Category: Daily Monitor

Congolese nationals account for the majority of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases reported in Uganda, statistics from Uganda’s Ministry of Health show.

Out of the cumulative nine cases reported by the Ministry, at least five are Congolese nationals who crossed into Uganda seeking treatment. The last two EVD cases reported by the Ministry on May 29 were all Congolese nationals. There have also been no new cases reported as the country intensifies efforts to prevent importation of cases from DR Congo, the place experiencing a bigger Ebola outbreak and spread. Details from the Ministry of Health show that initial EVD cases can be traced to a Congolese woman who came to Uganda for treatment on April 10, and another male Congolese who came in later on April 11.

‘Upon arrival (in Uganda), she travelled from Arua to Entebbe via a chartered flight and sought medical care on May 10, at a private hospital in Kampala,’ explained Dr Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services at the Ministry.

‘She was initially treated and discharged in good condition on May 14, after which she travelled back to the DR Congo,” Dr Olaro added.

The Ministry indicated that medical workers in Uganda treated her without knowing she had Ebola, and so they got exposed to the infection.

But the Ministry took interest in her matter after the May 14 incident at Kibuli Muslim Hospital, where a Congolese man with similar conditions to hers died. Tests later showed he had Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease. Information from the ministry indicates that the 59-year-old Congolese male who was admitted to Kibuli Muslim Hospital in Kampala on May 11 presented with respiratory distress, episodes of fevers, epigastric pain, nausea, fever and had challenges passing urine. While in admission, his condition deteriorated, and he died in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with bleeding symptoms. Dr Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, said they traced the patient who had come on May 10 and was discharged.

She said when they traced her samples, collected in the hospital she was treated, results showed she had EVD. Following these discoveries, over 100 health workers who were exposed to the patients and other contacts of the patients in Uganda have been quarantined as the government intensifies efforts to contain the outbreak. Some have eventually tested positive while in quarantine. On May 25, the Ministry reported two new cases of EVD in the country, among Ugandan health workers working in a private health facility in Kampala. ‘Both patients have been admitted to the designated treatment unit and are now receiving care.All contacts linked to the confirmed cases are being listed for follow-up by response teams,’ he said.

Dr Olaro appealed to the health workers and the public to be vigilant and report suspected cases of Ebola. ‘Infection prevention applies to all the staff. Some of the people whom we quarantined because of the current outbreak did ultrasounds on patients. We emphasise infection prevention so you protect and your patients, and subsequently your family and community,” he said.

To the public, Dr Olaro said: ‘You are advised to immediately report anyone presenting symptoms consistent with Ebola Virus Disease to the nearest health facility.’ ‘Early detection and treatment greatly improve survival chances and prevent further Ebola spread,’ he added.

The condolence money gets counted. The food is finished. Then the real silence hits – the one where a widow realises the land title is in one name, the insurance lapsed last March, and her brother-in-law has keys she didn’t know existed.

Death ends a life. But for many Ugandan widows, it starts a second battle: against banks, courts, and relatives. It is a battle Naseem Muhammed, a banker and personal finance expert, says begins long before the funeral, in the quiet financial arrangements of marriage.

‘In many households across Uganda, financial management still quietly rests with one person,’ Muhammed said. ‘He earns the income, manages the bank accounts, keeps the land documents, understands the loan obligations, and knows how family assets are structured. While both spouses are present, this arrangement may appear efficient, but real vulnerability often emerges when death suddenly interrupts that order.’

That interruption turns grief into an administrative crisis. A woman may know that the family owns land but may not know whose name appears on the title. She may know there is money in the bank but not know the account details, the signatories, or the procedures required to access it. She may be aware of a pension, an insurance policy, or a business, yet remain unfamiliar with the documentation and institutional processes needed to preserve household continuity.

‘What often places women at risk is not necessarily the absence of assets,’ Muhammed explained, ‘but the absence of visibility and authority over assets that already exist.’

Three traps that show up in court

Uganda’s courts are full of that silence. Keith Muhakanizi’s death left the nation’s budget in order. Cedric Babu’s death left a Shs200 million bank claim. And every week, another widow learns that grief is private, but property is public – and predators are patient.

Muhakanizi died at 64 in a Milan hospital after battling cancer for years. For decades, he was one of the most influential technocrats in government, rising from graduate economist to Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, then Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister from July 2021. He helped draft the Public Finance and Management Act, shaped National Development Plans, and ran commitment control systems that guided Uganda’s economy for more than a decade. Former Ministry of Finance spokesperson Jim Mugunga eulogised him as ‘a true public servant, a professional economist, a very good manager, a stickler, an administrator and a parent.’

His public record is clean. But his case exposes the first trap widows face: access. Even when a husband runs the national budget, his widow must prove entitlement to every shilling – gratuity, National Social Security Fund (NSSF), bank accounts and land. If the file at the Ministry of Public Service is incomplete, if there is no will, or if property is in his name alone, the widow moves from grieving to queuing. Dying intestate sends the estate to the Administrator General. The process is legal but slow, yet school fees, rent, and medical bills do not wait.

Debt

The second trap is debt, and the Cedric Babu case put it on the record. Babu, a media figure, took a $200,000 mortgage in 2023. He died in May 2025, leaving about $182,710 unpaid. KCB Bank moved to foreclose on the Kololo home and, under the Mortgage Regulations 2012, sought a 30 percent deposit – over Shs200 million – before halting the sale.

That demand landed on his widow, Allison Gallagher, living in the house with three minor children and no alternative housing.

Justice Susan Odongo upheld an injunction blocking the auction and waived the Shs200 million deposit, calling it ‘undue hardship’ to demand it from a widow contesting the bank’s alleged negligence on mortgage protection insurance. Evidence showed the policy had lapsed, potentially leaving the debt uncovered despite Babu’s death. The court kept the family in the home pending the main lawsuit and awarded costs to Gallagher and co-respondent Olive Zaitun Kigongo.

