Category: Daily Monitor

Hamz Stadium, in downtown Kampala, will host the 2025 IBSA Blind Football African Championship Division 2 due October 25-30, the Uganda Paralympic Committee has confirmed.

Five nations: South Sudan, South Africa, Kenya and Senegal have already confirmed entry into the tournament, joining Uganda, the hosts, while Zimbabwe is still navigating the possibility of late entry.

Driss El Mountaqi, a technical delegate from the International Blind Sport Association (IBSA), was in Kampala from September 18-20 and visited two stadiums for inspection.

In blind football, the players can only sense the ball by listening to the rings inside it, hence the need for a quiet environment.

The Moroccan inspector found KCCA FC’s Phillip Omondi Stadium inappropriate mainly due to the noise from the activity around the facility, especially traffic and construction, Patrick Synole, a UPC director administration, told Daily Monitor.

The inspector finally Okayed Hamz Stadium in Nakivubo appropriate to host the event.

‘Hamz Stadium is by far a better facility. Its artificial turf is finer, it has very modern dressing rooms and above all it is insulated from the noise outside the stadium,’ Synole said, echoing the inspector’s assessment.

Hamz Stadium, a private venture, replaced the legendary Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium, which was demolished in 2017 for redevelopment by businessman Hamis Kiggundu.

It was launched in June 2024 and has since hosted both legs of the Uganda-Burundi CHAN qualifiers in December, the East Africa Local Authorities Cultural Association (EALASCA) Games in February, the NEC vs Nairobi United Caf Confederations Cup first leg in September, and national events across disciplines.

The only issue with Hamz Stadium is the congestion in the access routes, still due to human and motor traffic. But Synole said

Rogers Mulindwa, the facility chairman, vowed to fix the problem to ensure easy access to-and-fro the stadium, Synole told us.

The inspector also chose Golden Tulip as the official Games hotel.

For different reasons Libya, DR Congo, Zambia, will not attend. But Blind Football Uganda president Muzafaru Jjagwe said everything is going to plan.

The government through the National Council of Sports is funding the tournament.

BRIEFLY

When: October 25-30

Venue: Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo

Host: Uganda

Teams confirmed: South Sudan, South Africa, Kenya, Senegal

Games Hotel: Golden Tulip

Host federation: Blind Football Uganda

Mother body: Uganda Paralympic Committee

Funder: National Council of Sports

When her husband died in 2017, life changed completely for 80-year-old Terisanta Okii. The grandmother from Anang Village in Alebtong District has no steady income and struggles to care for her three grandchildren. Every day, she goes to her small garden, picks pumpkin leaves, washes them in a saucepan, and cooks them over an open fire. That simple dish is what keeps her family going.

It is also the only meal they eat in a day. ‘I have one torn blanket which a neighbour’s daughter gave me seven years ago. My grandchildren sleep on a mat with only two bedsheets. I don’t have proper serving dishes, but at least I own two plastic cups and seven plates,’ she says. Her home, two small grass-thatched huts, leaks whenever it rains. In the past, she made clay pots to sell, but sickness has kept her away from the quarry where she used to dig clay soil for sell.

One of her grandchildren got pregnant while still in Primary Five. At just 16, she is now a young mother raising a baby.

‘We often go to bed hungry, but we don’t complain,’ Ms Okii says.

‘Every new day, I just wake up and try again.’

Despite the hardship, she still finds joy in her garden, watching her pumpkin leaves grow, and she leans on her faith, praying daily for a better tomorrow. Her struggles are shared by hundreds of other widows in Alebtong. According to New Jerusalem Christian Church, there are more than 400 widows in the district facing the same battles-hunger, poor shelter, and the heavy responsibility of raising children alone.

Seventy-year-old Pamela Acen from Apado Village lost her husband, Charles Akena, last year. Soon after his burial, she says her in-laws grabbed five of the eight gardens he had left her.

‘With only three gardens left, my biggest struggle now is paying school fees,’ she says.

Her son, Peter Awany, is in Senior One at Living Hope High School in Lira City. ‘Being an orphan, I can only contribute food-25 kilos of beans and 30 kilos of maize,’ the teenager says.

Another son, Oscar, sat his Primary Leaving Examinations in 2022 but had to drop out of school because there was no money for fees. In Epale Cell, 70-year-old Jenti Akao tells a similar story. Widowed since 2001, she is caring not only for her own children but also grandchildren from her mentally challenged daughter.

‘We eat once a day. When I fail to get food, we just go to bed hungry,’ she says.

