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In 2020, former High Court judge Justice John Bosco Katutsi exclusively told Monitor about his healing journey that saw him overcome non-communicable diseases, including diabetes.

He purred over a concoction he miraculously discovered and stabilised his health over a five-month stretch.

Five years later, Justice Katutsi confirms that his diabetes was effectively reversed two years ago. He now freely eats his favourite fruit, the pineapple.

‘When you get healed from a disease, it takes five years before you are declared completely cured of the same. By the time that interview ran, I had been off medication for about three and a half years. One and a half years later or so, I went for the final medical inspection and I was found free,’ he says.

He adds: ‘I am happy if the government has taken this up to continue with developing the medicine. Indeed, it will help Ugandans, and I know many other people across the world.’

A 2019 report by the Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Institute (NCRI) on the evaluation of the antidiabetic properties of the same concoction (SD2018) and herbal formulation in an alloxan-induced diabetic animal model concluded that it was curative for diabetes.

The report further indicates that out of the 10 ingredients, only two were not active ingredients for diabetes.

‘… the results of the present study indicate that SD2018 exhibits anti-hyperlidemic properties, and overall, the present study demonstrated the effect of SD2018 to be curative,’ the report reads.

Katutsi remembers writing ‘to the Permanent Secretary in the Health ministry in 2017 to take this concoction for tests and see if it could be a remedy to many Ugandans, but I don’t think they acted on it.’

Mr David Ssenfuka is the researcher behind the concoction. While the results are there for all to see, Mr Ssenfuka says regulatory hurdles and bureaucratic processes threatened to steal the thunder of the herbal concoction. And maybe still does.

A March 29, 2023 letter signed by several senior citizens of the country, whose lives have reportedly been turned around by the concoction, speaks volumes. It shows how hope and despair live side by side. In the letter, the Ugandans beat the concoction’s drumbeat of victory.

The petitioners, who included Katutsi; Prof Livingstone Luboobi, former vice chancellor of Makerere University; Mr John Mujinya Bigyemano, a retired broadcast journalist and consumer activist; Mr Joseph Mulwanyamuli Semwogerere, former Buganda Kingdom premier; as well as Prof John Ddumba Sentamu, former vice chancellor of Makerere University, sought the audience of then US President Joe Biden over popularising the concoction.

The petition reads: ‘We write to you basing upon very strong convictions of your country as a bastion of prosperity, liberty, democracy, a free economy, and a healthy population.We are senior citizens of Uganda who have previously served our country in various callings, united by our membership of an alliance formed to give support and backing to the local biotech innovations of our own, Mr David Senfuka, that he has successfully used to treat various cancers and diabetes. Despite the well-documented successes in the cure for these diseases, Mr Ssenfuka’s research efforts to advance his innovations to internationally acceptable standards have been met with only minimal success.’

It continues:’Mr Ssenfuka’s research has satisfied animal trials of its pharmacological efficacy for treating cancer and diabetes, as assessed by our home government’s Natural Chemotherapeutic Research Institute. He has, however, not been successful in developing the drugs to the standards required for human clinical trials.’

Moving forward

Ssenfuka says he has successfully treated between 4,000 and 5,000 diabetic cases. He says the cancer patients number between 1,000 to 1,500.

‘I don’t have a facility that has machines; I decline other cancer cases that would involve complicated diagnostic machines,’ Ssenfuka says.

Publications about Mr Ssenfuka’s feats caught the eye of President Museveni. Soon, alongside Prof Charles Ibingira and Dr Matthias Magoola, he met President Museveni courtesy of a letter from Jane Ruth Acheng, the Health minister, on April 29, 2025.

‘Reference is made to the letter from the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, Ref HPS 97/172/01 dated 15th April 2025, communicating a directive from HE the President that I convene a meeting with relevant stakeholders to validate claims by three scientists who have sought support from the government. Further reference is made to our consultative phone conversation on April 18th, 2025, about the modalities for this meeting,’ Dr Acheng wrote.

Documents seen by Monitor indicate that the Cabinet green-lit $350m (about Shs1.2 trillion) to facilitate the development of the concoction into a medicine.

This money, according to the document, would also facilitate the construction of a plant in Uganda. Upon meeting Mr Museveni in April this year, more doors opened. We understand that a team of top researchers and funders from the US had been invited by Museveni to look into the remedy with a view to developing it and making it available.

The five members included Ms Krutter Kimberly Cianne, Ms Mahon Patricia Eileen, Urban Timothy Robert, Ms Stephens Mariana Rose Satterley, and Ms Ramachandra Arcana.

Ms Krutter, the chief executive officer of K-Factor Strategies, an American-based science and research firm, who also led the team, is spearheading the development of the concoction. She said they were impressed with their findings that SD2018 shows tremendous promise as a treatment for diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and has demonstrated efficacy against a variety of cancers, based on patient testimonies.

