Category: Daily Monitor

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the leading opposition party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), have intensified their mobilization efforts ahead of the highly anticipated Kalangala District Woman Member of Parliament by-election, with both camps issuing passionate calls for internal unity.

The political temperature in the island district escalated following a high-profile defection that has handed the ruling party early momentum. The NRM camp officially welcomed the former Kalangala District Speaker, Mr Richard Katumba, who crossed over from the NUP.

Speaking during a welcoming ceremony at the Kalangala District NRM headquarters on June 9, the NRM Vice Chairperson for Buganda Region, Mr. Haruna Kasolo, officially received Mr. Katumba and immediately tasked him with dismantling the opposition’s grassroots structures.

“You are now a general. So, I task you to bring those that you left on the other side to this side, and also lead the mobilization efforts among the opposition side for our candidate,” Mr. Kasolo said.

However, Mr. Kasolo warned local party leaders against double standards, cautioning them against conducting clandestine mobilization for personal gain.

“You deceive us that you are working, yet you are secretly selling us to our enemies, and thereafter you begin demanding for a reward, speaking of how you worked tirelessly and have not been helped,” Mr. Kasolo warned.

Expressing absolute confidence in the NRM flagbearer, Ms. Aidah Nabayiga, Mr. Kasolo stated that she remains the best candidate to represent the unique interests of the islanders. He took a swipe at the opposition, suggesting they were fielding outsiders.

“We want to see that this time NRM wins with 90 percent because it is not proper to impose someone from Luweero on the people of Kalangala, yet that person does not know the cultures and norms of the place,” he added.

The NRM National Mobilizer, Ms. Rosemary Sseninde, attributed the party’s previous losses in Kalangala to internal bickering and intrigue, urging members to bury the hatchet.

“We have leaders and members that voted for the opposition last time, and it is these issues that we have come to rectify,” Ms. Sseninde noted.

To secure victory, former ambassador James Kinobe revealed that the NRM has adopted a decentralized, village-based campaign strategy aimed at maximizing voter turnout and protecting their votes.

“The 60 leaders in every village are to mobilize at least ten people and encourage them to go to polling stations and make sure they vote,” Mr. Kinobe explained, adding that vote-protection teams have been formed to monitor results from polling stations up to the district tally center.

Meanwhile, the NUP is pulling out all the stops to retain the seat, rallying its supporters to guard their political territory. Speaking during a planning meeting at the home of the late MP Hellen Nakimuli on Tuesday, NUP National Mobilizer Mr. Habib Buwembo urged party members to remain cohesive.

“Many of our leaders are beginning to come from different areas to join the Kalangala team in seeking support for our candidate. The people of Kalangala gave us this term, so we should keep it. I urge all to be united and work towards victory,” Mr. Buwembo said.

The Kalangala District Woman MP seat fell vacant following the death of Ms. Nakimuli in April, who passed away after undergoing surgery at Alexandria Medical Centre in Kampala.

According to the Electoral Commission roadmap, nominations for candidates open today, June 10, and close on June 11. Official campaigns will run from June 12 to June 22, ahead of the polling day on June 24.

The district features a complex geographical terrain, with 42,452 registered voters expected to cast their ballots across 155 polling stations scattered across 64 habitable islands.

During the previous general election, Ms. Nakimuli narrowly defeated NRM’s Nabayiga, polling 10,609 votes against Nabayiga’s 9,245. However, NRM enters the by-election on a strong footing, having won both the Bujumba and Kyamuswa County parliamentary seats, the LC5 chairperson seat, and commanding a majority of 18 out of 24 district councilors.

Before he became the executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), before he was entrusted with overseeing national parks, wildlife reserves, and some of the country’s most treasured natural assets, James Musinguzi was a schoolboy on an excursion who stood calmly in front of a chimpanzee enclosure, watching. Around him, children marvelled at the animals’ size, their playful swings, their familiar faces. But Musinguzi was watching how the chimpanzees interacted with one another. He noticed their discipline, their social structure, the deliberate way they selected and used simple tools. The experience left him with questions.

“I was fascinated by the level of organisation and intelligence of the animals,” he recalls.

That fascination did not fade. It became the engine of a career that would eventually place him at the centre of Uganda’s conservation efforts. But the journey from that school trip to the executive director’s office was not a straight line. It was a slow accumulation of understanding, about nature, about people, and about the fragile threads that connect them.

Defining the mission

Musinguzi describes himself first as a Christian, a family man, and a believer in community service. Away from the office, he enjoys interacting with people and participating in local development initiatives. During the Covid-19 lockdown, he mobilised residents in his village to open up roads that had become impassable. He mentions this not as a boast but as an illustration of a guiding belief; partnerships, social cohesion, working together regardless of class. That philosophy shapes nearly everything he does.

Growing up, he became increasingly aware of how interconnected life is. People depend on the environment. Animals depend on ecosystems. Plants support life. Nature sustains livelihoods.

He says, “We rely on each other. People need animals. Animals need the environment. We need the environment.”

That understanding led him to study conservation biology and wildlife management. But the deeper he ventured into the field, the more he realised that conservation was not merely about protecting animals or managing protected areas. He became fascinated by the role wild plants play in medicine. He saw how ecosystems support livelihoods. He understood how wildlife contributes to tourism and economic development. And he arrived at a conviction that would define his career.

“I thought there was a need for a voice to be able to speak for these plants, to speak for these animals that may not necessarily speak but need to be heard.”

That is the job he now holds. To speak for the voiceless. To translate the needs of nature into the language of policy, budgets, and public will.

The strategic leader

Musinguzi takes over UWA at a critical moment. Tourism has been identified as one of the sectors expected to drive Uganda’s economic transformation. Nature-based tourism remains at the centre of that ambition, placing wildlife conservation in an increasingly strategic position. For him, conservation and development are complementary.

Healthy ecosystems attract visitors. Tourism creates jobs. Revenue generated through tourism supports conservation. Conservation protects the resources that attract tourists. The challenge is ensuring that the cycle continues.

Storytelling as infrastructure

He argues that storytelling is critical because it evokes memories and emotions. People protect what they value. They value what they understand. Stories help them understand. He sees journalists, photographers, filmmakers, and content creators as essential partners.

“They send a real photo. They send a real image. They are very powerful at telling stories.”

Confronting the threats

Despite his optimism, Musinguzi is under no illusions. Poaching remains a significant threat. Climate change is creating new pressures on ecosystems. Human-wildlife conflict continues to affect communities living near protected areas. As executive director, he intends to confront these challenges directly. He speaks about strengthening ranger training, enhancing intelligence gathering, increasing surveillance, and embracing technology.

Among the initiatives he is particularly enthusiastic about is the establishment of a DNA forensic laboratory capable of supporting wildlife crime investigations. The facility will strengthen prosecution efforts by helping authorities identify the origin of wildlife products and provide evidence in court. He believes conservation must be both compassionate and firm.

“We are promoting zero tolerance to poaching,” he says.

Protecting wildlife requires education and awareness, but it also requires enforcement.

The community question

Musinguzi returns, again and again, to communities. For decades, many communities have borne the costs of wildlife conservation. Crop raids, livestock losses, and other forms of human-wildlife conflict remain daily realities for families living near parks. He argues that conservation cannot succeed unless these communities feel included and supported.

“The communities must feel the benefits of the parks that are near them.”

