Category: Daily Monitor

After five action-packed days at Muteesa I Royal University in Masaka, Makerere University Business School (Mubs) emerged the best university side at the 2025 Annual Disability Sports Gala.

Mubs gathered valuable points from athletics, ball games, combat games, archery among others. In showdown, Bright Nuwasiima emerged the MVP after scoring 33 goals and gathered six points after winning all his three games against Makerere’s Muzafaru Isabirye, Gulu University’s John Ocira and Kyambogo’s Rogers Ojok in a round robin format.

Gulu came third on three points, Makerere third on two points, while Kyambogo picked no points after losing all their games.

In the females’ category, Makerere’s Resty Nantamba picked the MVP gong but again, Mubs took gold thanks to Charity Joy Chebet who scored 39 goals and fetched five points.

Nantamba took silver, Gulu’s Josephine Akidi picked bronze and Kyambogo, once again, picked no point, despite scoring 36 goals through Rachel Namara.

In goalball, Mubs took bronze following a 1-1 in their last game with sister university Makerere. Fred Lubangkene struck in the second half, piling pressure on Makerere, who had won their two games prior. Makerere eventually equalised through Paul Kakooza to win gold, relegating Gulu to a silver medal position.

Mubs picked more points from athletics. Daisy Denise got gold in 100m and 400m, plus silver in javelin.

Lubangkene got men’s 100m gold while Jimmy Innocent bagged 400m gold. Mubs also took ladies gold in the 1500m, while the men got silver.

In field events, Mubs dominated the podium with Basham Ali bagging the men’s shotput gold while Chebet and Mauvis Apia shared gold and silver in the women’s category. Makerere’s Miriam Awino settled for bronze.

Mubs’ Bruno Wandera won gold archery and badminton and silver in table tennis. The university picked silver in judo and bronze in blind football.

‘It’s been a successful tournament for us. Yes, the major aim is participation and each of our athletes have participated in at least three disciplines. But winning is equally important. It adds a spice to the participation,’ Mubs head coach Ali Zinda told Daily Monitor before being announced overall university champs on Friday evening. ‘We have picked gold medals, silver and bronze in different sports disciplines. We have also won trophies in different categories.’

Hornby High School were the ultimate champions in the secondary school category, while Gulu emerged the best among communities.

The annual gala is the biggest multisport expo for disability sports in Uganda and has since 2010 rotated in different districts and regions. But Uganda Paralympic Committee president Bumali Mpindi believes the numbers should be bigger if districts prioritise disability sport through inclusive budgeting.

‘Competition for medals and trophies isn’t the primary goal of this event. It’s participation and talent identification,’ Mpindi told us on the sidelines of the closing ceremony.

‘You have seen the excitement among the children; that invaluable feeling of ‘I too can make it like the others, after all I’m not the only one disabled’ is what we want to evoke. It drags that child from the despair of disability to look at life with ambition. Success stories begin with opportunities.’

Mpindi, who also represents persons with disabilities in parliament, reminded the government. ‘There are many persons with disabilities with a passion for sports. And their disciplines are also many, but some teams leave before the competitions end because their budgets are slim. How I wish the UPC could cover a huge chunk of their budget. But we can’t because we are also underfunded. The government should know that the athletes who raise our flag abroad begin here.’

OVERALL WINNERS

UNIVERSITIES

Mubs 102 pts

Gulu 79

Makerere 56

Kyambogo 49

SECONDARY SHOOLS

Hornby High School 112 pts

Gulu High School 104

Mvara SS 82

COMMUNITIES

Gulu 79 pts

Nwoya 65

Kampala 62

MUBS SELECT GOLD MEDALLISTS

Jimmy Innocent (400m)

Joy Chebet (shotput)

Basham Ali (shotput)

Daisy Denise (100m, 400m)

Fred Lubangkene (100m)

Bruno Wandera (archery)

Bright Nuwasiima (showdown)

With barely three months before Ugandans cast their votes, the election season is officially underway, sending the Central Bank into overdrive as it looks to hedge against shocks emanating from excessive spending ahead of the forthcoming election early next year.

Already, those seeking elective offices are outdoing not just each other but also themselves in an attempt to guarantee an electoral victory by hook or crook.

In the coming weeks and months, the ante will be raised as campaigning politicians continue to do whatever they can to attract voters’ attention, often through excessive spending, among other frivolous and outlandish measures, leaving the economy susceptible to inflation.

After the 2011 General Election, believed to be the most expensive in terms of excessive spending, Uganda’s economy was struggling with a 30 percent rise in inflation — the highest in two decades, resulting in an apology by the then Bank of Uganda Governor, the late Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile.

Although he did not specify how much exactly found its way into the electioneering, he was certain that the substantial government spending in 2011 was injected into campaigns, accounting for the aftermath inflation that took a toll on the economy, influencing interest rates while disrupting trade dynamics.

While exact totals for the 2011 election are not publicly consolidated, various studies and reports highlight that pre-election public spending surged significantly that year especially through activities like district creation, vote-buying, and accelerated social projects.

According to Alliance for Finance Monitoring (ACFIM) estimates, political parties and candidates channeled Shs4 trillion (about $1.08 billion) into campaign activities, nearly double the estimated Shs2.4 trillion spent in 2016.

