Author: user user

Uganda’s World Cup dream has reached its final, most improbable chapter – a high-stakes visit to Boukhalfa’s Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium, where group leaders Algeria await.

The North Africans, already qualified with a game to spare, have been imperious for much of the campaign, with the 2-1 defeat to Guinea in June last year their only blemish.

Stacked against the odds

The Cranes, who arrived in Algeria on Saturday, know the odds are stacked against them: only a convincing win on Tuesday can keep their faint mathematical hope of sneaking into the playoffs alive.

That glimmer of hope was lit in Francistown on Independence Day, when Jude Ssemugabi’s 54th-minute header from an Allan Okello corner earned Uganda a 1-0 victory over Botswana.

The win came on the back of victories over Guinea in March and Mozambique and Somalia in September, underlining the quiet progress Paul Put’s side have made through the campaign.

‘We knew it would be a tough game,’ said Cranes coach Put after the match in Francistown.

‘Botswana were dangerous with long balls, so we had to stay organised. We had chances to score earlier, and I think the victory was deserved.

Botswana gave one hundred percent and were very aggressive, but I am proud of how my players fought. Now, we prepare for Algeria. It will be a long journey and a difficult game, but in football, you never know.’

Caf rule spanner in the works

In truth, Uganda’s challenge goes far beyond the pitch. Caf’s decision to discount matches against bottom-placed teams – following Eritrea’s withdrawal in November 2023 – changed the complexion of the race for the four best runners-up spots.

The new regulation, quietly communicated to member associations in March 2025, means Uganda’s two wins over Somalia no longer count.

In one stroke, six points and three goals vanished from their tally, dropping the Cranes to 12 adjusted points and sixth in the revised ranking – behind Gabon, Cameroon, DR Congo, Madagascar, and Burkina Faso.

Onyango’s first start

That context makes Tuesday’s mission in Boukhalfa as much about pride as possibility.

The Cranes have never beaten Algeria away, and few visiting sides leave the North African giants’ home soil with anything more than hard lessons.

Yet for Put’s group, this fixture represents both a test of growth and a statement of intent – a chance to measure themselves against Africa’s elite and to carry belief into the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco later this year.

The return of legendary goalkeeper Denis Onyango has added emotional resonance to that mission.

Making his first appearance since his 2021 retirement, the Mamelodi Sundowns stalwart – despite not being truly tested – provided both experience and calm in Francistown, marshalling a back line of Toby Sibbick, Elio Capradossi, Jordan Obita and Aziz Kayondo.

‘First of all, I have to thank the team for allowing me back,’ Onyango reflected. ‘After four years of retirement, I was allowed to come back and help where I can.

‘Regardless of whether I play or not, I remain a key member of the team. The coaches have shown trust in me, and I am happy to still play active football with Sundowns.’

Regarding the mission in Algeria, Onyango opined: ‘In football, anything can happen. We do not know what the results in Algeria will be, but we have given ourselves a chance.’

His words mirror the sentiment within the camp – a balance of humility and quiet optimism.

Uganda’s blend of youth and experience has begun to find its rhythm, with players like Ssemugabi, Okello, and Rogers Mato offering attacking spark, while Onyango and the lieutenants in front of him, including captain Khalid Aucho, anchor the team’s leadership spine.

Afcon is the ultimate

While the 2026 World Cup dream may hang by the thinnest of threads, the Cranes’ mission in Algeria is as much about belief and statement-making as it is about arithmetic.

A spirited performance in Boukhalfa could underline the team’s growth and continental ambition, even if qualification ultimately slips away.

‘Now we have 18 points (12 in best four runners-up race) with one game to go,’ Onyango added, reflecting on Uganda’s broader campaign.

‘If we can make the playoffs, it will be great for the team and the country. It is important that we keep winning and stay positive going into the Africa Cup of Nations in two months.’

Uganda will need that same blend of positivity and realism come Tuesday. Against a Riyad Mahrez-inspired Algeria that has already sealed qualification, the Cranes are playing for more than just points – they are playing for progress, pride, and belief.

