📸 Vision Lens: The week that was in pictures

______________

Poison, politics and a passing

 From the death of an Archbishop to political drama, New Vision’s photojournalists give us a glimpse into the week just ended.

_____________

The week got off to a sad start, with news of the passing of Archbishop Emeritus Paul Bakyenga of Mbarara. The retired archbishop passed on the morning of Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at Nsambya hospital in Kampala. A requiem mass was held at Rubaga Cathedral in Kampala on Friday, July 21. (Photo by Mathias Mazinga)

_____________

Bakyenga’s burial was scheduled for Sunday, July 23, at Nyamitanga in Mbarara, where workers dug a grave inside the cathedral in readiness. (Photo by Aidan Bataringaya)

_____________

Thursday came with fresh distressing news as students of Nakanyonyi Senior Secondary School in Nakifuma-Naggalama Town Council, Mukono district fell sick with what was suspected to be food poisoning. As events unfolded, classrooms turned into clinics, fellow students turned into rescue workers and nurses and ambulances rushed to the scene. In the end, about 200 students were admitted to different hospitals in Mukono. (Pictures by Henry Nsubuga)

_____________

In another health matter, John Kiwanuka, a meteorologist with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), was taken to the Parliamentary Clinic for emergency treatment on Friday, July 21, 2023, after he took ill during a grilling by the parliamentary committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises. Kiwanuka was appearing together with UNBS boss David Livingstone Ebiru and Charles Musekuura, the chairperson of the National Standards Council, which oversees the standards body. (Photos by Dedan Kimathi)

_____________

In Lwengo district, help came too late for 11 crested cranes which were poisoned in the rice fields between Nabyewanga and Kikonge wetlands in Kingo sub-county, Lwengo district. International Crested Crane Foundation Field Officer Gilbert Tayebwa collected the birds’ corpses and a joint security team led by the foundation and the Environmental Police are investigating the matter. (Photo by Dismus Buregyeya)

_____________

In Moroto on Friday, July 21, Police and Prisons personnel destroyed illicit waragi at the Moroto central police station ground. Scores of residents of Moroto Municipality converged at the police station to witness the destruction of illicit gin valued at sh27m. 

A total of 90 jerrycans, each containing 25 litres of alcohol were impounded by the Police at various checkpoints being transported on motorbikes and using private cars. The Karamoja police public relations officer IP Mike Longole, said the fight against the illicit gin has paid off, adding that intensified operations against the gin has led to a reduction in death from hunger. (Photo by Olandason Wanyama)

_____________

Meanwhile, Bukedea Resident district commissioner (RDC) Wilberforce William Tukei, Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) Muhamud Oluka and District Police Commander (DPC) SP Charles Okoto were at the Bukedea magistrates court on Monday, July 17, 2023. The men were remanded over the chaos in the recently concluded Bukedea byelection. (Photo By Javier Silas Omagor)

_____________

The political world continued to dish up its fair share of drama, with internal disagreements in the Forum of Democratic Change exploding onto the public scene. 

After a couple of days of bitter exchanges between the party’s op leadership, the FDC national party chairperson Amb Wasswa Birigwa was on Thursday, July 20 seen “escaping from captivity” over the fence at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Kampala, with the help of some supporters. He had earlier been blocked from addressing journalists and 'detained' for hours, allegedly by one faction of the party.  (Photo by Lawrence Kitatta

_____________

Dramatic scenes had also played out on Monday, at Namasale town council in Amolatar district as rowdy residents, some armed with clubs and other rudimentary weapons, burnt tyres during a protest. 

A claim over 100 acres by a family which left Amolatar district over 40 years ago sparked a protest which brought business in the dusty, lakeshore town council to a standstill and saw the torching of several huts in one homestead, whose occupants are accused of siding with the land claimant. (Photos by Patrick Okino and Hudson Apunyo)

_____________

One man though, took a break from the cares of the world and caught up on some sweet sleep. This attendant at Kayunga taxi park public toilet was spotted taking a nap on the toilet veranda on Wednesday. (Photo by Charles Juuko)