Category: Daily Monitor

Urban farming offers a unique blend of fulfilment and frustration. While more urban and peri-urban dwellers are enjoying the satisfaction of cultivating their own food, turning small spaces such as balconies and backyards into productive gardens, this can also come with challenges. Success in this endeavour often comes down to strategic plant mixing and a few simple gardening rules. Many urban gardeners must navigate the limitations of small plots, often working with rental properties that are typically around 50×100 feet. Despite the constraints, the reward of a thriving garden can make the effort worthwhile.

Francis Balinda, a crop technician at Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MuZARDI), shared his insights on how to get started during the recent Seeds of Gold Farm Clinic in Ntaawo, Mukono District. ‘Most people don’t need to buy greens from the market. It’s all about working with what you have and a little bit of planning goes a long way,’ Balinda says. He highlights that a key aspect of urban farming is adapting the growing space itself. Many urban gardeners are getting creative with their plots, using methods such as container gardening, which allows for a high degree of flexibility. Others are building raised beds to create controlled soil environments in their small yards. A popular and cost-effective method is the use of repurposed used car tyres as individual planting pots, which are durable and excellent for small-scale projects.

The first step, according to Balinda, is to think about your plants as a team. ‘Just like people, some plants are great companions and some are not. You want to create a plant mix that helps each other out,’ he says. One of the most enjoyable aspects of urban gardening is creating your own plant mixes. This is where you can be creative and strategic, combining plants that look great together while also providing mutual benefits like pest control or improved growth. This practice is known as companion planting. Here are some plant mix recommendations for your urban garden.

The salad bowl mix

This is a classic for a reason-it’s both beautiful and productive, and easily adapted to Ugandan kitchens. For this garden, combine leafy greens like loose-leaf lettuce or spinach with herbs such as parsley. For a more local touch, consider including nakati or dodo. You can add a “pop of colour” with radishes or dwarf cherry tomatoes. These plants have different growth habits, making them great companions. The shallow-rooted leafy greens and herbs fill out the top of the container, while radishes grow quickly underground and can be harvested before the other plants get too big. Dwarf cherry tomatoes can be grown on a trellis or stake to maximise vertical space.

This combination also provides a continuous harvest throughout the growing season.

The pizza garden mix

Perfect for the cook who wants fresh ingredients for their homemade cooking. The main event of this mix is a determinate or Tomato Ansal F1, accompanied by herbs such as basil, oregano and parsley. Basil is a renowned companion plant for tomatoes, believed to repel pests such as tomato hornworms and even improve the flavour of the tomatoes. Oregano and parsley have similar water and sunlight needs and create a nice, aromatic ground cover around the base of the tomato plant.

The three sisters

A traditional planting method that is surprisingly effective in a large container or raised bed, especially given the prevalence of maize and beans in Uganda.

This mix requires a structure like maize or a tall, sturdy sunflower for a climber such as pole beans or peas. A small, compact squash or zucchini variety serves as the ground cover. The maize or sunflower provides a natural trellis for the beans to climb. The beans, being legumes, fix nitrogen from the air and add it to the soil, which benefits the nutrient-hungry maize and squash. The large leaves of the squash plant shade the soil, helping to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

The pest-repellent mix

This mix combines plants known for their ability to deter common garden pests, reducing the need for chemical sprays. The combination includes French marigolds, herbs such as rosemary, mint, or thyme, and any susceptible vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, or cabbage. Balinda recommends French marigolds for their ability to repel nematodes (a type of microscopic worm) in the soil and to deter other flying insects. Other great options for pest control include onions and tobacco. Many herbs also have strong scents that can confuse or repel pests. He cautions: ‘Just be sure to keep mint in its own pot, as its roots are very aggressive and can quickly take over a shared container’.

Creating your own mixes

Balinda urges farmers to consider light and water needs: ‘This is the most important factor. Make sure all the plants in a single container have similar requirements for sunlight and water,’ he says. He also says that farmers should pay attention to root depth. ‘Combine plants with different root systems. For example, pair a deep-rooted tomato plant with shallow-rooted lettuce or herbs to make the best use of the available soil volume,’ he says.

Lastly, ‘don’t forget to include flowers,’ he says. They add beauty and can also attract beneficial insects that prey on garden pests. Good choices for urban gardens include nasturtiums, marigolds and alyssum. Beyond the specific mixes, Balinda says the universal dos and don’ts of urban gardening.

The ‘dos’

Balinda highlights some key ‘dos’ for urban and peri-urban gardeners. First, choose the right pot size. While it’s tempting to cram as many plants as possible into a small space, a pot that’s too small will restrict root growth. A good rule is to pick a pot at least 8-12 inches deep for most vegetables. Adding charcoal to your soil mix is a great way to improve aeration. Additionally, use a high-quality potting mix, as it’s designed to be light and well-draining, which is essential for container gardening.

It is also critical to provide adequate drainage, as every pot must have a hole at the bottom to prevent root rot. Water consistently, as containers dry out faster than garden beds, especially during the dry season. Balinda also advises creating ridges and using mulching, which are key practices for climate adaptation and help the soil retain moisture, especially during dry spells. Finally, since many urban gardeners are renting their land, it’s wise to plan for portability by using containers that can be easily moved.

The ‘don’ts’

He also warns against several common mistakes. Don’t mix plants with wildly different needs; a sun-loving herb like rosemary will not be happy in the same pot as a water-hungry fern. Additionally, don’t forget to feed your plants, as nutrients in potting soil are quickly depleted, and a regular feeding schedule with a balanced fertiliser is crucial for healthy, productive plants. Fertilising the soil with manure should always be your first priority. Balinda says spraying with chemicals should be the last resort.

He explains that plants can be resilient, and when they are diseased on a small scale, you can use natural methods. It is only when the disease is large-scale that you should use chemicals. When it comes to fungicides, Balinda explains, there are two types. He says you use a preventive fungicide when you are expecting a disease, but your plants are still healthy. In contrast, you can use a curative fungicide when your plants are already diseased. Lastly, don’t ignore pests. He advises farmers to check plants regularly for signs of aphids, mites, or other bugs and deal with them promptly using natural methods such as neem oil or insecticidal soap.

The beginner’s luck

For those just starting, this combination is forgiving and requires minimal effort. The mix features herbs such as rosemary, thyme and sage, along with flowers such as lavender or calendula. All of these plants are drought-tolerant and thrive in full sun with good drainage. They are relatively low-maintenance and resistant to many common pests and diseases. They also attract beneficial pollinators such as bees.

