Category: Daily Monitor

Families of individuals identified among the machete-wielding attackers in last week’s wave of coordinated violence across Kasese, Fort Portal, and Bundibugyo districts are pleading with the government to release the bodies of their relatives for decent burial.

The deadly assaults, which occurred last Saturday morning, were carried out by groups of men armed with machetes, dressed in black jackets and gumboots, and carrying rudimentary weapons such as catapults, stones, and even African eggplants.

In Buhuhira Sub-county, Busongora North, believed to be the origin of some of the attackers, families are grieving and demanding that the government releases the bodies of their relatives who were shot dead during the counter-operations. Mr Hudson Musale, the Buhuhira Sub-county chairperson, identified four of the deceased from his area.

‘In this incident, four of the people from my area were killed. They are Charles Mbene of Kahondo Village; Agard Kirongotse, son of Nuha Bilhwana Sibendire of Buhuhira Village; Abel Sibaminya of Kikoka; and Maate Kighoma of Kikoka Village,’ he said. Mr Musale said the sub-county executive committee met on Monday to review the incident and agreed to visit the bereaved families to extend condolences and support.

Families in shock

At the home of the late Maate Kighoma, one of the suspected attackers, relatives were still in disbelief. His brother, Mr John Monday Wakighoma, said they first learned of Maate’s death through a neighbour’s phone call. ‘We were informed by a neighbour, who testified that he had seen Maate’s dead body,’ Mr Monday recounted.

He said his brother, 35, a father of five and an active member of the Adventist Church, was killed on Saturday in Rugendabara. ‘Everyone at home assumed he was busy attending to his business. We were all shocked when the news of his death by shooting started circulating,’ he added. Mr Monday, who also chairs Kitswamba Town Council, condemned the attacks, describing them as senseless acts of violence against the state.

‘I wish to make it clear that as a family, we didn’t know anything about this. Maate was a master guide in the church. Four days before the incident, we were looking for him because he was supposed to help cement our grandparents’ graves. His wife, too, did not know where he had gone,’ he added.

He said the family’s only wish now is to give him a dignified burial. Other residents also expressed disbelief. Mr James Kule, a businessman at Buhuhira Trading Centre, said no one could have imagined Kighoma being involved in violence. His elder brother, Mr Jofesi Kighoma, described the death as a ‘major blow’ to the family. ‘Maate had become a hardworking, compassionate, and respected man. We worshipped with him a week ago during a church event. He supported us fully. His death has left us heartbroken,’ he said.

According to the UPDF Mountain Division, the death toll among suspected attackers has risen to 41, and at least 90 suspects have been arrested across the three districts. One UPDF soldier and a woman, reportedly the wife of a soldier in Bundibugyo District, were killed when the assailants struck Malindi and Kakuka army detachments. Six police officers in Kasese were injured, while several soldiers’ houses in Malindi and Kakuka (Sindila Sub-county, Bundibugyo) were set ablaze. A unit post at Kasese Police Barracks was also torched.

In Kitswamba Sub-county, mourners gathered at the home of Zephas Kambere, 53, whose death was confirmed by security forces. Kambere, a father of seven and resident of Kihyo Village, was found dead in the compound of Grace Cathedral on Kasese-Kilembe road. His wife, Ms Peluce Muhasa, said she last saw her husband on Wednesday, October 29. ‘He told me he was going to visit family in Kasese. That was the last time I saw him alive,’ she said.

Ms Muhasa described her husband as a trained health worker and a man known for his kindness. ‘He was not only my husband but a friend and provider who cared for everyone, regardless of clan or status,’ she added. Fighting back tears, Ms Muhasa recounted the moment she learned of his death. ‘A relative called me and said my husband had been seen lying dead in Kasese Town. At first, I didn’t believe it. But when my son confirmed, I asked if thieves had killed him. Later, we heard rebels had attacked the police,’ she said. Now left to care for seven children, she appealed for help.

‘You can see our home and the children. I don’t know how to make their future bright. All we ask is to be allowed to bury our loved ones with dignity,’ Ms Muhasa said.

