Category: Daily Monitor

Whereas the martyrs were subjects of Buganda Kingdom, allegedly killed on the orders of Mwanga II, the remembrance is exclusively superintended by the Catholic and Anglican churches. Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga in an interview tells Shabibah Nakirigya that the present-day martyrs were traitors, defends the quality of education offered in Uganda and bids for organised special development. Below is an abridged version.

So, when the king wanted to be served by his officials and servants and they [instead] attended Christian instruction, then that was going to offend him. And he had to give them an ultimatum to choose between their newly-found God and him. And when they opted for the newly-found God, he punished them. And I think Kabaka Mwanga II shouldn’t be vilified for that. That’s a gross misinterpretation of history, a gross misunderstanding of the circumstances that prevailed during the reign of Kabaka Mwanga. I don’t like people who talk ill of Kabaka Mwanga because, for me, they are lazy thinkers. If you are not a lazy thinker, you would understand that Kabaka Mwanga did what he had to do.

And any king in the world would do the same thing. But now, here we are. Christianity has blossomed. The Popes come and visit, and other religious leaders. Even with regard to Islam, Islam was the first formal religion here in Uganda. The first Muslims came before the missionaries and visited the Kabaka’s court during the reign of Kabaka Suna II. So, everybody who believes in God, whether as a Christian or Muslim, should hail the kings of Buganda because it is because of them.

What are the views of Buganda Kingdom about the annual Uganda Martyrs Day celebration?

The kingdom has embraced Christianity. And [the Uganda] martyrs are looked at as pillars of faith. [The] annual Martyrs Day should be a day of reflection with regard to our commitment to our roles as leaders and keepers of the public good.

Would Mengo be open to engage with, for example, the Catholic and Anglican leaderships to co-organise the Martyrs Day?

Mengo [the administrative seat of Buganda kingdom] doesn’t need to co-organise Martyrs Day with Catholics or Anglicans.

Mengo is filled with many people, some of whom are non-Christian. However, we urge that as Christians commemorate the day, they pay respects to Kabaka Muteesa I, who invited teachers and missionaries [from Britain], and Kabaka Mwanga II, whose courage in fighting for the sovereignty of his kingdom acted as the catalyst for the spread of Christianity in Uganda.

Is there tension between culture and faiths over Uganda Martyrs Day anniversary?

There is no tension between culture and faith since we fully understand that the actions of Kabaka Mwanga II were fully within his mandate. Any Christian who vilifies Kabaka Mwanga hasn’t fully analysed the circumstances leading to the martyrdoms.

Away from the martyrs, how do you respond to the criticism of your administration on social media?

People are free to say what they want to say. They don’t have editors anymore because wherever people are seated, they will say whatever comes to their minds. They’re looking for followers. The people who abuse their social media platforms are very few. The majority of the people are appreciative of what we try to do for the Kingdom, for the King, and for Buganda.

A key vehicle for development is education. Is the quality of education in our schools relevant for human capital development?

I don’t think that the quality of our education is bad. People graduated from Makerere University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in the 1940s and 1950s, and they were employed [and] impacted very effectively. Why do people say that today they cannot be employed? It’s the jobs that largely do not exist. Young people are employable; it depends on where they are deployed. A university degree is some kind of basic education [and graduates can always learn other skills afterwards].

What is your assessment of the state of governance and human rights in Uganda?

We need to strengthen the Judiciary because when it is not effective, the observance of human rights is always wanting. We have to streamline the judiciary and improve accessibility. The ability of judicial officers to dispose of matters before them expeditiously is crucial. We need to streamline the duties and operations of the police force because the police detect, investigate, and gather evidence.

Your comments about the ongoing investigation of former Speaker Anita Among for alleged corruption, illicit enrichment and abuse of office?

The probe against anyone, like Ms Anita Annet Among, is lawful. Anybody can be investigated. If you are suspected of having committed a crime, then the police should be deployed to investigate and establish the truth. The investigations should follow the law, and any evidence that is gathered against her should be compiled and presented to the State Attorney … [to] determine whether evidence gathered is sufficient for prosecution or not.

You have been vocal about organised spatial development. Any change you are satisfied with in Buganda?

In the urban setting, we all [should] operate in gazetted areas. It is not up to every urban dweller to set up his or her business wherever they think it is convenient. Where we set up kiosks and stalls must be regulated by the urban authority, as is the case worldwide. That is what leads to the [orderly] development of urban centres and contributes to the well-being of the residents of any urban area. No one is at liberty to set up [any development] wherever they choose.

An 86-year-old widow has regained access to her late husband’s land after nearly two decades of exclusion by some of her own children, following intervention by the Office of the President.

