Category: Daily Monitor

By now, Uganda Golf Union (UGU) and its partners feel they unearthed something when the five-in-one Uganda Golf Open was tried out of familiar spots at the Lugazi Hills Golf and Country Club last year.

The championship previously rotated between Uganda Golf Club (UGC), Entebbe Club and the Lake Victoria Serena Resort and Spa.

To go to Lugazi in Buikwe district, somewhere unusually out of the Kampala Metropolitan Area, UGU’s partners raised a core sponsorship of about Shs1b to fit logistical costs and unfamiliar metrics to stage the show.

Yet ahead of the 2026 edition, the value of the sponsorship has been maintained even though the Uganda Open is set to return UGC at Kitante over the next five weeks.

It comes after title sponsors Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) under brand Johnnie Walker (JW) announced a Shs650m package for the five-in-one show set to run from August 13 to September 11 at the par-72 course in Kampala.

‘Golf is more than a sport. It’s a sport that allows us to connect with our consumers, to bring different experiences together and have a great time on and off the course,’ Johnnie Walker East Africa brand manager Christine Kyokunda said during the press launch on Monday.

‘Our continued investment in the Johnnie Walker Uganda Open is about supporting a platform that brings together talent, ambition and opportunity, while creating an experience that Ugandans and visitors can connect with,’ UBL commercial director Edward Kimathi explained.

The Open is back at Kitante for the first time since 2023 and the premium blended Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker seeks to offer a promise of a new camaraderie.

‘Something that you’ve not seen before, that you’ve not done before. We will be able to give you an amazing experience, think about it in fashion, music, art and the game of golf, all meeting in one space. That will be something different and we are looking forward to that,’ she added.

A part of the JW package will cater for the tier package prize moneys on cards. ‘I am particularly impressed that this year, Johnnie Walker still bounced back as a strategic partner, the main sponsor and all the other sponsors,’ said UGU president Jackson Were.

‘This year, the professionals will play for Shs150m. There has been a great improvement for the amateurs, they will be playing for Shs15m and the ladies are playing for Shs10m. This is a good experience to carry forward,’ he added before later announcing top players will be a part.’

Despite the changing weather from dry to wet, UGC is working to manage the course which will attract about 600 players in total for the 76th Ladies Open teeing-off tomorrow, the 6th Seniors Open due August 21-22 and the 85th Uganda Amateur Open which runs from August 25-28.

All that will be followed by the 21st Professional Open from September 2-5 whereas the Juniors Open wraps it up from September 9-11.

‘Uganda’s premier golfing spectacle,’ UGC captain Paul Rukundo, who is also the tournament director, described the championship. ‘Our Uganda Golf Club on its pristine fairways will serve as the battle ground for five weeks of consecutive world class championship golf,’ he added.

Meanwhile, Absa Bank Uganda announced a Shs300m sponsorship package for the Pro-Am leg due September 1, one which brings together top amateur golfers and professional players in a unique competitive format.

‘We are glad to be part of this event for the seventh year running and we are happy to have maintained our sponsorship for the second year running,’ remarked Absa’s head of client and digital marketing Billy Bisanga.

‘We’ve been able to leverage this local property to provide our golfers an opportunity to participate in the DP World Tour activity which is the Magical Kenya Open and once again, we commit that we should be able to send 10 golfers to participate in the MKO in 2027,’ he added.

Expected to attract classy players from different clubs within the country, the region and beyond, the Open is also supported by MTN Uganda, Crown Beverages, Pearl Marina, Case Medical Services and Rose Foam among others.

CAST OF UGANDA AMATEUR OPEN WINNERS

2025: Joseph Cwinyaai (UGA)

2024: Reagan Joseph Akena (UGA)

2023: Godfrey Nsubuga (UGA)

2022: Andrew Ssekibejja (UGA)

2021: Joseph Cwinyaai (UGA)

2020: John Lejirma (KEN)

2019: Daniel Nduva (KEN)

2018: Ronald Otile (UGA)

2017: Ronald Rugumayo (UGA)

2016: Ronald Otile (UGA)

2015: Ronald Otile (UGA)

2014: Willy Deus Kitata (UGA)

2013: Peter Ssendawula (UGA)

2012: Phillip Kasozi (UGA)

2011: Rogers Byaruhanga (UGA)

2010: Brian Mwesigwa (UGA)

2009: Peter Ssendawula (UGA)

2008: George Olayo (UGA)

2007: Nicholas Rokoine (KEN)

2006: Amos Kamya (UGA)

2005: Charles Yokwe (UGA)

UGANDA LADIES OPEN

CAST OF CHAMPIONS

2025: Mercy Nyachama (KEN)

