Category: Daily Monitor

The State Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, has emphasized Uganda’s transition to a programmatic approach in agro-industrialization, marking a significant shift from the sectoral approach.

Speaking at the two-day Joint Agro-Industrialization Program’s Annual Review Conference, Minister Kyakulaga noted that the move aims to enhance value addition and improve the country’s economic growth.

“We are progressively transitioning from the sectoral approach to the programmatic approach to planning, budgeting, implementation, and reporting,” he said.

The Minister acknowledged that the transition may face challenges, with some lingering behaviors still rooted in the sectoral approach. However, he emphasized that this is a healthy sign of growth and urged stakeholders to work together to achieve the program’s objectives.

The review meeting marks the first round of emphasis on value addition, as Uganda prepares to launch its fourth National Development Plan (NDP4). Minister Kyakulaga stressed that the focus on value addition will create more jobs and improve the living conditions of Ugandans.

“As we come to the end of the third National Development Plan, we are launching ourselves into the fourth National Development Plan, with more emphasis on value addition to create more jobs and improve the conditions of our people,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Maj Gen David Kasura Kyomukama, highlighted the successes and challenges of Uganda’s agro-industrialization program. He noted that the program has seen significant improvements in agriculture productivity, production, and exports.

“Agriculture grew by 6.8% this year, exceeding the projected 6.3%,” he said. “Our agriculture exports now stand at $4.3-4.8 billion, more than doubling the $2.3 billion recorded at the beginning of the program.”

He added that the program has also improved seed breed resilience, value addition, and job creation, with many young people employed in factories and other agricultural ventures.

The LC5 Chairperson Isingiro District, Mr. Alone Turahi, is optimistic about the new climate smart agriculture program, which is set to succeed the stalled Sustainable Development Project (SDP).

“We had so many projects, for example, in my district, which were implemented, including SDP, much as it stopped on the way when people still had expectations,” he said.

He expressed hope that the program will be successful, saying, “We are waiting eagerly to see whether it will work because SDP stopped.”

He also emphasized the need for continued support for small-scale irrigation schemes in the district, which have been instrumental in helping farmers cope with dry spells.

As the 2026 general elections campaigns shift to a steady gear now, candidates, especially presidential candidates, are attracting sizeable crowds as they traverse different parts of the country.

Photos of large crowds are always a source of pride and accomplishment for the various candidates and their campaign teams.

However, as the rallies go on, with the candidates passionately talking about their plans for the country if elected, the waste that piles up in and around these rally grounds is becoming a real concern.

It is inevitable that with such large gatherings, there will be a lot of waste, especially empty plastic bottles, polythene bags, and paper waste, that harm the environment. Have any of the candidates and campaign teams paid mind to this undesirable by-product of the rallies?

Are they concerned enough to make sure that the various areas they visit are left in good sanitary condition, or is that not important enough to plan for?

In our story of November 6 titled, ‘Environmentalists warn of rising waste during campaigns, David Kureeba , the programmes officer at National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) advises candidates and their campaign teams to take responsibility for managing the waste.

He offers a few ideas that the candidates and their campaign teams would do well to take up or at least consider and modify.

He says, at every venue, there should be dustbins to collect the rubbish generated. Even the vehicles used by candidates and their teams should have dustbins.

Candidates should use reusable materials such as water flasks and biodegradable packing to reduce plastic use, and he also suggests that manufacturers should introduce a small fee for each plastic bottle collected from the community.

‘If one bottle is worth even Shs50 or Shs2000, people will have a reason to pick them up’, he says.

While community hygiene is mostly a behavioural issue and cannot be left entirely to visiting politicians, communities must hold these aspiring leaders to a higher standard than most.

Why should someone who promises better healthcare, higher salaries for teachers, more affordable or even cheaper education, a more rewarding trade environment, and whatever else the politicians are promising leave behind a pile of waste in the aftermath of their rally?

Isn’t this the time to start leading by example? Isn’t the environment an important aspect in the livelihood of the voters that are being wooed? Rallies should not be an opportunity for mass littering.