Tears flowed as Cornelia Nalwada returned to her family home in Buwamba Village, Njeru Municipality, on Wednesday, ending a 19-year ordeal that had left her isolated from the estate she helped build with her late husband.

For years, Nalwada said she was prevented from using the land, denied contact with some family members and subjected to humiliation following her husband’s death.

“This son of mine is the third-born among the nine children I had with their late father. I loved him dearly and trusted him. After their father died, we worked together and shared responsibilities, but he suddenly changed and stopped me from carrying out any activities on the land,” she said.

The widow said the dispute left her dependent on neighbours and well-wishers as she struggled to survive away from her home.

“We could spend years without greeting one another. They treated me like a stranger and used all sorts of words to portray me as a bad person in the village,” she said.

At the centre of the conflict was her third-born son, Andrew Sserubiri, who allegedly accused his mother of causing misfortunes within the family, including failed marriages and other personal setbacks.

Nalwada maintained that she never sought to sell any part of the estate and only wanted peace within the family.

“What I need most is care and affection from my children. I have never wanted to sell my husband’s property. I only want us to live together peacefully as one family,” she said.

The breakthrough came after the widow reported the matter to the Office of the President in Njeru Municipality.

Assistant Resident District Commissioner Chris Richard Kakwezi launched investigations, which found that Sserubiri had allegedly taken control of the estate without obtaining Letters of Administration, a legal requirement for managing the property of a deceased person.

Kakwezi also criticised local leaders for failing to address the widow’s complaints despite years of reported grievances.

“It was negligence for local leaders to watch an elderly widow suffer for years without intervening or referring the matter to higher authorities,” he said.

Investigations further revealed that portions of the disputed land had allegedly been sold without proper documentation or records at the village level.

The findings prompted a reconciliation meeting attended by clan leaders, relatives, residents and members of the deceased’s family.

During the meeting, clan head John Wagonda Muguli said some family members believed Nalwada had forfeited her rights after leaving her marital home for several years before returning following her husband’s death.

“In our culture, when a woman leaves her marriage for many years without formally communicating, some people interpret it as divorce,” Muguli said.

Government officials, however, maintained that cultural beliefs could not override a widow’s legal rights.

Sserubiri defended his actions by claiming that his father had verbally entrusted him with responsibility over the property before his death. He acknowledged, however, that there was no written will or supporting documentation.

The meeting reached an emotional climax when Nalwada demanded a public apology from her son.

In front of relatives and community members, Sserubiri knelt before his mother and asked for forgiveness, admitting the pain he had caused.

Witnesses said many attendees were moved to tears as the pair embraced for the first time in nearly two decades. Grandchildren later gathered around the elderly woman, symbolising what residents described as a long-awaited reconciliation.

Kakwezi ruled that Nalwada remains the rightful caretaker of the estate until administrators are formally appointed in accordance with Uganda’s succession laws.

“The widow has every right to occupy and utilise her late husband’s property. Until proper legal procedures are followed, she remains the legitimate caretaker of the estate,” he said.

For Nalwada, the ruling marked more than the resolution of a land dispute.

After 19 years of estrangement, she has regained not only her home but also her place within the family she feared she had lost forever.

The SONA is a constitutional mandate under Article 101 (1), delivered at the beginning of each session of Parliament. Here, the president issues a status of key sectors and plans to move the country forward.

To pundits, Museveni must speak to matters affecting livelihoods like the state of the economy, service delivery gaps, corruption, and youth unemployment. Other critical areas include governance and security, infrastructure.

The address comes at a critical time where the country is battling shocks, including the high fuel prices and the outbreak of the Ebola Disease that has yet again brought the tourism sector to its knees. Tourism is one of the country’s top foreign exchange earners. Since the outbreak was confirmed on May 15, Mr Amos Wekesa says over 70 percent of the bookings have been cancelled, attributing this to a poor national communication response.

‘100 per cent of Americans have cancelled. The rest have gone down by about 70 per cent. What that means is that suppliers of food, entertainment, and others are going to supply less. Now this year is gone. We must rethink our response strategy,’ he said.

He hopes the president will address the nation on the matter to clear out misreporting by international bodies and media houses that have painted a damning picture of the status. Mr Wekesa says Museveni needs to lay out a national communication strategy and how his government plans to position Uganda for external business opportunities.

‘We need foreign money. We need to earn it through tourism and exports. If we don’t earn it, then we borrow it, which just sinks us.’ He said

By June 3, the ministry had reported 15 cases. On May 22, Parliament reversed its invitations to dignitaries, diplomats, and guests due to the outbreak.

