Category: Daily Monitor

A 20-year-old man has been arrested in Masindi District for allegedly attempting to bribe Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers during the ongoing recruitment exercise.

Emmanuel Kyakabaale Tayebwa, a resident of Kimengo Sub-county, was arrested on Tuesday at the Masindi District headquarters, where the UPDF recruitment team was conducting screening.

According to the recruitment team, Kyakabaale was initially disqualified after failing to produce his Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) certificate. He had presented only a Primary Seven certificate and a Senior Four pass slip.

He later presented a scanned copy of an Ordinary Level certificate on his mobile phone, but the verification team reportedly detected discrepancies between the names on his academic documents and those on his National Identity Card.

His National ID reportedly bears the name Emmanuel Kyakaale Tatwebwa, while his academic documents carry the name Kyakabaale Emmanuel.

Brigadier Rogers Kitwala, the Deputy Commandant of the Field Artillery Division in Masindi and leader of the recruitment team, said Kyakabaale allegedly offered Shs20,000 to four officers who were verifying applicants’ documents.

Kitwala said the applicant claimed the money was intended to buy the officers water.

The recruitment team arrested Kyakabaale and handed him over to Masindi Central Police Station for further investigations.

Kitwala warned recruitment applicants against presenting forged, altered or questionable documents, saying those found doing so would be arrested and prosecuted.

The arrest came amid a wider screening exercise in which dozens of applicants were discontinued over documentation, identification and medical concerns.

In Masindi, 120 professional candidates and 89 regular candidates had initially been shortlisted for recruitment. However, only 55 professional and 76 regular candidates turned up for the exercise.

Of the 55 professional candidates who appeared, 22 were discontinued, mainly for failing to present original academic certificates or because of discrepancies between their names and identification documents. Among the 76 regular candidates who appeared, 31 were also discontinued for various reasons, including suspected forgery.

More than 40 applicants were therefore eliminated during the exercise, with medical grounds also cited among the reasons for disqualification.

The UPDF plans to recruit 23 professional and 50 regular officers from Masindi District.

The recruitment exercise is being conducted across the Bunyoro sub-region, covering Masindi, Hoima, Kiryandongo, Buliisa, Kibaale, Kagadi, Kakumiro and Kikuube districts.

According to the UPDF, 599 people are expected to be recruited from the eight districts. The recruitment team has urged applicants to present genuine academic and identification documents and warned that attempts to influence officers through bribery or other means will attract criminal action.

Police in the Greater Masaka region are investigating two separate homicides after the body of a 16-year-old female student was recovered by the roadside in Masaka City, alongside another victim found dead in neighboring Kalungu District.

The deceased student has been identified as Rayati Nassali Nakato, a Senior Four candidate at Masaka Secondary School and resident of Nyendo Township.

Preliminary police reports indicate that Nakato departed her home around 10:00 am on Sunday, August 9, intending to collect academic revision materials from a friend’s home in nearby Kako Village. However, later that afternoon at approximately 4:30 pm, Nakato contacted her twin sister, Sharifah Babirye, to inform her that she had instead traveled to Nabugabo Sand Beach. Concern grew among family members shortly after when her phone switched off and remained unreachable.

The search ended tragically on Monday evening when residents traveling along the Nyendo-Kako Road-a route connecting to Nabugabo Sand Beach-stumbled upon the teenager’s body lying along the roadside.

Southern Regional Police Spokesperson Twaha Kasirye confirmed the incident, stating that homicide detectives have commenced formal investigations. He noted that preliminary examinations revealed visible bruises around the victim’s neck, raising strong suspicions that she may have been sexually assaulted before being murdered and her body discarded. Mr Kasirye urged parents to maintain close supervision over their children’s movements and avoid allowing minors to travel unaccompanied.

The brutal killing of Nakato adds to a troubling pattern of targeted violence and mysterious deaths recorded across the Greater Masaka region in recent months. Security agencies in the area have faced heightened scrutiny following a series of similar attacks where victims, particularly young women and night travelers, were intercepted, murdered, and dumped in isolated spots along major transport corridors.

In a separate but neighboring development, police in Kalungu District are probing the death of an unidentified man locally known only as Richard. The victim was last seen on Monday night at a local drinking establishment in Kapere Cell, Lukaya Town Council, before residents discovered his corpse dumped by the roadside early Tuesday morning.

