Category: Daily Monitor

The National Unity Platform (NUP) party presidential candidate, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has pledged to prioritise the comprehensive post-war rehabilitation of northern Uganda once elected president.

Speaking to supporters at Kalongo Town Council in Agago District last Friday, where he addressed his third rally in the Acholi Sub-region, Mr Kyagulanyi said the region continues to reel in abject poverty with people’s conditions barely different from how it was 20 years ago.

‘We intend to comprehensively rehabilitate places that have in the past been devastated by war, especially northern Uganda. In the new Uganda we are seeking now, I intend to use the wealth of this country to tarmac more roads,’ he said. Mr Kyagulanyi said the roads in the north remain in a terrible state, cutting off the population from basic social services, including markets, schools, and medical facilities, among others.

‘Without better road infrastructure, we cannot develop as a people, and these are things the National Resistance Movement failed to tackle because the funds are always eaten by the corrupt,’ he added. Earlier in the afternoon, while addressing supporters at Padibe Town Council, the two-time presidential candidate said despite heavy investments by the government to rehabilitate the Acholi Sub-region, there has been limited impact on the lives of the people since the intervention does not match the exact needs of the people. Mr Kyagulanyi said his government will uplift the education and health standards of the people. ‘We intend to revamp all the programmes that have since died, the cooperative unions, the health system, free education that are already dead, we intend to revamp and build them afresh because it is not a miracle, it is possible.

‘Right now, your children are not going to school because the teachers are not being paid. Many people, especially women, are dying in hospitals because there is no medicine there, and the doctors and nurses are not being paid. This is the narrative that we seek to change as NUP,’ he said. ‘Right now, our brothers and sisters in uniform are the least paid people and they live in terrible conditions and yet these are the same people who are set to beat and torture us. I am here to tell you and all the soldiers, as soon as I become President, I made this promise in 2021 and I am repeating it, I will enhance their salaries because they deserve better,’ he added.

The NUP leader called for unity among the people. ‘It does not matter what programmes you bring to the people of the north. No matter how many promises I make to you, for as long as we are not united, we have not reconciled, for as long as we don’t look at each other as brothers and sisters, and if we don’t have trust, all that will be empty,’ he said. He added: ‘That is why my message to the people of the north (Lango, Acholi and the entire north) is a message of unity, brotherhood, reconciliation, forgetting the past and moving forward, equality.’ Since 2002, when the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) was still active, the government introduced several development programmes to address the economic stagnation caused by more than two decades of insurgency in the region.

The Acholi Sub-region, like its neighbours Lango and West Nile, continues to face land disputes linked to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and cases of land grabbing. High youth unemployment, rising crime, and challenges with community reintegration have also continued to threaten peace and stability. Recently, during a thanksgiving ceremony at Patongo-Akwe Primary School in Patongo Town Council, Agago District, President Museveni said the Acholi Sub-region and other areas still struggling with poverty rejected his strategies and initiatives aimed at fighting poverty. ‘Regarding poverty in some parts of Uganda, including Acholi, the problem is that people don’t listen to what we say. What [the] Chief Justice is saying is what we were saying in 1996, but people don’t listen; they just ignore,’ Mr Museveni said.

According to research by the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises project on post-war recovery in northern Uganda, released late last year, feelings of economic and social insecurity continue to grow in the region-despite the war having ended nearly two decades ago. For many people, their standards of living still hovers around the poverty line. The gap between the rich and the poor has widened, and food security has shown little or no improvement. The report notes that about half of the population still cannot access treatment for common illnesses.

2021 elections

Mr Kyagulanyi is now aiming to triple the number of votes he got from the East Acholi districts of Kitgum, Pader, Agago and Lamwo, where President Museveni beat him in the 2021 General Election. In Pader District, Kyagulanyi managed only 8,292 votes (18.68 percent) out of 47,632 total votes, while Museveni got 28,233 votes (63.61 percent). In Agago, Kyagulanyi scored 10,559 votes (16.51 percent) compared to Museveni’s 47,696 votes (74.57 percent). Kitgum District was slightly better for Kyagulanyi, but Museveni still led with 26,880 votes (52.73 percent) against Kyagulanyi’s 14,869 votes (29.17 percent).

The family of Rose Lutalo, a primary two school teacher at Lwagula Memorial Primary School and a choir member at Namirembe Diocese, has appealed to the public to support them in raising Shs70 million for her urgent life-saving cancer treatment.