Fifa 2026 World Cup Qualifiers (Caf)

Final Group G fixtures

October 14

Algeria vs Uganda, Stade Hocine-Aït-Ahmed, Boukhalfa, 7pm

Guinea vs Botswana, Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca, 7pm

Somalia vs Mozambique, Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex, Bir El Djir, 7pm

Table for best four second-placed teams after Caf rule is applied

Team Pts GD Final opponents

Gabon 16 +4 vs Burundi (H)

Cameroon 14 +9 vs Angola (H)

DR Congo 13 +4 vs Sudan (H)

Madagascar 13 +3 vs Mali (A)

Burkina Faso 12 +4 vs Ethiopia (H)

Uganda 12 +3 vs Algeria (A)

Niger 12 0 vs Zambia (A)

South Africa 11 +1 vs Rwanda (H)

Namibia 9 +1 vs Tusia (A)

It is not often that the local league – the StarTimes Uganda Premier League – makes the front pages of this publication. We have often reserved space on the front page for some great sports stories. Most of these tell the story of success that makes us all very proud as Ugandans or despair that shakes our hope and confidence in our ability to compete with the world.

This is how athletes like Joshua Cheptegei, Peruth Chemutai and Jacob Kiplimo became regular features on what is the most important page of any newspaper. There has also been room for the national teams of football, rugby and netball et al as their stories of triumph represent the odds many of us have to beat every day.

However, there are days when that page has been reserved for crises like unpaid bonuses, rogue television deals, ticket fraud and the pain of former sportspersons who brought joy to Uganda. Media can be seen as a tool for advocacy since these people come from within our families and communities. It also remains a major tool for accountability and demand for transparency.

The latter is the major reason behind the local league making the front page seven days ago. Empty stands of Mandela National Stadium (Namboole) were splashed here. Clearly, the game is in crisis again after some years of progress. The issue emanates from the local federation, Fufa, choosing to radically reform the league while injecting Shs3.4b. Many clubs and fans contested the reforms, arguing that there wasn’t adequate consultation before rolling out the now-infamous new format.

The clubs have since come around and agreed to play, some under protest, except Vipers, which chose not to show up at Namboole for their game against Kitara. The message from fans was loud and unequivocal – the majority are not happy. Someone has got to pay attention and listen – something is not right. Vipers have decided to lead this crusade against the reforms. It’s become a lonely war for them as their peers have chosen to coil. However, the fans, an important part of the football ecosystem, have clearly sided with the seven-time league champions.

Neither side is willing to budge in a debate that is not about sainthood. The war could escalate quickly if the warring parties do not choose dialogue as a means of conflict resolution. There have been accusations of blackmail by Fufa to force clubs to toe the line. This has become a war of extremes, yet the goal for all parties is the same – to have stadiums full for games.

The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential candidate, Maj Gen (rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu, has called upon voters in Rakai and Kyotera districts to rally behind candidates from the National Unity Platform (NUP) and other opposition groups in the forthcoming general elections.

Muntu’s call follows failure by ANT to front candidates to compete for most positions in the area.

Speaking during his campaign tour across several trading centers including Kifamba, Kibaale, Rakai, Lwanda, Ssanje, Kalisizo, and Kyotera on Sunday, Muntu emphasised the need for opposition unity to bring about a peaceful change in Uganda’s leadership.

‘Our mission is to achieve genuine change in the governance of this country. Since ANT has only one flag bearer here, Mr Denis Muyunga, for the Chairperson of Kasasa sub-county who is also our Greater Masaka regional coordinator, I urge you to vote for all capable opposition candidates who can stand firm against the regime,’ Muntu told cheering crowds.

Among those NUP candidates he endorsed are; Grace Nalubega (Rakai District Woman MP), Rose Fortunate Nantongo (Kyotera District Woman MP), Saddam Kiggundu (Rakai TC councilor), Geoffrey Lutaaya (Kakuuto County MP) and John Paul Mpalanyi (Kyotera County MP). He also backed independent candidate, Alexander Mackay Muhinda for the Rakai District Chairperson seat, describing him as ‘a strong voice for the opposition.’

