By Patrick Kagenda When Kenyan Vice president Kalonzo Musyoka visited Kampala last month, the Rift Valley Railways-run Nalukolongo locomotive workshop was part of his itinerary. News has since emerged that the RVR had paid the governments of Kenya and Uganda $2 million and $1 million respectively in the long awaited …

By John Njoroge The Independents John Njoroge attended a press briefing by the new U.S. Ambassador Jerry P. Lanier. Excerpts. What is your opinion about Uganda’s preparedness for the 2011 general elections? We are anxious that the preparations move forward. We know that there are some questions about a number …

By Jocelyn Edwards Despite a setback last week, activists and journalists in the campaign for the release of Uganda’s oil Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) vowed to continue fighting, striking against the walls of government secrecy until they fall. Two Daily Monitor journalists will appeal the decision of a Nakawa court …

By Séverine Koen Breakdancing and skateboarding suffer from bad reputations as they are commonly associated with foreign influences in Uganda. Yet, they are now being used as forces for good by two groups, Breakdance Project Uganda and the Uganda Skateboard Union. A look at these groups and how they were …

By Independent Team and Agencies No way. Toyota recall unlikely to stop growth of the 19bn Euro empire Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, has recalled more than 8 million vehicles around the world for problems with accelerators. Episodes of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles have been linked to up to …

By Independent Team Kenya mulls pulling out The Kenya government is weighing the fate of its plan, jointly with Uganda, to extend the oil pipeline from Eldoret to Kampala. It cites the escalating cost and the uncertainty around the project since Uganda discovered oil and started plans for an inland …

By Patrick Kagenda The World Bank president Robert B. Zoellick just ended an African tour that took him to Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ethiopia.He told the African Union meeting in Addis Ababa that an estimated 64 million people worldwide will fall into extreme poverty because of the global financial …

By Olara Otunnu To effect democratic change in Uganda, you need a double hand approach. Ugandans on their own, without the international community cannot produce change. The international community on their own, without Ugandans being at the fore front, cannot make it happen. Because of the very particular nature of …

By Patrick Kagenda The Uganda Road Fund was established by an Act to finance the routine and periodic maintenance of public roads, facilitate delivery of road maintenance services and other related matters. The Independent’s Patrick Kagenda caught up with Engineer Michael M. Odongo, the URF chief executive. What is the …

By Independent Team & Agencies Tanzania is set to remove restrictions on movement of capital across its national borders this month. The move will allow Tanzanian to invest in stock markets in the East African region for the first time. ‘This bears the potential of dramatically increasing demand in the …