Going by the estimates of 2021’s campaign spending of nearly Shs4 trillion ($1.08 billion) over roughly 15 months and rising political activity, the total election-related spending in this cycle could exceed those numbers, potentially reaching Shs5 trillion, or higher depending on whether the campaigns will engage another gear from now on and how resources will be deployed.

Electoral fever in recent political campaigns tends to pitch months, if not years, before the election. In several cases, two to three years before the election, those looking to run for elective positions begin to cement themselves in the electioneering season early.

This is manifested by careless spending by aspiring political players. At the same time, for the government it increases spending to boost popularity, paving the way for inflation and reduced consumer spending, slowing economic growth. This can be done by creating a flagship programme embedded in the national budget.

This is rooted in the estimates of 2021’s campaign spending of nearly Shs4 trillion ($1.08 billion) over roughly 15 months and rising political activity already.

Experience shows that the economy will pick up the bill incurred by political actors during the election season, with the economic managers left to battle inflation, policy uncertainty, causing economic slowdowns and market volatility.

Regulation

The director of research and policy at Bank of Uganda, Dr Adam Mugume, notes that the election year is no stranger to declarations and policies aiming to boost the performance of the economy. This can be achieved by increasing government spending, cutting taxes, or both, which increases consumption and encourages economic activities.

‘Elections are associated with expansionary fiscal policies or change in the composition of government expenditures to gain voters’ support, a phenomenon known as the political budget cycle in the literature.

‘However, Uganda has matured to go through these cycles with minimal distortions to the economy.

He notes: ‘Bank of Uganda monetary policy framework incorporates these kinds of shocks in terms of scenario analysis and takes appropriate actions much early, 12months before. Fiscal transparency in Uganda also limits the extent of the election cycle on the economy.

‘The aftermath of elections is hard to predict. This is what affects private sector investments as investors sit on the fence – wait and see approach.’

Anticipation

According to Dr Mugume, BoU has a robust monetary policy framework that allows judgment to be incorporated into the economic analysis before taking appropriate actions.

‘Where events are appropriately anticipated, they shouldn’t cause an inflation spiral. What complicates policy actions is when several events occur at the same time like a combination of a poor harvest, oil price shock and other global events, and election. The outcome of such a combination is very difficult to address using the only one available instrument of monetary policy,’ Dr Mugume says.

He is optimistic about the investment climate saying: ‘Uganda’s macroeconomic outlook in FY2025/26 remains solid with inflation of around 5 percent, economic growth of about 7 percent and exchange rate that is projected to remain stable. Consequently, workers’ remittances are projected to remain solid at about $1.5 billion and Foreign Direct Investment at about $3 billion.’

Risks of excessive expenditure

In a fiscal context where total government spending for 2025/26 is projected at around Shs72.4 trillion, such large election-related figures not budgeted as part of development priorities pose real risks to macroeconomic stability, debt servicing capacity, and funding for vital sectors.

Going by ACFIM estimates, Mr Julius Mukunda, an economist with over 15 years of experience managing economic governance, budget transparency and accountability programmes in Uganda, argues that the upcoming 2026 elections could again see very high spending, possibly on par with or above 2021 levels, particularly if early campaign dynamics intensify.

The trouble, according to Mr Mukunda who is also the executive director of CSBAG is, going by the 2021 ACFM figures as a benchmark, Shs4 trillion spent in election campaigns, around 8.6 percent of the national budget which was about Shs45.5 trillion in FY 2020/21, it can infer several economic risks, including inflationary pressure, sudden, large expenditures inject liquidity into the economy pushing up prices, especially of local goods and services.

A rising debt burden will be on the cards. The Auditor General report highlights challenges in Uganda’s public debt management, with the total public debt reaching Shs116 trillion as of June 2025.

This, he says, will be in addition to crowding out development spending. Allocating funds on a one-off election-related basis diverts resources from infrastructure, education, and healthcare delivery.

The other repercussion is weakened fiscal discipline and investor confidence. He says: ‘Repeated election-related overspending signals weak fiscal discipline, which can prompt credit rating downgrades and raise the cost of borrowing.

‘Both domestic and foreign investors may postpone or scale down investment decisions until after the elections, preferring to wait for a clearer post-election fiscal and political environment. This hesitation can slow economic activity and job creation in the short term.

Just like Dr Sarah Bireete, the founding partner and executive director for Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), a constitutional watchdog, who believes that commercialisation of politics in Uganda has reached excessive levels.

Mr Mukunda recommends that Parliament and the Finance Ministry should enforce legal caps on supplementary appropriations during election years.

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has called on the Judiciary to urgently resolve a growing backlog of tax-related cases, warning that delays are holding up more than Shs670 billion in potential revenue. Speaking during the induction of new justices of the Court of Appeal, the URA Commissioner General, Mr John Rujoki Musinguzi, said 58 tax appeals remain unresolved at both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, significantly affecting the country’s ability to meet its fiscal targets.

‘There are currently 58 appeals involving URA pending in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, with a combined value of over Shs671 billion. This is a substantial amount, and we appeal to the Judiciary to prioritise these cases,’ Mr Musinguzi said. Uganda’s tax collection has steadily improved over the past decade, but challenges persist.

In the 2024/2025 financial year, URA collected approximately Shs35 trillion-a notable increase from previous years, yet still short of government expectations. The government has set a revenue target of Shs40 trillion for the 2025/2026 financial year, alongside a goal to raise the tax to GDP ratio from 13.9 percent to at least 20 percent.