Addressing long-standing rural challenges

Gen Muntu’s message resonated deeply with residents frustrations over what they described as decades of government neglect. Rakai and Kyotera, both largely rural and agrarian, continue to struggle with poor infrastructure, low incomes, limited access to healthcare, and frequent water shortages.

Many roads in the two districts remain unpaved and impassable during the rainy seasons, making it difficult for farmers to transport produce to markets. Health centers often face medicine stock-outs, and schools grapple with low teacher pay and inadequate facilities.

‘Imagine, President Museveni has promised to tarmac these roads for decades, but look at their state,’ Muntu said as residents applauded in agreement. ‘You cannot keep rewarding failed leadership. This is the right time for the old man to retire peacefully and allow the country to move forward.’

Muntu pledged to prioritise public service reforms if elected, with a particular focus on improving the welfare of teachers and local government employees.

‘The least-paid government worker should earn at least Shs2.5million, according to findings from one of the government’s own research institutions. It’s shameful that the state cannot fulfill such recommendations,’ he said.

He argued that improving pay and working conditions for teachers and civil servants would boost morale, improve service delivery, and reduce corruption at the local level.

Muntu, a former army commander who served under President Museveni before parting ways with the ruling National ResistanceMovement (NRM), questioned why Ugandans continue to vote for a leader who has been in power for four decades.

‘I declined a ministerial post when Museveni replaced me as army commander. Even Dr. Kizza Besigye, who once stood by him, is now in prison. What makes you think things will change under the same leadership?’ Muntu asked.

He warned that continued suppression of opposition voices and intimidation of supporters reflected what he called a ‘new form of imperialism’ within the ruling establishment.

‘Museveni’s followers are now mistreating opposition supporters, the same way Milton Obote’s regime did. We cannot build a democratic nation through fear and coercion,’ Muntu said.

Hopes for a new direction

Residents who turned up for the rallies expressed a mixture of hope and skepticism. While many agreed that change was needed, they also feared government reprisals for openly supporting opposition candidates.

Still, Muntu urged them to overcome fear and vote decisively for change.

‘Rakai and Kyotera have suffered enough. The time has come to vote for leaders who will work for you, not those who only visit during campaign seasons,’ he said.

MPUMALANGA, SOUTH AFRICA. Uganda’s Pool Cranes began their campaign at the Ultimate Pool Africa Championship at eBundu Lodge in Mpumalanga, South Africa, with a confident start as Team A defeated Team B 19-6 in their opening encounter.

The team, which travelled aboard Uganda Airlines to Johannesburg, endured a gruelling overnight journey before covering another 400km by road to Mpumalanga, arriving just in time to chalk their cues. But fatigue proved no obstacle – the Cranes made a statement from the get-go.

Men’s captain Rashid Wagaba said the team’s early success was encouraging but warned that the road ahead would be tougher, with strong opposition expected from South Africa and Tanzania.

“It was a comfortable start, but we know the real competition begins when we meet South Africa and Tanzania,’ Wagaba said. ‘Those are very technical teams and everyone here is hungry to prove a point.’

Meanwhile, the ladies’ team, captained by Amina Faith Nganda, is also competing as Uganda B and will face Namibia in a decisive final game.

Nganda described the experience as an eye-opener for the Ugandan players.

“This tournament is a big opportunity for us to grow as players,’ she said. ‘Ultimate Pool is quite different from what we’re used to back home. It challenges you to think faster, play cleaner, and it’s giving us exposure to a higher level of professionalism.’

Head coach Nathan Bwakosya praised his team for adapting quickly to the Ultimate Pool format, which he said requires a completely different tactical mindset.

‘It’s not just about potting balls – this version demands precision, shot timing, and mental discipline,’ Bwakosya explained. ‘We are learning and competing at the same time.’

Message of unity

During the tournament’s opening ceremony, Hilton Adams, the CEO of Ultimate Pool South Africa, emphasised the unity and growth of cue sports on the continent.

“We are here as one African family,’ Adams said. ‘This event is about bringing together the best of Africa to elevate the game and create opportunities for our players to turn professional.’

Adams announced that the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to next year’s Ultimate Pool World Series in Malta.

