Category: Daily Monitor

If there were any lingering doubts, it is time to believe. Uganda’s dream of making a maiden appearance at a Fifa World Cup is on the brink of becoming reality.

Head coach Brian Ssenyondo unveiled his final 21-man squad that will write history as the first-ever Ugandan football team to feature on the global stage when they face Canada on Wednesday.

Ssenyondo and his Cubs spent two weeks preparing in Uganda before flying to Dubai for an additional 10-day training and acclimatization camp.

The Dubai tour included three build-up matches against fellow 2025 Fifa U-17 World Cup-bound sides Panama, Venezuela and Paraguay. Uganda drew 1-1 with Venezuela but lost 2-1 to Panama and 3-2 to Paraguay.

Despite the mixed results, Ssenyondo remains confident his side will be ready when the whistle sounds in Qatar.

‘We need to improve our defending and game management. I am confident that by the time we play our first match, everything will be in place,’ he said.

Seven new faces

Ssenyondo initially summoned 37 players before trimming the squad to 26 and eventually settling on the final 21.

Among those who missed out are KCCA goalkeeper Ashraf Lukyamuzi, Express’ Fred Junior Muhangi, Vipers’ Marvin Kabiito and US-based defender Akiz Job Aguma of Vancouver Whitecaps.

The squad will be captained by forward Richard Okello, who will lead the attack alongside James Bogere, Simon Wanyama, Arafat Nkoola and Shakur Magogo, son of Fufa president.

The team features three goalkeepers, five defenders, seven midfielders and six forwards.

Seven players who did not feature at the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, which served as the World Cup qualifier, have earned places in the final group.

They include former U-15 captain Abubakali Walusimbi and Vipers’ teammate Arafat Nkoola both of whom impressed during the Cecafa qualifiers, scoring once each in the knockout stages.

Others are goalkeepers Edrisah Waibi and Gilbert Mazige, Kitara’s Kamurungi Nuweagaba and Bukedea Comprehensive’s John Asiimwe.

Meanwhile, new Uganda junior national teams head coach Laryea Kingston has already begun preparations for the next cycle, naming a 31-man provisional squad for the Cecafa U-17 Championship scheduled to kick off on November 15 in Ethiopia.

The tournament will serve as a qualifier for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations U-17 – the pathway to the 2026 Fifa U-17 World Cup.

The Ghanaian tactician will be assisted by former Uganda Cranes internationals Steven Bengo and Sadam Juma, with Yasin Mugabi as goalkeeping coach and Joram Katende as team manager.

Uganda Cubs squad

Goalkeepers – Mukwanga Adrian (Vipers SC JT), Edrisah Waibi (Buddo SS), Gilbert Mazige (Nec JT).

Defenders – Mukisa Jovan Nsereko (Nec JT), Sengooba Hamuza (Masaka Sunshine), Oyirwoth Steven (KCCA), Torach Elvis (Masaka Sunshine), Ntege Abdul (Maroons JT).

Midfielders – Jjara Brain (KCCA), Ssozi Derick (Fort Portal Taxi Operators), Walusimbi Abubakali (Vipers FC JT), Magala Isima Mulala (Masaka Sunshine), Asiimwe John (Bukedea Comprehensive SS), Nuweagaba Kamurungi (Kitara JT), Owino John Brian (Express JT).

Forwards – Bogere James (Masaka Sunshine), Okello Richard (Bul JT), Wanyama Simon (Bukedea Comprehensive SS), Magogo Shakur Lucky Baggio (Namilyango College), Nkoola Arafat (Vipers SC JT), Bagenda Enock (KCCA SA)

At the sound of the final whistle, Buweekula head coach Felix Ssekabuuza could no longer contain himself. He sprinted onto the wet Nakivubo turf, leaping and hugging his players one by one.

Around him, Ssingo players sat dejected on the wet grass – their dreams of a third Masaza Cup title washed away.

The spirits of Nakayima, as locals fondly say, had finally smiled on Buweekula. After years of trying, they are champions of the prestigious Airtel Masaza Cup for the very first time since the tournament began in 2004.

After 21 years of waiting, Buweekula are finally kings of Buganda football.

Tight, tactical battle

Kick-off was slightly delayed to 3:13pm, and despite the spectacle, there were visible empty seats at the newly refurbished Hamz Stadium.

The match started with both teams looking evenly matched, though Ssingo seemed to have a slight edge in possession. Yet their undoing came from their indiscipline in defending set pieces and Buweekula’s relentless pressing.