Both bodies were subsequently conveyed to the Masaka Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem examinations as police intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators behind both incidents.

Uganda Revenue Authority has expanded mandatory use of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS) to manufacturers, miners, real estate firms, hotels, fuel stations, construction companies and other sectors, widening the digital tax net beyond value added tax (VAT)-registered taxpayers.

In a public notice published, URA said the requirement has already taken effect, beginning from July 1, and is additional to the existing EFRIS obligation for all VAT-registered taxpayers.

The directive covers 12 broad sectors that transact extensively with consumers, businesses and government.

The sectors include manufacturing; mining and quarrying; water supply, sewerage and waste management; electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply; construction; transport and storage; accommodation and food services; information and communication; real estate; professional, scientific and technical activities; arts, entertainment and recreation; and fuel retailing.

Passenger land transport providers, including taxis, boda-bodas, shuttles and buses, are excluded from this phase. Non-resident digital service providers already paying digital service tax are also excluded.

URA also provided relief for micro operators. Businesses in the listed sectors with annual turnover below Shs10m and taxpayers earning rental income below Shs2.82m annually are not required to issue electronic invoices or receipts, although they may use EFRIS voluntarily.

URA has also tightened documentation requirements. E-invoices and e-receipts issued for business purposes should carry the buyer’s Business Registration Number, National Identification Number or Taxpayer Identification Number.

In addition, businesses will not be allowed an income tax deduction for an expense unsupported by an electronic invoice or receipt where the supplier is required to use EFRIS.

Simon Kaheru, the East African Business Council Uganda Chapter chairperson, said expanding the tax base and strengthening compliance could reduce pressure on businesses that already meet their obligations while encouraging greater formalisation.

‘It is always good and sensible when governments widen the tax base and compliance measures,’ he said, noting: ‘That decreases the burden on the more compliant and also creates the atmosphere for more formality in business arrangements.’

He said reducing the informal economy should produce wider economic benefits, but warned that implementation must combine awareness with appropriate enforcement.

‘Decreasing the share of the informal economy will generally benefit us all from a macro-economic perspective,’ he said.

‘Now what we need is the right level of education or information building, along with appropriate enforcement that is not punitive but enhances the benefits of this formality.’

Kaheru added that EFRIS should not be treated as a stand-alone answer to tax administration challenges, but as one component of a broader digital infrastructure.

‘Overall, EFRIS is not a solution on its own but is part of a digital eco-system that should run like a machine with different parts all producing a result that works for us as an economy,’ he said. ‘There are still parts of this digital eco-system that are yet to be put to proper use, and we hope the government addresses this soon.’

Fuel industry players have also welcomed the expansion, saying it could create a more level playing field in a sector where cash transactions can be difficult to track.

Peter Ochieng, a regional oil marketing expert, said broader compliance could help prevent repeated tax increases on businesses that already pay their share.

He said fiscal receipts would also make it easier for motorists and companies to document fuel expenses for tax purposes.

Ochieng said mandatory electronic receipting could push oil marketing companies to compete more on customer service and other offerings rather than gaining an advantage through weak tax compliance.

He also pointed to real-time reporting as a way of improving accountability and reducing disputes between businesses and revenue authorities.

However, he said fuel retailers will need to invest in technology capable of issuing receipts during fueling and train pump attendants to operate the systems.

Similar technology is already used at service stations in Kenya, he said. Small-business representatives are more cautious about the compliance costs.

John Walugembe, Executive Director of the Federation of Small Scale Association of Uganda, said extending EFRIS to utilities and other sectors would give URA greater visibility over transactions and make it harder for taxpayers to under-declare income.

He said information from services such as water, sewerage and electricity could strengthen URA’s ability to compare consumption and transaction data with declarations. That could improve revenue collection, but it could also increase the cost and complexity of compliance for smaller enterprises.

Walugembe urged URA to provide targeted education, simplified tools and practical support before stepping up enforcement, warning that small firms may otherwise incur penalties because they lack the necessary devices or knowledge.

The concern echoes Kaheru’s call for enforcement that encourages businesses into the formal economy rather than punishing them before they understand the new requirements.