‘That’s how we start building professionals,’ he said.

The championship, which brings together the continent’s best cueists under the Ultimate Pool Africa franchise established in 2022, will culminate on Saturday with both team and singles champions crowned.

Ultimate Pool championship

Results

Uganda A 19-6 Uganda B

Playing Tuesday

Kenya B vs Uganda B

Namibia 2 vs Uganda A

Namibia vs Uganda

SA vs Uganda A

As cancer prevalence and other life-limiting illnesses continue to rise in Uganda, palliative care has become a critical service for alleviating suffering, managing pain, and improving quality of life.

Unfortunately, many patients and families still believe that palliative care is limited or unavailable. In reality, Uganda has made remarkable strides in integrating palliative care into the health system, with multiple access points across the country.

The Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), working with national and regional partners, is committed to ensuring that patients and their families know where and how they can receive these essential services.

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is a holistic approach that goes beyond medical treatment.

It relieves pain and other symptoms while also addressing psychosocial, spiritual, and emotional needs. It is not restricted to end-of-life care; it can begin early in the course of an illness, even alongside curative treatment.

UCI, together with partners such as the African Palliative Care Association (APCA) and the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU), continues to advocate for accessible, affordable, and high-quality palliative care for all Ugandans. Through PCAU, palliative care is now available in more than 100 districts across Uganda.

Services are offered in many public health facilities, including national and regional referral hospitals, district and general hospitals, and Health Centre IVs.

This expansion means that even in rural areas, patients may find palliative care closer to home. Families are encouraged to ask at their local health units whether such services are offered.

Specialist organisations

In addition to hospital-based care, Uganda has several hospices and specialist organisations offering comprehensive palliative care. Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU), operating in Kampala, Mbarara, and Hoima, provides outpatient care, home visits, psychosocial and spiritual support, and outreach clinics.

HAU also produces oral liquid morphine in partnership with the Government of Uganda, ensuring access to essential pain relief.

Rays of Hope Hospice in Jinja City serves the Busoga region with home-based palliative care and outreach services. Kabale Christian Care in southwestern Uganda offers holistic palliative services alongside psychosocial support and cancer care assistance.

Joy Health Centre and Hospice in Mbale provides specialist outpatient and inpatient palliative care, home visits, and end-of-life support. Many of these organisations extend their services to patients’ homes, making care more accessible to families who cannot travel.

The role of APCA

The African Palliative Care Association, headquartered in Kampala, plays both a continental and national role in strengthening palliative care.

APCA supports advocacy, training, and policy development, ensuring that palliative care is prioritised in national health systems. Its close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, PCAU, and UCI helps expand service availability and improve quality standards.

Uganda is one of the first African countries to integrate palliative care into its public health system. Public service structures now include positions for palliative care specialists in national and regional hospitals.

Nurses and clinical officers trained in palliative care are authorised to prescribe oral liquid morphine, making pain relief more widely accessible.

Partnerships between the government and NGOs like HAU ensure local production and distribution of affordable morphine, bringing services closer to patients and reducing the financial burden of travelling long distances for care. Patients and families can access palliative care by checking with local facilities such as Health Centre IVs, district hospitals, or regional referral hospitals to inquire about services. They can also contact hospices and specialist organisations directly for information and home-based services.

PCAU maintains an updated directory of accredited facilities across Uganda, while APCA supports regional palliative care initiatives and can link patients to service providers.

Oral liquid morphine, a key pain relief medication, is available in public and NGO facilities, often free of charge.

Challenges

Despite the progress made, only about 11 percent of Ugandans who need palliative care currently have access to it. Some health centres lack trained staff, and awareness among patients and communities remains low. Myths that palliative care is ‘only for the dying’ also discourage timely uptake, leaving many to suffer unnecessarily.

UCI’s role

At UCI, palliative care is integrated into the treatment journey for cancer patients. The institute partners with APCA, PCAU, and Hospice Africa Uganda to expand referral networks and trains healthcare workers in palliative care and pain management. It also advocates for policy and system strengthening to ensure that no patient is left behind.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Clive Nsiima has been remanded to prison on charges of assault and malicious damage to property after he was captured on CCTV slapping a female attendant at a petrol station shop in Kyanja, a Kampala City suburb.

