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With four swimmers topping their age categories, School of Tomorrow Uganda (Sotu) defended their Uganda Aquatics National Independence Championships title at Greenhill Academy Kibuli on Saturday.

Sotu, which is mostly a collection of swimmers that study at home and could otherwise swim as individuals scored 1,494 points while Aga Khan Academy finished second on 1,255 points, and the The North Green School (TNGS) got their first podium finish with 1,145 points just ahead of the hosts (1,135).

Sotu’s Jonathan Kaweesa was the biggest points collector with 80 points from topping all of his four individual races in the 13-14 years age group. The swimmers took part in the 50m backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and 25m freestyle events.

Kaweesa was so ahead of his age group’s grid that Hill Preparatory School’s Arthur Nsubuga followed with 61 points while the host’s Paulsen Kilara was third with 50 points.

In the 13-14 girls’ category, Sotu’s Zara Mbanga came top with 70 points after topping the 50m breaststroke, coming second in both the 50m backstroke and butterfly, and third in 25m freestyle.

Aga Khan’s Tyrah Muganzi topped the 50m backstroke and butterfly – the only events she did – but finished 6th just ahead of Aga Khan’s Crystal Ssemanda (36 points), who topped the 25m freestyle and came third in her other only event (50m back). The two finished behind Sotu’s Mackayla Ssali (63 points), Hillside Primary School’s Chloe Nazziwa (51), British School of Kampala (BSK) Rafters’ Paula Nabukeera (48), and TNGS’ Angella Businge (47).

15 and Over

Sotu also had Pendo Kaumi (60) and Peyton Suubi (76) top the 15 and Over boys’ and girls’ age groups respectively.

Kaumi topped the senior boys in 50m fly and back, plus 25m free to earn his points while Suubi took charge of the 50m events and came third in 25m free behind Vienna College Namugongo’s Karimah Katemba and Aga Khan’s Paloma Kirabo.

Katemba and Kirabo finished second (68 points) and third (66) in the senior girl’s category respectively. For the senior boys, TNGS’s Nathan Nsereko (53) and Sotu’s Ian Aziku (51) were second and third respectively.

11-12 Years

Mushirah Nabatanzi topped the 11-12 year old girls with 76 points after topping the 50m breaststroke and fly events, plus 25m freestyle. Liorah Lumu, who topped the 50m backstroke, finished second overall with 67 points while Hill Preparatory’s Alba Ihunde (61) was 3rd.

For the boys, Kristian Bwisho of Shree Sahajanand scored 73 points after topping 50m breaststroke and 25m free. Elisha Kato, who represented Hill Preparatory, topped the 50m backstroke while Elijah Ayesiga of Sotu topped the 50m fly as both 12 year old boys finished joint second with 68 points.

10 and Under

Hill Preparatory’s Raan Batuk topped the 10 and Under boys with 72 points after topping the 50m breaststroke and 25m free events.

Hillside’s Ashley Kimuli topped the 50m fly and 50m back events but finished third on 61 points – four behind Greenhill’s Austin Wanyama.

For the junior girls, Aga Khan’s Denorah Natabi scored 71 points after topping 50m breaststroke and 50m backstroke.

Light Academy’s Paulette Wakabi was second overall (65 points) and topped the 25m freestyle while Greenhill’s Paula Aryemo topped the 50m fly. Aryemo, however, finished 5th overall a point behind Shree’s Nyla Musoke (45 points) in 4th while The Olive School’s Talitha Siima was 3rd with 60 points.

Relays

In the mixed 4x50m medley relays, Greenhill topped the 10 and Unders ahead of Hill Preparatory and The Olive School while Sotu topped the other age groups.

In 11-12, Hill Preparatory and Greenhill joined Sotu on the podium while Aga Khan and BSK Rafters came second and third in the 13-14 age group. Ndejje University and Aga Khan joined Sotu on the 15 and Over age group podium.

In the mixed 4x25m freestyle relays, Greenhill topped the 10 and Unders while Sotu topped the 11-12 and 13-14 age groups. Aga Khan topped the 15 and Over age group.

In the gender medley relays, The Olive School topped the 10 and Under girls’ 4x50m medley relay while Greenhill topped the boys.

Sotu topped both the boys and girls’ medley relays in the 11-12 age group. In 13-14, Aga Khan topped the girls while Sotu topped the boys. Sotu also topped the 15 and Over boys while Greenhill topped the girls.

Vision for Africa topped the 10 and Under girls’ 4x25m freestyle relay while Greenhill topped the boys.