This should be an opportunity for the various candidates to show by example how much they care about protecting the environment and what truly matters most to them as leaders or aspiring leaders.

As suggested by Mr Kureeba and the other environmentalists, candidates and their teams must have a proper waste management plan for their rallies.

The government yesterday arrested the acting chairperson of Kampala City Traders Association (Kacita) in a move aimed at deflating their strike that entered day three.

Mr Issa Ssekitto, who was instrumental in mobilising the traders during the protests, is accused of inciting the businesspeople and assaulting police officers. Mr Ssekitto and a dozen others are detained at the Central Police Station in Kampala City.

Before his arrest, Mr Ssekitto had accused the government of using underhand methods in attempts to frustrate the strike instead of resolving the issues driving the traders’ protests.

‘The pressure is so much on traders. They are going to pay high rent as it were because nothing has changed. They are still going to be paying through the nose on goods they are getting out of customs because the delays are going to continue. They are going to pay taxes in kilos because the government has not adjusted anything,’ Mr Ssekitto said moments before his arrest on Nabugabo Street, downtown Kampala.

Ssekitto’s arrest

No sooner had Mr Ssekitto concluded his address to traders and journalists than the police officers swung into action and arrested him. But Mr Ssekitto warned that his arrest wouldn’t solve the problems.

Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson, said Mr Ssekitto would help them with investigations into the protests.

Mr Owoyesigyire said the arrest of Mr Ssekitto follows their detaining of 13 others over similar allegations of inciting violence and assaulting police officers while on lawful duties.

‘The case file has been forwarded to the Resident State Attorney for perusal and legal advice as investigations into the matter continue,’ Mr Owoyesigyire said.

The traders closed shops on Tuesday, November 4, protesting a range of issues, including high taxes, coercive enforcement of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Systems, high rent, and payment of power bills.

The traders also want $3 (Shs10,695) and $3.5 (Shs12,476) tax on each kilogramme of imported fabrics and garments reduced, which demands President Museveni has rejected, saying the heavy taxes are intended to discourage importation of products that can be manufactured in Uganda.

On its second day, the strike turned into running battles between police officers and the traders. The government deployed a joint security force in the city centre to protect the traders who chose to open their shops.

The traders also allege that the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) does not refund the six percent Withholding Tax to them. They also want foreign investors to leave retail business to the locals.

They are also protesting the increased presence of vendors on the streets, which they say undermines shopkeepers.

Two months ago, the traders staged a strike over the same concerns but called off the action after a meeting between Kacitak leaders and the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja.

Traders respond

A section of the traders said this time round, they will continue with the strike until the government resolves their concerns.

‘We are still fighting for our businesses because this is our survival. We don’t want our businesses to incur losses. If the government shows no interest in listening to us, we shall stick to what the Constitution dictates, which is peaceful demonstration,’ Mr David Mwesigwa, a trader, said.

Mr John Kabanda, the chairperson of the Federation of Uganda Traders Association, warned: ‘The only ideal way we have to show our grievance is to close our shops and not reopen until the government acts accordingly. We are not ready to give up.’

The planned suspension of the Laropi ferry service for 18 days of maintenance has sparked mixed reactions among locals and travellers. The locals, travellers and traders are worried that the transport system will be disrupted, affecting their movement and income.

The Ministry of Works and Transport, which oversees the operations of the ferry between Moyo and Adjumani districts, announced that the ferry service will be suspended for maintenance for 18 days, which runs from November 10 to November 28.

In a November 3 letter, the Permanent Secretary at the Works ministry, Mr Bageya Waiswa, said the ministry would conduct periodic maintenance on the MV Laropi ferry, which connects Moyo and Adjumani via the Laropi-Umi route. He said the maintenance is aimed at improving the ferry’s reliability and safety as an interim measure ahead of comprehensive repairs and rehabilitation.

‘Therefore, ferry services across the Laropi-Umi route will be temporarily suspended to allow our technical team to carry out the necessary works,’ the letter reads in part.

