<h2 id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



At least two people were killed and several others were injured in two explosions in the center of Kampala on Tuesday, Reuters reported citing local television coverage, an incident that comes at a time when the Ugandan military is engaged in a conflict with al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.



<h2 id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<a href="https://www.ntv.co.ug/ug/news/national/2-explosions-rock-kampala-city-3620546" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to</a>&nbsp;NTV Uganda, the two explosions took place near Uganda’s Parliamentary main gate and near Kampala’s Central Police Station offices.



The cause of the blasts remain unclear, but at least two people have been confirmed dead.



<a href="https://www.ntv.co.ug/ug/news/national/mulago-receives-27-injured-by-city-explosions-3620778" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to</a>&nbsp;news outlets, a local hospital has received 27 injured people, seven of whom are in a critical condition.



A Ugandan military spokesperson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/explosion-uganda-capital-kills-least-two-local-tv-2021-11-16/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;Reuters that there had been “multiple” blasts and “multiple” casualties but did not offer any additional details.



The Ugandan Red Cross Society said it has managed to resuscitate at least 17 people injured in the blast and noted that its emergency teams were working closely with local police officials.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Our emergency rescue teams working with <a href="https://twitter.com/PoliceUg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PoliceUg</a> emergency services to support those injured in the Kampala bomb <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/explosions?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#explosions</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IFRCAfrica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IFRCAfrica</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ifrc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ifrc</a> In set is <a href="https://twitter.com/OsbertSserugo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OsbertSserugo</a>, Red Cross Kampala Central branch Manager,folding his sleeves to offer a life saving hand. 📸 <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyMonitor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DailyMonitor</a> <a href="https://t.co/u3FRrNomFm">pic.twitter.com/u3FRrNomFm</a>&mdash; Uganda Red Cross Soc (@UgandaRedCross) <a href="https://twitter.com/UgandaRedCross/status/1460528098378760195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2 id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



While no one has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack the Al Qaeda-linked insurgent group Al-Shabaab and Islamic State-backed Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), have carried out similar attacks in Uganda in the past. The Ugandan military is currently fighting Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia as part of an U.N.-backed African Union peacekeeping force.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/"></a>By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff

UGANDA-EXPLOSION

At Least Two Killed In Dual Blasts In Uganda’s Capital, Reports Say

Two explosions, believed to have been from bombs, have struck the Ugandan capital of Kampala, leaving what appears to be at least two casualties.



Twin bomb blasts have rocked the Ugandan capital of Kampala this morning, leaving at least two confirmed dead and many injured, according to local news reports. The explosions, one of which occurred outside a nearby police station and the other close to the parliamentary building, caused cars in the proximity to go up in flames. Eyewitness videos posted on social media appear to show at least two bodies, with ambulances arriving as bomb experts began to comb the scene behind a police cordon. No official casualty numbers are confirmed, nor has a statement been issued by authorities yet. 