Gallagher’s fight shows how fast a loan outlives the borrower. Without mortgage protection insurance, credit life cover, or term life insurance that pays the bank, the house becomes collateral. A single bounced premium can void years of cover. Banks rarely send condolence letters; they send default notices. The widow who thought the loan was insured finds herself in court, arguing about a lapsed policy she never saw.

Property grabbing

The third trap is the most brutal and the most common: property grabbing by relatives. Across Uganda, magistrates’ courts are filled with widows evicted from matrimonial homes by brothers-in-law, uncles, and even step-children. The script is familiar. Burial ends on Saturday.

On Monday, relatives change the padlocks, claim the husband ‘promised’ them the land, or produce a will no one has seen before. The widow, often without a marriage certificate or joint title, ends up in the gutters – literally renting a single room with her children while the family home is rented out by an in-law. Police call it a ‘civil matter.’ The LC1 says: ‘Go to court.’ The court takes three years or more.

Husband’s lifetime

The three cases – Muhakanizi’s paperwork gap, Babu’s lapsed insurance, and the everyday evictions – point to one prevention playbook, and it starts in the husband’s lifetime. Muhammed insists financial inclusion within marriage deserves greater attention.

‘Allowing a husband to lead the home or focus on income generation should never mean that the other spouse remains uninformed about the family’s financial position,’ she said.

‘Shared responsibility is critical. Women must be intentionally included in understanding where accounts are held, what debts remain outstanding, how property is registered, who the nominated beneficiaries are, and where important documents are kept.’

Equally, women must take an active role. ‘This requires asking questions, understanding ownership arrangements, keeping copies of key records, and remaining informed about how family resources are built, managed, and protected,’ Muhammed said.

‘Contributing to a household should also mean understanding the systems that sustain that household.’

Personal financial footing matters too. ‘Shared responsibility should not be mistaken for financial dependence. Every woman should make an intentional effort to build personal savings, maintain an account she understands and can access, and create some form of independent financial cushion. Personal financial visibility matters just as much as household financial visibility.’

Emergency liquidity is often overlooked. Many families discover too late that wealth tied up in land, pensions, or long administrative processes cannot immediately pay school fees, rent, medical bills, or daily household expenses.

‘Accessible emergency funds can provide stability while formal succession processes are underway,’ Muhammed noted.

There is also institutional responsibility. Banks, pension administrators, insurers, and employers should strengthen systems that allow couples to make clear beneficiary designations and payment-on-death arrangements while both spouses are still alive.

‘Such frameworks create clarity, reduce disputes, and ease access during periods of grief,’ she said.

Paperwork is protection

So, what should families do now? First, insure every debt. Call your bank and ask three questions: Is my mortgage insured? Who is the beneficiary? When is the next premium due? Get the policy number. If Babu’s cover had been active, Gallagher would not be in court. If you have a Shs200 million loan, you need Shs200 million in term life cover minimum.

Secondly, fix ownership before the funeral.

A house in the husband’s name alone is an invitation for relatives to grab. Convert the matrimonial home to joint tenancy with right of survivorship. On death, it passes to the spouse automatically, no letters of administration needed. For other assets, write a will and register it. A will witnessed by two adults and kept with a lawyer beats a ‘clan agreement’ written after burial.

Third, create a ‘widow’s file.’ Every home needs its own treasury file: land titles, logbooks, NSSF number, bank accounts, insurance policies, SACCO cards, passwords, marriage certificate, and the will. Keep it with a lawyer or in a bank safe deposit box. Tell your wife where it is. ‘Muhakanizi managed the country’s finances,’ Muhammed said. ‘Every husband must manage his family’s file.’

Fourth, formalise the marriage. Many widows lose homes because they were ‘not legally married.’ A church wedding without registration, or customary marriage without certification, leaves you with no standing under the Succession Act. Register the marriage at Uganda Registration Services Bureau.

Finally, update the public service and NSSF beneficiaries. Many civil servants’ files still list parents or first wives. Visit the Ministry of Public Service and NSSF annually. Your widow should not discover at your funeral that your benefits go to someone else.

Justice Odongo gave Gallagher breathing room. But widows should not rely on judicial mercy. KCB was within its rights to demand Shs200 million. The only reason those children are still in that Kololo house is because a judge said, ‘Not today.’

The relatives who throw widows out of Kira and Mbale homes are also within the law until someone produces a title or a will.

Muhakanizi spent his career preventing fiscal crises for the country. Babu’s widow is fighting to prevent a personal one.

The nameless widow in the gutters lost hers because no one signed a paper.

‘Building wealth is only part of financial security,’ Muhammed said, adding: ‘The equally important task is ensuring that both spouses can identify, access, and responsibly administer that wealth when life changes unexpectedly.’

For husbands, the task is paperwork: sign the will, pay the premium, change the title, and register the marriage. For wives, the task is to ask: ‘Show me the will, the title, and the insurance.’

Uganda Christian University (UCU), which is leading this year’s Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebration at Namugongo on June 3, has assembled a powerful 30-member choir to animate the proceedings at the Anglican Site.

The choir, whose earlier membership comprised 250 members, has been reduced to 30 amid ongoing Ebola concerns following an outbreak of the deadly disease in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo this month. This year’s annual Martyrs’ Day celebrations were halted last month after President Museveni announced the outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease when the diocese of Kasese and UCU were in the final stages of preparations.

The choir master, as well as the Chaplain of UCU, Rev Can Paul Waswa, in an interview with Daily Monitor, said the choir is blended of students, staff, and members of the wider church community, reflecting the university’s vibrant worship culture.

