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World Marathon champion Jacob Kiplimo, Africa champions Jemimah Nakawala and Farahat Manirola were on Wednesday crowned as October’s Fortebet Real Stars Monthly Winners at Lazio Restaurant.

The 2023 and 2025 Chicago Marathon conqueror continues to script history, after clocking 2:02:23 to become the world’s seventh fastest marathoner and also setting a new national record – breaking his own mark that he set in April 2025.

‘This is about excellence and Uganda’s sports landscape continues to shine on the regional and global stage,’ said Real Star Sports Agency CEO Isaac Mukasa, underlining the weight that these awards carry.

Nakawala’s new class

Table tennis ace Jemimmah Nakawala sealed the accolade after delivering three straight victories which stood superior and decisive for Team Uganda’s qualification to the 2026 London World Table Tennis Championship. Her efforts also helped Uganda clinch a historic bronze at the 2025 ITTF Africa Seniors Championships in Rades, Tunisia.

She beat teammates Pervin Nangonzi and Judith Mirembe for the monthly gong – but her levels of performance were unmatched.

Manirola the stylist

In boxing, stylist pugilist Farahat Manirola was again unplayable. He scooped gold at the East Africa Zone 3 Championship in Kenya and overcame fellow contenders Willy Kyakonye and Aziz Ringo to bag his second Real Stars accolade – having first won one in May last year after lifting a professional belt.

From marathon to table tennis to boxing – these are not random awards. They are a scoreboard of excellence.

TALKING POINT – Consistency counts

The Fortebet Real Stars Awards are now rewarding athletes that are stacking up performances, month-on-month, year-on-year – not one-off results. Uganda rising – you cannot benchmark sporting growth without benchmarking consistency at elite level.

OUTSTANDING NUMBER – 2:02:23

That is Kiplimo’s winning mark in Chicago this year – time that placed him 7th fastest marathoner in world history.

October Winners (Fortebet Real Stars)

Athletics: Jacob Kiplimo

Table Tennis: Jemimmah Nakawala

Boxing: Farahat Manirola

There is no love lost between Vipers and KCCA – two heavyweights whose duels have become the very heartbeat of Ugandan football.

On Friday at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, their rivalry takes on a sharper edge as Allan Okello, once Lugogo’s golden boy, prepares to bare his fangs at his former club.

The mind games began long before kickoff. Vipers’ decision to rest Okello during last weekend’s laboured 1-0 win over Entebbe UPPC was no coincidence – it was a calculated pause.

The stylish playmaker, bred and idolized at Lugogo but now a champion in Kitende colours, was granted time to rediscover his rhythm ahead of this defining clash against the table leaders he knows inside out.

In what promises to be a closely contested encounter, Vipers head coach Ivan Jacky Minnaert will bank on Okello to inject the spark and bite that were missing in that narrow victory at Bugonga.

The Belgian tactician plans to unleash his star man among a forward trio that also includes Yunus Sentamu – the provider of last week’s winning assist for Karim Watambala goal – and skipper Milton Karisa, whose pace and movement will test KCCA’s backline.

Moment of truth

For KCCA’s Jackson Magera, this is more than a league fixture; it is a statement match. Sitting atop the StarTimes Uganda Premier League table with 11 points from five games, Magera’s hungry and fearless side has impressed with its attacking intent and composure.

Now, Magera – operating without his co-trainer Brian Ssenyondo, currently on national duty in Qatar – seeks to prove that he can stand tall on his own, even against the reigning champions on their intimidating home turf.

Okello’s return adds a layer of drama and symbolism to the fixture. Having fired 20 goals last season to guide Vipers to a league and cup double, the playmaker’s influence waned slightly during the recent Caf Champions League outings against African Stars and Power Dynamos, where fatigue dulled his usual brilliance.

But insiders at Kitende suggest Okello is recharged and eager to remind his old employers of the talent they once nurtured – and lost.

The stage, then, is set for fireworks. KCCA’s vibrant attacking trio of Joel Sserunjogi, Ivan Ahimbisibwe, and Shafik Kwikiriza – fresh from orchestrating a 4-2 demolition of Calvary – will look to keep the Venoms in check, while Vipers rely on Okello’s artistry to tilt the balance.