This principle informs much of his thinking. He speaks about revenue-sharing programmes, employment opportunities, scholarships, and livelihood projects designed to ensure that conservation delivers tangible benefits. The goal is coexistence and partnership. He wants communities to see protected areas not as burdens but as opportunities. He wants them to become ambassadors for conservation. It is a matter of relationships as much as policies. The relationship between people and nature. Between communities and parks.

A personal connection

His affection for wildlife remains deeply personal. When asked his favourite animal, he responds without hesitation; the giraffe. He admires its elegance, its height, the way it seems to survey the world from above.

“The sight of giraffes with their long necks being so strategic, looking far and ahead, has always been fascinating to me.”

His favourite destination is Kidepo Valley National Park. He speaks about it with unmistakable admiration. To him, Kidepo represents one of the last truly wild landscapes in Africa; a place where nature still feels untouched, with sweeping valleys, dramatic mountains, and vast open spaces. He notes that today’s travellers are increasingly seeking meaningful and immersive experiences.

“The ecotourist is looking for an undisturbed place,” he says. Kidepo, he believes, offers exactly that.

Beyond wildlife tourism

While gorillas, lions, and elephants remain central attractions, Musinguzi believes Uganda has many other stories waiting to be told; birds, unique plant life, archaeological sites, rock art, landscapes, cultures, and communities.

”We are working on product identification, packaging and selling Uganda beyond wildlife,” he says.

The ambassador’s call

Musinguzi strongly believes that Ugandans themselves must become the first ambassadors of their country.

“First of all, we need to appreciate Uganda ourselves first as Ugandans. You can only promote what you know.”

He talks about Uganda’s extraordinary beauty; its wildlife, landscapes, and people, with the enthusiasm of someone who continues to discover the country despite spending years working within it. The climbing lions, the shoebills, the birds, the wilderness areas. Appreciating Uganda, he says, is the first step towards protecting it.

This is not about conservation targets or tourism statistics. It is about safeguarding a legacy. Ensuring that future generations inherit the same natural wonders that inspired him as a child. The same chimpanzees. The same giraffes. The same wilderness. The same stories.

President Museveni chose not to address the newly sworn-in Cabinet ministers yesterday. Instead, he promised to deliver his remarks during the 2026/27 Budget Day, scheduled for this Thursday.

His speech will highlight the main priorities for his new Cabinet and reiterate his commitment to the ‘no more sleep’ agenda.

The President, according to State House insiders and ruling party officials, is expected to unveil his seventh elective term priorities that directly affect ordinary Ugandans and align with his commitment to accelerate the country’s journey towards high middle-income status while ensuring that no citizen is left behind. Additional details are expected to emerge from a Cabinet retreat planned for later this month.

As the country awaits the President’s address, Daily Monitor yesterday engaged key stakeholders from across the political divide to gather insights on the critical challenges that the incoming Cabinet must tackle as they assume their respective statutory roles.

Rose Namayanja, NRM’s Deputy Secretary General

Wealth creation and household incomes.

Youth employment and skills

Quality education and healthcare

Industrialisation and private sector growth

Fighting corruption through stronger accountability in service delivery and reducing budget leakages.

Julius Mukunda, Head of Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group

Promote Commercial Diplomacy: With our trade deficit exceeding $2 billion annually, our embassies must pivot into active trade desks. We need aggressive commercial diplomacy to open foreign markets, boost Ugandan exports, and attract FDI.

Fix the Shs10 trillion Domestic Arrears: This debt, equivalent to nearly 6 percent of our GDP, is suffocating thousands of local contractors. Clearing it is an economic emergency that will instantly inject liquidity back into the private sector and stabilise local banks.

Address Corruption Head-On: Public procurement accounts for over 70 percent of the national budget, yet the Auditor General reports consistently flag billions of shillings in leakages. We need strict enforcement and zero tolerance to plug these procurement holes.

Fix youth unemployment and wealth creation: Over 75 percent of our population is under the age of 30. We must shift from rhetoric to action by providing accessible credit to youth-led SMEs and commercialising agriculture to target the creation of at least 500,000 new jobs annually.

Improve PIMS (Public Investment Management): With development spending consuming over 20 percent of the national budget, we must reform PIMS to eliminate the massive cost overruns and stalled ‘white elephant’ projects, ensuring maximum return on investment for every taxpayer shilling. Delivering on these five areas will stabilise our economy and restore public trust.

Prof Venansius Baryamureeba, computer scientist, academic, former presidential aspirant

Prioritisation and efficient use of the use of government resources in strategic areas.

Zero tolerance to corruption, i.e., they must fully fight corruption.

Creating an enabling policy and legal environment for doing business to attract foreign direct investments and local investments in the economy.

Focus on the improvement of social services for all.

Improve service delivery through full implementation of e-government.

David Bahati, State Minister for Industry

Industrialisation

Boosting exports

Wealth creation through the Parish Development Model

Creation of jobs

Peace and security

Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Former Shadow Finance Minister

The new Cabinet must tackle the current unemployment crisis, especially among the youth. The 2024 Census put the figure of youth aged 18 to 30 at about 10.6 million. Five million of these are not in employment or education.

The second issue is health and education (human capital development). According to a World Bank human capital development report, children in school today will not exceed 39 percent of productivity, the world average is 50, because of low investment in education and health.

Business discontinuation crisis. Again, according to the World Bank, every four businesses that start, three close before their fifth birthday.

The most important issues of human rights and democracy. Youths kidnapped and tortured by the military during elections must be freed.

All political prisoners, including Dr Kizza Besigye, must be freed. This should be followed by necessary reforms to create certainty.

Dr Akankwasa Barirega, Executive Director of the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA)

Strengthening institutions to deliver critical services for economic production.

Refocusing spending in productive sectors that generate more resources for the people of Uganda.

Sustainable management of the environment as a pillar for economic growth and transformation. No economy can be sustained without rainfall, water, clean air, etc.

Reducing government red tape to facilitate faster and more efficient service delivery to the citizens through digitization and automation of government processes.

Changing the citizen mindset from observers and talkers to active participation in service delivery and the transformation process. Citizens must be told the hard truth instead of being told only what pleases them. Hard truth builds a lasting nation.

Erias Lukwago, Former Kampala Lord Mayor

Governance issues, particularly the release of political prisoners and addressing the deteriorating human rights situation, as well as the restoration of the Rule of law.

Concrete macroeconomic interventions geared towards addressing the devastating unemployment crisis.

Realignment of the levers of power from the kitchen cabinet to the conventional cabinet and embark on implementation of the NDP1V, whose thrust is the 10-fold growth strategy.

Work towards ensuring the functionality of government institutions, including fighting corruption and theft of public funds.

Establishing a constitutional order that guarantees orderly succession to power.

Prof Mouhammad Mpezamihigo, VC Equator University of Science and Technology in Uganda

Enhancement of transparency by Public officers

Mapping national development through fair distribution of resources and the national cake.

Prioritisation of health, education, and food security

Full enforcement of the law against corrupt officers.

Reduction of waste of public resources in financing non-priority activities.

Beti Kamya Turwomwe, Former Inspector General of Government

Corruption

Corruption

Corruption

Eron Kiiza, Human Rights lawyer

The Cabinet needs to resurrect the Ugandan economy and stop pretending it is doing well while it’s sinking, so that Ugandans can work here rather than fleeing into slavery.

Uganda needs to sort governance by removing the military from civilian affairs and focusing it on national defence rather than having it run the show in Cabinet, Parliament, police, immigration, and even guarding private property, farms, and investors.