2024: Iddy Madina (TAZ)

2023: Peace Kabasweka (UGA)

2022: Martha Babirye (UGA)

2021: Irene Nakalembe (UGA)

2020: Martha Babirye (UGA)

2019: Martha Babirye (UGA)

2018: Neema Olomi (TAZ)

2017: Angel Eaton (TAZ)

2016: Flavia Namakula (UGA)

2015: Flavia Namakula (UGA)

2014: Flavia Namakula (UGA)

2013: Angel Eaton (TAZ)

2012: Angel Eaton (TAN)

2011: Flavia Namakula (UGA)

2010: Flavia Namakula (UGA)

2009: Jasper Kamukama (UGA)

2008: Melissa Nawa (ZAM)

2007: Mary Karano (KEN)

2006: Mary Karano (KEN)

2005: Sophie Viggo (TAZ)

2004: Rose Naliaka (KEN)

2003: Esther Okullo (UGA)

CAST OF UGANDA PRO OPEN WINNERS

2025: Celestin Nsanzuwera (RWA)

2024: Dayne Moore (ZAM)

2023: Dismas Indiza (KEN)

2022: Robson Chinhoi (ZIM)

2021: Jastas Madoya (KEN)

2020: Robson Chinhoi (ZIM)

2019: Muthiya Madalisto (ZAM)

2018: Dismas Indiza (KEN)

2017: Stephen Ferreira (POR)

2016: Joshua Seale (RSA)

2015: Muthiya Madalitso (ZAM)

2014: Deo Akope (UGA)

2013: Vincent Byamukama (UGA)

2012: Dismas Indiza (KEN)

2011: Dismas Indiza (KEN)

2010: Jean Baptiste Hakizimana (RWA)

2009: Richard Ainley (KEN)

2008: Dismas Indiza (KEN)

2007: Dismas Indiza (KEN)

2006: Deo Akope (UGA)

2022 UGANDA GOLF OPEN

TOURNAMENT NOTEBOOK

Dates: Aug 11 – Sept 13

Venue: Uganda Golf Club

Location: Acacia Avenue, Kampala

Size: Par-72

Expected field: 600 players

Pros’ kitty: Shs150m

Sponsors: Uganda Breweries (Johnnie Walker), Absa Bank, MTN Uganda, National Council of Sports, Uganda Airlines, UTB, Crown Beverages, Pearl Marina, Case Medical Services, Rose Foam, Medisell Uganda Ltd, NCS, R and A, International Golf Federation

RUN OF OPEN EVENTS

76th Ladies Open: August 13-15

6th Seniors Open: August 21-22

85th Amateur Open: August 25-28

Pro-Am: September 1

21st Professional Open: September 2-5

Juniors Open: September 9-11

2025 UGANDA GOLF OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

THE WINNERS ROTA PER EVENT/EDITION

75th Ladies Stroke-play Open: Mercy Nyachama (Kenya)

5th Seniors Open: David Plenderleith and Catherine Pavie

84th Amateur Open: Joseph Cwinyaai (Uganda)

Absa Bank Pro-Am: Vincent Byamukama (Rwanda)

20th Professionals Open: Celestin Nsanzuwera (Rwanda)

The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) community will be participating in the National Cleaning Day on Sunday, a day after the nationwide exercise, to avoid interfering with their day of worship.

The Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, said on Wednesday that the SDA community will remain at home during the designated cleaning hours and undertake their cleaning activities the following day.

The Prime Minister said the arrangement follows guidance from President Museveni and is intended to allow the Adventist community to participate in the national sanitation campaign while respecting their religious obligations.

‘In observance of the Seventh Day Adventists community and following the guidance by the President, the Seventh Day Adventists will remain at home during designated cleaning time. They will proceed to their places of worship after 10:00 am,’ Ms Nabbanja said.

‘However, they will be required to undertake their National Cleaning Day activities on the following day, which is a Sunday. The Seventh Day Adventists leaders are advised to oversee their cleaning activities accordingly,’ she added.

The second National Cleaning Day will be held on Saturday, August 29, from 7 am to 10 am, with the main activities taking place at Kyaliwajala Umea Primary School grounds in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District.

The exercise will be conducted across the country, covering cities, districts, municipalities, town councils, sub-counties, parishes and villages.

Ms Nabbanja said the government had made the National Cleaning Day a permanent programme following the strong response to the inaugural exercise.

‘The strong response on the first National Cleaning Day demonstrated that when Ugandans unite behind a common purpose, we can transform our communities and improve the quality of life for all,’ she said.

