Category: Daily Monitor

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.

The government is seeking parliamentary approval to borrow more than Shs8.2 trillion from both commercial banks and development partners to finance key infrastructure and energy projects across the country.

According to details submitted to Parliament yesterday by the Finance State minister Henry Musasizi, the proposed loans are meant to fund the construction of oil roads in Ntoroko District, the upgrading of major roads in Jinja City and Kamuli District, and the establishment of critical power transmission lines across the country. The loans will be obtained from the World Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and Citi Bank.

The largest portion of Shs4.7 trillion ($1.341m) will come from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group. These funds will be directed toward the fourth phase of the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF IV), the second phase of the Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP II), the Uganda Learning Acceleration Programme (ULEARN), the Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) programme, and the Uganda Strengthening Public Investment and Asset Management for Growth and Resilience Programme (PIMPLUS).

The government is also seeking to borrow Shs1.4 trillion (pound 342.5m) from Standard Chartered Bank to finance the construction of the 400kV Karuma-Tororo double circuit transmission line, associated substations, and the 132/33kV Ntinda substation.

Another Shs933.7b (pound 230.4m) will be borrowed, also from Citi Bank, to fund the design and construction of the Jinja-Mbulamuti-Kamuli-Bukungu Road, measuring 127 kilometres, as well as 10 kilometres of Jinja City roads. In addition to this, Parliament will consider a proposal to borrow about Shs781.7b (pound 192.9m) from Citi Bank to finance phase one of the Enhancing Agricultural Production, Quality, and Standards for Market Access Project.

The fifth loan will involve borrowing Shs469.2b (pound 115.8m) from Standard Chartered Bank to finance critical oil roads under Package 6B. This includes the design and upgrading of the Karugutu-Ntoroko Road (56.5km), a link to Rwebisengo (8.2km), and 3.3 kilometres of town roads in Ntoroko District, totalling 68 kilometres. Uganda’s public debt has reached Shs116.2 trillion, according to the latest Annual Debt Statistical Bulletin and Public Debt Portfolio Analysis compiled by the Ministry of Finance.

Of this amount, external debt stands at Shs62.8 trillion ($15.5b), while domestic debt has risen to Shs68 trillion ($16.8b). This represents a 26.2 percent increase in total public debt within a year, up from Shs89.5 trillion recorded in June 2024.

The continuous borrowing trend has sparked concern among economists and policymakers about the sustainability of Uganda’s debt levels. However, the government maintains that the new loans are targeted toward productive sectors that will boost economic growth, improve infrastructure, and enhance service delivery.

Parliament’s consideration of these loans comes months after the House passed the Shs72.3 trillion national budget for the 2025/2026 financial year, with the government indicating plans to borrow Shs32 trillion, about 44 percent of the total budget to finance development programmes.

The remaining Shs34 trillion is expected to be raised through domestic revenue collections by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). During the same session, the Ministry of Finance also tabled before Parliament a supplementary expenditure schedule for the 2025/2026 financial year, outlining additional funding for sectors that they said were not adequately catered for in the approved budget. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, who chaired yesterday’s plenary, referred the loan requirement to the responsible committees.

Legislators react on loans

The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, raised concern over the manner in which parliamentary committees are processing the loan requests worth Shs8.2 trillion. Mr Ssenyonyi said he had received reports that some of the loans had already been approved by the responsible committees and that reports were being signed, even before the requests were formally presented on the floor of Parliament, as required by law.

He noted that while government was seeking to borrow the funds to finance infrastructure and energy projects, the process appeared to have skipped crucial procedural steps. ‘I am concerned that the Committee on National Economy has been meeting and processing these loans before they are tabled in Parliament.

Reports are already being signed, yet the House has not formally received the loan requests,’ Mr Ssenyonyi said. In response, Mr Tayebwa acknowledged that some committees were handling urgent loans whose approval deadlines were approaching.

He, however, said he was not aware of the specific loans in question and promised to follow up on the matter to ensure due process is observed. He indicated that the loans are going to be handled on Tuesday and the supplementary budget will be handled on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, some Members of Parliament questioned why their districts were left out of the planned infrastructure projects, yet the entire country will be responsible for repaying the loans.