‘This card of Baganda and tribe is a card that is played by most politicians when they are out of options of how to win their opponents. It’s cheap popularity. You don’t want to do what you have to do. So you play the card of ‘man, we are from the same clan. So you vote me because we are from the same clan even though I have nothing to offer.’ It’s a card every desperate politician plays, because you don’t want to invest yourself or prove yourself worthy so you look for what you have and your opponent can never acquire,’ says Joy Kirabo, an aspirant for the Nakawa East Member of Parliament seat.

‘Another thing is when people ask why people standing in Buganda do not look like Baganda. Buganda’s issue is different from all other areas. Buganda was blessed to have a capital city; everyone is headed there. I was born here in Buganda. My father entered Buganda at the age of nine. It is all he knows. That is all I know. I may not be a Muganda, but this is home. We are all here because we are looking for a better life. Even some Baganda are here in Kampala yet they are not indigenous to Kampala. They are looking for a better life. As some of us have been here all our lives, we can’t think of representing any other place other than here. I find it so ridiculous when somebody says you don’t belong here. What is the word ‘belonging’? How do you get to belong in a place? By knowing nothing else but that place.’

Identity politics in the shape of how candidates are identified instead of how they self-identify has riven Kampala’s politics where it could be centred.

Non-Baganda are thus being treated as ‘the other,’ a concept referring to anyone or anything perceived as distinct from how Buganda defines itself. It is the basis of identity formation and ethical misunderstanding.

Ms Kirabo is one of several candidates being viewed as ‘foreigners’ or Bafuruki, so to speak.

On the streets, there is disquietude surrounding why so many candidates in Kampala appear to be non-Baganda. Some think it’s a project by the central government to recapture Buganda after losing it in 2021 to the National Unity Platform (NUP) party. A party that is being likened to the 1960s royalist party, Kabaka Yekka (King Only), because its primary stronghold is Buganda.

NUP has been accused of stoking parochial thinking on Buganda and candidates such Ms Kirabo are sure to feel the sting in that tail. But she is not alone.

Another candidate with a far bigger constituency also has to go through the ringer on this question.

How we got here

In March 2025, Butambala County lawmaker Mohammed Muwanga-Kivumbi’s somewhat thin voice crackled to life on 89.2 FM CBS radio’s Kiriza Oba Gana programme.

Mr Muwanga-Kivumbi was trying to explain why he believes that ‘Gen Museveni’ disesteems Buganda and why the ‘Buganda for Museveni in 2026’ campaign run has no legs. Kivumbi, who is also the NUP deputy president for Buganda, said Museveni is a blackguard who has marginalised the region whose King, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, the 36th Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, was central to winning the 1981-1986 National Resistance Army (NRA) Bush War.

He added that the pro-Robert Kyagulanyi rejection Mr Museveni suffered in the 2021 General Election made Uganda’s ninth president return Buganda’s compliment by revealing his own distaste for politics in Buganda.

Things came to a head in May this year when the head of state specifically asked for pardon through prayer from the people of Buganda and restoration of the favour he had in Buganda when he first came to power four decades ago.

‘God restore the favour that we had with them (people) in the beginning; bring healing to their hearts, soften the hardened hearts, and reconnect us to the original vision of our national unity and unwavering commitment to social and economic transformation of our nation together,’ Museveni and his wife jointly read the prayer.

Keep off Buganda

Due to the rising hostilities in Buganda region ahead of the 2026 polls, the air is thick with the tension that you could cut with a knife.

Xenophobia in the central Uganda region is on the rise. Candidates for political office, who seem to be non-Baganda, are being decampaigned as carpetbaggers. They should return to their ‘home areas’ and stump for support there, radical NUP members demand. This fear in the form of unwelcome started long ago.

Milton Obote in the Uganda Argus of February 3, 1960, was reported as saying that ‘African nationalism hates small states because this is emergent Africa … It will crush Buganda.’

He was speaking as Secretary of the recently formed Elected Members Association of the Legislative Council. He was later to perpetrate an attack on Kabaka Edward Muteesa’s palace after abolishing kingdoms in Uganda, including Buganda, and declaring Uganda a republic. Buganda’s fears reflect a diminution of its region by encirclement and infiltration when it comes in contact with other regions. But Ms Kirabo believes such fears are unfounded.

‘[The] Baganda have been given the opportunity to interact with different tribes and different people. And that opportunity gives them a certain knowledge that other people do not have. That a person who is not from the same tribe as you might actually be of greater value to you than your own. So they should know better that a good leader might not necessarily be of the same tribe or the same religion but the same ideology and have the same values. I trust the people of Nakawa to see this because they have lived among different people of different tribes and they can attest to the fact that it is not by blood that we are united but values and ideology,’ she argues.

Making her bones

Ms Kirabo is an Independent candidate who began her campaign in 2024. She got herself known by giving calendars to at least one in every three households and organising activities like a football tournament for different parishes in her constituency.

There are 10 parishes. She has organised so far three parishes to take part in this competition known as the Kirabo Cup. She did this not only to entertain the youth, but bring people together and hear their views. As a Christian, this was her chance to tap into the ecumenical spirit of her constituency and cut across divisions sown by untoward religiosity.

She helped rebuild schools that were burnt to the ground such as St James Catholic Church-Biina, and provided health and safety wherewithal to them to guard against future fires.

‘I was called by somebody, the Nabakyala of my village. They belonged to a Sacco [Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations] that was created by the President to provide jobs to the vulnerable people. The President put this Sacco in place in order to get them jobs to sweep Kampala when Jennifer Musisi was still Executive Director of KCCA. These were jobs earmarked for only the vulnerable people. They had a problem where some people created a bidding process for these jobs. Yet it was under a certain scheme for people who are not able, the poor of the poorest,’ she told Monitor.

‘The bidding process lets another ‘vulnerable’ group compete with this vulnerable group. The Sacco was being threatened to be kicked out by the other vulnerable group that was created. Two, they had about eight months in arrears and their NSSF had not been deposited for two years. Most of these people were old and they wanted out. But because their NSSF was not being deposited they didn’t know how. They kept going to their jobs until their NSSF was deposited and they could stop doing that hectic work,’ she added.

The Sacco would also help the vulnerable to save. They were being ‘deducted Shs15,000 per worker’ to be put into that fund so they can borrow.