Mr Ronny Lutalo, the patient’s husband, said that for seven years, she has battled breast cancer with courage, receiving care at Uganda Cancer Institute.

She endured 25 rounds of chemotherapy and a mastectomy, only for the disease to return aggressively in September 2024, spreading to her uterus.

She is currently experiencing painful fluid buildup in her abdomen that prevents her from eating solid food. She survives on liquids largely amid constant pain.

Mr Lutalo told this publication on Wednesday that every week, they spend a lot of money on medicines alone.

“One bottle of albumin protein costs Shs280,000, and she needs up to five bottles weekly. And there is another tablet used as a chemotherapy alternative, which costs Shs76,000 each,’ he said.

This means on the albumin alone, she needs around Shs6 million each month. Patients usually access cancer drugs for free at the Cancer Institute, but they may be asked to buy medicines not in stock from nearby private pharmacies in Kampala.

The family has so far raised Shs9.2 million, far short of the Shs70 million needed for comprehensive care, including scans, specialised drugs, and possible surgery.

Before illness struck, Ms Lutalo was a pillar of her community. As head of Music, Dance, and Drama in Namirembe Diocese Sunday Schools, she nurtured hundreds of children.

‘Even during hospital visits, she collected clothes and essentials to distribute to fellow cancer patients at the Uganda Cancer Institute,’ Mr Lutalo noted.

‘When she was still active, she was very charitable, supporting the least privileged children; many are at her home even now. So we are trying to see whether we can support her to fight the battle and then get back into activity to be useful to the community once again,’ he added.

At exactly 5pm on April 19, 2024, a selection of 61 traders, part of more than 200 that had camped for seven hours at State House Entebbe, were KAMPALA. At exactly 5pm on April 19, 2024, a selection of 61 traders, part of more than 200 that had camped for seven hours at State House Entebbe, were ushered into a closed-door meeting with President Museveni and a few other government officials.

The tense meeting, which lasted until 11 pm, followed a one-week sit-down strike by traders from various associations over unresolved multiple grievances. Key on their agenda was unfair levying of the Value Added Tax (VAT), the forcible enforcement of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing System (EFRIS) by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), the $3 (Shs10,388.2) and $3.5 (12,119.5) per kilo Import Duty on fabrics and garments, the non-refunding of the six percent Withholding Tax, and Chinese operating retail shops in downtown Kampala.

The team included traders, leaders and some members of the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), Federation of Uganda Traders Associations (FUTA), United Arcades Traders and Entrepreneurs Association (UATEA), and Uganda Dealers in Used Clothes and Shoes. The traders informed President Museveni that charging them VAT was unfair and insisted it should be charged on the factories. Sources who attended the meeting said the President, who ordered an immediate suspension of the implementation of EFRIS, agreed with the traders on VAT and promised to look into the issues and meet them again in June.

The subsequent meeting held on May 7, 2024, fell short of the traders’ expectations, forcing them to launch another sit-down strike on July 30. But this time, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja calmed them in a record two days. A year later, the traders have, in a space of less than three months, launched two strikes over the same issue. The August 28 to 29 strike was contained by Ms Nabbanja. But yesterday, the premier, despite touring downtown Kampala, that was ravaged by torrential rain and floods last Friday, was tight-lipped on the issue of the trader’s strike.

Unending issues

As was in previous strikes, the traders who had circulated a notice about a month ago, announcing the strike, fronted the per kilo tax policy on garments; foreigners, especially Chinese operating retail businesses; high taxes; high rent; and the coercive enforcement of EFRIS, and added the issue of landlords increasing rent fees by 10 percent annually.

Taxes

The traders accused the government of running a different tax policy from that of other East African countries, despite subscribing to the same common market. The traders demand the immediate removal of the $2.55 (Shs8,829.94) per kilo tax on fabrics and garments and replace the old per invoice charge. The traders argued that per kilo tax violates the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) valuation. GATT is used under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), where Uganda is a member. This per kilo tax policy was rejected outright by the traders when the government hiked the import duty for textiles from 25 percent to 35 percent or $5 (Shs17,313.6).

Before the URA kicked off its implementation on July 1, 2020, the former KACITA chairperson Thaddeus Musoke Nagenda, on February 25, 2020, petitioned Finance minister Matia Kasaija, asking the government to repeal the National Textiles Taxation Policy, which gives URA powers to levy $5 per kilo on import duty as opposed to the known per invoice charge, a specific tax mechanism used in calculation of VAT, goods and Service Tax and Withholding Tax.