‘We believe investment is needed to examine the medical records of the thousands of patients treated by clinician Ssenfuka with SD2018 over the last 11 years to support further scientific validation. In its current form, as a compounded liquid medicine, SD2018 cannot be produced at scale. Investment is needed to stabilise and standardise the formula for mass manufacturing,’ she says.

She adds:’We are currently obtaining commitments by private investors and philanthropic grant-making organisations necessary to perform the scientific validation of SD2018 so that the product can be patented. Once the patent is achieved, the tier one investors we are speaking with will want to partner with the Government of Uganda to bring SD2018 to market.’

Ms Krutter further contends: ‘The anecdotal evidence provided by those personal patient testimonies were striking, including full remission from cancer over extended periods of time. When President Museveni invited us to meet with him a second time at the State House, we were able to report to him that we believe SD2018 warrants further development and a commitment by the Ugandan government in a public-private partnership to manufacture this medicine at scale. The urgency is due to the global pandemic of Type 2 Diabetes and cancer. If SD2018 can be brought to market, it could save millions of lives every year.’

Upon interviewing and examining a dozen survivors of both cancer and diabetes, the experts wrote a report to President Museveni.

Why it matters

Ssenfuka says it takes the diabetes remedy between three to six months to heal the disease, depending on one’s response to medication, and about six months to one year for cancer.

He says his concoction costs anywhere between Shs10m and Shs15m per unit for diabetes and between Shs20m and Shs30m for cancer.

According to an Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) study published in late 2023, the annual cost for diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes patients in Uganda was Shs2.2 trillion (approximately $580m in 2022).

A major portion of this cost is borne by individual households, especially for those who rely on private healthcare.

The report breaks down the figures, indicating that out of the Shs2.2 trillion, households spent Shs1.7 trillion on diabetes in 2022, primarily through out-of-pocket expenses for medications and complications. The government contributed Shs435b for diagnosed patients.

The report also indicates that annual medication costs in 2022 were about Shs3m in private facilities versus Shs1.3m in public facilities.

Consultations and hospitalisation in 2022 cost roughly Shs1.4m in private facilities versus Shs617,440 in public facilities.

Reports also indicate that diabetes killed 3.4 million people in 2024, and about 81 percent of adults with diabetes live in developing countries. Globally, countries spend more than $1.3 trillion on diabetes annually. The entire world has about 500 million diabetic patients.

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) also indicates that about 716,000 Ugandans were living with diabetes, with the main causes being increased consumption of sugary and processed foods, as well as reduced physical activity.

A 2023 study found that many cancer patients experienced ‘catastrophic health expenditure,’ with five out of 10 spending at least 40 percent of their household income on cancer care. Some patients at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) report spending an average of Shs300,000 per visit, primarily on missing drugs, tests, and scans.

Records from the UCI show that approximately 77,028 people lived with cancer in Uganda, on average, over a recent five-year period (2017-2022), with around 35,968 new cases diagnosed and 24,629 deaths occurring annually.

Ssenfuka, 42, says he got his first breakthrough in 2013 while going about his work in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. His friend, Mustafa Ibrahim, a Pakistani national, complained of constant hunger, even immediately after a meal.

‘I had seen my late grandmother Leonia Nakiwala Namuganga, who was a traditional healer, prescribing for her patients who had the same problem. We at the time couldn’t fathom the ailment, but I offered to help my friend Ibrahim,’ he says, adding: ‘Both my child and wife, Jane Ssenfuka, live in Dubai. I had to decide to leave them there and returned to Uganda in 2013 to continue with the research.’

We are in a season when politicians are making pledges that they will very likely find quite hard to fulfil. We have politicians who are even promising cash grants to villages and parishes to fight poverty. In their minds, they think most people are poor because they lack capital to start gainful farming, or to open up a restaurant or any other business. Yet it is not even true that everybody really aspires to be rich. It is the reason that there are always people who spend most of their time at alcohol selling joints or in shopping centres just playing patience and mweso.

Since the majority of the people in rural areas are farmers it is good that in today’s sharing we give a thought to some of their other big needs besides the much talked about injection of startup capital. The government can boost agricultural production by enhancing technical and policy guidelines through agricultural services extension officers.

For example, how far have we implemented the don’ts and dos of the National Coffee Act, 2021? It forbids harvesting green coffee cherries. It forbids drying coffee on the bare ground. It forbids people to engage in coffee trading without license. However, a perusal of the police crime report of 2024 does not give any figures of farmers that were arrested for picking green coffee cherries or drying their coffee on the bare ground.

The National Coffee Act 2021 was passed for a purpose ‘to facilitate the development of a competitive, participatory and sustainable coffee subsector in accordance with the National Coffee Policy, 2013.’ It was intended to promote good practices in all the activities in the coffee value chain including on-farm and off-farm activities. If the farmers are forced by law to produce good quality coffee, they will enjoy much higher prices for their product and they will more easily get out of poverty.

