Category: Daily Monitor

Residents of Mpigi District have urged Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu, the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential candidate, to address the rampant illegal sand mining activities in the Lwera swamp along the Kampala-Masaka highway.

The locals claim that while they were barred from engaging in sand mining, Chinese investors have been granted licenses to extract sand in the same wetland, causing ecological damage.

Mr. Peter Nganda, a resident of Buwama Town Council, noted that many youths who previously relied on sand mining for survival have been left jobless due to the crackdown by security officers. “General, move around, and you’ll find very energetic young people already drunk, having lost hope and resorted to alcoholism because the opportunities that would help them were granted to foreigners,” he said.

Nganda claimed that mega dredgers are being assembled in various swamps by Chinese companies to scoop tonnes of sand in environmentally sensitive areas. “It’s unfortunate that the government pretended to have suspended them, but they kept operating with the protection of armed security personnel,” he added.

During his campaign trail in Mpigi, Gen. Muntu interacted with residents who highlighted unemployment among youths as a major issue that he should prioritize if elected President in the January General Election. Ms. Mariam Najjuma, a resident of Kayabwe Town Council, noted that the damage caused by Chinese nationals in wetlands is significant, yet locals are not allowed to use even rudimentary tools for sand mining.

“This was one of our main sources of income, which trickled down to our businesses, but it’s no more. We ask that if you assume power, prioritize citizens instead of foreigners,” she said.

Another pressing issue raised was the alleged brutality meted out by soldiers under the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) against fishermen suspected of engaging in illegal fishing on Lake Victoria. Residents claim that FPU operations favor bigwigs in government and foreigners, while curtailing local fishermen.

According to Mr Emmanuel Mukasa, a fisherman at Ggolo landing site, his five boats, engines, and fishing gear were destroyed, leaving him in absolute poverty.

“Eventually, we’ve seen NRM cadres, soldiers, and some foreigners operating freely on the lake, and on several occasions, some have been arrested with immature fish, but cases have died along the way,” he said.

In response, Gen. Muntu urged Ugandans to avoid fear and not lose hope due to the delayed change of government, assuring them that change will come soon.

“Whatever you’re complaining about is a result of impunity, which will be sorted when I become President. Vote for me, and you’ll see change,” he said.

He pledged to boost agriculture by establishing a farmer’s bank to offer soft loans to farmers.

“That will ease access to capital and eventually boost production and incomes. Even prices and quality of inputs will be accorded attention to improve accessibility and boost agriculture, which is the backbone of the economy,” he said.

Mpigi has a total population of 326,690 people, according to the 2024 National Population and Housing Census. The key issues affecting residents include poor infrastructure, poor education and health systems, unemployment, and land grabbing.

Uganda’s netball team the She Cranes will take part in this year’s Celtic Cup starting November 26 in Scotland with intention to rise from seventh place sixth in world rankings.

The team that is also eying automatic qualification for the World Cup that will be hosted in Sydney, Australia next year will only achieve this feat if they reclaim the sixth position that they last held in 2024 before dropping in 2025.

The She Cranes head into the competition seeking vengeance against Wales who are now occupying the sixth position.

Other countries that will take part in the Celtic Cup include Northern Ireland, Scotland, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The top six ranked countries by qualification time will automatically make the cut for the 2027 Netball World Cup while the rest will undergo qualifiers.

For the Celtic cup, a strong squad of 24 players was invited for preparations under head coach Rashid Mubiru and former She Cranes centre player Ruth Meeme as his assistant.

To allow players time with their local clubs, given the ongoing netball league, the She Cranes only train twice a week alternating between the Lugogo indoor stadium and Hamz Stadium in Nakivubo.

Gloria Ayaa, one of the young defenders on the long squad, reveals that the ongoing netball league has made their work easy.

‘The netball league is preparing us in a way that teams are competitive, so we get strength, more competition and experience from the teams that are taking part in the netball league,’ she said.

Assistant coach Ruth Meeme is content with the blend of new players alongside the team mainstays that are competing for places on the final squad.

