Category: Daily Monitor

The Grade One Magistrate’s Court in Mukono has remanded Mukono South parliamentary candidate and outgoing Nakisunga Sub-county Chairperson, Mr Mubarak Ssekikubo, to Kauga Prison on charges of obtaining money by false pretence and conspiracy to defraud.

Court records indicate that between January and June 2025, Mr Ssekikubo, together with Mr Ronald Mugerwa Saaku, the probation and welfare officer at Lugazi Municipality, Dr Wataba Saadi, the Lugazi Municipal Medical Officer, and others still at large, allegedly conspired to defraud Dr George William Mukisa of Shs38 million.

The group reportedly promised to use their influence to secure Dr Mukisa a job as a medical officer in Mukono District.

Mr Ssekikubo, who was arrested by officials from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit immediately after his nomination outside the Mukono District Electoral Commission offices last Wednesday, appeared before His Worship Gerald Emwogu on Monday, October 27.

Through his lawyer, Mr Lawerence Tumuhairwe, Ssekikubo applied for bail, citing his ill health and his standing in the community. However, State Attorney Ms Josephine Nanyonga objected to the request, arguing that investigations were still ongoing and that the accused should be remanded.

Mr Ssekikubo pleaded not guilty to the charges. The magistrate, however, declined to grant bail, noting that the court was constrained by time. The bail application will instead be heard on November 4, 2025.

He was subsequently remanded to Kauga Prison until November 4, where he will join his co-accused, Mr Mugerwa Saaku, who is already on remand facing similar charges.

The arrests are part of a wider State House Anti-Corruption Unit investigation into a recruitment scandal that has rocked Mukono District.

In July, the unit arrested Mukono District Speaker Betty Nakasi Hope and District Service Commission Chairperson Dr Eng. Godfrey Kisuule Kibuuka in connection with the same job-for-sale racket.

According to Kampala Capital City Authority data, 90,530 cases of mental health disorders among students were registered between July 2024 and June 2025, marking a 12.2 percent increase compared to the previous years. Mental health trainers say there is a rise in suicide and suicide attempts caused by academic pressure, family conflicts, financial hardships, and unmet emotional needs. Exacerbated by drug abuse, sports betting, and addiction to online platforms.

I do not know about you, but when I see these numbers, I am incensed. We have got to do something beyond conferences and expert panel discussions, and newspaper articles to help ourselves and our young people. I say, us first because, like it has been said 100,000 times, you cannot give what you do not have.

Anyway, back to the children. First of all, their problems seem to be more advanced than ours were when we were their age. (Excuse me for assuming that we are fossil-mates. But allow me for just a few more paragraphs).

These days, school fees and other physical needs might be the easiest thing to afford a child. The intangible is way more complex and difficult to understand. And yet it affects everything and digs deep. What is the point of educating children through to university only to end up with a mentally broken down elite and a well-written suicide note? That is if they hang in there for that long? God help us!

I know of schools where learners are in class from 5am to 10pm with half-hour breaks for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All in the name of chasing grades. On top of having sometimes disgruntled, underpaid teachers breathing down their necks, their parents (us), who have hustled tooth and nail to get the money to facilitate their stay at school, are demanding results and do not want to hear any excuses.

And then there is the not-so-small issue of the school bully who picks on the not-so-well-off children because they do not have the latest iPhone or do not receive 800k every week for pocket money.

There is also the child whose parents provide everything that money can buy, but their parents ‘love or time, and so they are bingeing on drugs that are smuggled in by one of their classmates, who somehow always has a supply of all kinds of drugs in their backpack next to their biology black counter book. Slimming tabs, drugs to heighten concentration in class, a pill to help one sleep, name it, he has got it, and it is cheap.

The schools think they have it all under control because they are applying scare tactics that worked in 1994, but have absolutely nothing on 2025 innovations.

The children have mastered the art of smiling, saying thank you, and please because that is what you want to hear, but behind that sweet child mask is a depression and a world so dark and complicated that your middle-aged self would need a lifetime of therapy to wade through it. I know you know it and have heard it many times, but let me say it one more time; your sweet child knows more than they let on.

And it is okay. You do not have to know it all or understand it all, because you cannot. Just do some smart parenting. Finding help does not mean you have failed as a parent. It means you are woke. Because honestly, what are the odds that of the 90,530 cases, yours is not one of them?