The government instead pushed its implementation date to December 31 and later started implementing it, which led to the strikes. Mr Kasaija later wrote to URA Commissioner General James Musinguzi asking him to halt the tax policy’s implementation following the public outcry. The policy was later reduced to $3.5 per kilo and implemented, leading to more strikes untill last year when it was reduced to the current $2.5.

Another contention is the way URA levies the 18 percent VAT from the wholesaler to the final user, yet it would be charged once at the factory. Dr Musoke argues that all the people in the transaction chain, including the importer/manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, and final consumers, pay VAT, although URA says it is passed on to the final consumer. ‘By principle, his VAT payable is Output VAT minus VAT input from the importer/manufacturer. Which, in simple calculation, happens to be similar to charging 18 percent VAT on the profit,’ he said.

URA, Mr Nagenda argues, would collect Shs23.9m VAT out of the products worth Shs100m, from the four individuals. Another tax issue the traders raised is the six percent Withholding Tax, which Agents claimed URA takes and does not pay them back at the end of the year as required by law. Speaking to traders in August, Ms Nabbanja promised to present their issues before the Cabinet since all their arguments require change in the taxation laws. But the traders told reporters yesterday that nothing has since been done.

Trade chain violation

The influx of so-called Chinese investors operating shops downtown is another issue traders want addressed immediately. They say the Chinese have ended up in open competition with the local players through opening both distribution, wholesale, and retail shops besides hawking in all upcountry areas.

Experts weigh in

Mr Richard Ssempala, an economist and a lecturer at Makerere University School of Economics, linked the recurring traders’ strikes to the poor relationship between the traders and the tax body. Relatedly, Dr Fred Muhumuza, a policy analyst, also said the government should intensify dialogue with traders and tax education to resolve disputes before they escalate into strikes.

Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among has urged leaders and residents of Bukedi sub-region to unite behind President Yoweri Museveni and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), citing his steady leadership, peace, and development record.

Speaking during the launch of NRM flagbearers’ campaigns at Kadama Primary School in Kibuku District, Ms Among said President Museveni remains the cornerstone of Uganda’s stability and economic progress.

‘President Museveni has been a pillar of peace and progress for our country,’ she told cheering supporters. ‘It is now our duty as Bukedi to stand firm with him and ensure continuity of the development programs that are transforming our communities.’

She highlighted NRM’s achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and poverty eradication through government programs such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, urging residents to embrace them to lift their households out of poverty.

Ms Among said the government remains focused on service delivery and improving livelihoods, but citizens must play their part through unity and active participation in national programs.

Defends stance on Anti-Homosexuality Act

The Speaker also addressed criticism from Western countries over Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, saying she was proud to stand with Ugandans on protecting cultural and family values.

‘Most people and those from Western governments hate me because I stood with the people of Uganda,’ she said. ‘They wanted us to abandon our culture and embrace practices that go against our beliefs, but we said no.’

Quoting scripture, she added, ‘The Bible is clear, it says people should produce and multiply. The President signed the law to protect our culture. Some countries like America placed travel bans, but I don’t need a visa to travel to Kibuku.’

Ms Among commended President Museveni for signing the law despite international pressure, saying it reflected his ‘love for the people of Uganda’ and his commitment to moral values.

Calls for unity, strong leadership

Ms Among encouraged residents to support all NRM flagbearers and likened leadership teamwork to ‘ploughing with strong bulls.’

‘We have the responsibility to support all the flagbearers, including President Museveni. You cannot progress if your leaders are divided,’ she said. ‘Kibuku’s hope lies with these leaders. Support them so they can deliver.’

She cited Bukedea District as an example of transformation through focused leadership and urged Bukedi to follow suit.

‘I am happy that you are voting for leaders with focus,’ she said.

Development commitments

The Speaker pledged to follow up on efforts to revive Bulangira Ginnery to create jobs for youth and improve the local economy. She also reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring each county has a Health Centre IV, and every parish has a primary school.

On education, Ms Among revealed that the high rate of school dropouts, especially among girls, inspired her to start a school to support girl-child education.

‘It’s from this background that I had to set up a school to address school dropout, especially among girls,’ she said. She also pledged two full bursaries for bright but underprivileged students from Kibuku District.