Even the younger widows are not spared.

Grace Adongo, 32, lost her husband in 2018. Now bedridden, she cannot provide for her three children. Janet Akello, 40, from Alekodio Village, has been raising her two children alone since her husband died in a road accident in 2002. One son is studying at Gulu University on government sponsorship, but she is struggling to pay school fees for her daughter, who is in Senior Three in Jinja. Others, like 64-year-old Mildred Ekit of Oumo Village, are taking care of orphans left behind by relatives. ‘I have only one acre of land. We need support to start small projects like poultry or goat rearing so we can properly care for these children,’ she says.

Leaders speak out

Aloi Sub-county councillor Patrick Alengo says the situation is made worse by poverty, poor farming skills, and climate change. Rev Boniface Ongora of New Jerusalem Christian Church says many children have been orphaned by HIV/Aids and are left with poor grandparents. Some end up homeless and on the streets.

He mentions poultry and goat rearing as alternatives that can give widows income while requiring little land. Alebtong LC5 chairman David Kennedy Odongo, admits that the district has no programme specifically targeting widows and orphans.

The Chief Magistrate’s Court in Masaka on Tuesday charged Lwengo District Chairperson Ibrahim Kitatta with four counts including attempted murder and robbery.

Kitatta appeared before Chief Magistrate Simon Ntoroko and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Prosecution led by Mariam Njuki said the charges stemmed from events that occurred on July 14, 2025, ahead of the recently concluded National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries.

He is accused of robbing Liyaada Nakanwagi of her mobile phone, attempting to kill David Ssebuguzi, the LC1 chairperson of Kanakulya Zone, robbing him of his mobile phone, and stealing Shs900,000 from one Musa Kataze.

Through his lawyer, Eddie Sansa, Kitatta presented three sureties in court: Vincent Birimuye, the Lwengo District Vice Chairperson; Peregrino Ssenozi, the District Speaker; and Abdul Musa Mpagi, the Town Clerk of Kinoni Town Council, who is also his brother.

However, Njuki objected to the bail application, arguing that Kitatta could interfere with witnesses and evidence.

Magistrate Ntoroko overruled the objection, saying the accused was a responsible public official with a fixed place of abode and had presented credible sureties.

He granted Kitatta cash bail of Shs1 million, while each surety was bonded at Shs10 million non-cash.

The magistrate also urged the prosecution to expedite the case.

‘The state must ensure timely justice for all parties involved,’ he said.

Meanwhile, the complainants expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to grant Kitatta bail, claiming their lives remained at risk due to ongoing threats.

The case has been adjourned to November 20, 2025.

The World Bank wants government to review tax holidays and exemptions because they have failed to deliver the promised investment boom.

Speaking at the 25th Uganda Economic Update in Kampala yesterday, Mr Qimiao Fan, the World Bank East Africa regional director, said with more than 600,000 new labour market entrants each year before 2030 and at least one million annually by 2040, Uganda must seek ways to mobilise more domestic revenue by broadening the base.

This, he said, could be done through closing loopholes and ensuring that high-net-worth individuals and large firms contribute fairly, as well as ‘reconsidering exemptions that erode the base and shift the burden to a shrinking pool of compliant taxpayers’.

World Bank economist Silver Namunane, on the other hand, said that whereas generous tax exemptions and the 10-year tax holiday were intended to stimulate new investments or reinvestments by large firms, this has not succeeded in fostering growth in firms’ fixed assets’.

‘Beneficiaries’ depreciation allowances are 2.6 to 3.3 times higher compared to group firms, indicating that benefiting firms are more likely to replace worn-out assembly lines or add minimal infrastructure rather than significantly expand assets,’ he said.

The 2023/24 Tax Expenditures Report estimates total revenue foregone in tax holidays and exemptions at Shs3.6 trillion, about 1.78 percent of gross domestic product and 13 percent of total tax revenues of Shs27.3 trillion.

Customs duty accounted for the largest share of Shs1.137 trillion, 32 percent of total tax expenditures, while foregone value added tax dropped from Shs1.113 trillion (0.61 percent of gross domestic product) in the 2022/23 financial year to Shs677b (0.34 percent) in the 2023/24 financial year.

Over the years, Finance Ministry data shows, between 2018 and 2023, total tax expenditures rose from Shs2.079 trillion to Shs2.972 trillion, but stayed broadly flat as a share of gross domestic product. While responding to the World Bank proposal, government signalled willingness to adjust but favoured calibration over abrupt repeal.