So, here is a thought, as you do your role being the good parent, guardian, teacher, community elder, DR PHD., MPHDL, LED, or whatever other titles you force us to add to your name, how about you book a few therapy sessions for the young people under your care every once in a while not necessarily with the deaconess or reverend at your church. That is great, too, but a trained mental health practitioner would really be great. And there are a number of free service providers. Google is your friend.

For nearly a year, Milly Nambaziira prayed for healing. It finally came, in a hospital room.

When 39-year-old Milly Nambaziira, a resident of Kabulengwa, Nansana, discovered a small lump in her right breast in 2022, she thought little of it. She had just stopped breastfeeding her 14-month-old baby and assumed it was simply a milk clot. The lump caused mild pain occasionally, but since it faded quickly, she ignored it.

‘I thought it was something normal after breastfeeding,’ she recalls. ‘But one day, as I lifted our TV against my chest, I felt a piercing pain that made me stop immediately.’

That moment pushed her to seek help. At a nearby clinic, the nurse examined her and advised her to go to Mulago National Referral Hospital for further evaluation.

A life-changing diagnosis

At Mulago, a breast scan and biopsy revealed devastating news; the lump was cancerous. When she met Dr Timothy Makumbi, he explained the seriousness of her condition and recommended surgery to remove the affected breast before starting treatment.

‘When I got home and told my husband and aunt, they were shocked but supportive,’ she says. ‘No one in our family had ever suffered from cancer, but they stood by me.’

Yet, despite their support, Nambaziira could not accept the diagnosis. ‘I was in denial. I believed there was another way to heal, maybe through prayer,’ she admits.

The cost of denial

Instead of returning to the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) as advised, she turned to spiritual healing and stopped answering Dr Makumbi’s calls.

‘I went to a prophet who told me that I would be healed through prayer and fasting. I stopped eating certain foods such as rice, milk, porridge, and anything fried,’ she says.

But her health continued to deteriorate. The lump grew larger, the pain worsened, and she lost a lot of weight.

‘I was starving myself,’ she says softly. ‘Someone told me about a herbalist in Kasubi, Kampala, who charged Shs25m, money I did not have. That is when I started believing I would die soon.’

Her biggest worry was her three children, especially her eldest, who was in Primary Seven. ‘I used to pray that God would at least let me live until she finished her exams,’ she recalls.

Choosing life over fear

For almost a year, she relied on prayers and herbal remedies that offered no relief. When she lost so much weight and weighed only 45 kilogrammes, her family intervened.

‘My husband and aunt insisted that I go back to the Cancer Institute,’ she says. ‘They told me that even if it meant removing the breast, at least I would live to raise my children.’

In early 2023, she returned to Mulago with her cousin. Although still doubtful, she agreed to another biopsy.

The results confirmed breast cancer, but luckily it had not spread. Doctors found only minor scarring in her lungs from a past Covid-19 infection, so she was strong enough to begin treatment.

‘That news became my awakening,’ she says. ‘I realised I had wasted almost a year chasing miracles when help was always there.’

Courage amid stigma

Even after accepting treatment, emotional challenges remained. Some neighbours discouraged her from having a mastectomy.

‘They told me I would stop being a woman without a breast,’ she recalls. ‘But my husband told me that my life was more important than how I looked.’

With that support, she underwent surgery in March 2023. Three weeks later, she began chemotherapy under her aunt’s care.

The road to recovery

Chemotherapy was tough. The side effects drained her physically and emotionally. ‘Sometimes I felt like giving up,’ Milly admits. ‘But my aunt and husband encouraged me to hold on.’

She completed six chemotherapy cycles by October 2023, followed by 15 days of radiotherapy. Gradually, her strength returned and she regained her weight.

‘I started feeling alive again,’ she says with a smile. ‘I could play with my children, cook for them, and even return to work.’

Today, Nambaziira is on hormone therapy and goes for medical reviews every six months. Her doctor says her recovery is progressing well.

The power of support

Nambaziira’s recovery was not just medical; it was emotional and social too. She credits her husband, aunt, and work colleagues for playing a key role.

‘My boss was very understanding,’ she says. ‘She told me to focus on getting better and promised to keep my job until I finished treatment. After I recovered, she even bought me a prosthetic bra to help me regain confidence.’

Though her boss later passed away, she remains grateful for her kindness.