This push is part of efforts to reduce reliance on external borrowing and donor funding, while financing infrastructure and social services. However, prolonged tax disputes in court have created a bottleneck, delaying the collection of significant revenue. These unresolved cases not only stall inflows but also create uncertainty among taxpayers and investors, undermining compliance and confidence. Mr Musinguzi warned that the ripple effects of unresolved tax disputes extend beyond URA’s operations.

‘Prolonged tax disputes have profound implications, not just for the tax authority and taxpayers, but for the entire economy. We need timely, predictable, and consistent judicial decisions,’ he added. He described the Judiciary as a key stakeholder in revenue mobilisation and national development.

‘We see the Judiciary not only as an impartial arbiter but as a strategic partner in building public confidence in the tax system. Transparent and efficient justice encourages voluntary compliance and supports inclusive growth,’ he said. The induction brought together justices of the Court of Appeal, legal professionals, tax experts, and policymakers to examine Uganda’s legal and policy environment around taxation. Key topics included oil and gas taxation, tax and insolvency, and the impact of global business trends on domestic tax law.

Mr Musinguzi also highlighted URA’s ongoing digital transformation, including the roll-out of electronic invoicing, digital tax stamps, and online payment systems aimed at improving transparency and efficiency. However, he noted that these advances are introducing new legal complexities.

‘Digitalisation brings new challenges and questions around digital evidence, data integrity, privacy, and cross-border transactions. Many of these issues don’t fit neatly within existing legal frameworks. We welcome the Judiciary ‘s own steps toward innovation, including the use of virtual hearings, digital registries, and the Integrated Case Management Information System (ICMIS), and we commend it for embracing technology. With continued collaboration, we can reduce prolonged litigation, promote predictability in judgments, and better serve both taxpayers and the nation,’ he said.

Deputy Chief Justice Flavian Zeija acknowledged the delays in resolving tax cases and emphasised the need for reforms to improve judicial efficiency. ‘Tax is another complex and evolving area. Therefore, this training on tax adjudication for Justices of the Court of Appeal is both timely and necessary. It is imperative for me to emphasise the need for the Judiciary to adjudicate tax disputes in a timely manner. As you may be aware, it is through taxation that the government is able to provide most public and social services across the country,’ Justice Zeija said. He stressed that judicial decisions can have far-reaching consequences, particularly for Uganda’s investment climate.

‘Besides timely resolution of tax disputes being essential for revenue collection, it also builds investor confidence, which in turn promotes socio-economic development. Sometimes, our decisions can either make or break that confidence. Taxation has evolved significantly at the international level because we now live in a global village. It is therefore problematic to assume that we can sit in our chambers without understanding global trends. Otherwise, we may issue a decision that leads to a withdrawal of investors or capital,’ he further said. Justice Zeija urged judges to stay informed about international tax developments to avoid rulings that might inadvertently drive away investment.

‘I am not saying that every decision must favour investors, but we must always be cautious and well-informed about international trends, so that we can make the right decisions, which are guided by the law and aligned with the global context,’ he added. He also revealed that the Court of Appeal and Constitutional Court are currently grappling with a backlog of 13,474 cases, posing a serious challenge to timely justice delivery. ‘The question we must ask ourselves is: how can we deliver justice efficiently amid such a workload? This induction offers a valuable platform to reflect on that and plan accordingly,’ he said.

Over 2,000 students who sat for the May/June technical and vocational examinations across the country have failed to attain full competence in their respective programmes.

Releasing the results at their offices in Kyambogo, the executive secretary of the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB), Mr Onesmus Oyesigye, said that a total of 30,291 candidates registered for the May/June 2025 end-of-programme assessments, 17,245 (57%) of whom were female and 13,046 male.

Out of the total number registered, 26,610 candidates turned up for the final assessments, while 3,681 candidates were absent in one or more papers.

From those who sat, 24,116 candidates successfully acquired full competence.

However, a total of 2,494 students failed the examinations and are required to redo the papers.

Female candidates outperform males

Mr Oyesigye said that the completion rate across most programmes was very high, with the majority of training areas registering success rates above 75 per cent.

Female candidates, in particular, performed slightly better than their male counterparts.

‘Out of 15,399 female candidates who sat, 14,188 acquired full competence compared to 9,928 out of 11,211 male candidates,’ Mr Oyesigye revealed.

He attributed the improvement in performance among female learners to growing interest and participation of women in technical and vocational education, which has traditionally been male-dominated.

‘The performance of female candidates was better, and this is a very encouraging trend. It shows that more women are not only joining but also excelling in vocational and technical fields such as tailoring, cosmetology, catering, and even mechanical engineering,’ he said.

Releasing the results, the State Minister for Higher Education, Mr Chrysostom Muyingo, lauded the female candidates for their good performance.

‘This is an encouraging sign of government efforts to promote gender equity. These results underscore our collective dedication to empowering young Ugandans with skills that meet the demands of industry,’ he said.

Informal learners lead in numbers

UVTAB continues to provide opportunities for both formally and informally trained learners to have their skills assessed and certified.

Informally trained candidates contributed a total of 19,511 (64%), while those who were formally trained in institutions contributed 10,780 (36%).

Mr Oyesigye said the results reaffirm the effectiveness of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, which enables skilled individuals who did not attend formal training institutions to be assessed and certified.

