around the country with more than 2,000 members.

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