Local leaders pledge support

NRM flagbearers in Bukedi pledged their loyalty to President Museveni and the party.

Mr Patrick Wakida, NRM flagbearer for Kabweri County, hailed Ms Among as a strong mobilizer who continues to strengthen the NRM from the grassroots.

‘As people of Kibuku, we pledge continued loyalty to President Museveni’s leadership and the NRM’s vision for socio-economic transformation,’ he said.

He also decried the high poverty levels in the district, saying many residents live in a ‘hand-to-mouth’ cycle due to poor service delivery.

‘Despite these challenges, the people of Kibuku will vote overwhelmingly for NRM and President Museveni, with over 98 percent support,’ Mr Wakida said confidently.

Ms Suubi Sylvia Katooko, NRM flagbearer for Kibuku Woman MP seat, raised concern over poor maternal health and rising teenage pregnancies.

‘Child mothers in the district are so many, some girls give birth at the age of 13. It’s a big challenge that needs urgent intervention,’ she said.

Other leaders at the event included Mr Mohammad Nakeba (LC5 Chairperson) and Mr Charles Tamwenya (Kibuku County), who also pledged their commitment to ensuring an NRM victory in 2026.

In Uganda, estate crime is a growing concern, especially in the greater Kampala metropolitan area, Wakiso, and surrounding urban zones.

While many residents report these threats, a large number remain silent, choosing not to speak out due to fear of retaliation, lack of trust in law enforcement, or frustration with slow response mechanisms.

Historically, African societies thrived on communal living and collective responsibility for safety. In contrast, modern estate living has disrupted this tradition.

Nuclear families often live in isolation, and unlike traditional homesteads, where communal watchfulness was the norm, urban residents have grown increasingly individualistic.

This breakdown in community cohesion leaves neighbourhoods vulnerable to coordinated criminal activity. When communities fail to respond to communal threats, the consequences are severe. Criminals often target estates that lack unified security measures.

According to the African Centre for Security Studies (2019), “crime thrives in environments where there is a lack of community cohesion and social control.”

The silence of neighbours during emergencies often leads to physical harm, emotional trauma, and social mistrust.

Victims not only lose property but also suffer the pain of being ignored in times of distress. Security is not just about guards and walls it begins with people.

Sustainable estate safety requires collective participation, vigilance, and proactive strategies.

Here are practical community-based interventions:

1. Community policing initiatives Residents should partner with local law enforcement to co-create community policing models.

These enhance intelligence-sharing and build trust.

2. Neighbourhood watch programs Organize structured patrols and WhatsApp alert groups. Residents should: Vet domestic workers and casual labourers; monitor abandoned or incomplete houses; participate in night patrols (at least bi-monthly).

3. Security Committees and SOPs -Form estate security committees to: Draft Standard Operating Procedures., Oversee access control, coordinate emergency response with law enforcement.

4. CCTV and access control systems. Install functional cameras targeting: Blind spots, entry/exit points, corridors.Use visitor logs, intercoms, and resident ID tags. 5. Environmental design and risk reduction, clear overgrown vegetation, light up dark corners, secure communal waste zones. 6. Social trust and engagement. Promote neighbour interaction through: Monthly barbecues or clean-up drives. Estate sports events or prayer meetings. Such interactions strengthen social bonds that are vital in crisis response.

7. Resource mobilization and security funds Residents should contribute to a security fund to support: Guard deployment and training. Emergency security infrastructure and legal support in prosecutions. The true cost of silence is not just economic; it is emotional, social, and psychological.

Estate crime continues to evolve in Uganda, driven by urban expansion, economic hardship, and community disconnection. Silence breeds fear, isolation, and vulnerability.

Transport between Iganga and Luuka districts has been paralyzed after the Namadope Bridge collapsed following days of torrential rain that triggered massive flooding across the region.

The bridge, which crosses the Namadope swamp, was washed away after the swamp burst its banks, cutting off one of the main routes linking the two districts.

The alternative route through Butimbwa and Buyubu villages via Namakakale swamp has also been submerged, leaving both motorists and pedestrians stranded.

Heavy rainfall overwhelmed the area’s drainage systems, eroding road surfaces, sweeping away culverts, and leaving behind scenes of destruction, trees tangled with debris and motorcycles abandoned by riders seeking safety.

Residents expressed frustration over the situation.

‘This was our only alternative route. Now transport costs are very high, and we wonder what our government is doing,’ said Mr Rasul Bakaluba, a traveler from Iganga.