“The choir is composed mainly of people from the UCU community, students, staff, and members of our congregations,” he explained. The celebrations will be held under the theme, ‘Christ our peace: Breaking walls, healing the nations.” The theme, drawn from Ephesians 2:14, was chosen to address present-day realities in Uganda, such as broken families, corruption, economic hardships, and injustice.

Rev Waswa noted that the group is not limited to UCU alone but is a fusion of four choirs, brought together to strengthen musical excellence, including the UCU community choir, a joint hymnal choir contributing technical expertise, Kisaasi choir, and a church choir from St Paul Katuso, Buziga.

”It is basically four groups coming together to form a mass choir that will praise the Lord,” he said. Despite the demanding academic schedules of students, Rev Waswa said participation has remained strong. Rehearsals are carefully scheduled in the evenings to avoid class conflicts. ‘We begin rehearsals at 7pm, when most classes are done. Singing becomes a way for students to relax and de-stress,’ he said. ”The choir meets three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, ensuring consistent preparation ahead of the June 3 event,” he noted.

Rev Waswa explained that worshippers attending the Namugongo celebrations should expect a unique musical experience, combining traditional Anglican hymns and ”contemporary worship that resonates with the current generation”. He also noted that the choir’s growth has been organic, driven by community engagement and digital coordination. A WhatsApp group created earlier in the year has helped in recruiting and retaining members.

”What you sing and share attracts others, people are growing musically and in fellowship, and that sustains attendance,” he said. The choir leader is supported by a team, including the trainer, Mr Allan Mulumba, who has previously trained choirs at St Francis Chapel Makerere University and St Peter’s Church, Kisaasi.

Mr Mulumba explained that eight members have been selected from each of the three groups and six from the fourth group, for a total of 30, to perform at the Anglican site in Namugongo. For those who were not selected, Mr Mulumba said arrangements have been made to keep them engaged. They have participated in services at their respective churches, where they have practiced the same songs to be performed at Namugongo. This approach ensures everyone feels part of the celebration.

‘I started training this choir at the beginning of April, and I believe we are there, ‘ he said. Mr Mulumba acknowledged the challenge of merging singers from different musical backgrounds, particularly introducing classical hymns to a generation more familiar with contemporary styles. Despite the challenges, progress has been significant.

The decision to involve young people was intentional, aimed at giving them exposure and breaking the stereotype that classical church music is reserved for older generations. Tracy Asimira, 10, from St Peter’s Church, Kisaasi, said she was picked because of her soft voice and confidence in participating in the choir. She also said her mother is a choir member too, but not in this particular one of Namugongo.

‘I was inspired by my mother; at first I was shy, but I gained confidence, and I feel so excited to perform at Namugongo since it’s going to be my first time. It feels so good to sing for the Lord at Namugongo. It is all about enjoying God’s word,” she said. Ms Anne Amutos Sekajja, a choir member, said the choir has been preparing for nearly a year through prayer and consistent rehearsals.

At the Catholic Shrine, a well-organised, energetic choir would be singing an oratorio of the 22 original hymns of Uganda’s Martyrs.

A kilometre away, another powerful choir at the Anglican Site would be leading hymns and praises. Inside both worship places, a mammoth crowd of faithful would be packed in prayer mode.

Outside the two shrines, business would be booming – vendors reaping from the crowds, drunkards forgetting their problems over beer, and thousands of pilgrims turning the area into a festival of faith and commerce.

This is the Namugongo vibe that hundreds of thousands of Ugandan Christians and well-wishers will miss at this year’s Martyrs Day commemoration. Why? Because of the Ebola outbreak.

Ebola, which has claimed at least one Congolese national within Uganda and struck 15 individuals, has put the country on tenterhooks. Events involving mass gatherings have been cancelled or limited, leaving Christian pilgrims with a deep spiritual and emotional loss.

Thousands who would be packed in the two worship places today for the June 3 commemoration are instead confined at home, while a few lucky ones prepare to head to parish churches for ‘scientific’ prayers.

Besides stopping Ugandans and pilgrims from Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo and other countries from trekking to Namugongo, the restrictions have created a spiritual void at the shrines.

Rev. Fr. Vincent Lubega, rector at the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, said many changes have been put in place to contain Ebola. ‘Many changes have been put in place to contain the Ebola spread, and this has affected some of the routine, normal activities,’ he told this publication yesterday.

Fetching holy water, once done freely, has been limited. ‘There will also be no gatherings, no handshakes, and the Mass will be held inside the church, not outside at the main altar as it has always been done,’ Fr Lubega said. He added that no guests were invited this year and only 200 cleared faithful will attend Mass.

To Christian faithful, missing the trek is a total loss. Many believe their prayers were answered after enduring the long journey to the Shrine or Site. For vendors and drunkards, the three days of ‘vibe’ have been cut short. For the business community, it is worse as losses pile up.

By 6:00 am last year, all entrances to both the Catholic shrine and Anglican site were filled to capacity. Pilgrims squeezed through, taking 20 to 30 minutes to move from the entrance to the altar while police and security officers worked to prevent suffocation.

The three 1,000-capacity pavilions surrounding the altar were filled and shared among the clergy, guest pilgrims, choir, VVIPs, VIPs and other special guests. Pilgrims from Kampala and its metropolitan areas would arrive on the day, joining colleagues who had been there for days.

Today, all of that is missing. The Anglican Site, where praises would start seven days before June 3 with each day allocated activities, is quiet. Outside both worship places, the usual business is dominated by empty streets.

Wetlands in Lira City are slowly disappearing, with Okole wetland now at a critical turning point.

Environmentalists warn that without urgent high-level administrative oversight, developer greed combined with official corruption will cause irreversible environmental damage and a public health catastrophe for city residents.