‘This initiative is helping many Ugandans, especially those in the informal sector, gain national certification for the skills they already possess, which in turn improves their employability,’ he explained.

Special needs candidates excel

A total of 109 candidates with special needs were registered for assessments.

Out of these, 102 (94%) candidates sat for assessments and from this 85 (83%) acquired full competence, while 17% acquired some competence but will be given a chance to perfect their competencies when the Board conducts similar assessments.

Mr. Oyesigye also highlighted the participation of special needs candidates, who were fully supported to sit for their examinations under inclusive assessment arrangements.

‘We are happy that inclusivity remains at the heart of vocational education. Our candidates with special needs were given the necessary support, and they performed satisfactorily,’ he said.

He commended instructors and examination centres for creating a conducive environment that ensured fairness and accessibility for all learners regardless of physical challenges.

Mr Oyesigye urged parents, community leaders, and local governments to continue encouraging young people to pursue technical training, saying the country’s economic growth depends on a skilled and competent workforce.

‘Technical and vocational education is key to job creation, industrial growth, and national transformation. With the right skills, one can create employment rather than wait for it,’ he added.

Let me rub it in one more time. The 2026 election is going to setback Uganda by Shs838 billion. It shall buy us all the theatrics at nomination, the huge rallies, the promises and pronouncements, demonstrating ‘a dispensation that sticks to the tenets of democracy.’ We might also have abductions, imprisonment, and death.

After all that, Uganda’s current president, Gen Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for 40 years, is going to be announced the winner.

Barring ‘an act of God,’ he will go on for as long as he wishes. In parliament, you will have a trend similar to the one we have witnessed for the last 30 or so years.

About 70 percent of the incumbent MPs will find themselves out of job. Uganda shall swear in a fresh lot with pomp and magisterial ceremony.

The majority of those promising to abide by the Constitution will, by a country mile, come from the dominant ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party or be independents affiliated to it. That alone will make the Opposition MPs hapless and helpless bridesmaids for the ruling NRM party.

For most parts, they will stage walkouts to demonstrate their disagreement with laws and motions passed by the ruling NRM. Many of these will be the outcome of meetings from the NRM caucus at State House with the President in charge.

At times, they will receive funds (It can go up to Shs100 million per MP) to help them consult their constituents. Once in a while, there might be physical fights with flying chairs and street demonstrations by Opposition MPs to ‘prove’ that they are fighting for democracy. But first, they will begin by electing a Speaker, of course, from the NRM.

After this, they will proceed to the most important function: determining their remuneration. It will kick off with the mandatory facilitation of Shs200 million for a vehicle befitting their status. Here we are talking about Shs100 billion in total. One or two will walk out, but then keep the money credited to their accounts.

Many will proceed to buy a second-hand Japanese ambulance and brand it with their portraits and the words donated by your loving MP 2026-2031, thus turning it into a moving billboard. They will then proceed to share out the lucrative positions of Parliamentary Commissioners and heads of committees.

For the next five years, we shall hear endless arguments about the need to curb Uganda’s bloated, rubberstamp parliament that is a burden to the taxpayer. On the lower level, the cities, municipalities, and local councils will also carry out similar rituals after ‘solomonly’ swearing in.

They will then proceed to fight over sitting allowances with threats not to sit in council if they are not paid. As of 2021, Uganda had about 2,775,492 elected officers, meaning that for every 16 Ugandans, there was an elected leader to feed off the taxpayer.

In most local governments, the lion’s share of the budgets goes towards salaries and wages, plus other attendant expenses to maintain the human resources. Meanwhile, the state of the roads and bridges will go into further disrepair with natural disasters exacerbating the predicament.

Ironically, the hospitals to which MPs ferry patients in branded ambulances will have inadequate medicine, staff, and equipment. The schools too will suffer a similar fate, Characterised by dilapidated or under the tree shade classrooms, absent or no teachers, inadequate learning materials, and high drop-out and failure rates.

The number of pupils who are functionally illiterate, the ones who complete P7 but can’t read, write and can’t solve P3 mathematical problems will remain high. At the higher level, students will strike under the weight of tuition fees that their parents find difficult to afford.

The news will be dominated by unchecked corruption and impunity. By struggles in the business sector with high taxes and low sales. An agricultural sector affected by climate change and all manner of challenges. Yes, democracy is expensive no doubt, but is it an act of folly to do the same thing over and over again expecting different of better results.

The next five years will be full of grumbling about poor service delivery. The powers that be will respond with more administrative units ‘to bring services nearer to the people’ and other selective programmes that hand out cash to an insignificant number of individuals.

Uganda, with its mounting debt, will continue borrowing and paying interest to bilateral and multilateral agencies to run the country, including for recurrent expenditure like salaries and wages. This means that there will be little money and effort towards meaningful investment into production. That we shall leave to the ‘foreign investors’ as ours is mostly about consumption.

Interestingly, some of the countries that are funding Uganda do not have the same level of obsession or compliance with ‘western democracy’ like we do. Take China, for instance. Most of the effort is geared towards massive production, creation of gainful employment, welfare, and economic growth.

The goal is eventual global domination which has been achieved. In the last 30 years (1995 – 2025), China has shot up to becoming the world’s second largest economy, past democratic Britain, France, Germany, Japan etc. It has pushed more people out of extreme poverty than the entire African population.

