A point in Casablanca to deliver Cranes Holy Grail
KAMPALA. A dream that was threatening to implode has suddenly exploded back to life.
Following the crucial 1-0 victory over Ghana at Namboole on Saturday, the Cranes now need to just pick maximum points from Guinea in Casablanca on Wednesday and the 37-year absence from the Nations Cup is over.
Actually, no. They need just a draw, without a care about what happens between Ghana and Togo, to deliver Uganda the Holy Grail
Here is why
With one game to go, Ghana top Group E standings with eight points, Uganda and Guinea both on seven but the Cranes with a better goal difference, and Togo with six.
A Cranes draw in Casablanca corresponding with a Ghanaian - rather unlikely – home loss to Togo, would move Uganda level on points with the Black Stars.
Here is where the Caf tie-breaker rules will come in. After the points check, tie-breaker rules say head-to-head is considered and in this case, Uganda would edge Ghana since they took four points from them.
A Ghanaian victory corresponding with a Cranes draw would also see Cranes through since Guinea, who would also be on the same points as Uganda and the Black Stars, would have lost four points each to the former two.
Togo would be stuck on their six points and out. Put simply, a point in Casablanca will see Uganda qualify.
That said, any of the four teams can save you of all this calculus by simply winning their respective games.
Caf tiebreakers
If tied on points, tie-breakers are applied in the following order.
•Number of points obtained in games between the teams concerned
• Goal difference in games between the teams concerned (head-to-head)
• Goals scored in games between the teams concerned
• Away goals scored in games between the teams concerned
• Goal difference in all games
• Goals scored in all games
• Drawing of lots
Source: Daily Monitor
Consumers cautioned on rise in adulterated fuel
The last three months, particularly the months of August and September, have seen an increase in adulterated fuel in the market, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) head of Fuel Quality and Monitoring, Mr Peter Kitimbo, has said.
However, according to him, the tendency by some fuel dealers to adulterate fuel, particularly diesel, is now reducing following the standard body’s crackdown in recent weeks.
Speaking in a sideline interview at a workshop bringing together the fuel industry players and the regulators—UNBS and the Ministry of Energy, Mr Kitimbo said between the month of August and September the industry saw an upward trend of adulterated fuel on the market.
He said: “In those months—August and September, there has been an increase of adulteration of fuel by four percent.”
This is worrying because in recent years he said the compliance has been nearly 100 percent. The good news though is that the standard body has since increased surveillance which includes spot checks and testing, a move that is already bearing results.
According to the head of Petroleum Quality Assurance at the Ministry of Energy, Mr Spero Byokunda, by 2009, adulteration of fuel was as high as 29 per cent but by mid this year, the rate had dropped to 3 per cent. “And this has been mainly because of our fuel marking programme that the ministry does jointly with UNBS,” he said.
Vivo energy managing director Hans Paulsen also said adulteration of fuel remains an issue that should be met with punitive action if the vice is to be deterred.
According to him, at least 15 per cent of industry players adulterate fuel. And for this to be stopped enforcement of punitive leviesshould be considered.
Ministry of Energy concedes that adulteration of fuel has been noted although it is not as widespread as consumers tend to believe.
Source:Daily Monitor
Why you pay more taxes on ‘newer’ used cars
Vehicle taxation is a bit tricky for an average person to understand. According to URA’s current validation guide, an Opel Zafira made in 2002 with 2200cc is charged $3,356 (Shs8.2m) and a Subaru Traviq (2002) with 2200cc is charged $3,051(Shs9m). These are the same vehicles with different badges. Yet when it comes to Toyota Harriers of 3000c and the Lexus R300, they are all charged the same taxes yet they belong to different segments in ordinary and luxury respectively.
Environmental levy affects all vehicles manufactured earlier than 2008, the difference is made by the value of cost, insurance and freight (CIF), which is determined by trading prices internationally. That said, why should older vehicles be levied less than “newer” used ones? Albert Tumwine sought to ascertain the reasons.
When buying a used car, at least most vehicle owners and dealers know that buying an old car attracts more tax than purchasing a brand new one. This is explained by the fact that old vehicles, according to motor vehicle laws, emit harmful smoke that pollute the environment and as a result, buyers of such vehicles are supposed to incur a tax, an environmental levy that amounts to 20 per cent of the total price of the vehicle.