Acting Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary and Secretary Treasury Patrick Ocailap, said government needed to ‘broaden the tax base instead of increasing taxes on the people of Uganda, highlighting the need to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the tax reforms.

‘Rather than eliminate the 10-year tax holiday, we should closely monitor their activities and have a sunset clause for each’, he said.

The World Bank wants Uganda to tighten or scale back exemptions and holidays that are costing between 1.6 and 2 percent of gross domestic product per annum, while delivering limited investment gains.

Amid mixed reactions and scepticism over gaps in service delivery, President Museveni launched his 2026 re-election bid at Bukalasa Agricultural College in the Greater Luweero sub-region yesterday.

His ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party sees Luweero as its cradle, owing to its central role in the 1980s liberation war. Yet, 40 years later, many residents question the slow progress in infrastructure, veterans’ welfare, and social services. In 2021, the Opposition triumphed in this symbolic ‘Mecca’ of the NRM, underlining discontent over unfulfilled pledges.

Observers argue that deliberate programmes such as those rolled out in northern Uganda after the conflict were never extended to Luweero.

‘Like the Northern Uganda Reconstruction Programme that targeted rehabilitation of infrastructure and economic recovery, the people of Luweero missed out on such opportunities,’ Mr Omar Kyagulanyi, a civilian war veteran and former Katikamu Sub-county chairperson, said. Former Minister without Portfolio and Presidential Adviser Abdul Nadduli blamed poor planning and lack of goodwill due to broken promises.

‘President Museveni knows Luweero better than many of the current breed of leaders in his government,’ he said, urging him to take direct charge.

Locals accuse both the government and the NRM leaders of frustrating progress.

‘I will not spare President Museveni because he superintends the top policy-making organs. Greater Luweero has had several sons and daughters in the Cabinet. We have always questioned their relevance if they cannot lobby for affirmative action projects,’ said retired teacher John Mary Kabanda.

The erosion of NRM support was evident in 2021, when the Opposition swept all four parliamentary seats in Luweero and two of four in Nakaseke. ‘It was a protest against our own government,’ said Ms Aidah Nakandi Ssemyalo of Wobulenzi, who recounted how her father, a civilian war veteran, died without compensation. Opposition leaders echo the sense of betrayal. Luweero District Chairperson Erastus Kibirango, a NUP member, said: ‘I don’t believe that the NRM government has a chance to run away from the blame of negligence of an area that procured their victory after a long liberation war.’ He called for a special programme to address Luweero’s recovery.

However, NRM officials counter that progress is being made.

Deputy Secretary General of NRM party Rose Namayanja cited Shs6.1 billion for the district administration block, Shs2.5 billion for Luweero General Hospital, and new mechanised farming equipment. Luweero Triangle Minister Alice Kaboyo pointed to Shs6.1 billion recently disbursed to compensate civilian war veterans and the establishment of 500 factories in the last decade.

Yet electoral data tell a stark story. In 2021, Museveni managed only 27.94 percent (41,166 votes) in Luweero, compared to 70.45 percent (103,782 votes) for Robert Kyagulanyi of NUP party. Both NRM and Opposition supporters cited poor service delivery and unmet promises as decisive factors. Mr Pascal Imarach, the Zirobwe Town Council chairperson and the head of the NRM veterans’ league, admitted mistakes but insisted they will improve. ‘Our people demand effective service delivery. Our people still believe that President Museveni is their tested leader,’ he said.

Lingering challenges

Despite some fulfilled pledges, unresolved land issues dominate local grievances. The government claims to have addressed them through the 2010 Land Act, but residents cite abuses by powerful individuals who override the law. Nakasongola District Chairperson Sam Kigula said about 75 percent of residents are squatters and vulnerable to eviction by absentee landlords.

‘We can only circumvent the land-related challenges if the government rolls out the land fund. Many cannot plan to cultivate land because of insecurity,’ he said.

In Luweero and Nakaseke, land grabbing and illegal evictions are rising. Lawyer Peter Kimanje Nsibambi said his firm is handling more than 200 cases. ‘Despite having land laws that protect Bibanja holders, many are victims of illegal eviction,’ he said.

Government’s defence

The NRM highlights achievements in health, education and infrastructure. In Luweero District alone, 32,722 residents benefit from the Parish Development Model (PDM), backed by Shs31 billion. Access to safe water has reached 87 percent, with 1,436 water sources. The district now boasts 230 UPE schools serving 129,287 pupils and 24 government secondary schools with 46,648 students.