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) recently stopped an alleged illegal encroachment and degradation of Okole Wetland in Lira City. NEMA said if not halted, the ecological damage could trigger immediate flooding and long-term public health risks for surrounding communities.

But stopping the destruction was not easy, according to an Enforcement Officer with the Environmental Police. A joint team from Environmental Police and NEMA was first deployed to the affected area and established that significant degradation was happening near the Front Page section in Lira City West Division, where a stream feeds into the main Okole Wetland.

The source said a prominent developer was found backfilling the wetland without legal approval, despite official maps confirming the area’s protected status.

‘This human activity had physically restricted the water system; a culvert was installed that squeezes the stream, obstructing natural flow toward the Jinja Camp area,’ she told this publication on May 30, 2026.

Media was used to raise public concern and force institutional action, bypassing potential local compromises. Findings were also escalated to NEMA’s executive director and other directors who appeared unaware of ‘sleeping’ or ‘compromised officers’ on the ground. The contradiction between city-issued building approvals and NEMA’s environmental protections was investigated.

The source said it took months to stop the developer because of a systemic ‘blame game’ between the Lira City environment officer’s office and NEMA, with each claiming the other was responsible for enforcement.

‘There are strong allegations that developers are using tokens or bribes to silence officials after submitting mere Terms of Reference, which do not constitute legal permission to begin work,’ she added. ‘Even when the Executive Director of NEMA rejects a proposal – as was the case with a rejected effluent treatment plan for one factory constructed in wetland in Lira City East Division – developers continue their activities illegally while stakeholders remain silent.’

A NEMA official in Kampala explained that destroying the wetland ecosystem has direct consequences for Lira residents. By raising land levels through backfilling, developers divert water into lower-income areas, increasing flood risk. ‘Additionally, the loss of the wetland’s natural filtration capacity, combined with the direct discharge of acidic effluent waste, is contaminating the local water supply,’ she said. ‘This contamination is linked to long-term health crises, including rising rates of cancer and throat infections among community members who rely on these streams.’

Mr Paskwale Kerudong, team leader for the Upper Nile Water Management Zone at the Ministry of Water and Environment, said the major challenge is the conflict between immediate community livelihoods and long-term resource sustainability.

In Ogur Sub-county, commercial sand mining has damaged riverbanks, causing soil erosion and downstream water pollution that affects community health. In Ewal, Lira City East Division, wetland encroachment for agriculture involves draining water, which lowers water tables and dries up springs and boreholes.

‘The purpose of cultivating wetlands is to derive production from agricultural products, and support the livelihoods of the communities. The similarity in these two systems are the same, people are trying to reach out to the resources to support their livelihoods,’ Mr Kerudong said.

‘But in the contrast of the resource, it is actually also destroying the other resource – the water resource – which is also vital for their livelihood. So, the understanding of the two largely lacks in the community, that much as I’m driven by my income demand to get money from the natural environment, my impact on the other resource is completely ignored.’

Not all is lost. Under a Shs5.4 billion initiative led by Join for Water, stakeholders will tackle wetland encroachment and soil degradation in Aswa I and Aswa II sub-catchments. Mr Kerudong said the project’s vision is sustainably managed sub-catchments where locals thrive with access to environmental resources.

‘The project emphasises a mindset change regarding environmental stewardship. The goal is to educate the community on sustainable usage – ensuring resources are available today without compromising the needs of future generations,’ he said.

‘The initiative advocates for alternative livelihood activities that do not require draining wetlands, such as harvesting medicinal herbs or materials for crafts like mats and bags. By adopting these methods, communities can maintain their income while preserving the integrity of the water system.’

The High Court has dismissed an application by Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused seeking a Constitutional Court interpretation on what constitutes adequate time and facilities to prepare a defence, paving the way for their treason trial to proceed as scheduled.

In a ruling delivered late yesterday evening via email, Justice Emmanuel Baguma held that the questions raised by the defence did not amount to substantial constitutional issues requiring interpretation by the Constitutional Court.

“I am not satisfied that the questions of law proposed and framed for constitutional interpretation warrant a reference to the Constitutional Court,” Justice Baguma ruled.

The judge directed parties to return for a preliminary hearing on June 8 and maintained earlier orders requiring the prosecution to commence presenting its case on June 11.

The application for constitutional reference was made shortly after court issued trial management directions following full disclosure by the prosecution.

Lawyers representing Dr Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, argued that the seven days between disclosure and the preliminary hearing were insufficient to prepare an effective defence in a complex treason case.

The defence proposed three constitutional questions for referral, including whether seven days amounted to adequate time under Article 28(3)(c) of the Constitution, whether requiring lawyers to access their detained clients during weekends and public holidays was consistent with the right to a fair hearing, and whether fixing trial dates before completion of preliminary proceedings violated constitutional guarantees.

However, Justice Baguma rejected all three grounds.

On the question of preparation time, the judge held that one week was sufficient for parties to prepare for a preliminary hearing.

“In my view, one week is adequate time for parties to come for a preliminary hearing,” he said.

The judge also noted that the prosecution’s latest disclosure mainly concerned the identities of six witnesses whose details had previously been concealed.

He observed that the defence had already received earlier disclosures on January 21, March 4 and March 11.

“All this time, in my view, the defence was in possession of all the facts and documents to enable them prepare for a preliminary hearing,” he ruled.

Regarding access to detained clients, Justice Baguma said the court had already taken steps to safeguard the accused persons’ fair trial rights by directing prison authorities to facilitate meetings between lawyers and their clients during weekends and public holidays.

The court had earlier heard from prison authorities that exceptions existed allowing such access in appropriate circumstances.

Justice Baguma further found that directing the prosecution to prepare witnesses ahead of the preliminary hearing did not prejudice the accused persons or infringe on their constitutional rights.

