Gulu, Uganda | URN | Tony Kitara, a former parliamentary candidate for the Laroo-Pece Division, has insisted that his decision to challenge the election of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao is purely legal and not driven by personal ambition. Kitara, who contested on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) …
Read More »Kitara petitions court to nullify MP Norbert Mao’s election
Gulu, Uganda | URN | The election of Laroo-Pece Division Member of Parliament Norbert Mao is being challenged in the High Court in Gulu, with petitioner Tonny Kitara alleging widespread electoral irregularities that he says affected the outcome of the January 2026 polls. In the petition, in which the Electoral Commission …
Read More »Bobi Wine and exile life; reading from Kizza Besigye failed script
COMMENT | OBED K KATUREEBE | Imitating a political idol can offer several perceived gains, ranging from personal psychological benefits to enhanced social or political engagement. However, these benefits often come with significant risks of compromising personal autonomy, as identified in literature on idolization and social learning. This clearly plays …
Read More »President Museveni’s victory and the gradual fragmentation of Uganda’s multiparty system
COMMENT | DR JUDE KAGORO | The 2026 general election in Uganda followed a familiar pattern. As in the previous six elections under President Yoweri Museveni, the incumbent again emerged victorious. Yet interpreting the result simply as another reaffirmation of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) misses a deeper …
Read More »Kudos to Hamson Obua: You displayed humility even in defeat
COMMENT | OBED K KATUREEBE | The government chief whip, Hamson Obua, surprised many with the grace and humility he showed after losing his parliamentary seat. In the January 2026 elections, Obua was defeated by Fred Jalameso of Ajuri County. The outcome surprised many Ugandans. Obua was viewed as a …
Read More »This was an odd election
Kampala, Uganda | MELINA RAQUEL PLATAS | This was an odd election. On the one hand, the opposition seemed both weaker and more straight-jacketed than any election in decades. On the other hand, the brute force of the state suggested sincere concern about an electoral upset. No one seemed able …
Read More »Will Japan’s new rock star PM Takaichi deliver?
Now that she has consolidated her power in Japan’s legislature, what she will do with it? COMMENT | ADAM SIMPSON | Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has delivered her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections she called shortly after taking office. Now that she has consolidated her …
Read More »Bobi Wine says entire family has fled Uganda
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Former Ugandan presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu says his family have fled Uganda. He has also spoken out against what he calls a “violent military dictatorship” in Uganda. Kyagulanyi, who has been in “hiding” since January 15th, delivered a video message to the Geneva Summit …
Read More »What’s Next for Museveni?
Can President Museveni translate his immense political support from the recently concluded elections into capital to drive massive political and economic reforms that will cement his legacy? COMMENT | NNANDA KIZITO SSERUWAGI | President Yoweri Museveni won the 2026 polls with his highest score (71%) since 1996 (74%). Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi …
Read More »When voters say ‘enough is enough’
COMMENT | NANTEZA SARAH KYOBE | In Uganda’s just-concluded 2026 general elections, many prominent politicians, including long-serving lawmakers and key cabinet members, were voted out nationwide as voters chose new representatives over established figures. This event signalled a major upheaval in Parliament since the introduction of multiparty politics in 2005. The …
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