For affected companies, the immediate priorities are registration, staff training and system integration. Businesses with high transaction volumes, including hotels and fuel stations, may need point-of-sale integration, while construction and real estate companies handling large or irregular invoices will have to ensure their billing processes meet EFRIS requirements.

URA says taxpayers needing assistance can access resources through its portal.

The expansion marks another step in URA’s effort to deepen Uganda’s digital audit trail. Electronic invoicing is intended to reduce under-declaration, improve transaction traceability and strengthen documentation for tax claims.

The wider EFRIS net promises better visibility and potentially stronger collections for government. While for businesses, its success will depend on whether the technology works as part of a coherent digital system, and whether implementation balances enforcement with education, affordability and practical support.

The policy places technology at the centre of URA’s strategy to broaden compliance and improve revenue administration.

As more sectors enter the system, the central test will be whether EFRIS can bring more economic activity into the formal tax framework without creating barriers that discourage smaller businesses from formalising.

Despite hosting some of Uganda’s largest hydroelectric power stations along the River Nile, thousands of residents across the Busoga sub-region continue to live without access to grid electricity. The disparity has left local communities reliant on candles and kerosene lamps, effectively crippling businesses and essential social services that depend on reliable power.

The region hosts major power installations, including the Kiira and Nalubaale power stations in Jinja. However, the energy generated locally has failed to reach many surrounding communities, creating a stark paradox for residents who watch power travel past their doorstep to other parts of the country.

The economic and social toll of this energy deficit was highlighted during a recent thanksgiving ceremony for Bugweri County Member of Parliament Sadala Wandera. Local leaders and community members seized the occasion to demand answers from government officials regarding the persistent lack of grid extensions in their villages.

Ms Zulaika Nayumbwe, the village chairperson for Bubenge, urged immediate intervention from key stakeholders, noting that decades of waiting have severely hindered local development. She stressed that access to electricity is no longer a luxury, but a basic requirement for youth employment through ventures like hair salons, maize mills, and food preservation.

Echoing her concerns, Mr Grace Tenywa, a Bubenge resident, explained that the absence of refrigeration prevents young entrepreneurs from operating butcheries or cold-storage enterprises. He emphasized that extending the national grid is essential for empowering the youth to establish sustainable livelihoods rather than remaining unemployed.

The power deficit extends beyond small enterprises, actively hampering basic healthcare delivery in rural areas. Mr Nelson Ojore, the assistant in-charge of Bubenge Health Centre II in Igombe Sub-county, Bugweri District, revealed that the facility struggles to perform routine procedures due to a lack of power for equipment sterilization. Furthermore, the absence of electricity prevents the health center from operating efficiently at night, creating life-threatening delays for patients seeking emergency care.

The situation is equally dire in neighboring districts like Namayingo, Luuka, and Mayuge. Ms Winfred Nabirye, a resident of Kifuyo A village in Namayingo District, shared how her daily life relies entirely on candles, preventing her from preserving food or starting a enterprise. In Luuka District, residents from areas including Ndoya, Wadago, and Buwaiswa are forced to travel long distances to towns like Iganga or Budhabangula just to charge mobile phones, grind maize, or visit a salon. Mr Paul Byakika, a resident of Luuka, noted that his plans to open a stationery shop and a maize mill remain stalled because power lines do not reach his village.

Addressing the gathering, MP Sadala Wandera acknowledged that rural electrification remains a critical gap across Bugweri and the broader sub-region. He attributed recent delays in grid extension to the ongoing rationalization and merger of state electricity agencies, which caused some contractors to halt work mid-project. However, Mr Wandera reassured residents that he has engaged the Ministry of Energy, which plans to deploy surveyors to map out unserved villages before resuming installation work. He emphasized that reliable electricity is vital if rural farmers are to add value to their agricultural produce and meaningfully join the commercial economy.

In response, the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Ms Rukia Isanga Nakadama, confirmed that the government is actively working to resolve the power backlog nationwide. She clarified that the temporary pause in rollout was caused by restructuring within the energy sector, where entities like the Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL), Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL), and Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) were consolidated to streamline operations and optimize funding. Ms Nakadama assured residents that full-scale grid extension has resumed and every village will eventually be covered.