Only MPs of the 12th parliament and select parliamentary staff will be allowed at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds for the national event.

Mr Adolf Mwesige, the Clerk to Parliament, in a statement, said this is in adherence to the Standard Operating Procedures put in place to curb the spread of Ebola

Dr. Brian Sserunjogi, a research fellow at the Economic Policy Research Center at Makerere University, says several sticking issues, like the skyrocketing public debt. He argued that many Ugandans in the informal sectors are hesitant to pay tax because they do not see the value.

‘He should be very deliberate on improving services. Let’s have reliable electricity. Let’s have the roads. Let’s have the water. Let’s have garbage collection. The road infrastructure is bad, and poor urban infrastructure has consequences. The moment the provision is bad, the issue of fiscal legitimacy comes in. What does my tax do? For as long as I don’t feel the importance of what the taxes I pay do. I will never give you my money.’ He said.

He added, ‘A big percentage of our budget goes to servicing debt. And that means that we cannot invest in services. And that’s why you see here people crying about public service delivery, the roads, the power, and all these things because of too much money going to service debt,’

As of April, the public debt stands at Shs 130 trillion.

Dr Sserunjogi also urged the president to ensure transparency in the oil and petroleum revenues.

‘The President should be talking about how we are going to leverage this oil to grow the economy. Can we can the President be deliberate in making sure that it gives us a road map, a clear road map of how we can use this money to create jobs, to grow our infrastructure, but also to reduce the debt that is going to choke us and is taking away money for public services provision? He said

Ms Perry Aritua, the Executive Director of Women’s Democracy Network-Uganda, says the President needs to lay out a plan for ensuring the youth are productive.

‘It would be interesting to see what the assessment has been in terms of the investment in the youth, youth productivity, and all these different programs that have been put in place. You know, what is new? You know, what is new? How can we ensure that this big demographic of our country is made more productive?,’ she said

Uganda, with more than half of its population under the age of 30 is grappling with an unemployment rate of 16.1per cent for Ugandans between 18 and 30 years who number a little over 10 million persons, according to the National Population and Housing Census, 2024.

Among the unemployed youth, more females (18.7 per cent) than males (13.4 per cent) are affected. The numbers further show that 48.8 percent of the unemployed youth, aged 18-30, had been looking for work or trying to start a business for over one year.

Ms Aritua also wants President Museveni to lay out a strategy for widening the tax bracket, saying only a few Ugandans shoulder the burden of paying tax.

Mr Julius Mukunda, the executive director at the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group says, ‘I want the present to explain how more resources will reach the ordinary person. We have PDM, but more money is still spent at the center, even though it would go to the local governments.’

He added ‘He should also address how he plans to improve service delivery. We don’t have enough years and enough health workers. Roads take years to be completed. How are we going to improve the service delivery?’

To Mr Marlon Agaba, corruption ranks high among the issues Mr Museveni needs

‘I want to know the scorecard in terms of fighting corruption, and how much we are recovering.’ He said

Speaking at his inauguration, early this month, Museveni christened this a term of no sleep and warned leaders against corruption. Mr Agaba argues that such proclamations have been made before, yet the vice has persisted. According to the Inspectorate of Government, more than shs10 trillion of taxpayer money is lost annually to theft

In the 2025 address, Museveni pledged emphasis on peace and security, accelerating industrialization, export promotion, strengthening the private sector and youth skilling.

Digital trade across the East African Community (EAC) has surged to $11b (Shs41.47 trillion), underscoring the region’s growing role in the global digital economy.

At the heart of this transformation, Uganda is emerging as a significant player, recording a digital trade value of $1.39b (Shs5.251 trillion) in 2024.

A report from the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project highlights Uganda’s rapid progress in e-commerce and digital services.

While the country ranks second only to Kenya in regional digital trade, the findings also reveal a heavy reliance on imported digital services, a reminder that Uganda’s digital economy is still more consumer-driven than producer-led.

The Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project report offers a detailed picture of how Uganda and the wider region are positioning themselves within the fast-growing global digital economy.

For Uganda, the report by e-commerce expert Sammy Mulanga highlights both major progress and significant challenges as the country seeks to strengthen its role in regional e-commerce and digital trade.

Mulanga report shows that Uganda recorded digitally delivered service exports worth $285m (1.074 trillion) in 2024, while imports stood at $1.11b, giving the country a total digital trade value of $1.39b (Shs5.251 trillion).

These figures place Uganda among the leading digital economies in East Africa, second only to Kenya.

However, the large gap between exports and imports underscores Uganda’s growing dependence on imported digital services, showing that the country remains more of a consumer than a producer.

