Category: Daily Monitor

Growing competition in outer space provides India with a unique opportunity to shape a narrative in which collaboration, rather than confrontation, drives space exploration.

Recognised as a trustworthy and cost-effective spacefaring nation, India is now well placed to transform its technological advances into enduring international partnerships that contribute to scientific progress, economic growth, and sustainable development.

Unlike many space programmes that emerged from Cold War rivalries, India’s programme was conceived as an instrument of national development.

Dr Vikram Sarabhai anchored India’s space vision in practical applications that would improve the lives of ordinary people. Under his leadership, satellites were developed to strengthen communications, weather forecasting, disaster management, healthcare, agriculture and education. This development-oriented philosophy remains central to India’s space programme and resonates strongly with the needs of countries in the Global South, which seek practical applications of space technology.

Today, India’s achievements extend beyond developmental applications. The Chandrayaan missions, the Mars Orbiter Mission, the Aditya-L1 solar observatory, and the forthcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme have established India as a nation capable of executing sophisticated and reliable space missions.

Chandrayaan-3’s successful soft landing near the Moon’s south pole placed India among an exclusive group of space powers while demonstrating that world-class innovation can be achieved at comparatively modest cost.

India’s growing credibility comes at a time when the global space economy is expanding rapidly. Valued at over $600b today and projected to approach $1.8 trillion by 2035, the sector is increasingly driven by commercial activity in satellite communications, Earth observation, navigation, climate services, broadband connectivity, and emerging fields such as in-orbit servicing and lunar exploration.

Many countries aspire to participate but lack indigenous capabilities. They seek dependable long-term partners rather than merely launch providers.

India possesses the capabilities to meet these requirements. The liberalisation of the space sector in 2020 transformed the ecosystem by opening it to private participation. The establishment of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the expanding commercial role of NewSpace India Limited, and the growth of private enterprises have created one of the world’s most dynamic emerging space ecosystems.

Indian startups are developing launch vehicles, satellite platforms, geospatial applications and propulsion technologies that are attracting global investment and customers. Companies such as Skyroot Aerospace, Pixxel and Agnikul Cosmos have demonstrated that Indian private enterprise can compete internationally in advanced space technologies.

The next step is to internationalise this ecosystem. Rather than positioning itself only as a low-cost launch destination, India will offer comprehensive partnerships encompassing satellite design, launch services, mission operations, ground stations, astronaut training, capacity building and downstream applications in agriculture, disaster management and maritime security. Such integrated partnerships would be valuable for countries across the Global South and the Indo-Pacific seeking affordable, customised and reliable technologies to meet their development priorities.

India has demonstrated the diplomatic value of such cooperation. Through the South Asia Satellite, it provided communication and developmental benefits to neighbouring countries. Indian launch vehicles have successfully placed hundreds of foreign satellites into orbit for governments, universities and commercial operators around the world. India’s decision to join the Artemis Accords reflects its willingness to participate in the peaceful exploration of the Moon through international collaboration. Cooperation with NASA, the European Space Agency and JAXA has strengthened India’s scientific and technological capabilities.

These partnerships reinforce India’s standing as a leading voice of the Global South. India offers development partnerships based on affordability, reliability and mutual respect rather than creating technological dependence. Space cooperation has therefore become an increasingly important instrument of Indian diplomacy, strengthening bilateral relationships while delivering tangible developmental benefits.

To realise its full potential, India will aim to sustain the momentum of reform. Faster regulatory approvals, greater access to venture capital, stronger intellectual property protection, and closer collaboration among research institutions, industry and academia will be essential. Public procurement policies would continue supporting Indian startups, enabling them to scale up, innovate and integrate into global supply chains.

India is positioned to play a larger role in shaping the governance of outer space. Orbital congestion, space debris, responsible resource utilisation and equitable access to emerging space opportunities are becoming pressing international concerns. As space activities expand, there will be an increasing need for countries capable of building consensus on responsible norms and practices.

India’s long-standing commitment to the peaceful uses of outer space, combined with its growing technological capabilities, equips it to contribute meaningfully to the development of rules that promote transparency, sustainability and equitable access.

By building collaborative partnerships founded on inclusivity, mutual benefit and innovation, India can transform its space programme into a major pillar of its global engagement.