‘The team is in good shape because we added in players who never featured in the January Test Series. These include Shadiah Nassanga, Faridah Kadondi and Christine Namulumba. In the mid court we have called up new players who will boost the squad,’ Meeme told Daily Monitor.

She Cranes shooter Mary Nuba who plays for Queensland Firebirds in the Australian league was also invited, but the shooting ace will only join colleagues in Scotland.

Celtic Cup

Dates: November 26-30, 2025

Venue: Emirates Arena, Glasgow

Teams: Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Namibia

Hello Paul, I struggle with night driving because my headlights seem very dim, even after changing the bulbs. Could it be a wiring problem, dirty reflectors or something else? How do I ensure my headlights are bright enough without blinding oncoming drivers? I feel unsafe every minute I drive at night. Brenda

Hello Brenda, I am sorry about the visibility issues you experience while driving at night. You are not alone; many drivers face similar challenges. Poor visibility can lead to accidents, especially if you cannot see stationary vehicles, crossing pedestrians, or obstacles such as road kerbs. Several factors can cause dim headlights even after replacing the bulbs. One common issue is scaly or dirty headlight covers and lenses, which can reduce headlight performance. Many modern headlight covers and lenses are made from a plastic material called Perspex. Over time, this material can become oxidised from sunlight exposure, resulting in a brownish or grey, scaly surface.

This dulls the reflective mirrors of the headlights and can make the lens opaque, ultimately dimming the light and reducing visibility. To resolve this problem, you can use a headlight restoration kit, which contains an abrasive solution.

Applying it will help clear the scales on the lens and cover, improving visibility. In severe cases, where the reflective mirror or lens is too damaged, you may need to replace the entire headlight assembly. Another factor that can affect light performance is using the wrong bulb type, which can lead to a dim beam. Always consult the user manual or check the information on the headlight itself for the recommended bulb type. If you are uncertain, consider consulting a professional car electrician or checking online for guidance.

Additionally, a faulty alternator can diminish headlight brightness. The alternator generates power for various electrical components, including the headlights. If it is damaged, it may produce less power, resulting in dim lights. You can check the alternator output, which should average between 13.7 to 14.3 volts.

Electrical circuit issues such as corroded or loose contacts can also cause headlights to dim. This prevents the proper current voltage from reaching the lights. A qualified electrician can help diagnose and fix this issue. To avoid dazzling or blinding oncoming traffic, please use your headlights caringly. Switch to full beam only when there is no oncoming traffic and revert to low beam as soon as you see vehicles approaching.

Also, ensure your headlights are properly aligned to prevent incorrect aiming that can dazzle other drivers. Avoid using extra-bright or High-Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs, as they can produce very bright white light that may blind oncoming traffic.

Instead, use light bulbs that meet the manufacturer’s recommended standards and legal compliance. Below is an image of a Mercedes whose headlights were restored using a headlight restoration product.

Uganda’s coffee has found its way to Tokyo – not just in cups, but in diplomacy. At the 2025 Specialty Coffee Association of Japan (SCAJ) Expo held in September, Uganda’s coordinated presence signalled a confident new approach to market expansion and global branding.

Supported by the Ugandan Embassy in Tokyo and the Ministry of Agriculture, Uganda hosted a unified national booth. The participation of Ambassador Tophace Kaahwa and Assistant Commissioner Gordon Katwirenabo added diplomatic weight and credibility.

This partnership between government and private exporters offered a model of how “coffee diplomacy” can open markets that were once hard to reach. The Ugandan booth was more than a showcase; it was a story of origin and identity.

Designed around the country’s highland landscapes and sustainable coffee heritage, it invited visitors to experience Uganda’s coffee as distinctive and traceable. Embassy and ministry coordination reduced costs for producers and created a national image of reliability. Japanese importers repeatedly noted that government involvement projected seriousness and stability-qualities that turn introductions into long-term partnerships.

