Category: Daily Monitor

For many, Ali Kavuma is a name tucked away in Uganda’s Olympic archives, a titan from a different sporting age. Gigantic in build and personality, Kavuma’s imposing physique could easily intimidate, but his heart has always been the softest in the room.

When the Fortebet Real Stars Sports Monthly Awards for September 2025 were announced, the journalists at Lazio Restaurant in Kololo on Tuesday applauded in acknowledgement as the 58-year-old weightlifting legend stepped up to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award – a moment that felt both overdue and poetic.

Kavuma’s career stretches across decades of sweat, sacrifice, and silent service to a sport that demands absolute discipline. From his Olympic days in Seoul 1988 and Atlanta 1996, to his tireless years as a coach and mentor, Kavuma’s name is carved into the steely foundation of Uganda’s sporting history.

Man behind the muscle

Born on May 30, 1967, Kavuma is a behemoth in every sense – physically powerful, mentally unbreakable, yet surprisingly gentle. ‘I would urge all athletes to maintain their discipline because if it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t be here,’ he told reporters shortly after receiving his award from Fortebet Real Stars Sports Agency CEO Isaac Mukasa.

His humility belies his achievements. Beyond his Olympic appearances, Kavuma was part of a golden generation of Ugandan weightlifters that included Joseph Kaddu, Fred Bunjo, and the late John Kyazze. Together, they laid the groundwork for the sport in a country where facilities were scarce – as many a time they trained under tree shades – and recognition even scarcer.

Life shaped by steel

After his competitive years, Kavuma transitioned into coaching, determined to leave the sport better than he found it. In 2003, his protégé Irene Ajambo made history when she won Uganda’s first-ever female weightlifting medal, a bronze at the All Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria.

Kavuma’s coaching touch extended beyond Ajambo – he nurtured talents like Charles Ssekyaya and Moses Kimbowa, who both went on to grace international podiums – snatching, cleaning and jerking with ultimate precision.

Leaving his love

But as the 2000s unfolded, the realities of life hit hard. ‘Sport alone couldn’t sustain me,’ Kavuma once confessed. In 2005, he made the difficult decision to relocate to Dubai, where he worked at Rapid Flight Shipping Company. It was a stark change from lifting weights to lifting cargo, yet his dedication and work ethic remained the same. ‘I did what I had to do to survive,’ he said. ‘But I always knew I would return to weightlifting. It’s my calling.’

True to his word, when he returned to Uganda – not so long ago, he rejoined the sport’s leadership ranks and is currently serving as Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Uganda Weightlifting Federation (UWF). His mission now is clear – to rebuild the sport’s foundations and inspire the next generation.

‘We need training facilities for the sport,’ he urged during the Awards Ceremony. ‘Our athletes still train under poor conditions – that must change. The government, through National Council of Sports (NCS) and Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC), must ensure we get a proper platform for training and support.’

Recognition at last

At the September ceremony, Kavuma’s recognition stood as a reminder that Uganda’s sporting story is richer than the medals on the wall. Many a time, it’s about resilience. For a man who spent years away from the spotlight, the applause felt like redemption.

‘I’m deeply grateful to Fortebet and the Real Stars team for remembering me,’ he said with emotion. ‘This award reminds me that hard work never rusts. Weightlifting gave me everything – and I will keep giving back.’

Mukasa lauded Kavuma’s contribution, noting that the award was a celebration of legacy and inspiration. He also revealed that the awards’ cash prize will soon increase from Shs500,000 to Shs1m, thanks to the continued partnership between Fortebet and Jude Colour Solutions. ‘We believe in celebrating excellence and making sure our athletes feel valued for their achievements,’ Mukasa emphasized.

Hot streak of winners

While Kavuma’s story carried the soul of the evening, the September awards also honoured some of Uganda’s finest active athletes who brought pride to the Pearl of Africa.

Yasin Nasser was the talk of the town after he and his co-driver Ali Katumba made history by winning the 2025 African Rally Championship (ARC) in Morogoro, Tanzania – ending Uganda’s 26-year wait since the late Charles Muhangi’s triumph in 1999. ‘It hasn’t sunk in yet,’ said a jubilant Nasser. ‘Maybe it will hit us when we receive the title officially at the FIA Awards in December.’

In boxing, Muzamiru ‘King Kong’ Kakande roared back into the spotlight, earning the Real Stars Award for his Commonwealth Silver Super Welterweight title victory over Briton Kevin Reavell. His wife, Aminah Kakande, picked the award on his behalf, as he continues to plot his next bout.

On the football front, Hillary Mukundane of Vipers SC clinched the accolade after scoring the decisive goal that sent his club into the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League. His all-important strike against African Stars of Namibia not only propelled Vipers forward but also cemented his reputation as a dependable defender with a goal-scorer’s instinct. uring spirit of a champ

As the monthly recognition ceremony drew to a close, the applause lingered longest for Kavuma – and rightly so. The media crowded around him, firing questions at the gentle giant who once carried Uganda’s Olympic hopes on his broad shoulders and still lifts its sporting spirit today.

