The decades-long conflict over Western Sahara has entered a new phase of geopolitical realignment, with the United Kingdom formally endorsing Morocco’s autonomy plan—a move signaling growing international support for Rabat’s vision. The UK’s decision, announced by Foreign Secretary David Lammy during a visit to Morocco, is a notable departure from its previous neutrality and aligns…
Norbert Mao was re-elected as the president general of the Democratic Party (DP) in a drama filled delegates conference where some may argue that the very concept of democracy was ‘thrown out of the window.” Mao defeated his main challenger Dr Lulume Bayiga handidly but the conference, meant to be a democratic exercise to shape…
Why Some Ugandans Celebrated Cedric Babu’s Death The news of Cedric Babu’s death on May 31, 2025, rippled through Uganda’s polarized society, eliciting a spectrum of emotions. Cedric, a former tennis star, media personality, and vice chairman for Kampala in the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), was mourned by many as a kind-hearted visionary. Yet,…
Cedric Babu Ndilima, son of veteran politician Capt. Francis Babu, has tragically passed away in Nairobi today, Bbeg Media has learnt. Two close friends confirmed the news of his tragic passing. The family is yet to release an official statement. Cedric was battling a severe heart condition and there had been efforts to raise funds…
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, who has died aged 87, was a titan of modern African literature – a storyteller who refused to be bound by jail, exile and illness. His work spanned roughly six decades, primarily documenting the transformation of his country, Kenya, from a colonial subject to a democracy. Ngũgĩ was tipped to win the…
US President Donald Trump’s administration has ordered US embassies around the world to stop scheduling appointments for student visas as it prepares to expand social media vetting of such applicants. An official memo said social media vetting would be stepped up for student and foreign exchange visas, which would have “significant implications” for embassies and…
In a cozy café nestled in Nairobi’s Karen district, chestnut-colored AA-grade Kenyan coffee beans are carefully ground, extracted, and brewed under the focused gaze of a local barista. The bitterness transforms into something wondrous, a bright acidity blossoms, reminiscent of ripe, juicy tropical fruits. The aroma quickly fills the room, invigorating the senses. Eastern Africa,…
Over the weekend, Uganda’s military delivered a stunning rebuke to Germany, severing defence ties and accusing Ambassador Mathias Schauer of engaging in “subversive activities.” The announcement, amplified on X and other online news platforms, sent shockwaves through a relationship that has anchored Uganda’s economic and developmental aspirations for over six decades. This bold move, framed…
A delegation of Chinese investors is touring Uganda to establish business ties with local coffee farmers, as demand for the cash crop surges in China’s growing market. After visiting various coffee farms as well as farmers’ cooperatives in the eastern and western parts of the East African country, the visiting Chinese delegation, alongside officials from…
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s senate has stripped former President Joseph Kabila of his immunity, paving the way for his prosecution over his alleged backing of rebels in the east. Authorities have accused him of treason and war crimes, saying there was a “substantial body of documents, testimony and material facts” linking Kabila to the…
In more ways than one, May 20, 2025, will go down as one of the darkest chapters in Uganda’s post-independence legislative history. With little or no reflection at all, NRM MPs granted military courts the authority to try civilians under vaguely defined “exceptional circumstances. Did they understand the consequences of this decision, given our divisive…
The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has cut food rations for one million refugees in Uganda due to funding shortages. In a statement, the UN agency said it urgently needs $50 million to restore the life-saving support for refugees and asylum seekers in the East African country. “Due to severe funding shortages, WFP Uganda…
Parliament will today afternoon consider amendments to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Act through the UPDF (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to permit military courts to try civilians under specific circumstances, despite a Supreme Court ruling declaring such trials unconstitutional. A key provision is the insertion of Clause 117A, which subjects civilians to military law in…
Former US President Joe Biden, 82, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, a statement from his office said on Sunday. The discovery was made on Friday after he reported urinary symptoms which led doctors to find a small nodule on his prostate. The cancer is a more aggressive form…
Kenya’s President William Ruto is a man of many nicknames. El Chapo, Kasongo, Hustler, Deputy Jesus and Chicken Seller are just some that he has acquired in recent years. As is often the case when people are given alternative monikers, some are affectionate but some are intended to mock, while others reflect a profound anger….