“The above directions, in my view, do not violate any right of the accused persons,” he stated.

The judge cautioned against turning routine case-management decisions into constitutional disputes.

“Otherwise, it would mean referring all directions of court to the Constitutional Court for interpretation,” he said.

Background

The treason case involves opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye, his political aide Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, and UPDF officer Denis Oola.

Prosecutors allege that the trio participated in meetings held in Uganda and abroad between 2023 and 2024 as part of a plot to overthrow the government.

The prosecution is expected to call several witnesses, including former Chief of Military Intelligence Maj Gen James Birungi.

Last week, the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew an application seeking witness protection orders for six prosecution witnesses, saying the proceedings were delaying the commencement of the substantive trial.

Rising meat prices are forcing many Ugandans to cut back on beef as the cost of a kilogram climbs from about Shs16,000 to between Shs20,000 and Shs22,000 in several parts of the country.

At abattoirs, wholesale prices now range between Shs15,000 and Shs17,000 per kilogram depending on quality, while retailers sell to consumers at Shs20,000 to Shs22,000. The surge is already squeezing households and small businesses.

The sharp increase has pushed low-income families toward cheaper alternatives like chicken and other food options as they grapple with the rising cost of living. Industry players blame a mix of animal disease outbreaks, prolonged dry spells in cattle-rearing areas, higher transport costs, and growing demand from regional markets.

Kalerwe Abattoir Chairperson Sulaiman Ssekanyo said disease outbreaks and quarantines in several districts of the cattle corridor have drastically cut cattle supply to markets and abattoirs. Earlier this year, districts including Ntungamo, Abim, Amudat, Amuria, Bukedea, Sembabule, Bukwo, Bulambuli, Gomba and Isingiro were hit by Foot-and-Mouth Disease. The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries suspended the sale and movement of cattle and cattle products in affected districts to contain the spread.

Ssekanyo said the restrictions, while necessary for disease control, have reduced the number of animals reaching markets and driven prices up. He also cited prolonged drought in cattle corridor districts, which has hurt livestock production.

‘Many cattle are reared under free-range systems and become malnourished during drought because of poor pasture and water. The prolonged drought reduces the number of animals supplied to the market, which in turn pushes up meat prices across the country,’ he said.

Cattle trader Lozio Kafumbe blamed middlemen for part of the hike, saying they buy directly from farmers and resell to livestock traders at much higher prices.

‘Cattle prices in villages currently range between Shs1.5 million and Shs5 million per animal, considerably higher than five years ago. That higher cost of buying cattle is eventually passed on to consumers through higher meat prices,’ Mr Kafumbe said.

He added that traders from the Democratic Republic of Congo have intensified competition by buying large numbers of cattle from different parts of Uganda and moving them through Bwera market into DRC. ‘The traders buy cattle at competitive prices in Uganda and sell them in DRC using dollar transactions, making it hard for local traders to compete and contributing to higher livestock prices in Uganda,’ he said.

Kafumbe expressed hope that the closure of the Uganda-DRC border following the Ebola outbreak in the neighboring country could ease demand and eventually lower meat prices. He also pointed to rising fuel costs as another driver. ‘For example, we used to spend Shs400,000 on fuel when travelling to Gomba and other areas to buy cattle, but fuel costs have gone up by about Shs100,000, which also affects meat prices,’ he said.

The price shock is hitting businesses and homes hard. Juliet Nassozi, who runs a restaurant in Kawempe Corner Zone, said she used to buy five kilograms of beef daily at Shs13,000 to Shs14,000 per kilogram but now can only afford two kilograms at Shs20,000. She has reduced beef portions for customers, a move that has drawn complaints from some patrons.

Sarah Nansereko, a housewife in Kagoma, said feeding her family meat has become difficult. ‘My husband gives me Shs20,000 for food daily. When I want my family to eat meat, especially on weekends, I buy cow head meat at Shs10,000 per kilogram because it is cheaper than beef,’ Nansereko said.

Kafumbe warned that if meat prices keep rising, consumption among low-income households will fall further.

In a sweeping regulatory move aimed at safeguarding public health, environmental integrity, and international trade, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has banned the use of nine widely used agrochemical active ingredients. The ministry has also placed another nine chemicals under strict restriction.

The decision, which took effect in April, was triggered by emerging international scientific evidence and growing trade concerns regarding the potential risks these active ingredients pose to human health, food systems, and compliance with global chemical residue standards.

The revelations were made during the second annual Crop Life Uganda Symposium held recently in Kampala. The high-level dialogue brought together agricultural experts, input dealers, and regulators to address pressing challenges in the sector, specifically food safety and the escalating health hazards caused by the improper or excessive use of agrochemicals.

Experts at the symposium warned that the misuse of these substances has led to dangerously elevated chemical residues in everyday food products, such as vegetables and milk, threatening the lives of Ugandan consumers and jeopardizing the country’s agricultural export market.

Speaking at the symposium, Dr Paul Mwambu, the Commissioner for Crop Inspection and Certification at MAAIF, explained that the regulatory overhaul followed a request by industry association Crop Life Uganda. The association urged the ministry to review 18 specific agrochemicals due to safety concerns surrounding their ingredients.

“Our ministry experts subjected these chemicals to rigorous scientific laboratory tests,” Dr Mwambu explained. “Following a technical review by the Agricultural Chemicals Control Technical Committee and final consideration by the Agricultural Chemicals Review Committee, the government reached a definitive decision to phase out nine active ingredients completely.”

Dr. Mwambu emphasized that the move is part of the government’s statutory obligation to ensure that only safe, effective, and internationally acceptable agricultural chemical products remain in circulation.