This tax, according to Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), is meant to discourage old vehicles from being imported into the country with the assumption of protecting the environment.
But as some of you might be wondering, some newer vehicles may incur total taxes that may be way higher than those of much older cars.
An official at URA customs department admits this fact and says it happens when the newer vehicle’s overall value is high. “We have a value guide that we use to levy uniform taxes regardless of the year in which a car was manufactured,” the official who preferred anonymity says.
He says the value of the vehicle determines the overall tax. “The overall tax is not determined by the environmental levy alone that is only 20 per cent. But there are other taxes which apply uniformly regardless of the nature (new or old) like infrastructure, value added, withholding and registration fees among others.
According to a source from URA, who chose to remain anonymous because he is not the spokesperson, the environmental levy tax does not affect cars manufactured after 2007.
“That tax policy only affects vehicles manufactured in 2006 and beyond,” he says.
Other taxes that affect the overall price
While the environmental levy on vehicles can be avoided by buying brand new cars or those that are six years or less, other taxes apply uniformly to all cars regardless of year of manufacture.
According to David Mugyenyi, the acting corporate and public affairs manager at URA, vehicles that are eight years old and above, attract environmental levy.
“This tax is 20 per cent of the total cost involved in purchasing the vehicle,” Mugyenyi says. For example if the vehicle is Shs30m, then the environmental levy is 20 per cent of Shs30m which is about Shs6m, but one can avoid the tax by buying newer cars,” he explains.
Mugyenyi adds that: “Such vehicles attract that tax because they emit fumes that pollute the environment.
Meanwhile, the amount of taxes paid on different cars differ according to the cost, insurance and freight (CIF).
“CIF is the total amount of money used in purchasing the vehicle. “For example, someone importing a vehicle valued at Shs20m meets higher taxes than one buying a car at Shs10m,” Mr Mugyenyi says.
“The reason is simple, the higher the CIF, the higher the total taxes incurred by the buyer. This is because the taxation criterion by URA is based on the value of the vehicle which is in the CIF,” Mugyenyi says.
www.smartransgroup.com, a cargo forwarding website defines CIF as a trade term requiring the seller to arrange for the carriage of goods by sea to a port of destination, and provide the buyer with the documents necessary to obtain the goods from the carrier.
The CIF is always calculated in the standard US dollars as per customs motor vehicle indicative value guide which is then translated into Uganda shillings. The value of the car is then subjected to different taxes.
There are various CIF guides for various car types can be accessed on the URA website (www.ura.go.ug).
There is a guide on the URA website under the A-Z tax topics, indicative value guide which is routinely updated. The review and update, according to URA, is informed by trading prices of vehicles internationally. URA says the value guide is routinely updated to ensure newer vehicles’ values are determined.
“We have a pool of knowledge in customs, even if you are importing the newest vehicle which isn’t on the guide yet, we are able to find out from the country in which the vehicle is being imported,” a source from URA says.
Tax calculator
URA has an electronic tax calculator where the buyer feeds in the year in which a vehicle was manufactured, the cost of the vehicle (CIF), the year of importation and then total taxes appear. These taxes include value added tax; it is a tax only on the value added to a product, import duty; a tax on items purchased abroad, withholding tax; a government requirement for the payer of an item to the government, and registration fees which is a sum of money required to enroll on an official register. “Most of these taxes are pre-determined and the vehicle cannot go on the road without paying them. The vehicle taxes are outlined by law just like those on other goods,” Mugyenyi says.
Tax exclusion
Mugyenyi however says there are some instances of exclusion on motor vehicle tax on cars whose owners have had them for a specific period while abroad. “If it is a returning citizen with a car he has possessed for 12 months, no taxes are incurred,” he says adding that the exclusion is only on personal cars regardless of their value, saying it shouldn’t exceed the capacity of eight passengers.”
Mugyenyi adds that lorries and buses are considered commercial vehicles and they do not enjoy this exclusion. But dealers find problems with customers as the value (CIF) of cars keeps changing especially when the taxes have been increased.
“New changes in taxes are not properly communicated and our customers think we are cheating them when we raise the prices of cars instantly,” says Musthaq Sidik, the treasurer Used Car Dealers Association in Uganda.
He says that they (dealers) have to incur the taxes because customers refuse to adjust their minds. “Customers are always taken by surprise and they insist on old prices and we end up meeting the extra costs,” Sidik argues.