<h4 id="h-this-is-a-developing-story">This is a developing story.</h4>

TOPSHOT-UGANDA-EXPLOSION

Twin Bomb Blasts Rock Ugandan Capital

It had been a day of noisy celebration, but you could have heard a pin drop just before midnight on the cusp of October 9, 1962, when the independent nation of Uganda was born.
Sixty thousand people stood in respectful silence at the poignant ceremony at the Kololo Stadium, in Kampala. The British flag, which had fluttered over Uganda for 68 years, was lowered to the strains of God Save the Queen; seconds later the black, yellow and red of Uganda was raised to the country’s new anthem. The crowd roared its approval and applauded the birth of Uganda; overhead fireworks crackled in the skies, bonfires blazed from the hilltops and across the city people sang and danced in the streets.
After decades of colonial rule Uganda was to join the growing club of free and independent nations in Africa. A nation that was to decide its own destiny under the authority of its own leaders in Kampala, rather than that of detached civil servants in London.
It was the climax of a day where all roads led to Kampala. From the break of dawn, thousands flooded into the city. As they arrived, many were handed free food and drink in celebration of a day to remember.
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From London, through the skies, arrived the Duke and Duchess of Kent, who were Britain’s representatives, at Entebbe Airport. The new government made the Duke of Kent the first ever Freeman of Kampala.
A glance at the grainy newsreel of the day is a peek into Africa’s long-lost colonial past. The Duke of Kent wore a white uniform and ceremonial sword on his hip; there was a 21-gun salute as he left the plane and a company of soldiers from the King’s African Rifles to inspect before he left the tarmac. Waiting for him was the governor general, Sir Walter Coutts, in a cocked hat with feathers. If you took the plane and the tarmac away, it could have been a scene from the 1860s instead of the 1960s.
As the bars and streets of the city filled up, 20,000 people turned out to watch a regatta on Lake Victoria, featuring races between long canoes. An annual event that began more than 100 years before the British arrived and survives until this day.
In the heat of the Kampala afternoon, there was a genteel garden party for 4,000 people complete with a brass band, tea and cakes. Strolling through the party, as slim as a reed, was Milton Obote, then just 37 years old, the man who was soon to become the first Prime Minister of Uganda. Later, the Prime Minister opened the new Independence Pavilion of Science and Industry at the Uganda Museum.
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As the sun went down, crowds poured into Kololo Stadium for the midnight handover. A military tattoo, that could have been in Edinburgh, saw British soldiers and Ugandans dance step for step.
First, the world-famous Acholi dancers from northern Uganda, who set the pace with a routine to the pulse of beating drums, then came a group of soldiers from the Scottish infantry regiment, the Gordon Highlanders, resplendent in kilts, who danced a Highland reel.
It was a night of military might to the sound of fife and drum; the Fourth Battalion of the Kings African Rifles, soon to become the First Battalion of the Uganda Rifles, performed a perfect slow march before the cheering crowds.
“Our independence shall mean great responsibilities for all of us without exception. Collectively, we shall all be responsible to safeguard our independence and to ensure peace and stability within our country. In addition, the government in whose name I now speak offers to you a firm determination to protect your life and property and opportunities for your advancement,” said the new Prime Minister Obote in his speech.
“It is in this ensuring of peace and stability and this determination for the protection of life and property coupled with opportunities for advancement as individuals and combinations and as a country that I now call upon all to pass an irrevocable resolution marking our new status and guiding us into the future. Let us add to that resolution that we are of Uganda and Uganda is ours. Let us recognize that and pay our tribute to these friends from inside and outside Uganda who have helped us on our way to independence. Let us remember the best we have received and now inherit from the British administrators. I also ask all to give the missionaries past and present a special praise for the light they brought and do still maintain.”
As the black, yellow and red flag flew through the dawn, Ugandans woke up to a new world where they were, at last, masters of their own destiny.