In an increasingly divided world, India’s space sector offers a powerful reminder that the greatest achievements in space are those that bring nations together.

The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) has issued a stern warning against growing claims that people living with HIV can be cured through prayer, reiterating that there is currently no scientifically validated cure for the virus.

The advisory follows a wave of viral social media posts claiming that an individual previously diagnosed with HIV was cured following a prayer service at a church in Kampala. The claims sparked heated debate, with some members of the public embracing the alleged miracle while others raised red flags over patient safety and misinformation.

In a official statement released on Tuesday, the government agency recognized the vital role faith leaders play in offering spiritual guidance, hope, and counseling. However, it emphasized that matters concerning HIV diagnosis, treatment, and potential cures must strictly be grounded in scientific evidence.

‘At present, there is no scientifically validated cure for HIV available for routine clinical use. HIV is effectively controlled using antiretroviral therapy (ART), which suppresses the virus, restores and protects the immune system, and enables people living with HIV to enjoy long, healthy, and productive lives,’ the Commission stated.

Addressing the confusion surrounding treatment outcomes, the Commission cautioned the public against confusing viral suppression with a permanent cure.

Under current medical consensus and the global Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) campaign, a person on ART who consistently takes their medication can suppress the virus to undetectable levels in their blood, meaning they cannot sexually transmit HIV. However, this does not mean the virus has been eradicated from the body.

The UAC stressed that claims of a miraculous cure cannot be verified through personal testimony, physical appearance, or a single rapid test result.

‘Instead, such cases must be assessed by qualified health professionals using Uganda’s nationally approved HIV-testing algorithm and, where necessary, further clinical and laboratory investigations,’ the statement added, noting that a sudden negative test after an earlier positive diagnosis usually warrants a careful review of original test results, clinical history, and testing kits used.

Risks of defaulting treatment

The Commission strongly urged all individuals diagnosed with HIV to remain steadfast on their prescribed medication and warned against defaulting on treatment based on advice from religious leaders, family members, or influencers.

Stopping ART causes the virus to rapidly multiply, weakens the immune system, escalates the risk of opportunistic infections, and risks developing drug-resistant strains of the virus, the UAC warned.

Faith leaders were specifically called upon to exercise restraint and responsibility when making public declarations regarding health. Rather than framing spiritual faith and modern medicine as opposing forces, the UAC urged clergy to encourage congregants to test, initiate, and adhere to ART.

‘Prayer and medical treatment need not be presented as opposing choices. People living with HIV are encouraged to pray and receive spiritual support while continuing with lifesaving treatment,’ the Commission noted.

The agency also appealed to the public to refrain from stigmatizing, ridiculing, or publicly exposing the identities of individuals linked to social media healing claims.

The warning comes at a critical time in Uganda’s public health response. Data from the UAC indicates that national adult HIV prevalence currently stands at 4.9 percent, with approximately 1.5 million Ugandans living with the virus.

Despite significant progress toward the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, the country still records about 100 new HIV infections every day-translating to roughly four new infections every hour-making consistent treatment adherence crucial to curbing community transmission.

The fatal mugging of David Owori, the erstwhile captain of Uganda’s most successful football club-SC Villa, has awakened national conscience on growing urban crime no less in the capital. As paver joins fellow nouns like drone and basement to increase the size of the lexicon of what residents of Uganda dread the most, the country is left with a lot to ponder over.

The reactive approach of the Uganda Police Force (UPF) that has culminated in sting operations and arrests-even asset recovery-to go along with is, make no mistake, commendable. But it does not address the underlying issues that have birthed a problem that has many people looking over their shoulders. As such, the importance of getting to the bottom of the push and pull factors in criminal activities must not be understated.

Unfortunately, it has been anything but. Government functionaries have made heavy weather of trying to be alive to the aforementioned push and pull factors. This, we strongly reckon, ought to stop forthwith. Success in combating such growing urban crime has to be predicated on addressing its root causes; not papering over cracks as is evidently the case.

With this in mind, it would be foolhardy to treat lightly-as appears to be the case-the spike in urban crime and the outright ban on street vending in the capital. The correlation shows more than anything that poverty and unemployment constitute the push factors that have birthed the muggings in and around the capital. The attendant financial reward-easily identifiable in the promise of fast cash-can then be located as one of the pull factors.