Clandestine meetings

Some community leaders suspect the attackers had been holding clandestine gatherings before the assaults. Mr Richard Bakulha, an elder in Buhuhira Village, said:’I cannot say for sure what was discussed, but we know they were meeting regularly. We are urging families to account for their members and report anyone missing so we can initiate a proper search,’ he said.

Residents caught in the crossfire have appealed for government assistance. Ms Ireen Kasundi, a resident of Rugendabara-Kikongo Town Council, said her home was hit during the shootout between security forces and the attackers. ‘The gunshots damaged our house, but no one was hurt because we were in another room. A bullet got stuck in the wall, and I keep worrying that it might explode. The government should either renovate the house or compensate us – it wasn’t our fault,’ she said.

Maj Robert Kijuma, the acting spokesperson for the UPDF Mountain Division and Operation Shujaa, said arrangements were underway to transport the bodies of the deceased attackers to Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital for identification and subsequent burial. South Rwenzori Diocese Bishop Nason Baluku condemned the attacks and questioned the logic of confronting armed soldiers with crude weapons.

‘You have only a machete and a catapult-and you want to fight someone with a gun? That mentality must stop. Before engaging in such acts, think about the consequences,’ he warned. Meanwhile, the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu (OBR) cultural institution has strongly distanced itself from the attacks, describing claims linking the kingdom to the violence as baseless and misleading. In a statement, prime minister Benson Kule Baritazale dismissed social media allegations connecting it to the attackers.

‘These acts of criminality being linked to OBR, whether motivated by history, prejudice, or misinformation, only serve to mislead people,’ the statement read.

The institution clarified that it remains committed to peace, unity, and reconciliation under the leadership of Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere, who emphasised that such acts threaten the region’s stability and development.

Members of the Rwenzururu Veterans Development Association also issued a separate statement denouncing the attacks. Mr Noah Nzaghale, speaking on behalf of the veterans, said: ‘This act was carried out by people who are against peace, unity, and development in our sub-region. We stand firmly with the government and the people of Rwenzori in promoting lasting peace.’ As investigations continue, security forces maintain a heavy presence in Kasese and neighbouring districts.

BACKGROUND

Armed men wielding machetes (pangas), stones, and catapults launched coordinated attacks on several security installations in the Rwenzori Sub-region.

Security installations targeted included Malindi and Kakuka army detachments in Bundibugyo, and a unit post at Kasese Police Barracks.

The UPDF confirmed 41 suspected attackers killed and 90 suspects arrested across the three districts.

One UPDF soldier and a soldier’s wife in Bundibugyo were killed.

Six police officers were injured, and several soldiers’ homes were burnt.

The High Court in Kampala has declined to refer veteran opposition politician, Dr Kizza Besigye’s application to the Constitutional Court, in which he sought interpretation on whether a judge facing a complaint before the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) can fairly preside over a case involving the same complainants.

Justice Emmanuel Baguma in his Thursday ruling held that the application filed by the four-time presidential contender and his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale and Capt Denis Oola, did not raise a substantial question of constitutional interpretation under Article 137(5)(b) of the Constitution.

‘In the final result, it is this court’s finding that counsels for the accused persons have not made out a prima facie question of law to warrant reference to the Constitutional Court,’ Justice Baguma ruled.

Adding.’I accordingly decline to refer the proposed question of law to the Constitutional Court and direct that the matter be fixed for scheduling and plea taking.’

The accused persons, through their lawyers, had requested the High Court to refer their case to the Constitutional Court, arguing that proceedings before Justice Baguma, against whom they have a pending complaint before the JSC violate their constitutional right to a fair and impartial hearing.

Their lawyers had framed the proposed constitutional question as: ‘Whether a court presided over by a judicial officer against whom a complaint by the accused persons seeking removal from office is pending is an independent and impartial court in accordance with Article 28(1) and Article 44(c) of the Constitution.’

However, Justice Baguma ruled that the application did not meet the threshold for constitutional interpretation.

‘Article 137(5)(a) and (b) require that before a reference is made, the court must be satisfied that a prima facie case exists that interpretation of a constitutional provision is required. If this is not established, then no reference should be made,’ he stated.