In the 16th minute, Alex Talemwa broke the deadlock with a clever solo run from midfield, weaving past two defenders before calmly beating Ssingo’s shot-stopper Joel Byaruhanga, later named Best Goalkeeper of the tournament. That proved to be the only goal of the contest.

Prolific attack meets steely defence

Buweekula’s road to the final was not without controversy – their semifinal win over Kyaggwe was fiercely contested – but their attacking prowess was undeniable.

With 20 goals scored throughout the campaign, the trio of Talemwa, Jimmy Kalema and Shafiq Sonko formed the tournament’s most feared front line. Kalema, in particular, was sensational – finishing as both MVP and top scorer with seven goals.

On the opposite end, Ssingo had the tournament’s best defense, conceding only four goals before the final. But even that record was not enough to stop Buweekula’s momentum.

Experience and tactical depth

Coach Ssekabuuza’s experience proved invaluable. Alongside assistants Ibrahim Kirya (a former winner with Gomba) and Ssozi Nnono, the technical bench blended tactical discipline with big-match composure.

‘I’ve been in seven finals – we knew what corrections were needed after last year’s semifinal exit,’ Ssekabuuza remarked.

That experience contrasted sharply with Ssingo’s youthful bench led by Bastu Ssemuyaba, still seeking to establish himself at such a grand stage.

A touch of luck, history

While Ssingo arguably played the more attractive football, they were haunted by history. The last time they played at Nakivubo – twelve years ago, they lost 1-0.

For Buweekula, though, Nakivubo carried fonder memories. Their last appearance there this season ended in a 2-1 victory. This time, they didn’t need to be at their best; destiny did the rest.

Motivation

Behind Buweekula’s historic triumph stood strong financial and moral support from Mubende’s political and business circles, notably Bashir Lubega, a parliamentarian.

Their motivation and preparation levels were second to none, making them one of the most well-backed sides in the competition.

Airtel Masaza Cup final

Buweekula 1-0 Ssingo

Third-place play-off: Kyaggwe 1-0 Bugerere

Individual awards

MVP: Jimmy Kalema (Buweekula)

Top scorer: J. Kalema (Buweekula) – 7 goals

Best goalkeeper: Joel Byaruhanga (Ssingo)

Best defender: Pariyo Ogubezo (Buweekula)

Previous winners

2025 – Buweekula

2024 – Buddu

2023 – Bulemeezi

2022 – Busiro

2021 – Ssingo

2020 – Gomba

2019 – Bulemeezi

2018 – Buddu

2017 – Gomba

2016 – Buddu

2015 – Ssingo

2014 – Gomba

2013 – Mawokota

2012 – Bulemeezi

2011 – Buluuli

2009 – Gomba

2008 – Kyadondo

2007 – Mawokota

2006 – Kooki

2005 – Mawokota

2004 – Gomba

A report by the country’s climate and development report has revealed that, without strong action, climate change could cut Uganda’s economic growth by up to 3.1 percent by 2050, pushing more than 613,000 people into poverty and turning 12 million more into internal migrants.

The report highlights serious risks from climate change, including a drop in overall labour productivity up to 2.4 percent due to heat stress, threats to 21 percent of the electricity network, and annual road damages costing as much as $26m (Shs89.81b).

‘To address these challenges, it recommends a shift toward climate-resilient, low-carbon growth through coordinated actions across sectors, focusing on building resilience among Uganda’s youth and low-income earners while strengthening agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and urban development,’ the report shows.

It adds that, to achieve climate-positive growth, four multi-sector intervention packages, backed by economy-wide measures and strong private sector engagement, should be considered. Others are expanding shock-responsive social protection; digital financial services, including insurance; and access to water, sanitation, hygiene, and climate-resilient health systems.

Government authorities have also been urged to incorporate climate change projections and risks into urban planning and infrastructure design; support decentralisation of decision-making regarding climate action; promote e-mobility, green building materials, and better transport systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The report also calls for coordinated climate action across government, private sector, communities, and partners.

At the top of its key actions is the implementation of Uganda’s National Climate Finance Strategy, integrating climate considerations into public procurement, public-private partnerships, fiscal policies, and financial regulations. Strengthening disaster risk management and legal frameworks for crisis management is yet another key action.

‘Climate action is not only essential but also offers an opportunity to redefine the country’s development trajectory,’ Mr Qimiao Fan, the World Bank Division Director for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda, said, adding that Uganda, ranked the 14th most climate-vulnerable country, faces a critical moment.