However, the administration for the circle in this regard was ‘eating’ their money until Ms Kirabo, using her skills as an investment banker, helped the sweeping fraternity of the KCCA Sacco to get their arrears and savings.

Issue

Due to the rising hostilities in Buganda region ahead of the 2026 polls, the air is thick with the tension that you could cut with a knife. Xenophobia in the central Uganda region is on the rise.

Candidates for political office, who seem to be non-Baganda, are being decampaigned as carpetbaggers. They should return to their ‘home areas’ and stump for support there, radical NUP members demand.

An advanced agricultural technology is helping farmers in Uganda’s Southwestern Highland Agricultural Zone achieve unprecedented crop yields while fighting the devastating effects of soil erosion and climate change. The innovation, known as “contour reversed bench terraces,” is a collaborative effort led by research scientist Amos Rutayomba of the National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro).

Food basket

The highland agro-ecological zones of Uganda are vital to the agricultural sector. Characterised by mountainous terrain, elevated plateaus and fertile volcanic soils, these regions provide a unique environment for cultivating a diverse range of crops that are critical for both food security and economic activity.

The cooler temperatures and reliable bimodal rainfall pattern support the growth of various crops, including cash crops such as tea and coffee, as well as essential food crops such as bananas, beans, Irish potatoes, vegetables and cereals. The favourable climate and soil conditions allow for intensive farming practices, though challenges such as soil erosion remain a concern.

Within the Southwestern Highlands, the Kigezi sub-region, which includes Kabale, Rubanda and Kisoro, is widely recognised as a major hub for Irish potato production in Uganda. The region’s cool, temperate climate and rich soils are exceptionally well-suited for growing Irish potatoes. Kigezi contributes a substantial portion of the country’s Irish potato output. The Irish potato is a key food security crop and a source of income for many farmers in the area due to increased urbanisation. However, a decline in production poses great risks.

The contour reversed bench terraces technology offers a lifeline to communities in the Kigezi Highlands, a region plagued by fragile and highly degraded agricultural land. For years, the area has suffered from severe erosion, with deep gullies scarring the landscape. Farming has been dominated by annual crops with little to no perennial crops, agroforestry, or dedicated grazing areas. The land is highly fragmented, hardly fallowed and suffers from very low productivity, making it a difficult environment for farmers to thrive.

An advanced approach

Rutayomba, a system agronomist at Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (KaZARDI), explains that the technology is an advanced integration of traditional soil and water conservation methods. Unlike older terracing techniques that simply create a flat surface on a slope, this new approach ‘benches on the contour lines and reverses the gradient to have a flow back.’ This unique reversal, he says, is key to its success. ‘With this technology, we harness all the runoff downwards. Any water on a particular point in the landscape is held from where it has been received from the rain,’ Rutayomba says.

The method works by creating a series of flat, bench-like structures on hillsides that follow the natural contour of the land. These bands are hinged at a 45-degree angle, which reduces water flow. Excess water is captured in strategically placed contour water retention trenches and check dams, preventing it from washing away the nutrient-rich topsoil. The project, initially developed under the Eureka Project Fund in 2022, also incorporates specialised grasses like napier and vetiver, which form a strong root network to hold soil in place. Additionally, leguminous trees such as calliandra and vernonia are planted to stabilise the terraces, capture atmospheric nitrogen, and bring phosphorus back into the soil for crops to use.

Benefits

The restored landscapes with bench terraces come with short, mid-term, and long-term benefits that can be realised even on half-acre plots. These include increased water use efficiency, a reduction in the number of dry days and the creation of a resilient landscape. The technology supports diversified cropping systems and reduces pressure on fragile ecosystems, including wetlands, which are often over-cultivated. It also enables an integrated zero-grazing livestock system, making it a basis for socio-economic transformation in the region.

Financial returns

A cost-benefit analysis for a typical half-acre plot shows a strong return on investment. The major costs include a one-time establishment fee for properly stabilised bench terraces at Shs4m. Annual farm operational costs for potatoes (seed, disease management, and labour) are estimated at Shs3m, while a dairy cow requires Shs1.5m for veterinary services and labour. This brings the total first-year cost to Shs8.5m. In return, the benefits are significant.

Potato production can yield up to 40 bags per season, bringing in Shs12m over two seasons. The sale of milk from a dairy cow can add another Shs3m (3,000 litres at Shs1,000 per litre), totalling an annual benefit of Shs15m. Since the terrace construction is a one-off cost, the financial benefits will only increase in subsequent years, providing sustainable, gainful employment and supporting the socio-economic transformation of Kigezi’s communities.

Community adoption

The technology is now being brought to communities through the BRIGHT (Building Resilience and Inclusive Growth for Highland Farming Systems for Rural Transformation) project, funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) .

Rutayomba notes that the community’s “body language” and willingness to adopt the practice are clear indicators of its immense potential.

‘They are already willing to adopt and implement and expand it on a grand scale,’ he says, expressing optimism about the future of farming in the region.

Advantages of terracing

As one of the oldest techniques for conserving water and soil, terracing is common in hilly and mountainous regions that are subjected to substantial population pressure. Terraces are built along contour lines to increase the arable surface area and conserve water and soil on hillslopes. Terraced fields can be of different shapes and sizes, and consist of a flat section and a near-vertical riser, protected by a wall of dry stones, soil, grass, or trees. The height of the riser or wall can be from several decimetres to a few meters, with a continuous or intermittent structure comprised of single walls or a complex series of walls.

Reduced runoff, water conservation

There are three primary ways that terracing reduces runoff and sediment loss. First, terracing transforms steep slopes into an artificial sequence of relatively flat surfaces, thereby decreasing slope length and gradient, which significantly reduces sediment yield and runoff. Second, terracing increases surface roughness and vertical surface relief.

This increases infiltration, soil moisture, and the soil water holding capacity. Terracing can increase soil moisture content by 4.24 percent-12.9 percent (5.0-6.2 times that of sloped land) and also found that terraces can store water and thereby, allows for the restoration of vegetation in water-limited ecosystems.

Third, terracing often includes the formation of ridges or embankments that were greatly beneficial in reducing runoff. Terraces with ridges, for example, have been shown to retain 18 percent more runoff than terraces without ridges.