Quoting previous authorities, including Sheikh Abdul Karim Sentamu and Another v Uganda (1998) and Hon. Sam Kuteesa v Attorney General (2011), the judge emphasised that the court must first determine whether a real question of interpretation arises in the proceedings.

‘However much a party may request, he cannot have referred a matter that does not involve the interpretation of the Constitution. Nor can a party give the court jurisdiction which the court does not have by law,’ Justice Baguma said.

He added that the allegations of bias arising from the pending complaint were speculative and did not justify halting proceedings.

‘The allegations that the accused persons will not get a fair trial are an imagination because Article 28 of the Constitution lays down the principles of the right to a fair hearing, which this court is mandated to observe,’ the judge noted.

Justice Baguma concluded that none of the authorities cited by Dr Besigye’s lawyers, including Professor Isaac Newton Ojok v Uganda and Tumaini v Republic (1972), related to constitutional references.

Earlier this week, Dr Besigye’s legal team, led by lawyers Martha Karua, Elias Lukwago, Ernest Kalibbala, and Fredrick Mpanga, requested Justice Baguma to step aside from the treason trial, citing a conflict of interest due to their complaint before the JSC.

Justice Baguma declined to recuse himself, ruling that the filing of a complaint seeking the removal of a judge from office is not a bar from continuing to hear a case.

Following that decision, Besigye’s lawyers invoked Article 137(5)(b), requesting that the issue be referred to the Constitutional Court for interpretation.

However, after the ruling, Besigye’s lawyers asked the court for some time to discuss with their clients the way forward. The judge consequently adjourned the proceedings to December 4.

During court proceedings, there was commotion as Hajj Lutale’s daughter protested Justice Baguma’s decision.

She was, however, detained by the court’s security team that led her to their holding cells in the premises.

The board members of Deposits Protection Fund (DPF) have asked the police to tackle cyber bank crime in the country, which is directly affecting the banks and their clientele.

Dr Andrew Obara, a board member of DPF, made the request while meeting stakeholders and bank managers in Soroti city on Wednesday, saying that this is an area where the police should up their investigations.

“In Uganda, cyber bank crime remains a growing concern, with a significant increase in financial losses and cases, these crimes range from sophisticated attacks like hacking, fraud, and ransomware often involving insider breaches,” he said.

In 2024, the losses as a result of cyber bank crime were approximated at Shs1.02 trillion.

Mr Obara’s plea was in response to the outcry from the RDCs that the beneficiaries of PDM are being fleeced of their money by officers who are managing the fund after their bank details are compromised by third-party officers.

“This cannot be the problem of the bank but police can help investigate this under the cybercrime act,” the DPF board member said.

Mr Ibrahim Saiga, the RPC Kyoga East, said that police have a cybercrime department whose work is highly commendable whenever called upon. He added that among other issues, they often receive are matters of fraud, and a number of the suspects have been prosecuted.

Mr. Saiga said that some of the issues involving PDM have also been handled by police and suspects forced to refund the money to the beneficiaries.

Ms. Julia Oyet, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DPF, told the stakeholders drawn from the various sectorial departments and private sector that the DPF is doing well, and so is the bank sector.

She appealed to the people to continue banking with confidence in their respective banks where they have and hold accounts.

Mr Patrick Ezaga, the Director Communications at DPF, told participants that DPF is a government-based institution that was designed to protect depositors in the eventuality that a bank closes.

He added that DPF guarantees payment of up to Shs10M per depositor in the event the financial institution fails, this coverage includes 98 per cent of the deposit accounts in the country, with the majority belonging to low-income earners.

My rear passenger windows roll down by themselves when the car is parked in the sun. Could heat be affecting the electronics or switches? Is this a sign that my car’s wiring is failing, and could it drain the battery or even start a fire if left unchecked? Emmanuel

Hello Emmanuel, it is abnormal for passenger windows to roll themselves down while your car is parked in the sun. Whereas heat may be affecting the electronics or switch gear, there is a likely connection with a short circuit, and it is important to find out what is causing it.