Again, School of Tomorrow topped the 11-12 boys and girls while Aga Khan and Sotu topped the 13-14 girls and boys respectively.

Sotu, again, topped the 15 and Over boys while BSK topped the girls.

UGANDA AQUATICS INDEPENDENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

How They Finished

School of Tomorrow – 1,494

Aga Khan – 1,255

The North Green – 1,145

Green Hill Academy – 1,135

BSK Rafters – 1,052

Hill Preparatory School – 984.5

Shree Sahajanand School – 586

Vienna College – 557

Hillside P/S Naalya – 536.5

The Olive School – 375

Top performer per age group

10 and Under

G: Denorah Natabi (Aga Khan) – 71 points

B: Raan Batuk (Hill Preparatory) – 72

11-12 Years

G: Mushirah Nabatanzi (Educare Jr.) – 76

B: Kristian Bwisho (Shree Sahajanand) – 73

13-14 Years

G: Zara Mbanga (School of Tomorrow) – 70

B: Jonathan Kaweesa (School of Tomorrow) – 80

15 and Over

G: Peyton Suubi (School of Tomorrow) – 76

B: Pendo Kaumi (School of Tomorrow) – 60

One of the shocks of the 2021 General Election came from the newly constituted Jinja South West, where the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Moses Grace Balyeku lost to Timothy Batuwa from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). The difference in the number of votes was 1,699. Formerly known as Jinja West, Balyeku had represented this constituency from 2011 when he wrestled it from FDC’s Harry Kasigwa. To become a political force in Jinja, Kasigwa had wrestled it from the NRM’s Henry Kyemba (deceased) in 2001. By the 2006 elections, Kasigwa had buttressed himself in the politics of Jinja so much so that he ensured all the Local Council divisions were under FDC’s control.

In the runup to the 2011 elections, in an effort to wrestle Jinja West from the firm grip of Kasigwa, Balyeku dug into his deep pockets and constructed 120 market stalls in Mpumudde market. He also extended water stand pipes to Kimaka B Village. His success came as no surprise. In 2016, Balyeku easily defended his seat, beating FDC’s Paul Kawanguzi with a difference of 2,742 votes. But Balyeku couldn’t repeat the same feat in 2021 because by that time, he had been involved in some land wrangles.

Land wrangles

Balyeku’s footprints in Busoga land wrangles were exposed in 2018 during the Land Commission inquiry led by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire. The NRM politician was summoned after accusations emerged that he influenced the issuance of a freehold title over plot 24 B Kyabazinga Way in Nalufenya to businessman Thummar Jay Magnalal Patel. This was over a running lease of Jinja Municipal Council and a sub-lease to Tirupati Development. Justice Bamugemereire moved to issue criminal summons after Balyeku snubbed repeated summons by the Commission to provide evidence on the transfer of the land. Justice Bamugemereire also warned Balyeku of attempting to compromise members of the Commission through unnecessary phone calls. As if that wasn’t enough, Balyeku would get entangled in a standoff with then Jinja Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Eric Sakwa, still over land wrangles.

Sakwa, who had appeared before Justice Bamugemereire to pin Balyeku, was thereafter charged with manslaughter. The DPP claimed that between March 22 and April 17, 2020, while in Lwanda Village in Jinja, Sakwa and his co-accused, Bazimbyewa Bumali, alias Chris Umar Dindodi, a resident of Mafubira Zone C in Mafubira Sub-county, Jinja District and businessman Mohammed Simba, alias Meddie, also from the same place, caused the death of Charles Isanga when they stormed his kiosk and tortured him.

The charges were later dismissed by the High Court, but Sakwa said they were cooked by the DPP at the behest of Balyeku. ‘Balyeku is the one who engineered everything; of course, he denies he is the one who does all of that,’ Sakwa said, prompting Balyeku, who owns Baba Television and Baba Radio, to offer a rebuttal.

Balyeku said: ‘I have no problem with Sakwa that necessitates me to go to that level of arresting him. I’m not a police officer, minister in government or army officer, but an ordinary backbencher in Parliament. I don’t have those powers to make the court sit at 4pm.’

When Sakwa was temporarily jailed, there were protests outside the court premises by some civilians who had no kind words for Balyeku. Once the legislator lost to Batuwa, observers familiar with Jinja West politics attributed Balyeku’s loss to the way he handled the Sakwa standoff. Another contributing factor in Balyeku’s downfall was his open support for the removal of presidential age limits from the Constitution. Balyeku had teamed up with Kyaka South MP Jackson Kafuuzi to second the Bill that was tabled by Raphael Magyezi, allowing Museveni’s continued presidency. ‘Age shouldn’t be a factor that hinders the rights and freedom of any Ugandan to vie for the post of President,’ Balyeku said.