Speaking to Monitor on Wednesday, a taxi driver on the Moyo-Adjumani route, Mr Ronald Anyivu, said: ‘I depend on this route. I make at least two trips a day and save about Shs50,000 daily, which helps me provide for my family and pay school fees. I don’t know what I will do during this period. The 18 days are a lot for business.’

Mr Anyivu suggested that if the government cannot construct a bridge soon, it should consider deploying an additional ferry so that services continue when one ferry is not in use, especially when they are taken for maintenance.

The leaders in West Nile Sub-region have been pushing for the construction of Laropi Bridge on the River Nile to facilitate easy movement of people and goods. But this has not been forthcoming.

The Director of Zawadi Bus Services, Mr Simon Amajuru, said the company was assessing the alternative route provided to determine whether or not the Arua-bound buses can continue operating from Adjumani via Obongi.

“We understand the risks involved. The closure will affect our operations, but we have no choice. For now, we may have to limit our service to Moyo and use Obongi to Arua City route,’ he explained.

Mr Amajuru said they are considering suspension of buses for the direct route from Adjumani to Moyo. While the bus from Arua will stop in Moyo. Ms Beatrice Ajiko, who runs a makeshift restaurant at the ferry landing site, said her business relies heavily on passengers using the ferry. She added that during the 18 days of the ferry’s closure, she will have to seek alternative means of earning a living.

‘I borrow money from money lenders and repay it weekly. This closure will disrupt my loan repayment schedule,’ she explained. The ministry advised the public to use alternative routes, including Moyo-Yumbe-Koboko-Arua-Karuma road. While travellers from Moyo can use the Obongi-Adjumani-Atiak-Gulu route. People from Kampala travelling to Moyo can use the Arua-Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo route. And also those heading to Obongi-MV Obongi ferry-Adjumani. Mr Jude Adiga, a regular traveller on Moyo-Adjumani route, said the government should prioritise the construction of Laropi Bridge.

‘Using the boats is risky because of the terrible wind that leads to capsizing. These boat riders also overload them, which is dangerous. And we had cases where hippopotamus could attack the boats and this can be risky,’ he said.

According to a December 2024 report from the Works ministry, the government has received financing from the African Development Bank towards the construction of the Laropi-Moyo-Afoji Road (39.3km), Laropi Bridge (1.0km), and 5km of town roads , among others.

A new country, new club, new league, new players have all proved to be an exciting combination for Burundian coach Belyse Ininahazwe.

The former Burundi national team defender has taken to life in She Corporate’s dugout like a duck to water leading them to the top of the Finance Trust Bank Fufa Women Super League (FTBFWSL) table with 13 points in her first five games.

She Corporate are joined at the top by their visitors this Sunday at Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru – Kawempe Muslim.

It is a grudge match in many ways and that is why it is a proper test for the ambitions of both clubs.

“The ambitions for every game are the same for us, to win,” Ininahazwe said at a press conference organised by league sponsors Finance Trust Bank to recognise her as coach of the month (October) on Tuesday.

Ininahazwe lands into several subplots between the sides. Kawempe right back Amina Nakato joined from She Corporate and will be keen to show she is in a better team.

On the other side, Viola Namuddu and Rebecca Nakato won various competitions for Kawempe’s school and club teams. They will be keen to show, like many Kawempe alumni before them over the years, that they still have the wherewithal to win elsewhere.

She Corporate also have Kawempe marked for holding them to a draw that relegated them from the 2022/23 league to the second tier for the 2023/24 season. Earlier this year, Kawempe also denied She Corporate a chance to play in the Fufa Women Cup semifinals.

Both sides were tied at the end of regulation time over two legs and should have had extra time before a shootout. But the referees on the day chose to go straight for shootouts. After losing the shootout, Kawempe petitioned Fufa and the sides had to play out the 30 minutes. Kawempe won but eventually lost the Cup to Amus College.

“We anticipate a tough match because we are travelling to a side that is still unbeaten, scoring late goals, and defending well. We have to study them more and plan to win the match,” Kawempe coach Ayub Khalifa, said.