Health facilities have also expanded, with 40 public units compared to just five in 1987. The district hospital has been upgraded, alongside operating theatres at Health Centre IVs and maternity wards at Health Centre IIIs. Infrastructure projects include the 29.7km road linking Luweero to Nakaseke via Butalangu and Kiwoko, now 55 percent complete, according to Minister of State for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Mr Joseph Kyofatogabye Kabuye.

Despite these efforts, scepticism remains over whether development has matched expectations. Many residents still perceive Greater Luweero as neglected.

Political analysts warn that Museveni’s chances of regaining ground depend on addressing core grievances: land disputes, poor roads, and unfulfilled pledges. Unless these issues are tackled decisively, the NRM party risks another setback in its symbolic heartland.

Ronald Ochieng smiles before bursting into laughter as his mother, Dorcas Auma, gently touches him and looks into his eyes, trying to communicate with him through touch and gestures. The 11-year-old boy was born with multiple disabilities in Alere Village, Abongatin Parish, Amugu Sub-county in Alebtong District.

He cannot talk, hear, or walk. His condition requires round-the-clock care. Each day, Auma wakes Ochieng from his sleep, bathes him, and gets him dressed before preparing food for her other four children. Despite the challenges, her love for her son grows stronger with each passing day.

Ochieng sleeps on a slim mattress covered with a polytene bag inside a grass-thatched hut. He shares the house with his siblings, who sleep on a mat placed about half a metre away from his bed. The children’s hut is located about 30 metres from the parents’ grass-thatched bedroom.

‘He was a healthy child when I delivered him at Amugu Health Centre III in 2013. After two weeks, his head started swelling, and by the time he was four months old, the condition had worsened. He underwent surgery at a hospital in Mbale City, but his right arm and both legs remain paralysed,’ Auma says.

Ochieng cannot sit on his own and is very emotional. It is difficult for Auma to know if he is hungry or unwell.

Isabella Akello, the program manager of Link to Progress, a non-governmental organisation that works with marganalised communities in the Lango Sub-region, says most children with disabilities in the rural areas of northern Uganda are either moderately or severely malnourished.

‘They are not eating well because their caretakers cannot afford the healthy food that can give them a balanced diet. Before a caregiver thinks about giving a child vegetables or fruits, they think about where to get the child’s medication,’ she says.

When Daily Monitor visited a family in Obangakura Village, Amuria Parish, Aloi Sub-county in Alebtong District, we found Solomon,* who is living with disability, lying naked in a leaking grass-thatched house. His mother died ten years ago, and five years later, his father fled the home.

Solomon and his three siblings are under the care of their grandmother, Rose Auma.

‘My son ran away because some people in our culture believe that it is a curse to have a child with disability in a home. They think you committed an offense in the past and God is punishing you for it through the child’s physical condition,’ Auma laments.

Mobility issues

Mobility and the functionality of assistive devices offered to some children with disabilities are a challenge. Some charity organisations distribute assistive devices without conducting assessment exercises.

‘They have to assess the communities and homes where the children live. Before a wheelchair is given out, can it pass through the door of the house or hut? Can the mother push it on the rough road to the garden, church, or to school?’ Akello asks.

A range of barriers limits the ability of children with disabilities to function in daily life, access social services, and engage in their communities. Several caregivers of such children do not have the self-esteem to coexist with their relatives and friends, which makes them very vulnerable.

‘When a woman is carrying a child and hears people call the child angwalu (disabled), it is not the best thing to her ears. So, she will fear associating with people,’ Akello explains.

Several disabled children like Solomon have a passion for learning, but they face a significant obstacle; their disability makes it difficult for them to stand or walk. His grandmother cannot afford a wheelchair that could be used to push him to Awiny Primary School, about three kilometres away.

Patricia Akidi, who lives in Rwaksaza Village, Ibuje Sub-county in Apac District, is the only child who did not attend school in a family of five because of her disability. She cannot read or write.

‘I collect tall grass, which I tie into brooms and sell by the roadside to make a living. However, I need a vocational skill to make more money,’ she says.

Victor Opio, a 17-year-old boy with disability, lives with his grandmother in Apac Town after he was abandoned by his parents.

‘I am supposed to be in Primary Seven now, but I did not sit for the Primary Six end-of-term examinations. I had difficulties accessing school. My grandmother used to carry me to school, but if she was busy, I would skip school,’ he says.

Sarah Aceng, the LC5 female councillor representing persons living with disability (PWD) in Apac District, says several children are being discriminated against, even within their families.