Ms Mary Porter Peschka, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Division Director for Eastern Africa, advanced private investment in climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, among others.

‘By fostering private engagement in climate-resilient projects, Uganda can build a greener and more prosperous future,’ she said.I

As part of the political shock that followed the 2021 General Election, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential flag-bearer, became the first Opposition candidate to defeat President Museveni in the island district of Kalangala.

President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, had made the islands-known in Buganda as Ssese-a National Resistance Movement (NRM) bastion. Mr Museveni wasn’t the only victim in the 2021 poll because at the parliamentary level, his party, the ruling NRM’s candidates, suffered defeats.

One of the chastening defeats the NRM suffered at the parliamentary level came in Kyamuswa County, where the voters threw out Ms Carolyn Birungi Nanyondo. They cast their lots with Mr Moses Kabuusu, then a member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), but who has since decamped to the newly constituted People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).

Like many island precincts, Kyamuswa was always dominated by the NRM to the extent that its cadre, Timothy Mutekanga Lwanga, had become synonymous with it. Before the NRM shot its way to power, Lwanga had been one of its supporters in the external wing.

His brother, Andrew Lutaaya, was among the first supporters of Mr Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA) when it waged war against Milton Obote’s regime. Lutaaya not only surrendered his lorry to be used by the NRM to attack Kabamba military barracks, in the process announcing that guerrilla war, but he was also part of the guerrillas who gathered at Mathiew Rukikaire’s home in Makindye to mastermind this attack that eventually didn’t go according to plan.

Kabuusu aggrieved

Lutaaya, on the accounts that he knew Lake Victoria like the back of his hand, was tasked with smuggling guerrilla leader Museveni across the water body into Kenya whenever he wanted to go and visit his family in Sweden. With such a history, Lwanga felt that he would always dominate Kyamuswa as he represented it in the Sixth Parliament and Seventh Parliament.

In 2006, Kabuusu, then a member of the Democratic Party (DP), pulled off a shock win over Lwanga. However, the Opposition’s victory couldn’t be expanded during the 2011 General Election because Lwanga reclaimed his seat when he defeated Kabuusu with a difference of just 317 votes.

A dissatisfied Kabuusu was compelled to drag Lwanga to the High Court, accusing him of committing numerous election offences and illegal practices. These included: bribing voters with life jackets, alcoholic drinks, and feasts at or after public rallies.

Kabuusu claimed that on the Polling Day, at Buwanga Polling Station, Lwanga, who was sporting a yellow long-sleeved shirt with a yellow hat bearing the wording ‘vote NRM’ in the company of armed policemen, including Asaph Owamanya, then officer-in-charge of Bukasa, usurped the powers of the presiding officer and gave orders to the polling officials and police on what to do.

The orders that Lwanga gave, Mr Kabuusu claimed, included ordering the arrests of certain persons; ordering the presiding officer to allow ineligible voters to vote; chasing away his polling agents; intercepting voters on line at the polling station, or on their way to the polling station; and those at Buwanga Village, giving them money while telling them to vote for him.

Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, then a High Court judge, dismissed the case, saying Kabuusu hadn’t particularly proven the allegation of voter bribery.

‘This only serves to cast serious doubt on whether the first respondent [Lwanga] had, upon giving her the life jacket the previous day, really asked her to vote for him, and made the alleged public declaration that she had converted to his side. In her last affidavit, she deposed that when the first respondent [Lwanga] asked her in public to convert to his side, she objected.

How then could he have declared that she had converted to his side, and the crowd greeted it with ululation? Equally, I wonder which version I should take regarding what the 1st Respondent’s alleged offer to her of a job was. Was it in a pharmacy or in a project, as she inconsistently states?’ Justice Owiny-Dollo said, prompting Kabuusu to take the battle to the Court of Appeal, where he was equally unsuccessful.

Lwanga bows out

In the run to the 2016 polls, two things happened that shocked the body politic of Kyamuswa: one was that Lwanga retired from elective politics. The second was that Kabuusu, who thought he could take advantage, defected from the DP to join the NRM.

He claimed that while many other parties were busy conducting grassroots elections in preparation for the 2016 elections, DP members were bickering with no tangible preparation taking place, especially in Kalangala District, where he hails from. Kabuusu further rationalised his decision to decamp to NRM, saying he was asked by his supporters in Kyamuswa to join NRM, a suggestion he honoured upon realising that his continued stay in the DP was not paying off.

