WEST CAN KEEP ITS AID, SAYS UGANDA AMID ANTI-GAY BILL FALLOUT

Uganda has shrugged off foreign aid cuts and international criticism of its tough new anti-gay law, saying it could do without Western aid.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signs an anti-homosexuality

bill into law in Entebbe

"The West can keep their ‘aid’ to Uganda over homos, we shall still develop without it," government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said in a message on Twitter.

Hours later, the World Bank stalled a $90m loan planned to help Uganda strengthen its healthcare system.

"We have postponed the project for further review to ensure that the development objectives would not be adversely affected by the enactment of this new law," a spokesman for the global poverty lender said.

The World Bank move follows action by Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway to freeze or change aid programmes for Uganda and blunt criticism from the US and Sweden after President Yoweri Museveni signed off on Monday on one of the world’s toughest anti-gay laws.

Mr Museveni signed a bill into law that holds that "repeat homosexuals" should be jailed for life, outlaws the promotion of homosexuality and requires people to report on homosexuals.

The signing of the law came despite the fierce criticism from Western nations and key donors, including US President Barack Obama, who warned that ties between Kampala and Washington would be damaged.

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday compared the "flat-out morally wrong" and "atrocious" law to anti-Semitic legislation in Nazi Germany or apartheid in South Africa.

Leading Ugandan gay rights activist Frank Mugisha met top State Department officials in Washington on Thursday to call for help in protecting gay people.

A State Department official said Mr Mugisha met the top US diplomat for Africa, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and acting assistant secretary for human rights Uzra Zeya to discuss "mutual concerns" about safety and "how the US might respond to the law’s enactment".

Diplomats and rights groups had pushed Mr Museveni — already under fire from key Western donors over alleged rampant graft and for stifling opposition groups and media — to block the legislation.

But in a blunt speech after signing the law, Mr Museveni warned Western nations not to meddle in the East African country’s affairs and said he was not afraid of aid being cut.

Some donors were quick to punish Kampala by freezing or redirecting aid money, while Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg, who visited the country on Tuesday, said the law "presents an economic risk for Uganda".

The Netherlands froze a €7m subsidy to Uganda’s legal system, while Denmark and Norway said they would redirect about €6m each towards private sector initiatives, aid agencies and rights organisations.

The Ugandan shilling dipped against the dollar this week, with central bank spokeswoman Christine Alupo saying dollars had been sold to "maintain stability".

Mr Opondo said Uganda’s government was not worried.

"Western ‘aid’ to Africa is lucrative and (a) profitable trade, they cannot cut off completely," he said. "Slave trade, slavery, colonialism, imperialism and exploitation, Africa must stand up to Western domination."

The passing of the bill was largely a popular move in conservative Uganda, where Mr Museveni — in power for 28 years — faces re-election in 2016.

Those opposed to it, however, say they have been cowed by the threat of arrest, with fears stoked by the publication of a list of 200 people accused of being gay by the Red Pepper tabloid this week, alongside lurid stories of alleged homosexual actions.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Thursday condemned the publication of the names, warning that it not only violated the right to privacy but also "demonstrates the very real danger that the new anti-homosexuality law will encourage acts of violence and harassment".

"Media organisations should refrain from fuelling hatred and attacks on the basis of sexual orientation," the UN added.

Opposition leader Kizza Besigye has accused the government of using the issue of homosexuality to divert attention from domestic problems such as corruption scandals or Kampala’s military backing of South Sudan’s government against rebel forces.

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KAPEYA CAUTIONS RADIO MANO

Mwansa Kapeya

Government has warned Radio Mano Community Radio Station in Kasama to immediately stop broadcasting inflammatory programmes that could cause public discontent or risk revocation of its licence.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Mwansa Kapeya issued the warning yesterday when he visited the radio station.

Mr Kapeya said government will not allow the radio station to continue entertaining people who use derogatory language.

According to the Sunday Mail dated 2 March 2014 and monitored by MISA Zambia, The Minister also said it is unethical for Radio Mano to be abused by politicians whose motive is to attack government without proper justification.

“We advise the board of Radio Mano to desist from taking their positions as persona- to-holder-posts,” he said.

Mr Kapeya said it is unfortunate that board members are reluctant to renew their mandate despite their term of office expiring. Radio Mano Manager Chrispin Ntalasha assured Mr Kapeya that his radio station will strictly adhere to the provisions of its broadcasting licence to avoid being in conflict with the law.

And Mr Kapeya was yesterday expected to officially launch the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Radio One and Two FM transmitters in the Northern Province town of Luwingu.

Under the phase two of the project, ZNBC expects to increase the number of FM transmission sites from 34 to 59 across the country.

AMAYENGE THRILLS PADDY BLUES CAFE

By Felix Nyambe

NUMEROUS award winning kalindula band was on fire last Saturday at the newly opened Paddy Blues Sports Cafe as they entertained scores of their fans with some thrilling kalindula music.

Led by Alice Chali, the band was never short of their repertoire of songs that back dates to the days of the New Crossbones through to the Crossbones led by her late husband, Chris Chali.

On the night, with the heavens clearly showing no signs of opening up, Amayenge was simply in their usual element!

Taking their legion of fans across the country with their authentic kalindula music, the band scored some fine rhythms with songs such Munise Munise, Mao and Bio Ma Inonge, as several guzzlers joined in the dance.

But it was not all about the band's hits of the 80s because Alice's more recent songs such as Matenda and Dailess caught the over-crowded cafe in some Zambian rhythms.

With dancer-cum-singers, Obert Chali, Emma Kadogo, Mammi Mwelwa and Joseph Mulenga occasionally joining in the dane routine, the band was simply unstoppable.

Cameras flashed, cafe proprietor and former Lusaka Mayor, Mike Mposha and the media frenzy dawned on the arena as if there was no tomorrow.

With the soccer frenzy always gripping music freaks at such functions, Amayenge obliged to the calls for songs such Chipolopolo and boy did the bring the house down!

And just when the crowd thought they had enough of the band, longtime friend of the band, Chanda Beu sneaked into the house in the company of Kasaka of the "Mwine Mushi & Kasaka" television drama series.

That combination almost stole the whole show, only for Alice to return with one hit after the other.

Songs included K10, Chishango from their new album, and a series of their earlier hits with the Crossbones such Chamumpelenge.

Buoyed by the recent accolades accorded to the band as the "Best band" during the Zambia Music awards, the bad lived to its tag and mesmerized their growing and ever bopping fans with some well calculated dance routines.

And this attracted a number of them trooping to the dance floor as if trying to outdo the band’s well-rehearsed choreography.

With some recent jams involving the likes of Danny Kaya's Mo Fire band and B'Sharp, Amayenge was equal to the task to re-write history. And they did just that!

Paddy Blues Proprietor - Mposha

Guitarists Nathan Nthanga and Sam Chiluba's usual command redefined the band's attitude on stage and not even the cafe proprietor, Mike Mposha could not resist the temptation of getting closer to the stage.

This prompted even Chanda Beu to take to the mic and do cover renditions of his antics back in the years when he was the band's most rized possession.

The band, arguably one of the most travelled in Africa, hinted the whole idea of having some more jam sessions at the Kaunda Square-based watering hole

With the ever absence of live playing outfits at most venues, saves for the Kalahari bar, Paddy Blues Cafe intends to host more of the live shows in the near future.

Manager, Frazer Chilembo said the band is likely to return to the cafe sooner than later because of the overwhelming response from their travelling fans.

Since the release of Chishango, the sequel to their other award winning album, Mangoma Kulila, the band has to virtually every corner of the country and across the region.