Whereas in countries such as Kenya taxes on older vehicles are higher as a measurement to discourage their importation, in Uganda vehicles made in the 1990s pay les tax regardless of the 20 per cent environmental charge and those in the post 2000 era pay more.
So it looks like URA wants us to import older vehicles instead of “newer” used vehicles. URA should clarify this because it is confusing and complicated.
Source:Daily Monitor
Eat out of town
It is Sunday. You and the family wish to dine out somewhere affordable. You have toddlers in toe. Besides traditional food, you also hanker for something continental. You will be surprised how many eating places in town never open on Sundays so what about out of town? Not too many places come to mind. But, Edma Country Club situated in Kiteezi off the Gayaza Road comes to mind and is a sparkling gem of a place in the boondocks. The road was widened and fully rehabilitated allowing for easy access.
Seven years ago saw the advent of this novel establishment in Kiteezi with Edward and Mary creating a place that would appeal to people in the area of Gayaza, Kawempe, and Kyebando. Mary along with daughter Naomi, who is an ophthalmologist and much to their credit, are doing an excellent job in running the business. One of the bigger challenges of having such a place is being able to cater for the a la carte diner who drops by during the week when they are not so busy. From what I understand, you can be assured of more than just mchomo.
Sundays are predictably a buffet affair and depending on the mood of the chef, a soup for a starter could well be the case, or a salad or two before the main event. Here, matooke is a must and we have never been let down. This would be accompanied by a form of rice such as red rice, or rice and peas or stir fried. On this occasion, chef’s choice was steamed rice and always irish potatoes. These could be potato Lyonnaise or has brown or the very popular parsley potatoes. Yams, pumpkins, sweet potatoes or cassava are also a possibility.
Menu and service
In terms of sauces we had groundnut sauce with mushrooms and wonderfully tender and cooked smoked boiled beef stew along with grilled chicken parts. Vegetables comprised a medley of seasonal steamed veggies; carrots, French beans, cauliflower drizzled with butter.
The dessert was a slice of pound cake or a small fruit platter and for Shs24,000 this was entirely par for the course. All things being equal and the weather permitting, the outdoor setting is our favourite seating area and affords maximum privacy. Also a fenced play area for children. Cleanliness is paramount and the service friendly.
If you go…
The place: Edma Country Club
Rating: Not to be missed
Address: Kiteezi, off Gayaza Road
The space: Outdoors and spacious with neat lawns and an indoor restaurant
The crowd: Mostly old school
The bar: Cold beer, juice, wine, soda and mineral water
Recommended dishes: The buffet (Sunday’s and public holidays) is sumptuous and tremendous variety
The damage: The buffet is a very reasonable Shs 20,000
Sound level: Excellent
Parking: Available and secure
Daily specials: Ask the waiter
If you go: Open everyday offering an a la carte menu. Sunday buffet and a barbeque in the evening.
Sex, cars and lawyers: Lessons to learn from the Uwera Nsenga case
Sex can change everything. Jacqueline Uwera Nsenga, 36, was on September 23 convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of her husband, Juvenal Nsenga, 48.
According to the trial judge, Justice Duncan Gaswaga, “the convict had not enjoyed her marriage, especially in the last 10 or so years. This was a family matter that went out of hand.” Among other marital problems, court was informed that couple did not sleep in the same bed though they lived in the same house. They did not greet each other nor discuss or do things together as husband and wife.
It appears that there was a rivalrous love triangle where Jackie Uwera was competing with one Loretta Mutoni, 27, for the love of Juvenal Nsenga (deceased). Loretta was Mr Nsenga’s niece. She was orphaned at an early age and raised by the Nsengas since 2001. Sometime in 2011, Uwera became uncomfortable with Loretta’s continued stay at home and asked her to leave. This was after she noticed that Loretta had become an insolent child who dressed skimpy around her husband and often refused to greet or obey her. To make matters worse, Uwera intercepted an SMS text sent to Loretta by the deceased reading “I don’t hate you, I am just a little bit tired, I love you.”
Twelve days before Nsenga’s untimely death, Uwera was shocked to find Loretta back at the house. A frank discussion ensued among the three. Uwera reportedly said in an angry tone, “By the way I am capable of doing very many things that I myself am scared of the length I can go.” These are words she wishes to take back right now because court did not take them lightly in convicting her.