Erosion control, soil conservation

Soil erosion is closely related to runoff. During intense storms, a portion of the rain infiltrates into the soil and the remainder becomes runoff. As runoff increases, its velocity, volume and erosivity also increase. In addition, the terraces intercept not only the water and sediment they produced, but also the sediment-laden flow coming from the upslope. The effect of soil erosion control is especially significant when considering the effects of sediment reduction in terraced surface, the interception of upslope runoff, and the reduction of downhill gully sediment yield by reducing slope runoff.

Increase in crop yield

The recent global increase in terracing relates to increased population density in areas with limited arable land. By terrace building, a steep slope is converted into a relatively flat surface that not only increases the area available for cultivation but also facilitates more intensive farming practices. In general, arable land can be increased by 20 percent -40 percent through the conversion of slope land into terraced fields, which significantly increases grain yield (about 20 percent -40 percent).

Besides, farming practices, such as ploughing, help to form pedo-environments with their own characteristics, i.e., modified profiles with high percentages of organic materials and nutrients. That is why terraced soils usually have higher organic matter and nutrient contents compared with non-terraced agricultural plots. Furthermore, terracing also increases the moisture by avoiding water loss, which effectively enhances crop endurance to droughts and consequently increases crop yield. Accordingly, terrace is especially important for the irrigation and fertilisation of barren hillsides.

Cultural landscape

Terracing creates a cultural landscape that reflects human wisdom in understanding the relationship between man and a specific environment, as well as the connection with a valuable natural ecosystem. Over the past decades, there has been an increase in research on terraced landscapes within the fields of geography, landscape architecture, ethnology, rural sociology, and other spatial disciplines. Terraces have been identified as part of a ‘cultural landscape’ heritage and play a key role in aesthetic appreciation and spiritual enrichment.

Famous examples are the Arab gardens in Spain and the agricultural terraces in Central and South America and Asia. These terraces attract thousands of visitors each year due to their aesthetic value and productive, pleasing, neat, and sustainable landscapes. Thus, terraces create large income for local residents). At the Longji terraces in China, for example, income from tourism accounts for 70.8percent of the total income for local families. Across the globe, five well-known ancient terraced fields have been designated as globally important agricultural heritage systems (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Tip

The contour reversed bench terraces technology offers a lifeline to communities in the Kigezi Highlands, a region plagued by fragile and highly degraded agricultural land. For years, the area has suffered from severe erosion, with deep gullies scarring the landscape. Farming has been dominated by annual crops with little to no perennial crops, agroforestry, or dedicated grazing areas. The land is highly fragmented, hardly fallowed and suffers from very low productivity, making it a difficult environment for farmers to thrive.

Despite a culture where saving has never been second nature, unit trusts are taking off in Uganda. As of June 2025, Capital Markets Authority (CMA) figures show that the industry managed more than Shs4.5 trillion-up by 8.6 percent from March (Shs4.22 trillion) and 44.4 percent year-on-year from Shs3.17 trillion.

The number of funded collective investment scheme (CIS) accounts reached 148,843 by June 2025. The CMA links this growth to ‘a robust regulatory framework that has fostered investor confidence, as well as increased public awareness.’

In plain terms: people trust the system more, and they understand it better.

And that’s because the regulator has previously tightened licensing rules, enforced reporting standards, and pushed fund managers to be more transparent.

With a growing economy, longer lifespans, and rising incomes, Ugandans will face increasing pressure to set aside money for the future. State pensions and employer schemes cannot carry the weight alone.

That shift gives individuals a bigger role in shaping capital markets. Financial firms-banks, insurers, asset managers-will no longer compete just to lend or underwrite policies; they’ll compete for long-term savings.

To win, they would need to deliver choice, transparency, ease of access, good returns, and low fees. Meanwhile, financial markets-government securities, bonds, equities-would feel the pull of these growing individual capital flows.

As in developed markets where pension and mutual fund money drive stock exchanges, Uganda too may see more volatility, new investment products, and deeper capital markets. And as ordinary people enter these markets, they would also have to learn how to balance opportunity and risk.

What’s the concentration risk?

It’s just a few players dominating assets. The top two managers control 78.5 percent of assets under management (AUM). Old Mutual Investment Group alone held Shs3.01 trillion, while ICEA Lion Asset Management managed Shs587.3b as of June 2025. Add Sanlam’s Shs406.7b, and the top three controlled about 87 percent of the Shs4.585 trillion industry total.

The upside is stability and trust. Big brands bring scale, capacity, and national distribution networks-important in a young market. But the downside is equally clear: less competition, slower innovation, and greater systemic risk if a single manager falters.

The regulator is aware of this imbalance. In its latest bulletin, the CMA said it is ‘encouraging innovation to reduce concentration-through disruptive models, stronger investor education, and tech-driven solutions for smaller managers.’ Signs of this are emerging. Mid-tier firms are growing rapidly, even from small bases. SBG Securities boosted its CIS assets by 48.8 percent in one quarter, from Shs145.2b in March to Shs216b in June.

Cornerstone Asset Managers nearly doubled, up 77.4 percent from Shs18.6b to Shs33b. Nimble players with targeted products and better technology are starting to chip away at incumbents’ dominance. But the real weakness lies in product diversity.

Portfolios remain overwhelmingly tilted towards fixed income. By June 2025, government bonds made up 64.5 percent, fixed deposits 15.6 percent, Treasury bills 9.3 percent, cash and call deposits at 4.8 percent, and corporate bonds, commercial paper, and Eurobonds about 6.0 percent.

Equities-local and regional-barely registered at 0.06 percent. As CMA notes, ‘funds whose underlying investments are interest-bearing continue to dominate.’ In practice, Uganda’s CIS portfolios behave more like enhanced fixed deposits-safe, income-focused vehicles rather than diversified mutual funds. The imbalance is striking: of Shs4.585 trillion in CIS assets, just 0.06 percent-about Shs2.75b-is in equities. That’s only 60 cents for every Shs1,000 invested.

What does this represent?

Two things. Firstly, investor preference-Ugandans mainly use CIS to earn stable income, not equity-driven capital gains. And that’s why risk appetite remains conservative, shaped by familiarity with bonds and attractive government yields. Secondly, market depth-Uganda’s equity market is too shallow to absorb major retail flows.

Free float is limited, daily trading is thin, and equity fund products are underdeveloped. Even if investors wanted to shift meaningfully into equities, the market lacks the room to handle it without distorting prices.

