Category: Daily Monitor

Kakungulu Memorial continued its new hardline stance on how clubs can access hockey players studying at the school.

Though some clubs have not received any formal communication from the school, it is seems the lenient regime of letting players move out freely to represent their clubs in weekend fixtures at Lugogo is suspended – at least for now.

Wananchi HDF (Hockey Dreams Foundation) suffered from this over a week ago. The school declined to let students that represent the side leave the premises on their own ahead of the first leg of their women’s Uganda Cup semifinal with Weatherhead and insisted they be picked by a club authority.

HDF leaders sorted themselves out late and the team had to lose the game 20-0 by forfeiture according to the rules which were designed to deter clubs from giving walkovers.

This past weekend, in the men’s National Hockey League, Badgers had their players stopped from leaving the school and therefore had to field only 10 players in a game they drew 1-1 with Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) Originals on Saturday.

“We have heard that the school is not happy with the discipline of some players. Some of them leave school for matches and after that they go home or return to school at night. We have heard no official communication but we understand there are more concerns about the conduct of the girls and that has affected the boys too,” one Badgers official shared.

Badgers had to play defender Julius Sseruyange in goal and in some moments in the first half he looked a natural as he kept Originals at bay.

However, at the start of the second half, Badgers’ 10-men recollected and a little wave of pressure resulted into a couple of penalty corners. Originals’ keeper Bosco Ochan protested against one and was suspended for five minutes.

Harold Ntale capitalized with his signature slap shot to get the opening goal of the game for Badgers in the 36th minute. This time it was helped towards goal after taking a deflection off Originals runner Joel Muwanguzi’s stick.

Originals’ positive reaction paid off immediately. Habib Sewava fed the ball into Faustine Ojangole, who was playing as a forward. OJ as he is popularly known, froze the defence as he shaped to hit then made a calculated finish at the near post to make it 1-1 in the 37th minute.

From there on, both sides had their chances to win it. Originals were undone by their poor finishing upfront while Ochan returned inspired from his suspension to stop every kind of attack, especially from penalty corners, that Badgers conjured up.

Badgers remain 6th on 21 points – just three points ahead of Originals and two behind 5th-placed Rockets.

Earlier, Thunders relied on second half braces from Swabur Kizito and Robert Lubangakene to beat 9th-placed Weatherhead Titans 4-1 and rise to fourth with 24 points. Andrew Bisoborwa got the latter’s consolation with about four minutes to play.

Meanwhile, a scheduling mix-up with National Council of Sports (NCS) forced Uganda Hockey Association (UHA) to postpone Sunday’s matches to Independence Day – October 9.

Weatherhead were due to meet Rockets while leaders Wananchi were to play Makerere University, and Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) Stallions eyed a goal-fest against bottom-placed Wananchi Wabalozi.

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

Results

KHC Originals 1-1 Badgers

Thunders 4-1 Weatherhead Titans

Men’s Table

Wananchi 14 13 1 0 152 19 40

KHC Stallions 14 10 3 1 85 19 33

Weatherhead 14 10 2 2 118 17 32

Thunders 15 8 0 7 53 46 24

Rockets 14 7 2 5 50 43 23

Badgers 15 6 3 6 57 36 21

KHC Originals 15 5 3 7 37 73 18

Makerere University 14 3 1 10 18 63 10

Weatherhead Titans 15 2 1 12 24 73 7

Wananchi Wabalozi 14 0 0 14 4 211 0

‘Jinja makes yet another statement this early! Yes, this is not just any other election, it is a revolution,’ read a post by Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, on his X social media handle shortly after launching his campaign rallies for the 2026 General Election from Jinja City, Busoga Sub-region, yesterday.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) party presidential candidate drew multitudes of crowds, paralysing Jinja City for the better part of the day. Speaking at Kagoma Town Council in Jinja District, Mr Kyagulanyi told thousands of enthusiastic supporters that a NUP-led government would prioritise the economic empowerment of ordinary citizens, especially those in historically marginalised regions like Busoga. He said the area had suffered decades of exploitation and government neglect.