Digital transformation

Uganda’s digital economy is being driven by increased internet penetration, rapid fintech growth, mobile money adoption, and investments in ICT infrastructure.

Government has intensified efforts to align digital transformation with the country’s broader socio-economic development agenda.

A key policy framework supporting this transition is the Digital Transformation Roadmap, launched in August 2023 by the Ministry of ICT with support from the United Nations Development Programme.

The roadmap sets ambitious targets, including achieving a 90 percent digital literacy rate and nationwide broadband coverage by 2040.

ICT permanent secretary Aminah Zawedde says the framework is aligned with the Fourth National Development Plan, the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, the 2026/27 Budget Strategy, and the Digital Uganda Vision 2040, demonstrating government’s intention to integrate digital transformation into Uganda’s long-term economic development strategy.

To support this vision, Uganda’s digital infrastructure has seen significant growth in recent years.

Data from Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) indicates that the national fibre capacity increased from 28,353 km in 2021 to over 62,900 km in 2025.

Additionally, mobile subscriptions surged to 57.3 million, and mobile internet users reached 18.5 million. It’s also important to note that fixed internet connections have continued to expand, especially among businesses.

Uganda’s digital payments landscape is experiencing significant growth, with over 35 million active mobile money users and annual transaction values nearing sh70 trillion.

This expansion has laid a solid groundwork for e-commerce and digital trade, especially through social media platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project report also highlights regional trends, showing that Eastern Africa’s digital economy is expanding rapidly, largely driven by mobile money adoption.

‘By 2023, the region had more than 294 million registered mobile money users and nearly 100 percent SIM penetration, positioning Eastern Africa among the world leaders in digital financial inclusion,’ reads the report in part.

To address challenges, the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project is focusing on harmonising regional digital trade frameworks under the African Continental Free Trade Area Protocol on Digital Trade.

Regionally, Kenya remains the digital leader, recording exports worth $1.8b and imports worth $2.17b, pushing it to a total trade value of $3.9b.

Uganda follows, followed by Tanzania with exports of $472m and imports of $629m, giving a total of $1.1b. Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, Somalia, and DR Congo follow.

Rwanda registered total digital trade worth $163m, while South Sudan posted $191m, Burundi $102m, and Somalia $1.04b (entirely imports).

DR Congo recorded one of the region’s largest imbalances, with exports of just $4m against imports of $3.12b.

UCC head of public and international relations Ibrahim Bbosa says Uganda’s digital economy has evolved beyond basic connectivity to enable real digital transactions and active participation in regional trade.

He stresses that integration between regional systems will be essential for seamless cross-border transactions with markets.

Digital barriers

Despite notable progress, Uganda’s private sector continues to highlight obstacles slowing digital adoption.

High smartphone taxes and costly internet remain major hurdles, limiting participation in e-commerce, especially among young people who depend on entry-level devices. Reducing these costs is seen as vital for building a more inclusive digital economy.

Digital policy experts warn that taxation and regulatory fragmentation could undermine Uganda’s ambitions.

CIO-CxO Digital Leadership Forum executive secretary Gideon Nkurunungi argues that reverse taxation has quietly stifled marketplace growth by shifting compliance costs onto platforms and consumers.

He suggests that Uganda should prioritise tax incentives, lower transaction levies, and stronger infrastructure support to allow platforms to scale before imposing heavier taxes.

Cybersecurity is also a critical concern. Johnson Tumusiime, the National Information Technology Authority manager of governance and risk, says Uganda’s national framework is designed to integrate Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) into the digital ecosystem.

This, he notes, is essential for building resilience and trust in the country’s expanding digital economy.

I did not get the chance to meet Kaddumukasa Kironde II, in person. For the last two years or so, I have been editing KK (as we fondly referred to him in the Daily Monitor newsroom)’s content and the page where his weekly culinary writings were published.

Through our virtual interactions, KK struck me as an exceptionally organised writer, deeply committed to his work and never one to wait for an editor’s reminder before submitting his copy. If you have worked as an editor, you understand the anxiety of waiting for a story that never arrives on time. Sometimes it comes days or even a week late. That is every editor’s nightmare. An equally frustrating experience is receiving a story that requires extensive rewriting.

Every Tuesday morning, I knew that among the emails in my inbox would be one from KK, containing a meticulously written story accompanied by a photograph. KK was undeniably the finest food connoisseur. He had a remarkable appreciation for good food and sought it out wherever he could find it. Yet he did more than simply enjoy a meal. He narrated his experiences with vivid detail, taking readers on a journey from the moment he entered a restaurant or eatery to the time he left. And he never minced his words. If he had a poor experience at your establishment, he would say so. He would also offer constructive suggestions on how an eatery could improve. He did this faithfully for the Daily Monitor for the last 20 years.