ASP Nsiima was seen in a viral video slapping a female shop attendant after she demanded that he pay for the items he and a female friend had picked up on October 7.

The viral video prompted the police to arrest and detain him last week.

After spending four days in the police cells, the officer was arraigned before Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Nicholas Aisu at City Hall Court on Monday, October 13. He was remanded to Luzira Prison until October 16 for a court ruling on his bail application.

ASP Nsiima’s lawyer, Hamaza Kyamanywa told the court that the complainant, Pellan Atuhumuriize and the accused officer have since reconciled, and that she had filed an additional statement.

“In the circumstances, I seek to apply for bail for the accused. We have three sureties in court. In the circumstances, we pray that every suspect is still presumed innocent and pray that the accused is granted bail if there’s no objection from the state pending hearing of the case,” Mr Kyamanywa said.

However, senior prosecutor Ms Mercy Yamangusho said she had not gotten the opportunity to look at the sureties. “Counsel has not told the court what the sureties do, and I have seen some two who are younger than the accused, and I think they will not force him to come back for trial. The offence the accused is charged with is violence against a woman, a girl, for that matter. The accused person is a police officer whose role is to keep law and order, and the fact that he has been charged with this offence leaves a lot to be desired,” she said.

According to her, the fact that the victim is a woman is an insult that a police officer, instead of protecting her, chose to assault her.

“This offence has gone viral, it is a public interest offence, and it affects how the public will think about the court. This is impunity of the highest order, where the court has to send a message to the public. The public out there is very bitter. It is for the good of the accused for his bail to be denied. Inquiries are still ongoing, and for those reasons, I reject his bail application to enable us to conclude with investigations and the law to take on,” the state attorney argued.

In his response, the defence lawyer said they had availed documents, including national IDs, indicating the sureties are 37, three years older than the suspect.

“One of the sureties is an ISO officer. I also draw the attention of the court to section 160 of MCA for the parties to reconcile. Courts implore us to reconcile what the accused has already done, and we have told the court. As regards the public bitterness, we pray that the court does not take the state’s submission from the bar, which is not supported. It is the same public that encourages reconciliation. I will end with the presumption of innocence. At this point, the court should not form its own opinions until the evidence is heard. Sureties have not been rejected, and the court should be pleased to take him as one who has fulfilled the conditions for bail,” he said.

The magistrate adjourned the proceedings to October 16 for the court’s ruling on bail.

Ms Atuhumurize told this publication last week that ASP Nsiima and a woman ordered a pack of condoms and two cans of beer, but they attempted to drive off without paying the bills, prompting her to prevent them from leaving, which angered them, leading to the attack captured on the shop’s CCTV camera.

‘A lady alighted from the car and walked to the counter. She asked me to pack her condoms, which I did. She told me that the money was in the car, so I should follow her and pick it,’ Ms Atuhumurize said.

‘When we reached the car, a gentleman inside the car told me to bring him two cans of Tusker Lite. I went back and brought them.’ Ms Atuhumurize said after handing over the items, the man attempted to drive off.

‘I grabbed his collar to prevent him from driving off without paying the bill. Then he stopped the car and got out. He followed me to the shop. He then started abusing me and other people who were in the shop. The man then slapped me twice,’ Ms Atuhumurize said.

A private security guard attached to Tayari Security attempted to stop the attack but the police officer continued with his aggression.

The former Police Chief Political Commissar, Mr Asan Kasingye, said on his social media platform that the guard works for Tayari Security, a private security firm he heads.

‘I was the first person to be informed. The security guard you see in the video belongs to @TayarisSecurity. There is even more to this story. I am happy it will be investigated thoroughly. Let the police involve us at the company. For example, a pistol was drawn,’ said Mr Kasingye, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police.

Vivo Energy Uganda, which owns the petrol station, condemned the attack.

‘We strongly condemn any form of violence or misconduct towards our staff or customers. We are in close contact with the attendant to ensure she receives the support she needs, and we are working with the Uganda Police to ensure the perpetrator is held accountable for his actions,’ a statement by Vivo Energy Uganda reads in part.