He noted that Busoga is one of the country’s leading regions in sugarcane farming, yet farmers are consistently paid low prices for their produce, leaving them trapped in poverty. He accused the government of letting sugar millers exploit farmers by offering them low prices for their produce. ‘I will help you get out of economic slavery when we take power,’ Mr Kyagulanyi declared. ‘You have resources, you work hard, but you remain poor. That must change. We can work this out together,’ he said. Mr Kyagulanyi’s manifesto centred around 11 key priorities. He promised to create 10 million jobs, end corruption and establish constitutionalism and the rule of law. The jobs, he said, would leverage tourism at 25.3 percent, manufacturing at 60 percent, as well as sports and creative economy at 14.7 percent.

The other areas included reducing government expenditure by cutting down the number of administrative units, consolidating national unity and rehabilitating war-torn areas. Mr Kyagulanyi also talked about creating equal access to health, education, water, energy, and public infrastructure. On education, he promised to establish school feeding programmes as well as boost agriculture to ensure food security. He also condemned the government’s aggressive deployment of security forces on water bodies, saying fishermen have been pushed off the lakes-robbing communities of their primary source of income. ‘This region has fertile land and abundant water bodies, but people are starving. It’s not a lack of resources, it’s poor leadership and exploitation,’ he said.

Mr Kyagulanyi also raised concerns over the state of political freedoms in parts of Busoga, specifically where he claimed residents face intimidation for supporting Opposition parties. Mr Kyagulanyi promised that if elected, his government would restore the political and civil rights of all Ugandans, regardless of their affiliations. ‘You deserve a government that listens, not one that silences you,’ he said. Mr Kyagulanyi added that Waiswa Mufumbiro, a ‘son of the soil’ who should have welcomed them to Busoga, is currently in prison. Mr Waiswa, who plans to contest for a parliamentary seat in Nakawa Division, Kampala, was arrested alongside more than a dozen other NUP supporters. They are accused of taking part in an unauthorised meeting, which authorities say was meant to train participants in ‘military exercises, movements and evolutions,’ an offence under Section 45(1)

(b) of the Penal Code Act.

Throughout his address, Mr Kyagulanyi called on the people of Busoga to rise above fear and vote for leadership that prioritises their dignity, rights, and economic wellbeing. He emphasised that under NUP, development would not be reserved for a select few but distributed fairly across all regions. The musician-cum politician also promised to stop land grabbing and guarantee land rights. On governance, Mr Kyagulanyi focused on empowering regional and local governments, while strengthening international ties and positioning the diaspora as a strategic asset to his government. The launch in Kagoma marks the beginning of a nationwide campaign trail that Kyagulanyi says will focus on grassroots communities and building a new Uganda from the bottom up.

Bobi paralyses Jinja

Excitement and anticipation gripped parts of eastern Uganda as hundreds of enthusiastic supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) gathered along the Jinja-Kamuli highway to welcome party president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. The crowd, largely made up of youth, women, and boda boda riders, braved the scorching sun and lined the roadside hours before Kyagulanyi’s expected arrival, waving party flags and chanting slogans of change. The crowds started swelling along Kayunga Road, the route that Mr Kyagulanyi used to access Jinja from Kampala. Many wore red berets and NUP-branded attire as a show of solidarity and unwavering loyalty to the Opposition leader.

The atmosphere was electric, with drums, vuvuzelas, and music adding to the growing anticipation. During the last election cycle, which was a virtual one due to movement restrictions associated with Covid-19, over 50 people were killed in shootings and suffocation. This was after spontaneous riots engulfed Kampala City and major urban centres, following the violent arrest of Mr Kyagulanyi in Luuka, one of the districts in the Busoga region, during his campaigns there. Yesterday, the heavily deployed security personnel remained unobtrusive, though they diverted some of the supporters when they reached Jinja Bridge, with some opting to use murram roads to access the campaign rally venue, leaving them covered in dust.