With both teams playing expansive football and boasting attacking flair, tonight’s encounter promises fireworks early in a season still recovering from administrative chaos.

The Kitende terraces are expected to be packed to the rafters, the atmosphere electric, as fans from both sides descend in full voice for one of Ugandan football’s signature fixtures – a clash that, at least on paper, looks too close to call.

Elsewhere, at Midigo, newcomers Calvary finally host their first home game after four winless outings, taking on fellow debutants Entebbe UPPC, who have amassed seven points from five matches under coach Abdallah Mubiru.

StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Friday

Calvary vs. Entebbe UPPC, 4pm

Vipers vs. KCCA, 8pm

Fufa have renewed Uganda Cranes head coach Paul Put’s contract until 2028, ending weeks of uncertainty over the Belgian’s future.

The announcement was made on Thursday by Fufa CEO Edgar Watson, who said the federation had moved to ‘bring stability’ ahead of next month’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco.

‘We have noticed a lot of anxiety from some sectors of the public in recent weeks, with rumours and speculation concerning the head coach,’ Watson told a news conference in Kampala.

‘I’m delighted to announce that Fufa has agreed with coach Paul Put on a new contract for the next two and a half years, starting with immediate effect.’

Put, 68, was appointed in November 2023 with the mandate to guide Uganda back to Afcon and improve the Cranes’ World Cup qualification standing.

Under his stewardship, the team sealed qualification for Afcon 2025 and impressed in competitive fixtures, winning 12 of 18 competitive games for a 67 percent success rate.

Shortly after signing the new deal, Put named his 28-man squad for two international friendlies in Morocco – against Chad on November 15 and hosts Morocco on November 19 – before the team’s Group C Afcon fixtures against Tunisia, Tanzania and Nigeria.

The coach retained experienced names such as goalkeeper Denis Onyango and midfielder Khalid Aucho, while exciting forward Allan Okello leads the domestic cast.

Europe-based defenders Elio Capradossi and Jordan Obita lead a foreign-based legion that also sees Thailand-based Melyvn Lorenzen, who has previously flirted with the Cranes, named on the team together with another new name in Baba Al Hassan, who plies his trade in Romania.

Uganda begin their Afcon campaign against Tunisia on December 23, before facing Tanzania on December 27 and Nigeria on December 30.

Uganda Cranes international friendlies

Nov 15: Uganda vs Chad

Nov 19: Morocco vs Uganda

Afcon 2025

Uganda’s Group C matches

Dec 23: Tunisia vs Uganda

Dec 27: Uganda vs Tanzania

Dec 30: Uganda vs Nigeria

Uganda Cranes squad

Goalkeepers: Salim Omar Magoola (Richards Bay – S. Africa), Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns – S. Africa), Tom Ikara (BUL – Uganda), Denis Kiggundu (Vipers SC – Uganda)

Defenders: Toby Sibbick (Burton Albion – England), Elio Capodossi (FC Universitatea Cluj – Romania), Jordan Obita (Hibernian – Scotland), Rogers Torach (Vipers SC – Uganda), Hilary Mukundane (Vipers SC – Uganda), Aziz Kayondo (FC Slovan Liberec – Czech Rep.), Herbert Achayi (KCCA – Uganda), Timothy Awany (FC Ashdod – Israel), Moses Alio (URA – Uganda)

Midfielders: Kenneth Semakula (Al-Adalah – Saudi Arabia), Khalid Aucho (Singida Black Stars SC – Tanzania), Allan Oyirwoth (New England Revolution – USA), Baba Al Hassan (FCV Farul Constanta – Romania), Bobosi Byaruhanga (Oakland Roots SC – USA)

Forwards: Allan Okello (Vipers SC – Uganda), Melyvn Lorenzen (Muangthong Utd – Thailand), Travis Mutyaba (CS Sfaxien – Tunisia), Joseph Mpande (PVF Cand – Vietnam), Rogers Mato (FK Vardar – Macedonia), Reagan Mpande (SC Villa – Uganda), Jude Ssemugabi (Jamus – S. Sudan), Uchechukwu Ikpeazu (St Johnstone – Scotland), Steven Mukwala (Simba SC – Tanzania), Shafik Kwikiriza (KCCA – Uganda)