Meanwhile in the other match on Sunday, Amus entertain Lady Doves in Kachumbala. Both sides have struggled to show the tenacity of last season but it still early days. Doves are 10th on three points while Amus are 5th with just three more points.

Just below Amus are She Maroons who are tied on five points with their Sunday visitors Makerere University.

Mawejje hosts KQ

But before all the attention and traffic flows towards Njeru, Kampala Queens (KQ) visit to St. Noa Girls Zana at Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku will be the main attraction on Sunday.

Newly promoted St. Noa eliminated KQ from the Cup earlier this year but have found it hard to grind out wins in the topflight. They sit a decent 4th in the league but with a paltry six points – five behind KQ.

Interestingly, new St. Noa coach Tony Mawejje had his “apprenticeship” as an assistant coach at KQ before quietly walking away last season. Can he show his former bosses what they are missing? We wait to see!

Elsewhere, Asubo host fellow bottom of the table strugglers Olila High School at Kampala Quality Grounds while 9th-placed Rines SS travel to 7th-placed Uganda Martyrs HS Lubaga.

FTBFWSL FIXTURES, 10AM

SATURDAY

Asubo vs. Olila HS, Kampala Quality Grounds

St. Noa Girls vs. Kampala Queens, Muteesa II Wankulukuku

Uganda Martyrs HS vs. Rines SS, St. Gerald Ground Lubaga

SUNDAY

She Maroons vs. Makerere University, Luzira Prisons

She-Corporate vs. Kawempe Muslim, FTC Njeru

Amus College vs. Lady Doves, Kachumbala

The Police in Arua have arrested two suspected highway robbers for stealing food destined for a refugee settlement.

The incident occurred on November 6 at around midnight at Kamukamu trading centre along the Arua-Nebbi-Kampala road.

According to Ms Josephine Angucia, the Police Public Relations Officer for the West Nile region, the two suspects were arrested for robbery and stealing from a vehicle.

She said the incident was reported by the driver, Abdul Aziz, 27, a Gishu by tribe, a resident of Kyengera in Kampala.

She revealed the names of the two suspects arrested as Asara Godwin, 18, a resident of Ananjara village, and Sabute Brian, 21, a resident of Ocoko village, all from Ocoko parish, Ajia sub-county, Arua District.

“It’s alleged that when the driver of a trailer motor vehicle, carrying food relief for refugees in Palorinya refugee settlement, was driving towards Arua town from Nebbi side, in Kamukamu trading centre, he saw a group of youths carrying machetes. The youths tried to stop him, but he didn’t stop, and so they boarded the moving trailer and started off-loading bags of posho on the road,” she said.

She said the driver tried to stop, but the suspects threatened to cut him, and he called the police, who responded quickly as the goons disappeared into the bush.

“A team of Police officers commanded by the DPC Arua responded to the scene, searched the nearby bushes from midnight up to 4:30 a.m. At around 6:00 a.m., a motor vehicle, a Harrier type with Registration Number UAW 012A, was intercepted carrying the stolen 4 bags of posho, and it had four occupants who ran away into the bush,” she added.

Ms. Angucia said two suspects were arrested, and the motorcycle they used was impounded and is currently parked at Arua rural police station at Odumi, where the suspects are detained pending investigations.

It has been observed that these thieves take advantage of the bad nature of the road, which is full of potholes from Nebbi to Arua, to climb the moving vehicles and offload goods, and this has become common during festive seasons.

Angucia says, with the help of the new highway patrol vehicle recently given to Arua district, police have planned to step up operations on criminals along the highway, and whoever is arrested shall be prosecuted according to the law.

Every time Kampala floods, we hear the same excuse that the rain was too heavy. But rain is not the problem. The primary causes of these floods are corruption, greed, poor planning, and inadequate environmental governance.

Last week’s floods once again brought Kampala to its knees. Downtown streets were submerged, markets were destroyed, traffic was paralysed, and livelihoods were swept away.

At the heart of this crisis is the Nakivubo Channel, the main drainage line that runs through all five divisions of the city and handles more than half of Kampala’s stormwater.