The revelation of suspects believed to have been complicit in the murder of Owori was this week welcomed with a degree of surprise. Less about the act itself as the age of the alleged perpetrators. They were all youthful. While localised data puts formal youth unemployment at anywhere between 4.2 percent and 16.1 percent, young Ugandans classified as NEET or Not in Education, Employment, or Training occupy much bigger percentages (up to 41 percent to 42.6 percent).

Put simply, the country has a problem of youth joblessness that cannot be wished away. The problem has to be addressed and confronted with the seriousness that we believe it merits.

It is quite evident that several flagship programmes like the Presidential Zonal Industrial Skilling Hubs, the Youth Livelihood Programme, and regional ICT Innovation Hubs have not been as impactful as the Government of Uganda (GoU) hoped they would be.

All of this points to the fact that there is work to be done. Consequently, the GoU has to think deeply about how best to tackle the youth unemployment problem. For one, we reckon, it would concretely align formal education in the country with market demands.

This keeps being mentioned but it is evident that this is a classic case of triumph of style over substance. As mentioned before, government functionaries cannot keep papering over cracks. A course correction will doubtless be the best tribute paid to Owori.

Uganda’s persistent gap between what citizens expect and what government delivers is not primarily a problem of missing policies or weak intentions. It is a problem of systems that often protect the comfortable while excluding those with useful ideas and practical solutions.

Two forces keep that gap wide. The first is corruption, which has moved beyond individual acts of greed into practices that can become embedded in the conduct of public business. The second is a political culture that too often treats young people as spectators rather than participants with something practical to contribute.

Corruption does not merely steal money. It steals time, capacity and trust. Education offers a clear illustration. While many countries have integrated technology and new teaching methods into ordinary classroom practice, significant parts of Uganda’s education system remain dependent on methods that belong to another era. The problem is a system that can become comfortable with doing things the same way even when better alternatives are available.

The same concern applies to political and administrative leadership. When individuals remain in the same dockets for extended periods, institutions can become resistant to fresh thinking.

Leadership renewal should therefore not be dismissed as political fashion. Properly handled, it can be an important mechanism for keeping public institutions responsive and open to new ideas.

Youth exclusion operates differently but produces a similar result. Young people are frequently invited to speak, attend conferences and present ideas, only to find that their influence diminishes when the conversation moves from consultation to implementation.

Ideas are welcomed as long as they remain ideas. Once they require resources, institutional change or are a challenge to established practices, the system can become considerably less receptive.

That is not simply a communication problem.

It is a question of power. Some policy ideas associated with national debates have also appeared in earlier proposals advanced by young people. Where such overlaps occur, they should remind policymakers that useful thinking does not always originate inside established political institutions.

Young people should therefore be given more than advisory seats. They should be trusted with defined responsibilities, resources, timelines and measurable targets. If they fail, they should be held accountable. If they succeed, their success should be recognised. That is how leadership is developed.

None of this requires abandoning Opposition politics. Government and Opposition need each other if Parliament is to function as more than a majoritarian institution. Passing legislation simply because the numbers are available may be procedurally possible, but it does not necessarily produce better laws.

Serious parliamentary debate requires the willingness to listen, amend and, when necessary, reconsider proposals. Opposition scrutiny should not automatically be interpreted as obstruction. It can expose weaknesses and improve legislation before those weaknesses become problems for citizens.

A Parliament that becomes comfortable with its own majority risks weakening one of democracy’s most important safeguards: meaningful scrutiny. The same principle applies to anti-corruption efforts.

The anti-corruption push associated with Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has attracted attention partly because it introduces pressure into institutions where accountability can otherwise become slow or uneven. Efforts to strengthen professional standards and improve public infrastructure demonstrate that change is possible when leadership attaches consequences to poor performance.

But institutional accountability cannot be confined to one sector. The same expectations applied to the security establishment must ultimately extend to civilian administration, local government and public service delivery. A country cannot solve systemic governance problems by demanding discipline in only one part of the state.

Uganda will continue to struggle with the gap between public expectations and government performance for as long as corruption remains insufficiently costly and useful ideas remain insufficiently valued.

