The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a $31 million grant-based payment for a landmark climate project in Uganda, recognizing the country’s tangible achievements in curbing deforestation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is the first results-based payment project approved by the GCF Board for Uganda, and for Africa, and also for a Least Developed…
Busoga College Mwiri, one of Uganda’s oldest and most prestigious boys’ boarding schools, is marking a symbolic moment this Saturday, November 1, 2025. The school, established in 1911, will unveil a new main gate, a project fully financed through donations from its alumni. It is a moment that should inspire pride. Yet, beneath the surface…
At least nine people, including three children, perished in mudslides triggered by heavy rains in the districts of Bukwo and Kween, the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) said on Thursday. According to URCS, the first incident occurred Thursday morning in the district of Bukwo, where a mudslide buried a home, killing three children from one…
In 2015, ahead of the 2016 elections, the Electoral Commission (EC) announced that it was retiring the voters’ register that had been used in the 2011 elections. The commission said it would instead compile a new register using information from the national ID database managed by NIRA. The EC’s justification was that the new system…
By Adam Al-Mahdi Kungu In June 2025, Ukraine and the Council of Europe set up a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. Their goal? To put Russia’s leaders on trial for starting the war. Washington, Brussels, and Kyiv are already cheering. This tribunal is not about fairness. It’s just another weapon in…
Panic has gripped workers at the Naguru-based Next Media following reports that the company could slash the number of staff by the end of December. More than 20 people from various departments could be affected, four people with knowledge about the ongoing meetings by top management told Bbeg Media. The decision to lay off some…
In July, Uganda agreed to take on an unspecified number of third-country nationals who have a pending asylum claim in the US but cannot return home due to safety concerns. In other words, these are people who should likely be protected as refugees, but are no longer wanted in Donald Trump’s America. According to the…
Raila Amollo Odinga, who has died at the age of 80, was something of a paradox in post-independence Kenyan politics. A leader who repeatedly ran for president, he never won – in part due to the 2007 election being manipulated in favour of Mwai Kibaki. Despite this, Odinga will be remembered as a figure who…
The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) has recorded a sharp fall in both AIDS-related deaths and new HIV infections. Speaking during a sitting of the Parliamentary Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tom Etti, the Director for Partnership at UAC said there was a 64% reduction in annual AIDS deaths from 56,000 in 2010 to 20,000 in 2024 and…
By Patrick Gathara Kenyans are wont to refer to Raila Odinga, the long-reigning 80-year-old opposition leader who died on Wednesday, as the “Enigma of Kenyan politics,” a reference to the title of a 2006 biography of him penned by the Nigerian author, Babafemi Badejo. His unequalled ability to survive, even thrive, at the top of…
Raila Odinga, Kenya’s former Prime Minister and a towering figure in African politics, passed away this morning at the age of 80 in Koothattukulam, Kerala, India. Authorities confirmed that Odinga suffered a cardiac arrest during his daily morning walk and was pronounced dead at 9:52 AM at Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre. Odinga,…
Senior officials from member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on Monday began a meeting in Kampala ahead of a foreign ministers’ conference to address challenges facing the movement amid rising geopolitical tensions. Jeje Odongo, the minister of Foreign Affairs who opened the NAM midterm ministerial review meeting, called for collective effort and renewed commitment…
In Eastern Ukraine, where bombs and gunfire never stop, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stands strong. Once a comedian, he’s now a wartime leader, begging the world for help to fight Russia. He says, “We will not give up,” and many admire his courage. But there are whispers that some people close to him—old friends and business…
By Leonard Egesa There is a great deal of mocking and disparaging commentary on social and traditional media channels that has been given to the narrative that the National Unity Platform (NUP) made a big mistake in denying the outgoing Busiro East MP, Medard Lubega Sseggona, a ticket to defend his seat in the coming…
Fred Buyi’s few belongings hang from the ceiling of a tarpaulin tent in Bunambutye resettlement camp, pitched on the hot, scrubby plains outside Mbale in eastern Uganda. Space is tight and privacy is scarce. Sanitation facilities are shared by dozens. Each morning, long queues stretch towards the distribution point where displaced families line up for…
My name is Simon Mwebesa, and at 26, I should be out there building bridges or drawing plans for the roads that wind through Kampala’s busy hills. Instead, I am staring at the same cracked wall in my small rented room in Kawempe, wondering if today I will finally eat something better than Kikomando. It…
Benjamin Agaba Dear African presidents, Since European colonial powers divided Africa and imposed arbitrary borders, certain groups, such as the Tuareg—nomadic Berber-speaking people of the Sahara—have consistently rebelled against these artificial boundaries, particularly in Mauritania, Algeria, Mali and Niger. The Tuareg reject these imaginary borders, which vanish into the harsh desert dunes, and continuously challenge…