Cabinet needs to nurture Ugandan talent through education, music, sports, and technology.

Theodore Ssekikubo, Lwemiyaga Resident and former MP

Corruption: According to the IGG Report, the known annual amount embezzled is Shs12 trillion.

Wasteful expenditures across the board.

Emphasis on areas of comparative advantage – all-round agriculture, and harnessing the emerging areas of science and technology.

Health and education for healthy and productive Ugandans.

Infrastructure. Fixing the roads, railways, and tapping the economic potential from all parts of the country.

Prof Ogenga Latigo, Former Leader of Opposition and farmer

Investing in countryside agricultural development and rural transformation.

Focus on education that benefits all and caters for the huge number of 1-5 year old children, most of child mothers.

Upgrading to all-weather rural access roads and tarmacking the main streets of all major towns.

Investing in effective health service provision, particularly adequate staffing and remuneration; visible, prompt, and effective medical service- examination, treatment/surgery, medication, and home care.ing corruption, inequity in employment, and excessive wastage of national resources.

Marshall Alenyo, Jonam County MP

Wealth creation.

Fighting corruption.

Efficiency of the government institutions.

Championing of natural resources like oil to kick-start the economy.

Promote East African integration for a bigger regional market.

Wilfred Niwagaba, City Lawyer and former MP, Ndorwa County-East.

Release political prisoners and stop the continued disappearances of some of our citizens

Address the disparity in payment of arts and science civil servants, coupled with the current standoff on payment of medical interns, must also be addressed.

The state of the infrastructure, especially road networks, district and community access roads, and rural electrification.

All these cannot be addressed unless the budget priorities are reconfigured, coupled with minimising leakages of the taxpayers’ money

Crispin Kugiza Kaheru, Member, Uganda Human Rights Commission

Household incomes and jobs. The biggest political question is whether Ugandans can earn, save, feed, provide quality education for their children, and have money in their pockets. I hope this Cabinet can turn stability into jobs, especially for young people.

Production and value addition. They should promote a drive against exporting raw potential or material. Our agriculture, minerals, oil and tourism must be organised around value addition, industrialisation, standards, storage, markets and Ugandan ownership/BUBU.

Cabinet must make leakages politically expensive, and delivery administratively compulsory.

The Cabinet must move from talking to structural action.

They must ramp up independent prosecution of public officers, digitization of procurement, and seriously implement the moratorium on new administrative units.

This Cabinet must treat education, healthcare, skilling, and nutrition as economic investments rather than social expenditures.

Bureaucratic reform. Eliminate duplication, merge overlapping functions, reduce unnecessary administrative layers, digitize government services, accelerate decision-making, and ensure that every public institution delivers measurable value for us promptly, but also with value for money.

For the first time in three years, Uganda today commemorates its 37th Heroes’ Day “scientifically.” The traditional pomp, mammoth crowds, military parades, medal-awarding ceremonies, and rotational district-hosted celebrations have been shelved. Instead, the country marks the day under a cloud of health anxiety and intensifying political debate.

The abrupt shift follows a recent spike in Ebola cases, mirroring the dark days of the Covid-19 pandemic when the 2020, 2021, and 2022 anniversaries were forced into strict, socially distanced setups at the Kololo National Ceremonial Grounds.

While celebrations had returned to their grand, public format from 2023 onward-drawing veterans, cultural leaders, and ordinary citizens across various regions-the re-emergence of the highly contagious viral hemorrhagic fever has forced the government to hit the brakes.

On June 4, the Minister for the Presidency, Ms Milly Babalanda, announced that the 37th Heroes’ Day celebrations would be moved to State Lodge, Nakasero, with attendance strictly capped at just 25 VIP guests.

According to Ms Babalanda, the decision was a preemptive strike to prevent the mass spread of the disease, following reported outbreaks in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and subsequent warnings from global health authorities.

Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that Uganda currently has 12 active Ebola cases, two recorded deaths, and five recoveries. Given the high fatality rate of the virus, health officials warned that hosting a massive public gathering would present an unacceptable risk to public health security.

However, beyond the health crisis, this year’s Heroes’ Day arrives at a time of deep political fracture. Several opposition figures are currently grappling with severe legal and political challenges, prompting critics to question the government’s commitment to the very civil liberties the liberation struggle allegedly fought for.

Key opposition leaders argue that celebrating heroism rings hollow when voices of dissent are systematically silenced. Dr Kizza Besigye, the four-time presidential candidate and former president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), continues to face persistent state surveillance and detentions. Meanwhile, Robert Kyagulanyi (alias Bobi Wine), the president of the National Unity Platform (NUP), remains outside the country after fleeing following heightened threats to his security after the last General Election.

Other high-ranking opposition figures, such as Mr Muwanga Kivumbi (NUP Deputy President for Buganda) and Mr Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro (NUP Deputy Spokesperson)-who recently suffered the tragedy of losing his wife while he was incarcerated-have repeatedly condemned what they term the weaponization of the law.

Speaking to this publication, opposition leaders urged Ugandans to use the day not for regime praise, but for sober reflection on the country’s democratic trajectory.

“We cannot celebrate Heroes Day while suffering from state-sanctioned amnesia,” said Mr Robert Maseruka, the Member of Parliament for Mukono South and Shadow Minister for Youth. “The state cannot claim to celebrate historical heroes while simultaneously criminalizing and trying the youth who possess that exact same courage today.”

Mr Maseruka demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Olivia Lutaaya and dozens of other civilians currently facing trial in the General Court Martial. He also kept the spotlight on unresolved grievances, demanding justice for the over 54 Ugandans shot dead by security forces during the November 2020 riots, and answers regarding missing persons like John Ddamulira.

The lawmaker further argued that the definition of a Ugandan hero needs to be rescued from political elite circles and extended to ordinary citizens fighting for survival.

“Our true heroes are the single mothers in the marketplaces striving to make ends meet, the under-paid medical professionals operating in under-equipped rural facilities, and the teachers working for low wages yet molding the future of this country,” Maseruka added.

In tandem, Mr Francis Zaake, the Mityana Municipality MP and Shadow Chairperson of the Government Assurances Committee, criticized the government for failing to deliver on infrastructural promises, which he argued constitutes a betrayal of the citizens.

Mr Zaake highlighted several stalled multi-billion shilling government projects, including the delayed Kampala-Jinja Expressway, implementation gaps in Seed Secondary Schools, unfulfilled rural electrification commitments, and slow safe-water coverage promises.

“Ugandans are taxed heavily every day, yet they continue to suffer from dilapidated roads, inadequate health services, and rampant unemployment,” Zaake stated. “Every promise attached to public funds must produce visible results. Where implementation has failed, those responsible must answer.”

He noted that despite repeated government pledges to upgrade Health Centre IIIs and IVs nationwide, many rural facilities remain empty shells lacking basic medicines, staff accommodation, and ambulances.

The annual June 9 celebration is rooted in the bloody history of the Luwero Triangle guerrilla war (1981-1986) that brought President Yoweri Museveni to power.

Specifically, the day commemorates 15 civilians who were executed on June 9, 1981, in Kikandwa Village, Luwero District, by Milton Obote’s Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA). The victims were targeted under suspicion of harboring and aiding the rebels of the National Resistance Army (NRA).

Among those killed was Lutamaguzi Babumba and his grandfather, Nkangirwa, alongside others identified as Ssentongo, Siiza, and Ssempa. Historical accounts state that Lutamaguzi and his contemporaries refused to reveal the whereabouts of Museveni and his guerrilla fighters to the UNLA forces, a sacrifice that ensured the survival of the rebellion which eventually captured power on January 26, 1986.

