Category: Daily Monitor

Electricity has long been a barometer of economic vitality. The more a country consumes, the more it produces.

In East Africa, this relationship between power and prosperity is becoming increasingly clear.

World Bank data on peak electricity demand versus GDP across East Africa shows Uganda trailing regional giants like Kenya and Tanzania, both in energy usage and economic output.

Yet it also reveals the country’s immense potential, and the urgency of closing its energy gap if it is to accelerate industrial growth.

Kenya tops East Africa in both economic size and power consumption, with a peak electricity demand of 2,316 megawatts, supporting a GDP of $124.5b.

It’s followed closely by DR Congo, with 2,174 megawatts and a GDP of $70.75b. Tanzania comes in at 1,944 megawatts for $78.78b in GDP.

Uganda ranks fourth, with peak demand of 1,176 megawatts and an economy valued at $53.65b.

Government has recently indicated that the economy has now expanded to $61b. It was not immediately clear whether the consumption had expanded as well.

However, despite ranking below its peers, Uganda’s power consumption relative to its GDP suggests a growing, but still underpowered, economy.

Ministry of Energy data shows that, as of November 2024, about 2.3 million households from rural and urban areas, which represent 60 percent of households, had access to electricity, 22 percent of which were on-grid access.

At the lower end of the table are Rwanda and Burundi, whose economies and energy demands remain modest.

Rwanda’s peak demand is 262 megawatts with a GDP of $14.25b, while Burundi trails at 70 megawatts and $2.16b.

The power-GDP connection

Economic output and electricity consumption have a near-linear relationship; as industries expand, urbanization rises, and household incomes improve, demand for energy surges.

Kenya’s manufacturing and service sectors are far more energy-intensive than Uganda’s, reflecting its larger industrial base and higher electrification rate.

Uganda’s per capita electricity consumption remains below 200 kWh per year, far less than Kenya’s estimated 500 kWh. This deficit limits industrial capacity, slows mechanization in agriculture, and raises production costs for small and medium enterprises, all of which directly constrain GDP growth.

Data shows that while Uganda’s GDP is roughly 43 percent of Kenya’s, its electricity demand is barely 50 percent, which underscores how access to reliable and affordable energy remains one of Uganda’s biggest barriers to economic transformation.

Government has made substantial investments in generation capacity over the past decade, including flagship projects such as Karuma Hydropower Station (600 megawatts) and Isimba Dam (183 megawatts).

Yet much of this remains underutilized due to transmission bottlenecks and limited demand from industry.

Uganda’s installed capacity, according to the Electricity Regulatory Authority, has grown from 60 megawatts in 1954 to 2052.7 megawatts as of January 2025. The growth creates a surplus of about 876.7 megawatts, which has not been helped by low factory production capacity, which stands at about 55 percent, according to Uganda Manufacturers Association, and high tariffs that have made rural connectivity almost out of reach.

Thus, for Uganda to compete, it will need to boost not just power generation, but electricity consumption per capita, particularly in manufacturing and agro-processing.

The Tenfold Growth Strategy, which targets a $500b economy by 2040, cannot be realised without a corresponding surge in power demand and consumption.

The country’s challenge is no longer about producing electricity; it’s about absorbing it into a productive economy. As new hydropower projects come online, the focus must shift to connecting households, powering factories, and ensuring that electricity becomes the backbone of growth.

In the regional race between megawatts and money, Uganda’s next leap will depend on how quickly it can turn kilowatts into jobs, exports, and industrial momentum.

As the data shows, powering prosperity isn’t just about energy; it’s about using it to spark transformation.

The Energy Ministry has already revealed that the next phase of Uganda’s electricity sub-sector will be creating jobs, powering exports, and supporting agro-industrialisation.

Leaders of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Gulu District have appealed to President Museveni to help the Lords’ Resistance Army (LRA) massacre survivors. The ruling party leaders said individuals who survived the attacks by the rebel group need to be supported so that they can rebuild their lives.

Mr Christopher Ochen, the NRM district chairperson for Gulu, said: ‘Your Excellency, I appeal to you to support survivors of the LRA attack in Lukodi so that they can rebuild their lives. This is very important. The government also needs to construct a technical school so that they gain skills.’

