Behold, the youngest lawmaker in Africa

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A teenaged young woman fresh out of high school has won a seat in Uganda's parliament, adding to the ruling party's majority but embarrassing some who say her success lowers expectations of lawmakers in the East African country.
Proscovia Oromait, who is 19 and a college hopeful, contested elections deep in eastern Uganda to fill the seat left vacant by her father's death. President Yoweri Museveni's ruling party had been desperate for a win there, having lost seven in eight parliamentary by-elections this year. The polls have come to be widely seen as a test of Museveni's popularity, and some party bosses calculated that she would win with a sympathy vote. The result was Uganda's youngest lawmaker ever — and a boost for Museveni's party.
Michael Mukula, a lawmaker who is one of the ruling party's deputy chairmen, said Oromait's win had sent "a lot of ripples" through the organization, dividing it into reformers and hardliners who want to win by any means necessary.
"I am a bit concerned and taken aback because of her lack of experience and lack of exposure," Mukula said of Oromait. "This is not a constituency you want to give a child of that age to shoulder."
Oromait will represent a place called Usuk, where dirt roads become flooded in the rainy season and where there is only one functional high school. This rural constituency of some 100,000 people is said to be thoroughly impoverished, even by Uganda's standards. But last week it was thrust firmly into the national limelight, the latest battleground in the ruling party's quest to claim a reassuring win and silence critics who say Museveni's popularity is starting to fade. Museveni, who took power by force in 1986, has not said if he will run again in 2016, when his current term expires, but he faces growing opposition within and outside his party to step down and preside over the first peaceful transfer of power in Uganda's history. Some opponents suspect he may be grooming his son or wife to take over when he retires.
In choosing Oromait, some say, the ruling party was simply trying to stay afloat at a time of rising political activism against the Museveni regime, which has been criticized by rights groups as too eager to use violence to retain power.
"She is a victim of these circumstances," said Nicholas Opio, a Kampala-based political analyst, referring to the ruling party's eagerness to win after a string of losses. "I don't think she was prepared for this. She had even never voted."

However, according to Opio, Oromait "will be at home in the House in the sense that not much is required of her."
Museveni's party has an overwhelming parliamentary majority, a fact that contributes to the sense of contempt some Ugandans feel for legislators. In 2005, with Museveni facing a stiff challenge from a former insider, lawmakers agreed to remove presidential term limits from the constitution, a process condemned by opposition activists and Western diplomats as a backward step for Uganda's young democracy. Many lawmakers have become notorious for avoiding plenary debates, with the speaker recently threatening to punish those who deliberately choose to stay away.
Barnabas Tinkasiimire, a lawmaker with the ruling party who has the reputation of a nonconformist, said the election of Oromait is an embarrassment to Uganda. "When you analyze that baby," Tinkasiimire said, referring to the teenage lawmaker, "what kind of knowledge and experience does she have? This is unbelievable."
Oromait comes across as vaguely confident in interviews, recently telling reporters: "It's not about the age ... it's the brain."
Mwambutsya Ndebesa, a professor of political history at Uganda's Makerere University, said she could turn out to be a much more inspirational figure than some of her older counterparts.
"She may not have any ideas yet," said Ndebesa, "but she has the ability to learn."

This note was copied from Yahoo News.

PHOTOS: MEET NAKOULA BASSELEY NAKOULA, PRODUCER OF CONTROVERSIAL ANTI-MUSLIM FILM- YNaija

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (Left). The first pictures of the Egyptian born US man who is suspected to be behind the amateur movie considered to be in bad taste by followers of Islam have been released. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, is reported to be at the center of the probe into the amateurish movie “Innocence of Muslims,” which slanders the prophet Muhammed and triggered protests at several U.S. government buildings in the Middle East. During a demonstration in Libya, which may have been used as cover by terrorists, an American ambassador and three of his colleagues were killed.

Anna Gurji: Said she was misled over the film's true contents. The movie caused widespread protests in Egypt, Libya, and Yemen with the Benghazi, Libya protests taking the life of the U.S Ambassador, Christopher Stevens. Though a man known as Sam Bacile had been preliminarily fingered as the creator of the film, AP connected Nakoula to the Bacile persona. Meanwhile, in California, 21-year-old Ms Gurji, who plays Muhammad’s child bride, spoke yesterday of her fear of reprisals and how she was ‘betrayed’ by Nakoula. “I was playing the youngest bride of a character named George. I had no idea George would be changed to Muhammad. I’m locked up in my house. I’m terrified people in the Middle East will blame me. “I’m Catholic so they might think I have something against Muslims. I’m taking pills to sleep. I’ve been crying for days. I feel betrayed. My face is stuck on the movie clip. People see that awful film and they see me.” Ms Gurji said she and her fellow actors believed they were making an action film called Desert Warrior and that Nakoula, or ‘Sam’ as she knew him, never discussed religion. Nakoula, whose name has been widely linked to the film in media reports, pleaded guilty to bank fraud in 2010 and was sentenced to 21 months in prison, to be followed by five years on supervised probation, court documents showed.