This execution occurred just months after Museveni launched the bush war on February 6, 1981, with the famous attack on the Kabamba Military Training School in Mubende.

Thirty-seven years later, as 25 selected guests gather at Nakasero to remember that sacrifice under the shadow of Ebola, the debate rages on whether the democratic ideals Lutamaguzi died for have been realized, or if they remain an unfulfilled promise.

The mob has killed over 3,764 people in Uganda between January 2021 and December 2025, with most of the incidents caused by suspicion of theft, Uganda Police Force statistics show.

The latest incident was of a mob that committed murder by assault of a Rugby Cranes player Sydney Gongondyo, 27, in Nakawa Division, Kampala City last Friday.

According to the police, the mob accused Gongondyo of theft of a woman’s bag, but none of his accusers involved the law enforcement personnel or reported the case to the police.

Gongondyo’s case highlights the growing incidents of people taking the law into their hands despite the police warnings.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala confirmed officers rushed Gongodyo to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries at approximately 7pm.

Three suspects, Noordin Ssebagala, Roden Ayebazibwe and Juliet Namukose are now in custody. Preliminary findings indicate he was subjected to mob action after being accused of snatching a handbag though police stressed the circumstances remain under active investigation.

Police spokesman, Mr Kituuma Rusoke, said some of the attackers use mob action to settle personal grievances with innocent victims.

‘The public is reminded that participation in mob action constitutes a serious criminal offence and may attract charges, including murder. We further caution the public against joining lynch mobs, as some individuals exploit such situations to settle personal grievances or target innocent persons under the guise of administering justice,’ Mr Rusoke said.

Last year, mob action cases contributed nearly a quarter of all homicide cases. At least 950 people were killed in mob action incidents, which was 22.4 percent of the total 4,238 homicide cases last year, according to the annual crime report of 2025.

The victims of mob action were mainly suspected of having committed offences such as theft, robbery, murder, witchcraft, and burglary, according to the 2025 crime report.

Most of the mob action cases were reported to the North Kyoga Police Region, which covers part of the Lango sub-region, with 73 cases.

Following closely is Kampala Metropolitan Police East Region with 71, West Nile Region with 68 incidents, Rwizi Region with 62 deaths and Albertine South with 57 cases. Luweero District registered the highest number of mob action cases among Ugandan police divisions/districts, with 30 deaths, followed by Naggalama Division with 22 incidents, and Mukono Division with 20 cases.

Mukono Division was followed by Katwe Division (in Kampala City) with 19 cases, and Kamuli District with 17 incidents.

Mr Rusoke cited the murder of Jacob Akankwasa, an employee of Kyambogo University, after he had a disagreement over transport fares with a boda boda rider on December 5, 2024 near the Catholic Shrine in Namugongo, Kira Municipality.

Several suspects in the killing of Akankwasa were arrested, and they are awaiting prosecution.

‘The Uganda Police Force strongly condemns all acts of mob justice. Such actions are unlawful, undermine the rule of law, and often result in the loss of innocent lives. We urge the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands under any circumstances,’ he said.

In 2021, Aziz Bashir, 40, a former driver with the United Nations was lynched by a group of boda boda riders in an incident triggered by a minor road accident at Mengo-Katale in Rubaga Division, Kampala City, on Sunday.

The incident stemmed from an incident where a rider knocked Bashir’s car.

According to the police, Bashir jumped out of the car to complain to the boda boda rider, but other cyclists ganged up against the driver. Two riders were arrested on murder offences.

Despair and agony have gripped dozens of Ugandan families following revelations that at least 79 citizens were lured into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, with several reported dead and others missing on the frontlines.

Seven months after formally petitioning the government and the Russian Embassy in Kampala for assistance, distraught relatives say they have been met with bureaucratic silence, leaving them in a agonizing state of limbo.

The crisis highlights a sophisticated, illicit human trafficking web spanning the Global South, where vulnerable young Africans are deceptively recruited under the guise of lucrative labor export, only to be deployed as frontline combatants or forced factory laborers in Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine.

For the families left behind, the psychological toll is devastating. Many of those trapped on the frontlines were primary breadwinners, leaving households struggling to survive.

“We have moved from office to office, but no help has come through,” Innocent Kato, the co-coordinator of an association representing the missing relatives, told Daily Monitor. “We do not know what befell our people. We do not know whether they are dead or alive. We wrote to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, but we have not received any positive response.”

In the absence of official updates from either Kampala or Moscow, families have been forced to rely on gruesome social media notifications to learn the fate of their loved ones.

“Relatives of the people killed received the news through Facebook and WhatsApp. We were sent images of severed bodies of their loved ones, leaving us traumatised and struggling, but no one is helping,” Kato added.

Officials from Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that approximately 79 Ugandans are known to have been funneled into the conflict zone via Russia. While acknowledging that an unspecified number have been killed, government officials admitted they are currently unable to repatriate the remains of citizens who died in active combat zones.

The brewing scandal lands directly on the desk of incoming Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde. Although yet to be formally sworn into office, the retired military general has vowed to dismantle human trafficking networks disguised as legitimate external labor companies.

Speaking to journalists minutes after being vetted by Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Lt Gen Tumukunde promised a radical overhaul of the country’s labor export framework.

“We want to check the competence and capability of the person, especially where they are going, and understand whether they are suited for the tasks of the new place,” Tumukunde said, pledging rigorous background checks on foreign employers and the recruitment agencies handling Ugandan citizens.

Uganda is not alone in this crisis. More than 20 countries across the Global South have reported citizens missing or killed in Russia. Nations such as South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Sri Lanka, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have all featured prominently on the list of trafficking sources.

Unlike Kampala’s sluggish response, some African nations are taking direct legal action. On Monday, Zimbabwean authorities arrested Leonid Koftov, a Russian national, at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare. Koftov was intercepted while attempting to board a flight with a local Zimbabwean man he had allegedly recruited for the war.

According to Zimbabwean police, Koftov was charged under the country’s Trafficking in Persons and Labour Acts. The court heard that Koftov had processed a Russian E-visa, air tickets, and hotel bookings for the recruit. The arrest came shortly after Harare confirmed that 18 Zimbabwean nationals had already been killed on the Ukrainian frontlines.

International pressure is mounting on the syndicates orchestrating the recruitment. Last month, the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU) slapped heavy sanctions on over a dozen individuals and entities accused of luring African men and women to Russia.

An intelligence report released alongside the sanctions revealed a gender-segregated exploitation pipeline: while young men are sent directly to the combat zones in Ukraine, young African women are trafficked to work under coercive conditions in the Shahed drone manufacturing factories located in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, western Russia.

Among those sanctioned on May 5, 2026, was Michel Ateba, a Cameroonian-French national, and his company, Enangue Holding. Ateba is accused of openly promoting the “Alabuga Start” program, a scheme targeting vulnerable migrants. In 2025, Ateba reportedly boasted to investigative journalists that his company had paid passport fees for at least 40 recruits from impoverished backgrounds.

The UK also sanctioned senior human resource officials driving the Alabuga Start program, including Elmir Saifullin, Savsan Yusupova, Anastasia Barysheva, and Konstantin Trifonov, all of whom have reportedly traveled to Africa to recruit workers.