Supporting the push, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Jacob Oboth-Oboth, who served as the chief guest at the event, pledged parliamentary backing for legislators advocating for power extension in their constituencies. He reiterated that electricity access is foundational to improving education, healthcare delivery, and overall economic performance across off-grid communities.

According to a research study published on ScienceDirect, Uganda’s national electricity generation capacity has expanded significantly from 609.4MW in 2012 to over 2,000MW. Despite this growth, total national access remains low at roughly 25.3 percent, with rural coverage dropping to just 9.1 percent.

Data from the 2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics national census underscores deep rural-urban disparities within Busoga itself. While urban centers like Jinja City recorded a grid connectivity rate of 67.8 percent among households, rural districts lag far behind. In Buyende District, only 2.5 percent of households utilize grid electricity for lighting, followed by Bugiri at 12.7 percent, Mayuge at 13.8 percent, and Kamuli at 16.1 percent.

To address these nationwide gaps, the government is leveraging funding from the Uganda Rural Electricity Access Project (UREAP), backed by the African Development Bank under the broader African Development Bank and World Bank “Mission 300” initiative. Following the completion of its first phase, which connected over 137,000 households, approval was granted for UREAP Phase II. The Shs453.7 billion project involves constructing thousands of kilometers of medium and low-voltage distribution networks to connect an estimated 259,000 new customers, including households, small businesses, schools, and health facilities across the country.

For over three decades, residents living around Katyobona Private Forest Reserve and Kagombe Forest Reserve in Kagadi District, have lived at the centre of a growing human-wildlife conflict.

Chimpanzee attacks have become a recurring threat, with several residents killed and many others injured as the animals increasingly venture out of the forests into gardens, homesteads and trading centres in search of food and shelter.

Local leaders and environmental conservationists attribute this to the degradation and fragmentation of forests due to human activities, including encroachment and also conversion of forestland into farmland.

They warn that continued destruction of the remaining forest cover will intensify the human-chimpanzee conflict, adding that conservation and habitat restoration measures must be speedily implemented.

Mr Patrick Abigaba, the Kagadi District Forestry Officer, said forest encroachment remains a challenge despite the intensified restoration and reforestation initiatives to recover degraded forest areas.

‘Forest encroachment has been a repeated case. However, as a district, we have tried to curb it. About 60 percent of the Kagombe Forest Reserve has been restored, in addition to about 40 percent of private forests,’ he said.

The villages that have recorded most of the attacks include Kahyooro A, Kahyooro B, Kijojo Nyamiiti, Karuswiga and Kyamajaka in Muhorro Town Council and Muhorro Sub-county.

In some of the affected areas, sections that were once covered by forest have been cleared and converted into agricultural land for food and cash crops.

The latest reported attack occurred on May 16, when a chimpanzee emerged from Katyobona Forest and attacked four-year-old Prisca Kengonzi, a daughter of Mr Isaac Gumisiriza, a resident of Karuswiga Village.

The child was reportedly playing alone in the family compound when the chimpanzee attacked her.

It inflicted serious injuries to her head and chest and fractured her left leg before fleeing as residents rushed to intervene.

In October 2025, another child identified as Miracle Ngonzize of Kahyooro B village was killed by a chimpanzee from Katyobona Forest.

For conservationists, such incidents demonstrate the consequences of shrinking wildlife habitats. They have called for tough penalties against people who destroy the environment.

Mr Abigaba said about Shs20 million has been spent on purchasing tree seedlings for reforestation, although he noted that the natural resources sector remains underfunded.

According to him, only about Shs40 million is allocated to natural resources in the district budget. Mr Abigaba said communities could coexist with chimpanzees if residents adopted practices that reduce confrontation with the animals.

Ms Leoniya Tibyanjururwa, the LC1 chairperson for Karuswiga East in Muhorro Town Council, said children and other community members have been among the victims, while domestic animals such as goats have also been attacked.

‘I recall that three children were killed and nine critically injured, including my two siblings and others whom I no longer remember. To my dismay, reports were made, but no permanent measures have been put in place. Domestic animals like goats have also been attacked,’ she said.

Ms Tibyanjururwa called for stronger government intervention, including protection and restoration of the remaining forest cover.

