Column

  COMMENT | ANDREW PI BESI | On the occasion of Congo’s independence in June 1960, King Baudouin addressed the people of the Congo, declaring, in a condescending tone, “The independence of Congo is the end result of the work started with the exceptional personality of King Leopold II, which he …

When Loyalty Becomes a Lie: The Hidden Machinery of Political Manipulation Around President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni! COMMENT | ALEX ATWEMEREIREHO | There is a grave and unsettling tragedy quietly metastasizing within the bloodstream of Ugandan politics, one that threatens not only the legacy of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni but also the …

  Kampala, Uganda | NANTEZA SARAH KYOBE | In just 34 days, Uganda will hold a general election. As the country approaches the polls scheduled for January 15, 2026, focus will turn to the Biometric Voter Verification Kit that will be used to confirm voters’ identities. The Biometric Voter Verification Kit (BVVK) is …

COMMENT | NNANDA KIZITO SSERUWAGI |  President Yoweri Museveni views investment in energy as one of the fastest ways to transform a society and reduce poverty. Multiple studies back this perspective. One such study by the World Bank and the International Energy Agency (IEA) finds that the single biggest driver of …

    How our president greatest failure has been inability to manage his own success THE LAST WORD |  ANDREW M. MWENDA | Recently, I drove to Busia, then to Bushenyi. I often drive to Gulu, Hoima and Fort Portal via Mubende. These experiences both stress and depress me. Kampala and …

Without comprehensive reform of the global financial system, Africa’s development and Europe’s stability will face growing risks COMMENT | Nana Akufo-Addo & Ulrich Volz | On November 24-25, African and European leaders met in Luanda, Angola, for the European Union-African Union summit. Marking 25 years of EU-AU partnership, the gathering was not …

Whoever Masters the Land Question Will Own Uganda’s Future COMMENT | CRISPIN KAHERU | 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 …

  COMMENT | NANTEZA SARAH KYOBE | A week ago, Uganda hosted its first Africa Industrialization Week, attracting over 40 countries and 450 participants to the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort to discuss issues related to industrialization of the continent. The launch of the inaugural Africa Industrialization Week in Uganda coincides with a period …

East Africa’s external engagement has long been dominated by China and Europe. Japan offers a third option COMMENT | CHRISTOPHER BURKE | President Museveni’s recent comments on Uganda’s right to access the Indian Ocean underscore just how central the waterway is to East Africa’s economic and strategic future. The Indian Ocean …

“Perhaps contexts are far less universal than circumstances” — S.R. Karugire COMMENT | ANDREW PI BESI |  Africa, our ancient continent, has since 2024 witnessed no fewer than twenty presidential elections. This year alone, Tanzania, Malawi, Cameroon, Gabon, and Côte d’Ivoire have all held polls. In Uganda, our electoral season is …