Yet African countries have periodic elections (funded by mostly the West) in line with the dictates of democracy. ‘Undemocratic China’ (by Western definition) is now one of the major funders of development projects in extremely poor and highly indebted African democracies. Unlike Africa and Uganda in particular, in China, the focus is the welfare of its people.

It is about bringing bread to the table of people and ensuring that they are in well-housed, employed, their children go to school, and all are in good health. Here we are keeping up appearances as a ‘democratic state,’ which in effect is empowering a cabal to run the affairs of state in perpetuity- and steal from it. This great investment affects production, infrastructural growth and social development.

The irony is that this creates armies of dissatisfied young people who have become a threat to the state and the NRM government. So, the latter has to invest huge sums in coercive instruments and use undemocratic measures like abduction, torture, and killing to secure itself in power. All this turns the whole project of democracy into a mockery.

Adjumani District was painted yellow yesterday as supporters of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) gathered at Paridi Stadium to welcome President Museveni for his campaign tour.

The North West region town was alive with music, songs, and chants praising the NRM leader. Hundreds of residents, clad in yellow t-shirts, lined the streets while others craned their necks or jostled for a better view of the President at the rally podium.

The NRM District chairperson, Mr Charles Anzo Akuku, presented a memorandum highlighting key concerns affecting Adjumani, including the Apaa land conflict and the delayed construction of Laropi Bridge, which connects Adjumani to Moyo.

‘We appreciate the government for restoring peace in the country and in Apaa, especially through the deployment of the UPDF. But the land question still persists,’ he said.

On the bridge, Mr Akuku stressed the need for urgent construction. President Museveni, while not committing to immediate timelines, assured residents that Laropi Bridge and other connecting roads would be constructed.

‘We shall construct the Laropi Bridge because we are now tarmacking the road from Atiak-Adjumani to Laropi up to Koboko District,’ he said. Currently, a government-installed ferry facilitates crossings between Moyo and Adjumani, but its limited operation, ending around 7pm, forces locals to use boats and canoes, exposing them to dangers, including attacks by hippopotamuses. Once completed, the bridge is expected to significantly boost trade and the movement of goods and services between West Nile and Kajo-Keji in South Sudan.

State of infrastructure

The President also addressed the broader road infrastructure challenges, emphasising the importance of maintaining security roads while expanding tarmac projects. ‘The security road from Pakelle to Paboo and the road from Adjumani to Obongi must be worked on. Tarmac must always be in good condition because roads affect everyone-the public servant and the peasants alike,’ he said.

The long-standing Apaa land dispute, dating back to 2006, continues to affect more than 30,000 residents, fuelling tension and occasional violence between the Acholi and Madi communities. The conflict revolves around a 1,000 km² fertile area east of the Albert Nile, of which 831 km² is claimed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

Residents expressed disappointment that the President did not directly address the dispute during the rally. ‘I expected the President to pronounce himself on the border issues between Amuru and Adjumani because the conflict has led to many deaths. This must be resolved before we decide who to vote for,’ said Ms Lillian Dulu, a resident of Milia Village. The district chairperson, Mr Ben Anyama, highlighted the unresolved compensation for war claimants, noting that many locals lost property during the 1979 conflict.

‘The President compensated Lango and Acholi first. We have waited in vain. This feels like a betrayal,’ he said. During his speech, Mr Museveni emphasised peace, development, and wealth creation.

On Sunday evening we joined Ugandan football fans at St Mary’s Stadium, the home of Vipers Football Club, in Kitende on Entebbe Road. Vipers were up against Power Dynamos of Zambia to whom they lost in the CAF Champions League.

Ordinarily I would have let it pass. But these times are not ordinary. In the last 40 years, Ugandan football has come a very long way -eventually for the better. In the 80s and 90s most of the games were played at the Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium in downtown Kampala. It was the home of most clubs because football was mainly a Kampala affair.

Of course there was Mbale for Mbale Heroes, Bugembe the home of Nytil FC and Nile FC. Once in a few seasons you had teams from Masaka, Mbarara and Lira. But Nakivubo was the place that defined the game. In those days local football was the major source of entertainment for the young and old. Digital satellite TV had not yet brought us the option of the European game.

Night music shows and hanging out at bars or joints faced the challenge of insecurity. Many people went indoors early. Football fans thronged the stadium starting at 12:00 noon for a game whose kick-off time was at 4pm. You paid at the entrance but there were a lot of fake tickets.

The place would be full to capacity if you did not go early. The rivalry between the main clubs KCC FC, SC Villa, Express FC, Coffee, Nsambya FC, Nile FC, Nytil FC shook those grounds and made memorable evenings for many. It went into overdrive when the national team the Cranes hosted other countries in the same place.

As time went on you got other entertainment distractions. Music shows, foreign leagues on the now ubiquitous satellite television channels and the development of other sports like basketball came in to rival football.

But before that, the game was lucrative to a certain degree and attracted many wide-eyed officials who looked to pocket and selfishly protect the gains in the game. Successive Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) administrations attracted what at one time were derogatorily termed ‘potato growers.’

They formed cliques and run down the game. The culture of corruption invaded the game. Poor officiation, bribery etc. Privatisation buried clubs like Coffee, Nile, Nytil, Masaka Cooperatives narrowing down the scope of clubs, especially upcountry. Then you had violence in the stands.