During the four-day event, Uganda’s booth hosted dozens of business meetings. Japanese roasters expressed strong interest in Arabicas from Bugisu, Rwenzori, and Kigezi, while mid-elevation Robustas attracted attention for espresso blends. Several buyers requested sample shipments, marking tangible progress toward trade relationships. Japanese manufacturers also explored distribution opportunities for processing equipment, particularly moisture and water activity meters-an encouraging sign for Uganda’s growing coffee technology ecosystem.

Japan is the world’s third-largest coffee market, valued at about $35 billion and growing at over 4 percent annually. The roasted coffee segment alone generates more than $2.2 billion, with Arabica as the dominant variety and Robusta as the fastest-growing. These trends make Japan an ideal destination for Uganda’s highland Arabicas and fine Robustas.

Globally, supply from Brazil and Colombia remains volatile due to climate disruptions, and the International Coffee Organisation expects tightness to persist for several years. Uganda, whose production has doubled to over eight million bags annually, is well placed to meet emerging demand. With stability, quality, and sustainability credentials, Uganda can build a long-term foothold in Asia before new competitors catch up. Uganda’s advantage lies in diversity.

Its Arabicas from Mt Elgon and Rwenzori are gaining recognition in global competitions, fetching up to $20 per kilo. Meanwhile, improved washed Robustas are attracting specialty buyers seeking bold flavours and climate resilience. The ability to supply both premium Arabica and fine Robusta gives Uganda flexibility across price and quality segments.

The Tokyo experience revealed how collaboration multiplies impact. Shared infrastructure under a national booth cuts costs for exporters. Government presence built trust with buyers who value regulatory backing and transparency. Unified branding around “The Pearl of Africa” helped position Uganda as a serious origin rather than a scattered group of traders.

The lesson is clear: when the public and private sectors act together, Uganda competes better on the global stage. To build on this momentum, Uganda should tailor its marketing to Japanese tastes by offering consistent blends, digital traceability, and certifications such as Organic, Fairtrade, and Rainforest Alliance. Future expos-in Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, and Melbourne-should feature coordinated embassy-led delegations to sustain visibility and credibility.

At home, strengthening producer capacity, post-harvest quality, and climate-resilient practices will be vital. Uganda’s coffee narrative must continue emphasising sustainability, traceability, and farmer welfare-messages that resonate with premium buyers worldwide. Uganda’s performance at SCAJ Tokyo shows that coffee is more than an export-it is a diplomatic tool and a symbol of national pride.

By aligning producers, government, and embassies under a shared strategy, Uganda can expand its global footprint, attract investment, and secure better prices for farmers. If this spirit of unity and professionalism continues, Ugandan coffee will not just be tasted-it will be trusted, valued, and remembered in every cup brewed across Asia.

On the morning of October 7, 2025, Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), quietly slipped into crisis.

Inside the Ministry of Trade, a sealed letter carried a single instruction to the Bureau’s Executive Director, James Kasigwa: step aside.

The directive, couched as administrative, not disciplinary, ordered him to take 30 working days of ‘annual leave’ starting October 15, while the National Standards Council investigates allegations of insubordination, misconduct, impropriety, mismanagement, and corruption.

He was told to hand over to Deputy Executive Director (Standards), Patricia Bageine Ejalu, with the Council chair, James Kalibbala, personally witnessing the transition.

The handover memo tried to sound routine, almost bureaucratic. But behind the paperwork lay weeks of tension, sealed memos, and whispered accusations that had turned the Bureau into a pressure cooker.

The crisis before the crisis

The trouble didn’t begin in October. It began on August 26, when the Ministry of Trade fired off a memo to UNBS warning of what it called a ‘systematic corruption crisis’ under Kasigwa’s leadership.

The language was stark: UNBS, it said, had become ‘a clear and present danger to public safety and economic security’.

The ministry accused Kasigwa of presiding over an organised scheme that had turned the standards agency into a personal fiefdom. It listed six explosive categories of wrongdoing.

There were public safety failures – used cars entering the country without radiation or emissions inspection, procurement irregularities, and sabotage of government’s digital tax stamps programme, the system designed to track excisable goods and protect revenue, by derailing the official contract with SICPA and attempting to set up a rival system with a private partner.