Other operatives sanctioned for trafficking citizens from Cuba, Iraq, Bangladesh, India, Morocco, Yemen, Ivory Coast, and Syria include Polina Azarnykh, Abid Abid, and Elena Smirnova.

Civil society organizations in Uganda are urging the government to move beyond passive diplomacy and actively hunt down local collaborators aiding these international syndicates.

Kenneth Oloka, the Chief Executive Officer of Kyeyo Initiative Uganda-an organization advocating for the rights of Ugandan migrant workers-welcomed the international sanctions but stated they are insufficient on their own.

“Sanctions help, but they are not enough,” Oloka told this publication.”Governments should go ahead and arrest these people’s local collaborators in various countries. These traffickers do not work in isolation; they have local networks right here in Kampala facilitating the clearance and departure of our youth.”

With the economic hardships at home driving thousands of youth to seek employment abroad, experts warn that without immediate state intervention and the prosecution of local agents, more Ugandans risk being shipped off to foreign battlefields.

As the continent celebrated 63 years of the African Union recently with spectacular speeches from different leaders, the clarion call centred on Africa’s unity, solidarity and integration in the age of globalisation.

Against the backdrop of calls for unity and solidarity, however, is a continent divided along national lines, geopolitical intrigues, foreign ideologies, and race and ethnicity.

For instance, in Nigeria, there are divisions between Muslims and Christians, while in South Sudan, there is civil unrest occasioned by differences between the Nuer and Dinka tribes.

However, the most disappointing and shocking divisions on the continent are in South Africa, where nations are up in arms against fellow Africans.

Since the beginning of the year, a group of anti-immigration activists has led street demonstrations in business centres and residences in the low-cost communities of KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Johannesburg, and Soweto in ‘Operation Dudula’ to send foreigners back to their countries of birth by June 30.

The operation is targeting fellow Blacks from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, citing a lack of proper documentation, crimes, jobs and opportunities being occupied by foreigners.

There is a possibility that a few Black foreign nations are guilty as charged, but the practice of exercising mob justice is so wrong.

South Africa prides itself on being a “Rainbow Nation’ because it is a diverse and multicultural society. In my view, it’s disingenuous for the Operation Dudula leaders to target only Blacks who are part the migrants who comprise about five percent of South Africa’s total population.

Amid, the anti-migration demonstrations, one prominent member of the National Assembly of South Africa and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, Mr Julius Malema, has strongly come out to condemn the unfortunate events.

In a recent interview with Sky News Mr Malema boldly stated, ‘There is no xenophobia, but rather Afrophobia.’

Malema referred to the Operation Dudula leaders and demonstrators as clownish, charlatans and disruptors extorting Black foreigners, because they are an easy target compared to other races of foreigners.

Malema has consistently vowed never to be part of a parochial group haunting and taunting other Africans, just because they crossed to South Africa in search of greener pastures and an African dream.

As Martin Luther King Jnr stated, ‘The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at the times of challenges and controversy’.

Malema has taken a stand at a very difficult time for any politician in South Africa right now to confront the anti-immigrant demonstrators and risks losing votes in the upcoming elections.

Lest we forget, South Africa is still living with racial, social and economic disparities because, as much as political power changed in 1994, the economic power did not change hands nor did it redistribute land and capital equally.

Has South Africa abandoned our common struggle of the united states of Africa, free from divisions, hatred, visa restrictions, trade embargos, foreign influence and dependency?

The persecution of fellow Africans erodes all the historical efforts of Marcus Garvey, Haile Selassie, Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Thomas Sankara and Nelson Mandela, who struggled to unite Africa.

Dear Operation Dudula leaders and misled demonstrators, we still have a bigger struggle of ending raw materials and minerals depletion, brain drain and decolonising Africa from foreign debt that has kept our continent under imperialism.

President Museveni has called for a joint report from the Head of Public Service and the Solicitor General on the fate of four minister-nominees whose citizenship stretches beyond Uganda’s borders.

Ms Lucy Nakyobe, the head of Public Service, said yesterday that she and the Solicitor General met the affected ministers designate before drafting a brief, which was submitted to the President for guidance.

‘Seventy-eight newly appointed Cabinet members are present and ready to take oath. One is indisposed. The four others, as guided by the President, were engaged over the weekend by myself and the Solicitor General. A brief has been submitted for further guidance from the President,’ Ms Nakyobe said.

Multiple sources tcld Monitor last evening that the President’s decision on the report could take up to two weeks, or less, depending on responses from the countries where the minister nominees are renouncing citizenship, as well as other due diligence steps.

On May 29, 2026, the Ministry of Internal Affairs sent a letter to the Clerk to Parliament after conducting a verification of the appointed ministers upon request by the Legislature.

The letter, seen by Daily Monitor, revealed that three ministers designate hold citizenships of other countries in addition to Uganda.

These are Ambassador Adonia Ayebare (Foreign Affairs), Shartsi Musherure (State for Micro Finance), and Dr Lawrence Muganga (State for Internal Affairs).

The document says although Mr Calvin Echodu (State for Foreign Affairs International Affairs) holds an American passport, there was no information on his dual citizenship status.

The four ministers skipped the oath taking yesterday. According to the Internal Affairs Ministry letter, Ambassador Ayebare holds both Ugandan and American citizenship, obtained on April 23, 2025.

Ms Musherure is also an American citizen, granted on March 14, 2025, while Dr Muganga holds Ugandan, Rwandan, and Canadian citizenship, with the Ugandan one obtained on November 12, 2024.

Uganda’s immigration laws are clear; a citizen with dual nationality cannot hold the positions of president, vice president, prime minister, cabinet minister, or other ministerial posts.

The same red line applies to the Inspector General of Government, deputy Inspector General, technical heads of the armed forces, commanding officers of battalion strength, and several other key posts. The affected ministers were expected to renounce their foreign citizenships and submit certificates of renunciation to the Uganda Immigration Board.

This publication understands that the ministers designate have already begun the process of cutting ties with their second passports and are burning the midnight oil to meet the deadline. In a June 1, 2026 letter to the Chief Citizenship and Immigration Control Office, Dr Muganga initiated the process of voluntarily renouncing his Canadian citizenship with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

‘This decision has been made freely and deliberately. My intention is to hold a single citizenship, being Ugandan citizenship, which I hold by right of birth, and which reflects my permanent roots, my national identity, and my enduring commitment to Uganda,’ reads part of the letter.

He further informed the officer that he had formally submitted his renunciation application to IRCC in Canada, in accordance with Section 9 of the Citizenship Act of Canada, which allows an adult refugee who has clocked 18 years of age to freely change their citizenship.

The strategy behind President Museveni’s Cabinet appointments has evolved significantly over the past four decades, shifting from an instrument of national reconciliation to a tool for regime longevity.

Following the 1981 to 1986 guerilla war, the initial Cabinet focused heavily on broad-based political integration, bringing together historical fighters, technocrats, and key leaders from traditional Opposition parties to stabilise a fractured nation.

As political Opposition intensified and the country transitioned to multi-party politics in the early 2000s, the Cabinet became a vital mechanism for political survival. Since 1986, women emancipation has been a source of pride for President Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

However, his Cabinet of 30 substantive ministers and 10 deputies named in April 1986, suggests that involving women in politics and management came much later in his administration.

At the time, the number of females was insignificant, with all the Cabinet ministers being men, with only Ms Victoria Ssekitoleko and Gertrude Njuba featuring on the list of deputy ministers for Agriculture, and for Relief and Social Rehabilitation, respectively.