One of the many other ways to help farmers improve their incomes, apart from often futile cash loans, is to enforce agricultural production laws such as the National Coffee Act 2021. Another way to help farmers is to teach them about soil fertility conservation and the utilization of land resources. We must facilitate and enhance agricultural extension services by ensuring that the area agricultural extension officers’ transport allowances and any other dues are promptly paid. The farmers need education about organic farming practices and how to use agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.

The sun was relentless on Saturday afternoon, its golden rays dancing off the smooth tarmac roads of Arua City, while a teasing breeze carried with it the scent of roasted maize and spicy street food. This was no ordinary weekend. Arua, the lively border city where Uganda meets South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, was the heartbeat of the nation as it hosted World Tourism Day celebrations.

By 9am, the streets had begun to fill. Children skipped past with dusty school bags, their laughter mingling with the rhythmic chants of vendors calling out their wares. Stalls selling herbal remedies, handmade home utilities, and African fabrics lined the routes leading to the Arua Golf Grounds, which had been transformed into a cultural village and festival arena.

The anticipation was palpable. Delegations from across the country, tour operators, hoteliers, and community groups had all descended on the city. There was a hum of conversation in multiple languages. The celebrations began with a march followed by speeches, as the grounds gradually filled with curious onlookers and guests. Premier Robinah Nabanja, standing in for President Museveni, delivered the keynote address.

Her words were part vision, part challenge. ‘Tourism is not just about beautiful scenery or memorable experiences. It is an engine of growth, a source of jobs, and a catalyst for social change. If we innovate and invest wisely, Uganda can transform tourism into a cornerstone of our economy,’ she said. Speaking at the event, Tourism Minister Col. Tom Butime echoed the call for deeper investment.

“Our industry is tasked with contributing significantly to the country’s ambitious 10-fold growth strategy, aiming to grow our GDP to $500 billion by 2040 and our specific target is to grow our foreign exchange earnings to $50 billion over the same period. Our strategy is very clear. We will invest in modern tools, infrastructure, diversify our products and build the capacity of our workforce to ensure world-class service delivery.’ Mr Butime said. ‘Financing remains a challenge. Our tour operators and hoteliers deserve the same access to credit that other sectors enjoy. Without investment, we cannot develop our 160 lakes, expand accommodation, or attract the three million visitors we target each year,’ said Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) CEO Juliana Kaggwa

Around them, the Golf Grounds had come alive. Traditional dancers from the Koboko pounded drums, their bodies swaying in intricate rhythms, while cultural groups from Zombo and Moyo showcased their unique heritage. Tourists and locals alike wandered between exhibition booths offering eco-tourism packages, aviation technology, and culinary innovations.

A Marketplace of Ideas

The exhibition area felt like a bustling open-air marketplace. Food vendors grilled tilapia over charcoal fires while children licked sticky-sweet ice pops. Young entrepreneurs demonstrated digital tourism booking platforms, while a group of women showed how organic waste could be turned into eco-friendly charcoal briquettes. ‘This is the future of tourism,’ said Frida Akullu, Uganda Development Bank’s investment manager for tourism. ‘It’s not just about hotels and game parks. It’s about innovation, sustainability, and communities.’

Akullu revealed that the bank has funded multiple tourism projects across the country, including several in the West Nile region. ‘We are here to bridge the financing gap,’ she added. ‘If we invest in people and ideas like these, we can create a tourism industry that benefits everyone.’

The Night Arua Danced

As evening fell, the sun’s fiery glow softened into a rich amber haze. Streetlights flickered on, and the city’s famous nightlife began to stir. By 7 p.m., the Golf Grounds were packed shoulder-to-shoulder with revellers ready for the World Tourism Day concert. When Cindy Sanyu, Uganda’s dancehall queen, stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted into deafening cheers. Backed by a live band, she belted out her biggest hits, her powerful voice weaving through the night air like a spell. Couples danced, children clapped, and even uniformed officers swayed to the beat.

Local artists also shared the stage, blending traditional West Nile rhythms with modern Afrobeat sounds. Between sets, fireworks lit up the sky, their reflection shimmering in the eyes of the ecstatic crowd. ‘This is why tourism matters. Visitors don’t just come for wildlife; they come for experiences like this. They want to feel the pulse of a place,’ said Gloria Asiimwe, a travel enthusiast from Kampala who had travelled for the event.

More than 10,000 Ugandans have already learned valuable digital skills through government programmes. This represents a significant step that underscores the importance of digital training in transforming Uganda.

As the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, we’ve made digital training one of the five main goals in our Digital Transformation Roadmap for 2023/2024-2027/2028.

This isn’t just about teaching people how to use a computer; it’s about empowering them to do so. It’s about preparing our workforce, empowering our citizens, and ensuring Uganda maintains a strong presence in the rapidly evolving global economy.