He said the affected individuals need livelihood support so that they can become self-sufficient. Dozens of survivors of the May 19, 2004, LRA attacks on the Lukodi Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camp in Lukodi Village, Bungatira Sub-county in Gulu District are still struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The lack of psychosocial support to the massacre survivors has made the situation even worse. Mr Wilfred Lalobo, the chairperson of Lukodi LRA Massacre Survivors and Victims’ Association, said some individuals who survived the killings perpetrated by LRA fighters were yet to come to terms with what happened to them close to two decades ago.

He added that due to lack of counselling services, the survivors are still living in misery. He also said the unknown fate of those missing after they were abducted by the rebels has caused despair among their loved ones.

Mental health experts have linked the rising cases of suicide and domestic violence in Acholi Sub-region, the epicentre of the LRA insurgency, to PTSD.

Mr Ochen also observed the need to compensate communities that offered land for IDPs during the peak of the LRA insurgency in northern Uganda, as well as support families of Local Council members (RCs) who were targeted and killed by the rebels.

Seeking compensation

In May, family members of Local Council (LC) officials who were killed by LRA rebels in the Acholi Sub-region sought compensation from the government. The LRA attacked and killed several Local Council officials during their insurgency, accusing them of acting as informants for the government army and the police.

The killings mainly happened between 1987 and 2004. These were the peak of the LRA insurgency in northern Uganda.

In June 2015, children of the murdered Local Council officials demanded support from the government. Ms Evelyne Ajok, a daughter of Santo Otula, the former LC1 chairperson of Oguru Village, Awach Sub-county in Gulu District, said her father was brutally murdered in broad daylight by the rebels. She said on the fateful day, with her nine siblings, they watched helplessly as the rebels fatally shot and killed their father.

In September 2014, Mr Richard Todwong, the then-NRM deputy secretary general, now secretary general of the ruling party, announced that there were plans to fully compensate local council officials who were killed during the peak of the LRA insurgency in northern Uganda.

Mr Todwong said the government was aware of killings and the loss, which the families suffered during the long, brutal war, and would do everything possible to see that the families of the deceased receive support.

However, close to 11 years later, the families of the murdered LC officials claimed that they had not received any support from the government.

Mr Gifta Aber, the chairperson of NRM for Gulu City, also urged the President to treat the issues around the Apaa land conflict and cattle compensation as matters of urgency as the country moves closer to the 2026 General Election.

Background

The The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency was a protracted conflict that was initiated by Joseph Kony against the Ugandan government. This conflict resulted in a significant humanitarian crisis, displacement, and widespread atrocities, primarily affecting the Acholi people in northern Uganda. The LRA was mostly driven out of Uganda by the middle of the 2000s, but it kept operating neighbouring countries.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has collected about Shs4 billion in nomination fees from thousands of candidates cleared to contest in the parliamentary elections set for January 15 next year. By the close of the two-day nomination exercise on October 23, more than 1,300 candidates had been cleared to run for Member of Parliament positions.

Each aspirant paid Shs3 million as a nomination fee – an amount that has drawn criticism from civil society organisations, which argue that the cost is prohibitively high and undermines fair political participation.

The more than Shs4 billion collected adds to the Shs160 million earlier raised from presidential nominations, where each contender paid Shs20 million.

Critics have long argued that Uganda’s steep nomination fees restrict access to elective politics, especially for youth, women, and low-income earners, while fuelling commercialised campaigns that cost the country trillions each election cycle.

Ahead of the 2021 elections, political parties under the National Consultative Forum (NCF) petitioned Parliament to cut nomination fees by 50 percent to promote inclusive participation. At the time, NCF chairperson Jolly Mugisha said the high fees were ‘a barrier to many capable citizens,’ noting that ‘from the presidency down to local government positions, the nomination amounts are excessive and discourage genuine participation.’

Ms Sarah Bireete, the executive director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, reiterated that view, saying the high fees make politics ‘a privilege for the wealthy.’

‘Young people, particularly those from Opposition parties and independents, struggle to raise the Shs3 million required for parliamentary nominations,’ Ms Bireete said in a post.

‘Since the EC is taxpayer-funded, there is no justification for such exclusionary fees,’ she added. However, Electoral Commission spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi clarified that the EC neither sets nor controls nomination fees.

‘Parliament determines nomination conditions and fees,’ he explained. ‘All payments are made into the Consolidated Fund through a designated bank account under the Ministry of Finance. The Commission only manages the election process,’ Mr Mucunguzi added.

In its nomination guidelines, the EC instructed aspirants to pay fees via the Uganda Revenue Authority’s online portal, warning against making payments to district or city accounts.