Even if you’re a hard-nosed narcissist, it is hard not to love Kavuma. He stood with a faint smile, his hands clasped around the beautifully-designed plaque that shimmered under the clear skies of the day.

‘I know I may have been forgotten for a while,’ he said softly, ‘But days like this remind me that what we built in the past still matters. I am overjoyed.’

And as days – maybe weeks – pass and the award moment truly sinks in, one thing is certain: Kavuma’s flame has been rekindled. With the renewed passion and hunger of a rookie, he will return to his UWF role determined not just to lift weights again, but to lift the nation’s sporting hopes once more.

KAVUMA AT A GLANCE

Full Name: Ali Kavuma

Born: May 30, 1967

Age: 58

Discipline: Weightlifting

Olympic Appearances: Seoul 1988 (Middle-Heavyweight), Atlanta 1996 (Heavyweight II)

Current Role: Current Chairman, UWF Technical Committee

Major Milestones:

· Represented Uganda at two Olympics and one Commonwealth Games

· Coached Uganda’s first female weightlifting medalist Irene Ajambo (2003 All-Africa Games)

FORTEBET REAL STAR AWARD

September Winners

Motorsport: Yasin Nasser

Boxing: Muzamiru ‘King Kong’ Kakande

Soccer: Hillary ‘Bihogo’ Mukundane

Lifetime Achievement Award: Ali Kavuma

In her own words, she is still ‘earning her school uniform.’ It is a light-hearted metaphor, but it reveals something profound about Juliana Kagwa’s entry into one of the most demanding public roles in Uganda.

She laughs when she recalls how, within days of her appointment as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), a colleague teased her, saying she had not got her uniform yet, ‘Maybe a shirt and tie, but the socks and shoes; not yet’. Yet beneath that humour lies a quiet truth; even after two decades of marketing some of the biggest brands in East Africa, branding a nation is a different assignment altogether.

Starting out

‘I have spent most of my life marketing and selling fast-moving consumer goods,’ she says. ‘Uganda Breweries, Heineken, GlaxoSmithKline; I have sold everything from ActiFed to beer. But now I carry the onus of selling a destination called Uganda to the rest of the world. I am now working for a purpose bigger than myself, bigger than any company. You start to understand that when you work for Uganda, you’re working for 45 million people. And that changes everything.’

Marketing beer and medicines might seem far removed from tourism, but Juliana sees it differently.

‘Marketing,’ she says, ‘is not about products. It is about emotion. It is about pride. If I could make Ugandans believe in a beverage, how much more powerful if I can make them believe in their country?’

At Uganda Breweries, she climbed through the ranks, overseeing some of the most ambitious and successful brand campaigns in the market. Then came Heineken, where she started the brand’s Uganda presence from scratch, from market mapping to retail execution. Later, at Uganda Breweries again, she evolved into corporate affairs, and that shift proved catalytic.

She explains: ‘I started to understand the machinery of public institutions. I worked closely with Uganda Revenue Authority, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Trade, and even Agriculture. In that time, I got a taste of public purpose. I saw men and women who had been in the public service for years, not for personal gain but because they believed in what a country could become. That stayed with me.’

Vision for UTB

So, when the UTB CEO role came into view, she threw her hat in the ring. And as she closes in on her first 90 days, she already knows precisely where she wants to lead the tourism sector. She does not romanticise tourism, she quantifies it.

‘Tourism already employs more than 800,000 Ugandans. We are earning close to $3b, contributing about six percent to GDP, and this is without full optimisation,’ she says. ‘When we talk about Uganda reaching middle-income status, there is one sector that can lead that charge decisively. And that is tourism.’

Her eyes light up, with optimism and a sense of duty.

‘Uganda has set an audacious tenfold growth plan, from $50b to $500b GDP by 2040. Within that, tourism is expected to grow 25-fold. That means we cannot continue business as usual. We must spark participation from within, from Ugandans themselves, while building aggressive private sector alliances.’

Tourism, she argues, is not just an economic pillar. ‘It is an ecosystem of identity, hospitality, connectivity, storytelling, investment, and pride,’ she says. ‘If we treat it as a luxury, we will miss the opportunity of a lifetime.’

Kagwa says:’We keep talking about the Big Five. In Uganda, we talk about the Big Seven, because we add chimpanzees and gorillas. But I say, there is a Big Eight- the Ugandan.’

She laughs lightly. ‘Honestly, you cannot find another Ugandan anywhere else in Africa. If you ask someone for directions in Kampala, they will not point you, they will walk with you. That warmth, that humour, that willingness to help, that is not a tourism cliché. That is a national asset.’