The 2025 Masaza Cup quarter-finals kicked off with a flurry of action, leaving three counties with a vital advantage going into the return legs.

Kyaggwe secured the most comfortable lead, dispatching Ssese 2-0 at home in Mukono. David Mugalu broke the deadlock in the 20th minute and James Matege sealed the victory with a stunning strike in the 88th minute.

Kyaggwe coach, Simon Peter Mugerwa, whose side were losing finalists last year, is determined not to squander the first-leg edge.

“Two-nil is a good foundation, but nothing is decided yet. We played with a champion’s mentality and got the job done. The key now is composure; we will not let this advantage slip away in the return leg,” Mugerwa said.

Despite the loss, Ssese coach Edirisa Walusimbi remains hopeful about the return leg on Saturday at Lutoboka.

Ssese, who finished bottom of their group last year, are aiming to at least match their 2021 quarter-final performance.

“It’s only half-time in the tie. We struggled defensively, but we are a different animal at home. Two goals is a challenge, but it’s a gap we can definitely overturn with the passionate support of our fans,” he said.

In another thrilling encounter, Bugerere claimed a narrow 2-1 victory over 2011 champions Buluuli. Mike Katumwa and Osman Mayanja were on target for Bugerere, while Okello Levis Barasa grabbed a crucial away goal for Buluuli.

Buluuli head coach Nasibu Mukasa is banking on that away goal to keep the tie alive.

“That away goal is a massive motivation for us. We’re going back to the drawing board to fix the defensive errors, and I have faith that we can turn this deficit around in the second leg,” Mukasa said.

Elsewhere, Buweekula secured a win, overcoming Busujju 1-0 thanks to a solitary goal from Shafiq Ssonko. Buweekula is desperate to break a recurring curse after losing five semi-finals in recent years. They will be looking to confirm their semi-final spot in the return leg in Mubende.

Battle of heavyweights

The most anticipated tie of the weekend ended in a goalless draw, with three-time champions Mawokota locking horns with two-time winners Ssingo.

The result means everything is to play for in the return leg on Sunday in Mityana. Mawokota will be hoping for a repeat of their 2013 success, where they defeated Ssingo in the final 1-0. The winner of this heavyweight clash will surely be considered a top contender for the title.

The tournament’s grand finale is scheduled for Saturday, November 1, 2025 at the Hamz Stadium in Nakivubo.

Masaza Cup

Results

Bugerere 2-1 Buluuli

Busujju 0-1 Buweekula

Mawokota 0-0 Ssingo

Kyaggwe 2-0 Ssese

Authorities in western Uganda are searching for six lions that escaped from Queen Elizabeth National Park and have been terrorizing residents near the Mubuku Irrigation Scheme in Kasese District.

The big cats reportedly killed three cows and are believed to be hiding in bushes around the scheme, prompting fear among locals who now avoid tending to their gardens.

‘Our team has been in the area tracking the lions to see whether they can return to the park or be chased back,’ said Bashir Hangi, spokesperson for the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

He confirmed that UWA has already paid Shs3.5 million to affected residents as a form of compassion and is guiding them on how to file formal compensation claims.

The lions invaded the scheme in the early hours of September 26.

Eyewitness Abdul Tushabomwe recounted: ‘At first, we heard a very strange roar, which was frightening. I immediately woke up and wanted to go outside, but when I checked through the window, I saw lions. They attacked the cows in their kraal. Of course, I could not risk going out to rescue them; I helplessly watched as the lions killed them.’

Residents say they fear even stepping outside their homes, with crops and livestock at risk.

James Masereka, a local farmer, said, ‘We largely depend on our gardens for food, but now we even fear checking on our crops because of the lions, which we suspect are still within the bushes. We request the Uganda Wildlife Authority to help us move them back where they belong. Otherwise, we are not safe.’

