Category: Daily Monitor

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.

Whichever look you opt for, keep in mind that accessories can make or break your look. With a detailed piece like a lace skirt, it’s best to let the texture be the focal point of the entire look. Keep everything else minimal, but also still detailed enough to complement your skirt and overall look.

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.’

In a bid to reduce the number of patients hospitalised over different diseases, health experts have urged Ugandans to embrace regular medical checkups in order to detect diseases early to enable their quick treatment.

The National Medical Stores (NMS) General Manager, Mr Moses Kamabare, said the public should go for screening to prevent diseases in all ways that they can so that they take only those diseases which, despite their efforts are still occurring.

‘National Medical Stores is mandated to provide these medicines to the health facilities, but we believe that prevention is better than cure, so Ugandans should get interested in preventing the diseases,’ he said.

According to him, prevention includes screening for many types of cancers.

‘But when it is late, the chances of you getting treated are very low,’ Mr Kamabare made the remarks during the NMS’s Rotary club of Medical Stars medical outreach at the NMS Kajjansi Town Council facilities on Friday where up to 2,100 people received services that included, counselling, eye care, dental extractions, blood donation, HIV testing, prostrate cancer screening and reproductive health among other health services.

‘We want the people to experience what we expect them to get when they go to the government health facilities. People have come here, health workers are here to receive them and they have received the medicines free of charge’ he said.

He added, ‘They have got tooth extractions through the dental services, they have given blood, getting free eye treatment and free glasses, everything is free. This is how it is supposed to be in a government health facility. Wherever and whenever the youth go there, this is what they should expect’.

Ms Joyeuse Uwitonze, the Marie Stopes Uganda channel lead said families should always reach out to medical facilities for general checks in order to be aware of their health statuses.

‘We think that it’s important for everybody to have the awareness, information, to know when to seek health care, where to seek it from and what health care needs are handled by different providers,’ she said.

She added, ‘Our purpose at Marie Stopes is to really ensure that women are receiving family planning services and every family has a choice on how they handle their families when they have children and when they choose not to have children’.

I don’t believe in miracles. But for those who do, a miracle happened on Wednesday, October 29, in Tanzania, fondly known as the ‘Island of Peace’ because of its cohesion and stability.

Unexpectedly, the youth, or Gen Z as they are popularly known, woke up from deep slumber and jammed the streets, agitating for credible, fair, and transparent elections.

They caught the country and the world unaware. The ‘untouchable’ in the country were shaken in their boots to the core! When the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party organised ‘uchafuzi’ or ‘uchakachuaji’ (shoddy elections, as the Gen Z call it), little did they know they were opening a Pandora’s Box.

The Gen Z took to the streets, continuing protests up to the time of writing this article on Friday as they defied warnings from the country’s army chief to end the unrest. CCM, which has ruled and misruled Tanzania since independence in 1961, was confident about ‘winning’ in an election wherein the candidates were the incumbent and party flagbearer, Samia Suluhu Hassan, and some decoy candidates, aka CCM-B.

The main opposition leader, Mr Tundu Lissu, was in jail and another opposition leader was disqualified from the election.

For the first time, the young protesters invoked the former Ugandan strongman Idi Amin’s moniker, calling their female president ‘Idi Amin Mama’. If Julius Nyerere, Tanzania’s founding father and CCM founder, and Amin could be resurrected, they wouldn’t believe what is happening.

There are reports that about 700 protesters have been killed. Being a Tanzanian myself, it’s unthinkable to believe that what transpired would. Who’s safe under the sun, especially in Africa, which is pregnant with dictators and corrupt rulers?

My family and I were in Tanzania two months ago. We’d obviously feel the anguish and the frustrations by just looking at how many young people waste their lives operating dangerous motorbikes. They don’t obey traffic rules.

We hired a driver. We couldn’t drive lawlessly, as it is the norm in Dar. The goings-on in Tanzania sent me back to Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and No Longer at Ease, and my own books Born with Voice, Gen Z and the Internet Revolution, and Saa ya Ukombozi.

In Dar es Salaam (haven of peace), Tanzania’s largest city and heartbeat, thanks to its grinding traffic jam, noise from street vendors and sirens the bigwigs apportioned to themselves, it is no longer at ease, but Saa ya Ukombozi.

In Mwanza, the youth vandalised some properties. They intercepted a truckload of marked votes disguised as corn bags.

Some businesses owned by ruling party cadres and public officials were set ablaze. But what do we learn from Tanzania?