A second chance at life

Now, Nambaziira has turned her painful experience into a message of hope. She encourages women to go for regular screenings and seek medical help early.

‘I wasted precious time because I believed in false promises,’ she says. ‘If it was not for my aunt and husband, I would have died in the hands of people who only wanted money.’

Her message is clear: ‘When you get diagnosed with cancer, the first step to healing is acceptance. Only doctors know what to do; not pastors or herbalists.’

Lessons in food and faith

She has since adopted a healthier diet and lifestyle. ‘Diet is very important after cancer treatment,’ she explains. ‘I take a lot of fluids, fruits, and vegetables, but I avoid too much sugar, salt, and cooking oil.’

She also practices gratitude daily. ‘Cancer taught me that life is precious and fragile. Every new day is a gift,’ she reflects.

A message for everyone

Nambaziira’s story highlights a wider problem in Uganda; late diagnosis and the reliance on alternative healing. Many women delay treatment due to fear, stigma, or misinformation, yet treatment is freely available.

Doctors at UCI urge women to conduct monthly breast self-examinations, attend annual medical check-ups, and seek treatment immediately when abnormalities are detected.

For Nambaziira, those lessons came through pain, but also through renewal. ‘I am living proof that early treatment saves lives,’ she says. ‘The real miracle is being alive after getting treatment.’

As she continues her follow-up visits and hormone therapy, Milly remains thankful for the medical team at Mulago and UCI, her supportive family, and her renewed faith.’I no longer see my scar as a loss,’ she says softly. ‘It is a mark of survival; a reminder that I faced death and chose to live.’

How to do a breast self-exam

Pick the right time: Check your breasts once a month, about a week after your period ends. If you no longer menstruate, choose the same day each month.

Look in the mirror: With arms at your sides and then raised, look for changes in size, shape, skin texture (dimpling, redness, swelling) or nipple appearance and discharge.

Feel while lying down: Use the pads of your fingers to press your breast in small circles; light, medium, and firm pressure, covering the entire area from the collarbone to the ribs and from the chest to the armpit.

Feel while standing or in the shower: Raise one arm and use the opposite hand to check the same side, using small circular motions. see a doctor if you notice a lump or thickening, changes in size, shape, or skin texture, nipple inversion or discharge, or persistent pain.

Remember: Self-exams help you know what is normal for your body, but should not replace regular medical check-ups or screening.

On October 18, something special unfolded within the gates of Uganda Christian University (UCU). Hundreds of students, staff, alumni, and friends laced up their shoes not for medals or corporate prizes, but for a single purpose: to help a student stay in class.

The Annual Tuition Run, themed ‘Hope in every stride,’ sought to raise funds for learners struggling with tuition. It was not just another charity race; it was a collective expression of compassion and community. While Uganda hosts many runs for health, awareness, and solidarity, this one carried a quieter, yet profound message.

It was a reminder that education remains one of the most powerful equalizers and one of the most fragile dreams when finances fail. Behind each running kit was a story: a student facing deferred dreams, a parent praying for provision, a sponsor moved by empathy.

The tuition run symbolised what can happen when people refuse to stand by and watch potential fade. It was a small example of how collective action can restore hope in times when so many young people are being pushed out of school by economic hardship.

This attracted my attention to how our communities can make a difference in the lives of many struggling with financial challenges. As I stood at the starting line, watching waves of runners stretch and smile before setting off, I was struck by something deeper.

Every step, every bead of sweat, was more than a physical act; it was a sermon of hope. Some participants ran for their friends; others for their children; others simply to say, ‘I care.’

Each stride was an investment in another’s future, a declaration that no dream should die because of tuition. In that moment, running became a language of love, a way of saying that community still matters, that faith and action still walk hand in hand.

Education is often discussed as an individual pursuit: study hard, get good grades, secure your future. Yet events like this remind us that learning thrives where compassion lives. When communities rally to support those who struggle, they teach powerful lessons that no textbook can capture: empathy, stewardship, and shared responsibility.

We may admire elite runners who conquer marathons, but the real champions are those who give of themselves so that others can keep running their own race in life. Small acts, one registration, one kilometre, one contribution can make a lifelong difference.

A single act of generosity can open a classroom door that might otherwise stay shut. Therefore, I write to implore other institutions having students with tuition or fees challenges to embrace such runs and raise funds to support their students. It takes a simple initiative from members with a heart and compassion for vulnerable learners.