While Kabuusu was decamping, the Opposition was facing a crisis in Kalangala as NRM candidates swept the majority of the elective seats in Kalangala due to the failure by the Opposition to field candidates. In 2016, no Opposition candidate was vying for any of the parliamentary seats in Kalangala.

The problem for Kabuusu was that he was defeated in the NRM primaries by Nanyondo. Undeterred, Kabuusu decided to stand as an Independent but still lost to Nanyondo in the 2016 elections with a difference of 582 votes. Yet the politics of Kalangala as an island was changing with many voters getting tired of NRM’s unfulfilled promises.

Up for grabs

In 2021, NRM paid a cost when NUP, which had been constituted, swept elections in Kalangala not only at the presidential level but also local government level. At the parliamentary level, Kabuusu bounced back, albeit on the FDC ticket, by beating Nanyondo by a difference of 392 votes. Kabuusu, who is now part of the PFF, has to contend with NUP, which has fronted Daudi Nkambo Ssenungi. The NUP has made it clear to voters in Buganda that they should vote for the umbrella.

‘Wherever you see an umbrella, you tick. These are people we have scrutinised. You vote for them because we are sure they are going to deliver,’ Bobi Wine has been telling voters in Buganda during the campaign trail. The NRM has, for the third time, fronted Nanyondo, and its officials say they are out to reclaim the islands.

‘The government has done so much in expanding the oil palm project, improving water transport, electricity, water supply, and better roads. We believe if islanders are reminded of all this, they will trust NRM to deliver more,’ said Mr Elly Ntegge, the spokesperson of the NRM in Kalangala.

MP for Lwemiyaga wants E.C to give him access to the purported academic papers that Gen. Rwashande presented to E.C. on his nomination as a candidate competing for Lwemiyaga parliamentary seat. Sekikubo says Gen. Rwashande never studied and that he used forged papers, though he was later after nomination, awarded a degree from Nkuna University.

When announcing an aggressive policy, US President Donald Trump typically offers some grotesque justification – a nonsensical fiction that is supposed to stick in our minds as a rationale for violence. The more we swallow these lies now, the harder it will be to question future falsehoods, because that would challenge our view of ourselves as intelligent beings.

This is the magic of the big lie, as Hitler explained in Mein Kampf: Tell a whopper so outrageous that people simply cannot believe it is untrue.

Trump’s big lies are almost too numerous to count. Perhaps the most versatile is that his policy focus is on curbing the illicit fentanyl trade.

Early in his second term, Trump claimed that Canada attacked the United States first by allowing fentanyl to flow freely across the border.

And really, shouldn’t it become the 51st US state? But in the past few months, the Trump administration has constructed an even more sinister geopolitical fantasy: military strikes on small boats in international waters are necessary to deter drug smuggling.

These attacks, which many experts view as patently illegal, have been clustered off the coast of Venezuela and have killed at least 61 people so far. Although it is widely recognised that the attacks will not stop the flow of fentanyl into the US, Trump has said that his government will continue ‘to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country’.

The extrajudicial killing of alleged narcotics smugglers is less about drug trafficking and more about power projection – and maybe even regime change.

Although videos of the bombings have become social-media fodder, there is no evidence that the targets were drug traffickers.

Moreover, the Trump administration has reportedly authorised covert CIA action in Venezuela and deployed its most advanced aircraft carrier to the Caribbean Sea.

This display of military power is intended to serve as political spectacle. The danger is that that it could escalate into an unwinnable, open-ended conflict.

The tragedy is that the opioid crisis has been an essential element of the American experience for the past quarter-century.

The US has the world’s highest rate of opioid deaths, owing largely to the profit-driven ‘health-care’ system that guides people toward pain medication but does not incentivise the intensive, long-term care required to treat addiction.

The crisis began because of a money-making scheme by Purdue Pharma, the US pharmaceutical company that developed and aggressively marketed the popular opioid painkiller OxyContin.

While OxyContin was responsible for the initial rise in overdose deaths, many users turned to heroin and now fentanyl – which is some 50 times more powerful than heroin – when they could no longer obtain a prescription for Purdue Pharma’s bestselling product.

The Americans living at the epicentres of the addiction crisis tend to vote Republican; without their support, Trump would never have been elected.

Trump and vice president JD Vance are attuned to the opioid epidemic in the sense that they see the wellspring of misery as a political resource that can be directed against an enemy of choice – whether an ally like Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney or an adversary like Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

It is important to understand the psychology Trump and Vance are exploiting. Addicts tend to blame others for their condition.

