NEWS ANALYSIS

Asthma is responsible for more than 450,000 deaths globally every year, many of which are preventable   Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | Uganda’s response to asthma is facing growing scrutiny as health specialists warn that thousands of patients are still unable to access essential inhalers, even as global treatment …

  Parliament passed a softened but still controversial sovereignty law targeting foreign-funded political activity   NEWS ANALYSIS | AYENAT MERSIE | Uganda just passed one of the region’s most closely watched pieces of legislation this year — and even in its watered-down form, it’s leaving a mark. On May 5, Parliament …

SPECIAL FEATURE |  Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, is a Ugandan music star and political leader currently in exile. Framing his movement as a “people power” struggle by young Ugandans for democratic transition, he is a vocal critic of the regime. After a disputed election in January won by long-time ruler …

  Inside the Life of Pauline Nantongo Kalunda For many people, balancing family and career can feel impossible. But for Pauline Nantongo Kalunda, motherhood and leadership are deeply connected. In a heartfelt conversation ahead of Mother’s Day celebrations, Pauline shared her journey as a mother, leader, mentor, and environmentalist, revealing how …

  African central banks are increasingly linking domestic gold refining to reserve management as countries move to retain more value from minerals. The shift reflects a broader effort to diversify away from foreign currency assets while strengthening local supply chains.   SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Uganda’s foreign exchange …

Kenya’s Gen Z is converting protest momentum into voter registration. With millions of new voters entering the roll, youth-driven campaigns like ‘Niko Kadi’ are beginning to reshape the country’s electoral arithmetic.   NEWS ANALYSIS | BIRD AGENCY | By mid-morning on a Wednesday, the voter registration desk at Moi Primary …

    The country-specific data remains limited, but the scale of sickle cell disease suggests the implications are considerable   Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA |  For two weeks, a 16-year-old girl living with sickle cell disease was treated for what appeared to be a stubborn chest infection. She had …

Tororo mourns veteran administrator Okoth Domitian Owor OBITUARY | THE INDEPENDENT | Mzei Okoth Domitian Owor, who passed on May 02, 2026, was a distinguished educationist, cultural leader, public servant, and patriarch whose life of service spanned over six remarkable decades. Fondly known as Otwodo, Mzei Owor, 89, lived a …

COMMENT | NICU POPESCU & FREDRIK WESSLAU |  For decades, much of Europe viewed military engagement through the lens of NATO or the European Union, since these structures have long shaped how Europeans thought about conflict, deterrence, and security. But the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have exposed …

Longing to stride down runways of international fashion weeks often collides with realities of conservatism and lack of structural support.   ARTS | MAURA AJAK | Growing up, Khloe Nyanda and the women and girls around her were taught “to be small and not take up spaces”, the 21-year-old says. …