Kalungu West County MP Joseph Ssewungu expressed concern that despite government’s continuous borrowing, newly created districts such as Kalungu and Mitooma have not been allocated any major road projects. He said residents in these districts also deserve to benefit from the loans since they will contribute to their repayment through taxes.

Tororo District Woman MP Sarah Opendi raised a similar concern, saying government has repeatedly promised to construct the Nabumali-Butaleja-Namutumba road and the road connecting to Tororo since 2000, but the projects have never materialised.

Uganda is losing approximately $500 million (Shs1.74 trillion) annually to money laundering and other illicit financial flows, according to data from the Uganda Revenue Authority and the Ministry of Finance. This figure represents about 0.6 percent of the $88.6 billion that Africa loses annually to such schemes.

Africa loses

At the ongoing high-level Africa Civil Society Conference, focusing on strengthening Africa’s fight against money laundering, terrorism financing, and illicit financial flows, taking place in Gaborone, Botswana, financial experts revealed that Africa is losing up to $88.6 billion annually through money laundering and illicit financial outflows. The Executive Director of Civic Advisory Hub-Uganda, Mr Yona Wanjala, said if Africans were to successfully tackle this challenge, it would save a lot of money to invest in transformation. ‘Africa is grappling with challenges of money laundering and terrorism financing. Statistics reveal that on an annual basis, we lose close to $88.6 billion. If this money were ploughed back, it would help us achieve many goals,’ Mr Wanjala said.

Africa’s commitment

The conference, organised by Civic Advisory Hub-Uganda, Spaces for Change (Nigeria), the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs of Botswana, and the Institute for Combating Illicit Financial Flows at the University of Botswana, has brought together civil society leaders, government representatives, regional bodies, regulators, and financial institutions to renew their commitment to combating money laundering, countering terrorism, and disrupting its financing across Africa.ing vice

While officiating at the conference held under the theme ”Placing civic space at the heart of combating money laundering, countering terrorism, and its financing in Africa,” the President of Botswana, Mr Gideon Boko, urged African leaders to put an end to the theft of public resources, highlighting it as one of the major sources of laundered funds. ‘What money is this that is being laundered? Where does it come from? Why do we have the problem? This is because of this ingrained weakness or propensity to enrich themselves to amass obscene levels of wealth. Those who hold public office turn the public purse into their own private chest of resources. They steal resources entrusted to them and appropriate these for their own benefits,’ he said

LAUNDERING FIGHT IN UGANDA

As Uganda prepares for its next Financial Action Task Force (FATF) evaluation in 2028, the country faces a critical test in its fight against money laundering and terrorism financing. While the country registered a major milestone by coming off the FATF ”grey list” in February 2024, experts have since warned that the risk of backsliding remains high.

Only 20 women have won the Nobel Peace Prize out of 92 men since the award was established in 1901 through the will of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor and philanthropist.

Last week, the 20th woman, María Corina Machado of Venezuela, joined that elite circle for leading the struggle for democracy in the face of authoritarianism.

Africa’s first female laureate, Prof Wangari Maathai, was honoured in 2004 for her fight for ‘sustainable development, democracy, and peace.’ Her Green Belt Movement made her the conscience of a continent. Uganda, too, once had a woman who seemed destined for similar glory, Beatrice Anywar, famously known as Mama Mabira.

In 2007, Anywar led massive protests against the government’s plan to give away part of the Mabira Forest Reserve to the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (SCOUL). Her courage captured the national imagination; she stood up to power, and Ugandans rallied behind her to save one of the country’s most important ecosystems. That moment defined environmental activism in Uganda and gave her a profile worthy of international recognition.

Eighteen years later, however, the environmental defender has become the minister of Environment, and is now silent while the forests she once protected come under assault once again. On Monday, October 13, 2025 (pg 2), the Daily Monitor reported that the government had allocated 150 acres of Kitubulu Central Forest Reserve in Entebbe to a Chinese investor, Tian Tang Group, to build a $500 million complex of government offices, hotels, malls, and a hospital.