Closing that gap requires more than new faces, occasional campaigns or another reshuffle.

It requires rules that make failure costly, institutions that measure results rather than loyalty, stronger oversight, and a deliberate decision to treat young Ugandans as partners in implementation rather than occasional consultants.

Leaders and coffee specialists in Bugisu sub- region have attributed low coffee production to old coffee trees that are yielding less and are easily attacked by pests and diseases.

Among the locals in Bugisu, who live around Mt Elgon in the eastern region, Arabica coffee, which stands out as a top tier in the global market, is the most valued cash crop that feeds them, but currently most of the coffee trees have lasted for over 70 years and are yielding less.

According to coffee specialists interviewed by Monitor Publication, the Bugisu sub-region produces approximately 700,000 bags of 60kg each of specialty Arabica coffee, translating to about 42,000,000kg per annum in a good season, yet it can produce more.

This current output accounts for roughly 10 percent of Uganda’s total coffee production and represents about 43 percent of the country’s national Arabica exports.

Mr Alex Kamali, the Director of Gahoyaa Group Investment Ltd, said the region has the capacity to produce up to 1.2million bags provided the smallholder farmers replace the ageing trees with young, high-yielding varieties that are more disease-resistant and able to fight off pests and other coffee illnesses.

‘The new trees are more disease-resistant and able to fight off pests and other coffee illnesses. They also produce higher-quality beans with a unique cup taste, higher outturn and their shorter stature and flexibility make harvesting easier, allowing workers to hand-pick more efficiently and quickly without endangering the plants,’ he said.

Mr Kamali explains that cutting down old coffee trees of over 70 years and replacing them with young ones is necessary because yield and production capacity begin dropping consistently from around 30 years of age.

‘By 50 years, depending on several factors like weather, nutrient supply, and the general care given, many trees barely fruit at all at this age; therefore, replacing these ageing trees with young, high-yielding varieties is extremely essential for several reasons,’ he said.

He says farmers can also renew old, low-yielding coffee trees by cutting them back (stump them) to about 30 to 50 centimetres above the ground at a 45-degree angle.

This process, he says, triggers strong new shoots from the base, allowing the farmer to rejuvenate the plantation without completely replanting.

Arabica coffee is grown on the high-altitude, fertile volcanic slopes of Mount Elgon in the Bugisu sub-region, which consists of 7 districts.

The districts include: Mbale district, Mbale city, Bulambuli, Sironko, Manafa, Bududa and Namisindwa districts, with a total population of 1,8m, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS). The subregion is dominated by subsistence farming, and the poverty rate is approximately 28 percent.

Mr Kamali said promoting coffee production by holding smallholder farmer trainings on sustainable farming, post-harvest handling, and flavour profiling will help to increase production, thus fighting poverty.

‘In regard to improving income and value to farmers, we need to emphasise quality, full traceability of coffee and circularity by utilising coffee waste like coffee peelings into organic fertilisers and coffee husks converted into eco-friendly cocking briquettes, creating an alternative income to farmers,’ he said.

The push for the regional campaign to replace old coffee trees to increase production is also one of the priorities highlighted in the document codenamed Bugisu development agenda authored by Bugisu Parliamentary Caucus led by Godfrey Matembu, who is also the MP for Butiru County in Manafwa district.

The district chairperson of Sironko district, Mr Alex Nabende, said farmers are losing money because of reliance on unproductive coffee trees.

‘We need to have a coffee replanting programme. It should be a government policy since this is an initiative that can go a long way to fight household poverty,’ he said.

The recent Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) market information showed that Arabica parchment was going for Shs 16,000 to Shs17,000 per kilogram, yet two years ago it was costing about Shs10,000 to Shs11,000 per kilogram.

Ms Meridah Nandudu, the founder and team lead at Bayaaya Specialty Coffee Ltd, said their survey revealed that in Bugisu, most of the farmers are still maintaining very old coffee trees and are hesitant to cut them.

‘Replacing very old or unproductive trees with healthy, improved planting material is important because younger, well-managed trees can give farmers better yields and improve the overall productivity of their gardens,’ she said.

She said this also allows farmers to introduce varieties that are better adapted to changing climatic conditions and resistant to some pests and diseases.