There are three likely causes of the unauthorised car window roll-down: A faulty relay or shorting wire harness, a damaged or faulty driver master window switch, and a faulty window control module. Extreme heat, such as that from direct sunlight, can damage insulation or expand connectors of wire harnesses. This causes cross-flow of current, which can run the window motors. In the event that there is some moisture or corrosion build-up in the door harness connectors, usually caused by soapy water from jet car washing, it will cause short circuits that can give unauthorised signals to operate the window motors.

An inspection of the wiring harness by a qualified car electrician should be able to identify whether the short circuit is caused by the harness connectors or the relay box, to stop the unauthorised window roll-down.

Accumulation of moisture, dirt, or heat-driven expansion of plastic components of the master switch, especially in older cars, can cause unexpected roll-down of the windows, especially during the hottest part of the day.

This can be resolved by a mechanic removing the door card to inspect and clean the master switch contacts or replace them where necessary. A faulty window control module or convenience system remote can cause unintended window roll-down. Many vehicles today are designed with a convenience feature that allows you to remotely open all windows on a very hot day to allow the car to cool down before you enter it.

This feature can malfunction in the event that your remote is damaged and buttons stick, especially during a hot day, or the control module has short circuits due to moisture-driven corrosion or dirt build-up. A careful examination of the remote fob and internal control module can identify what is faulty for repair or replacement.

Intermittent, unintended roll-down of windows is a sign that there is something wrong with the window circuits, controllers, or switches, and it is an indication that there are circuits that continue to run power even when you have switched off the car. This situation is called parasitic draw of power, which will drain your car battery over time and weaken or damage it.

A faltering battery during a cold start or warm window switches is a sign of parasitic power draw. A technician can investigate this with the right tools and find the cause. Any short circuit can cause heat build-up and, in extreme cases, start a fire. Short circuits should be fixed as soon as they are identified to avoid accidental fire outbreaks.

Uganda’s historic debut at the Fifa U17 World Cup ended in heartbreak as technology took centre stage, with the Video Support System influencing decisive moments in a 2-1 loss to Canada in Qatar.

The Cubs looked poised for a dream debut when James Bogere fired them ahead in the 25th minute, finishing off a flowing move down the right to score Uganda’s first-ever goal at the global youth showpiece.

Uganda’s vibrant start unsettled the Canadians, who struggled to deal with the pace and pressing led by Isima Magala Mulala, the team’s standout performer before being substituted in the second half.

His trickery and movement gave Uganda a dangerous edge going forward, while Hamza Sengooba dictated play in midfield and Jovan ‘Kazungu’ Mukisa anchored the defence with maturity.

The turning point came midway through the second half when Uganda called for a video review after Bogere went down in a tangle with Canada captain Richard Chukwu inside the box. Ukrainian referee Oleksii Derevinskyi reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor but ruled that there was no foul, to the dismay of Uganda’s technical bench.

Under the tournament’s Video Support System, coaches are allowed two review requests per game, retaining them only if the referee changes the original decision.

Canada made the most of the system in stoppage time. After Elijah Roche had levelled in the 88th minute with a powerful header, another VSS intervention confirmed a foul by James Asiimwe deep in added time. Derevinskyi pointed to the spot, and Marius Aiyenero kept his cool to convert in the 98th minute, sealing a stunning comeback victory.

Cubs coach Brian Ssenyondo admitted that while technology is part of the modern game, the decisions were difficult to accept.

“Technology is here to make football fairer, and we respect that. But it hurts when those moments go against you. The boys played bravely, and we’ll take the positives into the next match,’ Ssenyondo said.

How the Video Support System works

Coaches can make up to two video review requests per match.

If the review overturns the referee’s decision, the team keeps its request.

It works on goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity.

Fifa U17 World Cup – Group Stage

Canada 2-1 Uganda

Goals: James Bogere (25)

Elijah Roche (88)

Marius Aiyenero (98)

The second day of the traders’ strike in downtown Kampala, on October 5, was marked by running battles, choking clouds of tear gas, and stones hurled from arcade balconies as security personnel moved in to disperse demonstrators.