If the fans did not like a decision by the referee, they contested it with stones and other projectiles and many were injured. Fans voted with their feet and left for their own sanity and safety. As the game of football grew globally, a lot of what was seen and read about the game brought interest and attention to many. Uganda got football agents who helped many to play in leagues in Europe and South America.

We now qualify for the elusive Africa Cup of Nations. Uganda has got a very good stadium, the Mandela National Stadium in Namboole and other modest venues with facilities for online purchase of tickets, convenient restrooms and cafeteria. Small things like branded replica shirts became part of the game. Fifa and CAF, the managers of the game globally and on the African continent respectively, became strict with the development and adherence to licences, standards, rules and regulations. They even made greater contributions financially and in the form of training to local football associations as incentives to develop the game.

Fufa had to normalise and style up or miss out. The government came in and with time Uganda started on the path of redemption. That is how we eventually got the administrations of Lawrence Mulindwa and now Moses Magogo. They have put up systems and the game has been growing. The government is also putting in a good amount of money. Uganda has many players on the global scene like Denis Onyango.

The recently concluded CHAN tournament which Uganda hosted with Kenya and Tanzania pulled crowds and brought a lot of hope, filling Namboole whenever the Cranes played. The players of this generation are well to do and command respect, unlike the ones that came before them, many of whom resorted to begging and died of alcohol abuse and poverty after retirement. Many companies like Hima Cement, Plascon, CHINT, are associated with clubs as sponsors. Once again, the game has become very lucrative and again birthed negative unintended consequence.

For instance, Fufa’s ‘new format’ which rubbed clubs the wrong way. It would mean the clubs playing more games thus needing more money to run their clubs, many of which are on shoe string budgets. It was full of explanations and rather complicated permutations. Journalists nicknamed it after the mathematical acronym, ‘BODMAS.’ Editor and Columnist Dan Kalinaki called it ‘a solution looking for a problem.’ Mulindwa pulled his Vipers team out of the new format.

Clubs like SC Villa played under protest. Fufa dug in and arrogantly claimed that as the owners of the league they would go ahead. The sponsors reportedly threatened to pull out. The stake holders for whom the game is played once again voted with their feet. Fans stayed away, leaving clubs playing to bare terraces. Many fans as a show of protest thronged Kitende on Sunday to show solidarity with Vipers and Lawrence Mulindwa.

The latter received a rousing welcome when he came into the stadium. Fufa climbed down the high horse and reverted to the old ‘home and away’ format, putting on a brave face that it would ‘use the year to teach the format.’ The cart was put back behind the horse. What you notice about football in Uganda today is the perception that politics seems to have reared its ugly head in the arena. Magogo the boss of Fufa is the husband to the Speaker Anita Among and they are all NRM MPs. Whatever Magogo’s wrongs and good deeds, he does not escape scrutiny fairly or unfairly, with those lenses.

Many people view any success on his side or in the game as a gain for ‘the other side.’ For instance, when Uganda received two extra time minute penalties against South Africa which put Uganda in the group stages during CHAN, several Ugandans claimed they were not justified. Then when Uganda conceded two penalties against Algeria during the World Cup qualifiers that buried Uganda’s chances of qualification, a good number said it was ‘the correct decision!’

I think Fufa needs to go back to the drawing board. There is need for a new constitution that divorces its leadership from those who are actively in partisan politics. It should also make it easier for everyone to contest for leadership to avoid arrogance and complacency. Economic interest of those who run the game should be transparent, to avoid suspicions of conflict. A good country like ours full of young people needs a vibrant good game devoid of detrimental conflicts.

Ms Brenda Nambozo’s joy as a mother turned into fear when her child’s head began to grow larger. ‘I became really scared,’ Ms Nambozo, a resident of Nkoma in the Northern City Division in Mbale City, narrates. Ms Nambozo says the community told her that her child needed to be taken to a shrine for cleansing in order to be healed. ‘In many communities, hydrocephalus is often viewed as a curse. In some areas, there have been reports of drowning such children in rivers to rid them of this supposed curse but I refused that,’ she says.

‘I am a Christian and I cannot take my child to a shrine, and so I decided to take her to the hospital,’ she adds. At the local health centre, the child was diagnosed with hydrocephalus.Hydrocephalus is the buildup of fluid in cavities called ventricles deep within the brain. The excess fluid increases the size of the ventricles and puts pressure on the brain. Ms Nambozo is one of many parents grappling with the issue of neurological conditions in children.

Public health concern

Ms Angelina Wapakhabulo, the board member at CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda, says neurological conditions continue to be a growing public health concern in Uganda, affecting both children and adults nationwide. ‘Studies show that millions of Ugandans live with disorders of the brain and nervous system, including epilepsy, hydrocephalus, spina bifida, stroke, and neuropathies,’ she says. A community survey in Mukono District found that approximately three percent of the population suffers from neurological disorders.

The most common neurological conditions include peripheral neuropathy (46.2 percent), chronic headaches (26.4 percent), epilepsy (8.5 percent), and stroke (7.3 percent). Nationally, experts estimate that more than 8,000 new cases of hydrocephalus occur each year, while spina bifida and brain tumors remain significant causes of childhood disability and death. Health experts attribute the rising burden of neurological conditions to factors such as birth complications, infections, malnutrition, and head injuries.