As the dust settled and medals were handed out, one could feel something greater than excitement, a quiet gratitude that together, we had helped rewrite someone’s story. That is what makes such runs stand out among Uganda’s many marathons. They are not simply about endurance; they are about enduring love. But this message extends far beyond one university or event.

It speaks to the larger truth that education must become a shared social mission. The future of our children and our nation depends on whether we are willing to move together, to run not just for ourselves but for others so they too can live happily and achieve their dreams.

You don’t have to be an athlete to run for a cause. Running, in this sense, is about commitment and compassion taking initiative where others hesitate, stepping forward when it would be easier to stay still. It is about being part of something bigger than ourselves. When communities choose to move together toward a common good, the finish line keeps expanding. Hope keeps running. Futures keep unfolding.

So, as Uganda continues to host charity runs and social marathons, let’s pause for reflection. Beyond the branded T-shirts, selfies, and medals – what are we really running for? Perhaps we are running for the student who nearly dropped out, for the young dreamer chasing a scholarship, for the mother selling vegetables to keep her child in school. Perhaps, without even realising it, we are running for a generation whose dreams depend on our steps.

When we run for others, every stride counts. And when we move with compassion, we discover that the real finish line is not at the stadium gate, it is in the heart of someone whose hope we helped keep alive.

President Museveni’s new slogan, ‘Protecting the gains,’ comes at a time when Uganda is being promised the long-awaited transition from poverty to prosperity.

The gains in question are clear enough: a more secure country, expanding infrastructure, industrial parks, the promise of oil revenue, and the pledge to lift households into the ‘money economy.’ It is a familiar language of growth, framed as a step toward building a modern middle class.

A lesson from Britain Yet the question that demands asking is this: What do we stand to lose if ‘gains’ are defined only in terms of GDP, factories, and electricity grids?

A recent British documentary provides a cautionary parallel. It traces the country’s social journey from churches, which once anchored communities, to pubs, which became the ‘secular churches’ of working people, and finally to ‘nothing.’

Today, Britain’s wealth sits alongside record levels of loneliness, declining neighbourliness, and a shrinking sense of belonging. Affluence, unguarded, created a hollowing of society.

Uganda’s living heirlooms

Uganda is in a different season. Churches and mosques still brim with worshippers, though their prayers are mostly for relief from poverty: school fees, hospital bills, jobs, visas. But religious attendance alone is not the strongest glue that binds Ugandans together.

That role belongs to deeper, older social structures that are not yet broken, our true heirlooms.

? The extended family system still quietly pays tuition, arranges elderly care, and steps in during medical emergencies. It remains the invisible welfare state of Uganda.

? The clan system continues to provide identity, mentorship, conflict resolution, and moral instruction across generations.

? The village is the ultimate equaliser. At burials, weddings, and harvests, both haves and have-nots sit side by side, their differences blurred by solidarity.

Protecting social anchors

These heirlooms are not relics. They are living treasures that hold Uganda together in ways industrial policy can not replicate. They ensure that even when the formal state fails, society does not collapse. To ‘protect the gains’ in any meaningful sense must, therefore, include protecting these heirlooms.

Affluence without community creates fragmentation. If families weaken under individualism, if clans lose relevance, if villages hollow out under migration, Uganda will be left rich in concrete but poor in cohesion. The UK shows us that progress without social anchors ends in isolation.

I experience painful muscle cramps that occur intermittently during pregnancy or after taking my insulin injection. Recently, I have also started feeling these pains when I stand up. What could be the problem? Kazibwe

Hello Kazibwe,

What you are describing sounds like sudden, involuntary, and painful muscle contractions, commonly known as muscle cramps. These cramps can occur for several reasons, including dehydration, an imbalance or deficiency of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, poor blood circulation, nerve issues, or general muscle fatigue.

In your case, the cramps you experience after insulin injections may be related to a temporary drop in blood sugar or potassium levels caused by the insulin.

During pregnancy, muscle spasms are also common due to increased pressure on the nerves and blood vessels from the growing uterus, as well as possible mineral or vitamin deficiencies.

To help prevent these cramps, be sure to drink plenty of fluids and eat a balanced diet rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

You may also consider supplements, but only as advised by your doctor. Regular light exercise, especially stretching the leg muscles, can further reduce the frequency of these spasms.