Another affected resident, Rusanganwa, 60, appealed for government support, citing lost income from his cows: ‘I was depending on my cows and their products, like milk, which I sold for income. Now my animals have been killed by lions that earn the government money through tourism. I request that the government compensate me so that I can also survive.’

Police have warned residents to remain vigilant, particularly during early morning and evening hours, and to secure livestock at night.

‘Someone walking alone can easily become prey to lions. That is why we caution people against moving alone not only in the early mornings or evenings, but also in isolated places at any time. For school-going children, our request to parents is that they escort them to school so that these wild animals do not harm them,’ said SP Nelson Tumushime, Rwenzori East Regional Police spokesperson.

Authorities continue to monitor the area, urging residents to report any lion sightings to UWA or local security officials.

High Court in Kampala has been asked to intervene in a dispute between the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the government after the opposition party was excluded from receiving statutory political party funding.

NUP, through its Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, filed an application for judicial review challenging a directive by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs dated August 25, 2025.

The directive instructed the Electoral Commission to disburse funds to six political parties, excluding NUP, on grounds that they were not recognised members of the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD).

In its motion, NUP seeks several remedies, including declarations that ‘the minister’s directive was illegal, ultra vires, irrational, unlawful, procedurally improper, and null and void.’

The party also wants the court to compel the Electoral Commission to release funds to it and issue an injunction restraining authorities from enforcing the directive.

Rubongoya, in a sworn affidavit, told court that NUP has been receiving quarterly statutory funding since the 2021/2022 financial year under Section 14 of the Political Parties and Organisations Act.

He argued that as the second-largest political party in Parliament and an active member of the National Consultative Forum, NUP has a legitimate expectation to continue receiving the funds.

‘The Applicant has been unlawfully, unfairly and unjustifiably excluded by the respondents from all consultations regarding the operationalisation of the Amendment, as well as from the list of political parties entitled to statutory funds,’ Rubongoya stated.

He further said the exclusion has significantly affected the party’s day-to-day operations and preparations for the 2026 elections, including activities leading to the nomination of its presidential flagbearer Robert Kyagulanyi on September 23, 2025.

The Attorney General, representing government, appeared before Justice Collins Accellam on Monday and requested for two days to file a reply to the application.

NUP will then file a rejoinder on Friday, after which the case will return to court on October 10, 2025 for mention.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the Electoral Commission, led by Eric Sabiiti, the Commission’s head of litigation, and Hamidu Lugolobi, asked the court to dismiss the case with costs.

They argued that the application is fundamentally flawed and an abuse of court process citing incompetence, lack of merit, and a frivolous nature.

Sabiiti submitted that the applications were futile and have no chance of success adding that the relief sought was unconstitutional and beyond the High Court’s powers.

He further explained that decisions on political party funding are choices of the political parties themselves and that the balance of convenience favors implementing the statutory provision.

‘The court should dismiss the application,’ Sabiiti said, describing it as an unnecessary strain on the judicial process.

The controversy follows the Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Act, 2025, which introduced a requirement that only political parties belonging to IPOD are eligible for government funding.

NUP insists it has never been consulted about the statutory instrument to operationalise the law and has not been availed a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding that other parties are said to have signed to join IPOD.

On September 18, 2025, IPOD held a summit at Kololo Independence Grounds attended by the Democratic Party, Forum for Democratic Change, Uganda People’s Congress, Justice Forum (JEEMA), and the ruling National Resistance Movement.

At the meeting, President Museveni, who had served as IPOD Council chairperson, handed over leadership to Justice Minister Norbert Mao, the opposition Democratic Party president.

According to Rubongoya, NUP was neither invited to the summit nor involved in discussions on the sharing of statutory funds, despite its parliamentary strength.

Justice Accellam has set October 10, 2025 for mention of the case to determine whether the parties have complied with his directions.