What began as minimal resistance in the early morning, quickly escalated into tense confrontations as traders insisted on keeping their shops closed in protest against what they described as unbearable taxes and enforcement measures.

By mid-morning, groups of traders were seen waving Ugandan flags, some with yellow tape over their mouths, while others blew whistles and chanted, ‘High taxes must fall, rent must fall.’

As police advanced, traders inside the arcades pelted them with stones, plastic bottles, and metal objects, forcing officers to take cover at a nearby police post opposite the corner house.

As police advanced, traders inside the arcades pelted them with stones, plastic bottles, and metal objects, forcing officers to take cover at a nearby police post opposite the corner house.

Military Police later joined the operation after regular police officers struggled to access upper floors.

Several traders were dragged out of arcades, some bleeding from blows sustained during the scuffles.

‘We have been making noise for long, but nobody listens. Water is expensive, rent is high, and everything keeps going up. We are closing to show that we are not happy. We have suffered enough,’ Mr William Jemba, a trader, said.

He added: ‘We shall not stop, we are going to continue, the more you press the nose, the more it bleeds. We have just started. We are not going to stop. Landlords are quiet, we are paying for everything in the building.’

The chairperson of the Uganda National Traders Alliance, Mr Godfrey Katongole, said efforts to have the government address traders’ concerns had not yielded results, leading to the renewed strike.

‘Traders think we have betrayed them; everything is high. They have kept quiet for long, and enough is enough. Let traders take over the city. We have had discussions with the government, but nothing has been answered,’ Mr Katongole said.

He added: ‘We did our part as leaders of traders, but nothing has been done. We were acting as middlemen, but the government has been slow in responding to what our traders go through.’

Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigire said 13 people were arrested for incitement of violence and assault of police officers.

The traders are protesting what they describe as unfair Value Added Tax regime, the enforcement of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing System (EFRIS), import taxes on fabrics, non-refund of the six percent Withholding Tax, and the continued operation of foreign traders in local retail business.

Mr Eddy Sewaga, a trader, said many buildings have been abandoned due to high rent and extra fees.

‘In Kikubo, Majestic Plaza, City Centre Complex and Kooki Tower, some arcades charge rent in dollars ranging between $570 (about Shs2m) and $1,220 (Shs4.2m), and rent locally ranges from Shs600,000 to Shs6 million depending on the shop level. Tenants also shoulder electricity, water, toilet and garbage fees.

At City Centre Complex, Level One shops costs Shs2m, Level Two go for Shs1.5m and Level Three shops cost between Shs500,000 and Shs600,000. At Majestic Plaza, rent ranges from Shs900,000 to Shs6m,’ Mr Segawa said.

He added: ‘The cost of importing a 20ft container from China to East Africa is between $2,000 (Shs7m) and $2,500 (about Shs9m), while a 40ft container is $3,500 (Shs12m) to $4,000 (Shs14m). All items are charged per kilogramme at $5 (Shs17,000) per kilogramme to URA, plus 14 percent verification fees.’

He further explained that on top of the $5 per kilogramme charge, there is an additional 18 percent for Value Added Tax (VAT), plus trading license fees of Shs360,000 annually and income tax of Shs500,000 per shop-before adding rent and other expenses.

Mr Hebert Wassawa said traders also pay Shs80,000 to Shs100,000 monthly for electricity, Shs30,000 for garbage, Shs500 per jerrycan of water, and Shs300 for toilet use.

What leaders say

Mr Isa Ssekitto, the Kampala City Traders Association (Kacita) spokesperson, expressed disappointment and frustration after a delegation led by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja failed to address their pressing issues when it visited the city yesterday to assess the impact of floods on traders.

‘We thank the delegation of the prime minister for bringing hope of compensation to traders who lost their goods in the floods. However, she remained conspicuously silent on the issue that has impoverished hundreds of traders for the past five years – the issue of taxing textiles and garments by weight,’ he said.

Mr Ssekitto further criticised the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for allegedly failing in its mandate of removing vendors from the city streets.