The lesson to take from this is not new. The English playwright and poet William Congreve (1670-1729) left us an eternal reminder: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Sex is a huge requirement in a marriage, and there is a lot of damage that can come from its absence.
How well do you know your car? Personally I don’t know much about cars but what I am sure of is this: a car cannot automatically accelerate when “in parking” unless you move it to “drive”. Ms Nsenga testified that on the fateful night, she drove a Toyota Mark X. She parked it at the home gate, got out and rang the doorbell twice. This clearly implies that she must have left the car in “parking” or “neutral”. How then could she have accidentally stepped on the accelerator pedal causing the car to “jerk”? Does this make any sense to all of you who, like Ms Nsenga, have driven for 11 years?
However, I have heard that some people mistakenly press down hard on the “accelerator” pedal instead of the “brake” pedal hence causing accidents. While an anomaly of this kind might have been the cause of death of Uwera’s husband of 19 years, she did not know enough about her car to convince the trial judge. The lesson we should take from this is that all drivers, regardless of gender, are accountable for the actions of their cars.
Having read 698 pages of the testimony recorded by the High Court in the Nsenga case, one truth is inescapable. On January 10, 2013, at about 9:45pm, only two people - Juvenal Nsenga and his wife Jackie Uwera Nsenga - were at that green gate that kept out strangers from their matrimonial home located at Plot 6 Muzindaro Road in Bugolobi. It is not known whether they talked before the incident. So how did our learned friends arrive at the conclusion that Uwera had the intention to kill her husband when he came to open the gate?
Ms Nsenga’s lawyers (all male) argued that what happened on that fateful night was a deeply regrettable accident but court rejected that story and chose to believe evidence adduced by the prosecution lawyers (all female) in support of Juvenal Nsenga’s dying declaration (his last words before he died).
In my view, what we learn from Justice Gaswaga’s analysis is that malice aforethought (intention to kill) may be deduced or inferred from circumstances surrounding the killing in question. For instance, the accumulation of mistrust, hatred, frustration and threats in a marriage over a period of 10 years can result in the formation of a tinderbox which may constitute the bedrock of intention to kill one’s spouse. This should makes us all deeply concerned that by sleeping in separate bedrooms and indulging in other mundane beefs one may become the first suspect if, God forbid, anything happened to one’s spouse.
From a strictly feminist lawyer’s perspective, I am disappointed by the weak and unimpressive mitigation conducted on behalf of Ms Nsenga. Mitigation is that phase of a murder trial after pronouncement of a conviction where the convict is given a chance to provide reasons why he or she should receive a lenient sentence. With proper mitigation, I believe Nsenga could have gotten a lesser sentence than the 20 years imprisonment to which she was condemned.
At the end of the 10-week marathon trial, Justice Gaswaga held the firm and carefully considered view that the Nsengas had lived an estranged life. Yet Uwera and her lawyers downplayed the seriousness of the situation by referring to the chronic, grave and excruciating problems of the Nsenga marriage as “mere challenges”. This was plainly bad mitigation strategy because the trial judge had offered them an olive branch by finding that all these problems had had “a negative impact on Uwera’s life”.
She was the victim of unrequited love in a scornful love triangle between her husband and foster child. The inability of the unrequited lover to express and fulfil emotional needs may lead to feelings such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety and rapid mood swings between depression and euphoria. I submit that the above feelings characterised Uwera’s state of mind on the fateful night. Given that justice must be tempered with mercy for unrequited lovers and other persons implicated in crimes of passion. In my view, the appropriate sentence for Jackie would have been 10 years imprisonment. And if she had pleaded guilty to manslaughter or even murder at the beginning of the trial, she could easily have gotten at least 6 years imprisonment.
Unfortunately, Uwera’s lawyers gave their mitigation as follows: that she is a first-time offender, who has two children and had been taking care of them by the time she was remanded, and so on and so forth. They also wasted time and resources arguing a futile point at the eleventh hour that there is no prescribed penalty for murder; a clearly erroneous view of the decision of the Supreme Court of Uganda in Susan Kigula versus Attorney General.
In that case, the Supreme Court explained that trial judges had discretion whether to issue a death sentence or imprisonment as the penalty for murder. It follows therefore that the best use of a lawyer’s services after conviction is to make a spirited and exhaustive mitigation but, unfortunately, this was not done for Ms Nsenga.