‘Disabled children are poorly fed. Family members go away for a day or days and do not leave them with food or water. They are denied their land rights, while some are abused both physically and emotionally. Those with mobility challenges suffer the most,’ she says.

Brenda Ebong, a mother of an 11-year-old child with disability, says too many responsibilities prevented her from taking her son to school.

‘My son fell ill at the age of four and became disabled. At the time, he was attending school, but he is now unable to go to school because I have to feed him, carry him on my back, and bathe him, besides my other household chores,’ she says.

Several children with physical disability in northern Uganda face similar challenges in accessing education. The lack of assistive devices, inadequate infrastructure, and limited support denies them the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Faith Aol, Alebtong District’s inspector of schools, acknowledges the district is not doing well in terms of inclusive education.

‘The majority of our 76 government-aided primary schools do not have adequate infrastructure and learning aids. There are no ramps and no teachers to cater to children with disabilities. However, there are plans to upgrade the schools,’ she says.

Nancy Akello, a social worker, says children with physical disabilities go through a lot as a result of climate disasters such as floods and prolonged droughts.

‘When the roads are impassable during the rains, a PWD cannot use a wheelchair. The situation is the same during prolonged drought because the rugged terrain damages their wheelchair,’ she says.

Learning challenges

PWDs cannot travel long distances to look for water. Those who try are vulnerable to sexual abuse. Dr Denis Mugimba, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Education and Sports, says the government is incapable of providing adequate infrastructure and learning aids to all the primary schools within the country.

‘We have over 12,000 primary schools. There are 66 special needs schools, and they have some capabilities. However, we are planning to renovate them. However, you cannot make every primary school a special needs capability school. It is too expensive. No country does that,’ he says.

Dianah Leah Seera, the program officer for Inclusive Education at the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), says Uganda has not yet fully achieved inclusive education, adding that the country is mainly in the stages of integration.

‘There is a skills gap in how to support learners with different categories of disabilities. They must have studied Braille to be able to read and support learners and even operate the Braille slate. If it is sign language, the teacher must be able to sign and interpret to support the learners,’ she says.

Seera adds that there should be continuous professional development by both the government and development partners to bridge this particular identified gap.

‘A Braille machine costs about Shs3.6 million, and each child needs one. However, in the special needs schools, the government has done its best to provide, and in the schools where there are units, at least one or two machines have been provided. But in mainstream schools, it is still a challenge,’ she explains.

NUDIPU assumes that in every village, there is a child with a disability, and for inclusion, children with disabilities must go to the nearest schools within their community. The reason they are not accessing the nearest schools within their community is because of these gaps.

Another challenge is the transition from primary to secondary school. The Persons with Disabilities Act 2020 indicates that if a school admits a learner with a disability, it must make the school accessible for that learner within three months.

‘But the schools’ attitudes are not receptive. First of all, it could be out of ignorance or just deliberate. Some may not know that these laws exist. That attitude goes up to the home. Some may never see the inside of a classroom because their parents chose to prioritise their ‘normal’ siblings,’ Seera adds.

According to 2021 UNICEF statistics, children with disabilities are 24 percent less likely to receive early stimulation and responsive care, and have 42 percent fewer chances of achieving foundational reading and numeracy skills. The probability of never attending school is 49 percent higher for them.

But the extent to which children with disabilities can function, participate in society, and lead fulfilling lives depends on the extent to which they are accommodated and included. No matter their story, every child has the right to thrive.

As presidential candidates embark on campaigns ahead of the 2026 General Election, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), a party associated with four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye, says it is still weighing options on which candidate to support.

Speaking during the launch of PFF’s National Campaign Agenda in Kampala yesterday, the party’s National Convention Speaker, Ms Proscovia Salaamu Musumba, said discussions with the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) are ongoing, with the hope of rallying behind a single Opposition candidate. ‘We have not presented a presidential candidate because we are short of them. No. We didn’t want to be an obstacle to finding a unifying candidate that we would be supporting in this election. Because this election is a do-or-die for the country,’ Ms Musumba said.

She noted that PFF already has a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ANT, signed in July, committing both parties to support a joint candidate. ‘We informed the country that we do have that memorandum of understanding. But we are also in deep discussions with the National Unity Platform. The discussions may not have gone as expected, but we continue to pursue them,’ she added. ANT’s National Coordinator Alice Alaso said they were still waiting for PFF’s official position on supporting their candidate, Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu, who is duly nominated by the Electoral Commission. ‘The engagement is between ANT and PFF. We agreed, in the MoU, to back a joint candidate. So, while PFF did not field a candidate, we have not yet heard their express position about Gen Muntu. We hope they will give us clarity soon,’ Ms Alaso said.