A cold shoulder

In the aftermath of amending the Constitution, Museveni rewarded Kafuuzi with the post of Deputy Attorney General. Balyeku was, however, ignored. Even when he lost his parliamentary seat, Museveni didn’t award him with any ministerial job like he did with his NRM cadres who lost in Buganda such as Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo and Ruth Nankabirwa. Still, Balyeku didn’t abandon the NRM; he stood in its primaries and defeated his closest rival, Daniel Kanu, with 9,020 votes against his 2,240 to win the NRM flag for next year’s elections. Other contestants in the race were David Talenga, who placed third with 78 votes. Sakwa trailed in fourth position with 71 votes.

Once he was declared the winner, Balyeku rallied all NRM supporters in Jinja South West to unite and rally behind him. Yet Balyeku’s NRM rivals weren’t contended with his victory, accusing him of importing rowdy youth from other areas, who allegedly threatened voters from participating in the electoral process. Kanu’s petition to an NRM tribunal that handled the disputes that arose from the ruling party’s primaries was thrown out for want of evidence, giving Balyeku a sigh of relief.

This means Balyeku is once again going to face Batuwa, who changed his political home from the FDC to the National Unity Platform (NUP). When he joined NUP, Batuwa insisted that he wasn’t just interested in retaining his seat but rather to see that the NRM is kicked out of power.

‘They have been promising Ugandans things they can’t deliver. They are the reason why Busoga [Sub-region] has really lagged in terms of development. We need to get them out of power,’ Batuwa said.

A doctor’s touch

In his constituency, Batuwa says, since he is a physician, he has directed his energies in improving the condition of health centres that include Jinja regional referral hospital.

‘In the health sector, I have advocated for two health facilities: Jinja Referral Hospital and Kimaka Health Centre III. Kimaka Health Centre III got an allocation of over Shs300m, which has enabled us to place houses for staff and a wall fence. Staff houses enable staff to deal with cases that emerge at night.

In the entire Sub-region [Busoga], it’s only Kimaka Health Centre III that got support of that nature. In Jinja referral, I have been able to mobilise budget support to fund one of the Intensive Care Units. We now have 10 Intensive Care Units and they are operating. We also have oxygen manufacturing equipment. We are no longer ferrying in oxygen. I managed to secure budget support to secure a scan and to ensure that ours is functional,’ Batuwa said.

In Parliament, Batuwa was among the legislators who authored a minority report asking the House to impose a time limit within which alcohol is sold in Uganda. He argued that the same proposal was supported by Nile Breweries Limited and Uganda Breweries Limited, which are the top alcohol manufacturers in Uganda.

‘Suffice to note is that when Uganda Breweries Limited, Nile Breweries Limited and the Uganda Alcohol Industry Association appeared before the Committee as the major players in the alcohol sector, they welcomed the clause on limitation of time and made a few proposals for adjustment in the time, which we have captured in the recommendation. In addition, the literature review revealed that many countries have prescribed a restriction of time for sale of alcohol, and hence Uganda will not be the first country to restrict the time of sale of alcoholic drinks,’ the minority report reads in part.

When the rubber meets the road, there’s no room for error – and that’s exactly where the Uganda Cranes find themselves as they prepare for their most daunting test yet in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.

On Tuesday, under the floodlights of Stade Hocine-Aït-Ahmed in Boukhalfa, Uganda’s battle-hardened defence will lock horns with an Algerian side already through to the next round but far from finished.

Boasting a record of three consecutive clean sheets – 360 minutes without conceding a goal against Guinea (1-0), Mozambique (4-0), Somalia (2-0), Botswana (0-1) – the Cranes’ back line of Toby Sibbick, Elio Capradossi, Jordan Obita, and Aziz Kayondo has been a wall of steel.

That wall, however, will face its sternest battering when they meet an Algerian attack that has struck 22 times across their qualifiers campaign.

While tomorrow’s tie may appear a formality for the already qualified Fennecs, head coach Vladimir Petkovic is unlikely to leave anything to chance.

Now comes Mahrez

Spearheading his plans is legendary forward Riyad Mahrez. The former Manchester City winger, now on 105 caps with 33 goals and 44 assists, turned in a majestic display in the 3-0 thumping of Somalia – scoring one and assisting two.

His artistry not only sealed Algeria’s place in the World Cup but also reaffirmed his status as a national icon. Alongside Mahrez, Mohamed Amoura is another name that will keep Ugandan defenders on their toes.