‘Even [KCCA’s Executive Director Sharifah] Buzeki, who is supposed to remove vendors who put commodities on roads leading to major arcades, also didn’t say anything about the issue of vendors. She had given an ultimatum of seven days when we initially met them, but they are still there, as you can see. For us, we are suffering, but they are doing business. All this arises from the power this government gives them, and the government intentionally dividing people,’ he said.

He said the traders are feeling betrayed by the government’s lack of action. ‘The President is supporting the very people who failed to come down to traders and address pressing issues, which is a betrayal to traders,’ he said.

Shortly after he was announced newly elected mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani took to the podium, flanked by his wife, and parents, Ugandan power couple, Prof Mahmood Mamdani and Ms Mira Nair. The couple has lived in Uganda’s capital Kampala, for decades, where Prof Mamdani first moved with his family in his childhood.

Prof Mamdani is a scholar, commentator, an academic, and author, who specialises in the study of colonialism, anti-colonialism, decolonisation, race, and governance. He has taught at universities in Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, and the United States.

He was born in 1946 in India and moved to Uganda, where he was raised. In an essay he wrote in the literary magazine, London Review of Books, in 2022, Prof Mamdani indicated he registered as a Ugandan citizen at independence.

He left Uganda in 1972 when Idi Amin expelled Asians who lived in Uganda at the time. The political scientist fled to Britain and later took up a teaching position at the University of Dar es Salaam.

He graduated with a PhD from Harvard University in 1974 and returned to Uganda after the fall of Amin in 1979. Prof Mamdani then worked with Makerere University from 1980 to 1993, and later served as the director of Makerere Institute of Social Research from 2010 to 2022.

He is credited with building a strong PhD programme at the institute and improving research. But his tenure was also riddled with infighting, including with colleagues and students, with some escalating to legal suits.

Prof Mamdani has also authored more than a dozen books, including Good Muslim, Bad Muslim, Neither Settler nor Native, Citizen and Subject, and the latest, Slow Poison: Idi Amin, Yoweri Museveni and the Making of the Ugandan State.

In his 2022 Essay, where he discusses the expulsion of the Asians and the question of citizenship, Mamdani concludes that ‘For the Asians who were thrown out in 1972, Uganda was home.’ It is here that he met Ms Nair. The couple married in 1991. Ms Nair is an internationally acclaimed filmmaker. Her works including Salaam Bombay, and Mississippi Masala, explore delicate themes on race, homelessness, and culture, among others.

Ms Nair also directed the Queen of Katwe, a film set in Kampala. The 68-year-old 1957 Oscar-nominated filmmaker studied sociology at Delhi University and later attended Harvard University. Ms Nair, The New York Times writes, believes their works influenced Zohran.

‘Of course, the world we live in, and what we write and film and think about, is the world that Zohran has very much absorbed,’ the publication quotes Ms Nair.

Yesterday, Ugandans took to social media to celebrate Zohran’s victory, which several agree has its foundation in his upbringing, the works, and calibre of his parents.

‘I saw Zohran at house parties when he was a little boy tagging along with his mom and dad and the usual clique of Pan Africanists.No wonder he is who he is today. His growing up was influenced by so many good people, he had role models and, to his advantage, focused parents who thought beyond themselves and gave our world a wealth of knowledge and creativity,’ Ms Nada Anderson posted on X.

As HIV/AIDs continues to spread among young Ugandans, local leaders in Hoima District have asked the government to allow and promote the use of the virus testing strips among younger women and adolescent girls who are disproportionately affected by the epidemic in the area.

The district vice chairperson, Hellen Mulumba, said that although several interventions have been put in place to reduce the spread of the disease among teenagers, little has been fully achieved.

‘It can be easy for a boy child to buy a condom and move with it, but it may not be easy for a girl child to go to any pharmacy to ask for a condom. It can be easy for a girl child to buy HIV testing strips and move with them,’ she noted.

She said if such a process is implemented, it will help to prevent HIV in secondary school, especially in that age bracket of 16 to 20 years. She expressed concern.