She added that ANT would respect whatever decision PFF makes: ‘Even if they decide to take a different approach, we are comfortable. We prefer to deal with partners who are firm in their choices,’ Ms Alaso The PFF chairperson, Mr Erias Lukwago, acknowledged that the delay in settling on a joint candidate was ‘unfortunate,’ but said the complexity of merging different political platforms had slowed the process. ‘We had hoped that by now we would have a single candidate, but there are many factors beyond our control. Even if we pronounce ourselves on a joint candidate, there remains the challenge of harmonising campaign platforms,’ he said. ‘Each entity has its own symbols, slogans and constituencies. These are issues that need careful management,’ he added. Mr Lukwago assured Ugandans that once consultations are complete, the party will inform the country of its position, whether or not it agrees to a joint front.

Efforts to get a comment from NUP were unsuccessful as party Secretary General Lewis Rubongoya could not be reached by press time. Within PFF, some members have asked the leadership to expedite the process, saying supporters are already demanding clarity. Ms Betty Aol Ocan, the party’s deputy chairperson for northern Uganda, said grassroots members are growing anxious. ‘People ask us which presidential candidate to support, but we have no answers. I told them to wait for this meeting, but the matter is still hanging,’ Ms Ocan said. During the Kampala launch, Ms Musumba also outlined PFF’s broader campaign agenda, stressing that the election is part of a wider struggle for freedom and fair resource distribution.

‘Our biggest problem is the use of our resources. Each of the regions is well endowed, and we want to ensure that local communities benefit from their wealth,’ she said. She pointed to Karamoja as an example, where minerals such as gold and marble are extracted but processed under brand names like Simba Cement or Tororo Cement. ‘There is no Karamoja Cement, yet those resources come from Karamoja. In our government, that region will have an opportunity to benefit directly from its endowments,’ Ms Musumba said.

BACKGROUND

Past attempts at fronting a joint Opposition candidate have repeatedly collapsed. In 2011, the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) disintegrated before the elections, leaving each party to field its own candidate. Five years later, in 2016, the Democratic Alliance (TDA) failed to agree on a single flagbearer, despite months of negotiations. In 2021, efforts to unite Dr Kizza Besigye and Mr Robert Kyagulanyi also stalled, forcing both leaders to pursue separate campaigns.

Husnah Kukundakwe and Condoleezza Thembo Nakazibwe left the World Para Swimming Championships stage in Singapore with enhanced reputations.

The Ugandan representatives hit their time targets and the latter took it a notch further by making the finals of all her four events.

Last Wednesday, her 1:11.76 in the women’s 100m freestyle S8, gave her a 3rd place finish in the heats. She split 34.31 at the halfway mark to lower her own African record (AR) from the 1:12.40 that she managed at the World Series earlier in Indianapolis in April to qualify for Singapore.

In the final, she split 34.43 and finished 8th in a time of 1:12.23, which is her second best performance in the event.

On Thursday, the 18 year old gave her all to clock a 32.49 in the women’s 50m freestyle S8 preliminaries lowering her own 32.58 AR. She further sunk it to 31.93 in the finals, where she missed a podium finish by a whisker.

Russia’s Viktoriia Ishchiulova, swimming under a neutral flag, clocked 31.30 to win the race and was followed by China’s Zhu Hui (31.39) and Italy’s Xenia Francesca Palazzo (31.44) – who also won 100m free bronze behind Great Britain’s Alice Tai and USA’s Jessica Long.

On Friday, Uganda’s Paralympian needed a bit of luck to make the finals but the fortune is always in the preparation and showing up. After placing 9th overall in the heats of the women’s 200m individual medley SM8 with a time of 3:03.72 just ahead of Germany’s Jeanne Maack Mira (3:05.26), Kukundakwe had done her bit. She had not competed in an IM event at the world stage in over a year and an AR was good enough.

But she was brought in as a replacement after Palazzo, who made 2:58.51 in the prelims, withdrew for medical reasons. Kukundakwe finished 8th with a slightly better time of 3:03.51.

In the 100m breaststroke SB8, on Saturday, Kukundakwe’s 1:28.54 got her to her fourth final in four days. Interestingly, she finished 7th with a new personal best of 1:27.37 in the finals and she beat Ishchiulova (1:28.86), who also had silver in the IM.

The 100m breaststroke SB8 AR, however, remains one of those she aims for. It still belongs to South Africa’s retired Natalie Du Toit, who set it at 1:25.95 at the World Championships in Eindhoven Netherlands on August 16, 2010.