The plan, championed by State Minister for Investment Evelyn Anite with the approval of President Museveni, is justified as creating an ‘alternative capital city.’ The question, though, is whether we need to destroy a protected forest in pursuit of that vision.

Would China itself allow Ugandan investors to build malls in its reforested lands? According to FAO, China planted roughly 90 million acres of new forest between 2016 and 2020, while Uganda loses between 125,000 and 300,000 acres each year through deforestation.

The contrast is staggering: as China plants, Uganda clears. Local leaders, led by Entebbe Mayor Fabrice Ruhinda, say they were never consulted about the giveaway. They argue that Kitubulu Forest, one of the few remaining natural habitats along Lake Victoria, serves as a vital buffer protecting water quality and biodiversity.

In a democracy, their voices matter; mayors represent the wananchi, and projects of such scale should not proceed without public participation. Infrastructure is important, yes, but not at the cost of the very environment that sustains us. The same government that touts climate-action commitments at international conferences cannot justify turning its back on local conservation for short-term commercial gains.

Development could still proceed with far less environmental damage: a smaller parcel, say, 10 to 15 acres, within already degraded or idle land around Entebbe could host the proposed government complex. Uganda has vast brownfield sites, former industrial zones, and underutilised state land that could be repurposed without touching a protected forest.

True modernisation should balance economic growth with ecological integrity; building concrete over carbon sinks is neither visionary nor sustainable. And where is Mama Mabira? Her silence is deafening. The woman who once stood up to protect Uganda’s lungs now sits at the table of those cutting them down.

In Uganda, they say, you don’t talk while eating. So, one wonders, did Beatrice Anywar trade her chance at a Nobel Peace Prize for a ministerial appointment, and with it, her voice for Uganda’s forests?

The National Drug Authority (NDA) has ordered an immediate recall of all batches of the anaesthesia drug Bupitroy Heavy from the Ugandan market, citing severe and potentially fatal side effects. In an October 16 letter addressed to the pharmacist-in-charge at Abacus Pharma (A) Ltd, the NDA Secretary, Dr David Nahamya, said the regulator had received multiple complaints from health facilities over an extended period.

‘The National Drug Authority (NDA) has received multiple complaints from health facilities concerning the product noted below over an extended period, including: Severe, life-threatening adverse drug reactions, some with fatal outcomes,’ Dr Nahamya stated. NDA also noted that the drug, whose generic name is Bupivacaine, failed to deliver its intended pharmacological effect, resulting in inadequate anaesthesia and treatment failures.

‘You are hereby instructed to conduct an immediate recall of all batches of this product on the market,’ the letter reads. The NDA classified the action as a Class A recall, the most serious category. The regulator says a Class A recall signifies a ‘reasonable probability’ that the drug could cause serious health consequences or death, requiring urgent removal from circulation to protect patients.

An NDA source underscored the urgency of the recall: ‘This is a critical measure to safeguard public health. A Class A recall signals that the drug’s risks significantly outweigh its benefits, posing a substantial threat of serious harm or fatality,’ the source said. Abacus Pharma has been instructed to submit a detailed recall status report within three days. The report must include the quantity and distribution of the drug, a list of clients notified, and feedback received.

Global regulatory bodies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency list Bupivacaine as a widely used aesthetic. According to the US National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the drug was first discovered in 1957. Locally, NDA records confirm that Bupivacaine is registered for human use in Uganda, meaning it passed regulatory assessment and was approved for sale. The NDA letter did not cite specific product defects. However, sources suggested that ‘by the time of testing the product was fine. Maybe issues came from how the drug was stored.’ The NDA drug register lists Troikaa Pharmaceuticals Limited as the licence holder, with Abacus Pharma (Africa) Ltd serving as the local technical representative.

