Category: Daily Monitor

As the Uganda government enacts policy reforms, it must not overlook the need to address climate change effects across the country. The impact of climate change can easily set back the aspiration of attaining middle-income status if not properly addressed. Uganda is the 14th most vulnerable country to climate change globally, and it is ranked as the 163rd in terms of readiness to cope with the impacts, according to facts contained in the Uganda Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR), launched in Kampala by a team of experts from the World Bank.

Measures prescribed

Mr Cyril Desponts, a senior economist with the World Bank in Uganda said to address climate change resilience, it will have to be done sector by sector, including agriculture, energy, and infrastructure, among others.

Agriculture package

Mr Desponts explained that there is a need to promote resilient and productive agriculture and natural resources to achieve lower carbon emissions.

This includes on-farm and landscape measures to promote climate-smart agriculture, increase productivity, support water resource management, and reduce pressures that degrade the environment, and conserve forests and wetlands.

At the farm level, expanding irrigation and improving soil fertility can help counter the expected increase in crop yield variability.

Given the statistical information, he notes that between 2022 and 2050, crop yield could fluctuate between 12 percent and 12.5 percent

Climate change-induced soil erosion is expected to compound this vitality with additional yield decrease ranging from zero to12 percent.

‘Relative negative impacts on crops are concentrated in north and north-eastern Uganda. The country is therefore expected to expand climate-compatible irrigation to moderate yields,’ he said.

It will also need the development of operationalise plans that detail infrastructure needs, establish community-based management irrigation schemes, control water abstraction, monitor compliance, and promote micro irrigation. It is also necessary to raise farmer awareness about soil quality and help to them implement suitable, sustainable practices that can improve soil health. ‘Complementary efforts to transition to grow perennial crops and use drought-tolerant seeds to increase productivity.

Other measures are improving livestock feed systems to improve breeds for about 6.8 million households that own livestock,’ he added

This means heat stress and variable feed source availability will lower livestock production. Therefore, it is important to breed feed that is capable of withstanding climate change shocks. If the government provides means to support improved breeds, this will increase climate resilience, milk production, and increase animal weight.

Restoring degraded wetlands and forest catchments for a natural ecosystem and water storage will also help address climate change. It is a fact that since 1994, up to 40 percent of Uganda’s wetlands have been destroyed due to agricultural land expansion and urbanisation. To curb this, there is a need to establish sustainable management measures through the restoration of forests and wetlands and preservation of the natural ecosystem. The report also highlights efforts for the government to stop unsustainable use of firewood and charcoal sourcing because it leads to deforestation.

It is important to engage the private sector in scaling up climate-positive agriculture and agribusiness. This includes sustainable forest management and nature-based tourism, including farmers using early-maturing and drought-tolerant seed.

Energy and infrastructure sector

Climate shocks could damage the country’s power networks since most of the power lines are exposed to landslides and flood risk. The road networks, too, are exposed to the same climate change dangers. The statistics indicate that 45 percent of national district roads are vulnerable to floods and landslides. This leads to a high cost of road maintenance estimated to be 13.6 to 26 million US dollars by the year 2040, with associated road delays costing $2.6 million to $3.5 million in labour hours lost.

The solution is for the government to build climate-resilient and low-carbon infrastructure system.

In the face of the multiple challenges in as far as infrastructure is concerned, the government will need to invest $33.98 billion to develop climate-resilient transport infrastructure. In the energy sector, the report highlights that Uganda has about 1.2 billion barrels of oil reserves, but exploiting the oil and gas involves risks.

This calls for a low production cost below $30 per barrel. Environmental sustainability to control emissions is required. Ms Joy Mubale from TotalEnergies explained that dealing with the oil production in the Albertine region requires dealing with the communities, meaning conserving the environment is key.

The population depends on agriculture, fishing, and the Murchison Falls National Park is within the region. They have projects that help the communities to devise ways of promoting climate resilience, including the use of agricultural inputs and climate-resilient seeds.

Climate positive urbanisation

To ensure economic growth in the cities to keep pace with the growing population, the government is required to develop climate-resilient, low-carbon urban centres. This requires integrating climate considerations into investments in cities, water transport, energy, natural-based solutions and waste management, and health services.

Urban investments should boost the adoption of lower carbon emissions. Urban planning must reduce exposure to flooding and heat effects, meaning building materials used must not increase heat. For the above solutions to work well, the country will need coordinated effort in mobilising climate finance. The World Bank effort towards the climate change initiative provided $70 billion for the global initiatives, and for Uganda $28.1 billion (about Shs112.9 trillion) is needed for its national climate plan.

Apart from climate finance mobilisation, the country needs to improve the weather forecasts and disaster preparedness. This includes expanding and upgrading the meteorological monitoring networks by establishing a climate data system. This can allow the collection of data, storage access, and analysis from diverse sources, which can be used to make decisions.

Background

The Uganda CCDR highlights how the country can achieve its development goals while addressing climate change effects. It examines the links between climate risks and sustainable growth, emphasising the economic challenges the country faces on its path to upper-middle-income status by 2040. Without urgent action, climate change could drive income losses for up to 80 percent of the poorest households, reduce labour productivity, damage infrastructure, and cause significant GDP losses by 2050.

The report calls for integrating climate action across all sectors, strengthening disaster risk management, unlocking climate finance, and catalysing private sector participation. It identifies investment opportunities in climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, solar-powered irrigation, nature-based carbon solutions, green construction, and electric mobility. Mobilising the estimated $28.1 billion needed for Uganda’s national climate plan will require strong private sector engagement.

CCDR for Uganda

The CCDR highlights that without urgent action, climate change could drive income losses for up to 80 percent of the poorest households, reduce labour productivity, damage infrastructure, and cause significant GDP losses by 2050.

Three decades later, former Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki says many provisions in the Constitution need to be given a second look because Ugandans have had 30 years of experience. The Constitution was promulgated on October 8, 1995, after it was enacted by the Constituent Assembly (CA) delegates, following close to two years of debate and deliberations. It replaced the 1967 Constitution. ‘There are many provisions in the Constitution which you may need to look at afresh,’ Justice Odoki said as he participated in a commemorative tree-planting programme to mark the 30-year milestone at the Constitutional Square in Kampala yesterday.