Here, the nuggets of wisdom are: First, this movement that the Tanzanian Gen Z is carrying forward could, if not addressed, motivate other ‘volcanoes’ to erupt. Second, this generation is totally different from others. Geopolitically, this wave is menacingly looming over Africa.

It started in Kenya, then in Madagascar, and now it’s playing out in Tanzania. Worldwide, we’ve seen the Gen Z protests erupt in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal. How will it end? It’s hard to tell.

To conclude, there cannot be perpetual peace amid prevalent corruption and injustices. Thus, power abusers must know. Power and pomp are but vanity. They belong to the people. Humans aren’t chicken whose eggs you can steal and eat as they idly watch. Woe unto you who take your people for a ride.

It’s getting dark outside. The coffee tastes great, the room is quiet. I am thinking deeply…writing slowly. At the start of September 2024, I had a late-night chat with a judicial officer high up in Uganda’s Judiciary.

It was a cordial ‘convo’…at a time when government was throwing everything – even the kitchen sink, at Isaac Ssemakadde to prevent him from becoming president of the Uganda Law Society (ULS).

The ruling party was petrified at the prospect of a tough-as-nails lawyer taking the helm of ULS. For the record, ULS is not some small, voluntary association of lawyers. And, it’s not some loose NGO. No, thank you! ULS is a statutory body, established by an Act of Parliament. It is Uganda’s Bar association; the guardian of the rule of law, the conscience of the legal profession, and the voice of justice in the nation.

Very sensitive body! It is, therefore, of strategic importance to a despotic government to have a stooge who will dance to the tunes of the deep state, as ULS president – not a brawling litigator who will challenge their every illegal act. Ssemakadde, flying high in rating, was waving a banner of reform; he visited various courts with a broom, promising to clean up the Judiciary.

Most every lawyer, frustrated with the many issues in the Judiciary that make private legal practice a nightmare, was excited – but the agents of the deep state within the Judiciary were horrified.

I asked my person what they were going to do about ‘Hurricane Isaac’. They laughed and said, ‘Don’t worry, we already have the medicine for Ssemakadde.’ There comes a time in the life of a nation when the silence, inaction, or mal-action of its judges becomes more dangerous than the violence of its tyrants. Uganda has entered that time.

The Judiciary, once the last refuge of the oppressed, the final bastion of hope for the downtrodden, is rotting and wasting away before our very eyes. When those entrusted to interpret the law begin to interpret it for their own comfort; when conscience bows before convenience, then the nation stands upon the brink of ruin.

For the law is not merely words on paper; it is the conscience of a people given voice and authority through the courts. A good judge, in an age of grand corruption and plunder, must stand as the nation’s moral compass; not merely knowing the law, but loving justice.

Beyond just sitting upon the Bench, a judge must be the Bench, a living embodiment of truth, impartiality, and courage. When the Executive has gone astray, when the Legislature has been bought, and when the people groan under the weight of tyranny, it is to the Judiciary that a wounded nation turns for hope.

Judges are not courtiers in the palace of power, nor are they pawns on the chessboard of politics. They are the sentinels of justice, the last line of defence against the tyranny of men.

A good judge must be courageous: unmoved by fear of reprisal or the frown of the powerful. Independent: beholden to no man, ministry, or political wind.

Incorruptible: clean in pocket, clean in thought, clean in conscience. Compassionate, understanding that law without mercy is cruelty dressed in robes. Humble, aware that judgment belongs to God, and he merely lends his voice. Diligent, reading deeply, thinking widely, and ruling swiftly without prejudice.

Patriotic, not in the shallow sense of flag-waving, but in the higher duty of defending the Republic through fairness and truth. The robe of a judge is not a garment of privilege; it is a shroud of sacrifice. It is worn not for prestige but for service.

The gavel is not a sceptre of power; it is a symbol of responsibility. And to wield it unjustly is to betray not just the litigants before the court, but the very soul of the nation.

Uganda cannot rise where her judges stoop low. The Bench must once again become a citadel of sanity – calm, steady, and courageous, a moderating voice in the madness of corruption.

Judges must be the evidence that not all is lost, that there is still conscience in public life, that the flame of justice yet burns, however faintly, in the winds of greed. I invite the judges to rediscover conscience; to be judges, not functionaries. For if the judges fall, there is no one left to judge the fall.

If there is one question theatre makers world over have tried to answer in vain, it is the fact that no one knows what went wrong.