The nine banned active ingredients, previously found in various pesticides and herbicides across Ugandan farms, have been blacklisted due to their severe toxicity to humans and the ecosystem:

Alpha-cypermethrin and Chlorothalonil: Identified as severe water pollutants that destroy aquatic life and kill beneficial insects, including bees.

Atrazine, Butachlor and Carbofuran: Proven to contaminate underground water systems. Atrazine exposure is linked to reduced male fertility, comas, circulatory collapse, and gastric bleeding, while Carbofuran causes severe skin and eye irritation and is highly toxic to local flora and fauna.

Dichlorvos and Dimethoate: Dichlorvos is acutely toxic to the environment. Dimethoate has been found to cause reproductive disorders in humans and is lethal to essential pollinators.

Diuron and Propanil: Chronic exposure to these chemicals is directly linked to kidney failure, spleen damage, and liver damage in humans.

Dr. Mwambu reassured farmers that viable, safer alternatives are already available on the market to replace these nine banned substances.

In addition to the outright bans, the ministry has placed nine other active ingredients under tight restrictions, limiting their application to specific crops or structural uses:

Ametryn: Restricted exclusively for weeding in sugarcane and pineapple plantations.

Carbendazim: Approved for use on cashew nuts only.

Chlorpyrifos and Fipronil: Chlorpyrifos is restricted strictly to treating anthills, while Fipronil is confined to controlling termites at construction sites.

Imidacloprid: Restricted solely to registered seed companies for professional seed treatment.

Indoxacarb: Approved only for tomato farmers to combat devastating pests like Tuta absoluta and the diamondback moth.

Profenofos and Thiamethoxam: Profenofos is limited to controlling the Fall Armyworm. Thiamethoxam is restricted to managing the black coffee twig borer in coffee and the Fall Armyworm in maize.

A unique exception was made for Mancozeb, a widely used fungicide critical for managing fungal diseases in potatoes, tomatoes, and various fruits.

“There is currently no viable alternative for Mancozeb on the market,” Dr. Mwambu revealed. “Because it is so critical to our food supply chains, the ministry is retaining it for the next five years while safe alternatives are urgently being sought.”

The government has issued a strict 180-day farm-use cessation deadline. Farmers across the country are required to immediately discontinue the field application of all phased-out products and transition to approved, safer alternatives.

For the chemicals placed under restriction, the ministry announced that they will remain under tightly controlled conditions. This includes revised product labels, the strict enforcement of Pre-Harvest Intervals (PHIs) to ensure chemicals degrade before crops are harvested, and rigorous residue stewardship monitoring.

To enforce these new regulations, MAAIF is strengthening its nationwide surveillance, compliance inspections, market intelligence, and post-registration stewardship controls across the entire agricultural value chain.

Ms Agnes Mbabazi, the Chairperson of Crop Life Uganda, emphasized that while her organization advocates for the use of agro-inputs to maximize crop yields, productivity must not come at the expense of human health or the environment.

She noted that Crop Life Uganda is working hand-in-hand with MAAIF to build the capacity of input dealers and farmers to adopt responsible crop protection practices.

“It is vital for farmers to observe best practices,” Ms. Mbabazi said. “This means ensuring they buy inputs only from genuine, licensed dealers, and meticulously reading usage labels to avoid crop damage and soil degradation.”

Ms. Mbabazi also called on agro-chemical importers to cooperate with regulators to prevent the importation of hazardous or counterfeit chemicals that could jeopardize Ugandan agriculture.

Dr. Mwambu echoed her sentiments, stating that regulatory compliance cannot be achieved by the government alone.

“Protecting our farmers, consumers, and export market access is a shared responsibility among manufacturers, distributors, agro-input dealers, and farmers,” Dr. Mwambu concluded. “We call upon all private sector actors to engage transparently with the Designated National Authority to ensure a clean, safe, and sustainable agricultural sector.”

Who controls pump prices in the region?

That is the right place to start, because there is a big misconception here. Excluding taxes and levies, East African governments do not control 85-99 percent of the inputs that go into pump prices. The exact percentage depends on the pricing cycle and the country.

When governments posture that they can control pump prices and procurement directly, it is like trying to operate a boiler at 100 percent above its maximum operating pressure with faulty safety valves. You are pushing your luck. The reality is, most of the cost is set by things happening thousands of miles away.

What makes up the price you see on the board at a fuel station?

It breaks down into four main buckets. First is the cost of the crude or refined product in the international market. Second is freight and insurance.

Third are taxes and levies set by the government. Fourth are the margins for Oil Marketing Companies and dealers.

Let me unpack that. In East Africa, we import refined or finished petroleum products. We don’t have operational refineries in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), or South Sudan. South Sudan produces crude, but it doesn’t refine it locally at scale. So, we are 100 percent exposed to the global market for one of the most volatile commodities in the world.

That means when the Ukraine-Russia war happens, or when tensions spike between the US, Israel, and Iran, we feel it in Nairobi, Kampala, and Kigali. Information flows in real time now. We are part of one big global village and marketplace, and we have no insulation. Until we produce crude in the region and build refineries to meet even part of our demand, we cannot affect prices without someone in the system absorbing the cost. Right now, that someone is often the government when it takes responsibility for pricing or procurement.

You mentioned freight and insurance as the second bucket. Is that also outside government control?

Completely. All fuel coming into the region is delivered by chartered vessels that are foreign-owned. The cost of chartering those vessels moves with global geopolitical temperature, especially in regions with refining capacity.

Currently, insecurity in certain shipping lanes has pushed up both vessel demand and insurance premiums. Ship owners raise premiums to cover war risk, and those costs get passed down. East African countries can’t dictate those rates. The best we can do is negotiate. But we don’t control the market.

Let’s put some numbers to this. How much of the pump price is actually landed cost versus taxes?