He added: ‘When you wrote that Constitution, you could not have known that things would work like this, could you? How could you anticipate? So now, you are seeing what is happening, make a judgment yourself, and rectify whatever you think has gone wrong. ‘I think the Constitutional review is being mooted where you will be able to say ‘this Constitution was misused by so and so and be quoted.’ Everybody who made views of us was recorded and kept in our archives.’

In 2017, Members of Parliament scrapped the presidential age limit, eliminating the 75-year age cap and lowering the minimum age to 18, enabling President Museveni, then 73, to seek another term. The move followed the removal of presidential term limits 12 years earlier, which paved the way for Museveni’s continued presidency. The initial term and age limits were put in place in the original 1995 Constitution. The 2017 amendment sparked controversy, with heated parliamentary debates and the deployment of plain-clothed Commandos from the elite Special Forces Command (SFC) being deployed in the chambers to eject some dissenting MPs from the House.

Ultimately, 317 MPs voted to pass the Bill, with 97 opposing it and two abstaining.

Justice Odoki, however, said there’s a full chapter about amending the Constitution, and he is not able to say whether it was misused or not. ‘I only wrote what I thought people had said, like when you write a judgment, according to evidence which I got at that time. I don’t have any evidence up to now as to what people want. ‘That’s why I didn’t want to even talk about the constitutional review, which I would recommend, with due respect, but it’s not my job. Yes, you need the constitutional review.’

He was also quick to caution that the Constitution should not be touched unless it is necessary.

‘There are certain provisions which, if you make, could conflict with the Constitution. That’s the problem. The amendments must be in line with the available laws.

‘We found that there is no Constitution that cannot be amended, but we only argue that it must not destroy its basic character. If they cut off your ear, you may live, but if they cut off your head, it’s a different story. So, there are certain fundamental things in the Constitution which I think should be preserved.’

The Constitution is still young

Justice Odoki noted that the framers of the Constitution had been blamed for making it ‘too detailed’, but to the contrary, it is still ‘young and growing’, adding: ‘We are still learning to see what can work for Uganda and what cannot work for it.’ ‘We were not quite sure what would work for Uganda, that’s why you can say even in a political system, we put there two systems (NRM and multiparty politics), but we didn’t know which would work better. ‘But now it’s for the people of Uganda to judge, not for the former Chief Justice or the former chairperson of the Constitutional Commission. I think you are seeing the momentum now.’

He said he has no qualms about the entire Constitution being changed, especially if the changes are being made by the people and not him, because it is not a personal judgment. On concerns that the Constitution has been used to entrench power and undermine democracy, Justice Odoki said how the Constitution is used is not his business. ‘How you are using the Constitution is not my business; you can put it in your pocket (or) in your wardrobe. That’s your business.’

Asked what he makes of the changes that have happened within the Constitution that he spent time putting together, Justice Odoki said Ugandans have the right to do whatever they want with the Constitution, and he doesn’t form personal opinions on issues of national importance. Ms Sarah Bireete, the Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, who was in attendance, said 30 years ago, the Ugandan Constitution was adopted with a vision of a just, democratic, and a united nation, intended to provide a framework for governance that safeguards the rights and freedoms of every Ugandan.

‘It was and it is still a beacon of hope for the future, challenges notwithstanding; however, whereas there has been progress in matters regarding the rule of law, in matters regarding the conduct of people who exercise power over the citizens, there have been numerous challenges as citizens of this country.’ She cited the Constitution’s alleged failure to safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms of Ugandans, and to resolve challenges like land conflicts and land rights, especially for the poor and the vulnerable.

Cautioned.

“We found that there is no Constitution that cannot be amended, but we only argue that it must not destroy its basic character. If they cut off your ear, you may live, but if they cut off your head, it’s a different story. So, there are certain fundamental things in the Constitution which I think should be preserved.” – Former Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki

EC SAYS

Mr Julius Mucunguzi, the Electoral Commission (EC) spokesperson, who represented EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama, said since the 1995 Constitution was established, Ugandans have been able to exercise the provisions of Article 1 Clause 4 to choose their leaders through regular, free, and fair elections.

National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has promised to lower power tariffs for Ugandans if elected President in the January 2026 polls.

He questioned the current high power tariffs, saying they are a burden to both ordinary and industrial users.

‘The new Uganda will be different. The high power tariffs, where you are purchasing a unit at Shs1,000, will be reduced to Shs500. We must get a new independence because we are not yet liberated. Your vote will be the beginning of a new meaningful liberation,’ he told the crowd at Bamusuta Playground in Kiboga Town Council, Kiboga District, on Wednesday.

Mr Kyagulanyi, who vowed to reach out to at least 20 million voters in the remaining two months to the General Election, rallied his supporters not to be intimidated, but to turn out in big numbers on the polling day and cast their ballot.

‘These people are trying to find a means of interrupting the vote. The other time (2021 polls), they used the COVID-19 pandemic to disrupt the campaigns and voting. We don’t know about their next plans. Ensure that you support each other during the voting period. We must turn out in big numbers and overwhelm their machinations,’ he said.

Mr Kyagulanyi, who will be campaigning in Nakaseke District on October 9, urged the electorate to shun ruling National Resistance Movement flag bearers, arguing that many are either children or grandchildren of individuals who have plundered the country’s wealth or directly benefited from President Museveni’s government in the last four decades.

‘Ensure that your respective votes go to the NUP candidates,’ he added.

Earlier in the day, before crossing to Kiboga, Mr Kyagulanyi first campaigned in Kyankwazi District, where he held a rally and made several stopovers.

He said he was shocked to find many roads in both districts in a sorry state despite the four decades NRM has been in power uninterrupted.

‘I last used some of these roads when I came here for musical shows several years ago, but indeed, nothing has changed. I am here not to ask for votes, but to give me an opportunity to fix these bad roads in three years,’ Mr Kyagulanyi said.