Other accusations included economic sabotage, with the Ministry citing cancellation of a national weighing-scale verification contract, exposing traders and farmers to faulty equipment, opening unauthorised accounts, reallocating 40 percent of the agency’s budget without approval, and funding foreign trips for MPs in violation of finance rules.

He was also accused of purging senior officers, whose names have been omitted from this story, for resisting irregular directives, in addition to benefiting from a ‘fundamentally flawed’ appointment that bypassed proper recruitment processes.

What the ministry painted wasn’t a simple case of administrative friction; it was a portrait of institutional capture.

Thus, on September 3, Trade Minister Francis Mwebesa escalated the matter in a letter to the newly inaugurated 10th National Standards Council, in which he invoked the UNBS Act and ordered an urgent investigation into Kasigwa’s conduct.

His directive turned whispers into statute, citing five pillars of alleged wrongdoing, among which included defying policy, botching pre-export verification of conformity contracts, sabotaging digital conformity systems, neglecting scale verification, and violating the Public Finance Management Act.

Billions of shillings, he warned, were at risk, but still, Mwebesa noted that it was prudent that the Council accords ‘Kasigwa an opportunity to respond to the allegations’.

The summons

A week later, on September 10, the National Standards Council acted, with Kalibbala sending Kasigwa a formal summons to appear before the Council on September 16.

The tone was polite but firm; cooperation would ‘greatly assist’ the inquiry, and attached was Mwebesa’s September 3 directive, ensuring the Council’s work rested on legal ground.

And for Kasigwa, the summons was the beginning of an official shift from rumour to record.

By early October, the writing was on the wall. The Ministry, eager to protect documents and limit interference, decided Kasigwa needed to go on leave.

On October 7, the Trade Ministry ordered him to proceed on leave effective October 15.

Officially, it was ‘annual leave.’ Unofficially, it was containment, a way to keep the inquiry clean, the evidence secure, and the Bureau steady while the Council dug in.

The move came with a promise that the Council would complete its work quickly and report back to the minister.

For now, the National Standards Council holds the script. Its findings will decide whether Kasigwa’s troubles end with a quiet return or spiral.

Either way, UNBS returns to the routine it has come to be known for – scandal after scandal – while the pile of substandard goods continues to grow, which the Bureau’s own report puts at 54 percent.

Yesterday, Kalibbala said the executive director’s leave was overdue, and it was agreed that he would step aside for 30 days to allow the investigation to take place.

‘The next step would be for the executive director to respond to the allegations, and then for the board to invite relevant staff members to provide information and testimony. A lot of issues of concern happened during the nine months when the board wasn’t in place,’ he said.

President Museveni has described the late Raila Odinga, a former Prime Minister of Kenya, as a Pan-Africanist. Mr Museveni said Odinga wasn’t a career politician, but a freedom fighter like his late father Jaramogi Odinga, the first Vice President of Kenya.

‘Rt Hon Odinga has not been just a career politician. He has been a freedom fighter, in the tradition of his late father, Jaramogi Odinga, the first Vice President of Kenya. Ideologically speaking, they have been with the patriotic and Pan-Africanist orientation,’ Mr Museveni said on Wednesday.

Odinga, 80, died in India where he had gone for a medical check-up on Wednesday. Mr Museveni said he shared a lot of ideas with Odinga and his late father.

‘Their sentiments have been for the unity of Kenya, East Africa and Africa, including always supporting the struggles for the realisation of our dream for the East African Federation. It is, therefore, unfortunate that he has left at this moment,’ he said.

He said the gap left by Odinga needs to be filled by the young people.

‘It is important for the young People to fill the void left by such historical fighters for Africa’s future. I extend condolences to HE Ruto, the people of Kenya and Raila’s family. May his soul rest in eternal peace,’ he said.

Mr Museveni and Odinga have had a long history together – sometimes good and other times bad, but they would get along well. In November 1991, Odinga fled to Uganda escaping persecution from then President Daniel arap Moi’s government.