Setting national standards

To achieve this, we signed a five-year deal with ICDL (International Certification of Digital Literacy) Africa in January 2023. Our goal was to develop national digital skills standards and offer certified training in government and schools.

This partnership is already making a real difference. Refugees, who are among the most vulnerable, have received training in computer literacy, cybersecurity, and digital marketing. By mid-2025, more than 1,500 refugees in Kampala, Arua, Koboko, and Kiryandongo were trained. An impressive 619 individuals earned their ICDL certificate, achieving an 86 percent success rate.

These skills are helping refugee businesses and schools in the host communities use digital tools to improve how they earn a living and find opportunities.

Universities such as Kampala International University and Bugema University have become strategic partners. With support from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, they have trained displaced people from across the region in web editing, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship. These efforts show that Uganda is a leader in combining help for people with innovation.

Training government

We’ve also worked to strengthen the government itself. Communication officers from ministries such as Health, Defence, Lands and Housing, ICT and Works, have completed professional ICDL training in digital media and online publishing. This gives the government better tools to communicate with citizens in today’s digital world. Working with the private sector is also opening up new doors.

Through the MTN ACE programme, young Ugandans in districts such as Gulu, Mbarara, Mbale, Arua, and Kampala have acquired skills in coding, App development, and digital business. This helps them get jobs in a technology-focused economy.

The DigiTruck, a mobile classroom equipped with laptops and Internet, has brought training to rural districts such as Kasese, Kabale, Lira, Soroti, and Hoima. This is helping to close the digital divide by reaching communities that previously had limited access to ICT facilities.

Our network of local trainers, known as our “community change agents”, has passed on knowledge to more than 10,000 Ugandans. This multiplies our impact by creating local experts, who continue to share their knowledge. We have placed a major focus on women, providing them with specific training in ICT and business skills, which enables them to build businesses and access digital markets.

Foundation for growth

These training programmes aren’t just separate projects. They are part of Uganda’s larger development plan under Vision 2040 and the National Development Plans. By placing digital training at the centre of our national plan, we are creating a stronger economy, more effective public services, and prosperity that benefits everyone.

Simply put, digital literacy is no longer a choice; it is the necessary foundation of a modern economy and society.

The ministry is committed to intensifying these efforts and ensuring no community is left behind. Whether in refugee settlements, rural trading centres, universities, or government offices, the message is clear: digital knowledge is national power.

I, therefore, call upon all citizens, the private sector, universities, and our development partners to continue to support us on this journey. Together, we can harness digital skills to transform lives, drive innovation, and position Uganda as a stronger leader in the region and beyond.

Hundreds of supporters of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) gathered on Friday in Abeibutu Cell, Akokoro Town Council in Apac District to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of the party’s founding leader, Apollo Milton Obote, and to recommit to his political vision.

Obote, Uganda’s first prime minister who later served two terms as president and led the country to independence in 1962, died on October 10, 2005, and was buried on October 28, 2005, in his ancestral home in Akokoro.

Friday’s memorial drew senior UPC figures, clergy and local leaders who reflected on his lasting influence amid sharp divisions inside the party and the wider opposition.

Bishop emeritus of Lango Diocese, Rt Rev John Charles Odur Kami, praised Obote’s leadership, saying it ‘shaped Uganda’s early years and left a lasting legacy.’

His counterpart, Bishop emeritus Alfred Acur of West Lango Diocese, prayed for continuity in the Obote family line.

‘I can prophesize that the family of Dr Apollo Milton Obote is never going to perish,’ he said, adding: ‘Leadership is going to continue rising from his sons, children and great grandchildren.’

Jimmy Akena Obote, the late president’s son and current UPC president, used the anniversary to lash out at his exclusion from the forthcoming 2026 presidential race, while urging party unity.

Akena, who was disqualified by the Electoral Commission following a court block, told supporters that UPC remained an unbreakable idea.

‘The time for change is now,’ Akena said, emphasizing that: ‘I have not blinked, I have not turned, I am not going to go anywhere. the idea still lives because UPC is an idea; you cannot bury UPC.’

He vowed to keep campaigning despite his unsuccessful bid for presidency.

‘Whether you want me on the ballot or not, I am fighting that election.. I am going to fight that election,’ he told the gathering.

The gathering also carried gestures of reconciliation and cross-party respect. Jaffar Amin, son of former president Idi Amin, paid tribute to Obote’s family and invoked a spiritual metaphor.

‘Everyone will always show respect to Obote’s family,’ he said, noting that: ‘The olive oil that was pressed by mud has risen to the top of the water. However much dirt and mud you press on olive oil, it rises to the surface.’

Mama Miria Obote, the widow, thanked attendees for turning up to remember her husband and urged UPC members to keep the party alive.

‘Please, don’t let the party die. Don’t allow UPC to die,’ she said, recalling her health struggles but expressing gratitude for the turnout.