‘Art gave me everything; purpose, identity and family. And the best way to give back is to support others find their own voice,’ Kwezi Kaganda says. That voice continues to echo through stages, classrooms, and television screens across Uganda, a reminder that true artistry is not about the applause, but continuity. Kaganda’s first stage had no curtains, no lights, just a living room in Ntinda during the tense final days of Idi Amin’s regime.

‘In1978, I gathered my younger brothers and sisters, directed them in King Arthur, and we performed for our parents and neighbours,’ he recalls.

There was no applause that day, but something more powerful happened. A young boy discovered that stories had the power to bring people together.

From that moment on, theatre was no longer just entertainment; it became a language he wanted to speak fluently. At Kyambogo, he immersed himself in drama under the late Elvania Namukwaya Zirimu, one of the greats of Uganda’s performing scene.

His aunt, the late Prof Rose Mbowa, one of the iconic theatre educators of her time, nudged him towards formal training in Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) at Makerere University. His father, a writer and journalist, steered him towards the creative path. At an all-boys’ school, his soft voice often landed him in female roles. Today, he laughs at that memory, but says it trained him in flexibility. In 1988, fresh from university, he auditioned for The Ebonies, which had launched a drama wing. ‘We went with my friends; Kimera and Namiiro.

I was lucky enough to be picked,’ he recalls. His breakthrough role came by accident, or destiny. He was cast as an understudy for a character called Inspector Otim. When the lead actor got caught up in other commitments, Kwezi stepped in. The original actor never returned. Inspector Otim became a household name. Audiences laughed, loved, and remembered him. ‘People still call me Inspector Otim to this day.’ But his favourite role was one most audiences might not recall loudly — Alex Mutagejja, a Muganda English teacher trained in America, who returned home unable to speak Luganda properly.

Then came a major shift. After leaving The Ebonies, he joined Namasagali College as a teacher. Under the guidance of Fr Damien Grimes, then school headteacher, he started writing and directing school productions. ‘At Namasagali, I realised I had a gift beyond acting.’ Many of the performers gracing today’s stages and screens passed through his hands. Shy students acting nervous on their debut stage appearance were later supported to become confident actors, directors and producers. The stage was no longer his alone. It became a classroom of souls. ‘As you grow older, stage roles reduce,’ he says with the realism of someone who has fully walked the path.

‘But writing is different. Even at 80, you can still write,’ Kaganda adds. To harness his craft, he joined Maisha Film Lab, founded by Mira Nair, where he learnt the art of screenwriting. He explains: ‘Film doesn’t allow you to tell. You must show. On stage, you speak. In film, you suggest.’ His work and experience led him to contribute to productions such as That’s Life Mwattu, Hand in Hand, and later The Hostel, a youth drama that captured the pulse of a modern Ugandan generation. Today, he continues to write and edit for Sanyu, the popular Pearl Magic drama series. He remains a silent architect behind some of the television moments that Ugandans binge, love and laugh at, and quote.

Mention Fun Factory and his eyes soften. ‘I was there from the beginning,’ he says. ‘Back when it was still Theatre Factory.’ Their first show at TLC is etched in his memory. The audience was small, he recounts, with mostly friends. He was paid a plate of chips. At that time, it was acting and laughter shared in dimly lit corridors of the National Theatre. ‘What has kept Fun Factory together is that people are not there for money. They are there because it feels like home. We are a family. Even our families know each other,’ he adds. Kwezi was born during the 1966 Kabaka Crisis. Movement was restricted and his mother went into labour at night. His father helped her to deliver at home.