Grief has engulfed South Sudanese refugees at Palabek Refugee Settlement Camp in Palabek-Ogili Sub-County, Lamwo District, after a lightning strike killed two refugees and left two others critically injured.

The deceased were identified as Ms Martha Ibalu, 50, a resident of Zone 7, Block 6, and Ms Tereza Eyei, 28, a resident of Zone 4, Block B. They were killed on Sunday afternoon while sheltering from a storm.

Reports indicate that the two women had gone to a nearby bush to burn charcoal when tragedy struck. They had sought shelter under a tree when they were hit by lightning.

Their bodies were taken to Puluda Health Centre III for post-mortem examination.

Two other victims, Mr James Lokiek, 39, a resident of Zone 4, Block 8, and Ms Elizabeth Amuna, 35, a resident of Zone 7, Block 6, survived but sustained serious injuries. They are receiving treatment at Paluda Health Centre III.

The September 28 incident brings the number of South Sudanese refugees killed by lightning strikes since November 2024 to 16, with 36 others injured.

On November 3, 2024, at about 5:30 pm, 14 refugees, 12 children and two adults, died after they were struck by lightning while seeking shelter from the rain at a UN World Food Programme (WFP) food distribution centre in Zone 8, Block 2. Another 34 were seriously injured in that tragedy.

Mr Joe Oloya, the Aswa East Region Police spokesperson, said the victims in Sunday’s incident were caught in the rain while in the bush.

‘It is alleged that on September 28, 2025, at around 4 pm, the victims went to Ajaogala village to burn charcoal. After a while, it started raining and they took cover under a tree where lightning struck them, two died on the spot and two survived,’ he said in a statement issued Tuesday evening.

He added that police detectives are investigating a case of sudden death by lightning.

With the threat of thunderstorms still looming, the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) has urged Ugandans to avoid using mobile phones during storms to reduce the risk of lightning strikes.

According to UNMA, the electric circuit in a mobile phone could attract lightning. The authority has issued the warning to help the public minimize risks.

Dr Bob Alex Ogwang, the Executive Director of UNMA, further advised Ugandans to put contingency measures in place to reduce the loss of life from such natural disasters.

Lightning is a powerful natural phenomenon caused by electrostatic discharges between charged regions in clouds or between clouds and the Earth, producing intense light and sound.

Speaking at Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital after touring the facility last week, the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, said it was because locals voted NRM-leaning leaders into office that they had ‘such a good hospital.’ She said Mukono Municipality, ‘which always votes for Opposition, doesn’t have such a health facility because [Betty] Nambooze doesn’t come to us to request such developmental projects.’ The prime minister’s utterance is quite unfortunate coming from a senior leader of government, which is charged with delivering equitable social services such as education and medical care to citizens countrywide irrespective of their religious, ethnic, and political affiliations.

The government does not need to wait for ‘requests’ to conduct its duties, which citizens pay a lot of money in taxes for. It is incumbent upon the government and its officials at all levels to ensure that all regions of the country have properly functioning schools, hospitals. Roads, bridges and ferries on water bodies must also be in good condition. Furthermore, access to clean water is a fundamental human right that the government should uphold. The responsibility also lies with the government to ensure the safety of the wananchi and their properties. These responsibilities must be fulfilled by the government irrespective of whether Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze, who is a member of the National Unity Platform, or any other top area leader has pointed out a shortcoming or not.

The government employs thousands of people who can easily alert it to challenges experienced by specific areas around the country. What the prime minister uttered recently is similar to remarks made by other National Resistance Movement (NRM) government officials over the years whenever people from areas led by Opposition-leaning leaders complain of poor social services. The disgruntled locals are derisively told that they are reaping the fruits of their choices, with government officials saying, things would have been better had they supported the NRM party.