She pauses, then adds with conviction: ‘The eighth tourism product we are offering to the world is our people.’ Her redefinition of Uganda’s ‘product’ is subtle yet radical; to make hospitality itself a currency of identity.

‘The world can replicate hotels and safaris, but it cannot replicate the Ugandan spirit,’ she says.

She is adamant that no tourism economy can thrive on foreign visitors alone. ‘In social theory, there is something called critical mass, the bare minimum number of people required for an idea to gain unstoppable momentum. That is what we need in tourism,’ she explains.

‘There are 45 million Ugandans. If even half of us – say 20 million, travel within Uganda twice a year, do you know what that does?’ She answers herself with the precision of a strategist.

‘It creates an internal market. It lowers costs through economies of scale. It attracts serious investment, in air travel, accommodation, and infrastructure. Money follows money.’

To her, domestic tourism is not leisure; it is economic activism.

‘When we visit our own Sipi Falls, Ngamba Island, Wanale in the east, Murchison, Bwindi, we are not just sightseeing. We are building an economy. International tourism will only explode once Ugandans themselves become the early adopters.’

She adds: ‘A vibrant domestic market makes the destination self-sustaining. Every Ugandan who explores their country becomes an ambassador.’

But her strategy is not limited to inspiration.

She is technical, pragmatic, and persistent about one major structural need: private sector investment.

‘We need MTN and Airtel to see themselves not just as telecommunication companies but as tourism partners,’ she says.

‘Connectivity is part of the tourism experience. At the airport in Dubai or Singapore, your SIM card is ready, loaded with data and voice. Uganda tourism cannot deliver a global experience if a tourist lands and goes offline.’

She extends this logic to banks and insurers.

‘Tourism cannot grow without financing,’ she insists. ‘Agriculture did not take off until the banks built specific financial products to support farmers, whether they had two acres or 20. We need banks to now do that for tourism value chain players, from tour guides to safari lodge owners.’

She speaks with the assertive calm of someone who has spent decades rallying distributors and market partners. Now, she seeks to rally a nation.

‘It is not about begging for support but about showing the private sector the opportunity they have been missing,’ she says.

Leadership philosophy

In her first weeks at UTB, she made a symbolic move, she kept her office door open.

‘It is physical and emotional,’ she explains. ‘An open door means you are accessible. It encourages ideation. It tells your team, I am here not as a boss but as a collaborator. And when ideas flow freely, even if only a few stick, they are stronger because they have been refined in conversation, not dictated from above.’

Her leadership philosophy, she says, is built around three values: visibility, humility, and velocity, ‘but all calibrated.’ ‘I have learned that moving fast does not mean rushing people,’ she adds. ‘It means bringing them along.’

Looking back, it has been velocity, patience and purpose. When she reflects on her own career, her voice softens.

‘If I met 25-year-old Juliana, I would tell her; be patient. Adjust your personal velocity. I have always moved fast, graduate, work, marry, children, promotions. But sometimes, in chasing everything, you do not enjoy the moment. Now I am learning to breathe, to be present. We all get there eventually.’

She says this on the eve of her child’s graduation, another personal milestone in a life now defined by public service. ‘It reminds me that every season has its rhythm,’ she says.

‘You just have to listen to it.’ When asked who she would choose to share a cup of tea with, she chooses her mother and former US First Lady Michelle Obama.

‘My mother died early in my career. She wanted me to be a doctor, she had all but bought the lab coat,’ she says, smiling wistfully. ‘I wish she had seen how life turned out. I would sit with her and say, not too bad, hey?’ Then, Michelle Obama because she is a black woman who has endured racism, sexism, scrutiny, and still walks with grace, intelligence, balance. She is everything many of us aspire to. I would love to ask her how she manages to keep it all together and still look that effortless.

Motivation

‘We say ‘Explore Uganda’, but we do not mean it as a tagline. We mean come and immerse yourself. Do not just drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park, stop, taste, listen, laugh with a local, hear the drums, and smell the rain on the soil. Tourism is not a view, it is a feeling. And Uganda has every feeling worth experiencing.’

She says the branding, the partnerships, the numbers, all of that matters. But at the heart of it, tourism is love. Love for home. And when you love something deeply, you want the world to see it.

‘Yes, I am still earning my uniform. But the journey is beautiful.’ And perhaps that is the real story; a marketer who once sold brands now sells belonging, one lake, one gorilla trail, handshake, and smile at a time.

Despite the demanding nature of her role, which involves extensive travel and political nuance, Kagwa derives resilience from her personal relationships.

“Being an extrovert, I am energised by my husband, my children, and my grandmother,” she notes. “When the burden feels heavy, I find my reset at home. For me, it is not about spa days or escaping on a trip; it is about the grounding power of family.”