Despite continued advocacy from groups such as the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), calls to reduce the high cost of politics have yet to yield results, leaving many potential candidates priced out of the country’s electoral process.

Ninety minutes separate Vipers from the promised land of the Caf Champions League group stages – and standing in their way is a fired-up Power Dynamos side, buoyed by both a 2-1 first-leg advantage.

There is also the fever of Zambia’s 61st Independence Day celebrations on Friday.

For the Ugandan champions, Ndola’s Levy Mwanawasa Stadium is more than just a game; it’s a date with destiny, and an afternoon that could define their continental ambitions.

When these two sides met a week ago at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, the Venoms’ faithful believed they had finally found their rhythm under Belgian tactician Jacky Ivan Minnaert.

Yunus Sentamu’s sharp finish early in the second half ignited wild cheers and a brief glimmer of hope. Yet, that joy was short-lived.

Power Dynamos, the 1991 Caf Winners’ Cup champions, clawed their way back through Moses Sumah’s equalizer before a cruel own goal from Derrick Ndahiro turned delight into despair.

The 2-1 defeat left Vipers staring at a mountain that must now be climbed on foreign soil.

Lethal onslaught

Still, Minnaert refuses to let go of belief. The Belgian, whose side has shown elements of a work in progress, remains bullish ahead of the return leg.

‘We are Venoms; we are Vipers,’ he declared defiantly. ‘We believe 200 percent that nothing is done. The positives we carry from the first game is that we have 90 minutes to play, and we can still do it.’

The mathematics is simple but daunting. Vipers must win by at least 2-0 to progress – a task that demands twice the energy, twice the precision, and twice the belief they showed at Kitende.

For a club that last reached the lucrative group stages in 2022 under Brazilian coach Roberto ‘Robertinho’ Oliveira, the hunger to return among Africa’s elite is palpable.

The Venoms’ tested guns – Allan Okello’s creative spark, Sentamu’s predatory instincts, and Milton Karisa’s leadership – must all come alive if the script is to be rewritten.

Power show

Yet, Power Dynamos appear in no mood to loosen their grip on the tie. Their coach, Oswald Mukuka Mutapa, has already laid bare his tactical mastery and unyielding ambition.

‘We knew what Vipers wanted to do and we anticipated a tough game,’ he revealed after the first leg.

‘We just had to diffuse whatever they brought to us. After the equaliser, they pushed up and left spaces behind – we capitalised, and that led to the own goal. This is not the end; it’s only half time, but we are a team on a mission.’

Mukuka’s words speak volumes about Dynamos’ intent to finish the job in front of their home crowd.

With the home advantage, historical pedigree, and a partisan Ndola crowd behind them, the Kitwe giants will fancy their chances of sealing qualification to the group stages for the first time in over a decade.

For Vipers, however, this is no ordinary match – it is a test of character, of resilience, of whether they truly belong at the top table of African football.

The Venoms must summon every ounce of venom in their fangs to silence the Mwanawasa roar.

On Zambia’s Independence Day, they will need to pull off a mini miracle to keep their continental dream alive.

Caf Champions League

Second Preliminary Round

Friday – Second leg

Power Dynamos (2) vs. (1) Vipers, 4pm

Lira City, known as the northern hub of vibrant industrial and commercial activity, has yet another inspiring story to tell – that of Jonathan Okello, a young man whose boldness and creativity are transforming lives through furniture craft.

Born out of a deep passion nurtured by DIY YouTube videos during his university days, Okello has built a thriving furniture business that now employs and trains over ten young people in modern furniture making, carpentry, and joinery.

Like many Ugandan youths, Okello’s journey was far from smooth. A Bachelor of Economics and Statistics graduate from Kyambogo University, he joined the growing number of job seekers who, despite years of education, fail to secure formal employment.

A fruitless job search

After graduating, Okello searched tirelessly for work – but to no avail. ‘After campus, I searched for jobs and couldn’t find any. Then the lockdown came, and I needed something to keep me busy, so I decided to try making a sofa set on my own,’ he recalls. Unknown to him, this decision would shape his future. While still at university, Okello often visited furniture workshops in Kireka and Bwaise, where he learned valuable skills in carpentry and joinery. What started as curiosity would later become his calling.

Spotting a market gap

Okello noticed a troubling trend in his community – most people in Lira City bought quality furniture from Kampala. ‘It was very common for people to buy sofa sets from as far as Kampala, and that bothered me,’ he says.