Perhaps that is where his life-long relationship with improvisation began, born into tension, raised into creativity. His father wrote. His mother healed. He grew up between stories and compassion, two things that still shape his work. He speaks of acting with a generosity, rare in an industry that often celebrates individual stars. His favourite actor was Kute, his colleague from the Inspector Otim era. He says: ‘People thought I was funny. But it was Kute who made me funny. He listened and reacted. Acting is a give-and-take craft.’ He speaks with deep admiration of Mariam Ndagire, someone he hoped to share a stage with one day, as well as Irene Kulabako and his all-time favourite, Irene Namiiro.

Today, Kwezi Kaganda is still working; writing, editing scripts and walking into theatre rehearsal rooms like a man coming home. But if there is one role he holds above all titles, it is mentor. He challenges local writers to write authentic Ugandan stories and avoid westernising all the content. ‘Most of the work on the market depicts the western culture yet we have a very rich culture.’ For budding writers, Kaganda says screenplay writing has many opportunities provided they deliver good quality stories.

He emphasises that it’s not a enough to have a good story. It should be told very well. Interest, watching other people’s works, reading, basic techniques of writing and practising, are some of the skills he enlists required to thrive in this industry. Matthew Nabwiso is one the talents he is proud of mentoring. ‘I taught him at Namasagali College and I have worked with him on several projects.

The Minister of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Mr Hillary Onek, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to relocating families displaced by the recent landslides in Sebei Sub-region to safer areas.

Local leaders had previously raised concerns that some families affected by past landslides were identified for relocation three years ago by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), yet they remained in harm’s way.

‘We will relocate them to settle in safer areas, but the challenge we face is that the people of Mt Elgon don’t want to be relocated outside their region. If they are taken elsewhere, they often return to the landslide-prone areas,’ Mr Onek told Daily Monitor during a phone interview yesterday.

Last week, heavy rains triggered multiple landslides in Kween, Bukwo, and Kapchorwa districts, leaving 21 people dead, including a child whose body was recovered from the rubble on Tuesday, and more than 12 others reported missing.

The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), supported by police and local volunteers, is retrieving bodies in Kwanwa Village, Kapteka Parish, Chesower Sub-county, Bukwo District.

Mr Onek revealed that the government is in the process of acquiring 2,000 acres of land in Bulambuli and Kween districts to resettle landslide survivors.

‘We are in the process to procure about 2,000 acres of land, but even that is not enough to accommodate the current numbers. We need more land,’ he said.

The State Minister for Disaster Preparedness, Ms Lillian Aber, urged residents still living in disaster-prone hilly areas to vacate immediately: ‘Those who resist will be forcibly relocated by the army and police to prevent further deaths,’ she warned.

Local MPs have also voiced concerns. Mr Solomon Chelangat, the MP for Too County in Bukwo District, said communities are struggling to cope with the constant threat of landslides. ‘We need urgent intervention, not just pronouncements,’ he said.

In 2024, the government launched a cash transfer strategy aimed at accelerating relocation for households in landslide-prone areas.

According to Mr Fredmark Chesang, the police spokesperson for the Sipi Sub-region, plans are underway to move survivors from the resettlement camp in Muyok Sub-county to Benet Primary School in Kween District, as the land in Muyok belongs to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

‘The OPM and district officials have plans to relocate the survivors to Benet Primary School,’ Mr Chesang said.

Background

Following the 201Fred Wambede0 landslides in Bududa District, survivors were relocated to government land in Kiryandongo District but most returned, citing unfavourable living conditions.

In 2019, the government procured land in Bugisu Sub-region, Bulambuli District, and has since resettled nearly 300 families, totalling about 5,000 people.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words but in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, the images speak of unspeakable horror.

Over the past few weeks, satellite photos and shaky cell-phone videos have revealed the scale of massacres unfolding in Sudan’s western region, with bodies strewn across streets, neighbourhoods burned to the ground, and terrified families fleeing yet again into the desert.

On social media, the hashtag #KeepEyesOnSudan was trending at some point, a desperate plea from activists and aid workers trying to force the world to notice. But the truth is grimly simple: the world does see, and yet it does nothing.

In October 2025, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), successors to the Janjaweed militias that terrorised Darfur two decades ago, stormed El Fasher, the Sudanese army’s last major stronghold in the region. The city became a death trap.