Mothers’ experiences

Ms Azida Namakula, another mother, says when she went into labour, everything seemed normal. The doctors prepared her for delivery, and within an hour, her baby arrived. However, the room fell silent. Her son, Ashan, was born with severe complications; his forehead obscured his eyes and nose. The midwife gasped and fled the labour suite, frightened by his appearance. Unlike typical newborns, Ashan did not cry, barely moved, and could not breastfeed. ‘I begged the doctors to let me stay for observation because I was scared, but they refused,’ Ms Namakula says. Upon returning home, her husband turned her away and stopped answering her calls after learning about the baby’s condition.

Meanwhile, Ms Stella Nabwire from Sironko District says her six-year-old daughter began complaining of headaches and fatigue. Initially, the family suspected malaria or stress from school. But as Mercy grew weaker, often holding her head and crying in pain, they sought help. ‘We went from one hospital to another, but no one could tell us what was wrong,’ Ms Nabwire says. She adds: ‘When they finally did scans, they informed me that my child had a brain tumour.’ In Budaka District, Ms Sophia Naula’s baby was born with spina bifida, a condition where part of the spinal cord is exposed, which can lead to paralysis of the legs without treatment.

‘I kept asking myself what I did wrong. What hurt me the most was that the doctors didn’t take it seriously; they claimed it was a minor issue,’ she says. Sent home without support, Ms Naula and her husband spent sleepless nights searching for help. Ms Grace Namutosi, a resident of Budaka District, recalls the day her life changed when her daughter was knocked by a speeding motorcycle. ‘She fell and suffered a severe head injury. We rushed her to the nearest clinic, but they said the injury was too deep and that she needed special care,’ she says.

Hope

However, CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda offers hope to families struggling to take care of children with neurological conditions. The hospital, which specialises in paediatric neurosurgery, officially opened on January 19, 2001. Located in Mbale, it has become a beacon of hope for mothers and children facing life-threatening neurological conditions. It provides free treatment to vulnerable children suffering from conditions such as hydrocephalus, spina bifida, encephalocele, brain tumours, epilepsy, dermoid cysts, and other complex brain disorders. Annually, the hospital performs more than 2,000 life-changing surgeries and provides more than 11,000 outpatient treatments for children across the country and beyond. Over the past 23 years, CURE Uganda has treated more than 30,000 children.

Ms Nambozo says her local health centre referred her to CURE hospital, where the child underwent successful surgery. Ms Namakula says: ‘A friend informed me about CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda where surgery was done and Ashan was cured.’ Ms Namutosi says doctors at CURE Children’s Hospital discovered that her child had a skull fracture and internal bleeding. ‘But the doctors at CURE worked tirelessly to save her. They cleaned the wound, performed surgery, and prayed with me. Today, my daughter is alive, laughing, and back in school,’ she says. Ms Naula says: ‘When I arrived at the hospital, I felt peace for the first time. They didn’t look at my child with fear-they looked at her with care.’ Ms Nabwire says the family sought treatment at CURE Uganda and a treatment plan was initiated. ‘It was difficult, but they gave me strength and they told me my daughter’s life mattered-and that changed everything,’ she says.

Funding

However, the hospital requires funds to treat the patients. Every year, the hospital requires about Shs19 billion to conduct the surgeries. Out of this, only Shs1 billion is raised locally through organised charity shows, the annual brain surgery runs, and donors, among others. The big share of funding comes from well-wishers outside the country. A single operation can cost up to Shs7.5 million. Ms Angelina Wapakhabulo, the former ambassador to Kenya and the wife of the late former Speaker of Parliament, James Wapakhabulo, says continuous generosity has remained a crucial lifeline for thousands of children suffering from severe neurological conditions.

‘Most families seeking care at CURE struggle to afford the high costs of neurosurgical procedures – a single operation can cost up to Shs7.5 million, an amount far beyond the means of many rural Ugandan households,’ she says. Dr Emma Wegoye, the medical director at CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda, says without sponsorship, many children would not survive the conditions. ‘We receive children from all regions of Uganda and even from neighbouring countries, but many still fail to reach us due to poverty,’ Dr Wegoye said. To raise additional funds and attract more donors, CURE Uganda organises the Brain Surgery Run each year. This year’s event, the CURE Brain Surgery Run 2025, has a goal of raising Shs1 billion to support children needing life-saving brain surgeries. The event serves not only as a major fundraising drive but also as an awareness campaign that rallies communities, partners, and individuals to support children suffering from severe neurological conditions.

Mr Tim Erickson, the executive director of CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda, said CURE’s approach goes beyond treating illness; it restores hope, faith, and purpose to families who have lost all three. ‘At CURE, we are not just performing surgeries; we are restoring dignity, rebuilding families, and healing communities,’ he said. Mr George William Wopuwa, the Resident City Commissioner (RCC) for Mbale City, commended CURE Uganda for its long-standing service to the nation. “I was here in 1997 when we broke ground for this hospital, and it is an honour to return after all these years,’ he said. Ms Rosemary Kusaba Byanyima, the executive director of Mulago National Referral Hospital, praised CURE Uganda for its crucial contribution to managing neurological cases in the country. ‘CURE has been a great support to us, particularly given the increasing number of neurological cases in Uganda,’ she said.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) party has unveiled a new candidate for the Bukedea District woman parliamentary seat following the Electoral Commission (EC)’s recommendation to remove three aspirants from the National Voters Register. The chairperson of the NUP’s Election Management Committee yesterday announced Ms Florence Asio as the party’s new flagbearer, replacing Ms Mercy Alupo.