‘I felt that quality furniture could be made right here at home.’ Motivated by this market gap, Okello made a bold move. He sold his personal belongings to purchase the tools he needed and began producing furniture independently.

His first piece – a sofa set – earned him an unexpected business opportunity when a friend ordered a similar one for Shs800,000. More orders followed, all through word-of-mouth referrals within his network. That marked the birth of his entrepreneurial journey.

The rise of Mastermind Furniture World

In 2023, Okello officially launched Mastermind Furniture World along Oyam Road in Lira City. Six months later, he welcomed his first trainee, Daniel Otim, followed by Morris Ocen and others. The workshop quickly became a beacon of hope for unemployed youth seeking practical skills in modern furniture and upholstery.

Today, Okello works with five permanent staff and four trainees, including a person with a disability. ‘These boys come to me with no hope,’ he says softly.

‘Most of them didn’t go far in school – they would otherwise be roaming the streets. Now, they’re earning a living as they train.’

He charges between Shs500,000 and Shs800,000 for training. His products – from sofa sets to wardrobes – range between Shs350,000 and Shs2m, depending on the design. On average, Okello earns about Shs3m in gross profit per month, a remarkable milestone for a self-taught craftsman.

Voices from the workshop

Sandra Amongin, a 25-year-old mother of one, couldn’t afford the full training fees. She works as a labourer at the workshop, performing basic carpentry tasks as she learns.

‘I’m learning slowly and saving up to become a full trainee. The income I get from here helps me take care of my child,’ she says.

Embracing the digital space

Okello beams when he speaks about the digital revolution that has boosted his business.

‘Social media has been a goldmine for me, especially WhatsApp,’ he says.

Through Facebook, TikTok, and WhatsApp Business, he has attracted clients from Kampala and even Ugandans in the diaspora who order furniture for their families back home. Indeed, his success underscores the power of digital marketing.

According to the Uganda Communications Commission’s 2023 Annual Sector Report, social media subscriptions rose to over 20 million from 13.7 million in 2020, opening new opportunities for small businesses to reach wider audiences.

Reimagining skills training

While vocational training is often touted as a solution to unemployment, Okello believes it must evolve with the times.

‘Youth who train in urban workshops are more adaptable to market trends than those who go through formal technical schools,’ he argues.

‘The modern market wants creative, custom-made products – sofa sets, beds, cabinets, and even marble finishes. You have to be innovative to survive.’

A message to the youth

Okello’s advice to fellow youth is both practical and passionate.

‘Alongside graduate studies, young people should embrace hands-on skills. You never know what tomorrow holds,’ he says.

He believes that flexibility and practical skills are the keys to tackling unemployment. ‘Formal jobs are few, but skills can feed you for life. Hands-on skills are the future.’

Indeed, in a country where the unemployment rate stands at 12.3 percent and over 4 million Ugandans fall under the Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) category (National Population and Housing Census 2024), Okello’s story is a shining example of resilience, innovation, and the power of self-belief.

Every October, companies in Uganda and other parts of the world celebrate Customer Service; a time dedicated to recognise and appreciate the frontliners who make customer satisfaction possible every day.

These individuals include; tellers, receptionists, call center agents, field officers, and among other employees who represent the company. They are the first point of contact, the human connection that turns ordinary transactions into memorable experiences.

Frontliners work hard to make every customer experience a positive one. Their smiles, patience, and willingness to help make all the difference. In a world where many services are becoming digital, human connection still matters most- a genuine smile, a listening ear, or a reassuring tone leaves the most lasting impression.

Every ‘good morning,’ every carefully handled complaint, and every extra effort to solve a customer’s problem contributes to the trust that keeps clients coming back.

Exceptional customer service is not just about being polite, it helps businesses grow. When customers feel valued and respected, they become loyal advocates.

Studies show that satisfied customers are more likely to recommend a company to others, while poor service drives them straight to competitors. Therefore, recognising and empowering frontliners is not merely an act of kindness; it is an investment in a company’s reputation, growth and long-term success.

However, customer service excellence is not the responsibility of frontliners alone. Everyone in an organization has a part to play. From the cleaner who keeps the office neat, to the IT technician who ensures systems work well, managers who support their teams and finance officer who processes payments on time- each one helps create a good experience for customers.

This month serves as a reminder that great service is a team effort. When staff members feel supported and appreciated, they are more motivated to serve customers better.