According to reports from the United Nations and the Red Cross, more than 260,000 civilians were trapped without food, water, or medical care. Hospitals were shelled, markets were razed and witnesses described men being separated from women and children, then executed.

Earlier this year, RSF attacks on displacement camps in Zamzam and Abu Shouk killed over 100 people, including more than 20 children and nine aid workers. What is happening is not collateral damage, it is the deliberate destruction of a people, the systematic targeting of ethnic communities whose only crime is existing in the ‘wrong place”.

The international response has been as predictable as it is pitiful. The African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), regional bodies that should be leading peace efforts, have issued statements, convened meetings, and proposed ‘dialogues,’ but little else. The United Nations has passed resolutions, deployed envoys, and released carefully worded condemnations. Western powers have expressed ‘grave concern,’ as though concern were a currency that could buy the Sudanese even a loaf of bread. Meanwhile, the killing continues, because those with guns understand that the world’s outrage is mostly noise. Sudan today is not just a failed state, it is a test of the world’s moral spine, and we are failing spectacularly.

This is, without exaggeration, one of the worst humanitarian crises of the 21st Century. More than 10 million people have been displaced since fighting broke out between the RSF and Sudan’s regular army in April 2023. Entire cities have been emptied.

Famine looms in regions once known for their fertile farmlands. Aid convoys are blocked, looted, or bombed.

Humanitarian workers are killed in the line of duty. And yet Sudan barely breaks into international headlines unless a particularly gruesome video makes the algorithmic rounds. The silence is deafening, not the silence of ignorance, but of willful indifference.

It is easy to blame ‘complex geopolitics’ for the paralysis. But complexity is no excuse for inaction. The real problem is a toxic blend of impotence and moral laziness.

The global community has developed a remarkable ability to look busy while doing nothing.

We draft statements, commission inquiries, and announce ‘road maps’ that lead nowhere.

The RSF and its backers in foreign capitals know this script by heart, and they play it expertly.

The cost is measured not in diplomatic communiqués but in human lives, children dying of hunger in makeshift camps, women assaulted in the name of war, men buried in mass graves outside their own homes.

If ever there was a moment for collective conscience, this is it. How can we claim to be God’s children, or even simply decent human beings, while watching this horror unfold before our eyes? The blood of the innocent cries out for mercy and justice, and it cries out to a world too distracted to listen.

It is not enough to ‘keep eyes on Sudan.’ Eyes that see but hands that do nothing are useless.

What is needed now is action: open humanitarian corridors into El Fasher and other besieged areas; enforce real arms embargoes on the RSF and those financing it; support international investigations into war crimes; and deploy regional peacekeepers with clear civilian protection mandates. Words have had their turn, now it is time for deeds.

This is not a distant conflict between rival generals; it is a moral emergency that demands the world’s attention and courage. When history asks what we did as Darfur burned again, our answer cannot be ‘we watched.’

Our silence, our apathy, and our delay will stand as accomplices to the crime. The people of Sudan deserve more than our sympathy, they deserve our solidarity, our outrage, and our action.

The horror show continues, but it doesn’t have to. The world can still decide that Sudan’s story will not end in ashes.

I have been seeing my boyfriend for two years, and everything seemed ideal until his best friend came between us. She has been part of his life much longer than I have, and although I have tried to accept their friendship, her attitude towards me has been openly hostile. She constantly messages him behind my back, pointing out my flaws and criticising how I treat him. He insists they are just friends and trusts me completely, but I can feel the tension whenever she is around. Last week, I found messages where she was trying to plant seeds of doubt, telling him I am ‘changing him’ and that he is ‘not himself anymore.’ I do not want to sound insecure or controlling, but this situation is eating me up inside. I love him deeply, yet I am beginning to resent the presence of someone who clearly does not want to see us happy. How do I approach this without pushing him away or making it seem like I am jealous of their friendship? Nakato

Dear Nakato,

This situation sounds both frustrating and disappointing, and, understandably, you are feeling this way. A third party with no boundaries, especially one who fails to respect your current relationship, can easily cause emotional pain and make you feel excluded or unwanted. It is even more difficult when your boyfriend seems unaware of the hostility directed toward you because his long history of friendship with her blinds him from noticing how her actions are affecting you.