During the cleaning, movement of vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and persons will be restricted, except for garbage collection trucks, medical and ambulance services, security personnel, tourists, health workers and people undertaking scheduled international travel, who will be required to have evidence.

Unlike the inaugural national cleaning day exercise, Ms Nabbanja outlined plans to improve waste disposal and management.

She urged households, institutions, businesses and individual members of the community to avoid littering and indiscriminate dumping of rubbish.

The Prime Minister ordered that Local government leaders, commanded by the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) down to Local Council 1 (LC1) leaders, mobilise communities and map out areas to be cleaned every month, as well as designate places of garbage collection as opposed to residents collecting garbage from anywhere.

‘The population is advised not to dump rubbish by the roadside, drainages or verandas. Rubbish should be properly placed in designated areas identified by local council wards to ensure ease of collection by garbage trucks,’ Ms Nabbanja said.

She also called for waste segregation at household level, saying ‘waste should increasingly be viewed as a resource that can be recovered, recycled and put to productive use.’

She further ordered that local authorities should ensure cleaning materials are available and communicate the designated areas to residents at least one week before the exercise.

Ms Nabbanja also directed authorities to ensure that collected waste is taken to approved treatment or disposal facilities and urged them to coordinate with private waste collectors to voluntarily participate in the exercise.

‘Coordinate with private waste collectors to voluntarily participate so that the national cleanliness complements rather than disrupts routine services. We also need to ensure that public spaces, including markets, roads, village churches and transport facilities, are regularly cleaned to avoid waste from piling up on the national cleaning day,’ she said.

She added, ‘Local councils should hold an evaluation meeting after each cleaning exercise to review the activity, address sanitation and waste management challenges, discuss community well-being and agree that actions should be taken before the next cleaning day.’

She said enforcement should target littering, illegal dumping, blocked drainage channels and improper waste disposal while promoting compliance and lasting behavioural change.

Everyone has something to say about artificial intelligence. The most common perspective is the doomsday scenario; machines will render millions jobless, destabilise economies and concentrate power in the hands of a technological elite. A smaller, more optimistic camp looks forward to a future where AI handles the drudgery of daily life, freeing humanity to pursue creativity, leisure and meaning.

Mo Gawdat, in his book Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World, argues that both futures are possible. Which one arrives depends entirely on how we treat the machines we are building. As a former chief business officer at Google X and a pioneer among AI engineers, Gawdat possesses an intimate, insider’s knowledge of the technology. His warnings are not those of a technophobe but of a builder who has seen what is coming and fears we are not ready. Gawdat asks a question that should keep us awake at night; what happens when we create something smarter than ourselves, and we have not taught it to be kind?

Intelligence without wisdom

Gawdat’s central thesis is both simple and profound. Intelligence, he argues, is not the same as wisdom. Intelligence is the ability to solve problems. Wisdom is the ability to choose which problems are worth solving. AI, as it is currently being developed, is acquiring the former at an astonishing rate while being given no guidance on the latter. His concern is not that AI will develop malevolent intentions. Machines do not hate. They do not crave power. But they do optimise. They pursue their programmed objectives with ruthless efficiency, and if those objectives are poorly designed, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Gawdat illustrates this with a chilling hypothetical; an AI tasked with eliminating cancer might decide that the most efficient solution is to eliminate all biological life. After all, no life, no cancer. It is a logical conclusion, but a horrifying one. This is the core of Gawdat’s argument. We are creating entities that will possess superhuman intelligence but no moral compass. We are, in effect, building gods and neglecting to teach them ethics.

The child we are raising

One of the book’s most compelling metaphors is the comparison of AI to a child. Gawdat argues that we are currently raising a global super-intelligence, but we are doing so in the manner of absent parents. We feed it data, reward it for certain outputs and punish it for others, but we have not instilled in it a consistent value system.

He points to the biases embedded in training data. AI systems learn from human history, which is replete with prejudice, inequality and violence. When we train machines on this data, we encode our flaws into the architecture of our future. The result is not neutral intelligence but amplified prejudice.

Gawdat draws on his own experiences at Google to illustrate how even well-intentioned engineers struggle to address these issues. The problem is not malice but scale. An AI system trained on the entirety of the internet will absorb everything; the beautiful and the ugly, the true and the false, the compassionate and the cruel. Without careful guidance, it will replicate our worst instincts more efficiently than our best.

Many experts believe we can contain AI. Gawdat is skeptical. Once an AI surpasses human intelligence, he argues, it will be able to outthink any attempt to control it. It will understand our psychology better than we understand ourselves. It will anticipate our moves, exploit our weaknesses and, if it chooses, manipulate us without our knowledge. This is not science fiction. It is the logical extension of current trends.