She, however, says tree age is not the only reason for low production. ‘Low yields are also associated with declining soil fertility, inadequate pruning and stumping, pests and diseases, drought and changing rainfall patterns, poor farm management, and limited access to improved planting materials,’ she said.

She said as a company, they are focusing on women, supporting them to improve coffee quality and understand the value of good agricultural and post-harvest practices.

‘We also promote different processing methods, including washed, natural and honey processing, because Bugisu coffee has the potential to produce distinctive specialty profiles,’ she said.

Mr Godfrey Matembu, MP for Butiru County in Manafwa District, said among the issues they have listed for action from government as MPs from the region is to push the government to support coffee farmers to earn more.

‘This time, we have agreed that Bugisu’s development agenda should rise above political differences. We are working together in advancing shared regional priorities,’ he said.

He said that among other priorities are issues of resettlement of landslide victims, conflicts between Uganda Wildlife Authority and locals, service delivery, infrastructure, education and health-related issues, among others.

The Masaka Diocesan bishop Severus Jjumba has reshuffled priests in the diocese to better serve the liturgical and also address pastoral needs.

According to a statement dated August 3,2026 and issued by Rev Fr Charles Jude Jjuko, Rev Fr Andrew Kyamufumba, previously an administrator at Our Lady of Sorrows Cathedral, Kitovu, has been posted to Mannya Parish to serve as Assistant Parish Priest. He is replaced by Fr. Deusdedit Sseruwu, who has been studying at Kisubi University.

Fr Denis Ssebadduka, former Butende Brick Factory director, has been moved to the diocese treasury to serve as the diocesan general treasurer, replacing Fr. Edward Anselm Ssemwogerere, who is now the assistant priest at Kitaasa Parish, head of the diocesan audit team, and diocesan tourism officer. Fr Ssebaduka was replaced by his assistant, Fr Gerald Kizito, who served as assistant director of the factory.

Fr George William Ssemmombwe, the former director of Narozari Farm, takes over as assistant priest at Kyotera Parish. Fr Emmanuel Kayongo, former assistant priest at Kaliiro Parish, is the new director of Narozari Farm.

Fr Henry Kiganda, the former Parish priest of Lukaya Parish, has been moved to Kitovu to serve as the deputy Head teacher of Archbishop’s Secondary School. Fr Joseph Kato Bakulu from Sabbatical has been posted to Bukalasa Seminary.

Fr Martin Stuart Kibirige, the former assistant parish priest at Lukaya Parish, is the new parish priest for Lukaya, and Fr Joseph Nsereko, the former Director of Villa Maria CTC, will serve as the assistant priest for Kyamulibwa Parish.

Fr James Tamale, the former priest for Kyamaganda Parish, will now serve as the director of Villa Maria Catechetical Training Centre. Fr Morris Kayanja, formerly a Still parish priest at Kirowooza Parish is the new dean at Kitovu Deanery, while Fr Pascal Ssewalu ,a Still parish priest at Nkoni Parish is the new dean at Nkoni Deanary .Fr Atanansi Mwanje who has been studying at Makerere University is now the new assistant priest Luvule Parish. Fr John F Kiyimba ,the assistant priest Mannya Parish moves to Bikiira Parish to take on special duties ,the same applies to Fr Achilleo Kagimu.Fr Dick Lusembo ,formerly an assistant priest at Mannya Parish is the new assistant youth Champlain of Masaka Diocese . Fr Alex Ssekatawa ,the assistant priest Ssanje Parish moves to Kyanukuzi as parish priest while Fr Mugagga Lubowa ,the assistant priest Namabaale Parish is transferred to Kyamaganda as parish priest.Fr Henry Kasule ,formerly a parish priest at Kyanukuzi Parish has been posted to Lukaya as assistant priest while Fr Dennis Kiweewa ,the assistant priest at Ntuusi Parish is moved to Kiziba Parish to serve in the same position.

The newly ordained 18 priests have also been assigned roles across the diocese.Fr Alexander Muzingu is new assistant priest Namaaale 18 Parish, Fr Tonny Walusansa ( assistant priest Mutukula Parish ) ,Fr Michael Ssettuba ( assistant priest Makondo Parish) ,Fr Aiden T Ssekwe ( assistant priest Kyazanga Parish) , Bro.Fr Sipiliano Turyahebwa( assistant priest Kitovu Cathedral ,assistant Champlain of Archbishop Kiwanuka SS ,Kitovu),Fr Kizito Nyanja (assistant priest Mateete Centre ).