From Waibuga in Luuka, Mr Hamidu Balikowa lamented that the flooding has left the district feeling isolated.

‘If a patient needs a referral, they might die on the way because all routes are flooded,’ he said.

Meanwhile, some youths have resorted to charging stranded travelers between Shs1,000 and Shs2,000 to help them cross the flooded sections.

Mr Simon Wakaze, the Luuka District LCV Chairperson, confirmed that rehabilitation works on the collapsed Namadope Bridge have already begun.

‘Our immediate priority is to restore the main highway that connects Luuka to neighboring districts and supports the bulk of trade and transport in the area,’ he said.

He noted that Arab Contractors are already on-site working to reconstruct the damaged bridge and stabilize the swampy sections to make the road passable again.

Mr Wakaze acknowledged the severe impact of the flooding on farmers, traders, and patients seeking medical care, adding that while the district is committed to restoring all affected routes, progress will depend on additional funding from the central government and local development programs.

Uganda is warming up for the consequential January 15, 2026 General Election. A week ago (October 27, 2025), Uganda acquired 60,000 Biometric Voter verification Machines.

The 2026 ballot will be the third time the East African country’s Electoral Commission is relying on technology to carry out an election, 2016 being the first time.

In 2011, the national voters’ register faced serious integrity challenges, prompting several calls for reforms between 2011 and 2015 ahead of the 2016 general election – amid renewed pleas for long-overdue electoral reforms.

Uganda adopted a comprehensive fingerprint biometric system for its national voters’ register, streamlining and harmonizing the efforts of all government agencies involved in citizen registration for civic purposes. This led to the establishment of the National Security Information System (NSIS), a multi-sectoral committee comprising the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Electoral Commission, the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, and the Uganda Registration Services Bureau, among others. Through a nationwide mass enrollment exercise, the NSIS registered all citizens of voting age, capturing detailed personal information – including photographs, biodata, and full fingerprint biometrics – to enhance accuracy, transparency, and security in the electoral process.

Subsequently, Uganda introduced the Biometric Voter Verification Machine in the 2016 general elections, the machines were intended to improve transparency and integrity of the process of identification of voters at the polling station; to prevent multiple voting, impersonation and to confirm or direct voters to their polling stations.

The introduction of the system was heavily contested in Amama Mbabazi v. Museveni and Others, Presidential Election Petition No. 1 of 2016. It was found to be unreliable for several reasons, including human error. Consequently, the Court recommended that the government establish a comprehensive legal framework to govern the use of technology in the electoral process.

Dear reader, between 2016 and 2025, no law has been enacted to provide a substantive legal regime for the use of technology in our elections. You may wonder why the much ado? No, this is an important matter, the current legal framework, is neutral or silent, yet for the third time, we will rely on biometric voter verification machines in our election-that undermines the integrity of our election!

In the absence of a specific legislation, accountability, transparency, and consequently electoral justice remain largely illusory. For instance, there are no clear timelines or procedures for the acquisition and procurement of electoral technology; no established mechanisms for stakeholders to verify the integrity of the machines; and no provisions for post-election access or forensic audits. Similarly, there is no framework for conducting exclusion impact assessments, no defined guidelines on when, how, and by whom pre-election system tests or dry runs should be conducted, and no legal requirement for periodic audits to ensure the integrity and reliability of the technology.

All these situations are supposed to be legislated upon, so that all actors including candidates, civil society, media and the electorate have an idea regarding how, when and why technology is being acquired, and deployed.

The integrity of an election rests on participation, accountability, and transparency – but is that the full essence of electoral democracy?

Comparatively, Kenya enacted the Elections (Technology) Regulations, 2017, under the Elections Act of 2011. These regulations outline the procedures for the acquisition, deployment, and use of technology in the electoral process. During the 2017 general elections, parties to the presidential election petition invoked these provisions by applying to the Court for access to the technological systems used in the polls – a request that the Court duly granted.

With such a dedicated legal framework in place, participants in the electoral process are empowered to scrutinize and seek accountability within the technological systems deployed.

This transparency is essential to prevent the emergence of so-called ‘Tech-Generated Leaders’ (TGLs) – outcomes where technology, rather than the electorate, determines leadership.

Without legal guardrails, Uganda’s 2026 polls risk becoming a digital illusion of democracy.