Museveni’s government declined to give him political asylum. He was handed over to the United Nations that airlifted him to Norway and later to Germany. Odinga alongside Mwai Kibaki later came into government after Moi’s retirement in 2002, which brought him closer to Mr Museveni since they were leaders of neighbouring countries.

Odinga and Mr Museveni’s relationship declined after the 2007 general elections in Kenya. Odinga accused Uganda of sending troops to help the Kenyan government to quell protests, an allegation Mr Museveni denied. Kenyan Opposition supporters even uprooted the railway line linking Uganda to Kenya.

They also torched Uganda-bound trucks. The two leaders also disagreed on the ownership of Migingo Island. Odinga claimed that it was Kenya’s while Mr Museveni insisted that it was Uganda territory.

Both leaders met to resolve the Migingo Island and fishing dispute on Lake Victoria. The meeting cemented their relationship, with Odinga visiting Mr Museveni and campaigned for him in Iganga District in 2010. Since then the two leaders often met.

On February 26, 2024, Kenya President William Ruto and Mr Raila Odinga visited President Museveni at Kisozi, Gomba District. Mr Raila said the meeting was aimed at discussing the deepening of regional integration within the East African Community, and also talk about his candidature for the African Union Commission job.

He said President Museveni endorsed his candidature. However, Odinga lost during the elections.

In March, Raila Odinga, who was the African Union High Representative and Ruto’s special envoy for South Sudan, visited Mr Museveni to talk about the volatile security situation in Sudan that led to the arrest of Vice President Riek Machar.

He had just visited the South Sudan President Salva Kiir, who reportedly told him that he had to talk to Museveni first.

Day One of the Africa Aquatics Zone III Swimming Championships running at Kasarani Aquatics Centre in Nairobi got underway on Thursday.

But despite an engaging morning for the swimmers, the action was cut short as a mammoth crowd descended on Kasarani in the afternoon to mourn the death of former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.

Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) specialists have highlighted poor breastfeeding as one of the major drivers for the 4,000 new breast cancer cases registered annually in the country.

This information comes amid recent findings in the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) report, which shows that close to 20 percent of mothers were not breastfeeding their children by 12th month, the minimum time required to optimise the benefit of breastfeeding as a preventive measure for breast cancer.

‘Breastfeeding is one of the preventive features of breast cancer, the longer you breastfeed, the lower the likelihood of breast cancer. Usually, the benefit was recorded when you breastfeed for at least a year’ Dr Naghib Bogere, a breast cancer specialist at UCI, noted.

Dr Alfred Jatho, the head of community cancer services at UCI, said men should encourage their wives to breastfeed their babies exclusively up to six months, without giving any other type of food.

‘Then, after that, continue [breastfeeding] up to two years, mixing the breast milk and food. That is the best protection you can find [against breast cancer],’ Dr Jatho added.

According to the UDHS report, by 18 months (one and a half years), more than 57 percent of mothers were no longer breastfeeding their children, meaning many mothers are not maximising the potential of this cancer prevention method.

Dr Naghib explained the link between breastfeeding and prevention of breast cancer.

‘Whenever you breastfeed, the cells in your breast mature, and when they mature and fully develop, chances of cancer forming in those cells are lower,’ he said.

He challenged the myth that if a man suckles the breast, it can reduce breast cancer risk.

‘Those changes (maturing of cells in the breast) do not come if you’re not breastfeeding a child. If you’re not nursing a child. If it is your husband sucking your breast or something of that kind, those changes do not occur,’ he added.

Dr Jatho expounded: ‘There’s no evidence yet currently that a man sucking the breast can be protective in terms of reducing breast cancer risk. The protection offered by breastfeeding your baby, it has a hormonal nature; there’s a lot of hormonal influence involved.’

‘First of all, the production of breast milk alone is influenced by certain hormones, which make other hormones, which, when they stay in you for a longer time, can make your cancer risk go down,’ he added.

He said the volume of breast milk suckled by the baby is also higher than that which the man can.