President Museveni’s 30-member Cabinet in 1986 was dominated by ministers from the Central region (14), while the Eastern region got seven, Western region held six, in addition to the President, and the Northern region and West Nile only had two.

The Central region’s dominance in the Cabinet was, however, broken when it came to appointing the 10 deputy ministers, with the largest number of appointees coming from the East (six). Ms Njuba was the only appointee from the Central region, while the Western region was dominant.

Fallouts

A review of the 1986 Cabinet reveals that the ministers have since either fallen out with Mr Museveni, passed away or retired from politics. Those who fell out include the late Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere, Mr Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, Col Dr Kizza Besigye, and Ssebaana Kizito.

Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, Dr Crispus Kiyonga, and Gen Moses Ali is the only trio of the 1986 Cabinet in politics, having won seats to represent their constituencies in the 12th Parliament.

Dr Kiyonga recaptured the Bukonzo West seat after a decade out of the House, Maj Gen Otafiire was re-elected to the Ruhinda County seat, and Gen Ali won back his Adjumani West seat.

This year, the Cabinet has plateaued at more than 80 members, fully solidifying into a continuity machine where core power remains concentrated within a reliable inner circle while junior roles are used defensively to manage regional demands and balance internal pressure groups. President Museveni yesterday swore-in his Cabinet, which he announced in a May 26 reshuffle.

Despite previously being dropped from Cabinet, Dr Kiyonga has remained loyal to Mr Museveni and the NRM party until his reappointment, and so has Gen Otafiire, who has been appointed minister of Water and Environment, following a transfer from the Internal Affairs docket.

Among the ministers sworn-in yesterday, women hold 41 Cabinet seats out of the total, an increase from 36 in the 2021/2024 Cabinet, and representing a 6 percent rise.

Of the 32 senior positions, including the vice president, prime minister, and Cabinet ministers, women occupy 11 slots, a slight dip from 13 in the 2021/2024 Cabinet.

On the flip side, women now outnumber men among the State ministers, taking 30 out of 51 positions, up from 23 in the previous government.

Buganda emerged as the biggest beneficiary of yesterday’s swearing-in ceremony at State House, Entebbe, taking 21 of the 83 slots, making up 25 percent of the Cabinet.

Of the 30 full ministers named, Buganda got four substantive slots, including Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, who was moved from Works and Transport to Public Service; Ms Minsa Kabanda for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Ms Judith Nabakooba for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, and Sam Mayanja, formerly State minister for Lands, who was elevated to Attorney General.

The rest of the 17 appointees from Buganda and the wider Central region are ministers of State. New entrants include Desire Muhooza for Agriculture, Robert Migadde for Fisheries, Cissy Mulondo for Finance (General Duties), and Amina Mukalazi for Finance (Privatisation and Investment).

Others are Shartsi Kutesa Musherure for Finance (Microfinance), Justine Nameere for Local Government, Suzan Nakawuki Nsambu for Tourism and Antiquities, Kiryowa Kiwanuka for Defence, and Dr Lawrence Muganga for Internal Affairs.

Buganda’s dominance

Under Mr Museveni, Buganda once held the prime minister’s office through Kintu Musoke, Apollo Nsibambi, and Samson Kisekka, who also served as vice president, alongside Edward Ssekandi and Gilbert Bukenya.

Governance researcher Job Kiija says this 83-member Cabinet represents a ‘severe financial haemorrhage’ on the Ugandan taxpayer and stands as ‘a direct structural betrayal of the government’s own highly-publicised rationalisation policy.’

He says it is impossible to look citizens in the eye and claim the State is merging agencies to curb waste, while simultaneously expanding the political front bench to historic highs.

‘From a governance standpoint, this bloated Executive is not engineered to improve public service delivery; rather, it functions as a state-funded patronage machine that deliberately dilutes institutional accountability,’ he says.

He adds: ‘Every single additional minister demands a luxury fuel-guzzling SUV, police escort, and a lifetime pension package, aggressively siphoning money away from critical public services while national referral hospitals routinely run out of vital cancer drugs.’

Mr Kiija says the current size of the Cabinet ‘does not make sense under any sound governance metric’, and that while the Constitution included a loophole allowing Parliament to approve variations to the ministerial limit, this exception has completely overridden the original rule.

He says while proponents frequently argue that a larger Cabinet is necessary to manage a growing national population, such logic falls apart under administrative scrutiny. Good governance, he says, relies on competent, well-structured technical directorates run by Permanent Secretaries, not ‘an ever-growing layer of political appointees’.

‘The current setup remains a structural distortion that compromises institutional efficiency solely for the sake of political accommodation,’ he says.

Today, however, the taxpayer is saddled with an oversized Parliament of more than 520 Members of Parliament, a staggering departure from the lean legislative body envisioned during the 1995 constitutional making process.

The 1995 Constituent Assembly (CA) explicitly drafted Article 113 and Article 114 to cap the total number of Cabinet and State ministers at 21 each in order to protect both the national treasury and the separation of powers.

Mr Dan Wandera Ogalo, a former CA delegate, says during the Constitution-making process, they limited the size of Cabinet to 21 ministers because an incumbent can use a big Cabinet to award his or her cronies and friends, the cost implication on the economy.

‘A big Cabinet would be expensive, and the incumbent would use the big numbers to overwhelm the Opposition,’ Mr Ogalo said, citing an example of between 1980 and 1985, where he said Parliament had around 126 legislators, including 75 belonging to the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC), and 50 from the Democratic Party (DP).

‘The fear was that with a small margin in Parliament, an incumbent can use it to bolster his party’s numbers and overwhelm the Opposition. Under the multiparty system, you can have a President with a majority in Parliament,’ he added.

Bloated Executive

Associate Prof Sultan Juma Kakuba, a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences at Kyambogo University, is concerned that President Museveni’s Cabinet is not only ‘bloated’, but ‘broadens diverse interest, representation and political inclusion’.

‘It has both pros and cons. In Uganda where we have diversity, President Museveni has always used Cabinet appointments to balance regional, ethnic, generational and political interests, which has helped him to consolidate support and manage elite competition,’ Prof Dr Kakuba says.

He adds: ‘However, there are costs of having a big Cabinet; for instance, it increases public expenditure, creates some overlapping mandates, which may complicate coordination, and may weaken accountability as many of these ministers have almost similar responsibilities.’

Dr Kakuba says Cabinet positions have become more about political patronage than an administrative tool to drive service delivery.

‘The constitutional provision for ministers, in my view, adequately, is to have the limit of 21 if we are to effectively demand for efficiency and accountability.”

‘If you observe, moving from 21 to more than 80 ministers, in my opinion, raises the question whether the size of the Cabinet improves service delivery or is it for political convenience? It is imperative to justify the cost of having a huge Cabinet,’ he further explains.

More than two years after a catastrophic garbage landslide in Kiteezi buried his family alive, Joshua Ariho says he remains trapped in unrelenting grief, haunted by daily nightmares and struggling with his mental health. He says he feels stuck in life.

‘I lost my family, wife Justin Mutesi, and a son, Innocent Agasha,’ the pastor recounts.

‘Since that garbage buried my people, they have never retrieved the bodies.’

The Kiteezi landfill disaster in August 2024 left dozens dead or missing when tonnes of waste collapsed onto nearby settlements. For Ariho, the pain is compounded by the fact that his loved ones’ bodies were never recovered, loss of livelihood, struggles to get compensation from the government, and hardship accessing mental health support.