A Night To Remember As Uganda Was Born

As a child in Kampala, Dennis Kirunda Mahadha dreamed of playing professional football in the leading European leagues. The son of the legendary national team captain, Jimmy Kirunda, pursuing a career as a footballer meant he had massive boots to fill. Undaunted, he arrived at West Ham United’s Chadwell Heath training ground in 2003 for trials with the English Premier League team. On the cusp of achieving his lifelong dream, Mahadha played his heart out as he sought to convince the club to offer him a contract. Sadly, the verdict after the trial was unfavorable.
“They wrote back to me saying that I hadn’t qualified; not because I wasn’t good, but because of their structure here. If you are above 16 [he was 19 at the time], your chances of playing professional are slim. So I was disappointed and I thought about leaving football completely,” he says.
Mahadha took a break from the game to reconsider his career. During this period of introspection, the light bulb moment occurred.
“I found out that many African brothers have gone through what I went through. Disappointed, they decided to go on the streets frustrated as they thought their life was over. So I came up with this idea of the African Nations Cup UK, for them to come and participate, and come back into football. I thought that this idea of football can unite the whole African community in [Britain] and when the community is united, lots of good can come out of it.”
With the help of a few trusted friends, Mahadha began planning for the tournament. The inaugural event, which featured eight countries, was held at the Hackney Marshes sport grounds in east London in 2009. Although small in terms of the number of countries and players, Mahadha was surprised by the excitement and interest from the African community. This motivated them to press on with the event which is held annually.
“In 2010, we identified the real people in charge of community football, so that’s when it went big. We registered 16 countries; we played our matches at Beckton and had our finals at the Terence McMillan Stadium,” says Mahadha.
Each year, the profile of the event gets bigger. This year, the tournament was declared open by the Rwandan high commissioner to Britain, Williams Nkurunziza. Partnerships have also been established with various county football associations, charities and corporate organizations, such as the Essex County Football Association, the Terrence Higgins Trust and Kick It Out, the anti-racism organization established by the English Football Association (FA). It was based on this that Mahadha received an interesting email on a routine work day last September.
The growth of Mahadha’s tournament and his contribution to grassroots football grabbed the attention of the country’s football authorities. They sent him an email to tell him he had been selected to attend an event at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the FA’s 150th anniversary.
“I thought it was junk. I looked properly at the email to see where it came from; it had the logo of the FA’s 150th anniversary and the signature of the Chairman, Greg Dyke, and I thought this is real. I was so pleased.”
The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, who is also the president of the FA, hosted the event which recognized 150 individuals for their contribution to the development of grassroots football. Mahadha received a commemorative medal and certificate signed by the prince. He relives the moment with a mixture of happiness and humor.
“I went and bought a nice suit from Marks &amp; Spencer and we went to Buckingham palace. Security was tight and the event was fantastic.”
Significantly, the Prince’s words to him remain etched in his memory.
“He told me ‘this idea, this concept is so good. Just keep it up; keep up the good work for the community.’”
Recognition has also come by way of a formal ranking on the FA’s community development list.
“When we began, we were just affiliated with the county FAs, just to get the license to run a football tournament. We had to be organized, we had to have the right timing for the tournament after the football season; and we had to have a clear vision. Your objectives must be very, very clear. We had all these, so through that we managed to partner with different FAs, then ultimately the big FA at Wembley. That’s why, this year, our draws were done at Wembley Stadium. We are now rated number 67 on the FA leaderboard. I think Arsenal is third, Barnet is second for community development, so we are on that list.”
From its humble beginnings when around 500 players registered for the tournament, the African Nations Cup UK now attracts more than 6,000 players of African descent as participants. This remarkable growth means the tournament could be a platform for discovering new talent. Convinced that it could become renowned for this, the organizers have introduced an under-15 category to run at the same time as the senior tournament.
“We have the unspotted talent at the tournament. Last year, three boys were taken to [English Premier League side] Norwich for trials. They were from Ghana. Also, there was a Zimbabwean guy who is now in Turkey, but he was spotted at the African Nations Cup UK. Based on this, we started thinking of giving the youth a chance and we had to introduce the junior category as well. The best player from the winning side gets a chance to take part at a competition at AFC Wimbledon. So now we give the best young players a chance to do trials at some good clubs,” says Mahadha.
The organizers hope the impact of the tournament will also be felt in Africa.
“We believe that African Cup of Nations UK will be a feeder to the African Cup of Nations. We get good players from here, they go into their national teams where they come from or where their parents come from, and they play for them to represent Africa,” says Daniel Lutaaya, the co-founder and head of marketing for the tournament.
Despite these remarkable achievements, Mahadha believes there is still some way to go to achieving his vision. He wants to have all African countries represented at the event.
“My dream is to see that not only 20 countries take part in this, but all 54 African countries take part. If we have 54 countries, then we’ve united the whole community. It’s not yet over until we reach the last person in the community.”