‘The volume of milk produced when a baby sucks, some babies can suck up to 1 litre of milk, which you as a man cannot, so, there’s no protection in terms of you sucking the breast of your wife,’ he explained.

Available scientific information also shows that breastfeeding lowers breast cancer risk by reducing lifetime exposure to estrogen (a hormone in the body linked to the growth of some cancer cells) and promoting the shedding of breast tissue, which can clear out potentially damaged cells.

Scientists said, hormonal changes during breastfeeding suppress ovulation, lowering estrogen levels that can fuel breast cancer growth.

The risk of breast cancer drops by 26 percent among women who breastfeed for more than 12 months, according to a 2015 meta-analysis by Ranadip Chowdhury from the Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies in India.

Dr Jackson Orem, the UCI director, while announcing the breast cancer awareness months at the Uganda Media Centre on Thursday, said breast cancer remains the leading cancer among women in Uganda, accounting for a large proportion of all female cancers treated at UCI.

‘Each year, Uganda records more than 4,000 new cases of breast cancer, and tragically, many women still present with the disease at advanced stages. Yet, with early detection and timely treatment, up to 90 percent of breast cancers are curable,’ Dr Orem said. He further called on the public to take advantage of available screening services in nearby health centres across the country and major facilities like UCI. He also urged women and men to perform regular breast self-examinations and report any unusual breast changes to a health facility.

Risk factors for breast cancer

Dr Orem said there are modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for breast cancer. While the exact cause of breast cancer is not known, several factors increase a woman’s risk. Although breast cancer also affects men, over 90 percent of the cases are in women.

Dr Orem highlighted family history of breast or ovarian cancer and hormonal factors, early onset of menstruation or late menopause which might not be modifiable.

He also highlighted lifestyle factors – obesity, lack of physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption as some of the drivers of breast cancer. Reproductive factors include not breastfeeding, or having the first child after age 30. These risks can be prevented/modified.

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has resorted to renting offices after running out of spaces to house some of its crucial revenue-generating departments in the 22- storey building in Nakawa, Kampala, Daily Monitor has established.

After about six years of occupying one of the tallest buildings in Kampala’s skyline, the tax body has come to a realisation that they require space beyond what has come to be code-named as URA Towers can offer.

As a result of that, URA has put out a notice notifying the public of their decision to move to a new location while stressing in the communication that the commitment remains the same.

‘To serve you better, we are coming closer to you!’ reads part of the public notice. The new location, according to the public notice, will be at Pearl Tower, Yusuf Lule Road, opposite the Ministry of Health headquarters. Beginning early this week until next Monday, October 20, the Large Taxpayers Office (LTO), the Public Sector and Medium Taxpayer division (PSO and MTO), the risk and strategy department, and finally the petroleum division, will all have their services rendered in the new location.

When contacted, the URA spokesperson, Mr Robert Kalumba, said following what he described as massive recruitment of staff to ‘serve our clients quicker and easier’, we needed more space.

As to whether the shifting of some of the offices to the new location will disrupt services, he said: ‘No, not at all. Because the shifting is being done meticulously and in phases to make sure that no services are disrupted.’

He continued: ‘The whole essence is, we are bringing our services as close to clients as possible, especially to those in the central business district.’

In another interview with the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance, Mr Patrick Ocailap, whose ministry, URA, is accountable to, it became clear that the tax body has a full mandate to run its operations and activities with the endorsement of the board.

He said: ‘I am not a board member there, however, I am sure the board must have met before this decision was taken.’

Like Mr Kalumba, Mr Ocailap noted that URA has since expanded in personnel and functions to deal with growing sectors such as oil and gas ahead of commercial production sometime next year.

‘I am not sure whether URA Tower anticipated that kind of expansion. And as we enter the oil and gas phase and all the expansion that is going on, I am not sure that the building accommodates all that. However, I would like to believe that the board must have cleared it after considering all pros and cons, besides that, I have nothing useful to add.’

When the Board Chairperson of URA, Dr Juma Kisaame, was contacted, he said he would revert, but did not by press time.