In a wide bid to mobilise and generate adequate revenues badly needed to finance implementation of policy interventions, the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, designed several measures aimed at not only enhance domestic revenues but also raise the country’s GDP from $50b in 2024 to $500b by 2040.

In the next one and a half decades, sectors like agriculture, tourism, and mineral development, and science and technology have been identified as key drivers for Uganda’s tenfold economic growth strategy.

Before implementation, numerous government key stakeholders, including civil society organisations and media, have been engaged in assessing the implications of these measures both at the microeconomic and macroeconomic levels.

Once adopted and fully implemented, Uganda being among the top 10 fastest-growing economies in Africa for 2025 will join the clubs of economic heavyweights like South Africa ($410b), Egypt (406b), Ireland ($577b), Nigeria ($188b) and Bangladesh ($450b), whose GDPs near this mark (2025 IMF World Economic Outlook).

However, two interventions, one aimed at exempting Withholding Tax (WHT) on foreign public debt and another to reduce similar tax on foreign private debt by a country whose second largest budgetary allocation is claimed by debt repayment (servicing), continue to raise questions among experts and stakeholders over our national priorities and capacity to tame the runaway public debt.

For the FY2025/2026 Budget, debt servicing reportedly claimed over 57 percent of the Shs72 trillion National Budget, severely limiting the government’s ability to invest in other critical sectors like health, education, and infrastructure.

WHT exemptions and reductions present a dilemma in the sense that the government will not be able to charge a tax on the interest paid to lenders, being lured to lend more to an already strained country where every citizen is indebted to the tune of Shs2.5m.

This goes without mentioning the strike by teachers for months. This move is a no game-changer as it wouldn’t only deny the government substantial revenues in the form of taxes but also an equivalent to surrendering our sovereign rights to taxation.

We found this position not realistic as it underestimates the bigger picture regarding the impact of crowding external resources in a poor country where corruption erodes close to Shs10 trillion annually. Additionally, without stopping leakages in government ministries, departments and agencies, even the targeted 10-fold growth strategy will crumble.

The probability of investing huge sums of borrowed funds in ATMs to boost local production, jobs, savings, exports (foreign earnings), taxes, and the reduction of imported inflation will be firmly determined by our zeal to end all sorts of costly patronages exercised by the current regime.

The central government, through local affiliated organs, must walk the talk of reviving, if not establishing agro-processing industries at every sub-region level purposely to transform the rural economy whose demise is clearly reflected in the acute rural-urban migration responsible for increased slums in Kampala, general crimes, infectious disease, unemployment, huge and risky numbers of boda boda riders responsible for increased road crashes and crime, food insecurity and several others.

The central government through local affiliated organs must walk the talk of reviving if not establishing agro-processing industries at every sub region level purposely to transform rural economy whose demise is clearly reflected in the acute rural -urban migration….’

Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Nathan Nandala Mafabi has vowed to restore cotton growing in Uganda’s impoverished Bukedi region, describing the crop as the ‘backbone of the region’ and a pathway out of poverty.

Speaking during rallies in Budaka and Kibuku districts, Mafabi said the collapse of the cotton industry had left Bukedi, once a thriving agricultural hub, struggling with deep poverty and unemployment.

‘As FDC, once in power, we have to revive cotton cultivation with better prices so that people earn income. Currently, cotton being used to make clothing is just imported,’ Mafabi told his supporters on Tuesday.

He blamed the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, led by President Museveni, for what he called four decades of mismanagement and neglect.

‘The NRM has been in power for the last 40 years but Ugandans are poor with limited access to drugs and education. It has nothing to offer apart from plundering taxpayers’ money,’ he said.

‘It has invested in posters and advertisements, yet that money could be channelled to key services for Ugandans,’ he added.

Mafabi pledged to overhaul the country’s ailing health system, arguing that citizens should not have to fly abroad for medical treatment.

‘This government has completely neglected to improve the health sector,’ he said.

He also promised to raise teachers’ salaries across the board.

‘As FDC we are committed to have better and equal pay for all teachers,’ he declared, adding that his government would provide free education for teachers’ children from primary to university and free lunch to all pupils in public primary schools.

In a pitch to small business operators, Mafabi said if elected, the FDC government would offer affordable motorcycles to boda boda riders through a loan scheme to shield them from exploitative moneylenders.

He further pledged to expand social protection for the elderly.

‘If we are in power, the older persons above 65 years will each month get Shs 60,000,’ he told cheering supporters.