Other incidents in the country

Last year, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Julius Ahimbisibwe was suspected of shooting his ex-wife and injured her. Months later, SSP Ahimbisibwe was found dead in his home on suspicion that he had taken his life.

In February 2024, the Officer-in-charge of Alebtong District, ASP Moses Acaye, is alleged to have shot dead a civilian he accused of killing his relative in a mob action incident in Adjumani District.

ASP Acaye is still on the run. Another incident happened in December 2024, when a police officer, Constable Charles Bahati, shot dead a truck driver Julius Ssemwaka at Nakasero in Kampala City. Constable Bahati is still on the run.

The replacement of Beti Kamya as Inspector General of Government (IGG) with Justice Aisha Naluzze Batala has generated wide debate, not least because Kamya’s tenure was anything but quiet. For four years, she gave the IG institution unusual visibility in public life, confronting corruption in ways that unsettled even those at the very top.

Kamya’s most memorable initiative was the push for a lifestyle audit, a proposal that public officials should account for their wealth against their income. It was a bold idea that went to the heart of Uganda’s corruption problem. Yet it was publicly dismissed by President Museveni, who warned that lifestyle audits could be ‘politically disruptive.’ In another moment, when Kamya proposed extending IG investigations into the military, she was bluntly told to keep her hands off the army.

These interventions may not have produced prosecutions, but they succeeded in one vital respect: they forced corruption into the national conversation, and proved that the IG office could not be ignored. Just as importantly, Kamya used her platform as IGG to challenge Ugandans to rethink their own complicity in corruption. She warned against the culture of idolising public officers who suddenly acquire wealth, treating them as symbols of ‘success,’ while dismissing honest officials who live within their means as ‘dull’ or ‘lacking drive.’

By exposing this social glorification of quick riches, she shifted the debate from government failings alone to society’s responsibility in normalising graft. It was a brave confrontation with a cultural mindset that fuels corruption as much as weak enforcement does.

In that sense, Kamya raised the IG office’s profile higher than many of her predecessors. She brought a politician’s instinct for publicity into an institution often seen as sleepy and technical. Under her, the IG was suddenly on the front pages, its voice shaping debates in Parliament and on the streets. To many Ugandans, she embodied the frustration they feel about entrenched corruption, and her sharp warnings resonated widely. Yet visibility is not the same as victory.

Despite her energy as IGG, few ‘big fish’ were convicted. Critics argued she politicised the office. Supporters countered that she was hemmed in by a system that shields the powerful and leaves the IGG fighting with one hand tied behind her back. Both perspectives contain truth. Now enters Justice Batal. Where Kamya was a politician, Batala is a career prosecutor and judge.

For nearly two decades, she worked at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, earning a reputation for diligence, integrity, and a high conviction rate. More recently, at the High Court’s Land Division, she dealt with some of Uganda’s most corruption-ridden disputes. Her appointment signals a deliberate pivot: from political visibility to legal precision. But Batala will not be starting from scratch. She inherits an IG institution that, thanks to Kamya, is once again in the public eye.

The challenge is to build on that renewed profile by producing results in courtrooms, not just headlines. Ugandans are weary of anti-corruption theatre. They want convictions, asset recoveries, and proof that no one is above the law. The hurdles remain formidable. The IG still struggles with a backlog of cases. Political shielding of senior figures has undone many brave investigations.

Whistleblowers lack protection. The very independence of the office is tested by the fact that its leadership is presidentially appointed. Batala may have the temperament and the tools, but her ability to bite will depend on how much leash she is truly given. The story, therefore, is not of Kamya’s failure but of the two stages of a struggle. Kamya dragged corruption into the light and confronted society’s dangerous admiration for illicit wealth.

Batala must now carry the baton, converting that visibility into a prosecutorial bite. If she succeeds, Ugandans may finally believe that the IG is not only a watchdog but a guard dog capable of defending the public interest. The baton has been passed from one sister to another. The question is whether the institution, not the personalities, will be allowed to run.