Her grounding in family, she says, helps her see the bigger picture. ‘Tourism is not just about landscapes; it is about livelihoods. Every trip, every photo, every traveller creates an income for a Ugandan household. That is why I have to stay motivated.’ Kagwa now considers selling the nation through pride, narrative and participation in her life’s work.

Police in Jinja Northern Division have launched investigations into two separate murder incidents that occurred on the night of October 14, claiming two lives.

The first incident occurred in Lwanda Ward, where Nusula Nakaziba, a mobile money agent, was hit with a hammer while returning home with her daughter.

The attackers targeted her bag which contained money, but the daughter managed to escape and alerted locals. By the time they arrived, Nakaziba had succumbed to her injuries.

In the second incident, Fred Itwalume, a security guard at Mafubira Rural Cooperative SACCO, was found dead in Nakabango Ward. He had been hacked on the head with a hoe, and four motorcycles were also reported missing from the SACCO premises under his custody.

Police deployed a sniffer dog to assist with the investigation, which led to a residence in Lwanda village. The dog’s behavior suggested that one of the suspects might be hiding in the house, prompting a violent reaction from the community. Locals pelted the house with stones, broke windows, and looted property.

Mr Dan Mulangira, a Nakabango resident, expressed frustration over the death of the security guard, describing him as a law-abiding citizen.

“We’re tired of these incidents. We need justice,” he said.

In protest, residents blocked the Kamuli-Jinja highway using timber and furniture taken from Grace’s Furniture Workshop, which they accused of harbouring criminal elements.

Police intervened, but the situation escalated, with some residents setting fire to parts of the workshop while others looted timber and furniture.

Mr Hamisi Kiganira, Jinja Northern Division Deputy RCC, condemned the incidents, blaming them on rising youth unemployment and indiscipline in the community.

“It’s alarming that many of our youth have turned to crime. They don’t want to work; instead, they spend their days betting and later resort to robbing and even murdering innocent people,” he said.

He added that security forces have launched regular patrols in the area to restore calm and prevent further violence.

A Chinese businessman in Kampala, Dai Jie, has been committed to the High Court to stand trial for the alleged murder of his compatriot and business partner Yang Wen Li, whose remains were recovered months after his disappearance in July 2024.

The committal was made on Thursday by Buganda Road Chief Magistrate, Ronald Kayizzi, after the indictment was read out to the suspect. The magistrate directed Dai Jie to report before the court registrar on the first Monday of every month pending the next convenient High Court session.

According to the indictment presented by the prosecution led by Ms Grace Amy and signed by Chief State Attorney Joan Keko on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dai Jie faces one count of murder, contrary to sections 171 and 172 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 128.

The state alleges that on July 7, 2024, at Haidah Plaza on Ben Kiwanuka Street, Kampala, Dai Jie and Wang Tiangang who’s said to be on the run, with malice aforethought unlawfully caused the death of Yang Wen Li.

The accused and victim were residents of the same apartment at Haidah Plaza. They jointly owned Top Hair Group Ltd, a beauty products enterprise located at Galilaya Plaza in Kampala’s central division.

Court documents indicate that on July 6, 2024, Yang Wen Li left their business premises on the fateful day at around 3 pm and never returned. Two days later, Dai Jie reported to work alone and allegedly told a business associate, Ahumuza Shivan, that his partner had gone to follow up on a missing vehicle.

“When both men later disappeared from their residence, Ahumuza filed a missing-person report at Central Police Station, Kampala,” the indictment reads in part.

Investigations revealed that Dai Jie had moved their merchandise to a warehouse on Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road and later travelled to China on July 11, 2024. While abroad, he reportedly told a colleague, Gao Xudong, that Wang Tiangang had killed Yang Wen Li following a business dispute. On Gao’s advice, Dai Jie returned to Uganda and, on July 17, 2024, reported to CPS Kampala accompanied by members of the Chinese community.

In his statement, recorded through interpreters, Dai Jie recounted that Wang Tiangang assaulted Yang Wen Li in their apartment causing his death and that the two dismembered and disposed of the body in Mabira Forest, Jinja District.

He later led detectives to several scenes, including the Haidah Plaza apartment, where police recovered blood-stained items.

Subsequent searches and forensic analysis linked the blood samples to the deceased.

“In November 2024, guided by Dai Jie, investigators discovered a shallow grave in Mabira Forest, where human body parts, including a skull, limbs, and torso, were exhumed. A post-mortem confirmed the remains belonged to a person of Chinese descent who died from multiple cut wounds,” reads in part the indictment.

Prosecution intends to rely on DNA reports, CCTV footage, search certificates, and immigration records during the trial. It was further revealed that Wang Tiangang was treated at Nakasero Hospital on the night of the alleged murder with injuries consistent with a violent confrontation.

While Dai Jie was medically examined and found to be of sound mind, Wang Tiangang remains at large in China, with extradition efforts underway.