When Nakivubo is blocked, the entire city floods. Yet instead of protecting this vital drainage system, our leaders are backing plans to build over it.

A recent KCCA Council resolution encouraged the city to “move away from traditional open drainages” and adopt “modern covered and beautified” systems, in partnership with “credible local investors,” due to declining donor and government funding.

On paper, it sounded modern and progressive. In reality, it opened the door for businessman Hamis Kiggundu’s controversial “redevelopment” project, which seeks to cover sections of Nakivubo for commercial use.

In early August 2025, President Museveni wrote to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, supporting this redevelopment, stating that it would modernise the city and reduce flooding.

However, three weeks later, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) ordered Kiggundu to halt all works, citing a lack of approvals and an Environmental Impact Assessment clearance from the National Environment Management Authority (Nema).

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago met Nema Executive Director ,Dr Barirega Akankwasa, who confirmed that Hamis Kiggundu’s project lacked environmental clearance and was under investigation.

Dr Akankwasa also clarified that the President’s directive did not exempt the developer from following legal procedures.

This exchange exposed the deeper sickness in our governance system, where influential individuals use political connections to bypass institutions.

When technical bodies must “clarify” presidential letters before enforcing the law, it shows how far corruption has eroded the rule of law. What message does that send to ordinary citizens who are struggling to follow the rules?

These floods were not a surprise. Environmentalists, planners, citizens and civil society voices have been warning for years that unregulated construction, wetland destruction, and corruption in planning approvals would lead to precisely this.

Their warnings were dismissed as opposition talk by those benefiting from the mess. Now, their fears have come true and still no real action is being taken.

The floods we see today are the price of silence, arrogance, and impunity.

On what grounds did Nema rely on to finally issue a certificate of approval for Environmental and Social Impact Assessment?did they consult other key stakeholders?

But Kampala’s story is only part of a bigger national disaster. The Lwera Wetland, once a natural sponge along the Kampala-Masaka highway, has been depleted by sand mining and large-scale rice farming, which is controlled by influential individuals masquerading as “investors.” Lubigi, Kinawataka, and other wetlands and ecosystems face the same destruction.

Uganda loses an estimated $100 million every year to flood-related damage. Yet the institutions meant to prevent such losses remain underfunded, undermined, and often silent.

Instead of enforcing the law, some officers bend it to please those in power. Instead of planning for resilience, they plan for profit. Ugandans deserve accountability, and the government has a constitutional duty to protect citizens and their property.

We cannot continue to respond to predictable disasters with press conferences, empty promises, and sympathy visits made after every disaster, only for everything to be forgotten within a few days, until the next disaster occurs.

What is KCCA doing to manage floods in the long term? Where are the flood management plans that taxpayers have paid for? Where are the results of the disaster preparedness strategies that the Office of the Prime Minister and KCCA claim to have implemented?

Our leaders must stop pretending that urban development and environmental protection are enemies because the right to a clean and healthy environment is guaranteed under Uganda’s Constitution.

When that right is violated, so too are the rights to life, livelihood, and dignity. Those who approve or defend reckless, illegal projects without proper assessments or stakeholder engagement should be held accountable for the damage they cause.

Institutions like Nema and KCCA require independence and protection from political pressure to enforce the law fairly and impartially.

Otherwise, Kampala’s floods are not just about drainage or climate change; they are also a reflection of the city’s inadequate infrastructure and neglect that corruption has brought to our systems, both physical and moral.

We must confront that corruption head-on because no amount of rain control or beautification will save this city from flooding.

Police in Adjumani are investigating the death of an applicant who died during the ongoing recruitment of Special Polling Constables.

The deceased applicant, Solomon Obudra, 34, a resident of Angwarapi East village, Dzaipi subcounty, Adjumani district, died on November 6, 2025, at approximately 11am at the recruitment center in Paridi Stadium, in Adjumani Town Council.

The incident was confirmed by the North West Police spokesperson, Mr Collins Asea, who stated that at the time, the police were conducting interviews for the position of Special Polling Constable.