As we continue to celebrate Customer Service, let us take time to honor our frontliners for their hard work and dedication. Their efforts build trust, strengthen customer relationships, and drive success for every organisation or company.

In the end, good service is not just about what we do; it’s about how we make people feel. When we serve with excellence, we don’t just win customers: We earn trust, loyalty and lasting relationships. Happy Customer Service Month!

Target

Customer Service Week is a great opportunity to celebrate the vital role customer service plays in our businesses and communities. Taking place annually in the first week of October, it shines a spotlight on the hard work, dedication and impact of customer service professionals.

Throughout the week, organisations come together to recognise achievements, share best practice and inspire teams to continue raising the standard of service excellence. Whether you’re a frontline advisor or a senior leader, National Customer Service Week is your chance to champion great service and the people who deliver.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Mr Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has pledged to withdraw all soldiers currently deployed on Lake Albert and other water bodies across Uganda if elected President.

The presidential hopeful made the pledge during his campaign rally at Kigorobya Trading Centre in Hoima District on Wednesday, accusing the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Fisheries Protection Unit of harassing and torturing fishermen under the guise of enforcing fishing regulations.

‘Our people continue to die on our lakes across the country. When I become President, my first executive order will be to remove all the soldiers from the lakes. Those who have been tortured will be compensated,’ he said.

Mr Kyagulanyi argued that the continued military deployment on Uganda’s lakes, initially justified as a conservation measure, has instead resulted in widespread abuse and economic hardship for fishing communities. He added that many Ugandans have lost their lives on the lakes without accountability.

Lake Albert, which borders Hoima, Buliisa, and other districts in the Bunyoro Sub-region, has long been a flashpoint for tension between fishermen and security forces. Fishermen have often accused soldiers of wrongfully confiscating their nets and boats under the guise that they are using illegal gear, leaving them impoverished. In 2017, President Museveni deployed soldiers under the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) to curb illegal fishing on Uganda’s major lakes.

However, numerous reports from local communities allege that the FPU has since deviated from its mission, engaging in extortion, brutality, and illegal seizures. The FPU denies any wrongdoing.

During the same rally, Mr Kyagulanyi also promised to establish a public university in the Bunyoro Sub-region, saying the government has neglected the region’s education needs for decades.

‘For nearly 40 years, the government has ignored the establishment of a public university in Bunyoro. Once we are in power, we shall build one here. This will make education accessible to our students and create jobs for our people,’ he said.

President Museveni has repeatedly made similar pledges. The government is reportedly in advanced stages of constructing Bunyoro Public University, to be located at Bulera Core Primary Teachers College in Hoima, with the UPDF Engineering Brigade expected to undertake the project.

Jobs, education, industrial growth

Mr Kyagulanyi emphasised that his administration would prioritise job creation, free education, and industrial development, arguing that current government efforts focus too narrowly on road construction.

‘We intend to create jobs across all sectors, not just through roads and agriculture. We shall set up factories and industries that will employ our people,’ he said. He added that despite Bunyoro’s wealth in natural resources, its people have not benefited due to corruption and poor governance.

While concluding his third day of campaigns in the Bunyoro Sub-region, covering Kibaale, Kagadi, Kakumiro, Kikuube, Hoima District, and Hoima City, Mr Kyagulanyi criticised the government for what he termed neglect of the oil-rich region.

‘This region has oil, yet the people of Bunyoro have not benefited from it. Once elected, we shall ensure that this wealth transforms the lives of our people,’ he said during a rally in Kikuube District.

He pledged that under his administration, Bunyoro would receive 30 percent of the oil proceeds, compared to the current one percent share allocated by the government.

He also promised to provide meals for all learners in public schools to boost academic performance and reduce dropout rates.

Mr Jackson Magambo Mulindambura, the district councillor for Kiganja Sub-county, highlighted the persistent challenges faced by communities along Lake Albert, which borders Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He said although the lake connects Uganda to the DRC, there is no proper market infrastructure to facilitate cross-border trade, calling on the next President (2026 to 2031) to prioritise infrastructure and connectivity to boost local commerce.

My ‘corporate’ friends, especially those in the management consulting space, will not buy me drinks after this piece but I think I should clue you guys in, a bit.

I founded and used to run a relatively big healthcare company, by Ugandan standards, and I have listened to endless ‘pitches’ from ‘management consultants’.

Half the time, my team and I needed copious amounts of coffee to keep awake through laboured lectures from individuals whose real world understanding of business did not go beyond the excel spreadsheets before them.