For nearly 40 years, President Museveni and his National Resistance Movement (NRM) have shaped Uganda’s future. Since the first post-1995 Constitution election in 1996, Museveni has made bold promises in every campaign, offering improved livelihoods, jobs, education, and healthcare. From the 1996 manifesto, Tackling the Tasks Ahead, to the latest plans for 2026–2031, he has…
The mood at the new Electoral Commission (EC) headquarters today in Lweza was quiet. At 10 am, President Museveni, aged 81, arrived with First Lady Janet Museveni. With a few aides and security guards, he handed in his nomination papers as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate for the January 2026 election. Justice Simon Byabakama, the…
If you came of age in the early 2000s in Uganda, one tabloid stood out like the fiery chilli it claimed to be: The Red Pepper. If you wanted the juiciest scoops on celebrities, politicians, and everyday personalities, Red Pepper was your go-to source. It had been christened Kamulali in the local dialect, a direct translation…
For those with a long memory, 2012 was the year that brought Dean Lubowa Saava, a fiery journalist, to national prominence. It all started in Luzira, a suburb of Kampala, when an eviction, overseen by George Agaba, the then-director of planning at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), turned deadly. One person lost their life…
Next Media has opened an internal investigation into allegations that some of its editors, reporters, and video journalists have been benefiting “financially” from news sources and subjects. Impeccable sources told Bbeg Media that the probe is headed by Sauba Luwaga, the head of internal audit. Luwaga is one of Kin Kariisa’s most trusted lieutenants at…
Family ties are shaping Parliament. People who die in office are increasingly succeeded by close relatives — children, spouses or even siblings — and often with strong support from political parties and local communities. At least five members of the current Parliament have succeeded their relatives, and in previous Parliaments, multiple members did as well….
Yesterday, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) delegates conference at Kololo Independence Grounds was marked by intense political developments, strategic victories, and surprising withdrawals, signaling shifts within the ruling party’s leadership ahead of the 2026 elections. One of the biggest victors was Jacqueline Mbabazi, wife of former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, who was elected…
“We are THE KAMPALA JOURNAL. “The Truth Command Centre. It starts here.” That’s the tagline of The Kampala Journal’s official X account, which has 45,442 followers. It’s boisterous. It’s emphatic. But one problem with it, it is not accurate. In a country where many people eat and drink politics, few accounts on X stir as…
Yesterday during NRM’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, former speaker Rebecca Kadaga made a passionate plea to be retained as the party’s second national vice chairman. Kadaga faces stiff competition from Speaker Anita Among. Efforts to have one of the candidates step down for another have failed. Here is Kadaga’s speech in full. ****************************************************** Your…
By Bob Twinomugisha Africa’s structural transformation is progressing slowly, raising questions about why economic growth hasn’t shifted resources from low- to high-productivity sectors. Agriculture, employing over half of Africa’s workforce and contributing one-fifth of GDP, grows at a sluggish 0.37% annual total factor productivity, below the global 0.74%. Africa remains at the bottom of global…
In a city where boda boda riders and motorists dodge potholes like a clever hare evading a hunter’s trap, one name often sparks heated debates: Hamis Kiggundu. Known simply as Ham, this youthful businessman has built a vast empire in real estate, agriculture, and more, rising faster than a matooke plant in fertile Buganda soil….
Digital financial literacy is crucial in today’s rapidly evolving digital age, where financial transactions increasingly occur online. As money transitions from physical cash to digital formats like mobile money and e-commerce, understanding how to navigate these platforms securely is essential for personal safety, financial security, and overall well-being. The wisdom shared by Rose Tumwemere in…
Mary Karooro Okurut, whose candle burned out yesterday at 70, did not sire any biological children, but she was a mother to many. She embraced motherhood through mentorship. Former students who went through her guidance at Makerere University recall her as a guiding force and motherly touch. “She was a mother to many,” recalled one…
By Oweyegha-Afunaduula The news of the demise of environmentalist Frank Muramuzi early yesterday, ( August 11 2025), found me when I was still in bed recuperating from an illness. I had not heard that he was sick. All the time I was involved in environmental struggles in Uganda, East Africa, Nile Basin and the World,…
President Museveni follows only 22 individuals/institutions on his X account. He has 3,640,655 followers as of mid-day August 11, 2025. This is not surprising. What is, is the choice of people or institutions that he follows. For instance, Museveni does not follow the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) account-@MODVA_UPDF. As the commander in chief, some…
By Arnold Katongole The week-long celebration of Ugandan generosity ended on a high note at Ndere Cultural Centre as hundreds of local givers, activists, and community leaders converged for the Gathering of Givers, the flagship closing event of Philanthropy Week 2025. Under the theme “Generosity that Serves, Stays, and Sustains,” the event brought together grassroots…