Kyagulanyi’s campaign tour-running under the theme ‘Building a New Uganda Together’- has, since last week, seen him crisscross several districts in Busoga and now in Buganda, drumming up support ahead of the January polls.

Kyankwanzi and Kiboga form part of the Luweero Triangle, which was the epicentre of the five-year guerrilla war (between 1981 and 1986) that catapulted Mr Museveni to power. Residents in both districts experienced significant losses during the war with thousands of lives lost, and the survivors were left to cope with the loss of family members, destruction of property, amid a shattered economy. While the war ended 40 years ago, its effects have haunted generations.

Mr Kyagulanyi, like many other opposition politicians who came before him, said the government has deliberately neglected the area despite the significant role it played in bringing the incumbent President Museveni into power. Many civilian veterans still demand compensation for their contribtion and losses they suffered.

Many lack basic needs and social amenities like decent housing, health centres, electricity, safe water supply, while many roads are impassable. For example, in Kyankwanzi District, the biggest health facility is a health centre IV and patients who need special medical care travel to either Kiboga District or Hoima City. Residents are also facing eviction threats from their ancestral land by largely powerful individuals within Mr Museveni’s government.

Despite all these, the area has over the last three decades largely been loyal to Mr Museveni, generously contributing to his vote pool, until the 2021 national election, when NUP made some inroads, specifically in Kiboga, where the party won the district woman MP seat.

Wetland conservation is the practice of protecting, managing, and restoring wetlands so they can maintain their ecological functions and continue providing benefits to humans and wildlife.

According to the National Environment Management Authority (Nema), wetlands cover about 13 percent of Uganda’s land area.

The same report indicates that Uganda lost roughly 7,500 square kilometres (about 750,000 hectares) of wetlands between 2000 and 2021 – a reduction that represents nearly a quarter of the country’s historical wetland cover.

Other government estimates put current coverage at between 8 and 13 percent, depending on the year and method used. This degradation has been driven mainly by human activities such as subsistence and commercial farming, sand mining, brick-making, and urban expansion. While these activities create short-term livelihoods, they undermine long-term resilience by threatening biodiversity, worsening floods, and polluting water bodies like Lake Victoria and River Nile.

Recognising the seriousness of wetland loss, the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and other stakeholders have stepped up interventions. These include public awareness campaigns through radio talk shows, posters, and community sensitisation meetings. School outreach programmes are nurturing environmental awareness among young people, while enforcement actions such as evictions of encroachers have been carried out in some wetland areas

For wetland protection to be sustainable, the conversation must go beyond top-down enforcement and occasional awareness drives.

Communities at the frontline of wetland use need to become champions of conservation. This requires creative, culturally relevant, and participatory approaches.

First, community radio campaigns in local languages can help reach rural households that depend heavily on wetlands. Radio remains the most accessible medium in Uganda, and localised programmes can foster dialogue and ownership. Second, religious leaders who command influence across faiths should integrate conservation messages into sermons. Framing wetland protection as a moral and spiritual duty can inspire behavioural change. As stewards of creation, believers can be reminded that ‘we are our brother’s and nature’s keepers.’

Third, partnerships with telecommunication companies could embed conservation messages into daily life through caller tunes, SMS alerts, and mobile ringtones. Such innovations make environmental awareness constant and inescapable. Fourth, whistle-blower community networks should be encouraged, with small incentives or recognition for reporting illegal wetland encroachment. Local monitoring is often more effective than distant enforcement agencies.Lastly, the government should provide alternative livelihood options for wetland-dependent communities. Promoting eco-tourism, fish farming outside wetlands, and climate-smart agriculture can reduce pressure on fragile ecosystems while still supporting livelihoods.

In summary, wetlands are more than patches of swampy land; they are Uganda’s life-support systems. They regulate water, provide food, store carbon, and sustain biodiversity.

Allowing them to disappear unchecked is not just an environmental loss – it is a threat to national food security, health, and climate resilience.

Strengthening wetland conservation requires a shift from isolated interventions to inclusive, community-driven strategies backed by strong policy enforcement.

In the minimalist glow of a Kampala studio, where the air hums with the faint echo of distant traffic and the weight of untold stories, Allan Okello sits like a man who has measured every scar.

At 25, he is Uganda’s fleeting wizard – a slightly-framed playmaker in the spirit of the No. 10, conjuring from midfield with the sleight of a poet’s hand: silk passes that unravel defences, free-kicks that curl like unanswered prayers.

His thunderbolt against Mozambique in World Cup qualifying, a 30-yard lash from Jude Ssemugabi’s roll-on pass, still reverberates – Uganda’s 4-0 romp, Okello’s first-half probe blooming into second-half salvation.

He has so far scored in the Cranes’ last three qualifiers, against Guinea, Mozambique and Somalia, each goal an act of resurrection more than celebration.

At the 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan), he emerged Uganda’s top scorer with three goals and some assists as the Cranes reached their first-ever quarterfinals – a tournament that seemed to cleanse him of years of doubt.

Vipers’ faithful now chant ‘Ssalongo’ – father of twins in social speak, but also a bearer of doubles, including his first at KCCA – after he tallied 19 league goals from midfield last season, a league-and-cup conquest that etched his name into Kitende’s lore.

And now, with Cranes qualifiers against Botswana and Algeria looming, Okello’s boots tread the thin line between legacy and longing – each touch a stake in Uganda’s slim Fifa 2026 World Cup dream.

Yet as he unfolded his tale on The Game of Life – a YouTube podcast I host – the voice that narrated these glories trembled at the edges, a quiet war etched in pauses and averted eyes.

The Journey

Okello’s journey is no linear ascent, no bootstraps romance. It is football’s brutal arithmetic: subtract a mother’s fierce light at 13, divide by the isolation of Algerian exile, multiply by mentors’ fleeting grace, and what emerges is not triumph alone.

A ledger of losses – witchcraft’s hex, hospital silence, lockdown’s void – balanced precariously by faith’s unyielding thread. ‘God didn’t forget me,’ he repeated, a mantra polished by countless whispered prayers.