From Madrid to Kampala, more than 20 conferences, talks, and panel discussions have been discussing the fate of theatre. During this past week, this topic came back differently, at Bat Valley Theatre.

This was during the annual Theatre and Performance Arts Festival, which has been going on at the Bat Valley Theatre recently. Held under the theme, The Ugandan Theatre Renaissance Starts With You, the first thespians’ conference with an eight-person panel.

From writers and directors, including Phillip Luswata, Aganza Kisaka, to actress Juliet Nantambi, there was consensus that over the years, theatre has lost its spark.

‘There was a time we were paid Shs3m after a show, it was surprising, the theatre was full for more than a month,’ actor Abby Mukiibi said in his opening remarks.

But it was the panel discussion that got the audience engaged. Eron Ntulo Matovu, with experience of more than 20 years on stage, said there is a general lack of passion. He added that people are not rehearsing enough as they used to over the years.

The panel discussion, which brought together sectors such as media, marketing, creatives, including actors, directors, and writers, to producers, all noted that the existing theatre climate is not healthy.

Many argued that, unlike in the past, where most people depended on the TV and theatre for entertainment, today, there are many alternatives, including bars, amusement parks and cinemas that people do not even think about theatre that much.

This was, however, challenged by Godfrey Musinguzi of Uganda Cinema Night. He argued that Europe has better technology, more cinemas and high-end TV productions yet its theatre scene is still striving.

‘Mobile phones have only been able to replace theatre because something is lacking with theatre. It is not giving the audience what they want,’ he said.

Some argued that theatre these days has not challenged itself when it comes to the stories it tells. For instance, the argument is that most of the productions that are staged at the moment talk about the same things — either a man and his wife facing challenges brought about by the husband’s extra-marital affair or about a kingdom whose aging king occupies the throne illegitimately.

‘Of course, most of the stories we tell have been told before, but what makes them special is the fresh angle the writer puts on them,’ actress Mariam Ndagire said.

But then, there was a question of marketing. When theatre was thriving in the early 1980s to the early 2000s, much of the marketing was done on cloth banners, posters and later radio adverts, mainly done by Abby Mukiibi in his signature voice.

As years rolled by, the audience evolved, yet, for some reason, the marketing of theatre has not evolved. The audience has since become very visual, vibrant on TikTok, Instagram, and X. In Uganda, theatre spaces don’t have a presence on these platforms.

As the discussion wound up, it became evident that the festival had done more than revisit familiar debates, it had rekindled the will to rebuild. Many participants agreed that the future of Ugandan theatre depends on its ability to evolve without losing its soul. Theatre, they said, must reimagine its storytelling, embrace digital platforms, and engage a new generation of audiences while remaining true to its essence, the intimacy of live performance.

‘If we can make theatre exciting again, not by imitating television, but by being unapologetically theatrical, the people will return,’ remarked playwright and director Luswata, drawing applause from the audience.

In the end, the mood in Bat Valley was one of cautious optimism. With veterans such as Ndagire, Luswata, and Mukiibi reflecting on the golden years, and younger voices such as Aganza Kisaka and Eron Ntulo Matovu eager to redefine the art form, there was a shared belief that Uganda’s stage can rise again.

The festival’s theme rang true, not merely as a slogan, but as a challenge to everyone who loves the craft.

If the conversations at Bat Valley are any indication, Ugandan theatre’s story is not fading; it is simply waiting for its next act to begin.

On October 23, the Electoral Commission (EC) brought the curtain down on the nomination of candidates for parliamentary seats in next year’s elections. One of the talking points from the two-day exercise has been the very high number of people scrambling for seats in Parliament.

It was not possible to establish the exact number of nominated parliamentary candidates by press time, but there were media reports suggesting the number could be around 2,700.

Some 113 candidates were, for example, nominated to fight for the 10 seats in Kampala, an average of 11.3 persons per seat. Then 42 people were nominated to contest for the four available seats in Jinja City, with a staggering 16 eying the Jinja North seat.

The number of people entering elective politics has been increasing with every election. The EC’s report on the 2015/2016 General Election shows that there were eight presidential candidates and 1,743 parliamentary candidates.

The number later rose to 1,816 candidates following the by-elections in newly created constituencies. Those who entered elective politics increased to 11 presidential candidates and 2,801 parliamentary candidates in the 2020/2021 General Election.

Why the mad rush?

Why are many people developing an appetite for elective politics? What has made it so attractive?

Dr Livingstone Sewanyana (PhD), the Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), says more people are scrambling for parliamentary seats because being in Parliament has turned into a lucrative enterprise.