The electric forward grabbed a splendid brace against Somalia and continues to show why he is considered Algeria’s most dangerous offensive weapon.

The fluid interplay between Mahrez, Amoura, and veteran attacker Baghdad Bounedjah forms the spine of an attacking force that has overwhelmed nearly every opponent on their path to the World Cup.

Uganda’s hopes, though slim, are still alive – and to keep them breathing, they must do the unthinkable: shut out Algeria in their own backyard.

Onyango boost

A major boost comes in the form of the returning Denis Onyango, the legendary shot-stopper whose experience and command will be crucial in marshalling the defensive unit.

The duel between left-back Aziz Kayondo and Mahrez promises to be a highlight reel in itself, while centre-backs Obita and Capradossi must contend with the wily movements of Bounedjah.

Meanwhile, Sibbick, the newest addition to the back four, faces his most grueling challenge yet as he might be tasked with silencing the relentless Amoura.

But it won’t be down to the defenders alone. The double pivot of Kenneth Ssemakula and skipper Khalid Aucho must offer a shield against Algeria’s midfield maestros – Farès Chaïbi, Nabil Bentaleb, and Hicham Boudaoui – who can carve open defences with a single pass.

For Paul Put’s men, unity, belief, and composure will be the order of the day. They must erase the psychological block that has long haunted them against North African sides and dare to dream that the Fennecs, now with qualification in the bag, might lower their guard.

In what promises to be a thrilling contest of grit versus grandeur, the Cranes must rise – because tomorrow, the road to the World Cup truly meets its most unforgiving stretch.

Two weeks after the Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) released the list of its approved parliamentary flagbearers for the 2026 elections, at least 82 aggrieved aspirants who were left out have petitioned the party, challenging their rejection and seeking justice.

Among them, only one incumbent-Mr Aloysius Mukasa, the Rubaga South MP-has petitioned the party after being dropped in favour of Ms Euginia Nassolo. The rest of the dissatisfied aspirants have announced plans to contest as Independents against NUP’s chosen candidates.

On September 29, NUP formed a four-member tribunal committee chaired by Dr Moses Kanaabi, with members Mr Johnathan Elotu, Mr Marvin Saasi, and Ms Fatuma Cassim, to handle complaints from the aggrieved aspirants.

The committee was given two days after the release of the list to receive petitions. Speaking to this publication yesterday, Mr Elotu, who is also NUP’s secretary for legal affairs, said of the 82 petitioners, 46 came from the central region, 32 from the eastern region, and four from the northern and western regions combined.

He explained that after receiving the petitions, the committee follows two steps: first, reviewing the evidence to determine which cases are valid, and second, holding hearings where all parties are invited to present their arguments.

‘Last week we had a hearing from eastern Uganda; we called all the aggrieved and the candidate being challenged to hear from both sides. We are still processing the information to hear from central, western, and northern Uganda. We are currently scrutinising the petitions. After our stiff process of hearing, we will be able to confirm the legitimate NUP winners,’ Mr Elotu said.

When asked when the final results would be released, Mr Elotu said: ‘The role of the committee to make the recommendations to the NUP executive board will determine the next fate to come out with the final lists.’

What the petitioners say

Mr David Musiri, who was aspiring for the Makindye West seat, expressed his disappointment over the selection process, arguing that it undermines loyal party members. ‘After the release of the results, when I was missing on the list, everyone was shocked. Maybe there was a slight mistake. Ms [Zahara] Luyirika, who was selected, had been vetted for the Kampala City Woman MP. Her selection undermines our core values and integrity,’ Mr Musiri said.

Mr Robert Ssekidde, alias Tuff B (Makindye East) said: ‘In my petition I expressed the desire to know why a person who was given a card had not shown interest in it but had just shifted three days to vetting. His education credentials were questionable.’

Ms Zuraika Nalukenge Ssekito challenged the selection of Ms Veronica Nanyondo to represent the party in the Bukomansimbi Woman MP race, arguing that she had withdrawn her signature during the Shs1.7b service award saga that led to the attempted impeachment of Mr Mathias Mpuuga as a Parliament commissioner.

‘If the party is talking about a leader being reliable and understanding the party’s core values, they won’t have made such a decision. I have been an NUP district registrar; I have followed all the party’s core values,’ Ms Nalukenge said.

Other petitioners are Ms Faustina Nalubega Bitaano (Mityana Woman MP) and Ms Juliet Nanteza (Wakiso District Woman MP), among others.