This is unacceptable. People should not be deprived of services owed to them simply because they do not support the party in power. Being a member of the Opposition is not a crime. It should not be used as an excuse to deprive people of their rights and relegate them to second class citizens. We call upon all candidates– those affiliated with parties and independents– standing for the various positions, from the local government to the presidency, to bear in mind that if they are elected into office, they should treat all people equitably.

President Yoweri Museveni in a tweet on September 23, reassured Ugandans, ‘We are going to fight the theft of drugs at health centres [..] if immunisation has been successful, then all efforts can be effective as well’. The President’s remark mirrored the continued cries from the populace about theft of medicines at health facilities. The President’s concern, and that of the ordinary Ugandan, comes at a time the Government of Uganda has steadily increased the annual budget for National Medical Stores (NMS), a government agency mandated to buy, store, and distribute medicines and medical supplies to government health facilities at no cost.

These medicines, whether for malaria, HIV, maternal care, or childhood immunisation, are purchased and delivered by NMS to public health facilities free of charge, and should in turn be given out to patients at no cost. And yet, despite this huge investment, cries abound of shortage of medicines in health facilities occasioned by theft, patients asked to pay for health supplies provided free of charge by the government through NMS, or medicines being diverted at health centres to private clinics. This is theft. This is economic sabotage. It is not only a crime against government; it is a crime against every Ugandan whose life depends on those medicines. Every vial, every tablet, every kit that goes missing represents a life put at risk.

It is no longer about government not providing medicines, but more about unscrupulous actors robbing families of hope as soon as medicines are delivered at various health facilities across the country. To enhance transparency, all NMS delivery trucks are fitted with GPS trackers to monitor delivery of medicines up to the gates of health facilities in every corner of Uganda. Once dispatched from National Medical stores, an SMS alert is sent to MPs of the respective area, DHOs, RDCs, DISOs, the State House Health Monitoring Unit, plus all officers in charge of health facilities. This message includes a contact of the person receiving and verifying the consignment at the health facility.

The purpose is to ensure visibility and transparency from dispatch up to the delivery point and for stakeholders to verify deliveries real-time. After NMS delivers medicines to health facilities, the responsibility shifts to facility managers and local authorities to ensure that the medicines and health supplies delivered are efficiently utilised. Furthermore, the government has intensified the roll out of the Electronic Medical Records (EMR), a system that will create a traceable link between what NMS delivered and what was given out to patients. This is where the vigilance and participation of all Ugandans comes in because systems alone are not enough.

Beyond the government’s initiatives, the fight against theft of government medicines requires citizens, patients, parents, teachers, religious leaders, youth to stand up against theft and report any suspicious behaviour to the nearest police station or to the State House Health Monitoring Unit on 0800-200-447. To the extent possible, government medicines are now clearly labelled and easy to identify with a ‘Government of Uganda, not for sale’ or ‘UG’ label on every tablet.

National and district leaders, when you receive a dispatch and delivery SMS alert from NMS about medicines and health supplies, please, demand accountability from health workers; ask questions when you are told there are no drugs; demand delivery notes which show quantities and type of medicines and health supplies received. To the citizenry, refuse to buy government-labelled medicines. Report suspicious activity to authorities. Silence and indifference only embolden thieves. Lasting change will only come when every Ugandan understands that safeguarding government medicines is not the duty of a few. It is the responsibility of all of us.

At the beginning of every election season, it is amusing to see especially the media preparing the country for the election. It paints a picture that anticipates the possibility of a stiff and uncertain competition; full of tension and excitement. It ostensibly puts the incumbent President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at risk of losing his long-term grip on power. To lend gravitas to the election, the media forms all sorts of special desks, command centres, election coverage teams, and headlines or columns like ‘Decision time Uganda,’ or ‘Uganda decides,’ or ‘Your vote, your future,’ They arrange talk shows and interviews with experts of all walks of life analysing the election. NGOs come up with situation rooms focusing on the election. Opposition candidates are profiled and prominence is given to their strategies and intentions to ‘remove the dictator’ this time round.