She said most residents depend on their small plots of land for their livelihoods, adding that they have not deliberately encroached on the forest, although they collect firewood and medicinal plants from the surrounding areas.

Mr Kutesa Swale Kadoma, an environmental conservationist and founder of Friends of Chimpanzees in Kagadi, said about 100 people have been attacked by chimpanzees over the past 30 years, with seven deaths recorded.

He said the conflict dates back to the 1990s and has continued as forest habitats continue to come under increasing pressure from human activities.

Mr Kadoma estimates that the forest once covered about 2,000 hectares but has been reduced to approximately 15 hectares because of encroachment and conversion of forestland into farmland.

‘People have destroyed forests for maize growing, sugarcane and other food crops. The fact that chimps have to leave, they move around looking for food. Unfortunately, forests where they could search for food were destroyed, forcing movement,’ he said.

The loss of forest cover has therefore created what conservationists describe as a habitat squeeze, a situation where wildlife populations are confined to increasingly smaller and fragmented areas, while human settlements and agricultural land continue to expand.

Mr Kadoma said intact forests can provide chimpanzees with food, shelter and space, reducing their need to enter human settlements.

He said Friends of Chimpanzees has continued distributing indigenous tree seedlings to community members as part of efforts to restore degraded habitats.

Mr Simon Karungi, a local conservationist, said the destruction of wildlife habitats has implications beyond the immediate conflict between communities and chimpanzees.

He said wildlife is an important component of Uganda’s tourism economy and that the degradation of natural habitats could undermine the country’s conservation and tourism objectives.

‘Uganda is reaping big from the tourism sector. If tourist attractions are threatened, the country is also losing,’ he said.

Chimpanzees are among Uganda’s important wildlife species, attracting tourists interested in primate tracking and nature-based tourism.

Since this year began, the district leadership, led by Ms Caroline Nanshemeza, the resident district commissioner, has waged war against all encroachers in the district, issuing a stern warning, urging them to vacate wetlands immediately or face arrest.

Mr Fredrick Ataho Barisanyuka, the district councillor representing Muhorro Town Council, said the Uganda Wildlife Authority has acquired about 30 acres of land as part of efforts to restore forest cover and address human-wildlife conflict.

‘To reduce the reported cases of chimpanzee attacks, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has already compensated about 17 homesteads, securing 30 acres of land for forest cover restoration,’ he said.

The failure of a business often represents the end of a dream for many entrepreneurs. Savings vanish, debts grow, and confidence wanes, causing reluctance to try again.

However, prominent business leaders and economists who spoke to Monitor argue that failure shouldn’t signify finality. They assert it can be ‘a magic bullet’ that empowers entrepreneurs to build stronger businesses by avoiding past mistakes.

Mr Charles Ocici, the executive director of Enterprise Uganda, advises entrepreneurs to establish whether the setback was caused by a wider economic crisis, loss of a major customer, financial problems, or the departure of a key employee before deciding how to rebuild.

Where the setback is caused by a wider crisis such as Covid-19 or Ebola, Mr Ocici advised entrepreneurs not to wait indefinitely for an external solution, but to look for measures within their control.

‘It’s not the death of a business, but you need to find out what made you lose ground. Entrepreneurs should not wait indefinitely for an external solution, but rather look for measures within their control,’ he said.

Avoid negative thinking

For businesses facing financial distress, he advised entrepreneurs to be honest about their financial position and propose solutions they can realistically fulfil instead of looking for shortcuts to escape their obligations.

‘Honesty can help an entrepreneur regain the confidence of creditors and business partners and create room for a second chance.

For businesses affected by the loss of key employees, he recommended finding temporary solutions while searching for permanent replacements, including reorganizing existing staff or bringing in consultants.

‘Business people should desist from blaming circumstances entirely for their predicament. Negative thinking can prevent them from identifying possible solutions, acknowledging the crisis, and understanding its cause towards recovery,’Ocici noted.

His advice comes as many entrepreneurs face the difficult decision of whether to abandon business after a setback or attempt to rebuild.

Business survival rate

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as of 2026, Uganda’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) dominate the economy, accounting for about 90 percent of the private sector, contributing roughly 75 percent to GDP and employing over three million people.

