Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT| These are the top stories in this week’s The Independent. COVER STORY Age-limit Bill scandal: The 4 fights frustrating Museveni THE LAST WORD: Inside Museveni’s life presidency: Why the removal of age limits may be the best way to get a peaceful succession in Uganda …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP |  Hugh Hefner, the silk pajamas-wearing founder of Playboy who helped steer nudity into the American mainstream, died Wednesday, the magazine announced. He was 91 years old. Hefner, who in 1953 founded a trailblazing brand that would help usher in the 20th century’s shifting …

Kampala, Uganda | AFP |  Uganda’s parliament on Wednesday took the first step towards scrapping the presidential age limit that would allow long-standing ruler Yoweri Museveni to stay in power. Tempers frayed for a second day over a plan, backed by members of President Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, …

Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | Kampala City Hall court Wednesday issued criminal summons to Arua Municipality MP (Rtd) Col. Ibrahim Abiriga, requiring him to appear before it on October 06, 2017 for allegedly urinating in public Grade One magistrate Beatrice Khainza summoned Abiriga to answer charges of being a public …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni is in Belgium on a three-day working visit that will include talks with European Union (EU) about the EU-EAC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Museveni took over chairmanship of the East African Community (EAC) from Tanzania’s  John Pole Magufuli in May with a promise …

Kampala, Uganda | AFP |  Rainstorms in western Uganda caused flooding that swamped houses, killing at least 13 people including two babies, police said Wednesday. Rubanda district police commander Ramathan Tai said officers in the rural town of Nfasha recovered seven bodies during a heavy rainstorm Tuesday night and found …

Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI  |  The Court of Appeal has confirmed the election of NRM’s Henry Kamya Makumbi as the validly elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Mityana South Constituency. The Court of Appeal on Wednesday upheld the decision of Kampala High Court judge Joseph Murangira  to strike out …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  MP Raphael Magyezi (Igara West -NRM) has moved the motion seeking leave to introduce a Private Members Bill to ammend the constitution. After order was restored Wednesday following a chaotic start to the day’s parliamentary session, Magyezi presented  a motion seeking leave of parliament to …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The “Age Limit” motion was finally tabled in parliament after another chaotic day in Uganda’s parliament. Speaker Rebecca Kadaga started Wednesday’s session of parliament by suspending 25 MPs for unruly behaviour on Tuesday, triggering chaos in the house. Fighting ensued as plain-clothes security operatives …

Twitter aims to boost appeal with new 280-character tweet limit San Francisco, United States | AFP |  Twitter is testing allowing tweets to be expanded to 280 characters — double the existing limit — in the latest effort to boost flagging growth at the social network. San Francisco-based Twitter said …