They include voter mobilisation and vote protection measures. Yet in what appears like an anti-climax, at the end of the day and after all the mellifluous noise and drama, Museveni is announced winner by the Electoral Commission (EC.) The NRM party he heads takes the lion’s share of seats in parliament and the local councils, leaving the opposition crying fraud. This time round the situation will not be any different. Nothing much has changed in the context in which Ugandan general elections are held under the NRM, since the last election. The NRM is for all intents and purposes a state party. In many instances you can’t tell where the party ends and the state or the government begins. Many public servants are appointed because of their ethnicity and allegiance to the ruling party.

They behave like party officials shamelessly carrying out programmes intended to perpetuate the NRM in power and by extension, disadvantage the opposition. The election is merely a smoke screen whose outcome is predetermined. It is simply a ritual without spiritual connotations. It aims to portray the ruling party and president as democratic. It legitimises the government and its actions as representative of the people. For instance, an elected government, has the mandate to commit Uganda and its assets when borrowing from multilateral lending organisations like the World Bank. A military junta or unelected cabal is viewed as parochial without the power to speak and act for the majority.

The unfettered access to public finances, especially through corruption which noticeably increases towards an election, grants the NRM a war chest that makes the party competitively unassailable. It can even be used to buy off the opposition or create its own weak opposition parties to give the semblance of a competition. Then in many instances most government programmes financed by the taxpayer are portrayed as a favour from the NRM government. There is a concealed promise of more services if the people vote for the government and vice versa. The late John Nagenda once wrote that the people of northern Uganda did not deserve any government services because they did not vote for the NRM! Secondly, the EC which conducts the election is appointed by Museveni who is also a candidate in the election.

Even with all the aesthetics performed in long, black, branded gowns that give a magisterial look of people managing a free and fair process, the slant towards the incumbent and NRM is difficult to ignore. You have a legislature teeming with ruling party MPs. It’s speaker has made it abundantly clear that she serves for the pleasure and comfort of the president. She would never pass a Bill that disadvantages him. This coupled with opposition MPs who are held hostage to privileges like per diem means that you can hardly get meaningful laws from the legislature. Not even laws like electoral reforms that disadvantage the project to perpetuate the incumbent in power. The Judiciary is not very different. The appointments are by the President. He has made it clear at every opportunity that the best judicial officers are those who ‘understand’ the history of the country; the ones nicknamed ‘cadre judges.’

This history is crafted to show NRM as the best thing that has happened in this country since sliced bread. Museveni has always reacted angrily to judgements that don’t go the way he wishes. He has derogatorily advised that judges should concern themselves with matters of ‘who stole a chicken’ and not issues of management of the state. A lot of their actions suggest that they have understood him. The continued incarceration of very many opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters abducted and jailed without charge. Many have appeared in courts visibly tortured. The baseless denial of bail to Dr Kizza Besigye, Obeid Lutale and others says a lot about the Judiciary. It makes it unimaginable to assume that this institution in its current state can rein in the ruling party if the opposition sought relief in case of a bad election.

Like NRM began as a military movement, so it has remained albeit with minor tweaks. As is with the proverbial duck, NRM walks, talks and quacks like a military organisation. The national army and increasingly militarised police force is firmly in NRM’s grip and behave like enforcement departments within the party. They view threats to the NRM as threats to the country and defending the NRM as defending the country and vice versa. When doing so, the opposition is the enemy to be crashed. We have already seen police officers angrily tearing posters belonging to the opposition and opening fire where the people resist this awful behaviour. They take shelter under all sorts of misinterpretations of the law, especially the Public Order Management Act, to block the opposition from campaigning and reaching out to the electorate. Meanwhile, the NRM is escorted during processions and campaigns freely. In such an environment to speak of holding a free and fair election is outlandish and irresponsible.

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is quietly causing serious health problems in Uganda. Many people don’t even know they have it until it’s too late. It’s now one of the top causes of early death and disability in the country.