However, most operate informally given that Uganda’s informal economy accounts for 54.5 percent of GDP and 92 percent of employment; in addition, small business survival rates remain modest, with many struggling beyond the first few years.

Businessman Captain Mike Mukula says setbacks are an inevitable part of entrepreneurship, noting that fear of failure is both psychological and financial.

“Anybody who has not failed or made mistakes in business is not a businessman. Business is about making mistakes, learning from those mistakes and becoming better,” Mukula said.

For some entrepreneurs, he explained, the trauma of losing a business discourages them from trying again, while others simply lose all their capital through poor planning, excessive taxes, bad weather, accidents, market shocks or stiff competition.

“Business is about critical thinking, strategic thinking, and never giving up. Keep going because there is always light at the end of the tunnel,” he advised.

Mukula also urged entrepreneurs to seek mentors instead of trying to navigate business challenges alone.

“In business, you need mentorship all the time. You cannot do it alone. You need guidance, and you need to think outside the box; better still, remove the box altogether,” he said.

He further encouraged entrepreneurs to diversify their sources of income instead of depending on a single business.

“In economies like ours, you need multiple revenue streams. Have daily income, monthly income and annual income. Balance your business by increasing income, reducing expenditure and reinvesting your profits,” he said.

Business magnate Sudhir Ruparelia, the chairman of the Ruparelia Group, offers an example of starting afresh. After spending 13 years in England, where he had acquired four houses, he returned to Uganda in 1985 despite his family’s fears following the 1972 expulsion of Asians.

Mr Ruparelia, one of the wealthy entrepreneurs, explained that a recovery plan begins by identifying the core issues of the crisis and then merges short-term cost and cash flow strategies with long-term strategic adjustments to achieve stability and growth.

To speed up recovery and avoid what he called ‘a recurring pattern of business failure,’ the businessman advises struggling entrepreneurs to set clear recovery goals and avoid reckless borrowing. The property mogul narrates how he came back with about $25,000 in capital and began with a modest business selling salt before expanding into beers, wines and soft drinks, laying the foundation for one of Uganda’s largest business empires.

‘Entrepreneurs should sometimes have to make difficult decisions, accept uncertainty and start with available resources before growing their businesses,’ Mr Ruparelia added.

Business failure diagnosis

Economist Enock Nyorekwa Twinoburyo from Makerere University said entrepreneurs should first understand why their businesses failed before attempting another venture.

“It is important to know where you are coming from and where you failed. Was it the policy environment? Was it poor operations management? Was it financial management? Those lessons are important before restarting,” he said.

According to Nyorekwa, business and financial literacy remain among the biggest weaknesses affecting many small and medium enterprises.

He said many entrepreneurs keep poor records, mix personal and business finances, fail to plan for taxes, and fall into cash-flow traps by extending excessive credit to customers without proper due diligence.

“Failure should become a learning opportunity. You pick yourself up, but you should not repeat the same mistakes that caused the business to fail in the first place,” he noted.

Nyorekwa added that not all business failures result from poor management. Some are triggered by broader economic conditions such as recessions, trade disruptions or sudden policy changes.

He cited businesses that depended heavily on exports to Rwanda during the border closure, saying many suffered losses and later recovered only after diversifying into new markets.

Others, he noted, struggle because they rely on expensive informal loans, making it difficult to generate sustainable profits.

Experts say while no entrepreneur should plan to fail, the ability to analyse setbacks, adjust business strategies and start again often distinguishes businesses that survive from those that disappear permanently.

The acting chairperson of the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), Issa Ssekitto, said many businesses fail not because opportunities are lacking, but because entrepreneurs neglect basic business principles such as accountability and prudent financial management.

“Accountability is the foundation of every successful business. If you cannot account for your money, your stock and your operations, it becomes very difficult for the business to survive,” he said.

Ssekitto urged entrepreneurs to avoid relying on unsecured loans to finance their businesses, warning that such borrowing often leaves businesses struggling with expensive repayments before they become profitable.

He added that while risk-taking is central to entrepreneurship, it should be informed by planning and market knowledge rather than speculation.

“Business is about taking risks, but they must be calculated risks. Every successful entrepreneur has taken risks, but they first understood the market, planned properly and remained disciplined,” he said.