What set KK apart was that he was a well-travelled man who had sampled cuisines from around the world. On some mornings, I would wake up to a review of a dish from Ghana, Morocco, the UK, the US, or countless other countries. As a result, readers enjoyed balanced insights into both local and international cuisines and the methods used to prepare them. He was a walking culinary encyclopedia. His command of food-related terminology was extraordinary, and every time I edited one of his stories, I was almost certain to learn a new word. His knowledge of food and the hospitality industry was unmatched. He had visited many of the country’s top kitchens, attended numerous cooking competitions, and built relationships with some of Uganda’s leading chefs.

I remember a time when he was preparing to go on vacation for a month. He informed me about his trip and shortly afterward, I received a compilation of stories or enough content to run throughout the entire period of his absence. That is what true organisation looks like. Just because one is travelling does not mean the work should stall. We do not come across many people as committed as KK. To imagine that he is gone is deeply heartbreaking. I wish he were still here so I could hug him and tell him how wonderful it was to work with him. I would tell him he was a gifted writer. I would tell him he made my work easier. I would tell him he was one of the finest food connoisseurs Uganda has ever known. Dear KK, your departure came far too soon.

Those who were invited include priests, the media, health workers, and security personnel. Rev John Kitayimbwa the chairperson of the organising committee at the Anglican Site, told this publication in an interview yesterday that the 200 people who have been invited have a role to play in ensuring that the virtual service is successfully delivered to the faithful.

‘ It is not a celebration and it is not for anyone to come. We have a technical team of people that will help to deliver the worship in the different homes. We have several televisions, which are going to broadcast live. The Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Rev Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, will be the main preacher. He will be accompanied by five bishops. Those who will not be able to go to church,tune in and follow,’ he said. He explained that all people who have been given a green light to take part in the service are from Kampala , Wakiso and Mukono districts.

He also added that the number of choir members had been cut down from 600 people to 30 to avoid congestion as directed by the Ministry of Health. Rev Kitayimbwa, however, said even those who will take part in the service are restricted from accessing the museum. ‘No holy water. The healing of Christ doesn’t need water. Focus on the ministry. They can take the water or visit the museums when the government gives us permission,’ he advised. The Dean of the Faculty of Divinity and Theology at Uganda Christian University, Prof Alfred Olwa, said security personnel will be deployed around the site to ensure no crowds build up .

‘ The Uganda Police is working with us to strictly ensure that nobody who is not part of this special invite of people can access the site,’ he said. Prof Olwa said those who will take part in the service will be tasked to adhere to the standard operating procedures. At the Catholic Shrine, no special guests have been invited. Fr Vincent Lubega, the priest of Uganda Martyrs Parish in Namugongo, said they will conduct Mass at different intervals.

‘The episcopal conference allowed us to have Mass at the parish level. Namugongo has shrines and sub-parishes.Many of the parishioners are going to pray in their sub-parishes. A few will come to the shrine and we are going to follow guidance. We have contacted the police, and health facilities to avail enough sanitiser,’ he said.

For 75 years, the Miss Universe pageant has stood as one of the most prestigious global competitions in the world. Alongside Miss World and Miss International, it forms the triple crown of international beauty pageants, watched by hundreds of millions of viewers across more than 190 countries. Yet, despite the dreams of countless Ugandan beauty queens, the country remained absent from its stage. Generation after generation, Ugandan women could not participate simply because there was no official national franchise.

Now, one man has changed that: Joram Job Muzira. Securing Uganda’s first-ever Miss Universe licence is no small feat. The pageant offers far more than a crown; it provides a platform for cultural representation, advocacy for social causes, and unprecedented global visibility. For a country like Uganda, which has long sought recognition on international stages, this licence represents a historic elevation. For Muzira, this achievement is ‘the ultimate feather in his flamboyant hat.’ But his journey to this moment began far from the glamour of international runways.

From star-struck waiter to dreamer with a plan

Years ago, Muzira was a waiter at Design Agenda Restaurant in Kampala. One day, former Miss Uganda Dora Mwima walked in. When Muzira approached to take her order, he was so star-struck that he stammered mid-sentence. His colleagues watched as he fumbled, amused by his sudden loss of composure. Yet those brief, professional encounters with celebrities only fortified his resolve. Given the restaurant’s central location, many more famous faces would stop by. Each interaction, however short, reminded him of the world he longed to belong to.

‘Honestly speaking, my dream was to be famous,’ he says.

That is why he auditioned for Big Brother Africa six seasons in a row, even though he got rejected every time.