“We have school-going children who are born with HIV, the AIDS virus. Still, they are on medication, their colleagues are at school and not aware that their colleagues are on medication, and in the process, they engage in sexual acts without knowledge of how to test themselves,” she said.

“Let’s introduce that method of self-test in those schools to curb the spread of the disease among the youth,’ Ms Mulumba urged during an awareness campaign dubbed ‘Sexual exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment’ at Hoima Youth Centre.

The campaign is being piloted in the three districts of Hoima, Nakaseke, and Buikwe, funded by the Global Fund and implemented by The Aids support Organisation (TASO)-Uganda, after realising that the growing sexual abuse and exploitation are retarding the efforts made towards fighting HIV/AIDS.

The HIV prevalence rate for Hoima district was estimated to be 4.2 percent, according to their 2023 statistics. But recent reports from early 2025 cite a higher rate of 9.6 per cent.

These figures are higher than the national average of 5 percent, with the higher rate being linked to an increase in the influx of people due to oil and gas exploration in the area.

She said that one of the drivers of HIV/AIDS spread is the fishing communities.

‘We have communities where we have no schools or health facilities. You find when they are sleeping in a hut, accommodating over 10 family members, in just one room, the parents are bossy there, the children are all sharing the same hut, there is no privacy,’ she lamented.

The senior Technical Advisor for prevention at the Aids Support Organisation (TASO) Uganda, Ms Irene Murungi, said that during the campaign carried out in the three districts of Hoima, Nakaseke, and Buikwe, they have compiled cases of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, and action will be taken as a measure to end the vice.

She rallied religious leaders to join the fight to prevent the spread of the virus.

‘What is very common in the three districts is the indifference of religious institutions that are expected to play a critical role. So our call is to them to amplify the voice in seeing how best they can support and protect the people they work with,’ Ms Murungi added.

However, the director of Planning at the Uganda Aids commission, Dr Vincent Bagambe, said curbing HIV/AIDS spread requires a combination of interventions for the country to succeed.

‘There is no magic in the fight against HIV/aids spread, all the interventions should be followed. ‘Abstain, Be faithful and/or use a Condom’ is a sex education strategy known as the ABC model that must be promoted,’ Dr Bagambe said.

In a precautionary measure, Nile Star, a prominent passenger bus company operating from Kampala to the West Nile Sub-region, has suspended its transport services for two days, effective November 6 and hopes to resume on Sunday this week.

The decision comes in the wake of a series of road crashes, including one that occurred on Wednesday (November 5, 2025) near Karuma when the driver attempted to dodge a boda boda cyclist and today (November 6) around Wobulenzi and Lodonga area respectively.

According to the bus company’s operations manager, Mr Mimi Hamid, the suspension is aimed at restructuring and engaging the company drivers, Ministry of Works officials, and holding prayers for the company and its customers.

‘The management and board sat down and thought of having prayers and sit with our drivers, conductors, turn men and other crew who move in the bus. So, we are suspending our transport services for two days; that is, on Friday and Saturday and will resume on Sunday,’ he said.

The commissioner of traffic and transport is one of the key stakeholders expected to talk to.

‘You know what happened in Kiryandongo. What first came into the news was that 63 people died but what is on the ground is only 42 people who died in all four vehicles which were involved in the accident. We are doing this to make the public be aware of what is happening,’ he said.

The recent crashes involving the bus company’s vehicles have raised concerns about road safety for passengers plying between Kampala and the West Nile Sub-region.

One of the company buses on Wednesday flipped as the driver attempted to dodge a boda boda cyclist. Some passengers sustained minor injuries, according to police.

This happened two weeks after the October 22 crash involving one of the company’s buses left over 40 people dead and several injured on the busy Kampala-Gulu highway.

The morning crash at Asili farm in Kitaleba village in Kiryandongo District involved two buses of different transport companies, a lorry truck and a Toyota Land Cruiser.