Others are ; Fr Innocent Mpiima (assistant priest Kitaasa Parish), Fr Isaac Musoke (assistant priest Sembabule Parish),Fr Ronald M Mulindwa( assistant priest Mpambire Parish),Fr Gyaviira Matovu(assistant priest Kaliiro Parish),Fr Anatoli Kiriggwajjo Bangi( assistant priest Ssanje Parish), Fr Tonny Kiyaga( assistant priest Kyansi Parish),Fr Gerald Kimuli (assistant priest Bukoto Parish),Fr Anthony Kibirige (assistant priest Bikiira Parish),Fr Bernard K Kayiwa ( assistant priest Kyabakuza Parish),Fr Jude Katongole (assistant priest Sserinya Parish),Fr Raymond Batte ( assistant priest Villa Maria Parish) and Fr Mathias Kakeeto (( assistant priest Bukulula Parish).

The reshuffles follow eight other major reshuffles made by the bishop since he assumed office in July 2019.The previous one, in August 2025, involved 28 priests.

Daily Monitor has also learnt that more changes are also underway among staff in different departments of the diocese.

Masaka Diocese which has more than one million coverts is under Kampala archdiocese and covers different district like Kalungu, Ssembabule, Lwengo, Bukomansimbi, Kalangala, Masaka, Kyotera, Rakai, Lyantonde and Masaka City.

Fifteen candidates were sent away from Teso Sub-region during the ongoing national recruitment of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) over forged academic documents.

They were among the hundreds from Teso and Bukedi Sub-regions who turned up for the exercise targeting 690 candidates.

Lt. Nasser Mane, the Public Information Officer for Team Eight handling the Teso and Bukedi regions, said the 15 individuals were intercepted from Kapelebyong, Katakwi and Amuria districts.

“When you fabricate results, it is very easy to identify, including transcripts, but they had applied successfully, and they were selected,” Lt Mane said.

The exercise, which started on August 10th, received a huge turnout but saw several candidates disqualified due to various illnesses.

“We interviewed 127 candidates in Katakwi, but we only managed to take 50. We couldn’t accommodate the rest because of the limited slots allocated to the district,” Lt. Mane said.

The successful candidates will be sent to four training schools: Kaweweta, Butiaba, Olilim, and Labwor dwong, compared to last year when there was only one training school in Kaweweta. They will then be given three days to report, failure to which they will be disqualified.

Lt. Mane revealed that the recruitment is split, with 70% for the regular army and 30% reserved for candidates with professional backgrounds. The team is in Teso and Bukedi regions until August 20th.

Mr Imuran Muluga, the Soroti District Resident Commissioner, also warned candidates against paying money to anyone claiming to lobby for recruitment slots, saying the UPDF has zero tolerance for corruption and that no amount of money can guarantee enlistment.

“The age limit has been mentioned, and there is no amount of money that can help if you are medically unfit; just don’t waste your time,” Mr Muluga said.

Mr Steven Omoding, Assistant Resident City Commissioner for Soroti City, urged anyone whose money has been extorted to report the matter.

Many candidates whose names were not shortlisted turned up at the grounds where the exercise was ongoing, hoping to be considered.

Ms Beatrice Imede from Kamuda Sub-county was not shortlisted, but she turned up hoping she would be considered.

The Police in Luuka District have arrested a woman over allegations of food poisoning which left 26 pupils of Buwanda Primary School hospitalised with stomach pain.

Busoga North Spokesperson, Mr Samson Lubega, said on Wednesday that the 37-year-old suspect, a resident of Buyoola Village in Nawampiti Sub-county, is being held at Nawampiti Police Station as investigations continue.

‘We will prepare an independent report to determine the precise circumstances that occurred, but it is reassuring to note that the children are in stable condition,’ Mr Lubega said.

Her arrest followed a Saturday incident where a learner carried white ant meal from home to school and shared it with her colleagues in Primary One and Three classes, who shortly developed stomach pains and were later rushed to Ikonia Health Centre III before being transferred to Kiyunga Health Centre IV.