African Cup Mends Broken Dreams

To qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations 2013, was no mean feat. Zambia had to work extremely hard for the right to defend its title. Football today is tougher than people know. It is interesting that Egypt—AFCON winners in 2006, 2008 and 2010—was absent in 2012 and will again miss out on next year’s tournament after being defeated by minnows Central African Republic.
There are no longer weak teams in Africa. African football has become unpredictable. On no other continent, do rankings mean so little. FIFA rankings can be misleading because friendly matches also count, which means that football associations with larger budgets can afford more significant high-profile friendlies, earning them false gradings. My opinion is that rankings should only be calculated through official qualifying international matches. If one were to use rankings as a true measure for the grading of teams, how do you explain the likes of Ethiopia, which is ranked 33rd and Niger ranked 42nd in Africa qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations, over Egypt, Senegal and Cameroon? Each of these teams is brimming with international stars.
In order for Zambia to qualify for the AFCON 2013 we were drawn against Uganda—a team ranked 22nd in Africa and 90th in the world. As African champions, we went into this battle confidently, yet cautiously. Uganda had a track record of being unbeaten in Kampala. They are also reigning CECAFA, Eastern and Central African champions.
The AFCON qualifying format is home and away. Chipolopolo went into their home game to a capacity crowd at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, with only one thing on their minds: to score enough goals to win the game outright. Zambia won the game 1-0, yet were left with a dangerously narrow comfort margin.
In Kampala, we were confronted by a formidable Ugandan team. A team that never let up; a team that kept their shape and that fought until the bitter end, which ended in a 1-0 win to Uganda. Notwithstanding, with an aggregate score of 1-1, we went into penalties. Zambia’s composure and big match temperament paid off in the end, Zambia winning 9-8.
The Africa Cup of Nations was always a very exciting period throughout my career. I relished the opportunity to represent my country and did so with enthusiasm and ambition. All the effort, preparation and sacrifice is rewarded with incomparable satisfaction. National pride and honor are the greatest  incentives.
Becoming continental champions is the ultimate goal for any football association. As the Zambian Football Association president, Zambia winning this coveted title in 2012 filled me with immense pride and satisfaction.
The 2013 edition of this prestigious tournament will be held on South African soil. A host most worthy of this tournament after staging one of the most successful World Cups, in 2010. The world-class infrastructure that exists in South Africa is hard to beat.
The final 16 teams have qualified, the groups have been formed and the battle lines drawn. Next year’s tournament will see the return of powerhouses such as Algeria and the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Rookies Cape Verde, which qualified by overcoming the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, proved that no country is to be underestimated.
In fact, there are probably eight or nine countries which could conceivably become the champions. Zambia proved, in 2012, that a happy camp and a good result first up, builds momentum that can see a less fancied side go all the way.
Certainly, Zambia believed it had a squad capable of winning the tournament, but not many outsiders gave us a chance before the event. Now we go into this tournament with a weight of expectation both at home and across the continent. Many have become new fans of Chipolopolo, after what was achieved in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Group A hosts South Africa and Morocco, are probably the two favorites to advance, but Cape Verde has made great strides, in recent years, and even Angola has a squad, which can surprise.
Bafana Bafana has proved to be very difficult to beat at home. Over the last 20 years, they have lost just a handful of times to African opposition in South Africa. Morocco underachieved in 2012, of that there is no doubt, and their squad is better than recent results suggest.
Group B features perennial favorites Ghana and Mali, who finished third in 2012. They are two very good sides and it is hard to see past them when looking for candidates for a quarter final spot. But the Democratic Republic of Congo has been buoyed by the recent success of TP Mazembe in the CAF Champions League with coach Claude Le Roy, a seasoned tactician, who served as mentor to Zambia’s Hervé Renard. Niger is not the same force outside of Niamey as they are at home.
Zambia were the top seeds in Group C, as defending champions, and they have been drawn in a difficult pool. Nigeria is an obvious threat, though they are rebuilding under Stephen Keshi, while Burkina Faso can be a match for anyone on the day. Ethiopia has held South Africa and Nigeria in recent times and did very well to get past Sudan in the qualifiers. They will be no pushovers.
Group D could be the Group of Death. This could be the final chance for CÔte d’Ivoire’s golden generation to win the Africa Cup of Nations and it is something Didier Drogba is desperate for. He has had so much success at club level in his career, it seems incredible that he may end his glittering career without a Nations Cup win.
Algeria has proved to be one of the top teams on the continent since the last Nations Cup, while Tunisia may not have the strength of old, it still has some top individuals. Togo make a welcome return after the horror of the events preceding the tournament in Angola in 2010 when their bus was attacked by guerrillas. I think the whole of Africa is glad to see them back on this biggest of continental stages.
The open nature of the field, the wonderful stadia and surroundings, and the passion of the African people for football will, I believe, make this one of the best Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in history. African football is on the rise and this is our chance to prove this to the rest of the world.
May the best team win!

Tag: Kampala

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

At Least Two Killed In Dual Blasts In Uganda’s Capital, Reports Say

Twin Bomb Blasts Rock Ugandan Capital

A Night To Remember As Uganda Was Born

African Cup Mends Broken Dreams

This Could Be The Best Ever