The High Court will determine the case at its next available criminal session.

SC Villa and UPPC played out a 1-all draw and Maroons recorded a 2-1 away win at UPDF as the Startimes Uganda Premier League (UPL) resumed after the international break.

But the biggest talking point upon the league resumption still centred on fans continuing to show their displeasure at the new league format introduced by domestic football governing body Fufa.

And so for the second successive game, 17-time record league champions SC Villa played in front of a largely empty Kadiba Stadium for what was their first home league game of the season.

The flat atmosphere at the Kadiba Stadium was in stark contrast to last month when the Villa leadership introduced the club’s sponsors to a jubilant Villa army as they won the pre-season Fufa Super-8 title.

This time Villa were slow out of the blocks and trailed at half time through a Fazil Tumwine strike for a confident Abdallah Mubiru-coached UPPC side.

Villa defender Barasa Mangoli collided with his goalkeeper David Lukwago to leave the striker with the simple task of rolling the ball into an empty net.

Villa did improve after the break and substitute Andrew Otim scored their equalizer seven minutes to time with a downward header from a Najib Yiga corner.

They almost got a winner minutes later only for Hassan Mubiru to end a good passing move by lifting his effort over the bar from a tight angle

The result left Villa with one point from two games having lost 2-1 to KCCA in their opener while newly promoted UPPC are on four points after three games.

In Bombo, Maroons edged hosts UPDF 2-1 courtesy of goals by Dickson Niwamanya and Ivan Mayanja while Faridi Rashid replied for the hosts.

The result helped Maroons also leapfrog their fellow forces side into eighth position with both teams on three points.

UPL

Results

SC Villa 1-1 UPPC

UPDF 1-2 Maroons

If Tuesday night in Boukhalfa, Algeria marked the end of Uganda’s World Cup journey, it also felt like the beginning of something sturdier – a team growing in shape, confidence, and belief.

Defeat to the hosts stung, yes. To lead through a well-executed Steven Mukwala goal for 74 minutes in the house of giants only to be undone by two late Mohamed Amoura penalties was cruel in its timing and its symbolism.

Yet, until then, what unfolded on the field – the defensive organisation, the cohesion, the refusal to wilt – suggested a Cranes side no longer flattered by effort alone.

Progress, not pity

Paul Put’s men finished their World Cup qualifying campaign on 18 points, seven behind group winners Algeria, but with six clean sheets in ten matches and a goal difference of +5 in real terms before Caf’s points revision in the event of a playoff fight – numbers that whisper progress, not pity.

The Belgian coach, often measured in tone, has quietly built something sturdier.

The backline – Toby Sibbick, Elio Capradossi, Jordan Obita, and a greatly improved Aziz Kayondo – has grown into a dependable unit, confident on the ball and hard to break down.

When you think of Bevis Mugabi and Timothy Awany, who have been out of action for the Cranes the latter part of this campaign, you see solid depth.

Add the return of Denis Onyango, whose calm and experience is invaluable even though he could not change much in cameo, and Uganda suddenly look richer in options than they have in years.

Promising front, and could do more

Further forward, there is craft and purpose. Allan Okello, now coming of age, has emerged as the Cranes’ creative heartbeat – intelligent between the lines, decisive in transition.

Between Chan and the World Cup qualifiers, he has been involved in 11 goals (six scored, five assisted) – and his partnership with Rogers Mato and Jude Ssemugabi, with Travis Mutyaba the ever ready substitute, hints at an attacking evolution that could yet blossom in Morocco this December.

Uganda scored 14 goals through eight different players in the World Cup qualifiers – a sign of shared responsibility and tactical flexibility.

For a side that once depended on occasional moments or defensive stoicism, that is not a small shift.

Put ball

Put, too, deserves his flowers. He has navigated absences, blooded new players, and restored competition for places without compromising structure.

There is some clarity in how Uganda play Put ball now: compact, patient, and expressive when the spaces open. His insistence on tactical discipline and fluid transition has been quietly transformative.

Even in Boukhalfa, as Algeria’s stars pressed relentlessly – Riyad Mahrez, before he was later substituted, from one wing, Amoura from the other – the Cranes stayed compact and intelligent. Only late lapses, perhaps more from exhaustion than anxiety, separated the two sides.

Jamal is fine, Afcon next

Off the pitch, there was also relief. Goalkeeper Salim Jamal Magoola, stretchered off after a heavy collision, was declared out of danger and discharged from hospital.

The next step, of course, is Afcon 2025 in Morocco – a tournament that now looms as the perfect proving ground for this maturing team.

If the World Cup dream was about chasing wild glory, the Cup of Nations offers a more tangible opportunity: to test the progress, to prove that the growth witnessed over these ten matches wasn’t fleeting.

Uganda may have reached the end of the road in World Cup terms, but unlike in past campaigns, this feels less like a dead end – and more like a detour to something real, something sustainable.