Allan Ssewanyana, the MP for Makindye West, came to prominence in 2013 when he jumped on minister Frank Tumwebaze’s table to try and frustrate a censure motion that had been brought against Erias Lukwago. Although he did not succeed, this act made Ssewanyana a darling to many people in Makindye, especially Lukwago’s supporters. In 2016,…
By Kungu Al-mahadi Adam Uganda’s political landscape is a battleground where opposition forces face an uphill struggle against President Museveni’s entrenched regime. In this high-stakes environment, unity among opposition leaders is not just strategic—it’s existential. Yet, the escalating feud between Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, the charismatic leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), and…
On May 4, while on a school trip to Western Uganda, Godfrey Muwumuza, a teacher at Kabojja Junior School in Kampala, asked one of his pupils to help him with a torch. According to court documents, Muwumuza appeared to be looking for something in a suitcase. Since he was the pupil’s supervisor and they were…
When 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost appeared on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time as Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025, he was cheered loudly by the huge crowd of pilgrims, tourists, local Catholics and other onlookers who had waited hours for the first sign of white smoke and…
Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Leo XIV, becoming the first U.S. pontiff. Pope Leo, appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica around 70 minutes after white smoke billowed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel…
Rebecca Kadaga has been active on the political scene since 1989 when she joined the National Resistance Council as a representative of the women of Kamuli district. Throughout that time, she has held several ministerial portfolios and offices, culminating in her election as speaker of Parliament in 2011. At 68 years of age, Kadaga is…
Three ladies returning after a streak of work in the Middle East recently raised suspicion at Entebbe Airport. Known as ‘Kadamas’ they walked majestically, clad in head veils. They had an unusually high number of suitcases. It is those large suitcases that became the problem. For starters, the ladies did not want the suitcases to…
Standard Chartered Bank Uganda, a cornerstone of the country’s financial landscape since 1912, faced an unprecedented setback in 2024, with net profits after tax plummeting by over 70% to Shs 19 billion from Shs80 billion in 2023. This dramatic decline, reported in its financial statement for the year ending December 31, 2024 has sent shockwaves…
The display of the national voters’ register and the Register for Special Interest Groups (Youths, PWDs and Older Persons) at 620 polling stations has commenced today. The display had been delayed by some technical glitches. Julius Mucunguzi, the Electoral Commission spokesperson, said the exercise, which enables voters to confirm their eligibility to participate in the…
Edward Ssebufu aka Eddie Mutwe, was today dumped at Masaka High Court by security operatives. Mutwe, who is Robert Kyagulanyi’s chief bodyguard, was abducted last week in Mukono. Eyewitnesses said Mutwe was being aided by two people to walk and appeared to be in pain. Journalists were not allowed to get close to him. First…
In a bold step signalling a new era in Uganda’s energy and mineral sector, the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals (UCEM) has officially repositioned itself as a national leader in clean energy advocacy and sustainable mineral development. The announcement was made last week at a gathering of leaders in the energy and minerals sector….
As the country mourns Rajiv Ruparelia following his tragic death, his father, business mogul Sudhir Ruparelia, faces a profound personal loss and a daunting business challenge: who will succeed him to lead the vast Ruparelia Group? The group is a cornerstone of Uganda’s economy, with a portfolio that includes iconic properties like the Speke Resort…
“I love cars, speed, and I love adrenaline. Motorsport was just the incoming thing for me,” Rajiv Ruparelia said in a 2019 interview, justifying his decision to join motorsport. Indeed, Ruparelia lived a life defined by speed, ambition, and an unyielding drive to carve his own path. As the son of billionaire tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia,…
Col Edith Nakalema, the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit, has claimed that former senior presidential advisor Tamale Mirundi wanted to harm her children in 2015. Speaking at a gathering of Pentecostals recently, Nakalema claimed that in 2015, Mirundi went on one of the radio stations and said he knew the school Nakalema’s…
Morning and night preps in boarding primary and secondary schools could be banned or limited if the ministry of Education and Sports adopts a proposal to do so, sources in the ministry have told Bbeg Media. Sources have told us that the proposal was highlighted in the report of Education Review Commission (which has not…
In 2024, Male Mabirizi Kiwanuka, filed a private prosecution in the Chief Magistrate’s Court at the Anti-Corruption Division against Speaker Anita Annet Among. Mabirizi alleged that Among was engaged in money laundering given the number of properties and other items like vehicles that the speaker owned. Among had just hosted several MPs at her palatial…
This week, we woke up to two news stories about two people named Sam who have served the government in power with distinction. One is Sam Kahamba Kutesa, a regime insider who successfully combined politics and personal business for decades until he retired from government in 2021. He held many ministerial positions over the past…
The curtains have fallen on the life of Sam Omalla, a colourful and dramatic officer who came to the limelight after he contained Dr Kizza Besigye during the walk-to-work protests in 2011. Omalla, who had retired at the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, passed away this morning at Mulago Hospital, where he had battled…
The Daily Monitor has apologized to the Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, for publishing an article in which Isaac Ssemakadde, the Uganda Law Society president, allegedly defamed the minister. The article, which has since been deleted from Monitor’s platforms, was titled: “Ssemakadde accuses Kiryowa in Museveni letter, demands ouster.” It was published on February 2, 2025….