Bupivacaine is used as a local aesthetic during surgical procedures. According to NCBI, common side effects include nausea, vomiting, chills, headache, back pain, dizziness, sexual dysfunction, restlessness, anxiety, vertigo, and tinnitus. More serious adverse effects include blurry vision, tremors, convulsions, myoclonic jerks, coma, and cardiovascular collapse, which can be fatal. A 2023 report by Dr Fourutan Shafiei and colleagues at the Kendall Regional Medical Centre in the US advises clinicians to ‘exercise caution in patients with hypersensitivity to sulfites, liver impairment (the liver clears amides), kidney impairment, impaired cardiac function, heart block, elderly, debilitated, or acutely ill patients.’

It remains unclear whether clinicians in Uganda followed all recommended guidelines when administering the drug or were fully aware of its risks. NDA sources reiterated that a Class A recall is only issued when the drug’s risks outweigh its benefits. ‘It is supposed to address a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a volatile product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death,’ another NDA source added.

Rising trend

In August, NDA ordered the withdrawal of calcium gluconate, a critical medication for heart conditions, over safety concerns. Between 2021 and 2022, NDA records show that at least 19 drugs and medical devices were recalled in Uganda due to safety or potency issues, reflecting the regulator’s active post-market surveillance efforts.

The Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Beate Meinl, has called on International community to consider financing Uganda’s refugee response amid hard economic times, noting that the East African nation hosts one of the largest numbers of refugees in the world.

“The international community should recognise how important it is to further support Uganda and strengthen the refugee response. I will convey to my country that we need to continue with refugee support,” Ms Meinl said amid a thunderous applause from the urban refugees who were present during her visit to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Kansanga access centre, Kampala.

Ms Meinl, who was flanked by Uganda’s Commissioner for refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Patrick Okello, the Austrian ambassador to Uganda, Ms Yvonne Katja and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees staff, commended Uganda for the open-door policy and noted that the country needs a boost to accommodate the swelling number of refugees.

Available records indicate that Uganda hosts 1,955,370 refugees and asylum seekers, the majority of whom are women and children.

The continuous aid cuts are frustrating Uganda’s refugee response efforts amid refugee influx from the neighbouring war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan, among others.

Ms Meinl disclosed that through the Federal Agency for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, Austrian Development Agency (ADA), and the Foreign Disaster Fund, Austria has provided humanitarian assistance worth about 120 million euros since 2004 to mitigate humanitarian crises across the globe.

In Uganda, she said Austria’s humanitarian commitment is implemented through UN agencies and Civil Society, noting that ADA has contributed 4.1 million euros to the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) assistance to UNHCR in Uganda between 2024 and 2025.

The WASH interventions aim to increase access to clean drinking water within the 13 refugee settlements across Uganda and ensure dignified conditions and sanitation services to the refugees.

According to her, the ADA financial contribution, funds 65 percent of the prioritised critical WASH needs of UNHCR Uganda and benefits 1,217,250 people, 941000 refugees and asylum seekers, in addition to 276250 host community members.

Ms Katja said Austria remains deeply committed to refugee protection and humanterian assistance as a shared global responsibility.

Ms Joyce Lawa, a single mother of four and an urban refugee from South Sudan who has lived in Kampala for close to 10 years appealed to the government of Uganda to consider offering jobs to refugees who are professionals so that they can easily make ends meet.

Ms Lawa noted that her efforts to acquire a degree in Business Administration from Makerere University Business School (MUBs) are still fruitless given that her attempts to search for a formal job have been in vain.

“We have refugees who are teachers, medical doctors, engineers, among other professions but it is not easy for us to get jobs. Besides, the process of certifying our academic documents is not an easy one,” Ms Lawa said.

Mr Patrick Okello, the Commissioner for Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister said Uganda’s open door policy has seen refugees enjoy more or less rights as citizens.

“They have a right to work when they qualify for specific professions. Those who have qualifications in courses like medicine and engineering, among others. We normally advise them to take their papers to the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) for certification and upon certification of documents, they can compete for the available jobs like any other person,” Mr Okello clarified.

He also noted that the government is supporting refugees to be self-reliant by encouraging them to explore different sources of income.

