COMMENT | NNANDA KIZITO SSERUWAGI | After President Museveni captured power in 1986, Uganda adopted a “no party” or what was commonly known as the “movement” political system. Under this system, political parties were banned from campaigning, sponsoring candidates or holding rallies. President Museveni and the NRM argued that the …
Read More »Unpredictable rains, landslides, droughts in Uganda
This ‘new normal’ requires new thinking COMMENT | QIMIAO FAN & DIJI CHANDRASEKHARAN BEHR | When daily news reports on the impact of yet another disruptive flood in Kampala, or the rising cost of matooke due to prolonged droughts, it raises public concern and frustration. Yet the effects of climate …
Read More »A tycoon, a transplant, and a national diagnosis
COMMENT | ANDREW PI BESI | For the past few days, a video showing Hassan Bassajabalaba addressing mourners at his mother’s funeral has been trending on social media. It has been trending because in it, Hassan B, as he is commonly called, decries the inefficient state of our healthcare system. The …
Read More »What Uganda’s AI-powered security systems mean for sustainability and public finance
For civil society, this is not just about technology but how public resources are planned, utilized, and monitored to ensure that innovation serves citizens COMMENT | HELLEN DIANA ZAWEDDE | Uganda’s decision to deploy artificial intelligence (AI)–powered drones to enhance border security marks a milestone in the country’s digital transformation. The …
Read More »How digital literacy unlocks opportunities for Ugandan women
COMMENT | FLAVIA NTAMBI LWANGA | As Uganda celebrates 63 years of independence, it is an apt moment to reflect on our digital transformation journey. The clear message is: digital literacy is becoming an indispensable way forward. In a rapidly digitizing world, from finance and transport to education and …
Read More »Akena’s blame game over his presidential ambitions sound childish
COMMENT | OBED K KATUREEBE | The contested Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) President General, Jimmy Akena, has embarked on a campaign of blaming President Yoweri Museveni for his recent political misfortunes. Akena missed the nomination deadline to stand as a presidential candidate for the 2025/26 elections due to …
Read More »Leveraging technology to bridge healthcare gaps and promote wellness in Uganda
COMMENT | PAUL NEGEMI | In Runyankore we say: Agyenda mpora, ahika hare; loosely translating into ‘Even one who walks at a slow pace will still go far.’ But when it comes to our progress in health as a country, a slow walk is no longer sustainable. Access to quality …
Read More »Strengthening M&E under Uganda’s NDP IV
If you can’t measure it, you can’t deliver it or ensure evidence-based public decision-making COMMENT | CHRISTOPHER KANAKULYA | As Uganda enters the implementation phase of the National Development Plan IV for FY2025/26–2029/30, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) stands at the centre serving as the central pillar that transforms ambitions into …
Read More »Why 2026 will be my first time to vote
I have never really been lured to participate in the voting process because of the idea that other Ugandans will do it COMMENT | MARTHA KYOSIMIRE | “Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in …
Read More »On new ways of communication
How it is intriguing that Museveni’s campaign has not sought to use new information weapons effectively THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | Look at social media, where most Ugandans have migrated to for information about campaigns. Both campaigns, President Yoweri Museveni and his NRM and Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi …
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