Using Kenya as an example, the landed cost makes up about 55 percent of the pump price for premium petrol at Kshs214.25 per litre in Nairobi, and about 70 percent of diesel at Kshs232.92 per litre. Taxes then contribute another 35 percent for petrol and 28 percent for diesel.

In Uganda, it is similar. Excise duty alone accounts for 25 percent of a premium petrol price of Shs6,180 per litre, and 20 percent of diesel at Shs6,300 per litre. I have sampled one of the higher prices in Kampala here, but Uganda’s prices aren’t regulated, so they vary from station to station and road to road.

So, product cost plus taxes and levies account for roughly 90 to 95 percent of pump prices in both Kenya and Uganda. The remaining 5-10 percent is split between the oil marketing company margin and the dealer margin. That margin has to cover operational expenses, transport, staff, rent, and profit. Downstream oil and gas is highly capital-intensive. So OMCs need a reasonable return to stay in business.

You said the whole system is under pressure. What do you mean by that?

Simple math. We have no control over 60-70 percent of the current pricing structure, and that is before you even add taxes and levies. The only element governments can directly control is taxes and levies.

That means there are no short-term solutions to high prices that don’t involve someone absorbing the loss. If governments keep trying to set prices below market reality, the OMCs and dealers bleed, supply gets disrupted, and shortages follow. The pressure is building. The current procurement and pricing models may have worked for us before, but the global environment has changed. We need to review them if we want control in the future.

But why do pump prices differ so much between EAC countries when the product often comes from the same port?

It comes down to procurement models and pricing formulas. Each country has a different arrangement.

Kenya procures under a G2G arrangement. The pump price is computed based on product procured between the 10th of one month and the 9th of the following month. So, the current pump prices are based on product procured between 10th April 2026 and 9th May 2026. The pricing reference is Platts, and Kenya uses Platts M-1. That means Kenyan prices react faster to changes in international crude and refined product prices.

Tanzania uses the Bulk Procurement System (BPS) tendering system, which is similar to the Open Tender System (OTS) model Kenya used a few years ago. BPS is based on Platts M-2.

Rwanda and Burundi procure mainly from Tanzania, so their pump prices mirror the BPS procurement in Tanzania.

Uganda, subject to verification, procures on Platts M-3. That is why Uganda’s prices lag behind Kenya’s. Because of that lag, I expect Uganda’s pump prices to rise relatively steeply in the next two months as the sharp increases in international product prices and freight from March and April 2026 finally hit the market.

So even if the fuel lands at the same port, the month you price it, the reference you use, and the procurement mechanism all create different outcomes at the pump.

Some elements vary from country to country, like for Uganda and Rwanda, you need to add transport costs from Western Kenya or Dar salaam to Kampala or Kigali.

Lastly, the taxes vary from country to country, and this is reflected in the pump prices.

What about price stabilisation funds and price capping? How are those affecting the market?

Price stabilisation is a noble idea. The goal is to cushion consumers from inflationary shocks. In Kenya, the fund is financed by the petroleum development levy, which is built into the pricing formula.

Here is the problem: OMCs often end up selling products below their actual cost or at suppressed margins, with the expectation that they will be refunded by the government later. When those refunds are delayed, OMCs face working capital gaps. They have to borrow to keep supplying, which increases their financing costs.

Those costs eventually eat into margins and profitability, and in some cases, reduce willingness to supply.

It is a trade-off. You can protect the consumer in the short term, but if the mechanism isn’t funded and paid out on time, you weaken the supply chain.

Have you seen customer demand or consumption patterns change in response to these prices?

Yes, and it is not just about price. The Covid-19 pandemic changed behaviour. People learned they could work from home, and many companies have kept hybrid models. That means fewer personal cars on the road every day.

We have also seen a rise in online ordering and home deliveries for household shopping. That reduces individual trips to the shop. The net effect is reduced consumption of petroleum products in the retail segment, even as commercial and transport demand remains strong.

Lower disposable income plays a role too. When people have less money, they optimise trips, use public transport more, and defer non-essential travel.

Given all that, what are the realistic options for governments going forward?

There are three paths, and you have to pick one.

Option one: Stop price control but liberalise procurement. You cannot do both effectively. My view is that governments should focus on price control if that’s what they believe protects the populace, but they should relinquish procurement.

Let competition among traders manage prices. Right now, by controlling procurement through G2G in Kenya and supply agreements in Uganda, governments take on the responsibility and the blame when prices don’t fall.

The current global dynamics and geopolitics are very strong currents. You can’t steer against them with procurement alone.

Option two: Liberalise both procurement and pump prices. Deregulate fully and let the industry run with the global pulse. This releases all the pressure in the system and is the most sustainable long-term scenario. Prices will be volatile, but supply will be stable and market-driven.

Option three is long-term: Fast-track the mining of commercially viable crude in the region, set up refining capacity, and build independent infrastructure to meet part or all of our demand. This is achievable. We have the human resource capacity. What we need is government goodwill, focus, and a professional approach to investment and regulation.

Talks about engaging with Dangote refinery to set up in the region are a step in the right direction. If that happens, it would be the first real foundation stone toward having some control over our petroleum prices.

That sounds like a 10-15-year play. What about the short term?

Honestly, there isn’t a short-term fix that does not involve subsidies or someone taking a loss. The damage from the recent geopolitical shocks is already done. We should plan to live with elevated prices, or potentially worse, for a while.

What we can do now is be honest with citizens about why prices move. It pains me to see leaders spending time explaining global supply and pricing challenges that are completely outside their control, to an audience that does not want to hear it. But the alternative is to take responsibility for procurement and then be expected to deliver lower prices that you cannot deliver.

If you had to give one takeaway to a policymaker right now, what would it be?