A subtler trend is the rise in cash allocations-from 0.3 percent of AUM in June 2024 to 1.0 percent in June 2025. This shows maturing liquidity management. As CIS pools expand, managers must hold more liquid assets to handle daily redemptions. Cash buffers allow smooth withdrawals without forced sales of bonds or bills-protecting remaining investors.

Though small in percentage terms, in absolute numbers it represents tens of billions of shillings, underscoring how scaling up AUM changes the operational dynamics of fund management.

The bigger picture is that the savings industry is growing fast, but its power sits at the top and its assets sit in bonds. That combination makes it look stable today, but leaves it fragile tomorrow if interest rates shift or if one dominant player stumbles.

What does this mean for investors?

That structure is both a strength and a vulnerability. Its heavy fixed-income tilt has served investors well during a period of high and relatively stable interest rates. Government bonds and fixed deposits have delivered predictable income streams of as high as 17 percent-exactly what cautious savers want.

When Treasury yields hover in the mid-teens, the logic is why risk equity volatility when you can earn double-digit returns from a sovereign issuer with no lock-in? For many retail investors, CIS funds function like ‘super savings accounts’-low risk, easy to enter and exit, and consistently better than bank deposits.

But this makes the industry highly sensitive to interest-rate shifts. If rates fall-because of fiscal consolidation, easing inflation, or a change in Bank of Uganda’s policy stance-CIS yields will drop. With portfolios dominated by bonds, performance is tied more to macroeconomic conditions than to active management. The tiny equity allocation offers almost no cushion.

In mature markets, balanced or equity-heavy funds provide growth through corporate earnings even when rates decline. In Uganda, the near-absence of equities means bond cycles dictate returns, with few alternatives to offset dips.

The CMA has flagged this risk. It has urged managers to diversify into equities and structured alternatives, broadening resilience and offering savers more risk-return options. As the quarter two market bulletin notes, ‘it is imperative that fund management players explore innovative ways of tapping into Uganda’s demographic structure that is skewed towards the youth and explore allocating a lot more to alternative investments.’ Uganda’s CIS industry has mastered the fixed-income playbook.

The next challenge is building portfolios that can thrive across interest-rate cycles, not just during bond booms.

That requires deeper equity markets, credible alternative products, and more adventurous-but disciplined-fund strategies. This challenge is pushing some managers to rethink.

Simon Mwebaze, managing director at Cornerstone Asset Managers, warns: ‘We’ve seen massive rejection of bids, like with the 25-year bond auction. There has to be some scratching for opportunities outside government. The regulator should consider broadening the landscape-maybe offshore.

Global trends like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are driving some asset classes up 30, 40, even 1,000 percent over five years, while we clap for 13 percent here.’

John Kamara, country manager at XENO Investment Management, highlights a different approach: tailoring portfolios to member objectives. ‘We give our members exposure across four asset classes-money markets, long-term bonds, domestic and regional equities-based on their risk profile and goals. It’s about matching portfolios to life objectives like buying a house..’

This contrasts with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), which pools member funds and deploys them wholesale, with little customisation. For a fund of its scale-$6-7b globally-deployment options are limited. The constraints are real.

Many of these fund managers have a fiduciary duty to preserve capital, provide liquidity for redemptions, and manage social and political expectations. But these same constraints keep Uganda’s institutional fund managers locked in government securities. And that dependence is a paradox of its own.

Speaking of paradoxes, do interest rates present one?

High interest rates look like a gift in the short term-delivering 16-17 percent returns to members’ assets under management. But if they remain elevated for too long, it signals deeper economic weakness. This is the dilemma for institutional managers and collective investment schemes, whose portfolios lean heavily on government securities. Election years often bring expectations of surging yields, but the outcome is never guaranteed.

‘There’s always a different twist in every election period. Our sense is rates won’t rise much higher because the Treasury is actively managing them. In the short term, higher rates may benefit funds and members, but you don’t want a prolonged period of elevated rates-that points to deeper problems in the economy and financial sector,’ Kamara says.

The logic behind Uganda’s fixed-income bias is clear: mid-teen yields are attractive, reliable, and require far less effort than equities. Equities demand extra manpower, analysis, and risk-taking, yet returns are uncertain. For most fund managers, bonds are the easier, safer bet.

This dynamic stands in sharp contrast to developed markets. In the US, government securities yield barely 3.0 percent. To achieve better returns, investors must turn to equities, where dividends can hit 10 percent but come with volatility.

So, as long as Uganda’s portfolios remain tied overwhelmingly to bonds, performance will swing with the yield curve, not with real diversification.

The alternatives

Finding alternatives to government bonds isn’t easy for Uganda’s fund managers. The system itself makes it hard. First, there are few private assets to invest in, little deal flow, almost no secondary markets, and weak governance. If managers try to take big positions, they risk being stuck with assets they can’t easily sell.

Second, alternatives like real estate, private equity, or offshore assets need specialist research, legal structures, custodians, and auditors.

That pushes fees up in a market where investors don’t like paying more than the usual 2.0 percent on unit trusts. If fees rise to 5 percent, many Ugandan unit holders would walk away. Third, alternatives bring currency risks, irregular cash flows, and complicated reporting. But investors want daily access to their savings. That promise of quick liquidity clashes with the slow, complex nature of alternative assets. With government bonds paying safe mid-teen returns, managers already look good sticking to fixed income.

Few want to risk their careers on illiquid or volatile assets that are harder to explain when markets turn. For pensions, the Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority’s investment regulations push most money into East African government securities and listed shares, effectively blocking offshore options.

For unit trusts, offshore or unusual assets aren’t banned, but they require that ‘the fund’s eligible markets and assets are hard-wired into the scheme documents and approved by CMA-plus you need offshore custody, forex risk management, and robust disclosure.’

That makes them expensive and complex to set up. The challenge, then, is not just product design but affordability and regulatory openness.

For a full decade, Joshua Cheptegei mastered the art of winning the two track long-distance events.

He barely skipped championships and scooped almost every piece of silverware available and the world records too, over the 5000 metres and the 10000 metres.

So when the 29-year-old chose not to compete at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships in Japan, the country seemed unsettled.

Indeed, Uganda departed Tokyo empty-handed with extra reasons but in part, because Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo weren’t there.

Kiplimo won the Chicago Marathon in the USA a week ago and now, Cheptegei faces the familiar weight of expectation again when he lines-up for the Amsterdam Marathon in the Netherlands on Sunday.