The rise of the far right in US politics has elevated this mindset to a national platform. The belief that someone else must be responsible for the country’s problems has come to inform foreign policy, with the Trump administration concocting ever more absurd stories, for example that each strike on a Venezuelan boat saves 25,000 American lives.

Trump and his administration are training the press and the American public to associate the boat strikes with stopping the flow of fentanyl and other drugs – a prime example of the falsehoods that imperialists tell before launching doomed wars of choice.

Busitema University, in partnership with local and international collaborators, has embarked on a two-year study to determine how much blood girls lose during a single menstrual cycle. The research aims to develop practical tools to prevent excessive bleeding and reduce the risk of severe anaemia among Ugandan students.

Speaking at the launch of the project dubbed Vital Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (Vital-HMB) held in Kampala, Dr Milton Musaba, the head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Busitema University, said the study would begin in November and involve 5,000 girls from selected secondary schools, universities, tertiary institutions, hospitals, and communities across Uganda.

Dr Musaba, who is also the principal investigator for the project, said they hope to identify those who need specific targeted treatment, to avoid receiving them in hospital when they are very sick to the point of requiring blood transfusion.

‘We are going to collect all the pads the girls have used over a menstrual cycle, take them to the laboratory and be able to measure exactly how much blood is lost,’ Dr Musaba said.

‘We shall be able to quantify those with heavy menstrual bleeding and establish tools that can catch these girls early.’ He added: ‘Menstruation is an important signal of good health, but many times, we normalise the abnormalities and we don’t take care of abnormal periods that are painful or heavy because they have been normalised culturally, and when we do that, we miss an important underlying pathology.’

He explained that during the study, the girls will be taken through a number of tests to identify the cause of heavy bleeding. Dr Musaba said heavy menstrual bleeding occurs when girls or women of reproductive age lose more than 80 millilitres of blood per cycle-roughly equivalent to three teaspoons. He said current estimates suggest that one in three girls of reproductive age experiences heavy menstrual bleeding, a condition that affects both their health and education.

Busitema University’s David Mukunya, who is co-investigator for the Vital-HMB project, said heavy menstrual bleeding leads to severe anaemia and fatigue, which disrupts daily activities and class participation, forcing some learners to drop out of school. ‘Menstrual health has been a taboo topic because it has been labelled culturally inappropriate and school girls are suffering in silence.

They are moving around with headache, confusion, dizziness, and they are not productive in school,’ Prof Mukunya said. ‘You see a girl who is giving you a blank stare, and you probably think they are not interested in school, but they are dealing with a big hidden issue. We want to bring such issues to the surface.’

During the launch of the project, Dr Richard Mugahi, Commissioner for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health in the Ministry of Health, acknowledged that heavy menstrual bleeding is an area that had been neglected for some time. Dr Mugahi also tasked researchers to address the myths that surround dysmenorrhea (painful periods) to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

‘When we were in a medical school, we used to hear people say when a young woman has excessive cramps, one of the treatments was getting pregnant,’ Dr Mugahi told researchers.

‘This belief has not changed, but is a very important concept of how science interacts with social norms, social beliefs. I hope you are going to pick something on dysmenorrhea.’

‘The time for healing of the wounds has come, the moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come, the time to build is upon us,’ are words of wisdom from South African anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.

These words echoed in my head this week after National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, visited the graveyard of former president Milton Obote in Apac District as he traversed Lango Sub-region in his presidential campaign trail.

Bobi Wine was welcomed by Mr Jimmy Akena, Obote’s son, who is currently a Member of Parliament and leader of a faction of Obote’s Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party, to the home where the NUP presidential flagbearer laid the national flag on the grave of Uganda’s founding father.

The gesture, however, sparked a debate on social media that had tribal undertones. One of the reactions came from journalist Samson Kasumba, who wondered if it was a wise political move.

‘Obote is and remains a very sensitive subject here in Buganda ever since the invasion of the Lubiri on May 24, 1966. While paying respects may be a gesture of goodwill, you either are making a master stroke or a political suicidal move, you just can never know which way it will go.’ he posted on X on October 24.

Some people attacked Bobi Wine, suggesting that he had betrayed Buganda.

In May 1966, government soldiers, commanded by Idi Amin, marched on the Buganda Kingdom palace at Mengo.