A childhood fascinated by fashion

Even as a child, Muzira was a dreamer, ‘hopelessly fascinated by beauty, fashion, and the impossible glamour of global stages.’ While other boys memorised football line-ups and player statistics, young Muzira memorised supermodels like Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks. ‘Honestly speaking, at the age of six, I knew who Naomi Campbell was, who Tyra Banks was,’ he says.

Inspired by fashion entrepreneur Sylvia Owori, who had risen to become one of Uganda’s most recognisable style figures, Muzira dreamt to one day own a licence that would allow him to organise a major pageant in Uganda. ‘I kept manifesting it,’ he says.

Loss, instability, and an unbroken spirit

At the time, however, life gave little indication that he was heading toward glamour. Born into a large polygamous family, Muzira lost both parents in 1994 while still very young. His father, Dr Eriab Ngobi Muzira, had been a respected doctor, while his mother, Lynn Muzira, worked as a nurse. Their deaths scattered the family emotionally and physically.

Yet even through instability and loss, the dreaming survived. By university, he had earned nicknames such as ‘model’ and ‘celebrity’ among his classmates. He had not yet made it, but he carried himself like someone already rehearsing for a future he could vividly see in his mind.

Rejection that deepened the dream

There was only one painful contradiction. The fashion industry seemed not to want him. Agency after agency rejected him for being too skinny. For many people, rejection that consistent would have ended the fantasy. For Muzira, it deepened it.

‘I wanted to be a fashion model growing up as a child. But unfortunately, it never happened for me,’ he says. ‘I was constantly told I was very skinny and very thin.’

At Design Agenda, where he worked as a waiter while studying urban planning, the dream grew even louder. Every celebrity who entered the restaurant reminded him of the world he longed to belong to. Even while earning between Shs150,000 and Shs200,000 carrying plates, his mind and eyes were fixed on a mental picture of living somewhere between New York, Paris, and Milan.

Creating tables for a new generation

Then one thought slowly altered the course of his life. If the industry would not fully open its doors for him, perhaps he could build doors for others.

‘So, I decided that since I did not have the opportunity, I would create them for the new generation.’

That idea became Joram Model Management in 2012. The beginning was small and uncertain. He had passion, which he counted on before he could see any profits.

‘With me being able to work was enough. They would call me, come and do this, I would go and work for free. It took me forever to understand that this is a business,’ Muzira says.

But slowly, something remarkable began to happen. The same young man rejected for being ‘too skinny’ started building one of Uganda’s most visible modelling agencies. Ugandan girls under his management began travelling abroad. He looked for contacts and inlets to bolster their chances. Face after face from Kampala began appearing on international runways once dominated by distant global capitals like New York, Paris, Milan, and London.

‘Right now, we do have 25 girls working globally,’ he says proudly. The dreamer who once stood frozen while serving a beauty queen is now preparing young Ugandan women for international careers.

The licence that changes everything

Then came the achievement that transformed his personal dream into national history. After years of negotiations, interviews, and relentless persistence, Muzira secured Uganda’s first-ever Miss Universe licence. Seventy-five years after the global pageant began, Uganda can finally participate officially under its own national franchise. The importance of this moment cannot be overstated.

Miss Universe is not merely a beauty contest; it is a global stage where contestants advocate for education, health, women’s empowerment, and social change. For a Ugandan woman to stand in that lineup, wearing her national sash, is to announce that Uganda belongs on the world stage. It opens doors for sponsorship, tourism, and international partnerships. It inspires young girls across the country to dream bigger. For Muzira, the moment carries emotional weight far beyond fashion.

‘This is huge. It is bigger than me,’ he says. ‘It is us finally giving that homage to Uganda that it deserves to be represented on one of the biggest stages in the entire world.’

The little boy fascinated by beauty queens has become the man responsible for placing Uganda onto one of the world’s biggest beauty and cultural stages. And perhaps that is why this story lingers; beneath the glamour sits something more human, a boy who kept staring at the runway even when life placed him far from it. Today, Muzira is glad he refused to let rejection silence his imagination. He is a dreamer who discovered that he did not have to walk the runway himself. Instead, he built it for others. That, in the end, may be the most important legacy of all.

The Buganda Kingdom has defended Ssekabaka Mwanga II over the killings of present-day Uganda Martyrs, saying the individuals had ‘committed treason’.

Some 45 courtiers and subjects of the then the king, mainly young men, decamped to embrace Christianity against palace decree, prompting the sovereign to order their execution between 1885-1887.

Twenty-two of them, who had converted to Catholic faith, were beatified in 1920 and Pope Paul IV canonised them in October 1964, officially making them Saints.