“The victim, along with other applicants, underwent document verification before participating in a physical exercise session, as part of the recruitment process. The entire group, consisting of over 1,000 applicants, were then sent on a 2-kilometer road run through Adjuman Town,” he said.

“During the run, the victim completed the exercise normally but collapsed upon returning from the marathon. He was immediately transported to Adjuman General Hospital for medical attention, and he was being helped by his brother who was also participating in the exercise,” he added.

Asea said, “Despite receiving treatment, the victim’s condition worsened, and he passed away at approximately 8pm on the same day at Adjuman General Hospital. The brother then reported the incident to the police today (Friday) at around 11am, prompting the opening of a death investigation file to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.”

The body has been transferred to Adjuman General Hospital mortuary for postmortem as investigations continue into the matter.

For decades, the West Nile region was synonymous with tobacco cultivation, but today, those iconic tobacco-drying barns are disappearing as rice cultivation takes root as a food security and income-generating alternative for farmers.

A collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is helping farmers make this transition through the Promotion of Sustainable Rice Development Project (ECO-PRiDe).

“The high rice yields recorded among trained farmers were clear evidence that adopting new technologies and innovations can create food and income-secure communities, a vision aligned with Uganda’s national development goals,” said Mr Frank Mugabi, the Head of Communications at NARO.

The five-year initiative aims to promote sustainable rice production, improve farmers’ livelihoods, and contribute to regional economic growth.

“JICA remains dedicated to promoting agricultural transformation through technology transfer, farmer training, and research collaboration with national institutions like NARO and MAAIF,” said Mr Toshinori Katsumata from JICA.

The project has trained 28 farmers in Nyadri sub-county, Maracha District, through the Musomesa Field School approach, covering the entire rice production cycle from site selection and field management to post-harvest handling.

The Parish Chief of the area, Ms Beatrice Aseru, said rice cultivation, supported by funding from the Parish Development Model (PDM), has strong potential to help local farmers lift themselves out of poverty.

Rice is rapidly gaining prominence in the region and is now ranked among West Nile’s top five most popular crops due to its dual role as both a staple food and a lucrative cash crop.

Nationally, rice production in Uganda has surged over the past 15 years from less than 300,000 metric tons to more than 700,000 metric tons, with Uganda now over 70 percent self-sufficient in rice production.

Experts project that the country could soon achieve full self-sufficiency and even become a rice-exporting nation.

Residents in Kirowooza and Nabuta villages, Goma Division, Mukono Municipality, are living in fear after a group of armed men raided the area on Wednesday night, killing a mobile money operator and robbing several shops.

The deceased, identified as Peter Ssekamatte, a well-known mobile money agent in Kirowooza, succumbed to gunshot injuries at Mukono General Hospital shortly after the attack.

According to Ms Annet Nazziwa, an eyewitness, the assailants, armed with guns and machetes, stormed the trading centres at around 10pm, forcing traders to surrender cash and valuables at gunpoint.

“I saw them through a window, entering shops and ordering people to give them money,” she said.

Mr Tony Wasike, a trader, said two of them entered his shop and demanded money.

“I surrendered the Shs180,000 because I was scared, my life would go,” he said.

Ms Justin Nafayo, also a resident, said she narrowly survived after two of the robbers confronted her while at work. He also noted that despite residents contributing money for night security patrols, the situation has continued to worsen.

“They entered the shop and demanded money. I complied because they were armed,” he recounted.

Mr Senyonga Kyeyune, the Nabuta Cell chairperson, called for improved security deployment in the area and urged the government to regulate the circulation of firearms among civilians.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, confirmed the attack, saying a team of detectives visited the scene and recovered several exhibits.

He added that preliminary findings suggest the robbers were well-coordinated and could be part of a larger criminal network operating within the Kampala Metropolitan area.

“We are taking this incident very seriously and are working around the clock to apprehend the suspects,” Onyango said. “We urge anyone with information to come forward and help us bring these criminals to justice.”