All this to say that there is a whole different world out there that a lot of you might not be a part of but it powers a lot of the organisations you rely on for your everyday needs. It is a world that corporations world over run to for ‘strategic advice’ to ‘retool’, ‘build intentionality’, shake their staff from ‘bureaucratic slumber’, impart in them ‘end-state visions’, learn to be ‘lean and efficient’ and ‘maximise returns’.

They get into these ‘thought showers’ where ideas are bounced around and the best, like cream, ‘gravitate to the top’. These showers can take on different techniques, to wit; ‘nominal group technique’, ‘stepladder’, Delphi technique etc. Space constraints won’t allow me break down each but if you’ve read this far, I trust your curiosity to allow you delve deeper, scratch that; ‘take a deep-dive’ into the underbelly of organisational speak.

In case you are wondering why these ‘thought showers are not called just what they are, it is because ‘brainstorm sessions’ is for the great unwashed.

Consultancy is an esoteric space with a more refined lexicon.

The more pompous, the better.

This tribe commands hefty management fees to sell you largely dry, recycled reports with a sprinkling of seemingly avant-garde ideas peppered with a language of psychic liberation.

Basically, warm bull dung with an accent. It didn’t surprise me to read in mid-October that in Australia, Deloitte was asked to pay back part of their $440,000 fees to the Albanese government for handing them a report largely written with generative artificial intelligence.

One Senator accused the global management consultancy firm of ‘having a human intelligence problem’. Sometimes I feel that half of consultants’ deliverables are rooted in the language.

High sounding gobbledygook that bamboozles the recipient but tells them precious little. The other half is in part great graphics confidently delivered and then an occasional good idea or two.

But how did the corporate world learn how to speak like this?

When did high sounding nonsense become the lingua franca of corporations up and down the globe? The answer might partly lie in early 1980s California and a telephone company called Pacific Bell.

Facing deregulation-and the uncertainties that comes with it-in an industry they had run as a virtual monopoly, they turned to an organisational consultant named Charles Krone.

Borrowing from the ideas of 20th Century Russian philosopher and spiritual teacher, George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, Krone went on to design a multi-million dollar programme for Pacific Bell’s staff that was meant to ‘transform the way people thought, talked and behaved’.

The rest as they say is history. The world of ‘scientific management’ embraced this language and now you will hear it echoing across the hallways of corporate entities, within an earshot of our tiny cubicles to which we are confined for most of our days in the hunt for the almighty buck.

Like the hand signs that high-school friend groups make to identify with each other, mastering this speak is what announces your arrival to this rarefied group of important corporate men and women. Friendly advice; remember to occasionally step out of it and actually live. It is not a real world.

At least six candidates, including the current Speaker of Parliament and her deputy, have sailed through unopposed to secure their seats in the 12th Parliament.

The Electoral Commission (EC) spokesperson, Mr Julius Mucunguzi, said the unopposed candidates, who include Speaker Anita Among and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, are now by law duly elected MPs, effective January 15, 2026 polling date.

‘Section 31 of the Parliamentary Elections Act states that if a candidate is unopposed by the time of the close of nomination, the returning officer declares them the duly elected MP of that electoral area, effective the polling date, and this case is January 15, 2026,’ he said. The other unopposed candidates are Lillian Paparu Obiale (Arua District Woman); Emmanuel Banya (Koboko County); Jeniva Arinaitwe (Rubirizi District Woman); Ruth Mushabe Rujoki (Kiruhura District Woman).

But the circumstances under which the six legislators were declared unopposed differ, as the two-day nomination exercise came to a close yesterday. Bukedea District In Bukedea District, a number of Opposition aspirants who had shown interest in tussling it out with Ms Among were reportedly denied access to the precincts of Bukedea District Electoral Commission (EC) nomination centre. The first attempts to block the aspirants against Ms Among came last month when Ms Zipporah Akol, accused of having close ties with Ms Among, sued three aspirants on allegation that they are not registered voters nor residents of Bukedea.

Ms Norma Suzan Otai of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Mercy Marion Alupo of National Unity Platform (NUP), and Hellen Akol Odeke, an NRM-leaning Independent candidate were sued at the High Court in Kampala. This prompted NUP to front Ms Florence Asio to contest at the eleventh hour. But the final test came when the nomination kicked off with internet connectivity being disrupted and several aspirants failing to be nominated on the first day. Day two yesterday saw heightened security, with security personnel being deployed right from the heart of the town to the district headquarters, where the nomination exercise was being conducted.