Nakazibwe, just 13, also made an impressive 33.61 in the women’s 50m freestyle S9 on Saturday to cap Uganda’s performance at the Championships.

“The swimmers performed very well with 100% improvement. In my opinion it is the best performance for Husnah particularly, if compared to the previous events we have taken part in. We did not do well at the Paralympics in France and that taught us something to work on and since the Series in the USA, we have been registering good positions with excellent times

“We are now looking forward to the Commonwealth Games. Condoleezza is also a mentally strong girl with a huge passion for the sport. Usually, you would struggle with a young girl pushing her up to race at that level, but she managed,” coach Muzafaru Muwanguzi, said.

World Para Swimming Championships

Kukundakwe’s performance

Women 100m freestyle S8: 1:11.76 (African record, prelims), 1:12.23 (finals)

Women 50m freestyle S8: 32.49 (prelims), 31.93 (African record, finals)

Women 200m IM SM8: 3:03.72 (prelims), 3:03.51 (African record finals)

Women 100m breaststroke SB8: 1:28.54 (prelims), 1:27.37 (finals)

Nakazibwe’s performance

Women 50m freestyle S9: 33.61 (prelims)

After nearly two years of wrangles that split Kyadondo Rugby Football Club into rival camps, the High Court has moved to restore order, striking out disputed elections and directing the Registrar of Companies to preside over fresh polls.

In a ruling delivered on July 31, 2025, Justice Patricia Mutesi declared that all 39 original subscribers of the club are equal members, nullifying attempts to sideline some and reduce their voting rights.

The Court nullified the meetings of March 11 and March 18, 2025, and all decisions arising from them. It ruled that the exclusion of some members on grounds that they had subscribed as students in 1999 and were therefore ‘junior members’ was unlawful and discriminatory.

Justice Mutesi held that the company’s memorandum of association did not distinguish between the subscribers at incorporation, and that they all remained full members entitled to participate in decision-making.

URSB intervention

The ruling followed a series of disputes that began in 2023 when the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) investigated and expunged five documents from the Companies Registry.

Among them was a power of attorney granted to James Middleton and Andrew Owor, also a former Uganda Rugby Union president, to negotiate with the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) over part of the club’s land on Coronation Avenue.

Other documents included a resolution appointing Middleton, Owor, Jeroline Akubu, Michael Douglas Keigwin and Peter Browser as directors; minutes of a meeting that purportedly appointed the same; and an amended memorandum and articles of association.

Assistant Registrar of Companies Daniel Nasasira ruled that the filings were unlawful and carried out by improperly elected directors. He said the registry’s data migration process was not meant to facilitate structural changes but to transfer existing records.

The executive committee led by Brian Tabaruka had petitioned URSB, accusing the previous leadership of forgery, falsification of signatures and attempts to alter governance structures.

Speaking after the High Court ruling, Tabaruka said the judgment confirmed the concerns his executive had raised from the outset.

‘We welcome the decision. The ruling is clear. URSB will now preside over fresh elections, ensuring neutrality and fairness. Previously, we were excluded but this time, all original subscribers are recognized as members and we finally have the chance to participate,’ he said.

Disputes within the club

The wrangles deepened after the July 2023 elections in which Tabaruka was elected chairman. He and his team accused Middleton and his allies of refusing to hand over the financial accounts and instead diverting funds through parallel bank accounts.

Members of the new executive said payments to the official account were irregular and inadequate, leaving the club struggling.

The disputes escalated when it was discovered that Kyadondo Sports Club (KSC) had been registered as a separate entity in 2012, with a memorandum carrying signatures of subscribers who denied ever signing.

A handwriting analysis conducted in April 2023 indicated possible forgery. Tabaruka and his allies argued that the registration of Kyadondo was part of an attempt to seize control of Kyadondo’s finances and assets.

Contested March elections

Following URSB’s directive that only the 39 original subscribers were members, fresh elections were scheduled for March 11, 2025.

However, controversy erupted when Middleton circulated a list excluding Tabaruka and others, arguing that they had subscribed as students and were therefore junior members without voting rights.

The March 11 meeting collapsed for lack of quorum after boycotts by excluded members. A follow-up meeting on March 18 proceeded under similar conditions and failed to resolve the disputes.

This prompted Tabaruka and Geoffrey Okello to petition the High Court, seeking recognition of all 39 subscribers as equal members and challenging the legality of the March meetings.