On the evening of April 22 2013, Godfrey Nabasa, 30, requested a young man (of 14 years) that they walk together. He took him to Busimbi market in Rakai district and bought him four pairs of shorts and some delicious pancakes. The young man sort of knew him, although not very well. He had seen…
Kin Kariisa, the chief executive officer of Next Media, has been placed on the marketing committee of Uganda’s AFCON 2027 planning team. Kariisa confirmed in an interview with Bbeg Media that he had been placed on the committee chaired by Rogers Byamukama, FUFA’s head of marketing. “Our role will be to look for corporate sponsors…
Anthony Natif took on Friecca Pharmacy, won the first round. Friecca then won the second round, and eventually, Natif was kicked out of his building, dubiously. **** Friecca Pharmacy in Wandegeya should be entered into our folklore. For more than two decades, it has been one of the most thriving pharmaceutical businesses in Kampala, thanks…
Six reasons why it will be difficult (not impossible) for an African to be elected Pope. The death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday left many Catholics in shock. It also left the Catholic Church with a major headache: Who will replace Pope Francis? Several cardinals have been mentioned as possible successors, including two from…
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. He was elected to lead the Catholic Church in March 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI stood down. Francis’s papacy heralded many firsts, and while he never stopped introducing reforms to the Catholic…
The PPDA tribunal has cancelled a Shs 5.7 bn insurance deal that the National Medical Stores (NMS) had awarded to Sanlam General Insurance after a competitor, UAP Old Mutual Insurance, proved it had been eliminated unfairly. UAP Old Mutual had appealed to the tribunal challenging NMS’s decision to award the contract for comprehensive insurance for…
President Museveni wants the money paid to political parties with MPs doubled, sources within the NRM have told Bbeg Media. Museveni expressed this wish during a meeting with senior NRM officials, saying this could stem the flow of “foreign resources” to parties while ridding the country of foreign interference in the country’s political affairs. “He…
The absence of John Baptist Nambeshe, the National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy president for Eastern Uganda, at the party’s mobilization activities in the subregion yesterday, has raised eyebrows amidst rumours that he is on the verge of rejoining the NRM. Robert Kyagulanyi, the NUP president, met with party leaders, mobilizers, and supporters from the 40…
The BBC is reviewing the contracts of Alan Kasujja and Paul Bakibinga ahead of a fresh round of cut-offs, impeccable sources in London and Kampala have told Bbeg Media. Insider sources have told us that Kasujja and Bakibinga, two of Uganda’s biggest media exports to the UK, were recently notified of the reviews, which could…
Dalton Kaweesa, who was sacked as chief news manager of Next Media in January, is back at the Naguru-based station, but in a smaller capacity. Impeccable sources informed us that Kaweesa is now the Head of Current Affairs, a role that places him three positions lower than his previous one. He was sacked after it…
Flavia Tumusiime, who started as a presenter on the Teens Club show on WBS TV, has been appointed Head of Broadcast at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda. Impeccable sources told Bbeg Media that Tumusiime was appointed by the board last month, beating several senior and seasoned managers who had applied for the position. She replaces…
NBS TV has suspended MPs: Betty Nambooze and Daudi Kabanda from appearing on the Barometer talk-show for different reasons, impeccable sources have told Bbeg Media. Insider sources at Naguru told Bbeg Media that Nambooze, the Mukono Municipality MP, had been stopped for criticising NBS TV on some social media platforms following the suspension of Zambaali…
The discussions to have Robert Kyagulanyi, the National Unity Platform (NUP) president, appear on NBS TV’s flagship talk show, Barometer, had several twists and turns. Multiple sources knowledgeable about the discussions told Bbeg Media on condition of anonymity that the negotiations were tense, and neither side wanted to cede any of its positions. At one…
In 2013, Haruna Sentongo, an enterprising young businessman, hatched a project that would endear him to his parents. It would also help him keep scores with his more successful and flamboyant brother, Hamis Kiggundu. Sentongo had just opened Haruna Shopping Mall in Ntinda, following his Haruna Towers in Wandegeya Kubiri, and was brimming with business…
Shaka Ssali, one of Uganda’s most celebrated broadcasters, is dead. Ssali, 71, passed away in the US after a long battle with illness. For more than 20 years, Ssali hosted Straight talk Africa and was the editor-in-chief of the VOA television. He retired in 2021. In June 2021, Julius Mucunguzi, a friend and mentee of…
South Sudan’s First Vice-President Riek Machar, a long-time rival of the country’s President Salva Kiir, has been placed under house arrest, his party says. An armed convoy led by top security officials, including the defence minister, entered Machar’s residence in the capital, Juba, and disarmed his bodyguards late on Wednesday, said the Sudan People’s Liberation…