The attack, supposedly carried out on orders of prime minister Obote, saw century-old treasures and royal regalia of Buganda Kingdom reduced to ashes, and Kabaka of Buganda Edward Muteesa II – who was also the ceremonial President – fleeing into exile, and Buganda being placed under a state of emergency. That is why a section of people look at Bobi Wine’s political move to associate with Obote’s family as an insult to Buganda’s heritage and pride. ‘To me, as a Muganda, honouring Obote feels like honouring an evil man who tried to erase the very cultural institution [Buganda Kingdom] Bobi Wine claims to love,’ went a comment on X. Bobi Wine, who at times uses the nickname Omubanda wa Kabaka (the king’s boy), is a vocal supporter of the kingdom.

Whereas Uganda seems to have moved on from the 1966 Crisis, some people are stuck in the historical tragedies to the extent that they want the new generation sucked into the tribal differences.

Mr Akena, too, was at the receiving end of insults for ‘forgetting what happened when [a section of] Baganda prevented his late father’s corpse from passing through Buganda [in 2005]’.

Uganda’s post-independence mistakes came with serious confrontations, vengeance, tribal hatred and civil unrest.

But Ugandans should forge a way forward towards forgiveness, reconciliation, tolerance, harmony and unity for safer future generations. We must ask ourselves, should we inherit the past mistakes of our grandfathers?

Lest we forget, the consequences of ethnic extremism have always ended in tragedy. They have led to mass killings, refugee crises, food insecurity, cultural erosion and economic setbacks as it has been seen in Africa and other parts of the globe.

Bobi Wine is a rising star in Uganda’s political Arena, and his attempt to bridge historical cultural differences should be applauded and not condemned.

Bobi Wine and Akena are not responsible, nor can they overturn the events that happened between Muteesa and Obote, but they have a duty to set a fresh impetus for today’s generations to embrace unity, cohesion and co-existence.

There will be a lot to fight for when She Corporate host Kawempe Muslim at Fufa Technical Centre Njeru over the weekend in the Finance Trust Bank Fufa Women Super League (FTBFWSL).

Coach Belyse Ininahazwe and her assistant Saddam Pande have breathed new life into She Corporate and they have all reasons to believe that they can compete for the title. They are making come backs, scoring late goals, winning matches, and cancelling out opponents.

Their talisman Jesca Namanda has new support in Sandra Kisakye while Rebecca Nakato, formerly on the periphery at Kawempe, has rediscovered herself.

On Saturday, She Corporate came from behind to beat Lady Doves 2-1 away at Katusabe Stadium in Masindi.

Resty Kobusobozi put the hosts ahead with an 18th minute header but Leticia Nakyeyune capitalized on Doves keeper Rose Bamaniriza’s misjudgement of an aerial ball to equalize in the 32nd minute and ensure the sides were level at halftime.

Another lapse of concentration from Bamaniriza allowed Namanda to win it for Corporate in stoppage time and keep at the top with 13 points as Lady Doves fell back to 10th with three points alongside Asubo, who drew 0-0 away to Amus College on the same day.

Kawempe better

Corporate are level with Kawempe who also relied on two first half goals from captain Agnes Nabukenya to beat She Maroons 2-0. The wet conditions made it a tough match for Kawempe to dominate but coach Ayub Khalifa was proud that the team found a way to win.

“We got Dorcus (Kisakye) back (from injury) into midfield and that gave us a bit more creativity. But football on rainy days is tough and you can miss some easy chances but most importantly, we converted some and defended well,” Khalifa said.

Meanwhile, of the nine goals Kawempe has managed in five games, Nabukenya has scored three. Though she still wants to win the top scorer’s award, the team is depending on her less.

“We got new players that know what exactly the team needs and they are delivering. That makes us even stronger,” Nabukenya said.

“We are also picking points from games we dropped last season because we took our lessons and know what we have to do to win,” Nabukenya added.

Free scoring KQ

Kampala Queens’ Kamiyat Naigaga continues to lead charts as her goal opened the floodgates in a 5-0 win over Olila High School at MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo on Sunday.

Zaitun Namaganda, Catherine Nagadya, and Joanitah Ainembabazi (2) scored the other goals as KQ jumped to 11 points and 15 goals in five matches while pushing Olila bottom of the table on two points.

Uganda Martyrs Lubaga leaped forward as they recorded their first win of the season away at Makerere University on Sunday. Brenda Munyana scored the late lone goal in a 1-0 win for Martyrs, who are now 8th with five points – just like Makerere and She Maroons.