Mr Emmy Lokira, the District Police Commander (DPC), said he was under express instructions to keep journalists out of the nomination venue.

‘If you want to access the venue, kindly get instructions from the EC [Electoral Commission] officers,’ he said. The DPC, who kept pacing up and down at the main gate to the Bukedea District headquarters, warned that the best the journalists could do was to keep off some 300 kilometres away from the district headquarters.

Mr Lokira declined to say where he got the orders to bar journalists, curtly saying there was no need to ask questions, and talk to whoever was allowed to get nominated.

Ms Norma Suzan Otai, of FDC, yesterday said she arrived at the district headquarters, but was denied access to the nomination venue.

‘After being told yesterday (Wednesday) that the network had become problematic, we were told to come back today. But to our surprise, we found a fortress of police guarding the place and waving away any Opposition aspirant and journalists,’ she said. Ms Otai said what happened in Bukedea District should worry every Ugandan as it kills the essence of multiparty democracy in the country.

She said with the theatrics that EC has engaged in, the Opposition has reason to get worried ahead of next year’s General Election.

‘I came set to have myself nominated, but from what I have gone through, there is little hope that justice will be served to us,” Ms Otai said. Bukedea District was the only one across the Teso sub-region where journalists were barred from accessing the EC precincts designated for nomination of the parliamentary candidates. Mr Nathan Eyagu, one of the bloggers who arrived at the venue as early as 8am, said their attempts to access the EC nomination centre were blocked by security personnel guarding the entrance to the district headquarters.

“It’s not safe, you can also take over. We are tired, but stay safe,” Mr Eyagu said as he exited the entrance. Mr Charles Okello, a National Unity Party (NUP) party member, who had camped at the gate since morning, said they were also asked to stay some 300 kilometres away. Mr Okello said whatever was happening at the EC nomination centre would never be known because even journalists had not been allowed into the nomination centre.

Mr Benson Ekwe, the executive director Public Affairs Centre (PAC), said whatever was happening in Bukedea was not good for democracy and would remain a dark stain on the history of free, fair, and transparent electoral engagement in Uganda. ‘It is like a football league, when you bar other teams from contesting, then it becomes a fix,” he said.

Mr Ekwe noted that Katakwi District, where the vice president comes from, has witnessed free political contestation, and questioned what makes Bukedea so special that journalists and other opposition candidates are being denied access to be nominated. On Wednesday, the EC nominated Ms Among of NRM for the Bukedea District Woman MP seat. Also nominated was incumbent Kachumbala County MP Patrick Isiagi Opolot (NRM); and Rose Akol Okulu, Beckham Okwere, and Johns Bosco Ikoja, all for Bukedea County parliamentary seat.

They then trooped to attend a mega public rally at the Bukedea sports arena in Bukedea Town Council, while others waited anxiously in vain for the Internet connectivity to be restored. Ms Among joined Parliament in 2011 as an Independent, but FDC-leaning. She later joined the NRM, and returned unopposed in 2021 and was elected as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament. She later became Speaker in 2022 after the death of Speaker Jacob Oulanyah on March 20, 2022.

EC responds

Mr Julius Mucunguzi, the EC spokesperson, told this publication yesterday that both the journalists and aspirants who were barred should have filed a formal complaint to the EC to have their issues addressed. He said the electoral laws say if there is any matter which any voter has regarding electoral process, or conduct at the EC nomination centre or EC tally centre, one can go to court and file a case with evidence.

Mr Mucunguzi said he couldn’t address a complaint whose specifics he doesn’t know about and whose formal petitions he has not seen. He said even the journalists’ complaints can be addressed through formal complaints. Mr Mucunguzi said the claims about what has happened is inconsequential because the EC has not received any complaint.

Ruhinda North

In Mitooma District, the Returning Officer, Mr Colleb Nahamya, declared Mr Tayebwa duly elected MP for Ruhinda North after his competitor, Mr Osbert Kato, who picked nomination forms on the Opposition NUP party ticket, failed to turn up. By press time, Mr Kato was unreachable to explain why he failed to turn up, but the excited Tayebwa, via his official X-platform, commended the voters for entrusting him once more.