‘Just landed in Amsterdam and ready for the TCS Amsterdam Marathon this weekend!’ Cheptegei posted on his social media platforms.

An elite marathoner ideally can compete in two marathons in a calendar year so the body can perfectly recover. Cheptegei came ninth at the Tokyo Marathon with a personal best mark of two hours and 5:59 minutes on March 2.

It was only his second career 42km event in a space of 16 months and since, the marathon intensified. ‘His preparations went well, much better than Tokyo,’ said his coach Addy Ruiter. ‘Slowly but surely Joshua is becoming a marathoner,’ stated his manager Youri Verbaas.

After Tokyo, Cheptegei went ahead and won the Bengaluru 10K in April as an attempt to improve his speed.

Cheptegei could have competed at the Antrim Coast Half-Marathon in Northern Ireland in late August but he pulled out of that competition.

Regardless, Cheptegei has raised his mileage and he is ready and is aiming to win his first marathon in the Dutch capital. ‘A finish below 2:04 hours, hopefully a win and a course record,’ Ruiter laid out today’s goal.

‘In Tokyo it was 2:05 hours, we are aiming to take another step down,’ said Verbaas. ‘His positivity towards the marathon and his mindset changed.’

The plan targets to beat the Amsterdam Marathon course record which stands at 2:03:38 set by Ethiopian Tamirat Tola four years ago.

It is projected that the pace makers comprising Kenyans Edwin Kiptoo, Mike Chematot, Jonathan Kamosong and Stephen Kipkoech will push Cheptegei and the elite field to a time of 61:45 minutes at the halfway stage.

After the 25km mark, Cheptegei will be tested by Kenyan Enock Kinyamal whose personal best of 2:06:28 came from victory at the 2024 Eindhoven Marathon in the Netherlands.

Then, there is also Tanzanian Gabriel Geay who is 2:03:00 performer, Ethiopians Getaneh Molla at 2:03:34, Tsegaye Getachew at 2:04:49 and Bute Gemechu at 2:04:51 to test the Ugandan.

CHEPTEGEI AT A GLANCE

Date of birth: September 12, 1996

Major Races: Half-Marathon, Marathon

Personal Bests: 21km (59:21), 42km (2:05:59)

Coach: Addy Ruiter

International Manager: Youri Verbaas

Kit Sponsor: Nike

CHEPTEGEI IN 2025

Apr 27: Bengaluru 10K (1st, 27:53)

Mar 2: Tokyo Marathon (9th, 2:05:59)

CHEPTEGEI IN 2024

Oct 20: Delhi Half Marathon (1st, 59:46)

Sept 22: Dam tot Damloop (2nd, 45:18)

Aug 2: Paris Olympics 10000m Final (1st, 26:43.14)

May 30: Bislett Games 5000m (9th, 12:51.94)

May 17: LA Grand Prix 5000m (3rd, 12:52.38)

Mar 30: World X-Country (6th, 28:24)

Mar 16: Laredo 10K (2nd, 25:53)

CHEPTEGEI IN 2023

Dec 3: Valencia Marathon (37th, 2:08:59)

Aug 20: Budapest Worlds 10000m Final (1st, 27:51.42)

June 30: Lausanne DL (2nd, 12:41.61)

Jun 2: Florence DL (4th, 12:53.81)

Mar 19: New York Half-Marathon (2nd, 1:02:09)

Feb 18: World X-Country (3rd, 29:37)

Government, through the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), has received a consignment of Jianzhou Big Ear Goats from China to enhance research and breed improvement in Uganda’s livestock sector.

The breeds which were imported in July under the FAO-China-Uganda South-South Cooperation Project Framework were cleared for release after completing the mandatory 21-day quarantine.

Officials say the goats will be used to improve the genetic potential of local breeds, enhance productivity, and support Uganda’s drive toward agro-industrialisation.

The goats were officially handed over by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries at a ceremony held at the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Databank (NAGRC and DB) farm in Entebbe. Speaking at the handover, the minister of State for Animal Industry, Lt Col (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama, said the introduction of the Jianzhou Big Ear Goats marks a major step toward transforming livestock breeding in Uganda.

‘We already have some competitive breeds like the Boer from South Africa, but some of our indigenous breeds, such as Kigezi and Bitanga, do not gain sufficient weight,’ Mr Rwamirama said. ‘With this new breed from China, we will conduct research to determine whether they truly are ‘wonder goats.’ If proven, we will import more and make them accessible to farmers across the country,’ he said.

Col Rwamirama recalled how Uganda once failed to meet an international demand for goat exports due to limited supply, noting that high-yielding breeds are crucial for sustaining export markets and achieving food security. ‘We are no longer talking about just production but productivity, because our population is growing while land remains static. We must, therefore, adopt improved breeds that give better returns within shorter periods,’ he added

Three main breeds

While receiving the goats on behalf of NARO, Dr Swidiq Mugerwa, the deputy director general for Research, said the Jianzhou Big Ear Goats are renowned for their fast growth rate and high meat yield, reaching up to 45kgs in only 18 months.

‘The purpose of introducing this breed is to help Ugandan farmers increase both milk and meat production, thereby boosting household incomes and improving livelihoods,’ Dr Mugerwa said.

He explained that Uganda’s goat population is dominated by three main indigenous breeds: Mubende, Small East African, and Kigezi goats. While the Mubende reaches about 35kg in two years and the Small East African averages 25kg, the Jianzhou Big Ear goat grows much faster, making it ideal for commercial breeding.

Mr Julius Twinamasiko, the national coordinator of the South-South Cooperation Project, said NARO will oversee the research and breeding work, while NAGRC and DB will handle the multiplication and distribution of the goats to farmers.

International cooperation

‘This partnership shows how international cooperation can accelerate agricultural transformation. We appreciate FAO and the Chinese government for their continued support and call for an extension of the project to consolidate the gains achieved since 2012,’ Twinamasiko said.

Since the project’s inception, China has dispatched 64 experts and technical officers to Uganda in areas such as crop production, livestock, aquaculture, and value addition, a move that has significantly strengthened Uganda’s research capacity.

Mr Martin Ameu, the FAO South-South Cooperation focal point, said the Jianzhou Big Ear Goats have shown great adaptability to Ugandan conditions and could greatly improve the productivity of local breeds.