From Lira’s carefree streets to Paradou’s shadowed apartments, Okello played not just for glory, but for breath itself. This is the story of a boy who buried his heart on a village hillside – only to unearth it on pitches where every touch became tribute.

The cradle was Lira, northern Uganda’s sun-flayed heartland, where football seeped into Okello’s veins like water through parched soil.

Born the first of four to Patrick Ojom, whose winger’s dash for Pamba FC still fuels fireside yarns – ‘right-footed, position seven, those old ways,’ Okello mimicked with a grin – and a mother whose love was labour incarnate, he grew amid a footballing lineage.

Uncle Bob Obira, the topflight veteran of KCCA and Express, loomed largest: a colossus whose shadow pulled a seven-year-old Okello from village idyll to Kampala’s sprawl.

‘Coming to the city was big, very big,’ Okello recalled, eyes alight with the wonder of it.

Obira’s house became a sanctuary, his training pitch a rite: the boy, small as a sparrow, slotted into adult scrimmages, dazzling with precocity.

‘His (Obira’s) friend said, ‘Who’s this young boy? He is special,” Okello laughed – then paused. ‘At eight, dawn runs – 5 a.m. slogs at my uncle’s – felt like punishment. But Uncle, thank you. I’m making you proud.’

Obira’s creed was simple: every game, give your best. You don’t know who’s watching. The lesson stuck – a compass in chaos.

The Rupture

At 13, in Form One at Kibuli SS, the call came not from father but uncle: ‘Daddy’s busy.’

Homeward bound, five minutes in their town house, then a blur to the village burial ground.

‘They told me to see the person we lost,’ Okello said, voice a thread. The casket’s lid lifted – his mother’s still, swollen face. ‘First time I knew,’ he whispered. ‘No warning.’

Whispers of witchcraft swirled: hexes targeting the boy first – midnight breathlessness, seizures that left him ‘switched off, like dead’ – his mother’s crusade across northern clinics and pastors’ altars the counter-spell.

‘She fought for my health so hard,’ he said, guilt’s barbs surfacing. ‘Looking for pastors, praying. without her, I wouldn’t be speaking now.’

The darkness turned. Her legs ballooned; ‘witchcraft stuff,’ they called it. The moment she got better, they lost her.

‘We almost lost Dad too – he went crazy,’ said Okello. Depression engulfed him – a year without football, life monochrome.

‘Everything ended. I loved her so much.’ He clung to faith’s frayed rope. ‘Keep fighting, keep praying,’ he told listeners. ‘I’m the right example – God didn’t forget me.’

Every goal since has been a dedication: arms skyward, Mom, see me. Pain’s alchemy – loss as fuel, memory as medal.

‘Part of the reason I never gave up football was losing her,’ he said. ‘Mom, I wish you were alive to see where I am right now.’ Faith – that unyielding north star – pulled him through.

Football, Mutebi, and KCCA

At Kibuli SS, education and football collided. No bursary at first; his father strained to pay.

Coach Hassan Tembo fought for him, negotiating a cut in fees by half. Providence struck: a full bursary, then prominence in the school team with Saidi Mayanja. ‘Coach Abdallah Mubiru believed in me. You need a coach who believes,’ Okello said.

Okello then had an opportunity for trials at – wait for it – SC Villa trials. Well, that sojourn lasted only three days, and neither he nor Mayanja got a look-in.

But in KCCA’s rondo, coach Mike Mutebi spotted the boy’s poetry amid 30 hopefuls: ‘Don’t let that boy in there – sign him straight away,’ Mutebi told Richard Malinga, who had scouted Okello from school football.

A year shadowed the seniors – full drills, junior matches, unpaid but immersed.

Julius Poloto and Ronald Kikonyogo were promoted; Okello waited. After Vipers’ 3-1 loss at Nakivubo, Mutebi said: ‘Be patient. Definitely I’m going to promote you next year. Trust me, trust what I’m doing.’

The boy nodded, but fire simmered. ‘I felt when it was 2-1, I wanted to go inside.’ Mutebi’s retort: ‘Stop being funny, but I like that confidence.’

But he was sold. He had to tie the boy to some agreement. Salary dawn, pre-contract risk: ‘I’m going to take my risk. from my pocket if needed.’ That was Mutebi’s resolve.

Their bond? Paternal, profound – Mutebi’s silence at half-times a trust’s quiet language. ‘When he speaks at half-time, you know you’re doing badly.’

Mutebi has not coached since leaving KCCA in 2019, something that is not sitting well with Okello.

The Vipers player’s plea, who admitted to missing Mutebi, now ached with urgency, pleading with KCCA’s most successful manager to come back to the dugout

‘Not for me as a player but for those young kids outside there that need a really good coach like him. Come back to football and give that another five years or three years. We are going to see another great talent coming.’

While still in charge at Lugogo, Mutebi’s timing was genius. He threw Okello on the bench in a Caf preliminaries match away to Angola’s Primero de Agosto.

It was an Angolan storm for young Okello – bench terror, clearances like thunder. ‘Wanted to kill me,’ he quipped, ‘Agosto was attacking us like we had stolen something.’

He didn’t play that one but Mutebi did bring him on away to Mamelodi Sundowns for a 10-min cameo in the 2-1 defeat: ‘Nothing to lose,’ he told me.

Next was at home vs. Onduparaka: sleepless vigil for Okello, with Poloto the midnight counsel.

He was in the lineup for a home debut, with Mutebi shockingly handing him set-piece duties from his idol Muzamiru Mutyaba. Teammates vowed: ‘We’ll chase – you enjoy.’

First goal: Fanta’s (Mutyaba’s nickname) cross, roofed volley – yellow for shirt-tug joy. He added two more as KCCA romped to a 7-0 victory. ‘I had prayed to God for only one goal, now I had three.’

Two years later he was counting two league titles and as many Uganda Cup trophies, as well as the Cecafa Kagame gong.

Illness ambushed him later in 2019 as a move abroad loomed. He was hospitalised for three weeks without hearing from KCCA: ‘No call, no visit.’ His agent at the time, Isaac Mwesigwa, paid bills.