Curfew, Facebook closure hurt e-commerce
A combination of factors, among them curfew, closure of Internet and some social media sites has caused a 50 per cent customer reduction for e-commerce platforms, according to Mr Ron Kawamara, the Jumia chief executive officer.
Speaking on the sidelines of press briefing by the E-Trade Association of Uganda, Mr Kawamara said Jumia had registered a drop in clientele of close to 50 per cent since government imposed a blockade on Facebook.
“Our traffic has dropped by more than 45 per cent since the shutdown of [some] social media sites. We have had to go to other marketing platforms to reach our clients,” he said.
During the briefing, the E-Trade Association of Uganda noted that at least 25 per cent of the employees in the e-commerce sector had been rendered jobless due to reducing customer orders resulting from shorter working hours.
The association has a membership that brings together boda boda rider apps, online market platforms such as Jumia and tour and travel operators.
Mr Ricky Rapa Thomson, the SafeBoda co-founder, said they had experienced a drastic drop in business due to a number of factors, among them shorter working hours.
“Boda boda riders’ earnings are down by as much as 50 per cent due to the 6pm curfew, which affects close to two million riders. We request that curfew hours are extended to 11pm,” he said.
On January 11, this year the government shutdown Internet and social media sites as Uganda headed into the January 14 general elections.
However, the Internet was later restored but had affected a number of sectors, key among e-commerce platforms.
Mr Kawamara also noted they were having a lot of challenges with customers who were ordering for goods on social media using network bypass such as Virtual Private Network (VPN).
“Our systems are designed to block any orders or contact reaching us from clients that are using VPN because our firewalls have been built to safeguard our clients’ personal data such as banking details. We therefore can’t rely on VPN or receive orders and inquiries from VPN users,” he said.
As from: The Daily Monitor
‘I hire out my car at Shs2m per day’
How have you been able to maintain your car?
It has not been difficult in a way that its spare parts are got from Kenya. I intensively service it when its due to participate in any autoshows in the country or when I am going to drive it.
Where did you buy it from?
The first owner bought it from some place in Kenya during colonial times. It was also brought in the country still during colonial times. When I got it, it had colonial registration number plates W23. But at that time, it was almost junk and I had to restore it to give it a facelift from my workshop.
How do you cope with its maintenance?
I source its spare parts from Kenya and others in Uganda.
Have you received any offers from people wanting to buy it?
I have received a lot of inquiries from prospective buyers but I have no interest in selling it at all.
Where did you get the inspiration to rebuild it?
My family has a passion for old cars and has a mechanical background as well. When I come across any old car, I raise money and buy it. I and my family have another car restoration branch in Kenya.
Do you ever share it with friends or relatives?
My family members drive it a lot around Kampala because it is fully restored and serviced.
What is its engine size?
It is a 1900cc engine.
Is it automatic or manual?
It is a manual car.
Does it use petrol or diesel?
It uses petrol.
How would you categorise it?
It is a 1937 vintage car.
Have you considered using it for commercial activities?
Yeah, I hire it out to musicians for shooting music videos. I hire it out at Shs2m a day.
Does it have any unique features that many modern cars don’t have today?
Its doors open in the opposite direction and its windscreen tilts like a sunroof.
MORE ON THE LIGHT
The Citroën Traction Avant is an automobile produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1934 to 1957. About 760,000 units were produced. It was designed by André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni in late 1933 and early 1934.
Source:Daily Monitor
10 things you should know about iPhone 6
Apple on Tuesday unveiled iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus among other products.
Here are features about the iPhone 6 that you need to know:
1 It has a 4.7 inch screen. Larger than any of the previous iPhones in the market.
2 It has a smooth metal surface that seamlessly meets the new Retina HD display.
3 It is 6.9 mm thin. Probably the thinnest Apple ever unveiled.
4 It has a retina HD display with a bigger Multi Touch display, brilliant colors and higher contrast at even wider viewing angles.
5 It has a resolution of 1334 by 750.
6 It has an iSight camera that has a new sensor with Focus Pixels and new video features and time-lapse video mode.
7 It is built on 64-bit desktop-class architecture with a new A8 chip that delivers more power.
8 It has a barometer for the weather lovers and an accelerator for those exercising.
9 It has faster LTE download speeds with up to three times faster speed when connected to Wi-Fi.
10 It has Touch ID technology that can be used to make purchases from iTunes, iBooks, and the App Store without having to enter a password.