‘Politics became a lucrative business. It’s one of the most lucrative businesses you can have now. And as long as you are able to be elected, you can actually start counting your money,’ he says.

Mr Dan Wandera Ogalo, a constitutional lawyer who represented Bukoli South constituency in the 6th Parliament and was later one of Uganda’s representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala), attributes the mad rush for seats to the changes over time, in public perceptions about Parliament and the role of a legislator. That change, he argues, has been occasioned by the social and economic realities, especially the failure of the economy to generate enough well-paying jobs.

‘There is generally a lack of opportunities. People do not have employment. So they take it (politics) as employment, which, of course, is absurd. That to me is what is making people rush in there,’ Mr Ogalo says.

Huge perks

Prof Sabiti Makara, who teaches Political Science at Kabale University, weighs in, saying the pay and hefty allowances that Ugandan legislators are paid have fast turned being a Member of Parliament into the most lucrative job in Uganda.

‘Politics has become a better-paying job than, for example, being a doctor or engineer. That tells you why professionals are running into politics. The reason being that they do not have to work very hard and get as many headaches as a doctor or engineer, but walk away with very big salaries and allowances,’ Prof Makara says.

The pay and allowances due to Ugandan MPs have always been a source of public anger because Parliament has always determined its own emoluments and allowances, which are way bigger and out of the reach of other Ugandans.

Those include a monthly salary of Shs25 million; a one-off vehicle allowance of Shs150 million; a subsistence allowance of Shs4.5 million a month; a town running allowance of Shs1 million per month, a medical allowance of Shs500,000 per month; a sitting allowance of Shs50,000 for committee meetings and a plenary sitting allowance of Shs150,000 for plenary sessions.

There is also a mileage allowance, which is determined based on the distance between Parliament and the furthest point of a particular legislator’s constituency.

Other allowances include an inland travel per diem of Shs150,000 a night, a foreign travel per diem of $520 (approximately Shs1.8 million), and air tickets when on official business.

A look at the salary structure for the Financial Year 2024/2025, which was released by the Ministry of Public Service on June 30, 2024, shows that the Head of Public Service is the highest-paid person in the public service with a monthly salary of Shs17.6 million. That one is followed by the Deputy Head of Public Service, who earns Shs16.4 million; the permanent secretaries, who earn Shs15.4 million. Medical officers fall further down the order with a salary of Shs4.5 million. All those pale so much in the face of what MPs earn.

Qualifications

Dr Sewanyana is, however, quick to add that money is not the only thing making a parliamentary seat very attractive. He argues it is highly likely that the requirements for being a legislator have been set so low that every Tom, Dick and Harry believes that they stand a chance.

‘The eligibility requirements are very minimal. To be a Member of Parliament, you only need a S6 certificate. If you go by any imagination, we have many people who would qualify because they have that certificate, but if the requirements, for example, had been a Master’s degree, then chances would be that you would have fewer,’ he argues.

Value for money?

The biggest talking point has however been that there has been very little value for all the money expended on Uganda’s legislators. There have been concerns that the quality of legislators and legislation has been deteriorating with every Parliament. Some of those concerns have actually come from within Parliament itself.

In October 2020, the late Jacob Oulanyah, who was the Deputy Speaker of the 10th Parliament, caused quite a stir when he brazenly stated that the MPs were not doing enough research before contributing to debates in Parliament, which meant that their submissions were often based on hearsay and or very little in terms of facts.

Dr James Nsaba Buturo agreed with Oulanyah, saying the quality of debate had been disappointing because some of the legislators were ‘unfit for legislative work’.

At the time, a parliamentary scorecard for the third session of the 10th Parliament had revealed that only 17 percent out of the 459 MPs had scored above the 75 percent mark, which was considered to be an excellent performance. The scorecard also revealed that 29 percent of the MPs scored between 50 and 74 percent, which was considered good.

The African Leadership Institute (AFLI), which has been the brain behind the scorecards, has not carried out any scorecards on the performance of the 11th Parliament. Ms Victorious Akell told Sunday Monitor that AFLI ran into funding difficulties, which made it impossible to assess its performance. However, there are huge question marks over the manner in which the House has been conducting business.

Quality issues

As of July 2024, the 11th Parliament had passed a total of 62 Bills, but most were passed without public consultations and the kind of scrutiny that would have been expected of the legislators. If the words of Dr Sewanyana are anything to go by, that is a sign that it has performed worse than its predecessor.