‘These goats are hardy, fast-growing, and produce quality meat and milk. They will play a key role in improving farmers’ incomes and promoting food security,’ Mr Ameu said.

The introduction of the Jianzhou Big Ear Goats is part of Uganda’s broader effort to modernise its livestock industry through research, innovation, and international collaboration, a strategy aimed at ensuring the country meets both local consumption needs and export targets in the coming years.

Uganda coffee farmers have been engaging in value addition beyond simply picking cherries by adopting better harvesting techniques, proper drying methods, wet processing, hulling, and even roasting.

However, there is a unique opportunity for the coffee farmers across the country to benefit from coffee flowers by adding value to them. This is already happening in a few selected districts under a two-year pilot project run by Pan African Trade and Development Group (PAD and T), a company dealing in agribusiness inputs with support from the German Cooperation.

Background

Uganda’s coffee sector is characterised by a government-driven National Coffee Roadmap targeting 20 million bags by 2030, with a strong emphasis on increasing production through planting new trees. Now, farmers are encouraged to take on more active roles in the coffee value chain through education and support for quality management. The focus is shifting from exporting raw beans to processing and value-added products to fetch higher prices for farmers.

Also, the emphasis in value addition has shifted beyond primary production by exploring and promoting value addition through products such as roasted coffee products, processing coffee oil from raw beans, cosmetics such as coffee lotions, creams and shampoos and beverages like coffee malt, energy drinks, beer and wine. However, farmers have not been sensitised to add value to the coffee flowers. This led the (PAD and T) team to come up with a project concept with a focus on sensitising females involved in the coffee value chain.

Coffee flower processing

Ms Rikke Adamsen, founder of the project, explained that two years ago, her team at PAD and T set out on a journey of turning coffee flower into high-quality products. Apart from the already trained 10,000 farmers, mainly in the Greater Masaka, the team intends to reach out to farmers across the country, mainly to push a female-driven value chain. This is through a co-creation model that bridges research, entrepreneurship and technology involving the Danish private companies, leading selected academic universities and local partners, the National Crops Resources Research Institute and Food for Africa.

The team sampled coffee dried flowers by testing them in a laboratory, including testing how long they can be preserved. She notes that coffee flowers, unlike any other flower, have rich flavours, minerals, antioxidants and Vitamins A, B, C, D and E, which are essential for the human body. The team then trained female farmers on how to collect quality coffee flowers, which, after drying, can be used for processing beverages, oil, soft drinks, beer, chocolates and premium cosmetics. These products do not exist in the global market, which means it takes enormous effort, creativity and strength to open the doors for export.

The emphasis is on farmers to deliver the highest quality of coffee flowers in order to come up with quality products. The team is already in touch with the Carlsberg Group, manufacturers of Carlsberg beer, who are willing to take up processed coffee flowers to come up with a new beer product which they can sell in the global market. The team has also tasted the processed coffee flower with Champagne producers in France and world-class chocolate producers. Their response was that this can become a premium global product.

How to harvest the coffee flower, the selling process

Mark Grace Kiyiga, the logistics manager at PAD and T, explains that the team for the last two years reached out to farmers in Greater Masaka, Iganga and Kawanda, among others, sensitising them on how to pick the flowers. Farmers are advised to harvest the flower after 4-5 days of flowering because the coffee berry would have already formed. This is to enable harvesting of quality flowers because once it overstays, the flowers change colour and it becomes unwanted, yet the aim is not to allow flowers to drop in the farm and get wasted.

Fufa president Moses Magogo on Saturday afternoon bowed to mounting fans’ pressure and media disapproval, announcing the suspension of the controversial 2025/2026 Uganda Premier League (UPL) group-themed format.

The federation will revert to the traditional home-and-away system that has governed Ugandan football for decades.

In a statement issued after an Executive Committee meeting, Magogo confirmed: ‘The Fufa Executive Committee has taken a decision to suspend the format of the 2025/2026 StarTimes Uganda Premier League season after consultations with the UPL clubs, league sponsors and the Uganda Premier League Board.

“Rule 14:4-12 of the Fufa Competition Rules 2025 will now not apply for this season.’

Magogo, clearly humbled by the storm, admitted: ‘Our new format failed because of a lack of adequate sensitisation. We shall revert to it in one year’s time after trying it in the lower leagues.’

The league will now proceed under the old system, with already played matches standing.

But the fallout – marked by fans’ boycotts, sponsor unease, and Vipers’ open defiance – has left a trail of mistrust that may take years to heal.

Healthy plant roots are the foundation of vigorous plant growth, nutrient uptake and overall crop productivity. Strong root systems support water absorption and resilience against environmental stress.

Poor root development, on the other hand, can lead to stunted growth, reduced yields and susceptibility to pests and diseases. This is the thinking of science experts who advise farmers to adopt best practices in a bid to maintain healthy plant root growth to achieve improved yields. In an Indian-based publication, Agricultural experts analysed organic methods of farmers maintaining healthy plant roots, applying to any point for farmers’ guides, including farmers in Uganda.

Importance of healthy plant roots

Plant roots perform an essential function that determines the viability of the plant. Roots take up water and minerals, which are critical for photosynthesis, growth and fruiting, and strong root systems enable plants to withstand heavy rains and mechanical stress. They act as storage sites for carbohydrates and other essential nutrients that support plant growth. Healthy roots foster microorganisms such as mycorrhizal fungal and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Therefore, maintaining healthy roots is fundamental for long-term plant performance and soil sustainability.

Factors affecting root development

These include soil structure, where compacted soil limits root penetration and aeration and soil pH with high level of acidity impairs nutrient availability. Others are moisture levels where overwatering reduces the root functioning and development, nutrient availability, temperature and pests and disease pressure.

Organic methods to promote healthy root development

Experts advise farmers to use organic fertilisers and amendments, and these include the use of compost rich in humus to enhance soil aeration and beneficial microbes that stimulate root growth. Others are the use of manure, rock phosphate and seaweed extracts to supply growth hormones, among others.

Soil structure improvement

Farmers can loosen compacted soil through tilling to make it soft for the roots to grow freely. They can mulch to retain the soil moisture, and they can grow cover crops such as legumes and grass to protect against soil erosion and add organic matter to the soil. Others are the use of organic stimulants such as Aloe Vera extracts, which are rich in plant root growth, Garlic and ginger extracts, which protect the plants from soil pathogens, and humic and fulvic acid extracts that can decompose plant matter for root absorption.