Source:monitor.co.ug
New movie Torn created for new reality show
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PS4 leads Xbox One by at least 40% in global sales: Has Sony already won this console generation?
Both the Xbox One and PS4 will celebrate their first birthday next month, and as they head into their second holiday season and first full fourth-quarter availability, it’s interesting to take a look at how the two consoles have performed so far. All evidence suggests a significant advantage for the PlayStation 4, with a sales gap of at least 40% between the two systems, and possibly as large as 100% (2:1 in favor of the PS4).
That figure — a total sales gap of 40% between the two consoles — comes courtesy of Ars Technica, which performed some analysis based on reported sales of all consoles, previous sales figures, and remarks from executives from both Microsoft and Sony. The data, which tallies nicely with our own analysis of eight-gen console sales, represents the best-case scenario, using figures that maximize the Xbox One sales results and minimize the PS4′s performance. In reality, the PS4 could be running at 2:1 advantage or even more, and that’s before we head into the holiday season.
Is this a problem? In the short term, no. The fact is, the Xbox 360 had an equally large lead over the PS3 for years. Sony’s console wasn’t just plagued by its high price, it was stuck with minimal attach rates and, initially, lower-quality titles. It was difficult to optimize for the PS3′s Cell processor, and a number of its first games struggled to match the Xbox 360′s quality, much less surpass it. Throw in Sony’s epic screwup around rumble (and the unmourned, incredibly-annoying Sixaxis controller), the initially uncertain value of its Blu-ray player, and a host of hubris and jaw-dropping statements, and the Xbox 360 was the odds-on favorite to win the console generation. In reality, the two systems ended up at rough parity with the PS3 actually outselling the Xbox 360 over the very long term.
Much ink has been spilled on whether or not the Xbox One is less popular because it can’t handle quite as high a resolution, or because its scaler creates graphical oddities, or because it was priced too high with a bundled Kinect sensor. This last hits closest to the mark, but I think the fundamental problem Microsoft is still trying to crawl out from under with Xbox One is that the narrative has been dominated by two threads:
- What the Xbox One can or can’t do, relative to its own hardware restrictions, DRM policies, Kinect 2.0, many other facets of the console’s design.
- The fact that its graphics fidelity, load times, install times, etc. are often somewhat worse than the PS4.
This lack of focus, this inability to explain why anyone should buy a Xbox One in the first place, is most likely at the heart of the console’s sales problems. It wasn’t for lack of trying, but Microsoft was forced to deconstruct every single reason it tried to build into the Xbox One as a point of differentiation. Kinect? Killed. Always-on? Turned off. Phoning home? We’re off the hook.
This Christmas, the company is turning to Halo — or, rather, to a master collection of multiple previous Halo titles offered up at a price point it hopes will leave fans slobbering their way out of Walmart with new consoles clutched in grubby fingers, visions of Cortana — now rendered in glorious 1080p — dancing in their heads.
Should the Halo effect work, Microsoft could close the gap with the PS4 in several giant leaps this holiday season. If it doesn’t, well, we’re playing a long game here. There’s no indication that Microsoft’s Xbox One will drop into the kind of death spiral that might see it blocked out of top tier gaming development.
Speaking of consoles that’ve been dumped in a corner and forgotten, this Christmas will be the Wii U’s sink-or-swim moment as well. With a new Smash Brothers release, it’s possible that the fighting game will be the coup de grace that convinces players who’ve been on the fence about new Mario titles or games like Hyrule Warriors to finally leap over and take theWii U plunge. It’s got to be what Nintendo is betting on — if new titles don’t finally send Wii U sales spiking, the company will be better off pursuing a fast replacement strategy and getting something on the market that consumers will actually want to buy. Before you flame me for that, keep in mind that consoles take 18-24 months to develop — so a Wii U successor that was meant to bring Nintendo up to parity with Sony and Microsoft wouldn’t debut for several years yet. Given the weak sales of the Wii U to date, it’s not unreasonable to say that a failed recovery necesitates the need for a quicker replacement cycle than Nintendo might’ve otherwise preferred.