‘I am not okay,’ Ariho states. ‘Every day, I get bad dreams of my wife and child.’

Mental health experts note that the combination of sudden bereavement, failure to recover the body (and do proper burial in line with culture), and bureaucratic obstacles often intensifies trauma responses.

Symptoms like recurrent nightmares, intrusive memories, and emotional dysregulation are common in complicated grief and post-traumatic stress. These struggles affect the general well-being and productivity of the affected persons.

Ariho’s experience is not isolated. It is one visible fracture in Uganda’s deepening mental health crisis. Across the country, over 90 percent of people living with mental illness never receive treatment or required professional support.

According to mental health experts, limited awareness, deep stigma, and scarce services leave most to suffer in silence. For schoolchildren and adolescents facing declining mental health, the gap is even more painful. Many struggle without support, caught between academic pressure, family breakdowns, unemployment fears, and substance abuse.

The new value for money audit report by the Office of the Auditor General on mental healthcare in Uganda paints a stark picture. Mental, neurological, and substance use (MNS) cases rose from 468,005 in 2021 to 469,932 in 2022, then surged to 594,675 in 2023-a 26 percent jump in a single year.

Dr Juliet Nakku, the Executive Director of Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, says cases increased by 70 percent between 2021 and 2025. Young people and adolescents account for 24 percent (nearly a quarter) of these cases.

Staffing and drug shortages

At the heart of the formal response sits Butabika hospital. Dr Nakku describes both progress and overwhelming strain.

She says staff positions at the hospital remain largely unfilled, although staff numbers have grown from 533 to 833, with plans to fill them incrementally, even as they struggle with a surge in the number of patients.

‘The doctor-to-patient ratio is very high. We have recently had only 10, but since the beginning of this financial year, we have had an extra four doctors, psychiatrist specialists. So, we have 14 psychiatrists for a population of 1,000, which is a drop in the ocean,’ she reveals.

Ideally, there should be one doctor for at least 30 patients. The current ratio is almost one to 100, which is really huge for psychiatry, according to Dr Nakku.

‘The nurse-to-patient ratio right now is also huge. We should have at least one nurse for every 10 to 15 patients at the max. But we have one to 60, which is very high for nursing because nursing is very intensive in mental healthcare,’ she adds.

Ms Mercy Gracy Omona, a clinical psychologist and the national coordinator and head of the secretariat of the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Mental Health, citing studies in the country, observes that about 24.2 percent of adults and 22.9 percent of children in Uganda are estimated to have a mental disorder.

‘Conditions such as depression, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders are increasingly reported in communities. Yet despite the growing need for care, Uganda continues to face a severe shortage of mental health professionals,’ Ms Omona states in a statement.

Dr Nakku also says there is a slight improvement in the budget for medicines, but that this is very small compared to the need.

‘We have had an increase in our budget for medicines initially from Shs2 billion to Shs3.5 billion, but we note that is not enough for medication because of the numbers that we have,’ she says.

‘We have been working very closely with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health and Parliament to try and get that budget up,’ she adds.

Dr Irene Apio, a forensic psychiatrist at Butabika hospital, says she’s overwhelmed by the forensic cases she has to handle because she is the only psychiatrist trained in forensic psychiatry to handle mental health patients who have committed a crime.

Patients sleeping on floor

Information from Butabika also indicates that at any one point, the number of admitted patients is double the existing bed capacity, reflecting limited plan and poor strategies to respond to the mental health care needs of the population.

‘Official bed capacity is 550 beds. However, our bed occupancy rate has been up to 230 plus, which means we have a lot of floor cases,’ Dr Nakku reveals. ‘That requires that we find ways of getting people out of the hospital to other places where they can get care or increase the staffing. At any one time, you’ll find 1,200 plus.’

Dr Nakku says the government should operationalise the plan to provide mental healthcare in lower health facilities through recruiting necessary staff and providing facilities.

Drivers of mental health issues

Information from the facility indicates that addiction has emerged as a critical driver of mental health issues and admissions. About 25 to 30 percent of patients arriving at Butabika are young people struggling with alcohol and drug abuse.

Dr Nakku notes that broader societal pressures compound the problem. ‘There’s a lot of stress in the community. We believe, because of financial strain, maybe young people who have gone to school and are looking for jobs. High unemployment rates are another one.’

‘There are lots of issues in families. Families that are breaking up that are not supporting children well. There is also academic stress. The school programmes that do not allow young people to rest enough. You know, the prep starts at 4am. The child has slept at 11pm, then they are up at 4am to go to class. Those things cause a lot of academic stress, including the academic expectations from us the parents and the communities,’ she adds.

In March, a 20-year-old girl, who scored 19 points in the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams, committed suicide because she was told she should have scored 20 points as a scientist to qualify for the course she wanted.

‘So, these cases are many and we need to support our children. So, it’s a multiplicity of conditions, not to mention the alcohol and substance abuse problem,’ Dr Nakku observes.

When questioned about cases linked to witchcraft, she responds scientifically: ‘To be honest, I do not know much about witchcraft. Ours is scientific.’

Yet Dr Nakku expresses openness to collaboration with alternative providers, recognising the realities patients bring.

Dr Hasfa Lukwata, the acting assistant commissioner of Mental Health Division at the Health ministry, says according to studies in the country, Ugandans experience a range of mental health issues.

‘About 20 percent of the people of Uganda are mainly depressed, and this is taking a toll on many women. It’s mainly women who are depressed. Then, of course, we have anxiety,’ she notes.

‘Then there are people with severe mental illness, like maybe those who are walking on the streets and so on. But these, we are told, are about two percent. In Uganda, they may have schizophrenia. But what we know are the substances, for instance, we know that for alcohol, we are the highest in the region or Africa. For tobacco, we are seeing a tobacco reduction,’ Dr Lukwata adds.

Way out

Despite the crisis, frameworks exist. The Ministry of Health policy calls for mental health services at all levels of care. Regional referral hospitals have mental health units.

Dr Nakku, however, says the challenge lies in ‘functionalisation’, turning plans into accessible, staffed services so Butabika can evolve into a true centre of excellence rather than the default destination for every severe case.

Efforts are underway to decentralise. Staffing norms for health centre IIIs, IVs, and district hospitals now include social workers, counsellors, and psychologists. Integration into primary healthcare aims to catch problems early, before patients ‘decompensate so severely.’

‘There has been an effort to integrate mental healthcare into primary healthcare. So, if we ride on and we have the finances to support that, recruit the staff and provide that care, that should help even the children,’ Dr Nakku observes.

Schools are another frontier. Guidelines developed with the Ministry of Education seek to embed mental health support for students and teachers alike.

‘We have developed guidelines to help schools be able to provide mental health care within the school setting. It should be able to help u students,’ Dr Nakku says.

Workplaces, too, face calls to address burnout, which can spiral into depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicide.

‘We actually may be contributing to what is called burnout. Burnout is that condition in any workplace where if staff are severely stressed by the conditions of the workplace, they get burnout,’ Dr Nakku observes.

‘Burnout leads to depression, anxiety, suicide, and alcoholism in the workplace. So, if we are going to help our people, we need to also mandate workplaces to incorporate mental health care for their staff. Every workplace should have a mechanism to do that,’ she adds.

Patients with life-threatening diseases

Ms Susan Adikini, a clinical psychologist and quality assurance lead at Strong Minds Uganda, observes that patients with chronic or life-threatening diseases struggle with a wide range of mental health issues, yet medical professionals tend to only focus on treating the disease.