The rest subscribed to Anglican faith and were, by the church’s tradition, recognised as martyrs upon their deaths for reason of faith. Collectively called the Uganda Martyrs, they are celebrated every June 3, which falls today, with the main events at Namugongo Catholic Shrine and Anglican Martyrs Site, both in Wakiso District, attracting thousands of pilgrims from across the world. They are globally revered with special prayers to honour and seek their intercession and many institutions and roads in various countries are named after them, keeping their memories alive and granting Uganda a world-wide visibility marketable for tourism.

In an interview on June 28, ahead of the Martyrs Day anniversary whose communal celebration this year was deferred over the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease, Buganda Kingdom Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga said Mwanga II ordered the killing of the Martyrs ‘because they breached the law’. ‘They committed treason. In the eyes of the king and his officials, at that time, they committed treason … Today, we talk about freedoms, including religious freedom. We didn’t know about those freedoms in the 19th Century [when the martyrs were executed],’ he said.

He added: ‘They (rights) didn’t exist. The freedom you had was that which was guaranteed by the King. And if you felt that the King was against that freedom, most of the time you were going to be punished. So, these people [present-day martyrs] were in breach of the law, never mind that it was about religion.’ Katikkiro framed the circumstances of the killing of the martyrs, some 140 years ago, as one of existential threats posed by missionaries to an absolute monarch.

‘When the king wanted to be served by his officials and servants and they were attending Christian instruction instead, that was going to offend him,’ Mr Mayiga noted, adding, ‘He (Mwanga II) had to give them an ultimatum to choose between their newly-found God and him. When they opted for the newly-found God, he punished them.’ According to the Katikkiro, ‘Kabaka Mwanga would never appreciate Jesus as king, prophet and priest”, although he acknowledged that the martyrs today have become “pillars of faith”. ‘That is how Christians describe Christ; priest, prophet and king. Referring to Christ as king would rile the Kabaka (Mwanga) because he was the king above everybody else,’ he said.

Whereas these accounts build on existing scholarly writings about the historical events surrounding the Uganda Martyrs, it is the first time the prime minister of Buganda, who governs the Kingdom on behalf of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, lends them a public endorsement. In a rejoinder yesterday, Rev Fr Dr Daniel Musiitwa, the executive secretary of Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC), said the martyrs died as witnesses of Christ, choosing to stand on the side of God rather than conform to the demands of the King of Buganda.

‘From the state’s (Buganda’s) perspective, they were seen as betrayers, but for the Church, they are heroes. They remained faithful to their values and beliefs, and they were prepared to die for them,’ he said. UJCC is an ecumenical organisation that brings together Christian faiths to promote mutual understanding and unity, according to information on its website. Both Rev Fr Musiitwa and Katikkiro Mayiga, in the separate interviews with this publication, acknowledged strong relations between Mengo and the churches and the differences – based on time and context – in narratives about the martyrs.

‘Many people from Buganda participate in the celebrations, but they do so as members of the Church and the wider community rather than as representatives of the kingdom,’ he said. The principals separately dismissed any suggestions of tension between the two sides over the Uganda Martyrs Day and downplayed a need for them to work together to co-organise the event observed annually. ‘Mengo is filled with many people, a number of who are non-Christians,’ said Katikkiro Mayiga, ‘However, we urge that as the Christians commemorate this day, they pay respects to Kabaka Muteesa I, who invited the teachers/missionaries, and Kabaka Mwanga II, whose courage in fighting for the sovereignty of his kingdom acted as the catalyst for the spread of Christianity in Uganda’.

Mr Mayiga praised the historic role played by Buganda’s kings in shaping modern Uganda, saying the kingdom opened the door to Christianity, Islam and international engagement long before the formation of the modern Ugandan state. Kabaka Muteesa I and Kabaka Mwanga II, he noted, presided over one of the most transformative periods in Uganda’s history, helping lay the cultural, political and religious foundation upon which present-day Uganda was built. The Katikkiro said the spread of Christianity and Islam across Uganda can be traced back to Buganda’s openness to foreign religions and ideas during the 19th century.

In April 1875, Muteesa I wrote to Queen Victoria of Britain through explorer Morton Stanley, asking the monarch to send missionaries, traders and teachers to spread the gospel, teach entrepreneurship and impart western education. The Katikkiro in the April 28 interview argued that the invitation accelerated the spread of Christianity, deepened foreign influence in the kingdom and set into motion political developments that later contributed to the creation of modern Uganda. ‘Who is actually the father of the nation called Uganda? Uganda’s formation starts with Muteesa’s letter to Queen Victoria. People are now Christians and they should be happy about that,’ he added.