A total of 730,668 people aged 10 years and above in the Tooro and Rwenzori sub-regions are living with various mental health disorders, according to the 2024 National Housing and Population Census. The sub-regions have a total population of 3,378,840 people.

The census report states that the disorders include psychological distress, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, psychosis, and suicidality. This hints at a widespread and growing mental health burden in the sub-regions. Kasese District has the highest number of people affected, 169,711 individuals; followed by Kyegegwa District with 159,281; and Kyenjojo District with 118,219, the report states.

It adds that the three districts alone account for more than half of the total mental health cases in the two sub-regions.

Despite the high demand for care, Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital is the only specialised facility with a mental health unit serving the sub-regions. However, the facility is understaffed, underfunded, and overwhelmed.

The unit’s principal psychiatrist, Dr Martin Ibanda, says due to the increasing number of admissions, the facility is overwhelmed.

Rising cases

Dr Ibanda explains that the rising numbers have forced some patients to sleep on the floor, while others are discharged earlier than recommended to create space for new admissions.

‘We are handling about 100 patients every day. To serve them better, we established specific clinic days: on Mondays and Fridays, we conduct major ward rounds; Tuesdays are for epilepsy patients; and Wednesdays are dedicated to patients with drug-related mental disorders,’ he says.

He adds that the hospital conducts quarterly outreach programmes in various districts to follow up on patients who have previously visited the facility.

‘We are supposed to have regular outreaches and home visits, but this remains a challenge because we are not well facilitated. We should be visiting patients and their caretakers in their communities to offer support, but limited resources make this difficult,’ Dr Ibanda explains.

The principal psychiatrist emphasises the urgent need for the government to equip lower-level health facilities in districts to manage mental health cases before they reach the regional hospital.

‘District health facilities need to provide mental health services so that patients can first be attended to before coming here. That way, this facility can handle only referred cases. After we discharge patients here, those lower facilities should also provide follow-up care to help reduce congestion at the regional hospital,’ he says.

He adds that drug and substance abuse are the leading cause of mental health disorders in the sub-regions. He says poorly equipped lower health centres are causing overcrowding at the regional referral hospital.

Patients who should be checked at nearby facilities keep coming back because those centres lack mental health services.

Dr Ibanda adds that feeding admitted patients is also a challenge, as limited funding allows the hospital to provide only one meal a day.

Staffing challenges

Dr Ibanda says the mental health unit is supposed to have seven psychiatric clinical officers, but currently, only four are available. Similarly, the facility is expected to have 28 psychiatric nurses, yet only 16 are on staff.

‘The government has not recruited enough professionals in mental health. Even the few available are overstretched. When I go for support supervision, I often find a single psychiatric-trained nurse who is also running the HIV clinic, yet they must still attend to mental health patients,’ he says.

He adds that the regional referral hospital lacks a rehabilitation centre for patients recovering from substance abuse and other mental health conditions.

‘When we treat patients and they regain their senses, especially those with drug abuse issues, we are supposed to rehabilitate them before reintegrating them into the community. Unfortunately, we don’t have a rehabilitation centre. Those who can afford it go to private facilities or to Butabika hospital in Kampala.’

Depression

Dr Ibanda says: ‘Depression accounts for about 32 percent of the patients we attend to. It often goes unnoticed because many patients take time to disclose their condition. In severe cases, depression can lead to attempted suicide. Most of these patients don’t come directly to the mental health unit-they first report to the general ward and are later referred here after being identified.’

Dr Archbald Newton Sebahire Bahizi, the executive director of Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital, says the hospital recently trained some health workers to begin handling mental health patients.

‘We trained some of the health workers from district health facilities at health centre IV level to start handling such patients and to open up clinic days at their facilities,’ he says.

He emphasises that addressing the growing mental health crisis requires a multi-sectoral approach that goes beyond the health sector alone.

‘To end this vice, we need a multi-sectoral approach. For instance, when police are having community policing meetings, a health worker should be brought on board to talk about these issues – in schools, churches, and other community gatherings,’ Dr Bahizi explains.

Sensitsation

Dr Bahizi notes that sensitisation is key to ending stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental illness.