Yet, the event also exposed internal rifts. Peter Ocen, MP for Kole South, warned of ‘snakes and cockroaches inside our house,’ blaming internal saboteurs for the party’s troubles.

Geoffrey Ocen, the Amolatar LC5 chairman, said Akena should lead decisively even if he remains barred from the ballot.

The anniversary came as UPC sought to revive its relevance in a political landscape dominated for nearly four decades by President Museveni, amid the rise of new youth movements and opposition forces.

As the sun set over Apac, songs, prayers and vows of renewal closed a day of remembrance that doubled as a rallying cry – a reminder that for UPC, Obote’s memory remains both a political touchstone and a call to action.

In Uganda today, politics remains the main gateway to national leadership. If you want to be minister or head a government agency, your quickest ticket is usually political connections, not competence. Meanwhile, in our universities, private companies and diaspora, there are Ugandans with world class skills and ideas, yet they remain locked out of leadership.

The NRM’s 2026 – 2031 manifesto calls for protection of gains and driving Uganda to High-Middle income status. However, the question in mind is, what gains are we protecting if our ministries are led by loyalists instead of experts?

Other nations have learned to tap into their brightest minds, regardless of politics. For example, Rwanda attracts professionals from its diaspora, while Singapore actively picks talent from its private sector and academia, grooming them to lead in government.

Omar Sultan Al Olama, appointed at 27 years of age as a minister of State for Artificial Intelligence in the UAE, has been a key figure in driving the UAE’s efforts to become a global leader in AI governance and digital transformation. These countries understand that leadership is about expertise and vision, and not just politics.

In Uganda by contrast, we remain stuck in a political bubble, where our ministries are led by politicians rewarded for loyalty, not by experts scouted and picked for competence. The results; underfunded health systems and struggling education reforms, for example. Many of our young innovators and business leaders, however, are sidelined unless they join the political cue. Imagine if our ministries were deliberately led by experts!

Imagine if we created a national leadership reserve programme to identify high achievers from the private sector and universities, preparing them for public service! Imagine our diaspora talent, instead of being reduced to remittances, was actively recruited to shape policy and governance!

Our country’s greatest resource is not oil or fertile lands, it is the intellect and creativity of its people, yet such voices are rarely elevated to national decision making tables.

Even if politics cannot be separated from leadership, it does not have to crowd out competence, else we continue to waste the country’s greatest resource by treating government as a political prize instead of a national responsibility.

A nation that ignores its brightest minds is a nation that ignore its future. We should not wait for crisis to start valuing competence in leadership. The time is NOW, because protecting the gains is not just about keeping the status quo but building for the future. Real progress and real gains are secured not with slogans or loyalty but with smart decisions made by brilliant minds at the helm.

Kampala City Traders Association (Kacita) and the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) are locked in a bitter exchange over delays being experienced by car importers during motor vehicle registration.

In a September letter to the Commissioner of Road Safety and Transport in the Ministry, Mr Winston Katushabe, the city traders’ body expressed concern and called for urgent enhancement measures to improve the dashboard monitoring tool for motor vehicle registration.

In the letter signed by Abel Mwesigye, the Kacita chief executive, the traders expressed ‘disappointment that the tool’s deployment occurred much later than originally promised, prolonging the very operational challenges it was designed to resolve.’

What is the background to this pain point?

Due to significant delays in the vehicle registration process, traders were frustrated at the losses whose brunt they continue to bear. They approached the MoWT-which oversees motor vehicle registration-for solutions. After several monthly discussions, the ministry deployed a dashboard monitoring tool to help provide visibility on the registration process.

The measure was welcomed by Kacita, but it didn’t take long for it to morph into a pain point, thanks to its perceived limited functionality.

Besides complaints about the tool’s limited functionality, traders also said it provides no visibility on Motor Vehicle Registration (MVR) application processes across the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and other attendant MVR stages at the ministry.

Users cannot, for one, view progress at each stage. They cannot also identify responsible officers, hence reducing the possibility of officer accountability.

So what are the aggrieved parties calling for?

They are essentially pushing for three things.

Firstly, a non-negotiable, immediate, practical dry-run of the process to identify and rectify errors, define clear handover points and establish genuine accountability between URA, UNBS and the Ministry’s MVR department before the system is declared operational.

Secondly, a full stakeholder integration, with mandatory inclusion of URA and UNBS along with full visibility on each partner’s responsibilities and real-time progress. Lastly, they insist on incorporation of feedback from system users. The traders said they have ‘patiently supported this initiative’ and need to see tangible and urgent resolution of the bottlenecks.

What’s the MoWT’s position?

Well, on their part, the ministry, through the Commissioner of Road Safety and Transport in the Ministry, Mr Winston Katushabe, told traders that the issues they were raising in their letter had been raised in a stakeholder meeting at the start of September. He added that resolution of the same was work in progress.