Because for once, the story isn’t about what’s been lost. It’s about what’s being built.

Fifa 2026 World Cup Qualifiers (Caf)

Final Group G results

Algeria 2-1 Uganda

Guinea 2-2 Botswana

Somalia 0-1 Mozambique

Final Group G Standings

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts

Algeria 10 8 1 1 24 8 +16 25 (WC)

Uganda 10 6 0 4 14 9 +5 18

Mozambique 10 6 0 4 14 17 -3 18

Guinea 10 4 3 3 11 8 +3 15

Botswana 10 3 1 6 12 16 -4 10

Somalia 10 0 1 9 3 20 -17 1

World Cup Qualified Nations: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast

Caf Playoffs (to be played in Morocco)

November 13 – Semifinal 1: Nigeria vs Gabon; Semifinal 2: Cameroon vs DR Congo

Final (Nov 16) – Winners meet; victor advances to the six-team intercontinental final where the top two qualify for the World Cup

After a lively opening day dominated by schools and underage categories, the real fireworks are set to take over Lugogo Indoor Stadium as the City Tyres East Africa Badminton Challenge enters Day Two of action on Friday.

Friday’s slate brings the ‘big dawgs’ – the professionals, corporates, Asian community in Uganda, universities, and a new coaches’ category – promising an explosion of smashes, rallies, and roaring cheers in what is shaping up to be the most electrifying edition yet.

The eighth edition of the event has grown in every imaginable way: entries have surged to 1,118 participants, the main draw expanded from 64 to 256, 125 trophies at stake and prize money jumped from Shs8m to Shs11m.

Draw attraction

‘This tournament has grown massively – from a 64-draw in our early years to 128 recently, and now 256,’ said Uganda Badminton Association CEO Simon Mugabi.

‘We have over 40 foreign players and an incredible mix from countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Namibia, South Sudan, Burundi, DR Congo and Thailand. That shows how far the sport has come.’

Even with defending men’s professional champion Augustus Owiny missing in action as he is currently abroad, Mugabi insists the stage remains set for top-class competition. The women’s champion Fadilah Shamika Mohammed Rafi will be among Uganda’s hopefuls eyeing glory as the pros take to court.

Growing partnership

This four-day festival of shuttle action is powered by City Tyres through the Mandela Group, in partnership with Linglong Tyres, ENOC 4T Dealers, India Association of Uganda, and UGASEWA.

For Linglong Tyres, who are marking their 50th anniversary, the event goes beyond competition – it’s a celebration of community and wellness through sport.

‘For our partners at Linglong, this tournament is also about giving back and building bonds,’ said Mahad Twaha, Senior Sales Executive at City Tyres.

Marketing Manager Herbert Bashaasha praised the partnership’s longevity and commitment:

‘City Tyres has supported badminton for close to a decade. The tournament keeps getting bigger, and this year, expect real fireworks. We’re fielding a team ourselves and encouraging fans to come, cheer, and celebrate their individuals and teams of choice.’

Mugabi also teased that the media could soon have their own spotlight: ‘We’ve opened space for journalists to participate – so don’t just cover the sport and blame players for their mishaps, come and play it and see what it takes to hit that shuttlecock!’ he joked.

Colour and Culture

Day One already provided a vibrant start – filled with cheers from school teams, traditional dances, and lively displays from junior players. But as Friday’s slate rolls in, expect the rallies to be faster, the smashes harder, and the atmosphere more electric.

Each category brings its own flavour – from the camaraderie of the corporates to the technical finesse of the Asian community, the passion of the universities, and the tactical edge of the coaches.

‘This is a regional festival,’ Mugabi said. ‘We’ve built a structure that can handle the big numbers, and Lugogo is going to embrace all the energy. Players have been advised to keep time.’

8th City Tyres East Africa Badminton Challenge

Day By Day Tournament Schedule

Oct 16: Schools and Underage (Opening ceremony, colourful displays)

Oct 17: Professionals, Corporates, Asian Community, Universities, Coaches categories

Oct 18: Schools Finals, Professional and Asian Community Knockouts, Coaches and Veterans (High-Stakes semifinals)

Oct 19: Grand Finals and Awards Ceremony (4-6 PM)

The Kampala City Hall Court has released on bail the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Clive Nsiima, the officer captured in a viral video slapping a fuel station shop attendant in Kyanja, a Kampala suburb after being reminded to pay for items worth Shs30,000.

Presiding Grade One Magistrate Nicholas Aisu granted Nsiima bail at Shs1 million, while his three sureties were each bonded at Shs5 million to ensure his return to court for trial.

“The accused still enjoys the right to the presumption of innocence as he has not pleaded guilty. He has presented substantial sureties, and there is no record showing he has ever jumped bail or has other pending charges,” Magistrate Aisu ruled.