‘People need to know that a mental health disorder is not witchcraft or a family curse. Our people need to be sensitised so they know where to seek help,’ he says.

He warns that lifestyle choices and substance use are contributing to the problem.

‘People need to shun all possible causes. Today, a lot of things are being produced, and people consume them for relief but in the long run, they affect the body and mind. When it becomes severe, some people end up committing suicide, while others turn violent,’ Dr Bahizi says.

Mr Isaac Mugisa, the executive director of Humura Vulnerable Children and Youth Support Organisation in Fort Portal City, says with funding from NASF, they are implementing a one-year project in Fort Portal aimed at raising awareness about mental health. The project targets about 500 victims through breaking the silence on mental health advocacy.

‘We want to end stigma, restore hope, and strengthen communities. We are holding community dialogues, training teachers, health workers, and youth leaders on how to support mental wellness,’ he says.

Mr Mugisa adds that they are also working on policy advocacy with Fort Portal City to prioritise mental health in planning, ensuring there is a budget to address it, and establishing support groups and referral pathways for affected individuals.

The Kasese District Health Officer, Dr Amon Bwambale, says during the 2024/2025 financial year, the district recorded 642 mental health cases, of which 160 were linked to drug and substance abuse.

Dr Bwambale attributes the rise in mental health cases to poverty, unemployment, negative social influence, alcohol consumption, and substance abuse. He also cites anxiety, depression, manic episodes, epilepsy, and an increase in suicide cases across the district.

‘We need to work together to integrate mental health actions and responses into our health programming. This will help promote people’s mental wellbeing and advocate for policy changes that prioritise mental health,’ he says.

Statistics on mental health in Tooro and Rwenzori sub-regions for people aged 10 years and above [Ubos 2024]

Fort Portal City: Psychological distress 11,298, bipolar disorder 2,865, depression 8,005, anxiety 3,831, psychosis 1,609, suicidality 919.

Bunyangabu District: Psychological distress 18,635, bipolar disorder 7,019, depression 12,144, anxiety 3,994, psychosis 2,218, suicidality 867.

Kabarole District: Psychological distress 17,953, bipolar disorder 5,487, depression 12,015, anxiety 5,213, psychosis 2,529, suicidality 1,264.

Kyejonjo District: Psychological distress 49,684, bipolar disorder 23,324, depression 26,634, anxiety 11,411, psychosis 4,989, suicidality 2,177.

Kyegegwa District: Psychological distress 51,581, bipolar disorder 20,768, depression 31,950, anxiety 19,476, psychosis 9,554, suicidality 1,348.

Kamwenge District: Psychological distress 24,186, bipolar disorder 6,522, depression 14,503, anxiety 7,511, psychosis 4,710, suicidality 1,336.

Kitagwenda District: Psychological distress 15,061, bipolar disorder 6,173, depression 7,637, anxiety 2,327, psychosis 1,424, suicidality 715.

Kasese District: Psychological distress 68,803, bipolar disorder 25,997, depression 42,043, anxiety 18,608, psychosis 10,123, suicidality 4,137.

Bundibugyo District: Psychological distress 25,286, bipolar disorder 11,291, depression 13,309, anxiety 6,886, psychosis 4,394, suicidality 1,856.

Ntoroko District: Psychological distress 6,984, bipolar disorder 2,305, depression 4,829, anxiety 2,197, psychosis 1,089 and suicidality 548.

In the past two weeks, in separate moves, the family of Geoffrey Kazinda and Kazinda himself petitioned Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo seeking his intervention to expedite the delivery of his appeal, after five years of inactivity.

Kazinda fears that if the Chief Justice retires on January 18 next year without having issued the ruling in his appeal, he risks being allocated a new panel of justices, hence the case further dragging. But how did Kazinda, who has now spent over 13 years in Luzira Prison, end up embroiled in these endless legal battles, where he has also represented himself?

In mid-May 2012, Kazinda sought permission from his then supervisor and permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Mr Pius Bigirimana, to seek medical attention after he fell sick. His request was granted, and the same was not supposed to go beyond July 9, 2012, but before his return, he was replaced with another Principal Accountant.