‘Thank you, Ruhinda North, for sending me unopposed to represent you in Parliament in 2026-31. It is a challenge I appreciate. I will deliver,’ he posted. Mr Tayebwa, who has been in Parliament for two terms, is not new to being unopposed. The deputy Speaker, who has been the Ruhinda North legislator since 2016, was also unopposed for the NRM flag during the July internal polls. In 2016, he joined Parliament on NRM ticket and went unopposed as the pioneer MP of Ruhinda North constituency, which had been carved out of Ruhinda County.

In 2021, Mr Tayebwa came up against four other candidates, including Moses Twimukye, Yoram Atuhamize of Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Nelson Nuwahereza of the FDC, and Nathan Kapere Burgess. Mr Nahamya said the nomination process was successful in the district, as all candidates who expressed interest were duly nominated, except Mr Kato in Ruhinda North constituency.

‘He came at around 3pm, but did not have a national identity card, proof of payment of Shs3m, and did not have 10 supporters on his nomination papers,’ Mr Nahamya said. Mr Nahamya said they asked Mr Kato to use the remaining time before the closure of the exercise but he failed. ‘He went out and started making calls as we waited for him, but at exactly 5 pm, he came and told us he had failed. We were left with only Mr Tayebwa as the duly nominated candidate,’ he said.

Unopposed candidates

1. Anita Among (Bukedea District Woman).

2. Thomas Tayebwa (Ruhinda North).

3. Lillian Paparu Obiale (Arua District Woman).

4. Emmanuel Banya (Koboko County).

5. Jeniva Arinaitwe (Rubirizi District Woman).

6. Ruth Mushabe Rujoki (Kiruhura District Woman).

Dear Diary,

Today, I want to talk about something that has been plaguing womankind since the dawn of time, but has recently reached pandemic levels; short men with the confidence of LeBron James. And before the pitchforks come out, I don’t body shame.

I really don’t. I have a backside flatter than a 75-inch Samsung Flat Screen and I still dare to wear leggings in public. Who am I to judge anyone’s physical mis-proportions? But what I will judge is the audacity. The unearned, unexplained, absolutely bewildering audacity.

Last Thursday, I had one of those days. You know the ones, where your soul is leaving, your patience is drained, and your tired is tayad! I perched at the bar, legs crossed for balance and sanity, ready to sip my whiskey in peace and ponder about why my laundry multiplies faster than my savings.

I wasn’t being picky about company, until Mr. Booster Seat. He was perched at the other end of the bar, legs dangling like a child waiting for his Happy Meal, nursing a tall Nile Special that looked like a skyscraper in his hands. And this man, this tornado of misplaced confidence, looked at me like I’d been specifically marinated for him.

‘What beer can they give you?’ He offered, with the flourish of someone who definitely rehearsed that line in the mirror. ‘Black Label. Four shots. Neat,’ I replied, hoping the whiskey order would communicate the universal signal for Go Away! But no.

‘Madam, no one is buying you that!’

‘You are wrong. I am,’ I quipped.

You would think that would be the end of it. A polite closing of the conversational door. But hell knows no fury like a short man whose beer has been rejected by a whiskey-drinking girl. He shot off his barstool, and I mean literally launched himself, to stand and lecture me about why I should not assume he could not afford my drink.

It took every ounce of my willpower not to pick him up and place him on the bar counter so we could have this argument eye to eye. Here is what really gets me, this man’s confidence did not come from nowhere.

Somewhere, somehow, a kind-hearted woman looked at him and said, ‘You may be short, but it is sort of cute.’ She meant well. She was probably having her own moment of looks are not everything, let me give love a chance. She nurtured him. She suffered for it.

And then she launched him onto the rest of us.

Because now, every time we politely decline, every time we say ‘no thank you,’ every time we choose our whiskey over his beer, we get the speech.

‘You don’t know what you’re missing. Clearly you’ve never been with a real man.’ Sir, the only thing I’m missing out on is a quiet evening and my four shots of Black Label.

Short Kings, and yes, I’m talking to the ones we ditch our six-inch heels for so we don’t look like giraffes holding hands with a garden gnome: you already have so many shortcomings. Don’t add attitude to the cocktail.

Every time you see a 5’2′ man strutting around like a Greek god, chest puffed out, head tilted back as if he’s surveying his kingdom, just know; there’s a beautiful woman somewhere who accidentally created that monster and is now in therapy. She will never make that mistake again.

But the damage is done.

He is out here. Confident. Unshakeable. Delusional.

Next Thursday, I am drinking at home.