Dr. Joel Isabirye The debate on the Copyright and Neighboring Rights Amendment Bill 2025 is ongoing in Parliament, and the results of the discussions will be a reform of the act that is expected to improve its contribution to the creative sector in Uganda. However, clause 9 is proving to be contentious. The main issue…
BADRU WALUSANSA In recent years, President Museveni has increasingly focused on the challenges facing Uganda’s youth. The president appears to have taken a more deliberate approach to narrowing the gap between his government and young people. Time will tell whether this renewed focus is driven by genuine concern or political calculation. Among the approaches he…
By Kungu Al-mahadi Adam The United States decision to impose sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and its senior commanders over alleged support for the March 23 Movement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has stirred controversy and deepened mistrust between Kigali and Washington. The sanctions accuse Rwanda’s military leadership of materially supporting an…
There are diplomats who arrive announcing themselves. And there are diplomats who arrive already working. Zhang Lizhong belongs to the second category. In his typical casual Chinese navy blue shirt, Zhang carries no unnecessary noise. He keeps no performative distance. He returns calls. He listens carefully. He speaks sparingly. And when he speaks, it is…
President Museveni has told many untruths in his political life. He once claimed to oppose life presidency, arguing that leaders who never leave power are Africa’s problem. He later removed both term and age limits. He alleged that the National Unity Platform stole his votes in the 2021 presidential election, despite being in charge of…
On Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the Uganda Police Force arrested and detained Sarah Bireete, a prominent human rights activist and executive director of Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), on vague charges related to electoral data. The State (prosecution) purportedly charged her with unlawful obtaining or disclosure of personal data, contrary to Section 35(1) and (2)…
As Uganda prepares for the 2026 general elections, a small handheld device is set to play an outsized role in safeguarding the country’s democratic process. Known as the Biometric Voter Verification Kit, or BVVK, the device will be deployed at every polling station to ensure that every vote cast is legitimate, secure and confidential. First…
By Brenda Nagudi Over the past decade, Uganda’s insurance industry has undergone a quiet but profound transformation. What was once a small, misunderstood sector is now a growing pillar of financial stability for households, businesses, and the wider economy. Between 2014 and 2024, gross written premiums more than doubled, reaching about Shs 1.76 trillion in…
Uganda’s great political contest is probably not erupting in rallies or through slogans, it is unfolding quietly across village boundaries, homesteads and rising factory blocks. It is felt when a father divides his half-acre among five children or when a young graduate heads to Kampala because the soil at home can no longer sustain a…
The hallmark of choice of law in commercial contracts is anchored on the common adage of party autonomy, which essentially allows parties freedom to select the proper law to govern the contract. The general rule is that choice of law clauses, often inter-linked with forum-selection clauses or exclusive jurisdiction clauses, must be obeyed by the…
She fit right into the beauty stereotype: full lips, white teeth, smooth light chocolate skin. Her father died from HIV when she was too young to remember. Her mother remarried and was too busy rebuilding her life. The only way to occupy the perpetual emptiness she felt was to get a boyfriend at 15. “No…
Clean streets, low crime rate, Boda Bodas that follow traffic rules. Rwanda has, for a long time, set an example of endless possibilities in Africa and East Africa, showing that the things that we take for granted as inherent problems that the continent has to live with are, in fact, solvable. The latest serving from…
Bekar Ismail Kampala’s transport system is stretched to the limit. Every day, thousands of people spend long hours in traffic or stranded at chaotic taxi stages. Fares change without warning, stages are poorly mapped, and road safety feels like a gamble. The city’s population keeps growing, and the informal transport sector, taxis, bodas, and minibuses,…
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…
In his book Adults in the Room: My Battle with Europe’s Deep Establishment, Yanis Varoufakis, the Greek economist who served as Finance Minister during Greece’s greatest financial crisis, recalls a defining moment: “When I entered the ornate meeting room in Brussels, the afternoon sun glinted off the polished maple table, casting long, sharp shadows across…
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…
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…
The National Unity Platform (NUP) launched its fundraising drive earlier this year to support its campaign efforts for the 2026 general elections in Uganda. However, concerns persist among analysts and party insiders about whether these funds will be used effectively to achieve their intended objectives. Notable contributions have already been made, with leaders like Shamim…
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…
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…
I will start with a disclaimer: This is not your experience. It’s mine. Flying with Uganda Airlines on the Entebbe–Gatwick route was, quite simply, a pleasant surprise. The kind you want to tell everyone about. In an era when air travel often feels like an endurance test, this was a reminder that flying can still…
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…