Paradou exile, and Vipers rebirth

Paradou AC of Algeria eventually got their man, signing the then 18-year-old to a four-year deal in January 2020.

After a painful Covid lockdown, delayed payments and unfulfilled promises of having someone from Uganda live with him as part of his contract, Okello eventually did play some football.

Deployed in positions alien to his abilities, he endured – all he wanted was playing time.

But everything changed when a new coach replaced the one who had given him a lease on life, even if it meant pushing him out of position.

The exile nearly broke him. But Vipers President Lawrence Mulindwa’s call – ‘Come to Vipers’ – offered reprieve.

Treatment of a long standing injury first, then rebirth. ‘He (Mulindwa) said, ‘I know you’re going through a lot. Tell me everything,” Okello recalled. ‘I said, “I’m injured – treat me, and I’ll give you a better season.’

Okello had spent four months without a club after he agreed with Paradou to mutually terminate his contract with a year of it left following the end of a season-long loan to KCCA.

Mulindwa did. Okello delivered – 19 goals from midfield, a league-cup double, Chan redemption with Cranes, and now a run of goals lighting Uganda’s road to 2026.

Okello, Lira’s son, carries casket shadows and maternal light. Mom, see me. ‘In football’s ledger, he doesn’t just balance – he rises, a colossus as quiet as dawn.

You can watch my full conversation with Okello on The Game of Life with Andrew Mwanguhya on YouTube.

Okello Fact File

Full Name: Allan Okello

Date of Birth: July 4, 2000 (25)

Place of Birth: Lira, Uganda

Height: 1.79 m (5ft 10in)

Weight: 65 kg

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Current Club: Vipers SC (Uganda Premier League)

Jersey Number: 10

Former Clubs: KCCA (2016-2020, 2022 loan), Paradou AC (Algeria, 2020-2023)

National Team: Uganda Cranes (Senior debut – since 2019)

Agent: NextPro Sports

Contract Expiry: June 30, 2026

Major Honours

With KCCA

Uganda Premier League (2016/17, 2018/19)

Uganda Cup (2016/17, 2017/18)

Cecafa Kagame Cup (2019)

With Vipers SC

Uganda Premier League (2024/25)

Uganda Cup (2025)

Uganda National Team

Chan 2024 Quarterfinalist (Top Scorer with 3 Goals

Scored in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers vs Guinea, Mozambique and Somalia

Individual Awards

Fufa Male Player of the Year (2019) | Fufa Young Player of the Year (2018) | Airtel Fans’ Favourite Player (2018) | Football256 Player of the Year (2019)

Makerere University has completed the formulation of an anti-tick vaccine, marking a major milestone in its contribution to Uganda’s livestock sector.

During the quarterly press conference yesterday, the vice chancellor of the university, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, said the vaccine that was developed by the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity has demonstrated an efficacy rate of 86 percent. It is expected to reduce calf mortality by 14 percent while improving productivity across the livestock value chain.

Uganda’s livestock industry contributes 19.4 percent to the national GDP, valued at about $17 billion (Shs59.37 trillion). Researchers said the vaccine could cut product losses in milk and meat by 11 percent and 29 percent, respectively, while reducing reliance on imported acaricides, chemicals used to kill ticks and mites.

Prof Nawangwe indicated that the vaccine is now awaiting clinical trials and regulatory approval before commercialisation.

Production facilities have already been set up in partnership with AlphaSun, a company that has received government support to establish production lines.

‘Once approved, this vaccine will transform the livestock economy across Uganda and the region,’ Prof Nawangwe said. He explained that the vaccine is expected to benefit farmers, boost productivity, and strengthen the livestock value chain. Its introduction comes as Uganda’s livestock sector seeks homegrown solutions to improve efficiency and reduce losses caused by ticks, a persistent challenge for farmers.

Ban on open guild campaigns

Meanwhile, Makerere University has lifted the ban on open guild campaigns, reinstating a practice that had been suspended following the tragic death of a student during previous elections. Prof Nawanwge said the decision follows consultations with student guild leadership and reflects its commitment to nurturing responsible leaders while ensuring a safe and vibrant democratic culture on campus. Students are expected to conduct peaceful and respectful campaigns that do not disrupt academic programmes or endanger people and property.

‘Makerere values dialogue, democracy, and responsible citizenship, and we want students to exercise their freedoms in a way that strengthens leadership and academic excellence,’ Prof Nawangwe said. According to the university, the move does not compromise academic freedom. He explained that the students are more engaged than ever in intellectual debate, taking part in guild dialogues and forums that discuss national and international issues. Makerere has hosted politicians and business leaders in these discussions, as well as events such as the Geopolitics of Kampala, which focus on regional and global governance issues.

Officials note that disruptive activities have been limited for safety reasons, and the university has opened avenues for constructive debate rather than rowdy meetings. Concerns had also arisen regarding student allowances for government-sponsored students, but Prof Nawangwe clarified that it distributes allowances as funds are received from the government, and about 60 percent of payments have already been made. The balance is expected in the second quarter of the financial year, and management says there is no cause for alarm.

Buses for learners with disabilities

Prof Nawangwe also indicated that they have acquired three modern buses from Kiira Motors to support students and staff with special needs on campus.

Two of the buses are diesel-powered and costed Shs500m each, while the third is an electric vehicle which was a donation and designed to improve mobility for learners with disabilities. The acquisition was finalised on September 23, 2025, as part of the university’s ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships with local innovators and improve campus facilities.

University officials explained that diesel buses remain necessary because charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is not yet widely available. ‘Our students often travel to remote areas, including villages, forests, and national parks, where electric charging points are unavailable. On campus, however, the electric bus will make a real difference for our students with special needs,’ Prof Nawangwe said. The initiative aligns with Makerere’s values of inclusivity, equity, and care for all members of the university community.