The opening of a neonatal facility at Uganda Martyrs Hospital in Ibanda Municipality has raised hope for the survival of premature babies in the district. According to hospital authorities, premature babies have previously been referred to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, a process that was risky because of the distance involved, with some babies dying on the way. Dr Gothaldo Tumubugane, the officer-in-charge of the hospital, said the facility has been having only one incubator despite receiving numerous referrals of premature babies from neighbouring areas.

‘We have always been overwhelmed by referrals of premature babies from this area and other districts such as Kazo, Kitagwenda and Kiruhura, yet we did not have the capacity to handle them,’ Dr Tumubugane said. However, on Monday, the facility received a donation of medical equipment from the Rotary Club of Ibanda. Dr Tumubugane assured the public that the new facility will significantly improve the survival chances of premature babies. ‘We have been facing challenges of limited funding, and our bed capacity has been small, with only five beds. We are glad that with support from the Rotary Club of Ibanda, we shall be able to save more premature babies,’ he added.

Mr Kenan Akantorana, the president of the Rotary Club of Ibanda, said the organisation had spent Shs190 million on the facility, including training of health workers and the purchase of medical equipment. ‘Among the equipment delivered are incubators, a continuous positive airway pressure machine, beds, and phototherapy machines. We became concerned after learning that babies were dying in these areas due to the lack of a suitable facility to handle their condition,’ he said. Dr Eugene Bakahika, the secretary of the Rotary Club of Ibanda, said efforts were underway to extend improved neonatal services to other health facilities in the district.

‘We are still looking for resources to improve health service delivery in Ibanda, especially neonatal care. The next support will go to Kihani Health Centre II so that we can save parents the transport costs and other expenses involved in seeking these services elsewhere. ‘The biggest challenge facing our health facilities is limited resources. We are also going to embark on training health workers on how to manage neonates across our facilities,’ he said. Dr Darlington Muhwezi, the principal health officer for Ibanda Municipality, said the availability of such services would help reduce child mortality in the district.

‘This is the biggest hospital in the district, while the rest are lower-level government health facilities. We are glad that there will be an improvement in saving the lives of premature babies. Children have been dying because we did not have a facility to care for them. This is the first of its kind,’ he said. Ms Betty Kwitegyetse, the deputy chairperson of Ibanda District, pledged additional support to the facility, noting that limited funding had long hampered service delivery in the area.

Uganda and Ethiopia are looking to deepen tourism diplomacy, commercial partnerships and people-to-people connections following a 10-day familiarisation tour by an Ethiopian delegation that explored some of Uganda’s leading tourism, conservation and cultural attractions. The eight-member delegation, comprising media influencers, tour operators, travel professionals, content creators and prospective investors, visited Uganda from May 23 to June 2 after participating in the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) 2026.

Uganda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Rebecca Amuge Otengo described the visit as a practical demonstration of diplomacy anchored in experience-driven partnerships capable of unlocking trade, tourism, investment and cultural cooperation across the continent.

‘This journey is more than a tourism circuit; it is a bridge of visibility, trust, investment opportunity and African storytelling,’ Ambassador Amuge said in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She added: ‘Through this experience, we want our Ethiopian brothers and sisters to encounter Uganda beyond brochures and engage directly with our wildlife heritage, hospitality, business potential, culture, conservation efforts and people.’

During their stay, the delegation visited some of Uganda’s most iconic tourism, conservation and cultural sites, including the Kasubi Tombs, Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, the Source of the Nile in Jinja, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Africa Coffee Park in Ntungamo District and Lake Mburo National Park. The visitors also participated in activities highlighting Uganda’s conservation and sustainability agenda, gaining firsthand insight into how tourism contributes to wildlife protection, environmental stewardship and community livelihoods.

Mr Michael Wamai, the counsellor and Economic and Commercial Diplomacy Officer at Uganda’s Embassy in Addis Ababa, described the mission as one of the most strategic regional tourism familiarisation initiatives undertaken by Uganda in recent years. He said the initiative was intended to position Uganda as a gateway for African opportunity, investment confidence and authentic continental experiences. ‘The objective is to showcase Uganda’s unique strengths while creating long-term partnerships that can generate tourism arrivals, investment opportunities and stronger business linkages between our countries,’ Mr Wamai said.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Mr Henok Tsegaye described the experience as a transformative journey that exceeded expectations and strengthened ties between Uganda and Ethiopia. ‘The hospitality, natural beauty and investment opportunities we have seen have given us a new perspective about Uganda,’ he said. Ethiopian entrepreneur Ashu Z-Arada also praised the experience, describing it as life-changing and one that transformed his understanding of Uganda.