Stop pretending we control what we don’t. We don’t control 85-99 percent of the cost before tax. The only lever you truly own is tax policy. If you want lower prices, either reduce taxes or change the structure of procurement and pricing to let competition work. If you want stability, fund your stabilisation mechanism on time and accept that you are paying for it through the levy.

And start building domestic capacity now. Every year we delay, we lock ourselves into this exposure.

Some people argue that OMCs are making excess profits. Is that true based on your analysis?

The OMC and dealer margin is only 5-10 percent of the pump price. That has to cover transport, storage, retail operations, staff, maintenance, and profit. In a capital-intensive business with thin margins, delayed government payments and price suppression hurt more than they help.

If OMCs can’t recover costs and earn a return, they reduce investment, reduce supply, or exit. That does not help consumers either.

A healthy downstream sector needs sustainable margins. The goal should be to have a conversation based on how the system actually works, not how we wish it worked. Once people understand that, the policy choices become clearer, even if they’re not easy.

Any final thoughts for consumers who are feeling the pinch?

Understand that the board price is mostly set in Rotterdam, Singapore, and the Persian Gulf, not Nairobi or Kampala.

Change your consumption habits where you can, and hold leaders accountable for the things they actually control: tax policy, efficiency of procurement, and building local capacity.

Complaining about global crude prices won’t change them. Building a refinery and reforming the procurement model might.

Bank of Uganda (BoU) has introduced new limits on over-the-counter cash withdrawals, capping daily withdrawals by individuals at Shs50m and by businesses at Shs500m.

The move, in a circular to supervised financial institutions’ chief executive officers and managing directors, seeks to accelerate the country’s transition towards a digital economy.

The new rules, contained in a circular issued to commercial banks, credit institutions, and microfinance deposit-taking institutions, form part of the central bank’s broader strategy to promote cashless transactions and reduce dependence on paper-based payment instruments such as cheques.

Bank of Uganda director of communications Kenneth Egesa confirmed that the circular had been distributed to the chief executive officers of regulated financial institutions to allow them adequate time to prepare for implementation.

‘The circular was distributed to the respective chief executive officer to start preparing for the changes ahead of the effective date of January 1, 2027,’ he said.

Under the new framework, individual account holders will be limited to Shs50m per day and Shs250m per week in cash withdrawals conducted over the counter.

Corporate and business account holders will be allowed to withdraw up to Shs500m daily and Shs2.5b weekly.

Bank of Uganda says the restrictions are intended to encourage greater use of digital payment channels, including Real-Time Gross Settlement, internet banking, mobile banking, and other electronic payment platforms.

The central bank argues that a shift away from cash transactions will improve efficiency, strengthen transparency and enhance the security of Uganda’s financial system.

The decision comes at a time when digital payments are recording strong growth across the country.

According to Bank of Uganda data, electronic money transactions grew by 28 percent in 2025 to Shs366 trillion, while transaction volumes increased by 17.3 percent to 9.1 billion transactions, highlighting the growing role of digital platforms in everyday financial transactions.

Mobile money continues to drive much of this expansion. In 2025, mobile money transaction volumes increased by 21.1 percent to 301.1 million transactions, while transaction values surged by 40 percent to Shs66.1 trillion.

The number of active customers rose to 36.3 million, supported by an agent network that expanded by 27.5 percent to more than 1.16 million agents nationwide.

The central bank has also moved to reduce interbank cheque limits, further signalling its intention to discourage reliance on paper-based payment instruments.

In the same circular to banking sector chief executives, the central bank indicated that the maximum value of a shilling cheque has been cut from Shs10m to Shs5m, while the limit for US dollar cheques has been reduced from $2,750 to $1,375. Euro cheque limits have been lowered from pound 2,250 to pound 1,125, pound sterling cheques from £2,200 to £1,100, and Kenya shilling cheques from KSh300,000 to KSh150,000.

Joseph Lutwama, the Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Uganda director of research and insights, welcomed the central bank’s revised payments strategy, saying it would encourage more Ugandans to embrace digital transactions.

Lutwama said increased use of digital payment channels would help customers reduce transaction costs and lessen reliance on cheque books by cutting the number of cheque leaves required to access funds.

However, he cautioned that the policy could create challenges for individuals and businesses that regularly handle bulky cash payments.

According to Lutwama, withdrawal-related costs could increase significantly for such users, while many people who receive large-scale payments still do not have digital accounts, making it difficult to pay large groups electronically.

He said the success of the policy would depend on effective coordination among regulators, financial institutions, and other stakeholders.

‘These initiatives need to be properly coordinated. Otherwise, they may end up counteracting their intended objectives and create new challenges instead,’ Lutwama said.

The measures coincide with the continued expansion of Uganda’s digital payments infrastructure.

By the end of 2025, the country had 30 licensed Payment System Operators supporting more than 12,000 institutions, allowing customers to move funds seamlessly between banks, mobile money providers, and other financial service providers.

Internet banking has also become increasingly important for high-value transactions.

Transaction values processed through internet banking rose by 55.7 percent to Shs163.7 trillion in 2025, reflecting growing adoption among businesses and institutional clients. Debit card and Point-of-Sale transactions similarly recorded steady growth as consumers increasingly embraced electronic payments.

In the circular, Bank of Uganda acknowledged that some sectors, including agriculture and artisanal mining, remain heavily reliant on cash, which will require financial institutions to apply risk-based customer profiling when setting withdrawal thresholds, while exceptional transactions may be considered for waivers subject to regulatory approval and enhanced due diligence.

The new cash withdrawal and cheque limits will take effect on January 1, 2027, following a six-month transition period intended to give banks, businesses, and customers time to adjust.

The latest measures underline the central bank’s determination to deepen digital financial inclusion and accelerate Uganda’s shift towards a modern, digitally driven payments ecosystem.