On July 18, 2012, Mr Bigirimana filed a complaint with the then Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, reporting that Kazinda had been declared away without official leave. In the letter, Mr Bigirimana complained, among other things, that he had received information that, a week before he wrote the letter, Kazinda had sent his driver to smuggle some files from the office, which prompted him to put a second lock on the door to his office.

Mr Bigirimana had also complained that Kazinda was allegedly involved in the manipulation of the transfer of funds from programmes, hence he was seeking the police’s action against him.

Acting on the tip of Mr Bigirimana, the police swung into action and stormed the home of Kazinda’s mother, Ms Teopista Nanfuka, from where they retrieved several government documents, including a laptop that was the property of OPM. The search was done in the absence of Kazinda.

This was the genesis of Kazinda’s legal battles that he had to fight off as several corruption cases were slapped against him before the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court in Kampala. It was the prosecution’s case that the documents recovered were in three categories: cash withdrawals used by government departments to withdraw cash from Bank of Uganda, security papers used in effecting funds from one account to another, and the third category of evidence recovered were letters addressed to the director of banking.

The prosecution further claimed the signatures attributed to Mr Bigirimana from the recovered documents were forged. He was therefore indicted and convicted of offenses of abuse of office and sentenced to five years in jail, forgery, and sentenced to two years on each of the 37 counts, making documents without authority, an offense that saw him handed five years, and unlawful possession of government stores that saw him sentenced to two years imprisonment.

The court said all the sentences were to run concurrently. But being dissatisfied with the conviction and the sentencing, Kazinda appealed before the Court of Appeal. Some of the grounds that he raised in his appeal were that the trial judge erred in law and fact when he failed to properly evaluate the whole evidence and relied on insufficient, uncorroborated, and incredible evidence to come to a wrong conclusion.

Three justices, Geoffrey Kiryabwire, Stephen Musota, and Night Percy Tuhaise, set aside the conviction and sentences of the Anti-Corruption Court, reasoning that the offenses were not proved by the prosecution.

‘This appeal, therefore, succeeds. We accordingly set aside the judgment and orders of the trial court and order for the appellant’s immediate release unless he is held on other lawful charges,’ the trio justices held.

In their judgment dated March 12, 2019, the trial justices observed that the prosecution failed to prove that all the alleged documents were found in the home of Kazinda’s mother.

They also found that the deadline for Kazinda to hand over office had not yet expired at the time of his arrest and that even though some of the security papers were found in his possession, he was still an employee of OPM. The justices also took a swipe at the prosecution for doing a shoddy investigation.

‘Before we take leave of this appeal, we wish to express our displeasure at the poor conduct of investigations in this case. The investigations were bungled and lacked professionalism. It left a lot to be desired,’ they held.

While the first case file was ongoing, Kazinda was again slapped with another batch of corruption charges. They included conspiracy to defraud, forgery, and uttering of false documents.

He was convicted and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on the charge of embezzlement and three years on the count of conspiracy to defraud.

He had jointly been charged with two others, Shamim Masembe and Hussein Katumwa, the proprietor and manager of Total Ntinda, respectively.

His co-accused were also convicted and sentenced to a fine of Shs10m and one year imprisonment in default for the offense of conspiracy to defraud.

Again, Kazinda, being dissatisfied with the decision of the Anti-Corruption Court, appealed to the Court of Appeal, claiming that the trial judge erred in law and fact when he convicted him of embezzling Shs316m, whereas the facts of the prosecution case were incompatible with the offense according to the indictment.

Upon review of the judgment of the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, three justices of the Court of Appeal concluded that the prosecution didn’t prove the charges of embezzlement and conspiracy to defraud against Kazinda and his co-accused.

‘After full consideration of the facts, the evidence, and the submissions of counsel on all sides, we find that the offense of conspiracy to defraud was not proved. The essential elements of embezzlement and conspiracy to defraud had to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt,’ the justices Elizabeth Musoke, Stephen Musota, and Night Percy Tuhaise held on August 7, 2020.