Start on a lighter note by having a private conversation with your boyfriend when neither of you is angry, defensive, or rushed. Choose a calm moment when you can both talk openly. Begin by reaffirming your love and commitment to the relationship. Let him know that you recognise and respect his long-term friendship with her. You can say something like, ‘I know how important she is to you, and that is why it is not easy for me to bring this up.’ Express that this conversation comes from a place of love and not jealousy. Then, gently explain how their current interaction makes you feel uncomfortable and how it has been affecting your emotional well-being.

Shift the focus of the conversation from her to ‘us.’ This helps your boyfriend see the issue as one that affects your relationship as a couple rather than a personal conflict between you and his friend.

By doing this, you create an opportunity for teamwork and understanding instead of defensiveness. You can then request that he establishes healthy boundaries that allow both of you the space to grow together without unnecessary interference from a third party.

It is important to frame this request respectfully; avoid setting harsh ultimatums such as ‘If you do not stop talking to her, I will leave.’ Instead, calmly explain the behaviours that hurt you and suggest practical solutions. For instance, you could ask that if she brings up negative discussions about you, he should calmly change the subject or discourage such conversations.

This approach teaches his friend to respect you while also showing that he values your relationship. Remember, her disrespect towards you continues only if he allows it; when he listens or even adds to her derogatory remarks, it reinforces her behaviour.

Be very clear about what you want him to know. Use specific examples of the compromising situations or interactions that make you uncomfortable. This helps him understand exactly where boundaries are needed.

After your conversation, observe how things change. If he agrees to set boundaries and you notice improvements, such as reduced tension or increased respect, consider it a positive step for your relationship. You will have created a healthier space for both of you to connect and grow. However, if his friend’s behaviour remains unchanged and he continues to dismiss or trivialise your feelings, it may be a sign that your relationship is not a priority for him. In that case, it might be time to carefully evaluate the relationship and make a decision about your next step.

Ultimately, a healthy relationship thrives on mutual respect and emotional safety. If your boyfriend values your feelings and takes steps to protect your space as a couple, it will strengthen your bond and build deeper trust. However, if he continues to ignore your concerns, it may be a sign to reconsider whether the relationship is truly meeting your emotional needs and offering the respect you deserve.

Reader Advice

Give him space

Rosie Prince. Excuse yourself and give him space to sort things out. If he becomes ready to commit and offers you clear, undivided attention, you can reengage. Do not compete for his affection or lower your standards; trying to win him despite unclear intentions will likely cost you dignity and the relationship.

Do not compete

Praise Alex. Step back and give them breathing room; observe their behaviour without pressuring or monitoring. Space reveals priorities and intentions. If he values the relationship, he will act to clarify and commit. If he remains distant or indecisive, accept that his actions reflect his choice, and protect your heart accordingly. Always.

Set your boundaries

Joshua Kirungi. Address the rival calmly and directly; state your intentions and boundaries without insults. If she is pursuing marriage, make your expectations clear so there is no confusion. Put the decision back to the man: ask him to choose and commit or step away. Early clarity prevents prolonged heartache and wasted time.

Communicate clearly

Benon Mugisha. Communicate clearly and respectfully. Tell him exactly what you want and deserve. If he hesitates or avoids commitment, do not plead; step aside and observe. A serious man will clarify his intentions quickly. Uncertainty only breeds heartache. Confidence in yourself will attract the kind of love you deserve.

Protect your heart

Davis Okello. When someone hesitates between you and another, they have already made a silent decision. Do not fight to stay where you are tolerated. Step away gracefully, regain your focus, and keep your dignity. The right person will not confuse you; they will choose you without second thoughts.

Talk to friends, mentors

Grace Nansubuga. Talk to trusted friends or mentors who will give you honest advice, not just comfort. Sometimes we ignore red flags because of feelings. Listen to your instincts. If he is still undecided, let him go. Real love does not hide behind mixed signals or uncertainty; it shows through commitment and consistency.