By providing safe and accessible transport, the university aims to ensure that every student and staff member can participate fully in academic life. Makerere University is a shareholder in Kiira Motors, holding four percent of its shares. Dr Winifred Namuwonge Kabumbuli, the dean of students, said the university has a total of about 140 students with disabilities on both government and private scheme. She indicated that these have been finding challenges accessing the classrooms and other facilities.

‘It will help all students with physical disabilities, and those with visual impairment and auditory challenges. We got a donation from Kira Motors. We have already put in place charging facilities and the person who will be in charge of the buses,’Dr Kabagamba said. The guild president of the university, Mr Churchill James Sentamu, commended the university for lifting the ban on the open campaigns as well as getting buses for learners with disabilities.

Mr Ronald Mwebembezi, a student with disability, who is doing a Masters of Arts in Literature, expressing relief that the university had made efforts to address their needs. He commended the government and university management for the gesture, saying this will ease their movement from halls of residence to the classrooms.

Awaits approval.

Once approved, this vaccine will transform the livestock economy across Uganda and the region – Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, vice chancellor of Makerere University.

President Museveni has appointed High Court Judge Aisha Naluzze Batala as Uganda’s new Inspector General of Government (IGG), replacing Beti Olive Namisango Kamya, whose term expired last month.

Justice Naluzze, who currently serves in the Land Division of the High Court, becomes the country’s new anti-corruption chief pending parliamentary approval.

The appointment of the woman, who was appointed a High Court judge in 2023, restores leadership to the watchdog office, which had been vacant since Betty Kamya’s four-year tenure-and that of her deputies-expired on September 22.

Born in 1977, Justice Batala has been appointed to the top graft-fighting role after President Museveni exercised his constitutional powers, presidential assistant for press and mobilisation Faruk Kirunda confirmed Tuesday evening.

Kirunda also said the president retained Kamya’s two former deputies, Dr Patricia Achan Okiria and Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, to continue serving in their positions.

‘The names of the appointees have been forwarded to Parliament for vetting,’ he said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The Office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) is a constitutionally established body mandated to promote good governance and fight corruption in public office.

It had been operating without substantive leadership since Kamya’s contract ended, raising concerns about its effectiveness in tackling graft.

Kamya, a former Kampala minister and presidential candidate, was appointed in 2021 and had pledged to ‘name and shame’ corrupt officials.

Her tenure drew both praise for her public advocacy and criticism over limited prosecutions in high-profile corruption cases.

Justice Batala’s appointment comes at a time when Uganda faces persistent public pressure to rein in misuse of public funds and enforce accountability across government agencies.

Since September 22, the office of the IG was virtually toothless and was being administratively run by a Permanent Secretary.

Parliament is expected to vet the nominees in the coming days before Justice Batala formally assumes office.

The IGG earns a monthly salary of Shs36m, with the deputies earning Shs32m. Article 223(7) of the Constitution says the IGG and Deputy IGG shall hold office for a term of four years, but shall be eligible for reappointment only once. The appointment of Justice Batala comes at a time when Uganda loses a whopping Shs10 trillion annually to corruption schemes.

Who is new IGG Batala?

Justice Batala was appointed to the High Court Bench in 2023, and prior to her appointment yesterday as the new ombudsman, she was attached to the Land Division of the High Court. Prior to her being appointed to the High Court Bench, Justice Batala had worked as a prosecutor in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for about 18 years and rose through the ranks up to the rank of Assistant DPP.

While working as a government prosecutor, she handled cases from the lowest courts (Magistrate Courts) to the highest (Supreme Court) with a record of 80 percent success. Justice Batala was born on June 25, 1977. Before joining the government, Justice Batala was in private practice where she worked with F Mukasa and Co Advocates, where she worked as a legal assistant from 2003 to 2005. In 2020, while a prosecutor in Masaka, she was recognised for her outstanding fight against the cancer of corruption by LASPNET.

Education background

The new IGG holds a master’s degree in Management Studies from Uganda Management Institute, a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration and Management, a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from Law Development Centre (LDC), and a Bachelor’s Degree in Laws from Makerere University.

She studied at Taibah High School for both O-Level and A-Level.

After years in electronic, print, and new (online) media, I cannot help but relate to what happens to the people on the ground. The journalists.

Even after crossing over to the advocacy and communication space, the journalist in me cannot just look on as our friends in the media get brutalised for one reason or another in their quest to bring information closer to us, in our boardrooms, on radio, or on television.

But then I remembered one quote that addresses both media and communication practitioners and possibly points to where these issues arise from.

‘Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed; everything else is public relations’ is a popular quote attributed to George Orwell. Orwell (real name Eric Arthur Blair) was a British journalist, author, poet, and critic. This particular quote reminded me of what is going on between Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and Galaxy TV journalist David Mwesigwa, with the latter having exposed the inefficiencies in the government hospitals in Mukono and Kayunga.

You and I probably have an idea about our government health facilities, but that is a subject for another day.

Mwesigwa has reportedly been directed to record a police statement and apologise to the prime minister and to the President. Mwesigwa already feels threatened and intimidated.

Yet, his exposé, in a set of questions he put before the President recently, prompted the prime minister to make unannounced visits to these health facilities. First, it was at Mukono General Hospital.

She was welcomed by patients and expectant mothers on the floor and along the corridors. As though those in Kayunga were tipped off, Kayunga Hospital was all clean and organised. What the premier found at Mukono hospital is exactly what Mwesigwa was talking about.

I thought the government now has somewhere to start from, rather than having the messenger be the subject? Anyway, this is just one of the recent happenings.

We have not yet forgotten what happened to journalists in Kawempe during the Kawempe North by-election. Journalists were brutalised, equipment confiscated, and the public denied information. During the same period, a licence belonging to Pearl FM was withdrawn over an alleged breach.

The station was carrying out a live broadcast of what was going on in Kawempe. In Rukungiri, Boona FM, a local radio station, was shut down over an alleged power struggle between two prominent rival politicians.

Back in Kampala, Dream TV was made to suspend a political show. The essence of having news reporters in the field and all these mediums is to give public access to reliable information.