In the other match on Sunday, Patricia Nakato Nakyanzi scored an early second half penalty to equalize for Rines SS as they drew 1-1 at home with St. Noa Girls. The latter, who are now level on six points with Amus, had scored early in the first half through Esther Babirye. Rines are 9th on four points.

FTBFWSL

Results

Lady Doves 1-2 She Corporate

Kawempe Muslim 2-0 She Maroons

Amus College 0-0 Asubo

Kampala Queens 5-0 Olila HS

Rines SS 1-1 St. Noa Girls

Makerere University 0-1 Uganda Martyrs

Lace is always a great idea, especially if you are looking to be sophisticated, chic, and stylish. The latest fashion obsession with detailing is with the skirt. The trend, mostly worn with maxi dresses, is all the rage now, especially for daytime dressing up.

The skirt is also a great way to get into the lace trend, especially if you have not found the confidence yet to wear it on your top. With this trend, you cannot only create your own signature look but also adapt it to different settings. You can dress it up or down, depending on where you are going.

Whether you are dressing it up or toning it down, here is how you can own this trend and add your own signature stamp on it.

Pick out the right base

The most important accessory for you when wearing your sheer is going to be confidence. Certain looks will immediately look misplaced or awkward if you do not carry enough confidence with you to nail it, and the sheer skirt look is definitely one of those.

And since this is an outfit that depends heavily on layering, you need to carefully pick out your bases. So, think anything from oversized t-shirts, that you can add a leather jacket to, and some boots. Or you can add a shirt that can be accentuated with a waist belt for the perfect finish.

For daytime styling

A gathering like brunch is the perfect place to wear your lacy skirt. And while this might seem too casual a setting, you still need to keep your look very tasteful, so consider layering it up with other pieces such as jackets or coats, depending on what vibe you are going for.

And do not forget to also accessorise this look heavily.

So, think some gold jewellery and a mini bag to elevate the outfit without making it too formal. You can also add heels or sneakers to this, depending on what look you are aiming for overall.

For a night out

If you are styling your lacy skirt for a night out, such as an event or date night, opt for your skirt in a darker hue such as black or navy blue. Pair it with a fitted bodysuit or corset top.

Add heels, a clutch, and statement earrings to complete the look.

If you want to elevate this further, then throw on a leather jacket or an oversized blazer. This will add some structure to the look and elevate it further.

Style it into an athleisure look

Lately, dressing up for the airport is now a lot more serious than simply throwing on some sweatpants and a t-shirt. So, in case you were looking for an upgrade for your transit style, the lacy skirt might just do the trick.

Pair a midi or maxi sheer lace skirt with a soft graphic tee or an oversized sweatshirt. Add a pair of sneakers, loafers to complete the look.

The trick here is going to have to opt for an A-lined or partially sheer skirt so you can move easily through security and sit comfortably during your flight.

For casual styling

You do not need a special occasion to pull out your lacy skirt. You can still incorporate it into your day-to-day wear and mix it with casual staples, most of which you already own in your wardrobe.

Anything from your oversized tees, sweatshirts, and shirts are all pieces that can blend in seamlessly with your lacy skirt.

You can also elevate the look further by wearing your denim skirt over the lace. You can even wear a denim skirt over the lace skirt for a relaxed, yet quite fashion-forward look.

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The World Bank has advised the government to continue implementing the troubled $200m (Shs693b) Uganda Digital Acceleration Project-Government Network (UDAP-GOVNET) project as if it were ending, as initially planned, in May 2026, pending determination of the 17-month extension request.

In an October 10 letter, the World Bank’s acting Country Manager, Ms Annette Tamale Katuramu, told the Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary, Mr Ramathan Ggoobi, that even after restructuring the project in June to narrow its scope, it remains plagued by several problems. ‘As discussed in March 2025 with the World Bank Division Director, Qimiao Fan, the aim was to focus the project on deliverable activities by the closure date of May 30, 2026.

After the restructuring in June 2025, progress has improved, yet the project still faces delays and low disbursement and remains in ‘problem’ status,’ Ms Katuramu wrote. She added: ‘These challenges persist, and the planned second restructuring in November 2025 will review progress and cancel outstanding items to help achieve the revised goals. We ask the Ministry of Finance to continue supporting this plan and assist National Information Technology Authority, Uganda (NITA-U) in delivering the restructured activities by May 30, 2026, as scheduled.’