The rallies, however, were briefly marred by clashes at Kachomo Trading Centre, where police fired bullets to disperse rowdy youths who threw stones at FDC supporters. The situation was later brought under control after five ringleaders were arrested.

Mr Mafabi called for calm, urging supporters to focus on the upcoming 2026 general election, where he hopes to unseat President Yoweri Museveni. ‘I challenge Ugandans to turn up in big numbers to vote FDC into power come January 15, 2026,’ he said.

Mafabi among seven candidates officially nominated by the Electoral Commission to challenge President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for nearly 40 years. Uganda will hold its General Election on January 15, 2026.

The Industrial Court in Kampala has upheld the summary dismissal of the then Sanyu FM Chief Operations Officer (COO), Betsy Mugamba, ruling that her termination was lawful after she participated in what the court described as an ‘unlawful strike’ during the COVID-19 lockdown.

In a detailed judgment delivered by Justice Anthony Wabwire Musana, sitting with other panelists, Amos Lapenga, Susan Nabirye and Dawn Oling Kerjew, the court ruled that Mugamba’s dismissal complied with both procedural and substantive fairness under the Employment Act.

The contract of Ms Mugamba, who had worked with the radio station for 27 years was terminated on September 25, 2020, after management accused her of inciting staff to strike, disrupting operations, damaging the Sanyu FM brand and neglecting her duties.

Justice Musana observed that the dispute stemmed from the station’s decision to implement salary cuts in May 2020 amid declining revenues. Ms Mugamba, then COO, opposed the salary reduction and later signed a letter with 24 staff members rejecting the cuts and declaring an immediate withdrawal of labour.

‘The evidence does not show that there was a collective agreement in place or that the Labour Officer had referred the matter to court. There was neither notice to the respondent nor a report made to the labour officer,’ the court noted.

Citing Sections 29 and 35 of the Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Settlement) Act, the court held that any industrial action by essential service providers-like radio broadcasters during the COVID-19 lockdown-required advance notice and approval from a Labour Officer.

‘The strike would not fall under the protected strike category for which dismissal or other disciplinary sanctions would be prohibited…The 5th June 2020 strike was unlawful within the meaning of the law,’ Justice Musana ruled.

Managerial Responsibility

The court found that Mugamba’s senior managerial role aggravated her culpability. As COO, she was expected to uphold company policies and prevent disruption.

‘While she testified that she acted in solidarity with her colleagues, the unintended consequence of her endorsement of an unlawful strike constituted a fundamental breach of her employment contract,’ the judge stated.

Quoting comparative case law, the court emphasized that managers and senior executives are held to a higher standard of trust and loyalty. ‘As Chief Operations Officer, she was the eyes and ears of management. Her participation in the strike undermined the employer’s confidence and destabilized operations.’

Addressing claims that Mugamba was ambushed and denied a fair hearing, the court found otherwise. It noted that she was given a written suspension letter on August 19, 2020, and sufficient notice of her disciplinary hearing scheduled for August 26.

‘The claimant had seven clear days to prepare for the disciplinary hearing. She was represented by counsel and given the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses,’ Justice Musana said.

The court dismissed arguments that the absence of an appeal process rendered the procedure unfair, observing that ‘the Employment Act does not explicitly require an employer to provide for the right of appeal.’

It further upheld the impartiality of the disciplinary process, which was chaired by Advocate Sheila Namahe.

‘Outsourcing the chairpersonship of disciplinary proceedings to an independent advocate ensured fairness and was not antithetical to due process,’ the judgment read.

Having found that Sanyu FM followed lawful procedures and had valid grounds for dismissal, the Industrial Court concluded that Mugamba’s summary dismissal was justified.

‘For the reasons set out above, we find that the Respondent was procedurally and substantively fair,’ Justice Musana ruled, dismissing Mugamba’s claim in its entirety.

Ms Mugamba had filed a labour reference seeking a declaration that her dismissal was unfair, claiming that she was victimised for opposing unilateral salary cuts and that she never participated in any illegal strike.

Through her lawyers, she had sought for Shs 792 million in salary arrears, damages and severance pay.

Her employer, Sanyu FM (2000) Ltd, maintained that Mugamba led an unlawful strike after rejecting a 25% salary reduction that management introduced in response to the pandemic’s financial effects. The company said her conduct amounted to gross misconduct and a fundamental breach of contract.