The Court’s findings

Justice Mutesi ruled that while Kyadondo’s articles of association provided for different classes of membership, there was no evidence that these categories applied to the subscribers at incorporation. She noted that all 39 appeared together on a single list, with no distinction.

The judge rejected the claim that some were junior members, observing that the articles defined junior membership as applying to full-time students, apprentices or minors who did not play rugby. There was no evidence that those excluded from the March elections fell into that category.

On this basis, the Court declared the March 11 and March 18 meetings null and void. It further ruled that, given the disputes, leadership vacuum and quorum requirements, it was impracticable to hold a general meeting under the existing articles.

Justice Mutesi authorised a hybrid general meeting, allowing members to participate physically or virtually and lowered the quorum to 15 members to make the process workable.

The Registrar of Companies was instructed to preside over the elections, declare all positions on the executive committee vacant, issue a notice within 45 days, and conduct the elections within 60 days of the notice. The Registrar is also expected to receive expressions of interest from candidates and ensure the meeting is widely publicised.

Tabaruka, one of the applicants, described the ruling as a chance for closure: ‘Once the elections are held democratically at the AGM, it will mark the true conclusion of the governance issues that have long troubled the club.’

Responding to the decision, Owor, who was among those whose filings were expunged by URSB, said he could not comment in detail. ‘The ruling is clear but I’m not the right person to comment,’ he said.

Efforts to reach other parties were unsuccessful by press time.

Busiro East MP Medard Ssegona is among the sitting MPs who have been denied the National Unity Platform (NUP) card for the 2026 General Election.

Musician Mathias Walukaga, who doubles as Kyengera town mayor, will carry the party flag in the 2026 General election.

After his vetting by the party electoral commission recently, Mr Sseggona told journalists at the party headquarters that he was more qualified than any other contender for the seat, arguing that the opposition party, led by musician turned politician, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, has a sense of class and quality.

“Look at me, look at my CV. Why do you have to deceive yourself that there’s a mischievous possibility of the party choosing someone less qualified for this job than me? I have presented my CV, I have presented my ideas, and everybody will agree that I’m more qualified for this job, that’s if they are not drunk or possessed by evil spirits. This party has a sense of class and quality. Does Parliament still make laws? Is there somebody vying for this position as qualified as I?’ the veteran politician and lawyer said.

According to the list Ms Shamim Malende has retained the Kampala Woman MP ticket, while Ms Zahara Luyilika, who has been contending for the same seat, was given the ticket for the Makindye West Constituency, which is currently represented by Mr Allan Aloysius Ssewanyana.

Kampala City lawyer George Musisi was given the flag to contest for the Kira Municipality MP seat, seeking to oust People’s Front for Freedom (PFF)’s spokesperson, Mr Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, while Zambali Bulasio Mukasa will carry the party flag for the Nansana Municipality MP seat currently occupied by one of NUP’s estranged members, Wakayima Musoke.

Mr Kyagulanyi’s elder brother, Mr Fred Nyanzi, will carry the party flag in the Kawempe South MP race. He was contending for the ticket with Dr Roy Ssemboga, a former (82nd) Makerere University Guild President. The seat is currently occupied by another estranged member, Bashir Kazibwe.

Mityana Municipality MP, Ms Joyce Bagala, lost the ticket to Proscovia Mukisa, who will now face off with Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), if the former doesn’t contest as an Independent candidate.

Another notable flag bearer is Ms Mercy Marion Alupo, who has been given the party flag to dislodge Speaker Anita Among from the Bukedea Woman MP seat. Alupo is one of the three women running against Ms Among, who were recently sued in a bid to stop their participation.

Nakaseke South MP, Paulson Luttamaguzi Ssemakula, who recently crossed to NUP was also given the flag while Mr Hilary Innocent Kiyaga, alias Dr Hildaman, retained his Mawokota North ticket amidst speculations that he had lost favours with the party’s top leadership.

Mr Lubowa Ssebina Gyaviira was given the ticket to contest for the Nyendo Mukungwe MP seat currently occupied by the former Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga, who recently broke ranks with the party leadership and formed his own political party, Democratic Front (DF).

Mr Patrick Kutesa was also given the party flag to oust Kimanya Kabonera MP, Dr Abed Bwanika, who is seeking to retain the seat on the DF ticket in the 2026 poll.

NUP spokesperson, Mr Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, who is currently on remand, was given the flag for Nakawa East Division, currently occupied by Ronald Balimwezo, who is aspiring to unseat Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago. Rubaga South MP Aloysius Mukasa lost the party flag to Eugenia Nassolo.