Business

By Patrick Kagenda Traders say Finance ministry should not stick to blue skies strategies in the global financial storm On February 16, the Ministry of Finance had five ministers: top minister Ezra Suruma and his four ministers of state: Salim saleh (micro- finance); Semakula Kiwanuka (Investment); Kagimu Kiwanuka (Economic Monitoring), …

By Patrick Kagenda Simon Rutega, CEO of the Uganda Security Exchange, tells The Independent’s Patrick Kagenda that the absence of the National Social Security Fund distorts and depresses the long-term funds market How has the Uganda Securities Exchange been faring under the global economic slowdown? A global recession will obviously …

By Independent Team At the recent National Consultative Budget Workshop, Finance Minister Ezra Suruma spoke tough over corruption and inefficiency. To improve performance, he said, his ministry would improve communication, publish releases of funds, and clearly name and shame the poor performers. “In instances of chronic poor performance of an …

By Agnes Asiimwe Dr William Muhairwe became managing director of National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) in November 1998 and has since turned the formerly rundown organization into an efficient operation providing consultancy services to water utilities on the African continent. How did you transform NWSC into an efficient organisation …

By Obiageli Ezekwesili Last week in Addis Ababa, African leaders agreed on the need to develop and improve Africa’s infrastructure. Better infrastructure” water, transport, electricity” can increase growth rates in Africa by more than 2 percent, raise productivity by 40 percent, and create jobs for its burgeoning youth population. This …

By Patrick Kagenda Finance Minister Dr Ezra Suruma tells The Independent’s Patrick Kagenda and Joseph Were why, despite the closure of GTV attributed to the global economic crisis, the Uganda economy is still sound. Has the closure of GTV led you to change your earlier position that the global crisis …

By Mubatsi Asinja Habati Has Africa been spared the brunt of the global financial crisis, as many believe? Not if experts from the World Bank are to be believed. Addressing African leaders at the 12th African Union summit in Addis Ababa last week, the bank’s president, Robert Zoellick, said: “We …

By Patrick Kagenda After failing to take over the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) in 2005 in the teeth of competition from Nigeria’s Industrial and General Insurance (IGI), the Kenyan firm Apollo Pan African (APA) Insurance has at last made its way on to the Ugandan financial market. APA, which owns …

By Patrick Kagenda US gives Shs 1.8 trillion for rail link from Dar to Kigali Businessmen and women importing and exporting goods into Uganda often complain about high taxes. But they complain more about the high cost of transport. They say transport costs are the single leading cause of high …

By Independent Reporter AU experts reject Pan-African stock exchange, South Africa goes it alone When the African Union surveyed its members on the viability of a Pan-African stock exchange, it got a wake up call. It sent out 139 questionnaires to 53 state members but only 29 returned them. The …