After fleeing civil war in South Sudan, young refugees at Alere Refugee Settlement Camp in Pachara Sub-county, Adjumani District, are again caught in a cycle of violence, this time within their own homes.

Most of the 7,000 individuals are young men and women who have never known peace. Many witnessed horrific violence before escaping their homeland, and with limited psychosocial support in the camp, some have become perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV) against their partners.

A group of determined youth is leading efforts to change this narrative. One of them is Mr Mawut Thon Mawut, 23, a father of one. As a ‘role model boy’ trained under the SAY Programme implemented by CARE and CHAFORD, Mr Mawut is working to curb domestic violence in the settlement. ‘I serve my community as one of the role model boys in Alere Refugee Settlement. We identified 10 peers from different blocks and trained them using the manual provided by CARE and CHAFORD,’ he explains.

Impact

After training in topics such as body changes, gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health rights, Mr Mawut and his peers began sensitising the community. ‘People used to fight every day and night, but now we’ve seen a big reduction in violence,’ he says.

According to Mr Mawut, cases of domestic violence have dropped from 80 percent to 30 percent in the past year and a half. He attributes much of the violence to harmful cultural norms. ‘In our culture, boys are not supposed to do domestic chores. But since this programme started, at least half of the people understand that this mindset must change,’ he adds, thanking Denmark and UNFPA for their support.

Mr Mawut admits he once abused his partner but says the training changed him. Ms Kabeng (not real name), a mother of three and a peer educator, also credits the programme for transforming her marriage.

‘I married my husband when I was 18, and he used to beat me a lot. One time, I was heavily pregnant, and he asked me to fetch water for him. When I refused, he beat me up,’ she says. But after participating in the peer education sessions, Ms Kabeng’s husband changed.

‘Our men had learned bad culture, but things are now improving. Women were really suffering. I appreciate the Danish government and UNFPA for this initiative,’ she says.

Ms Kabeng, however, believes more needs to be done to tackle child marriages. ‘Young girls are still being traded for cattle. Some fathers demand up to 50 cows before marrying off their daughters to older men. This must stop,’ she says.

Changing attitudes

Mr William Draga Droma, another role model, has dedicated himself to sensitising fellow men about peaceful marriages and the dangers of child marriage.

‘I move from block to block telling men why peace at home is important. I’ve seen positive changes-men are starting to love and respect their wives,’ he says.

While progress has been made, Mr Droma admits cultural change is slow.

‘We still have a long way to go. Changing traditions that approve of wife beating takes time,’ he notes.

Alere Refugee Settlement is one of 22 camps hosting more than 250,000 South Sudanese refugees in Adjumani District, outnumbering the local population.

Ms Pauline Idia, the principal nursing officer at Adjumani General Hospital, says the SAY Programme has empowered both refugees and host communities. ‘Through peer-to-peer learning, young men and women have become role models,’ she explains.

‘We’ve not only seen a reduction in domestic violence but also in teenage pregnancies-from 15 percent to 13 percent,’ she adds. However, Ms Idia warns that child marriage remains rampant. ‘Girls as young as 14 are being married off because their culture allows it, though it’s illegal in Uganda,’ she says. Mr Ben Anyama, the Adjumani District chairperson, says reduced donor funding has affected their efforts to fight GBV.

‘You find older men going after young girls. The problem is mindset; we must change harmful cultural practices. Among South Sudanese, girls as young as 14 can be married, which is against Ugandan law,’ he explains. Mr Charles Adama, the deputy camp commandant at Alere, agrees the SAY Programme has brought peace to the settlement. ‘This project benefited nearly 80 percent of refugees here. Families are coexisting more peacefully. But we still face high school dropout rates, children are leaving school, and we need more support,’ Mr Adama says.

Ms Signe Winding Albjerg, the Danish Ambassador to Uganda, reaffirmed her government’s commitment to supporting projects that address teenage pregnancies, reproductive health, and gender equality. ‘Under our new programme, Women Uganda 2025+, we will involve male role models in the fight for women’s rights,’ she said.

‘For a long time, women have led this fight alone, but now we are engaging men who demonstrate positive masculinity,’ she added.

Ms Kristin Blocknus, the UNFPA Representative to Uganda, echoed this commitment. ‘We will continue to provide young people with the information and services they need to live dignified and fulfilling lives,’ she said.