Ms Alupo had initially been selected to challenge the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, who represents the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party. The Electoral Commission (EC) on October 6 upheld tribunal recommendations to delete three Bukedea parliamentary aspirants from the National Voters Register, saying the process was lawful and followed due procedure.

In an affidavit filed before the High Court in Kampala, the EC, represented by Acting Secretary Richard Kamugisha Baabo, stated that it had reviewed the complaints concerning the deletion of names from the electoral register. The Commission verified that the parish tribunals had acted lawfully in recommending the removal of Norma Susan Otai (FDC), Mercy Alupo (NUP), and Hellen Akol Odeke (Independent). The case was filed by Zipporah Akol, a resident of Bukedea, seeking to block the nomination of the three women who are seeking to challenge Ms Among, the incumbent Bukedea District Woman MP. Judge Simon Peter Kinobe has fixed October 27 for ruling.

Speaking to journalists at the NUP headquarters in Makerere-Kavule before heading out for campaign activities yesterday, NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, criticised the EC’s move to delete the names of the aspirants. Mr Kyagulanyi said the EC’s decision undermines democratic principles ahead of the 2026 elections. Mr Kyagulanyi called for unity within the party and urged Ms Alupo to support the new flagbearer. He said NUP would mobilise widespread support to block Ms Among’s re-election bid. Ms Asio, in her remarks, said her campaign would focus on addressing injustices faced by women, advocating for human rights, promoting employment opportunities, and pushing for better governance.

FDC stands by Otai

Meanwhile, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has reaffirmed its support for Ms Norma Otai as its candidate for the Bukedea seat. Mr Augustine Ojobile, the party’s electoral commission secretary, said there was no legal justification for her removal from the voters register. He maintained that Ms Otai’s name still appears in the EC system and dismissed the deletion as baseless. He warned that FDC would not entertain what he called ‘legal gymnastics’ and vowed to nominate her regardless of the obstacles. FDC said it would not change its candidate and is prepared to challenge the EC in court if Ms Otai is blocked from nomination. Parliamentary nominations are scheduled for October 22 and 23. Justice Simon Peter Kinobe, who is handling the case, has set October 27, to deliver his ruling, five days after the nomination window closes.

Petitions hearing set today

In the same vein, the Deputy Registrar Simon Zirintusa Kintu, in an October 20, letter announced that the High Court set today, October 21, to hear the two petitions that were filed against the EC by Ms Alupo, and Ms Norma Otai, challenging the deletion of their names from the National Voters Register and being blocked from contesting for Bukedea District Woman MP. ‘Take notice that the hearing of this case has been fixed for the October 21, at 9am in the fore/afternoon or soon thereafter as the case can be heard in this court, If no appearance is made on your behalf, by yourself/your pleader or someone authorised by law to act for you, the case will be heard in your absence,’ Registrar Zirintusa’s stated in the letter.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, yesterday launched his four-day campaign tour of Bunyoro Sub-region, beginning with rallies in Kibaale and Kagadi districts. Addressing his first rally at Bujuni Primary School playground in Kibaale District in the afternoon, Mr Kyagulanyi promised that, if elected, he would ensure that the people of Bunyoro directly benefit from the country’s oil proceeds within his first year in office. He accused the current government of neglecting the people of Bunyoro, despite the sub-region’s vast oil wealth. ‘A few days ago, I was in Busia, a place rich in gold deposits that could transform the entire country.

Here in Bunyoro, you have oil, yet look at the poverty levels, hospitals, and schools,’ Mr Kyagulanyi said. ‘This region could be the Dubai of Uganda. The so-called oil city is just by name. The oil can solve all your problems if managed well,’ he added. During the 2021 General Election, Mr Kyagulanyi came second to President Museveni in Kibaale District, polling 5,429 votes, while the incumbent secured 35,804 votes. The NUP leader said under his government, revenue from oil would first be used to transform Bunyoro before being distributed to other areas. ‘You’ve heard President Museveni say my oil, not our oil,’ Mr Kyagulanyi said. ‘Until we remove him from power, you will never benefit. Imagine giving you only one percent of the proceeds. Even the 10 percent royalty you’re demanding is too little. We shall use oil as capital to transform this country,’ he added.

In Hoima District, the construction of Kabaale International Airport and other oil infrastructure continues to reshape the landscape. According to the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), as of November 2024, the oil sector employed 14,910 people-including 1,521 expatriates and 13,389 Ugandans. Later in the day, Mr Kyagulanyi held his second rally at Kanyatsi playground in Kagadi District, where he turned his focus to land evictions and unemployment. He said many families in Bunyoro continue to face land grabbing and forced evictions, largely driven by the region’s natural resources. ‘In Bunyoro, all the people who have been evicted, once I am in office, you will come with your evidence of land ownership, and we shall resettle you,’ he pledged. He also promised to revamp education and health services in the sub-region, adding that many schools and health centres remain underfunded and understaffed. Mr Kyagulanyi’s campaign will continue today in Hoima and Kikuube districts.

At a glance

According to the 2024 Census, Kibaale District has a population of 237,088 . Youth unemployment remains high, with 17,308 young people aged 10-30 classified as not in employment, education or training (NEET), while 13,935 of those aged 15-24 are unemployed. In Kagadi District, the total population stands at 471,111, with 41,162 youth aged 18-30 unemployed, according to UBOS data.