In 2020, Kevin Colgan arrived in Kampala quietly. No fanfare. No motorcade. Just a deep sense of purpose. One morning in Karamoja, he stepped onto the dusty ground. The children and the elderly ran towards him, some barefoot and smiling. He didn’t wave from a distance. He wore the Karimojong traditional garb. He walked to…
It is deeply regrettable and profoundly disheartening for our cherished nation, Uganda, and Nyabushozi County in particular, that we, the youth of this revered “Pearl of Africa,” have succumbed to archaic, divisive, and retrogressive behaviors. These actions reflect a grave lack of patriotism, revealing an alarming indifference to the future of our generation, our children,…
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”…
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…
Augustine Kiwanuka The tragic murder of David Mutaaga, 69, and his wife, Deborah Florence Mutaaga, 62, in their Entebbe home has shaken the nation and exposed serious gaps in Uganda’s ability to investigate violent crime. The couple, who had recently returned from Europe to enjoy their retirement, were found brutally murdered, sparking a high-profile investigation…
Morrison Rwakakamba Having campaigned under the banner of making the United States the “Crypto capital” of the world, in his first week in office, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order intended to support the growth of the United States crypto industry, signaling an intention to approach crypto and block chain regulation with the objective…
Morrison Rwakakamba I have seen a letter from Uganda Communications Commission suspending programs hosted by Radio Boona FM Moderator Mr Namanya Kakyene. Kakyene is accused of overriding broadcasting standards. The decision by @UCC_Official has further polarized opinion and heated-up political discourse in Rukungiri district with supporters of Kakyene sounding voices of foul play and bias…
President Museveni continues to command unwavering support among NRM loyalists, nearly 40 years since he shot his way into power. Museveni’s rise to power in 1986, after defeating the Obote government, marked a turning point for Uganda. NRM supporters credit him with restoring peace and security, creating an environment conducive to business and economic growth….
An otherwise capricious political group, the so-called National Unity Platform (NUP) just passed off what it called its national delegates conference at which top party-political entrepreneurs were crowned, retaining their coveted seats, during which the media was sealed out. And the Uganda media houses, their journalists, and those that pass for political critics seeking genuine…
Like or hate it, NRM political party is the thing. The conduct this week of the NRM voter registration verification update, election for party structures, and Local Council one (LC1) flag-bearers at the village grassroots level has generated political momentum. Preliminary results indicate a massive show up across the country, with most areas’ positions agreed…
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…
The Electoral Commission (EC) announced a voters’ register display exercise scheduled from April 25 to May 25, 2025. During this period, citizens are encouraged to visit their designated polling stations to verify their details or check their information online via a link provided on the EC’s website. This exercise is a critical component of ensuring…
By Denis Waliggo In today’s rapidly evolving world, the creative industries hold immense potential for shaping livelihoods and driving economic growth. From fashion design to digital animation, interior design to graphic arts, creative fields not only satisfy personal passions but also provide significant career opportunities. However, the decision to pursue a creative program is not…
By Joel Odota In January 2021, in the lead-up to Uganda’s general elections, President Museveni implemented a sweeping internet shutdown, temporarily disabling access to mobile money services and social media platforms to prevent what he termed “foreign interference” in Uganda’s political affairs. While general internet access and mobile money services were later restored, Facebook has…
Of recent, the public has been treated to internal wrangles that date back to last year when I showed interest in the party’s top seat. First, I was condemned by some founders for wanting to lead their party without their will and consent, and for that, I was ‘indisciplined and bad hearted’ for that matter….
Chris-Vincent Agyapong Let me start with my own credentials—I hold two master’s degrees in Law, both earned in the UK. The second one was funded by a £10,000 student loan, not because I couldn’t pay for it myself (I covered my first degree and first master’s out of pocket), but because a friend convinced me…
By Sheilla Kemigisa Employee engagement is the lifeblood of any successful organisation. According to Forbes, employee engagement is the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals. It drives productivity, sparks innovation, and fosters a workplace culture where employees are motivated to perform at their best. However, maintaining high levels of engagement…
On Friday, February 14, Ugandans were shocked when retired Colonel Dr. Kizza Besigye appeared in court looking gaunt and frail. Dr. Besigye was offered a chair to sit by a prison warder as he waited for the hearing of his trial in court to proceed. He seemed visibly out of breath and had lost a…
The reported push to make Germany and Japan permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) should send alarm bells ringing across Africa. For decades, African nations, under the African Union (AU), have consistently demanded fair representation on the UNSC. If the global powers move ahead with granting permanent seats to Germany and Japan…
The Commonwealth Voters Privileges Rights Association (COWE VOPRA) and KUUNGANA KUJENGA KENYA (KKK) (Sauti ya mnyonge) are registered non-governmental organizations whose registration purpose was among other things to promote peace and justice. We have noted that the African Union (AU) has said its summit will be held between February 15–16, 2025 at its headquarters in…