‘They no longer do consultations in the population. In the past, they would consult stakeholders on any Bill that would come before the House. But today, they have dispensed with that,’ he says.

Dr Sewanyana also raises issues with the quality of debate. ‘The quality is really lacking. The performance had declined tremendously.

You can see that the quality of Parliament has really declined. You can see that there are very few people who actually engage in the legislative agenda, whether in the committees or the plenary. Any legislation that goes to Parliament now passes hastily,’ Dr Sewanyana says.

He points to the hurried passing by Parliament on May 20 of both the UPDF Amendment Bill and the Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Bill, 2025. One of the issues raised by members of the political Opposition was that Parliament did not consult other stakeholders before passing the said Bills.

Leadership question

It is not clear whether the new approach to business has been precipitated by the new leadership at Parliament headed by the Speaker, Ms Anita Among, or the quality of legislators in the House. Mr Godfrey Kabyanga, the State minister for ICT and National Guidance, insists that it is down to the quality of legislators. Many of them, he says, are in Parliament for the money and not to fulfil their obligations as legislators.

‘There are so many people who are now coming in to contest for Member of Parliament seats, but it is not about representation. It’s about it being the highest-paying Job. Most of the people are coming in because of the money, not because they really want to represent the people,’ Mr Kabyanga says.

There are, however, those who think that the problem with the 11th Parliament has been Ms Among. Those who subscribe to that thinking argue that she is too keen to please President Museveni that she has decided to let the Legislature pander to the whims of the Executive.

Ms Among publicly declared her loyalty to Mr Museveni and the ruling NRM on August 21 during a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) held at State House Entebbe.

‘I am a very disciplined cadre of the party.I have been trusted and given the top position of Speaker of Parliament. That is an arm of the government. A Speaker of Parliament who respects the party, who values the party NRM. As a Speaker of Parliament, I love my President. I love my party. I can never bring a motion of displeasure for my President. Never!’ she declared.

Calibre of MPs

However, though there are questions about the way Parliament is being shepherded, we cannot run away from the fact that, as Mr Nsaba Buturo pointed out during the life of the 10th Parliament, many legislators are unfit to be what they are. During the span of the National Resistance Council (NRC), which was the 5th Parliament and the 6th and 7th Parliaments, every region seemed to send its best to represent it.

Mr Wandera Ogalo says the dip in the quality of legislators has a lot to do with the number of constituencies.

‘If you have a constituency of 100 square kilometres, it means that all people in 100 square metres have to agree on one person who is likely to be an able legislator, but if you divide that 100 square kilometres into four, it is highly likely that you will get an incapable person.

A bigger area gives you a chance to capture people of quality while a smaller area reduces the chances of landing on people of quality,’ he argues.

That scenario, he says, plays into the hands of the ruling NRM because they know that it is thanks to the NRM that they occupy positions that they do not deserve. Others now think that it is by design that the quality of MPs and their performance have been dipping with every Parliament. That thinking is driven by comments that President Museveni made in March 2018 while campaigning for Mr Nathan Igeme Nabeta, who was the NRM’s candidate in the Jinja East parliamentary by-elections.

‘Even if the NRM MP was sick and sleeping, he is still better than a very active Opposition MP,’ Mr Museveni said.

The people of Jinja East voted for the Opposition’s Paul Mwiru, but those comments were construed to mean that Mr Museveni does not care about who ends up in Parliament, and the voting population, especially in the predominantly NRM areas, seems to have picked the cue. But minister Kabyanga insists that there is no design to ensure that ineffective people end up in Parliament.

‘We are doing civic education and telling people what they should expect of an MP, but the people decide who to elect and there are so many dynamics in elections. Someone can elect you because you are their brothers, another because one is their husband or because the person is a member of the local Malwa group. It happens even in towns! That is why you cannot blame the NRM,’ he says.

Which way 12th Parliament?

The question now is what kind of MPs will constitute the 12th Parliament. Does it stand any chance of doing better than the 11th and the 10th Parliaments before it? Mr Ogalo does not believe that the performance of Parliament will get any better, adding that it has a lot to do with the size of Parliament.

‘There are several problems around the question of debate. People do not have sufficient time to develop their arguments. You may have the ideas, but you have only three minutes within which to submit. So I believe the time available for debate is contributory to quality,’ he says Dr Sewanyana, too, believes that nothing will change, but Mr Kabyanga believes that the ongoing civic education campaign will cause a change. Those interested in good governance will be hoping that God hears him.