A Canadian national accused of obtaining Shs5.5 billion in a fraudulent gold deal has asked court for bail, with his lawyer saying his continued detention is worsening his health and could frustrate efforts to pursue reconciliation with the complainant.

Michel Faille, 64, a Canadian consultant, appeared before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa on Wednesday as the prosecution indicated it was ready to proceed with hearing of the case.

However, State Attorney Grace Amy told court that she had been informed by counsel on state brief that Faille wanted to pursue a plea bargain.

‘The matter is fixed for hearing, but I have been informed by the counsel on state brief that the accused wants a plea bargain. We seek for an adjournment to peruse this,’ Ms Amy said.

Defence lawyer Calvin Namara, however, told court that the defence wanted to pursue reconciliation and sought a short adjournment to allow him to apply for bail for his client.

Mr Namara said Faille was suffering from prostate cancer and arthritis, arguing that his continued detention and further remand were taking a toll on his health.

‘We need a short adjournment to enable us apply for bail for our client if reconciliation is to be considered,’ Mr Namara told court.

The request prompted the magistrate to ask the complainant Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur whether any reconciliation efforts had already begun.

The complainant told court that he had personally gone to prison to see Faille, but the accused had declined to reconcile.

‘No. I went to prison to see that man, but he said he was not interested in reconciliation. Let the matter go on,’ the complainant said.

The State also questioned the basis of the proposed reconciliation, saying the defence appeared to be seeking bail first and intending to begin talks afterwards.

‘They want bail and get out to start reconciliation process,’ Ms Amy told court.

The magistrate asked whether any talks had already started.

The complainant responded: ‘No talks.’

With no reconciliation process underway, the State told court that it was ready to disclose its evidence and have the case fixed for trial.

Chief Magistrate Kidasa then asked Faille whether he was also willing to pursue reconciliation.

The accused appeared uncertain about the process.

‘I don’t know what reconciliation is,’ Faille told court.

His lawyer explained that he had only received instructions from the accused the previous day and needed more time to consult him.

‘We received instructions yesterday, and we need a day to talk to him,’ Mr Namara said.

The magistrate consequently adjourned the matter to August 20 for hearing and consideration of the bail application.

Faille is facing charges arising from an alleged gold transaction in which prosecutors accuse him and others still at large of obtaining $1.5 million (about Shs5.56 billion) from Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur between July and October 2025.

According to the prosecution, the accused allegedly falsely claimed they would facilitate the shipment of 16 tonnes of gold to Dubai, but the transaction never materialised.

Faille is also accused of illegally dealing in minerals after allegedly being found in possession of 740 kilograms of suspected gold nuggets in Kololo, Kampala, without a valid mineral dealer’s licence, contrary to the Mining and Minerals Act, 2022.

Faille, who has been residing at Mestil Hotel in Nsambya, denies the charges.

National rowing coach Batenga Nakisozi described Uganda’s campaign at the 1924 Pharoes Trophy in Oeiras, Portugal last month as valuable.

The event is one of the leading international Beach Sprint rowing regattas and brings together many of the world’s top coastal rowing athletes.

Uganda was represented by Elijah Namunyu in the senior men’s coastal single (CM1x) and Marcel Otim in the junior men’s coastal single (CJM1x).

Namunyu competed against a highly competitive field as he continued his development towards the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. The regatta, where he eventually ranked 44th out of 66 athletes, served as an important benchmark against world-class opposition.

After opening the competition with a time of 2:54.397, Namunyu responded impressively in the second time trial, improving by 8.624 seconds to record a personal best of 2:45.773.

“The performance reflected significant technical adaptation, improved race execution, and growing confidence in challenging Atlantic Ocean conditions,” Nakisozi said as the rower recorded gainful experience in critical elements of beach sprinting like steering, navigation, tidal currents and open-water racing.

Namunyu has since started his preparations for the World Rowing Coastal Championships and the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals both due later this year in Qingdao, China.

Meanwhile, Otim had to immediately reset from Portugal to the August 6-9 World Rowing U-19 Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

But for him, both events are part of his preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games due October 31 – November 13. These will also be about beach sprints.