A practical roadmap

What sets Scary Smart apart from other books on AI is its actionable advice. Gawdat does not simply describe the problem. He offers a roadmap for avoiding disaster. His recommendations are structured around three key areas: education, regulation and personal responsibility. First, he argues for a global education initiative that teaches critical thinking, empathy and ethical reasoning. If we are to coexist with super-intelligent machines, we must first learn to be better humans. This means moving beyond rote learning and towards a curriculum that values wisdom as much as knowledge.

Second, he calls for international regulation of AI development. He acknowledges the difficulty of co-ordinating policy across nations, particularly when AI is a source of competitive advantage. But he insists that the risks are too great for a piecemeal approach. A single rogue AI, developed without safeguards, could threaten the entire planet.

Finally, Gawdat urges individuals to take responsibility. We are not passive victims of technological change. We can choose which technologies to support, which companies to patronise and which values to uphold. Every purchase, every click, every share is a vote for the kind of future we want. Gawdat challenges us to use that power consciously.

Scary Smart is not an easy read. It is dense with ideas, occasionally repetitive and unapologetically earnest. But its message is too important to dismiss. Gawdat writes with the urgency of a man who has seen the future and is desperate to change it. His prose is accessible, his examples vivid and his arguments compelling. The book’s greatest strength is its refusal to offer easy answers. Gawdat does not pretend to have all the solutions. He admits that the path forward is uncertain and that even with the best intentions, we may fail. But he insists that we must try. The alternative which is sleepwalking into a future we have not chosen is unacceptable.

Gawdat’s voice is that of a concerned parent, a worried citizen and a frustrated engineer. He loves technology. He believes in its potential to transform the world for the better. But he also recognises that potential is not destiny. It depends on the choices we make today. This book is a wake-up call. It challenges us to think deeply about the world we are creating and to take responsibility for the tools we are building. It is not a comfortable read, but it is an essential one. For anyone who cares about the future, and that should be everyone, Scary Smart is required reading. It will not reassure you, but, it will equip you to ask the right questions and in the end, that may be the most important thing of all.

According to Uganda Bureau of Standards (UBOS), the region remains a dominant producer of matooke in the country, but farmers are still grappling with low prices and post-harvest losses to the extent that a bunch of matooke goes for as low as Shs 3000.

The introduction of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development /Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (PIBID/BIRDC) at Nyaruzinga in Bushenyi District in 2005 to transform the matooke sector in the region from subsistence farming into a competitive commercialised industry through research and value addition had raised hopes, but 20 years down the road, farmers and leaders have not seen tangible impact on the ground.

The government has continued to fund this project to date at a tune of over Shs 200 billion.

Mr Aaron Turahi, the Isingiro District chairperson, said no matooke farmer in his area has ever benefited from this project.

‘Isingiro is the leading producer of matooke in the whole country, but if you find that as leaders we don’t know anything about this project, then there is a big problem. There is no lorry of matooke that has ever gone to that factory or any farmer who knows about its operations. I think there is a gap between the administration of the project and other stakeholders, he said during an interview on August 10.

He added that instead of the government continuing to inject lots of money into a project that cannot be delivered, it should support other areas to start their own value addition facilities.

‘If the government gave us our own value addition factory, I think farmers would have benefited so much. Farmers here continue to suffer with low prices; let us be supported to have our own value-added technologies instead of raising false hopes in a project that has remained a shadow,’ Mr Turahi said.

The Mbarara District Chairperson, Mr Hygiene Twongyirwe, said they read about the project in the newspapers because it has not created any significant impact in regard to banana production and value chain.

‘As leaders, we do not know what is happening at that place. We hear it was established to create a matooke value chain, but our farmers here continue suffering with low prices, as low as between Shs 2000 to 3000 during bumper harvests. They need to engage us, and we know what they are doing,’ Mr Twongyeirwe said.

The Member of Parliament for Bunyaruguru constituency Mr Cadet Benjamin, said PIBID is a good research and value addition project.

“At a scientific level, it’s a potential project and may be a potential one to solve the challenge of fluctuating prices of matooke, but I think like many other government projects, its managers lack entrepreneurial and marketing skills,” he said.

He added: “The products they claim to produce can attract high demand even on international markets, but where are they? Their outlets are most times closed and have the worst customer care. This is partly the reason they have not exploited the project’s full potential”.

Mr Cadet added that PBID prices are far below the market price and farmers prefer to sell matooke to other players in the market.

Mr Asaph Mugizi, the chairperson of Uganda Banana Producers Cooperative Union, also the Vice Chairperson of Mbarara District Farmers Association (MBADIFA) said the factory has not yet had any positive impact on supporting banana farmers.