Hypertension can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and blood clots. It is much more common than many people think. According to a 2023 national health survey, about 22 percent of Ugandans have high blood pressure, that is more than four times the number of people living with HIV (five percent).

Many don’t know they have it

Experts at UMC Victoria Hospital and the Uganda Heart Institute (UHI) are especially concerned because most Ugandans have never had their blood pressure checked, especially men. Over 70 percent of men have never tested their blood pressure and don’t know if they have hypertension. Take John (not his real name), a 33-year-old who went for a routine check-up at UMC Victoria Hospital. He felt mostly fine but sometimes had irregular heartbeats after exercising, occasional headaches, and had gained a lot of weight in the past six months. He didn’t think anything was wrong.

But when his blood pressure was measured, it read 131/88, a sign of Stage 1 hypertension, and doctors found that some of the blood vessels in his heart were narrowing, increasing his risk of a heart attack. ‘I was shocked,’ he said. ‘The doctor advised me to start exercising more and eating healthier food, including more fruits and vegetables.’ John also shared that several family members, including his sister and relatives on his mother’s side, have had high blood pressure, one even died from complications.

Importance of early detection

Dr Barbara Kakande, a heart specialist at UMC Victoria Hospital, says it’s critical to detect high blood pressure early. ‘Normal blood pressure is about 120/80,’ she says. ‘If it goes above 130/80, that’s considered high.’ Even young people can have serious issues. ‘Sometimes people come in with normal blood pressure, but we find their kidneys are failing, or their heart is enlarged, or they’ve already had a stroke,’ she explains. To find hidden cases, doctors sometimes use 24-hour monitors that give a fuller picture than one-time checks.

What high blood pressure does

If left untreated, high blood pressure can harm nearly every part of the body. The brain can cause strokes, eyes may lead to blindness, heart can cause heart attacks, kidneys may stop working, in legs , poor blood flow can lead to amputation. Dr Kakande says each patient is different, so they investigate which organs are affected and adjust treatment accordingly.

What causes it?

One common cause of heart problems is atherosclerosis, when fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in blood vessels. This can block blood flow, cause clots, and trigger heart attacks or strokes. According to the STEPS survey, the prevalence of hypertension is 22 percent. Grading the prevalence of hypertension according to the International Society of Hypertension, the proportion of normal blood pressure was 64 percent, high normal blood pressure 14.7 percent, grade 1 hypertension 14.8 percent, and grade 2 hypertension 6.6 percent.

Signs and symptoms

Dr John Omagino, director of UHI, says symptoms may include: Headaches, dizziness, chest pain, blurred vision, shortness of breath But many people don’t have any symptoms at all. That’s why regular check-ups are so important. If a general doctor hears something unusual, like a heart murmur, they may refer patients for further tests like an echo-cardiogram, which uses sound waves to show how the heart is working.

Your genes might play a role

Dr Kakande says Africans are more likely to develop high blood pressure due to genetics. Some people naturally produce more harmful substances that tighten blood vessels, or fewer protective ones that relax them. Also, people born with small kidneys or low birth weight have a higher risk. Many individuals are also more sensitive to salt, which raises blood pressure.

Lifestyle

Our diets today are part of the problem. Dr Kakande says modern eating habits, like fried foods, chips, and fatty meats, are increasing the risk of hypertension.

She recommends going back to traditional meals: boiled foods, vegetables, and fruits, just like our parents used to prepare. Use healthy oils like olive or sunflower oil and avoid deep-frying. Cutting back on salt is also key because it increases water in the body, raising blood pressure and straining the heart.

Prevention and management

Dr Omagino, on the other hand, also emphasises exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight and managing stress. ‘For those already diagnosed, proper treatment prescribed by a qualified doctor, combined with healthy living, helps control blood pressure and protect vital organs. There is no miracle pill or single cure. Treatment is lifelong, and it must be individualised,’ he adds.