The court noted that despite the public outrage triggered by the viral video, the law presumes every accused person innocent until proven guilty.

ASP Nsiima was arraigned before the same court earlier this week and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and malicious damage to property. He is accused of assaulting Pellan Atumuhuriize, a supermarket attendant at a Kyanja fuel station, and damaging her mobile phone.

According to the prosecution, led by State Attorney Mercy Yamangusho, the officer, attached to the Counter Terrorism Directorate, Oil and Gas Department, allegedly committed the offense on October 7, 2025.

“The accused willfully and unlawfully assaulted the complainant before damaging her mobile smartphone,” Ms. Yamangusho stated.

The prosecution had strongly opposed bail, arguing that the officer’s conduct was unbecoming of someone mandated to protect the public.

“The accused is a police officer whose duty is to protect the public, not assault them. His actions are disgraceful and have caused public outrage,” Ms. Yamangusho told the court.

However, defense counsel Hamza Kyamanywa urged the court to grant his client bail, saying the accused had reconciled with the complainant and had fulfilled all legal requirements for temporary release.

“The accused has reconciled with the complainant and has presented responsible sureties. He is presumed innocent and should not be detained further,” Mr. Kyamanywa submitted.

Magistrate Aisu, while acknowledging the reconciliation claim, said no formal agreement or supporting evidence had been filed in court. Nonetheless, he found that Nsiima met the conditions for bail.

“Even though his actions went viral on social media, there is no evidence that he poses a flight risk or has any other pending cases,” the magistrate ruled.

Nsiima, a resident of Kyanja, pleaded not guilty to the charges. He will now await trial from home following his release.

The incident that led to his arrest occurred when the shop attendant reportedly demanded payment for items – two cans of beer and a pack of condoms – that Nsiima and a female companion had picked. The confrontation escalated, leading to the assault that was captured on video and widely circulated online.

The footage sparked public condemnation and prompted the Uganda Police Force to arrest and dismiss the officer from service.

In a democracy, public funding of political parties should guarantee participation, not purchase silence. Yet in Uganda, the State has twisted a constitutional safeguard into a political weapon. The 2025 amendment to the Political Parties and Organisations Act (PPOA) is not merely a budgetary adjustment-it’s a redesign of political control. Dialogue, once voluntary, is now a condition for survival. Tellingly, the law was taken through Parliament on the same day as the UPDF Amendment Act, 2025.

After Opposition Members of Parliament led by the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament walked out in protest of the UPDF Bill, the ruling side introduced the PPOA amendment and passed it almost unopposed. What could not survive open scrutiny was passed in silence. The timing was no coincidence-it revealed that whatever the law contained was never meant to serve citizens or democracy.

At the centre of this is the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD), once hailed as a model of cooperation among rivals. The government has now tethered political funding-previously guaranteed under Section 14A of the 2010 PPOA-to membership in the National Consultative Forum (NCF), of which IPOD is now a statutory organ.

Even worse, funding depends on ‘active participation’ in IPOD activities. In practice, this means membership to IPOD is now totally mandatory for all parties in Parliament, including now the National Unity Platform (NUP)-compelling them to recently ask the IPOD officials to avail them with the MOU documents to sign.

The first IPOD, founded in 2010, was not a government body. It was a donor-funded project run by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD). Membership was voluntary; parties like NRM, DP, UPC, FDC, and Jeema signed MoUs and received modest logistical support. Until 2022, all parliamentary parties enjoyed dual funding: NIMD support for IPOD members and taxpayer-funded allocations under Section 14A, based on their numerical strength in Parliament.

But cracks appeared. In 2018, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) withdrew from IPOD activities but remained a member, accusing the government of turning dialogue into theatre while continuing arrests, abductions, and political persecution.

‘We will not be part of a forum that sanitises repression,’ said then party secretary general Nandala Mafabi. FDC’s boycott was genuine, demanding action on earlier IPOD agreements and an end to Opposition harassment. Yet NIMD continued funding FDC, clarifying that the money was for institutional support, not obedience. When NUP entered Parliament in 2021 as the new lead Opposition, it inherited FDC’s scepticism and went further, totally refusing to sign the IPOD MoU. NUP called it a trap that launders dictatorship rather than reforms it, insisting on ending abductions, releasing political prisoners, and stopping the weaponisation of State institutions.

NUP never joined the NGO-run IPOD or received NIMD funds, relying solely on taxpayer funding under Section 14A. In 2022, NIMD withdrew support, undermining IPOD’s credibility. Now IPOD has been nationalised through the 2025 amendment-placing it under the NCF and ministerial control, with funding now conditional on participation. Yet the minister has never issued the statutory instrument required to define how parties join or withdraw from the NCF/IPOD. Normally, these organs would take effect only after the minister’s regulations are published in the national gazette-something we haven’t seen.