When you block journalists from covering events that are of public interest, you do not just deny them a right to seek, receive, and share information; you also threaten media freedom. I suppose it is going to get worse as the country gets ready for the 2026 elections. It will most likely become predictable. Radio shows banned. Journalists suspended.

The radio or TV station closed, and licences revoked. Internet shutdown, etc. What we should all be concerned about is the accuracy of information, and we should fight misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. In summary, fake news. Otherwise, access to information is a fundamental human right that we must all jealously guard, pay attention to the message, and not the messenger.

Otherwise, all these provisions in the Ugandan Constitution (Right of Access to Information), also guaranteed in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), all become useless.

Above all, let us empower citizens through the media to participate in public affairs and hold the government accountable.

Since Uganda Hockey Association (UHA) elected to have the Independence Tournament out of Kampala, Wananchi had established themselves as Kings and Queens of grass with back to back titles for their men and women’s sides in Mbarara, Jinja, and Masaka.

However, this year’s edition held over the weekend at Duhaga Secondary School in rainy Hoima, saw Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) Stallions and Weatherhead dethrone Wananchi in the men and women’s categories respectively.

Wananchi beat KHC 1-0 courtesy of a deflection at the post from Innocent Tumukunde when the sides met in the men’s round-robin stage earlier on Sunday.

By the time the sides met, KHC had dispatched hosts Duhaga 5-0, Rockets 1-0, Kyaddondo SS 2-1 on Saturday. They then went on to beat Badgers 4-1 on Sunday in the last round-robin game to ensure nine of their 12 players had scored in the tournament.

Wananchi, on the other hand, beat Badgers 5-1, Kyaddondo 2-0 on Saturday then Duhaga 4-0 before losing 1-0 to Rockets on Sunday.

But before the final which was a goalless affair in the allowed time, the talk of the tournament was Duhaga keeper, Derrick Tumusiime, a Senior Two student who faced and saved three penalty strokes against his team.

‘I have only managed to train these kids for a week and their progress is promising,’ Lucky Arafat, who played in this tournament for Busoga College Mwiri when it was in Jinja in 2023 and now plays club hockey for Makerere University, said.

‘I found most of their sticks broken and I had to improvise with the two I have,’ Arafat said.

Penalty drama

In the final, both sides defended resolutely but KHC should have been out of sight early in the first half. Paul Kayanga was shoved while clean through on goal – albeit from a tight angle – and umpire Julius Sseruyange awarded a penalty stroke.

Alfred Agaba uncharacteristically placed it wide of the mark. In the second half, Kayanga had another opportunity in the circle, turned his back toward goal for an improvised shot but was shoved again. The other umpire Kenneth Tamale thought that was only worth a penalty corner, which Wananchi defended well.

In the ensuing shootout, Richard Ssemwogerere put KHC ahead and the advantage was maintained as Jordan Achaye, the men’s top scorer with six goals, missed for Wananchi.

Agaba converted and Shafik Byamukama halved the deficit for Wananchi. Stewart Kavuma made it three for KHC and Emmanuel Baguma’s strike for Wananchi ricocheted off the post and onto the puncher of his brother and KHC goalkeeper Richard Kaijuka leaving the crowd stunned.

Even with Baguma, who was eventually named best player of the tournament, walking away distraught and Sseruyange ruling it a missed opportunity, Tamale claimed it was a clean strike.

‘The umpire said that by the time I punched the ball, it had gone past the line, but how is that possible if I was standing on the line in the start and then moved forward after Baguma’s attempt?’ Kaijuka wondered in the aftermath.

Captain Jordan Mpiima scored KHC’s fourth and Elias Okello kept Wananchi in contention. James Mugisha had a chance to win it for KHC but missed and Tumukunde leveled matters. In the sudden death phase, Byamukama missed as Wananchi went first in a reversed order but Ssemwogerere could not capitalize.

Baguma gave Wananchi the advantage then Agaba brought KHC level. Okello then missed and allowed Mpiima to win it for his team in the first final they have played since the tournament started going out of the capital in 2022.

Balanced Weatherhead

For the women, Mariam Tara scored twice – one goal in either half – for Weatherhead to win 2-1 over Wananchi in the final. Women’s top scorer Jolly Alimo scored Wananchi’s lone goal and her 7th of the tournament in the final.

Wananchi beat KHC Swans on penalties in Mbarara and Jinja then 1-0 in Masaka last year and were high on expectation. But the Swans had a depleted squad in Duhaga and filled it with students from the school.

Weatherhead, inspired by a balanced midfield of Annet Awat, Anitah Atim, and women’s MVP Hildah Star Balondemu were deserved champions as they beat both KHC and Wananchi 1-0 and Duhaga 5-0 in the round robin on Sunday after beating Kyaddondo 1-0 on Saturday.

UHA Independence Open

Finals

Men: Wananchi 0(5)-0(6) KHC Stallions

Women: Weatherhead 2-1 Wananchi

MVPS

M: Emmanuel Baguma (Wananchi)

W: Hildah Star Balondemu (Weatherhead)

Top Scorers

M: Jordan Achaye (Wananchi) – 6 goals

W: Jolly Alimo (Wananchi) – 7 goals

Uganda’s mission is simple – beat Botswana or risk slipping out of contention for the Fifa 2026 World Cup playoff race.

The Cranes arrived in Francistown with 15 points from eight games, level with Mozambique but ahead on goal difference.

That tally, however, only places them seventh among Caf’s nine second-placed teams, with just four to advance to the playoff gauntlet.

With Algeria widely expected to dispatch Somalia in Bir El Djir and seal top spot with a match to spare, Uganda’s survival hinges on victory over the Zebras on Thursday – and, ideally, by a margin big enough to improve goal difference.

Anything less, and the Cranes could be out of the conversation before their final group tie away to Algeria next week.

‘We have to keep believing’ – Sibbick

Defender Toby Sibbick had tongues wagging with his solid performance alongside John Jordan Obita, Elio Capradossi and Aziz Kayondo against Somalia, and his focus remains unwavering.

‘It’s a good experience,’ said the Burton Albion man. ‘We know it’s two games left and we want to win both and put ourselves in the best possible position for the World Cup qualifiers.