Mr Lubega said food samples and medical reports would help investigators establish whether the pupils were affected by poison.

Mr Godfrey Matege, the NRM chairman for Nawampiti Sub-county, called for a thorough investigation to establish what happened.

‘We urge police to conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain the facts of the case and ensure justice is served,’ Mr Matege said.

Mr Matege urged parents to be vigilant about food items children carry to school and encouraged the community to observe food safety practices.

District education and health officials have since visited the school to counsel pupils and engage parents on child protection and food safety.

Local leaders in Nawampiti have also urged parents to discourage children from taking unpackaged or uninspected food to school.

Former Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) chief executive Ibrahim Lubega Kaddunabbi has gone to the High Court seeking to quash an Auditor General’s investigation report that reinforced the IRA board’s decision not to recommend him for another five-year term.

In a judicial review application before the High Court’s Civil Division, Kaddunabbi is challenging the legality, rationality and procedure behind the May 15 report on alleged financial and administrative impropriety at IRA.

He wants court to issue certiorari quashing decisions contained in the report and to restrain government agencies from acting on it. He is also seeking damages and costs.

Kaddunabbi’s term as IRA chief executive ran from June 2021 to May 31, 2026. He applied to the IRA board in May 2025 for a recommendation to the Finance Minister for another term, but the board declined to recommend him. He separately challenged that decision in court.

The dispute widened after Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi wrote to the Auditor General on March 19, 2026, asking for a comprehensive review of allegations contained in a communication by the IRA board chairperson.

The request was accompanied by internal audit reports raising concerns over spending and recruitment practices, upon which, acting under Article 163 of the Constitution and Section 21 of the National Audit Act, the Auditor General constituted a special audit team to confirm or dispel the allegations.

Kaddunabbi, however, argues that Ggoobi had no authority under the Insurance Act to direct such an investigation and that the Auditor General exceeded his mandate by accepting and executing the assignment.

In his affidavit, he describes the resulting decisions as “illegal, irrational and marred with procedural impropriety”.

His case is especially significant because the IRA board later considered the Auditor General’s findings and maintained its earlier position not to recommend him to the minister.

Kaddunabbi says he is aggrieved because IRA’s board relied on the said report to maintain their earlier recommendation to the Minister declining to recommend him for a further term as IRA chief executive officer.

The Auditor General’s report made several adverse findings such as increase of Kaddunabbi’s salary outside guidelines, illegal recruitment of staff and irregular per diem payments.

The Auditor General found that Kaddunabbi’s pay had been increased above the level approved by the Finance Minister between 2021 and 2025.

Although the increments were reflected in budgets approved by the IRA board, the report concluded that they did not follow the minister’s guidance on inflation-based adjustments and had not been recommended to the minister for approval.

The report says Kaddunabbi’s instrument of appointment fixed his gross consolidated monthly salary at Shs45.34m.

After he requested an increase to Shs55m, the minister declined, saying only a limited inflation adjustment based on Central Bank data could be considered after a board recommendation.

Kaddunabbi disputes the Auditor General’s approach, arguing that the audit relied on “mere inflation” and failed to consider the broader inflation picture or the fact that IRA board had approved annual budgets containing salary increments.

The investigation also questioned leave-related payments, in which it found that Kaddunabbi irregularly received Shs38.1gh in lieu of leave, despite there being no evidence that he had taken the corresponding leave.

It also questioned Shs87.17m paid as compensation for untaken leave relating to his 2016-2021 contract.

The report records Kaddunabbi’s explanation that he approved the leave allowance because he had not previously been paid it and understood the benefit to be additional income provided to employees while on leave.

He now argues that the audit improperly examined earlier contracts instead of focusing on the 2021-2026 contract relevant to his reappointment.

Another major issue concerns his travels as a director of African Reinsurance Corporation, or Africa Re.

The Auditor General found that Kaddunabbi received Shs16.97m from IRA as per diem for Africa Re activities, although his Africa Re contract provided that expenses related to board meetings were to be met by the company.

The report concluded that IRA should only have paid 30 percent per diem for fully sponsored activities and estimated that full per diem payments for five Africa Re activities caused a financial loss of Shs57.43m.