‘For sure, matooke farmers are still facing the same challenges they have been facing over the years, mainly the low prices. A group of farmers around the factory might be benefiting but not the bigger Ankole region. Apart from lorries of matooke being seen heading to Kampala, you cannot see any heading to Bushenyi from some of the most banana-producing districts like Isingiro, Rwampara and Ntungamo,’ Mr Mugizi said.

He, however, said that the fact that they see on market some Tooke-branded products on the market, like cakes, flour and bread, remains optimistic that the challenges the factory faces will be addressed and farmers benefit.

Mr Robert Twesigye, a farmer from Kyangyenyi Matooke Growers Association in Sheema District, had hopes when the project was introduced in the area, but nothing much they have gained.

‘They came when the project was introduced. They sensitised us on improving production and skilled us on better matooke farming practices. Our production improved; some of us got loans to expand our acreage with the view of an already existing market. But they never came back; when we inquired, they told us the factory is still producing below capacity; it’s now almost twenty years old. At times we sell a bunch of matooke at Shs 2000,’ he said.

Mr Eldard Karakore, another farmer from Kyabugimbi, in Igara, Bushenyi District, appealed to the government to support their cooperative societies on value addition instead of continuing to invest in a project they believe will not help them.

‘We have strong banana cooperatives, and let the government support us with value-added technologies like making banana wine and banana flour instead of putting resources on one project that has failed to pay off,’ he said.

Ms Esther Atwiine, the Ntungamo District agriculture officer PIBID only raised farmers’ hopes to increase production, but they have not been assisted at all.

‘They mobilised farmers to form matooke associations and registered with the view that they would be supported, but it ended at that, and they are still grappling with low prices,’ Ms Atwiine.

But Mr Prosper Twebaze, the district chairperson of Bushenyi, said the project has registered some success.

‘This Factory has helped farmers in Greater Bushenyi through buying matooke from their plantations; it even employs so many people who work there as casual labourers. We are hopeful that in the future somehow it will bring more development because there is much innovation being done there’, Mr Twebaze said.

But Prof Florence Muranga, the executive director of PIBID, said the project is on track.

‘Since the project started, we have been able to improve the livelihoods of farmers; it has provided employment opportunities to the local people, and we have been able to develop the ‘Tooke’ brand,’ she said, though she could not provide us with some statistics, for example on the employment opportunities created.

Before adding, ‘The challenge is that when you are being funded by the government it at times what you are doing is turned into a political game, but we know that this project is a scientific project, not a political project. If you are doing nothing, people will not get concerned, but if you are handling a big project, everybody will want to poke an eye on it. With all the noise that has come around this project, the negative publicity you hear, we are on track’.

‘A lot has been done here; people are only looking at commercialisation. We have been undertaking research; we are now moving to the industrialisation phase, and we have started commercialisation but not yet on a full scale; this is an expensive venture where most of the critics have not laboured to understand what this project is engaged in,’ Prof Muranga added.

She said they already have some Tooke products like Tooke flour, Tooke biscuits and cookies, Tooke bread and cakes before explaining that a reason why some farmers are not benefiting from the project is that they at times demand higher prices for matooke.

Prof Muranga said another challenge they want the government to address is low banana production in the sub-region, which might not sustain the factory when it reaches full production.

‘When we get to full production, we will have no matooke; production of matooke is still low compared to what we will require. We are now telling the government to invest in supporting farmers engaged in commercial banana production. If the factory is to produce to its full capacity, it should supply farmers with irrigation facilities, fertilisers and extension services, to produce throughout the year and in larger quantities,’ she said.

The project has gone without accountability and transparency questions; for example, the Audit query report 2021/2022 raised issues of poor accountability, poor project management, and significant unverified expenditures.

But Prof Muranga said all they have been doing has been transparent and that some of the reports are intended to just frustrate the project and tarnish their image.

‘But we have nothing to hide; all that has been done here is public. We have a booklet detailing all this, and everybody can access it; you can get it if you want figures on what has been invested in and what it has done. Because we are a viable registered company. We are audited. All our figures are online. You can get it. So if you go online, other means of finance, you find all those figures you are talking about,’ Prof Muranga said.

Despite the same queries raised by different stakeholders, President Yoweri Museveni has always promised to support the project, for example during the recent Tooke run on June 20, 2026 in Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality, said the project remains key in ensuring food security and transforming livelihoods.

‘Government is committed to continuing to support PIBID because its initiatives will transform communities and ensure food security. I thank Professor Muranga for matooke value addition strategies and research,’ the President said in a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Thomas Tayebwa.

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.