If you are a parent in Kampala, it is important to watch what your child eats. A recent study by researchers Catherine Lutalo Mwesigwa and Sudeshni Naidoo, published in Maternal and Child Nutrition, found that many children aged six to 36 months in Kampala are consuming far too many ultra-processed foods and drinks; think sugary snacks, sodas, and the contents of brightly coloured cereal boxes. Sound familiar?

The study was conducted at four health centres in Kampala, where researchers asked caregivers about their children’s diets. The findings are concerning; a significant number of toddlers are consuming ultra-processed foods loaded with sugar, fats, and additives.

Alarmingly, for some children, these items are not just occasional treats, they make up a large part of their diet, sometimes starting as early as six months. This trend is often driven by perceived benefits such as cost, convenience, and attractive packaging (and advertising) that appeal to both parents and children.

These ultra-processed foods, typically high in added sugars, fats, and preservatives, are linked to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases, including obesity and dental caries, as well as poor dietary habits later in life. The researchers noted that this pattern reflects a broader nutritional shift across sub-Saharan Africa, fuelled by the growing availability of ultra-processed foods and the unregulated influence of transnational corporations.

On a positive note, many parents in Kampala are successfully breastfeeding, which is excellent for infants. However, when it is time to introduce solid foods, making healthy choices is crucial. Instead of reaching for chips or sugary juice, consider simple alternatives such as mashed avocado, bananas, or Irish potatoes. These foods provide essential nutrients without the harmful additives.

Caregivers can start small by replacing just one processed snack with a piece of fruit each day. Reading labels while shopping and looking for products with less sugar and simpler ingredients also helps. To encourage healthy habits, talk to your children about the importance of nutritious foods; toddlers can begin to understand this too. Our children deserve strong teeth and healthy bodies, and it all starts with the choices we make today.

The fourth Uganda-UAE Business Forum begins today in Kampala, running until October 29. The event brings together over 500 policymakers and entrepreneurs from both countries to explore trade and investment opportunities.

Over the past few years, the UAE has emerged as a powerhouse investor in Africa, committing over $110b across the continent, with East Africa as a priority for investments in resources, food security, and infrastructure.

Uganda’s Ambassador to the UAE, Mr Zaake Kibedi, said foreign direct investments (FDI) from the UAE to Uganda have surged from $300m in 2018 to $3.5b in 2024. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $2.85b as of September 2024, making the UAE Uganda’s leading export destination. Mr Kibedi said six daily commercial flights connect Entebbe to the UAE, which has ‘enhanced connectivity and accelerated business linkages .’

The three-day forum will spotlight opportunities in agriculture, agro-industrialisation, tourism, energy, minerals, real estate, and innovation etc. Uganda, with a projected six to 6.5 percent GDP growth in FY 2025/2026 driven by oil, gas, minerals, and agriculture, stands out as an ideal investment partner. Bilateral trade has reached $2.85b, while UAE FDI in Uganda rose tenfold since 2018, primarily targeting renewables, oil and gas, and agro-industry. UAE investors are expected to build Uganda’s new oil refinery.

This momentum positions Uganda to capture even more UAE capital, particularly in agriculture, energy, minerals, and logistics. UAE sovereign wealth funds such as ADIA and Mubadala, alongside family offices, have collectively driven $64.3b in GCC, African FDI from 2012 to 2025. Earlier this year, Uganda signed five additional investment deals in aviation, logistics, and digital systems.

The UAE’s diversification agenda aligns well with Uganda’s economic strengths, vast arable land supporting agribusiness, untapped mineral and oil reserves, and Uganda’s strategic location as a gateway to East and Central Africa.

Agribusiness will take centre stage at the forum. Uganda’s 80 percent arable land directly supports the UAE’s food security goals, given that the UAE imports about 80 percent of its food. Joint ventures in coffee, beef, maize, and horticulture processing for export to Dubai are expected. UAE firms such as Al Dahra are already targeting African agribusiness through continent-wide investments exceeding $110b. Energy, particularly renewables and oil and gas, is another hot sector.

Uganda will showcase its 1,500 MW hydropower potential and the $4.5b East African Crude Oil Pipeline, as it seeks to attract UAE participation in clean energy, a sector where Masdar, the UAE’s global renewables leader, has invested over $72b in Africa. UAE investments traditionally take a ‘long-game’ approach, emphasising mining, logistics, and infrastructure, areas where Uganda’s growth is outpacing its regional peers.