Be wise with your time

Irene Mbabazi. If he cannot commit now, he probably will not later. Do not pause your dreams waiting for his decision. Move forward gracefully. The right partner will meet you halfway, not make you stand still in confusion. Freedom from emotional games is real happiness.

Focus on your happiness

Cecilia Namutebi. Focus on yourself; your peace, goals, and confidence. If he truly wants you, he will come back willingly. But if he chooses another, let him go. This is better than wasting your love on someone who doubts it.

Police in Jinja District have arrested a 48-year-old man accused of repeatedly raping women as they returned home from work at night.

The suspect, a mandazi hawker and resident of Wanyange Lake in Budhumbuli-Bugembe, Jinja City, has allegedly been terrorizing women in the area for some time.

According to police, most of his victims had previously feared reporting the assaults due to his threats to kill anyone who exposed him.

Kiira Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr James Mubi, confirmed the arrest, explaining that the suspect’s latest victim was attacked on her way home.

‘The suspect threatened to kill the victim if she refused to sleep with him. After he committed the act, she gathered courage and reported the incident to police,’ Mr Mubi said.

He added that the suspect is believed to have assaulted several other women in the same area.

“Some victims reportedly chose to remain silent to protect their identities, as they personally knew the assailant.”

Police have protected the identity of the latest victim, who has appealed to any other women who may have suffered similar attacks to report to Kakira Police Station and help pin the suspect.

Police reaffirmed their commitment to combating gender-based violence and protecting victims of sexual assault through the prompt arrest of perpetrators, speedy case handling, and community sensitisation.

In a fiercely competitive insurance market, the merger between Jubilee Allianz and Sanlam General is far more than a corporate consolidation. It is a strategic realignment that redefines balance, scale, and influence.

The merger of two giants, which was approved by the Insurance Regulatory Authority in August, has created SanlamAllianz, a new powerhouse that now commands 21.1 percent of the non-life market as of June 2025.

This is virtually neck and neck with the long-established market leader, UAP Old Mutual General (now Old Mutual), which holds a 21.5 percent share.

Before the merger, Sanlam and Jubilee Allianz each brought unique strengths that, while impressive individually, often left them trailing Old Mutual’s consolidated might.

IRA data for the quarter ended June 2025 tells the story of two giants with a tale of diversified strengths.

Sanlam stood out as the fastest-growing major insurer, posting 6.5 percent year-on-year growth, with a diversified portfolio, excelling in motor, liability, and miscellaneous lines, which together offered steady cash flow and customer breadth.

Its aggressive distribution strategy and strong regional brand made it a clear number two, but it still faced limits in underwriting depth and balance-sheet weight compared to Old Mutual.

On the other hand, Jubilee Allianz leaned on deep institutional roots and global technical expertise through the Allianz brand.

Though its gross written premiums contracted 6.4 percent year-on-year, it remained a benchmark for risk management discipline, reinsurance sophistication, and brand credibility.

Its strength in fire insurance and engineering lines gave it strong technical muscle, but a relatively narrower base than both Old Mutual and Sanlam.

In contrast, Old Mutual’s combined legacy scale and diversified strength offered it a comfortable lead with about Shs123.4b in written premiums.

It dominated both corporate fire and motor lines, with deep broker relationships and an established distribution network spanning corporate corridors. Its position was secure until now.

By joining Sanlam’s agility with Jubilee Allianz’s technical and international prowess, SanlamAllianz has emerged as a hybrid powerhouse, giving the new entity Shs120.9b in written premiums and placing it within striking distance of Old Mutual’s Shs123.4b.

For the first time in years, Old Mutual faces a competitor with scale, capital depth, brand pedigree, and, perhaps crucially, a fresh hunger for growth.

The merger combines two complementary engines. In fire insurance, the duo’s combined Shs41b portfolio narrows Old Mutual’s lead in one of the most capital-intensive segments, while in motor, Sanlam’s robust presence adds to Jubilee Allianz’s base, creating parity in one of the industry’s most visible and competitive lines.

Across liability and miscellaneous classes, SanlamAllianz will balance high-value corporate risks with retail and SMEs, smoothing volatility.