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula shielding face from media on arrival at police station for interview

POLICE PAID OUT OVER N69.7M TO BENEFICIARIES OF SLAIN AND WOUNDED OFFICERS AND MEN

Today 12th September, 2012 at Force Headquarters, Abuja a total of Sixty Nine million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand (N69,777,700.00) was paid out to families of Police officers and men who died in the line of duty and those who sustained varying degrees of injuries as accrued insurance benefits and medical expenses. The IGP MD Abubakar, NPM, mni who was represented by DIG Philemon I. Leha described the occasion as emotional and said the Police as the most visible agency of government, has its personnel vulnerably exposed to different types of dangers in the course of their duty. He assured, that despite these occupational hazards, the Police will not be deterred but rather get more committed in performing its constitutional roles to the nation. He noted that the money paid is to assist in alleviating the suffering of the immediate families and other beneficiaries of the deceased. The IGP while admitting that the amount of money provided may not be sufficient to solve all the problems of the beneficiaries, urged them to ensure prudent and optimum use of the funds. Mr. Horsfall Opiriyabo a beneficiary of late Inspector Horsfall Roggers on behalf of the beneficiaries thanked the Police authorities for their kindness and promised that the money will be used judiciously. He further appealed for decentralization of the collection of the insurance claims as he stated that this will reduce the risk of travelling long distances to Abuja by the Next-of-Kin and relatives of the deceased officers.

AIGs, C.Ps PLACE ON RED ALERT ON SECURITY AROUND EMBASSIES AND FOREIGN MISSIONS

The Inspector General of Police M.D Abubakar has ordered all Police Formations across the nation to provide a round-the-clock security in all Embassies and Foreign Missions in Nigeria. The directive came following recent violent demonstrations in some parts of the world, linked to a movie said to be an affront to Islamic faith. In statement signed by Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, the IGP has directed all Zonal AIGs and Command Commissioners of Police to adequately ensure that security measures are put in place. M.D Abubakar also advised parents and guardians to monitor their wards closely to protect them from negative influences who may want to lure them into criminal............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Below is the original copy of the release; Ref No:CZ:5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/ Date: 12th September, 2012. The Editor/News Manager, PRESS RELEASE IGP PLACES POLICE FORMATIONS ON RED ALERT ....Orders water-tight security around embassies and foreign missions Following recent violent demonstrations in some parts of the world linked to a recent US film believed to have offended a section of some religious faithful, the Nigeria Police has taken immediate proactive security measures to ensure that no similar violence is replicated within our country. Consequently, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar, has placed all Police Formations across the Federation on red alert. In this regard, the IGP has directed all Zonal AIGs and Command Commissioners of Police to ensure a 24-hour water-tight security in and around all Embassies and Foreign Missions in Nigeria as well as other vulnerable targets. In addition, the AIG in charge of Intelligence and Commissioners of Police in charge of the various Police Special Squads such as the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Special Protection Unit (SPU) have been directed to ensure that their personnel are strategically deployed to prevent and nib all potential crisis in the bud. While assuring law abiding citizens of the readiness and capacity of the Nigeria Police to provide adequate security for life and property, the IGP warned potential trouble makers to stay off the streets of Nigeria as the nation’s security agencies will bring to bear the full weight of the law on all laws breakers. The IGP also advised parents and guardians to monitor their wards closely to protect them from negative influences of mischief makers who may want to lure them into criminal and unwholesome acts. CSP FRANK E. MBA DEPUTY FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FOR: FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, FORCE HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA.

UNRULY EJIGBO LCDA OFFICIALS - PUNCH NEWSPAPER

I would like to draw the attention of the Lagos State Government and Ejigbo Local Council Development Area to the unruly behaviour of officials of the council at Jakande and Ejigbo. They stand at different points on Egbe-Ikotun Road and periodically run after commercial motorcycle riders. Their regular harassment of these riders has led to a considerable number of accidents on the road. They also obstruct traffic on the road. They need to be withdrawn from the road as a matter of urgency. BY Tunde Williams, Ejigbo, Lagos State, +23480341885