Mr Katushabe wondered as to the motive behind Kacita’s letter, which, according to him, appeared to discredit the efforts made by the ministry and relevant stakeholders in developing the dashboard.

He said the traders’ letter might be ‘a hidden motive potentially driven by interests that are not entirely aligned with the collaborative spirit the ministry has fostered among stakeholders.’

Mr Katushabe said the dashboard was ‘a collective effort aimed at streamlining the motor vehicle registration process’ and called for constructive dialogue and collaboration to address the challenges raised by the traders.

Sudanese photographer Amar Abdalla has won the grand prize in the 2025 East African Photography Award (EAPA) competition for his captivating work titled ‘Temporary Homes.’ Chosen from a competitive pool of submissions from across the region, Amar’s collection of photographs are a chilling reminder of the consequences of civil unrest through his exploration of his family’s displacement by the war, highlighting their daily experiences in the new environment and how they adapt to their new home while keeping vivid memories of their old one.

His story also reflects on how they cope with the challenges of displacement and find ways to live and belong even in temporary places. Amar takes home a Fujifilm X-T5 camera and XF 16-50 kit, courtesy of Fujifilm Middle East FZE. EAPA now in its eighth year, is open to East African visual storytellers Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. It celebrates documentary and artistic work that reflects the contemporary existence of people, the planet, and other stories of life in East Africa.

This year, EAPA continues to grow steadily with Sudanese photographers taking centre stage this year, showcasing their talent and resilience despite the challenging circumstances in their country. The winners of the 14th edition of the Uganda Press Photo Award (UPPA), EAPA, and 10th edition of the Young Photographer Award (YPA) were announced on September 25, 2025 at MoTIV Uganda in Kampala. Badru Katumba (Uganda)’s portrait, ‘What Next,’ winner of the Planet category, was also selected as the overall Single Image winner. The powerful image captures people looking for their loved ones after flooding and landslides in Masugu on November 29, 2025. Through this poignant portrait you get to share the sense of loss in the wake of devastation.

UPPA continues its tradition of recognizing the best documentary photography and photojournalism in Uganda. Timothy Akolamazima won the top UPPA prize with a story ‘Beyond the Barre: Stories of Ballet in Uganda’ that explores the quiet rise of ballet in a country where it exists on the cultural fringe, documenting the resilience, passion, and determination of young dancers who pursue the art despite economic, social, and structural barriers.

Katumba and Akolamazima each took home a Fujifilm X-T50 camera and XF 16-50 kit, courtesy of Fujifilm Middle East FZE. Agaba Joel Gabriel took home the 2025 YPA top prize. Agaba is a Kampala-based DJ, photographer, and theatre maker whose multidisciplinary practice explores memory, place, and belonging through experimental works rooted in preservation and everyday life.

YPA is an educational initiative aimed at nurturing emerging photographers with a passion for documentary photography or photojournalism. The winner, along with the runners-up, will have the opportunity to participate in an intensive Mentorship Programme. This programme offers a bootcamp-style course, providing hands-on learning about photography, while also guiding participants in developing a documentary photography project under the mentorship of an industry professional.

An exhibition presenting all the winning images from this year’s competitions opened to visitors from September 25 at MoTIV Uganda until October 13.

The show also features work from Barbra Mercy Leni, a winner of last year’s YPA, showcasing the outcome of her participation in this year’s Emerging Photographer Mentorship Programme.

WINNERS

EAPA

1. Amar Abdalla (Sudan)

2. Jeremiah Onyango (Ke)

1. Israa Alrrayah (Sudan)

2. Don Odhiambo (Kenya)

1. Katumba Badru (Uganda)

2. A. Ochieng Onyango (Ke)

1. Natnael Ashebir (Ethiopia)

Uganda Press Photo Award

1. Timothy Akolamazima

2. Serina Efrance Kirabo

Young Photographer Award

1. Agaba Joel Gabriel

2. Victor Kibalama

The agricultural sector has long relied on traditional farming practices, with farmers using old technologies to cultivate land. However, climate change, population growth and food security concerns are driving the need for innovations. Drones are now emerging as transformative tools for the country’s agriculture sector. Instead of using traditional methods, farmers can now use drones to scan fields, monitor crops performance, fertilizer application as well as monitor water usage in irrigation systems. One such initiative is where experts from Pan African Trade and Development Group (PAD and T) are teaming up with scientists from the National Crops Research Institute conducting research on how drones can be used to monitor water usage in farms when irrigating.

Background

Growing populations in developing countries including Uganda rely on rain fed agriculture and those venturing into irrigation rely on freshwater stored in small water bodies for agricultural, domestic, mining and industrial use. These water resources are highly susceptible to climate variations and pollution and are generally insufficient to withstand these pressure. Climate change is likely to affect the water cycle processes through precipitation, evaporation, runoff and water demand. Warmer temperatures increase the rate of evaporation of water into the atmosphere, in effect increasing the atmosphere’s capacity to hold water.