Planning

According to the executive director of Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG), Mr Julius Mukunda, the action of URA speaks to the planning deficit, something most, if not all, government ministries, departments, and agencies tend to suffer from. ‘This should have been anticipated 10 years ago.’ Said Mr Mukunda, adding, ‘the issue now is how affordable is the cost of renting? And shall we get value from it?’

Mr Mukunda is of the view that URA should consider collaboration with entities such as the Local Government which can take up some of the activities occupying space that should have been available for the functions that are being moved to the new location.

The URA Tower in Nakawa is a 22-storey headquarters housing tax body staff. It was commissioned on January 19, 2019, by President Museveni.

The Tower was designed to not only consolidate URA’s scattered offices, but also bring an end to expenses incurred on rent.

The plan was to have it house up to nearly 2,000 staff who have now expanded to about 3,000, while at the same time save the government billions of shillings annually in rent.

Before the construction of the URA Tower at some point the tax prefect’s offices were scattered in multiple rented locations across the city of Kampala, spending $3.5m (about Shs12b) in rent and $1.5m (about Shs5b) in operational expenses annually.

To avoid that expense, in February 2015, the URA began construction of the 22-storey skyscraper costing about Shs140 billion.

URA building

The URA Tower in Nakawa is a 22-storey headquarters housing tax body staff. It was commissioned on January 19, 2019, by President Museveni.

It was designed to not only consolidate URA’s scattered offices, but also bring an end to expenses incurred on rent. The plan was to have it house up to nearly 2,000 staff who have now expanded to about 3,000, while at the same time save government billions spent on rent.

Lady Doves had a tough start to the week following the death of their chief executive officer Scovia Angeyango on Sunday.

Angeyango succcumbed to what team manager Godfrey Nsingwire described as “pressure”. Before her demise, she was a popular figure in women’s football and also served as a delegate to the Fufa Assembly representing the National Women Football Leagues since 2021. She had recently been re-elected for the 2025-2029 term.

Doves, however, have to finish the week by hosting Uganda Martyrs Lubaga at home in Masindi in the Finance Trust Bank Fufa Women Super League (FTBFWSL).

They had requested for their match to be rescheduled from Saturday to Sunday but that was pending confirmation from Fufa by press time.

Both sides have had tough starts to the season. Doves drew 0-0 at home with Olila then lost 3-2 from a leading position away to newly promoted St. Noa Girls Zana.

Martyrs lost 4-1 away to She Corporate in their opener then drew 2-2 at home with Amus College.

They have met seven times since 2022 and Martyrs have won five times. Doves have won twice. Both sides will be desperate to get their first win of the season.

Also on Saturday, Amus host She Maroons in Kachumbala. The hosts won the last encounter between the sides in Kachumbala last season.

Amus will also be looking for their first win of the season after drawing their first two games. She Maroons drew 0-0 with She Corporate last week but showed in a 5-0 win over Asubo that they have goals in them.

Meanwhile, She Corporate will also be licking their lips at the prospect of facing Asubo on Saturday but the latter showed some fight in drawing 0-0 away at Rines last week.

On Sunday, Kawempe Muslim host St. Noa for the first time in the top flight league. Both sides have deep history in school’s football.

Last year, Kawempe edged St. Noa in the semifinals of the Fufa Women Cup and will be hoping their experience in league football counts.

Kawempe’s main rivals Kampala Queens visit Rines SS – a side they have beaten in seven of their last eight meetings.

Meanwhile, Makerere University fell late away to Kampala Queens last weekend and Olila High School suffered almost similar fate after going up 1-0 against Kawempe in Soroti.

Makerere and Olila face off in Makerere hoping to recollect momentum.

FTBFWSL, 10am

Saturday

She Corporate vs. Asubo Ladies, FTC Njeru

Amus College vs. She Maroons, Kachumbala

Lady Doves vs. Uganda Martyrs, Katusabe Dove Masindi

Sunday

Kawempe Muslim vs. St. Noa, The Valley

Makerere University vs. Olila HS, Makerere

Rines SS vs. Kampala Queens, Kabaka Kyabaggu