The forum will also focus on affordable housing, cargo hubs, and logistics infrastructure, leveraging Uganda’s access to 600m consumers in the EAC-Comesa region and its attractive incentives such as tax holidays and 10 to15 percent annual returns in key sectors. Uganda’s total imports reached $13.83b in 2024, up from $9.75b in 2022, driven by growing demand for energy, food, and industrial inputs.

Agricultural and food imports alone accounted for $604.8 million, even though Uganda has abundant arable land. The country still imports over 60 percent of its edible oils and key grains, a gap ripe for import substitution.

UAE investors are well-positioned to fill this gap, given their more than $110b commitments to African agribusiness and expertise in food processing. Recent UAE-Uganda agreements, including a $1.4b agro-investment in maize and soybeans, underline the strong potential. New ventures in edible oil production, grain processing, and food manufacturing could save Uganda over $500m annually, create more than 50,000 jobs, and boost non-oil exports by 15 percent by 2027.

Uganda’s National Development Plan IV prioritises agro-industrialisation and targets at least $2b in FDI for the sector. Uganda’s top 11 annual imports with aggregated value estimates from trade data are refined petroleum (fuels, diesel and gasoline) now at $3b; Mechanical appliances, engines and industrial equipment now at $1.5b; cars, trucks and parts at $900 million; wiring , transformers and electronics now at $900m; pharmaceutical products at $700m; iron and steel products now at $600m; polymers and packaging materials at $500m; fertilizers and industrial chemicals at $400m; cereals (wheat, rice and maize) now at $300m; edible oils now at $250m; printing paper and cardboard at $250m.

UAE’s top imports all estimated in billions of dollars include pearls, precious stones, coins and metals ($114 billion); electrical machinery and equipment ($63b), machinery, nuclear reactors and boilers ($40b); minerals, oils and distillation products ($21b); medicines, vaccines and medical chemicals ($5b). There is deep trust between Uganda and the UAE, a solid base for expanded cooperation.

Businesses and officials from both sides are now expected to translate these numbers into actionable investment opportunities. Uganda’s delegation must also emphasise the ease of repatriation and low bureaucracy that UAE investors prioritise.

Additionally, the 2023 Uganda-UAE Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement should be highlighted as a key incentive for investors.

Ugandan manufacturers, exporters, agri-processors, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) secured multimillion-dollar trade and investment deals at the fourth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025), held in Algiers, Algeria.

Among the major highlights was Jber Coffee’s $33.4m export deal with Algeria’s Groupe Labelle.

Under the six-month contract, running from October 2025 to April 2026, Jber will supply 50 containers of coffee per month to the North African market.

‘This is the biggest deal our company has ever signed,’ said Abdel Rahim Gabriel, director of Jber.

‘The main challenge remains high sea freight costs through Mombasa Port.’

Founded in 2020, Jber exports both fair average quality and graded coffee to Sudan, Egypt, the UAE, and Europe, accounting for over 5 percent of Uganda’s total coffee exports.

Uganda’s participation at the fair was spearheaded by the Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotion Authority (UFZEPA) in collaboration with the Ugandan Embassy in Algeria.

Uganda showcased a range of agro-processed products, crafts, and manufactured goods, underscoring Uganda’s drive toward value addition and export-led growth.

Exhibitors included Lato Milk (Pearl Dairy Farms), Wendi Farms, the Uganda Quality Coffee Traders and Processors Association, and World of Bees, a consortium of honey producers and exporters.

‘We selected products that already have traction in the Algerian market,’ said Doreen Kembabazi, UFZEPA’s senior communications officer. ‘Lato Milk and coffee are performing well here, and we’ve also received inquiries about cocoa and oil and gas opportunities.’

Beyond Jber’s success, several SMEs reported new partnerships and investment interest. Charic Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Exporters sold out all its exhibited produce, pineapples, passion fruits, bananas, chilies, and avocados, before the fair ended.

‘We met potential buyers and investors from across Africa,’ said Charles Mwirumubi, the company’s chief executive officer.

Masikalan Uganda’s founder, Babra Masikala, exhibited wines, soaps, and cosmetics, all of which sold out. ‘This fair has put my products on the global map,’ she said. ‘I have secured potential investors from Nigeria and an invitation to Turkey in 2026 to showcase my products.’

Rita Nagudi, the chief executive officer of Kipekee Solutions, reported strong demand for her Pumzi Herbal Teas.