‘For the company to come out and suspend its operations is something good because they are not waiting for the ministry to do that. They are doing it themselves to sort out a few things that might have been a problem because others would wait for the regulators to come in and suspend their operations. So, they have done something good and let them now sort out themselves and see what to put right to ensure that the people they transport and the vehicles are safe on the road,’ said Mr Allan Sempebwa, a senior communication officer at the Ministry of Works and Transport.

The Public Relations Officer, Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, SP Michael Kananura said most crashes in the country have been due to reckless driving.

‘According to police statistics, most of these crashes have occurred due to reckless driving like speeding which is avoidable,’ he said.

According to the 2024 police report, Uganda recorded 25,107 road crashes, a 6.4 percent increase from the previous year, 2023, resulting in 25,808 casualties. Fatalities rose by 7 percent to 5,144, while serious injuries increased by 1.7 percent to 17,013, and minor injuries grew by 14.6 percent to 3,651. The most frequent crashes occurred on weekends and during the evening rush hour, with collisions involving pedestrians, rear-end, and side-swipe incidents being most common.

At the weekend, we had a small gathering to discuss road infrastructure in Greater Kampala. The attendees were the typical nerdy types who grow out their hair and beards and find the idea of reading project appraisals and bid evaluation reports fun.

Also in attendance were the doers: the folks who design, finance, and build the roads. I learned many new things but the most insightful one came from a comment by one of the speakers about the relatively rapid pace of the new stadium in Hoima. How come the same country that took almost 20 years to complete the 21-kilometre Kampala Northern Bypass, 15 years to get the Bujagali dam done, and is many years late on several other infrastructure projects, is about to build a 20,000-seater stadium in a little over a year?

Some of the answers are easy to figure out. The most obvious are that a stadium has fewer moving parts than a power dam, financing was ring-fenced early, and this was a greenfield project without the usual fights over land compensation. In addition, the contractor is doing their first job in Uganda and has pressure of wanting to do a good job, fast, to unlock new opportunities, as well as not being corrupted by local contexts and business practices.

But there is more to it, and it has everything to do with incentives. The stadium must be built in time for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament which Uganda is co-hosting with Kenya and Tanzania. That introduces the need to not be compared with peers and found wanting.

The tournament will also be held in 2027. Unless there’s a regional or global force majeure event, it cannot be moved to early 2028, or 2029 simply because one of the co-hosts is still waiting for the paint to dry or the grass to grow. The games allocated to Uganda would simply shift to the other co-hosts, or the tournament itself moved to a country with ready infrastructure.

Thus, faced with an immovable object — the deadline by which the stadium must be ready, inspected, and certified for the tournament — and nudged on by peer pressure, our chronic delays and excuses all melted away, and the different state agencies have come together to ensure that the contractor delivers on time.

This is more than just bragging rights, mind. Infrastructure, say a road, is not a consumable but a growth multiplier. By cutting down travel time for goods and people and connecting markets to consumers, they facilitate economic growth.

The longer it takes a project to be completed, the longer it is for it to pay for itself, and that’s before you factor in the missed velocity in the delayed period. Once a commitment is made to do a project, therefore, it makes economic sense to build it on time and spec.

To rev up Uganda’s economy, we must improve the execution and delivery of public infrastructure projects and can do this by making small nudges to the incentive scheme.

One, since land compensation is a major cause of delays, road projects should be awarded through a competitive process with priority going to districts and municipalities that have secured rights of way or waivers from landowners. Even a simple commitment from landowners to allow construction to proceed while they fight over compensation sums would speed things up.

The second is to create a name-and-shame system where the public can see how long it takes each contractor to do each project. Contractors with undue delays would be blacklisted from winning public contracts for five to 10 years. Contracts should also be redesigned to provide stiff penalties for delays and bonuses for on-time completion.

We are bleeding money to the culture and practice of open-ended building and losing time and pace against regional and continental rivals. We can fix this by building faster and developing it as a competitive muscle.

If you travel by matatu, there’s rarely any hurry because if you miss one there’s another just round the corner. But if you turn up late for a flight you will pay through the nose for that tardiness. For Uganda to really take off, we need to act like airplane, not matatu, passengers.

Hoima stadium can be a turning point, not an outlier.