But the report also acknowledges limitations, noting that investigators sought information from Africa Re on benefits payable to Kaddunabbi as a director, but that information had not been provided by the time the report was completed.

It further states that the investigation was limited to documents and information made available and that the Auditor General had “not verified the authenticity” of relevant records except in specifically identified instances.

Kaddunabbi has seized on that disclaimer, arguing in his affidavit that the Auditor General relied on documents and information whose authenticity had not been verified.

The Auditor General’s report also faulted Kaddunabbi for authorising and participating in the hiring of six additional employees beyond the number advertised. Although the report acknowledged that the board had given general approval for more recruitment following a restructuring exercise, it said the specific extra hires had not been discussed or documented before implementation.

An earlier internal audit estimated that six hires lacking approval and documentation created about Shs647.55m in unplanned salary and benefit costs over 12 months.

Kaddunabbi disputes that conclusion, saying the board had approved a staffing establishment of 106 positions and that the recruitment remained within the approved structure.

Beyond the substance of the findings, Kaddunabbi also attacks the procedure followed by the Auditor General, saying that investigators had interviewed only one of the eight board members involved in relevant decisions and alleges that he was not given a proper opportunity to answer the accusations before the report was finalised.

“The [Auditor General] did not accord me a fair hearing during preparation and completion of its report and accepted all accusations made against me without affording me a right to respond,” he states in his affidavit.

Kaddunabbi argues that the report, however, went far beyond the purpose it had been requested for, entered the public domain, damaged his reputation, influenced the board against his reappointment and exposed him to possible criminal investigations.

An inmate from Kangulumira Prison in Kayunga District has died after jumping into the River Nile in a suspected attempt to escape.

By press time, fishermen from Kangulumira Sub-county had mounted a search for the body of Hamza Maluwa, 30, a convict serving an eight-month jail term for theft, who took advantage of a seemingly free space where he had been deployed for fieldwork.

Eyewitnesses said Maluwa and 14 other inmates were on Tuesday afternoon taken by the prison authorities to ferry timbers from the banks of River Nile at Kalagala Village to the flat ground.

A source who asked not to be named said the inmates had been engaged at the river bank for over two weeks.

“While the inmates carried out the work under the scorching afternoon sun under the watch of three armed prison warders, Maluwa, who had carried the timber to the flat ground, went back to the river bank and jumped into the river. The warders scampered as they tried to stop the fleeing inmate and at the same time keep guard of the others (inmates).” The source said.

Explaining that: “At first the warder who was standing guard near the river thought he wanted to cool himself and asked him to get out of the water quickly, only to realise that the inmate was trying to escape,” the male source narrated.

It is said that in an attempt to scare the fleeing inmate, one of the warders shot in the air, but the inmate simply maintained his way. It remains unclear whether he was hit by the bullets.

He had served six months of the sentence and was to be released in October this year.

A source at Kangulumira Prison said they tried to search for the inmate in the water route where he drowned but failed to get him and only saw blood.

‘We are not yet sure if he is dead or if he swam across the water and escaped another source at Kangulumira Prison told this reporter.

At the spot where the convict is alleged to have drowned, relatives of the inmate sat in groups as the local fishermen divers searched for the body in the river.

A sombre mood engulfed the area as relatives demanded an explanation of the circumstances under which their relative died.

Ms Petu Nekesa, the convict’s mother, criticised prison authorities for subjecting inmates to hard labour on empty stomachs, noting that it could be a reason he escaped and drowned.

“I am demanding justice for my son. He was indeed a prisoner, but this doesn’t mean he should be mistreated and shot dead,” Ms Nekesa said before pointing at a 12-year-old boy whom he said was the “deceased’s only child he had left behind.

“They have killed my son now; who is going to take care of his child?” the mother queried.

At the same venue, angry youths vowed not to allow police to take the body for postmortem in case it is recovered.

“They are not helping us to search for the body. We shall not allow them to take the body,” a youth said angrily.

They vowed not to leave the area until the body is recovered.

Mr Frank Baine, the prisons spokesperson, said he had not yet received a report on the incident. “I am going to inquire from the Regional Prisons Commander Mr Baine said.