However, the numbers tell only part of the story. Before the merger, Old Mutual enjoyed a comfortable lead, its brand synonymous with strength.

Post-merger, the equilibrium shifts, with SanlamAllianz combining regional clout in east and southern Africa with a global reputation for risk excellence, to create a cross-border dual-powered identity that blends local trust with international discipline.

While Old Mutual continues to benefit from legacy networks, its challenge will be defending its share against a rejuvenated, integrated rival capable of innovating faster and partnering deeper.

For policyholders, the rivalry is good news, as it provides an expanded underwriting capacity and deepens coverage options across sectors.

For the industry, the merger crystallizes a new era, with the non-life market, once dominated by a single firm, now a two-horse race, defined by competition in scale, service, and innovation.

Thus, the Sanlam-Jubilee Allianz combo is a new force that embodies the maturity and ambition of the insurance sector, mirrors Old Mutual’s size, and matches its market depth.

The next chapters in Uganda’s insurance story will no longer be written by one leader alone, but by the fierce rivalry of two giants, one historic and the other newly reborn.

In all this, IRA must be the happiest. The regulator has been nudging mergers and acquisitions in the sector, citing the need to build a more liquid and resilient industry.

At the launch of the merged SanlamAllianz, IRA chief executive officer, Ibrahim Lubega Kaddunabbi, said the union reflected maturity and confidence in the sector.

Presently in 27 countries, SanlamAllianz will also need to navigate Uganda’s low insurance penetration, currently under 1 percent.

Ruth Namuli, who was recently appointed as chief executive officer of the merged company, said the amalgamation is a ‘unique outcome of an alliance that combines the strength and expertise of [two] insurance giants’.

In Uganda today, we do not just have bad politics, we have a bastardised political arena. A system stripped of dignity, emptied of values, and turned into a marketplace for votes.

Here, elections are no longer about ideas, competence, or service. They are about money, the new currency of power.

As other countries approach elections, voters weigh candidates by their vision and integrity. But in Uganda, it comes down to who can distribute the most sugar, salt, soap, or hoes.

Our so-called honourable Members of Parliament have mastered one art, not legislation or oversight , but how to buy another term in office.

Every election season, they descend on villages like returning messiahs, attending funerals, fundraisings, and birthday parties, handing out brown envelopes in exchange for praise songs and blind loyalty. And we cheer, kneel, and clap, forgetting to ask: What have they done for us in Parliament?

Having served twice as a polling agent, I have seen this up close.

Whenever I asked someone to vote for my candidate, they didn’t ask about her policies or experience. They asked only one thing: ‘How much is she paying?’

The highest bidder always wins. And even when the candidate is competent, their victory becomes a triumph of cash, not character. That is why we remain stuck, choosing money over merit.

This monetisation of politics allows MPs to neglect their duties once elected. They know the voters aren’t watching. They know all they need to offer come the next election is Shs20,000 and a packet of salt. That is the going rate for silence and submission.

We got here because of poverty and ignorance. Many Ugandans are too poor to reject bribes; others don’t understand what Parliament is meant to do. Ironically, some candidates also borrow money to bribe voters, a vicious cycle that only deepens our political decay.

The regime has mastered this dysfunction. It knows that poor but desperate MPs can be bought, and that Opposition voices can be silenced with envelopes or appointments.

Once loud critics of the regime are now its most loyal defenders. Money changes everything.

Yet they are not the only problem. The people, too, must take responsibility. Our indifference has birthed this ghetto politics, where competence is rejected unless it comes with bribes. We sell our votes and cry foul when nothing changes. But there is a way forward.

Honest candidates must take the gamble, to campaign on ideas, not sugar. Let Ugandans slowly rediscover politics that speak to their dignity, not their hunger.

And to my fellow voters: think about the Uganda you want your children to inherit. The salt-and-basin politicians go to Parliament to destroy your health, your education, your democracy, and your future.

Do not sell your vote for a packet of sugar. Until we end this trade in votes, Uganda will remain trapped in the dungeons of ghetto politics, ruled not by the competent, but by the rich and unqualified populists.