‘Who knows? We can still win the group. We have to keep believing, and if we win these two games we’ll carry good form into Afcon (in December-January, 2026) as well.’

Sibbick’s confidence mirrors a camp that rediscovered rhythm in September – a 4-0 demolition of Mozambique and a professional 2-0 dispatch of Somalia at Namboole.

The numbers game

The equation is brutal. Uganda’s +5 goal difference currently ranks them behind Namibia (+8), Cameroon (+10), Burkina Faso (+12) – the three teams on 15 points, and others in the playoff table.

Gabon (19 pts, +10 GD), Madagascar (16 pts, +7 GD) and DR Congo (16 pts, +7 GD) already occupy the top three second-best placed teams.

With Algeria almost unreachable, Paul Put’s side must look over their shoulders too – Mozambique, who face Guinea and Somalia, could easily leapfrog the Cranes with two wins.

That’s why Thursday’s clash in Francistown is not merely about points; it’s about margin, momentum, and survival.

Aucho’s call to arms

Captain Khalid Aucho, who scored in Uganda’s memorable 2-1 win over Botswana in the 2017 Afcon qualifiers, knows the weight of the moment.

‘These two games are very important for the nation because we have a chance to qualify for the World Cup or go to the playoffs,’ he said.

‘It’s important for all of us to have the mindset that we want to win. Scoring against Botswana before gives me motivation to try and score again and push my teammates for three points.’

The stakes

Victory in Francistown would lift Uganda to 18 points and keep them within striking distance of the playoff cutoff, while a draw or defeat could end hopes with a game to spare.

Win both – Botswana and Algeria – and the Cranes might just sneak into the top four second-placed teams, depending on goal difference elsewhere. Lose in Francistown, and it’s likely over.

‘As a team we believe in ourselves,’ added Sibbick. ‘Maybe you’ve seen it this year – we’ve played big teams and people wrote us off, but we kept the belief and got those wins.’ Now, that belief faces its sternest test yet.

How Put could set up

Put is unlikely to tinker much with the lineup that delivered in September. Against Mozambique and Somalia, he favoured a compact 4-2-3-1 built on stability, energy in midfield, and quick transitions.

This structure allowed Allan Okello to float between lines, Rogers Mato and Jude Ssemugabi to stretch defences, and Stephen Mukwala to occupy centre-backs – an approach that might again suit the Zebras’ direct but open style.

Aucho and Kenneth Ssemakula are expected to provide that balance in the middle, with Salim Jamal maintaining the gloves behind Capradossi and company.

Botswana coach Morena Ramoreboli expects Uganda to bring the game to them but is confident.

‘We know Uganda are strong, but playing at home gives us confidence. We have added fresh legs to the squad and hope to take advantage of every opportunity.’

Ramoreboli added two new midfielders in Thapelo Mabedi of Botswana Defence Force XI and Shanganani Ngada of Mochudi Centre Chiefs, while Gaborone United duo Mpho Kgaswane and Thabo Maponda returned to the squad after lengthy absence.

While the Zebras are only playing for pride as they are already out of the running for the World Cup, it is serious business for the Cranes, who simply can’t afford to blink in Francistown – not least on Independence Day.

Probable XI (4-2-3-1)

Salim Jamal Magoola, Toby Sibbick, Toby Sibbick, Jordan Obita, Aziz Kayondo, Khalid Aucho, [C], Kenneth Ssemakula, Jude Ssemugabi, Allan Okello, Rogers Mato, Stephen Mukwala

Full Squad

Goalkeepers: Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Salim Omar Magoola (Richards Bay FC, South Africa), Nafian Alionzi (Defence Forces FC, Ethiopia)

Defenders: Elio Capradossi (Universitatea Cluj, Romania), Rogers Torach (Vipers SC, Uganda), Toby Sibbick (Burton Albion, England), Hilary Mukundane (Vipers SC, Uganda), Jordan Obita (Hibernian, Scotland), Aziz Kayondo (Slovan Liberec, Czech Republic), Herbert Achayi (KCCA FC, Uganda), Gavin Kizito (KCCA FC, Uganda)

Midfielders: Ronald Ssekiganda (APR FC, Rwanda), Kenneth Semakula (Al Arabi SC, Kuwait), Allan Oyirwoth (New England Revolution, USA), Enock Ssebagala (Vipers SC, Uganda), Bobosi Byaruhanga (Oakland Roots SC, USA)

Forwards: Denis Omedi (APR FC, Rwanda), Allan Okello (Vipers SC, Uganda), Joseph Mpande (PVF-CAND FC, Vietnam), Rogers Mato (FK Vardar, North Macedonia), Reagan Mpande (SC Villa, Uganda), Jude Ssemugabi (Kitara FC, Uganda), Uchechukwu Ikpeazu (St Johnstone, Scotland), Travis Mutyaba (CS Sfaxien, Tunisia)

Fifa 2026 World Cup Qualifiers (Caf)

Remaining group fixtures (2025)

October 9

Botswana vs Uganda, Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, Francistown, 7pm EAT

Somalia vs Algeria, Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex, Bir El Djir, 7pm

Mozambique vs Guinea, Estadio do Zimpeto, Maputo, 7pm

October 14

Algeria vs Uganda, Stade Hocine-Aït-Ahmed, Boukhalfa, 7pm

Guinea vs Botswana, Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca, 7pm

Somalia vs Mozambique, Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex, Bir El Djir, 7pm

Group G Standings after 8 matches

Algeria 19 points

Uganda 15 points (GD +5)

Mozambique 15 points (GD -3)

Guinea 11 points

Botswana 9 points

Somalia 1 point

Best second placed teams after Matchday 8

Gabon (19 pts, +10 GD)

Madagascar (16 pts, +7 GD)

DR Congo (16 pts, +7 GD)

Burkina Faso (15 pts, +12 GD)

Cameroon (15 pts, +10 GD)

Namibia (15 pts, +8 GD)

Uganda (15 pts, +5 GD)

Benin (14 pts, +4 GD)