Adding: ‘The conviction of the 1st appellant of the offenses of embezzlement and conspiracy to defraud is quashed and the sentences set aside. We order that the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd appellants be set free forthwith unless held on other lawful charges.’

Kazinda’s complaint

In 2014, Kazinda petitioned the Constitutional Court, challenging what he called the piece-meal manner in which the DPP was preferring several charges but arising from the same facts, a scenario he said amounted to double jeopardy.

He was seeking: ‘A declaration that the facts of the Director of Public Prosecutions in splitting and sequentially initiating charges of offenses founded on the same facts within different cases against the petitioner (Kazinda) before his conviction contravened Articles 28 (1), 28 (9) and 120 (5), an abuse of law.’

He also sought an order to permanently prohibit the State from using any process of any court to initiate and prosecute him for any offenses similar in character or founded on the same facts whatsoever arising out of or in connection with his former employment at OPM.

In a majority judgment of three to two, on August 7, 2020 agreed with Kazinda and went on to permanently stay all the proceedings against him. The three justices also directed the Anti-Corruption Court to immediately discharge Kazinda from prison. ‘An order sought is to permanently stay proceedings against the petitioner (Kazinda) in pending criminal cases No.47 of 2013, No. 62 of 2014, now 101 of 2014 and directing the Anti-Corruption Court to immediately discharge the petitioner in the above cases and any future cases whose offenses are founded on the same facts,’ Justice Musota who wrote the lead judgment stated. Following the decision of the Constitutional Court, directives to the Anti-Corruption Court, then presiding judge Margaret Tibulya, terminated the proceedings against Kazinda.

‘The proceedings against A1 (Kazinda) are hereby discontinued in accordance with the Constitutional Court order in the Constitutional petition No. 30 of 2014 of 7th August 2020. He is hereby set free unless he is held on other charges,’ Justice Tibulya ruled.

Likewise, Justice Lawrence Gidudu on October 19, 2020, in heeding to the Constitutional Court directives, permanently stayed Kazinda’s trial in criminal case 56 of 2018 before discharging him.

Attorney General petitions

The decision and directives of the Constitutional Court didn’t go down well with the Attorney General, who then appealed to the Supreme Court in a bid to overturn the same.

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Dollo, on February 12, 2021, stayed the implementation of the Constitutional Court orders that included releasing Kazinda from prison until the appeal of the Attorney General was heard and determined.

Kazinda’s appeal

Some of the grounds that he raised in his appeal were that the trial judge reportedly erred in law by failing to properly evaluate the whole evidence and relied on insufficient and uncorroborated evidence to come to a wrong conclusion.

Three judges-Geoffrey Kiryabwire, Stephen Musota, and Night Percy Tuhaise-set aside the conviction and sentences of the Anti-Corruption Court, reasoning that the offences were not proved by the prosecution.

‘This appeal, therefore, succeeds. We accordingly set aside the judgment and orders of the trial court and order for the appellant’s immediate release unless he is held on other lawful charges,’ the judges held.

I am 44 years old, but recently I started having a lot of bleeding and was told I have developed fibroids and need surgery. Are there other options since I do not want surgery? Sarah

Dear Sarah,

Fibroids are non-cancerous growths found in the muscle of the womb, mostly in women of childbearing age.

Apart from heavy or painful periods, a woman with fibroids may experience other symptoms such as anaemia (due to blood loss), lower back pain, or sometimes no symptoms at all.

Fibroid treatment depends on many factors, including your age, the size and location of the fibroids, whether you want to get pregnant, your symptoms, and possible complications of treatments, which can include surgery to remove the fibroids or the womb, among others.

Menopause usually causes fibroids to shrink or stop growing because the female hormones (estrogen and progesterone), which support their growth, decline.

At 44 years, you are approaching menopause (when fibroid growth usually stops).

If you do not want surgery, medications can be used to shrink fibroids, or treatments can help reduce bleeding, including progesterone-releasing intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormonal birth control medications.

Please talk to your doctor about whether they can offer you alternatives to surgery.