Meanwhile, the old NGO-IPOD continues convening summits and soliciting signatures, creating two IPODs: one in law but not practice, and another in practice but not law. This contradiction should worry more than political parties. When the State ties public resources to partisan structures, it normalises conditional citizenship. Today it’s IPOD; tomorrow it could be civil society, media houses, universities, or trade unions forced into ‘national forums’ to access grants or licences.

The government’s message is blunt: since NUP refused to come into IPOD, IPOD will come to NUP. It’s coercion disguised as consultation. Public funding-once a constitutional entitlement-is now a bargaining chip for political silence. The 2025 amendment has not deepened democracy; it has criminalised independence. FDC’s boycott and NUP’s refusal were acts of principle, not defiance. The government could have addressed the oppression and inequality these parties highlighted without tampering with the Constitution. Instead, it has weaponised public funding to reward loyalty. A dangerous precedent now looms, threatening the essence of democratic dissent. The question lingers: Is this IPOD really the IPOD?

When Ugandan trader Dennis Mutagaya received a call that one of his client’s trucks had been broken into while transiting through Kenya, he thought the worst was over once the theft was reported. It wasn’t.

Days later, the Kenyan authorities slapped his client with a tax bill for the very goods that had been stolen.

‘The truck was Kenyan-registered, and the theft happened within Kenya,’ Mutagaya recalls, his frustration still evident.

‘Yet authorities compelled the importer to pay taxes for the stolen goods before releasing another of his trucks that wasn’t even involved.’

The disputed tax, Kshs6.1m (about Shs163m), left the exporter stranded for months, missing shipping deadlines and losing contracts.

‘Kenya’s policy, we were told, is that once you lose cargo in Kenya, you pay taxes for it, even when it’s stolen,’ Mutagaya says, doubting if this ‘makes sense’.

‘If cargo is in transit and gets stolen, responsibility should lie with the host authorities, not the victim.’

His ordeal is not isolated. Across Uganda’s logistics sector, traders are crying foul over what they call ‘punitive and outdated’ customs rules and unilateral enforcement practices by Kenya, Uganda’s biggest trade partner and the gatekeeper of East Africa’s busiest trade route.

For Uganda, Kenya is more than just a neighbor; it’s the country’s main corridor to the sea.

More than 80 percent of Uganda’s international trade flows through the Port of Mombasa, making it the single most critical artery for the landlocked nation’s economy.

Each year, more than 10 million tonnes of Ugandan imports and exports pass through Mombasa, accounting for nearly a third of the port’s total throughput.

The corridor also serves Rwanda, South Sudan, and parts of eastern DR Congo, but Uganda is the anchor client, the one that keeps Kenya’s logistics chain humming.

Yet, as Mutagaya’s experience shows, that dependence comes with vulnerability, and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) clearly understands this pain.

URA Commissioner for Customs, Asadu Kigozi, says as someone responsible for facilitating trade, “I understand the pain’.

‘Our biggest challenge remains infrastructure at Malaba and Busia. The efficiencies achieved at the Port of Mombasa are often lost at the border.’

Kigozi says both Uganda and Kenya must move beyond border bottlenecks and adopt ‘smarter, digital systems’ that make cargo movement predictable and transparent.

‘You cannot release 1,400 trucks a day from Mombasa and expect them to pass through a single-lane post. We need systems where a truck scanned in Mombasa doesn’t have to be scanned again at Malaba,’ he says.

The message was clear: the future of East African trade depends not on slogans of integration, but on the reality of working systems and mutual trust.

Kenya understands how important Uganda is, with the country’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Joash Maangi, acknowledging the growing frustration.

‘Customer is king, and we value Uganda as our largest trading partner. Both governments are committed to eliminating barriers that hinder the free flow of goods and services,’ he says, pointing to reforms initiated by President William Ruto, including 24-hour operations at Mombasa Port, reduced weighbridge checks, and faster clearance to make the Northern Corridor more efficient.

But Maangi defends Kenya’s controversial customs policy on transit goods, saying it was designed to prevent tax evasion by unscrupulous traders who divert cargo into the local market.

‘The law was meant to prevent abuse of the system. But we are improving coordination to ensure genuine traders are not unfairly punished.’

Still, the policy’s blunt application continues to hurt legitimate importers. Ugandan freight companies have previously warned that unless the two governments create a joint redress mechanism, the cost of doing business in the region will continue to rise.

But beyond the growing cost of doing business, the policy is a test of integration, in which Ugandan traders continue to be affected by delays, red tape, and what many traders call ‘bureaucratic arrogance.’

The episode over stolen cargo is just the latest flashpoint in a decade-long tug-of-war between regional policy and national interest.

As officials trade promises of reform, traders like Mutagaya are still waiting, not for speeches, but for systems that work.

‘We just want fairness,’ he says. ‘When cargo moves smoothly, both Uganda and Kenya win.’