The letter is copied to the Attorney General, Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka, the Solicitor General, Mr Pius Perry Biribonwoha; NITA-U Executive Director Hatwib Mugasa; as well as Alex Kakooza, Irene Bateebe, Ketra Turyagyenda, and Aminah Zawedde, the permanent secretaries of the user ministries of the Office of the Prime Minister, Education, Energy, and ICT, respectively, among other officials.

The World Bank, long frustrated by the delays, first hinted at restructuring the project in a January 7 letter to the ICT Minister, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, citing the slow absorption of only two percent or $4m (Shs14b), out of $200m, yet the project deadline was fast approaching. Consequently, during the inspection mission in May, the lender guided the restructuring of the project, to narrow its work scope to chewable components amounting to $87.5m (Shs302.27b).

Seeking more work, money

However, in August, NITA-U and the ministry of Finance officials went back to the drawing board to re-restructure the project to add more work components worth $95.3m (Shs329.22b) and be given a 17-month extension until August 2027, with the work expected to be completed in earnest by October.

The restructuring, the NITA-U boss, Dr Mugasa, on August 18, wrote to Dr Zawedde, is needed for the government to fully implement the project ‘to realise the intended project development objectives, including expanding access to high-speed internet, improving the efficiency of digital service delivery in public sectors, and strengthening the digital inclusion of select refugee-hosting districts.

He further noted that 56 contracts worth $56m (Shs193.45b) had been signed by August, up from $22m (Shs76b) in April, with more contracts worth $26m (Shs89.81b) expected to be signed by September. In the re-restructuring, NITA-U floated the idea of being allowed legroom for direct procurement or limited selection, with strong justification considered, and mechanisms put in place to avoid any delays, like joint in-country weekly reviews for proactive monitoring. Consequently, Mr Ggoobi wrote to the World Bank on August 28 requesting a reprieve.

Bank sources involved described the request as ‘perplexing to ask for more time and money to implement work that was originally supposed to be undertaken but was never, for one reason or another’. NITA-U officials told Sunday Monitor that project implementation has improved tremendously contrary to reports.

The UDAP-GOVNET project was signed off by the World Bank in June 2021 as $60m (Shs207.27b) a grant and $140m (Shs483.63b) a loan. The project aims to expand access to high-speed internet, improve the efficiency of digital government services, and strengthen the digital inclusion of refugees and host communities in northeastern and southwestern Uganda.

However, since commencing on May 17, 2023, the project has been beleaguered by numerous setbacks, which insiders attribute to ‘implementation incompetence’ and infighting by officials amid a string of probes by the Inspectorate of Government and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID), and several procurements reversed by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets (PPDA) Appeals Tribunal.

The restructuring

Following the Bank’s inspection mission between April 28 and May 2 ‘to assess progress and identify challenges,’ according to documents seen by this newspaper, Mr Ggoobi on June 27 wrote to the World Bank green-lighting the restructuring of the UDAP-GOVNET as a result of ‘persistent implementation delays with project implementation clocking in at less than six percent in four years.’

The restructuring consisted of omitting several project components, including the National Broadband Infrastructure (NBI). ‘Given the delays already encountered under the project, we request that activities envisaged to be completed and not affected by the NBI should proceed as restructuring continues to avoid further delays,’ Mr Ggoobi wrote.

Following Mr Ggoobi’s assurances, his ICT contemporary, Dr Zawedde, the technical supervisor of NITA-U, wrote back on July 29 detailing a five-pronged approach to accelerate the project. This included increasing the frequency of technical and steering committee meetings to ensure tighter supervision; speeding up project components’ procurement Terms of References; timely sharing of key documents such as minutes; cautioning technical staff against slippages; and ensuring transparent procurements given the frequency of complaints.

‘With these interventions and your February 2025 communication to the World Bank country manager on the status of the NITA-U/NBI as advised by the Attorney General, the NBI expansion and last-mile implementation can be concluded by December 2026, which is NITA-U’s availability period,’ Dr Zawedde wrote.

Efficiency coming

Pressed about the rationale of the 17-month extension request yet NITA-U is supposed to be folded back into the ministry in 2027 as part of the Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Expenditure (RAPEX) Reforms, Dr Zawedde told Sunday Monitor on Friday that: ‘We acknowledge that the project has experienced some challenges, but these have served as lessons to strengthen our delivery.’ She added: ‘We have instructed NITA-U to tighten compliance and documentation processes within the project office. Additionally, we have reinforced accountability across all technical teams. These measures are designed to restore momentum and ensure every decision leads to tangible progress. Citizens can be assured that the expected benefits: improved services, transparency, and efficiency, are on the way.’