Otim demonstrated improved boat handling, steering and navigation between his two races, gaining important experience in race execution and coastal boat management.

From the Shah of Iran to Augusto Pinochet in Chile, from Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines to Hosni Mubarak and later Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Egypt, and from Suharto’s Indonesia to the enduring partnership with Saudi Arabia, the United States has repeatedly sided with regimes that advanced American security, economic, or geopolitical interests.

During the Cold War, anti-communism justified support for military governments across Latin America, East Asia, and parts of Africa. After 9/11, counterterrorism cooperation sustained ties with imperfect partners in the Middle East, South Asia, and the Horn of Africa.

This history is the necessary context for understanding the enduring United States-Uganda strategic relationship.

Uganda has supplied capable forces for nearly two decades to African Union missions in Somalia against al-Shabaab, received training, equipment, and logistics support from Washington, cooperated on regional counterterrorism, including against the Allied Democratic Forces, and engaged in substantial health co-investment.

Uganda’s readiness to contribute to an international stabilisation force in Gaza following an American invitation further illustrates the practical alignment.

In practice, sustained cooperation of this kind treats Uganda as a functional partner whose governance is sufficiently reliable for shared security and regional stability purposes.

Against this backdrop, Ugandan political elites and opposition figures who loiter in the United States seeking remedy for home-grown predicaments are taking shade under the wrong tree.

Figures such as Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) have spent time in Washington urging targeted sanctions, reviews of security assistance, and greater pressure on President Museveni and senior military figures after disputed elections and domestic political contestation.

Diaspora activists and lobbyists amplify these calls, petitioning Congress and administrations to use Magnitsky-style tools or condition aid. The hope is that American leverage will force internal political change that has proved elusive at home.

History and current practice suggest limited returns. The United States has long maintained relationships with governments whose domestic critics also sought refuge or advocacy in Washington.

When strategic value persisted, the partnerships largely continued, sometimes with periodic statements of concern, visa restrictions on individuals, or selective sanctions, but without wholesale abandonment of the relationship. American policy is not a court of appeal for resolving every country’s internal power struggles.

Domestic legitimacy, institutional strength, and political outcomes must ultimately be contested and settled within Uganda itself. External pressure can sometimes amplify costs, but it rarely substitutes for domestic political capacity.

What remains for those seeking remedy abroad is the hard work of building durable domestic coalitions, institutions, and narratives capable of competing effectively at home-while recognising that great powers prioritise their own interests.

Uganda’s cooperation with the United States on security and health does not erase governance shortcomings or human rights concerns that successive American administrations have noted. It does, however, demonstrate that Washington continues to find practical value in the partnership. That value, more than any abstract commitment to perfecting another country’s political system, has shaped American foreign policy for decades.

Those who expect the United States to act primarily as an enforcer of good governance in Kampala misread both the record and the incentives. Strategic partnership endures where interests align; political tours in Washington do not rewrite that logic.

A comprehensive environmental assessment of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA) has identified Namanve as the region’s most polluted zone, closely followed by Namuwongo, Bugolobi, Nakawa, and surrounding urban hubs.

The findings stem from a specialized study titled ‘Establishing an Air Quality (AQ) Monitoring Network for Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area,’ executed by Queenslands and Leeds Consulting Engineers to pinpoint the capital’s most hazardous pollution hotspots.

Presenting the report, Dr. Lammeck Kajubi of Queenslands and Leeds Consulting Engineers revealed that air quality across the metropolis is being heavily degraded by vehicular traffic. The revelation directly challenges the long-standing assumption that industrialization is the primary driver of Kampala’s dirty air.

According to Dr Kajubi, the sheer volume of daily road transport has shifted the environmental burden onto everyday traffic corridors. He noted that air quality across the GKMA is being significantly affected by vehicles, shifting the spotlight toward urban congestion rather than factory smoke.

The assessment results were officially presented during the release of the Third Annual Performance Assessment (APA3) report for the 2024/25 financial year, which tracks progress across the nine GKMA implementing entities.

As Kampala and its surrounding municipalities undergo rapid population growth and motorization, the report highlights a pressing public health concern for millions of residents who inhale hazardous emissions daily simply by moving around the city. The findings now put pressure on urban authorities to address transport management to safeguard public health across the capital.