By Ivan Opio The National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED), led by Joseph Kabuleta, has faced significant internal strife, culminating in the dismissal of key figures Moses Matovu and Charles Basajja. Their actions, driven by divergent motives, threatened the party’s unity and mission as Uganda approaches the 2026 elections. Kabuleta’s decisive move to oust these individuals…
James Garuga Musinguzi, who passed away today, was a prominent figure in the Kigezi sub-region and Uganda in general, known not only for his business acumen but also for his philanthropy and political activism. In death, he has been described by many as a kind-hearted soul, a financier of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)…
Arnold Anderson Katongole Once considered a subject too abstract or too elite for young people, philanthropy has experienced a transformation in Uganda. Until only a few years ago, any effort to involve youth in such discussions would likely have been met with blank stares, not because of indifference, but due to a lack of direction…
Arnold Anderson Katongole Philanthropy is a term frequently encountered in discussions about social welfare and community support, yet its definition can often be elusive. At its core, many people conflate philanthropy with charity, seeing them as synonymous. However, a deeper examination reveals that while they share common elements, they serve distinct purposes and operate on…
In the four years Don Wanyama has been at the helm of the Vision Group, the multi-media company has made losses in three of them. Wanyama, President Museveni’s former press secretary, took over the reins from Robert Kabushenga in April 2021. After one year, Vision Group reported that turnover of Shs111.4 billion and a profit…
In an interview with Daily Monitor in 2019, Dr. Racheal Mbabazi, then working as a veterinary doctor at the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) in Entebbe, said there is only one thing she can’t do without: prayer. “I rise up at 5am to do my morning devotion and prayer,” she said adding that on…
By Brian K Tindyebwa In a clear show of ingratitude Jimmy Akena, who he has supported and treated so well like his own son since 2006, has lately been accusing President Museveni of being the one fermenting problems for Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC), a party his father Milton Obote and mother Miria Kalule Obote have…
Motorcycle-taxis are one of the fastest and most convenient ways to get around Uganda’s congested capital, Kampala. But they are also the most dangerous. Though they account for one-third of public transport trips taking place within the city, police reports suggest motorcycles were involved in 80% of all road-crash deaths registered in Kampala in 2023….
In the Kiteezi landfill collapse trial, the prosecution’s next line of argument leans heavily on a series of internal audit reports and technical warnings allegedly “ignored” by the executive durector and deputy executive directors. But beneath the legal posturing lies a deeper truth: these reports were advisory, not executive instructions; institutional, not personal; and routed,…
The prosecution alleges that the Executive Director (ED) and Deputy Executive Director (DED) failed to act on critical warnings contained in internal audit and technical reports related to the Kiteezi Landfill (KLF). However, this line of argument fundamentally misrepresents the role of internal assurance functions, distorts administrative structures, and ignores both procedural norms and statutory…
By Morrison Rwakakamba There are shrill voices and loud whispers that in Rukungiri District, one of the candidates running in the NRM parliamentary primaries spent a whopping Shs 3 billion on Election Day alone to pay voters to line up behind (vote), with threats of retribution if they didn’t. It was a combination of “honey”…
MBARARA-The first time Robert stepped onto the campus of Mbarara University of Science and Technology, he believed he was entering the halls of a prestigious institution that had trained some of the country’s top doctors. The university is the second-oldest public university in Uganda after Makerere University, and it’s famed for its focus on science…
By Brian K Tindyebwa Though it was generally an incident-free exercise in Uganda’s more than 72,000 villages, the just-ended NRM primaries election cycle registered several hiccups. These have caused animosity among party’s rank and file-with many seniors, including ministers, threatening to run as independents. The ruling party’s opponents had already started salivating in the hope…
A quiet institutional tragedy is playing out in Uganda; one not of collapsed infrastructure but of collapsed justice. In the name of accountability, the State is now prosecuting its own reformers, targeting senior executives at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for a national failure they neither authored nor controlled. The former deputy executive director and…
In Uganda today, a troubling trend is unfolding one that strikes at the very heart of justice, governance and professional integrity. Two former senior executives of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) including the executive director Dorothy Kisaka and her deputy, David Luyimbazi find themselves at the center of criminal prosecution over the tragic collapse…
By Brian K Tindyebwa In a country where the so-called leading opposition party can’t even organize a credible delegates conference, NRM deserves commendation for organizing countrywide elections. Today (Thursday 17th July), the whole country is talking and our vibrant media having a field day as close to 3,000 leaders compete to become NRM flag bearers…
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) goes to primaries today to choose parliamentary candidates who will carry the party’s flag in the 2026 elections. Voting was scheduled to start at 10 a.m. across 72,000 villages. In many ways, the NRM primaries remain a microcosm of Uganda’s polarized politics. Yet, for all the democratic pomp, NRM primaries…