‘Oftentimes we find that the healthcare workers are able to attend to the medical needs of the patients. However, what happens to the depression, what happens to the anxiety, and what happens to the mental health needs?’ she says.

On May 8, Strong Minds Uganda partnered with the Uganda Cancer Institute and Mulago hospital’s paediatric oncology department to train 27 healthcare workers and volunteers in mental health screening and interpersonal group psychotherapy.

Dr Racheal Kansiime, a clinical psychologist and president of the Association of Psycho-oncologists in Uganda, says they are working with Strong Minds and other partners to train health workers on managing and helping patients with chronic diseases to cope with mental health challenges they are going through.

She says this month, they have trained 27 health workers from the Uganda Cancer Institute and Mulago hospital’s paediatric oncology department in mental health screening and interpersonal group psychotherapy.

‘Cancer as a disease not only affects the physical being of patients, it also has mental health effects,’ she observes. ‘Research has shown us that the patients who have cancer and also have psychosocial support are able to sail through, and they have better treatment outcomes.’

‘We have people who will have a diagnosis of cancer, and they will live for 10, 20 years after the diagnosis because they have the mental health and psychosocial support,’ she adds.

She says some of the common issues include depression, anxiety, and emotional distress, which hit patients and caregivers alike-spouses, siblings, neighbours, and medical staff.

Low budget for mental health

According to a new value for money audit report by the Office of the Auditor General on mental healthcare in Uganda, only one percent of the annual healthcare budget goes to mental health, mostly channelled to Butabika.

‘There is no national coverage of community mental healthcare since only 28 out-patient facilities can provide follow-up care; these facilities are thinly spread and are often starved of funds for even essential medication,’ the report reads.

The audit revealed a 27 percent increase in reported MNS cases between 2021 and 2023, indicating a growing disease burden.

Despite this concerning increase, Auditor General Edward Akol notes that the Ministry of Health’s interventions have limited effectiveness in reversing this trend.

He cites five major gaps. These include inadequate operationalisation of the Mental Health Act Cap. 308, which focuses on community mental health integration.

‘While the Mental Health Act, Cap 308, was enacted in 2019, the Ministry of Health had not developed regulations for community mental health integration and emergency and voluntary treatment to fully operationalise it six years later,’ the report reads.

‘The Mental Health Advisory Board and District Mental Health Focal Persons were not fully constituted during most of the audit period. As a result, mental health units in regional hospitals operated without standardised infrastructure, safety protocols, or clear management frameworks,’ the report reads further.

There is also inadequate resource allocation and staffing. ‘During the three years reviewed (2021-2023), only two percent (Shs1.1 billion) of the total mental health budget (Shs58.5 billion) was allocated to the Mental Health Division of the Ministry of Health, which is responsible for implementing MNS activities,’ the report reads.

In addition, Uganda had only 53 psychiatrists (one per million people), well below the WHO recommendation of 1: 10,000, according to the report.

‘Most regional and district facilities lacked trained personnel, medicines, and equipment to manage mental health conditions effectively,’ the report reads.

Mr Akol was also concerned about ‘weak treatment, rehabilitation, and supervision mechanisms.’ In the report, he states that health facilities lacked adequate infrastructure, specialised clinics for children and pregnant mothers, and functional rehabilitation programmes.

‘Only a few provided psychosocial support or follow-up services. Supervision by the Mental Health Division and regional referral hospitals was irregular, and monitoring reports were incomplete. Two hundred and sixteen unaccredited private rehabilitation centres were also operating without oversight, posing safety risks to patients,’ the report reads.

He also highlighted limited awareness and community outreach where only 19 of the 65 the sampled health facilities (29 percent) conducted mental health outreach activities, and the Ministry did not implement targeted awareness programs for faith leaders, traditional healers, or local governance structures.

‘Consequently, misconceptions and stigma remain high, with over 60 percent of individuals seeking care first from traditional healers. Most facilities and schools lacked Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to promote awareness,’ the report reads.

Mr Akol also found weak multi-sectoral coordination. ‘Although MoH initiated plans to establish an inter-ministerial and technical working committee on mental health, there was no evidence that this committee was fully functional,’ the report reads.

Recommendations

In the audit report, the country can improve the mental health of the population by ensuring regulatory and institutional strengthening, and ensuring that the inter-ministerial and technical working committees on mental health are operationalised and fully functional.

‘Liaise with the relevant stakeholders to have the minimum standards for mental health units approved and fully implemented by all the Health facilities providing the MNS service,’ the report recommends.

The report also recommends improving funding and human resources through prioritising funding of mental health activities within the Ministry of Health budget, especially the service delivery (non-wage) activities.

‘Fast-track the operationalisation and filling of the new staffing structure, which provides for more mental health professionals at the different levels of delivery service,’ the report recommends.

The report also highlights how treatment, rehabilitation, and supervision can be improved through prioritising training of health workers at all levels in matters of mental health, which include.

Mr Akol also called for an increase in awareness and community engagement. ‘Enhance allocation of funds meant for mental health activities within the Ministry of Health budget to facilitate planned community sensitisations and dissemination of IEC materials to schools and health facilities,’ the report reads.

‘Fast-track and scale up the deployment of the Community Health extension works to supplement the VHTs in undertaking sensitisations within the communities. Review and enhance the current coordination frameworks and measures with a view of ensuring that coordination among stakeholders is more structured, harmonised, and more effective,’ the report reads further.

Dr Lukwata of the Ministry of Health says the Mental Health Division unit, which should coordinate these efforts, is struggling with low funding.

‘As a mental health unit, we should have a vote where we can really tackle the big problem of the mental health of Ugandans. Otherwise, for now, we are only dealing with the care of those who are sick,’ she says.

‘But we need to ensure that every person knows what mental health is, how they can maintain their good mental health, how they can work with other people to ensure that they are all well,’ she adds.

ISSUES

Only 28 outpatient facilities are provide follow-up care

In 2023 alone, 2,657 patients referred from Butabika hospital according to patient treatment, opened their files at KCCA. There are only 53 psychiatrists nationwide, resulting in approximately one psychiatrist for every one million Ugandans. The numbers are above the WHO minimum psychiatric-to-patient ratio of 1:10,000.

The medical and adolescent patients, the psychiatrists serve a population of 20 million.

The majority of the psychiatrists in Uganda practice at national referral hospitals, hence not accessible at the primary health care facility level (HCII, HCIII, and HCIV).

More than 90 percent of the mentally ill individuals in Uganda don’t receive treatment.

Only one percent of the annual healthcare budget is earmarked for national mental healthcare, primarily channelled to Butabika hospital.

Data from the Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) shows that the number of MNS cases reported in the same region from 148,005 in 2024 (30.5 per 1,000 pop) by 31 percent and to 594,675 in 2025 (up by 26 percent).

Drivers of mental health problems include poverty, unemployment, family break-up, academic-related stressors in children, and chronic or life-threatening illnesses like cancer.

Common adult conditions (admitted)

The most common conditions for admitted patients are severe mental health conditions, including:

Bipolar disorder/manic depressive illness

Schizophrenia

Severe depression (often with suicidal ideation)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Severe anxiety (debilitating forms)

Alcohol and substance abuse (for rehabilitation)

Complications of epilepsy

Common child conditions (admitted)

For children, common conditions include:

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Epilepsy

Autism

Conduct disorder