Increased evaporation may dry out some areas and fall as excess precipitation in other areas

Heavy downpours can increase the runoff into rivers and lakes, washing sediment, nutrients, pollutants, trash, animal waste, and other materials into water supplies, making them unusable, unsafe for use. Therefore drones equipped with advanced sensors and imaging technologies enable real-time monitoring and precision management of crops, soil, irrigation and pests in agriculture. It is the reason PAD and T is teaming up with experts at NaCRRI to study how drones can be used to moderate water usage in farmer fields when irrigating.

Research process

Mark Grace Kiyiga logistics Manager at PAD and T explained that drones are particularly beneficial in challenging terrains and hazardous conditions where human intervention is difficult. These semi-automated devices are evolving towards fully autonomous systems, offering substantial potential for agricultural planning and spatial data collection. They enable timely operations that can predict and prevent crop damage, optimise chemical inputs and reduce environmental pollution. Dr Geoffrey Asea who is leading the research team at NaCRRI explained that they have so far imported and scoured the necessary drones and trained two experts who are going to fly it.

The experiment will be administered in cereal crops especially Maize where they are in process of setting up the field trial at the Institute. It will also be tested in coffee farms to establish if there is enough water for the coffee to flower and give better yield. Once water is lacking then the coffee farmers can opt to irrigate the farms. The introduction of ethical drone technologies and precision irrigation system is designed for farmers growing cereals across the country

The innovation reduces water waste, combat climate change and increase crop yield by up to 20% but more importantly it transfers ownership and skills to local farmers to ensure long term impact for farmer.

This research will be conducted and validated at the research Institute before going to test in coffee farms in Masaka. Dr Asea contends that once the research is complete, with time farmers are expected to acquire the drones which they can use for decision making whether to irrigate their farms or not because once it is connected to the sensor, it will read whether the soil has enough water or not. Mr Kiyaga further explained that the team testing the drone usage to collect data separating particular spots in the farm which are semi-arid and require much water and the part of the field which already has some existing wetness which will require less water.

This data can be used to guide the farmer during irrigation to apply less water in areas that are already wet and more water in areas that is drier. The scientists in the testing field fly the drone over it and the thermos camera is able to see which part of the field is water stressed and which one is not through the condition of the plant in the field. This information is then fed into the irrigation for appropriate water release. The team has irrigation machinery which contain turbines and the water pressure from the turbine will pull the machinery automatically. It will stop at irrigation point and the farmer is expected to locate it in the next point until the entire field is done.

This research work began in 2023 and will end in 2026 where thereafter it will be rolled out to farmers. The team, however, is looking for ways of using local materials for making these drones for them to be affordable to farmers.

How drones monitor irrigation systems

Giving the background Kiyaga explained that drones are used in Uganda’s agricultural sector to monitor irrigation systems by capturing aerial imagery with thermal and multispectral sensors to detect areas of dryness, irrigation flaws and leaks, providing high-resolution data for water resource management. Drones help identify soil erosion and plant stress, enabling farmers to make timely, data-driven adjustments to irrigation, thereby improving crop health and conserving water

In comparison to satellite imaging systems, drones offer superior resolution covering 1- 5 m, immediate availability and flexible deployment, making them suitable for detailed, field-specific monitoring They can carry modular sensors with payloads and operate manually or autonomously at relatively low to moderate costs.

In contrast, satellite systems provide broader coverage with moderate to high resolution covering 10-30 m and operate on fixed schedules, often limited by cloud cover.

Although satellites support multiple high-capacity sensors, they are costly to deploy and maintain. Apart from irrigation drones support tasks such as spraying, fertilisation, pollination, mapping and livestock monitoring, offering sustainable and efficient alternatives to conventional agricultural practices.

The disappearance of Opposition activist Sam Mugumya, a close ally of Dr Kizza Besigye, has stirred fresh concern within Uganda’s political circles ahead of parliamentary nominations later this month.

Mugumya, who recently declared his intention to contest for the Rukungiri Municipality seat under the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), reportedly went missing at the backend of August under unclear circumstances.

According to colleagues in Rukungiri, Mugumya was last seen in late September during a consultative meeting with party supporters.

He had been traversing the municipality, mobilising grassroots networks for his campaign. But since then, his phone lines have gone silent, and family members say they have not heard from him.

‘We are worried because he had no known health or personal issues,’ said a close associate who requested anonymity. ‘He was focused on the campaign and preparing documents for nomination.’

Mugumya, a former student activist and outspoken critic of the government, is no stranger to controversy. In 2014, he was arrested in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and detained for nearly eight years on allegations of rebellion.

He was released in 2022 and has since tried to re-establish himself in public life, presenting himself as a symbol of resilience and political renewal.