Farmers are also advised to use micro nutrient organisms such as mychorrhizal fungi, which increase surface area for nutrient uptake and rhizobacteria, which stimulate the roots and elongate root growth. Improved sowing methods are recommended since they help to maintain optimum plant population with better emergence and enable plants to utilise land, light and other input resources uniformly and efficiently.

Use plant repellent herbs with strong aroma such as such as basil, mint and rosemary, near crops to deter pests. Consider planting specific herbs known to repel certain pests: sage for cabbage moths or chives for carrot flies.

Utilise plants like marigolds or lemongrass, which contain natural insect-repelling oils like citronella. Blend garlic cloves with water and a little soap, then spray on plants to deter aphids and caterpillars. Mix cold-pressed neem oil with water and a mild soap to create a spray that disrupts insect hormones and feeding. Combine chilli peppers with water and dish soap to create a spray that deters leaf-eating insects.

Other practices

Farmers are advised to adopt proper watering system for crops such as vegetables grown during dry spell, use disease-free seeds, and once they have germinated, avoid root disturbances. It is important to practice crop rotation and intercropping to improve soil health for healthy root growth.

Ugandan case

Scientists from the National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NaRL) under the soils programme are in charge of researching soil to facilitate better soil for healthy crop root development. The scientists have been carrying out soil mapping across the country, where they have completed the exercise in the Greater Masaka, with other regions ongoing.

Mr Julius Opio, a research officer at NaRL under the soils, environment and agro-meteorology programme, explains that soils support environmental sustainability and agricultural production. He contends that when conducting soil mapping, the team considers how essential it is for farmers to adopt best practices depending on the soil type in the various parts of the country.

This, in the end, enables farmers to adopt practices that lead to better soils, which will enable healthy plant root growth to achieve better yields.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s family member and a cardiologist who attended to him at a hospital in India have recounted desperate attempts to save his life in the final moments.

As Kenyans were preparing to report to their workplaces on Wednesday morning, the Devamatha Hospital in Kerala, Southern India was buzzed with urgency. Odinga, Kenya’s former Prime Minister, had just been wheeled into the facility after suffering a cardiac arrest during a morning walk at about 8.30 am (6am Kenyan time).

By his side were his personal doctor and security personnel Maurice Ogeta. The two had just administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Odinga remained unresponsive, prompting them to rush him to the facility, which was the nearest private hospital. They were tensed but focused to save the veteran politician.

An Indian police official said Odinga had been on a morning walk, accompanied by his sister Ruth, daughter Winnie, a personal doctor, and Indian and Kenyan security officers, when he collapsed.

At the facility, a team of doctors rushed, and immediately took over the resuscitation efforts. At the time of admission, Odinga had no pulse or measurable blood pressure upon arrival, the doctor said.

‘Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga was brought to our casualty emergency wing with a history of sudden collapse during his morning walk,’ a cardiologist, only identified as Dr Alphons said.

‘They had already started CPR. His doctor and security personnel were with him. We continued CPR and performed emergency intubation – inserting a tube into the respiratory system – and continued CPR along with other resuscitative measures,’ she said.

She explained, ‘After stabilising him with IV fluids, we administered an injection to dissolve any possible clot in the coronary arteries.’

When in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the medics in the room momentarily detected a heart rhythm. The beeping then faltered, followed by heartbeat flat line on the screen.

Odinga had breathed his last some minutes before 10am. The medics also observed swelling in his lower right leg. His personal physician informed them that he had a history of diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.

He had previously been treated for deep vein thrombosis. He had an inferior ven cav filtered inserted in the vein.

‘Recently, he had a thin subdural hematoma, which was detected last Saturday,’ the cardiologist said.

Odinga’s elder brother, Dr Oburu Oginga, also revealed that Odinga was in good health until Tuesday. He disclosed that they had a conversation that night.

‘I informed you before that he was well and kicking about and that he would be back in the country. That was not a lie; it was the truth,’ Dr Oburu said.

‘He was very well until last night – I spoke to him. He was vibrant, up and kicking. It is very unfortunate that this morning he suffered shock, which is suspected after the postmortem to be a heart attack,’ he said.

According to Dr Mohamed Hasham Varwani, an interventional cardiologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, what follows a cardiac arrest is a sudden collapse, loss of consciousness and stoppage of breathing.

‘Without quick action especially CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitations that mainly entail chest compressions) and use of a defibrillator which can apply an electric shock to the heart, a cardiac arrest can cause death within minutes,’ said Dr Varwani.

‘Acting quickly can make the difference between life and death. Every minute without CPR or defibrillation reduces the chances of survival by about 10 per cent.’ On October 11, Dr Oginga had told the media that the latter was ‘a bit indisposed, just like every human being sometimes becomes indisposed’.

‘He went for check-ups, it’s finished, he’s now just recuperating. Very soon, he will be back; up and about, kicking,’ he said.

That was not to be.

Also, this was not the first time Dr Oginga was discussing his younger brother’s hospitalisation. In 2020, when Odinga went to Dubai for treatment, it was his elder brother who spoke to the media about the swirling rumours. ‘

Jakom (Raila) is out of the country for a minor surgical operation on his back. It is not a serious health issue, but just a minor one. So, he’s okay,’ Dr Oginga told journalists in June 2020.

Later, in an interview with Nation, Odinga revealed that he had an issue with his spine.

‘The doctors told me it is called Spinal Canal Stenosis,’ he said, referring to a condition that causes the narrowing of the spaces within the spine and which can be painful in some instances.

‘What they did for me in Dubai is a minor procedure. It’s called lumbar decompression and fusion.The operation itself takes some few hours and then you need time to recuperate,’ he added.

In March 2021, Dr Oginga was also in the news after responding to talks about his brother’s hospitalisation. He denied that Odinga had contracted Covid-19, but the fact was later confirmed.

A decade earlier, in 2010, when Odinga was the Prime Minister, he underwent a surgery at the Nairobi Hospital to remove fluid on his brain.

Neurosurgeon Oluoch Olunya described the operation as ‘minor’ and which was meant to relieve pressure that had built up outside Odinga’s brain.

Odinga’s burial plans

Raila Odinga is to be given a state funeral with full honours.

President William Ruto has declared seven days of national mourning, with flags at half mast.

Burial is scheduled for October 19, 2025. The burial site is Opoda Farm, Bondo in Siaya County, his home area.