By Peter Nyanzi Minister lobbied Museveni over disgraced principal accountant Geoffrey Kazinda, the former Principal Account in OPM, the Office of the Prime Minister, who is before the Anti-Corruption Court on 29 counts of embezzlement, false accounting, forgery, conspiracy to commit a felony and causing financial loss amounting to Shs …

By Eriasa Mukiibi Sserunjogi Former VP faces historic test over calls to challenge Museveni Usually, when President Yoweri Museveni schedules a meeting with any power base from Buganda, speculation ratchets. So when he called a hurried meeting with Buganda Caucus MPs on Aug.1, pundits saw a fence-mending overture from Museveni …

By Peter Nyanzi Technocrats urge government to prioritize national values in long-term development plans Permanent secretaries and other technocrats want the government to put citizens and national values at the centre of any new plans if the society is to be transformed. The National Planning Authority (NPA) is spearheading the …

By Rukiya Makuma P7 pupils in rural schools cannot read P2 material Out of the 348,384 pupils of standard three interviewed across East Africa, only 15 percent can understand standard two reading and maths tests according to the latest UWEZO report released on August 15 in Kenya. The report states …

By Mo Yaxye Dreams from my mother confront reality in the home I didn’t know Somalia, Somali or Waryaa (as my Kenyan brothers/sisters would say) has been the identity I have been carrying for more than 30 years – an identity that I have come to accept but never understood. …

By Ernest Rwamucyo The opportunity to seek lasting stability shouldn’t be missed Since the outburst of the recent military mutiny in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda has been under intense accusation of purportedly supporting the group of mutineers known as M23. These allegations are based on a hastily …

By Agather Atuhaire Cases pile up and corruption thrives as Uganda’s cash-strapped judiciary fails to attract judges Although up to 20 vacancies exist in the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and High Court, attempts to fill them are failing because qualified individuals are shunning the bench over poor pay and pension, …

By Agencies The Lancet, American Public Health Association, British HIV Association join AIDS Healthcare Foundation and other health advocates in concern over health impact of Gilead’s unproven HIV prevention pill AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), America’s largest HIV/AIDS nonprofit medical provider, on Aug. 10 reaffirmed its opposition to the Food and …

By Eriasa Mukiibi Sserunjogi Hillary Clinton calls for review in strategy in the fight against HIV/AIDS When Hillary Clinton first came to Uganda in the mid 1990s, Uganda had, in her opinion, the best HIV/AIDS prevention and control programme in the world. The HIV prevalence rate had been drastically reduced …

By Harold E. Acemah Duped Ugandans ignore benefits from dissent within political parties This is in response to a comment titled “Limits of internal dissent” by Dennis Musinguzi, published in issue No. 223 of July 20 – 26 of The Independent magazine. The comment reveals the extent to which many …