‘In Uganda, no person should disappear without a trace, whether Sam Mugumya or anyone else. Our stand is that all Ugandans are free to live in their country because God gave us this gift,’ Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) spokesperson John Kikonyogo said.

Mugumya’s re-entry into politics-especially in Rukungiri, a traditional Opposition stronghold-unsettled both ruling and Opposition party structures.

Analysts saw his candidacy as potentially reshaping the race in a constituency long dominated by Opposition figures but divided by internal rivalries.

‘Mugumya’s disappearance just days before his nomination raises serious questions about political intimidation and the state of our democracy,’ said political analyst Alex Opolot.

‘Such incidents create fear among Opposition supporters and weaken public confidence in the fairness of the electoral process. When a candidate can vanish without trace, it sends a chilling message to others who might wish to challenge the establishment.’

Worrying pattern

Opolot noted that Mugumya’s case is part of a worrying pattern.

‘Over the past few years, we’ve seen several Opposition figures being arrested, detained without trial, or going missing under unclear circumstances. This breeds public suspicion and deepens political mistrust.’

The political analyst added that the timing of Mugumya’s disappearance-just before vetting and nomination-cannot be ignored.

Opolot said the government’s failure to provide clear answers reflects institutional weakness and a disregard for accountability.

‘If the State truly has nothing to hide, it should allow an independent investigation into Mugumya’s disappearance. Ugandans deserve to know what happened. Democracy cannot thrive where citizens vanish for expressing political ambition.’

Timothy Chemonges, the executive director of the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA), said Mugumya’s disappearance just days before nominations mirrors a broader pattern in Uganda where critical moments in the political calendar are often marked by intimidation or uncertainty.

‘In Rukungiri, which has long been a symbolic Opposition constituency, his absence could tilt local dynamics-either by weakening coordination within the Opposition or by heightening public sympathy,’ Chemonges said.

‘More importantly, it signals how political contestation in Uganda remains securitised, where competition is often managed through coercion rather than fair engagement.’

As Uganda heads toward another election cycle, Mugumya’s unexplained disappearance has reignited debate about political freedoms, accountability, and the safety of dissenting voices.

‘Elections lose their meaning if participation becomes a risk. Mugumya’s disappearance is not just a personal tragedy; it becomes a national concern that reinforces fear, erodes trust, and normalises impunity,’ Chemonges said, adding: ‘During election seasons, the line between State security and regime security blurs. What we are seeing is the use of security processes to shape political outcomes-a trend that not only undermines democracy but also corrodes institutional credibility.’

Lightning strikes twice?

Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) spokesperson, told Saturday Monitor that he has ‘no information’ regarding Mugumya’s whereabouts.

‘Who told you that he’s with us? I would like to remind you that the law states the burden of proof lies with the accusers. Let them prove that he is with us. There is no way we can hold a person indefinitely; we are accountable. We do not know where Mugumya is, and he has a history of disappearing from the country and resurfacing,’ he said.

This is not the first time UPDF is denying having Mugumya in its custody. Last month, the UPDF told the High Court in Kampala that Mugumya has never been held in any of their detention facilities.

Mugumya has previously been arrested and detained on several occasions in connection with political activism. The affidavit was made in response to a writ of habeas corpus filed by Mugumya’s legal team, which asked the court to compel security agencies to produce him.

Mugumya’s family also says the silence from authorities is ‘unacceptable.’

‘We have checked all police stations in Kampala, Mbarara, and Rukungiri but have found nothing,’ a relative told this reporter. ‘If he has been arrested, let the government produce him in court. If not, then where is he?’

Human-rights organisations, including the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) and the Legal Aid Service Providers Network (LASPNET), have been urged to intervene.

PFF speak out

Michael Kabaziguruka, the chairperson of the PFF electoral commission, confirmed that by the time Mugumya disappeared, he had expressed interest in competing for the party flag to contest for the Rukungiri Municipality parliamentary seat.

‘We had four people who expressed interest-Mugumya, Ingrid Kamateneti Turinawe, Dr Wallen Nuwagaba Tumwine, and former MP for Rukungiri Municipality, Roland Mugume Kaginda,’ he said.

He added that the day Mugumya was scheduled to be vetted was the very day he went missing, and was not vetted. Kabaziguruka confirmed that Ingrid Kamateneti Turinawe is the party’s flag bearer for the Rukungiri Municipality parliamentary seat.

Political analyst Patrick Mwajje says the case highlights the continuing intersection between security and politics in Uganda.

‘When Opposition figures disappear in the middle of an election season, it sends a chilling message. The State must clarify his status. Silence only fuels suspicion.’

Elections

Parliamentary nominations are scheduled for October 22 to 23, according to the Electoral Commission. Mugumya’s absence raises doubts about whether he will appear in time to submit his papers. His name had been circulating among likely contenders in what was shaping up to be one of the most competitive races in southwestern Uganda.