The political party merchant Kampala, Uganda | MUBATSI ASINJA HABATI | When I spoke to some members of the National Unity Platform (NUP) of Robert Ssentamu Kyagulangyi aka Bobi Wine about Moses Nkonge Kibalama; the man at the centre of the political storm hitting their party, one of them gave …

A startup in East Africa has created a digital service that appeals to thousands of small shopkeepers across the region, while finding innovative ways to lend to the traditionally risky sector. African Business Magazine’s Tom Collins reports. While most of Africa’s well-known ventures into e-commerce have been designed to appeal to the …

Oil and gas explorer says ‘potential liquidity shortfall’ threatens ability to pass lenders’ test | THE INDEPENDENT | Tullow Oil plc has warned it risks defaulting on a debt facility if it does not resolve a potential liquidity shortfall, as it slumped to a $1.4 billion pre-tax loss for the …

It is a great concern that like all other sectors of the economy, the coronavirus crisis has hit our media houses hard. COMMENT | CYRIL RAMAPHOSA | Dear Fellow South African, in many countries around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has required the limitation of many civil liberties and put …

Shutting down more than 200 refugee aid agencies is an indication to the world that the country cannot manage continuous inflows of refugees ANALYSIS | CRISTIANO D’ORSI | The Ugandan government recently suspended the operations of 208 refugee aid organisations. The organisations were suspended over non-compliance with Ugandan regulations. Only …

Why more Ugandan farmers aren’t adopting it | HYEJIN LEE | Maize is one of the most important cereal crops in Uganda. In particular, smallholder farmers rely on it for food and as a cash crop. They also grow it as an important export crop. Over the years, total maize …

‘Theft doesn’t even stop during a pandemic’ | THE INDEPENDENT | Doctors have gone on strike over a lack of protective equipment, and protesters have taken to the streets in anger at the abuse of medical funds, many wearing T-shirts emblazoned with #arrestCovidthieves. Public uproar in Kenya in recent weeks …

Here’s how to fight back | TIM HANSTAD | The global pandemic has public health experts and medical providers around the world working overtime. And so, it seems, are profiteers. Even before the pandemic, an estimated $455 billion of the $7.35 trillion spent annually on healthcare worldwide was lost to …

INEVITABLE COVID DEATHS: Here’s why government thinks it is ready Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Case. Fatality. Rate. That is a measure of how many people die when struck by a disease. And it is one of the most important numbers the Ministry of Health is now looking at …

Nic Cheeseman, a professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham, explains how to hold elections safely and uphold democracy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cheeseman was formerly the Director of the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. In addition to a number of book chapters and articles, he …