By Kyle Beaulieu Was the National Development Plan (NDP) deliberately launched on 19 Apr. 2010 by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government in anticipation of the 2011 elections? The government has not had a clear strategic plan since 2008, when the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP) expired. With less than …

By Isaac Mufumba Memories of Vision 2025 and PEAP create doubt Uganda has just launched a new Shs 54 trillion National Development Plan (NDP), the first in more than 40 years. The NDPs vision is to have “a transformed Ugandan Society from a peasant to a modern and prosperous country …

By Bob Kasango When to espouse the virtues of humility, mutual respect and integrity Akio Toyoda, the 54 year old grandson of the company’s founder is the president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyota Motor Corporation is the world’s largest automobile maker by sales. Its total revenue for the …

The Independent Team On 28 March 1997 Australian air force jets intercepted a cargo plane in the airspace between northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. Sydney-based newspapers said the Antonov AN-124 aircraft that was grounded in Australia had been carrying several attack helicopters, military vehicles, and an arsenal of weapons, …

By Joan Akello Shell exit They are small operators, without depots. Some are a single, stand alone service station while others belong to a group. They are called “small independents” because unlike the big oil companies like Shell or Total, they answer to nobody. Since Shell announced it was divesting …

By Rukiya Makuma Despite 2010 being a prelude to the 2011 general elections, most Ugandan business leaders are optimistic of making more money in future and do not think that political instability poses a serious risk. In a study carried out by Synovate (fomer Steadman) between Feb. 1 and March …

By Patrick Kagenda House dealers targeted mainly Ugandans in the Diaspora and foreigners After the boom years of 2006 and 2007, the real estate turn-key housing business is facing an unprecedented slump blamed on the global financial meltdown. However, sector experts point to a shift away from buying to renting …

By Jocelyn Edwards The lone referral mental hospital  offers little respite for patients Its just before noon at Butabika Mental Hospital and the patients are in the yard of the womens in-take ward. About two dozen patients are lying on the grass sleeping.  Many of those up and wandering around …

By Rukiya Makuma Despite high numbers, Ugandan women fail to hook top jobs Uganda has more women in parliament compared to Kenya and Tanzania. UP to 33 percent of MPs are female and regionally, only Rwanda with 49 percent female representation is higher. Kenya trails with only 18 female representatives …

By Isaac Mufumba When I asked the Vice Chairman of Parliaments Budget Committee, Medi Mulumba (NRM Luuka County) about the Parliamentary committee on Government Assurances last week, he had a very low opinion. That is a dead committee. It has nothing to show for its existence, he said. This Committee …